☼ bruno2016: Hello everyone, off Celexa

[Bruin]

So encouraging ....so glad that you are doing well. I also came off Effexor very fast and it was a huge mistake. Thank you for coming back to share this 

it is so important that people do.....Alll the very best to you and congratulations ! 

 

Bruin

[dowdaller]

Well done i went off effexor on a longer taper but jumped from 28mg to nothing. Great to hear you are doing so well.

[caperjackie]

Thanks for the update Bruno (I remember you) and glad to hear that your life is on track. Like you, I am 5 years off and functioning quite well (such a relief after living through the horror of acute WD). Also like you I still have what I call 'residual issues' ........ especially low stress tolerance ......... but I am grateful to be living life and who knows ....... these 'issues' may improve in time. Best wishes for your future life!

[bruno2016]

hello,

 

just to let everyone know I am now roughly 6 years off. Life has really improved so always remember that. I have done many things post srri (I was on ssri's for nearly 8 years and went COLD turkey). I am now about to complete an LMT school/course, am a Fitness Trainer, have a girlfriend, and also have another full time job. Life has been really good. I still travel (road trips, backpacking abroad, etc) and have many great things since being off SSRI's.

 

I would say I am about 85% fully recovered. The only things that remain are a sensitive ANS (but I had anxiety prior), some lingering fatigue, burn out easily sometimes, and a sensitivity to various foods so I must eat super healthy and clean (primal diet)...I must be careful with getting too stressed but I suppose that's with everyone.

 

I used another name before and you can read all my old posts (was under the name zepp2011). I haven't been here in a long time but felt it was a good time to say hi and give some encouragement to you all. If anyone needs a friend here in texas or anywhere else, I am here for you! Take care!

[Altostrata]

Hi, bruno. Good to see you again, and it's really good to hear you're doing well.

 

I've merged your old Introductions topics with your new one. Only one Intro topic to a customer. Please put your updates in this topic.

 

Now we can see your whole saga!

[bruno2016]

1 minute ago, Altostrata said:

Hi, bruno. Good to see you again, and it's really good to hear you're doing well.

 

I've merged your old Introductions topics with your new one. Only one Intro topic to a customer. Please put your updates in this topic.

hello, do you remember me? i was called zepp way back when. I was one of the first people here. Boy time flies. Glad this site is still around. 

[divegrl]

Glad to hear you are doing well!!

 

I too eat a primal diet.  Except, I'm a bit more lenient.  I can tolerate fruit and nuts.  But yes... eating a high fat diet has really improved my symptoms.  Glad to hear the same for you!

 

Good luck!

[Altostrata]

I sure do, zepp. Thanks for keeping in touch, seeing someone progress towards healing means a lot to us all.

[bruno2016]

2 minutes ago, divegrl said:

Glad to hear you are doing well!!

 

I too eat a primal diet.  Except, I'm a bit more lenient.  I can tolerate fruit and nuts.  But yes... eating a high fat diet has really improved my symptoms.  Glad to hear the same for you!

 

Good luck!

i was just in oregon this past may, was my first time there. I took a class on herbalism in the southern part of oregon and really loved that area. Was super gorgeous. 

 

Diet has by far been the main factor in my recovery and symptom reduction. Once I changed to a primal way of eating (mainly wild fish, lots of berries, lots of veggies, some other wild meats, etc) I saw lots of improvements. I stopped getting colds, had lots more focus, and the list goes on. I literally have not been sick in YEARS. The last time i was sick was in 2014 and that was ONLY because I got some type of exotic infection while traveling in central america. I was in terrible shape but I eventually pulled through. 

[bruno2016]

On 11/4/2016 at 4:51 PM, caperjackie said:

Thanks for the update Bruno (I remember you) and glad to hear that your life is on track. Like you, I am 5 years off and functioning quite well (such a relief after living through the horror of acute WD). Also like you I still have what I call 'residual issues' ........ especially low stress tolerance ......... but I am grateful to be living life and who knows ....... these 'issues' may improve in time. Best wishes for your future life!

hey there how have you been? its been a long time

[bruno2016]

1 hour ago, bruno2016 said:

hello,

 

just to let everyone know I am now roughly 6 years off. Life has really improved so always remember that. I have done many things post srri (I was on ssri's for nearly 8 years and went COLD turkey). I am now about to complete an LMT school/course, am a Fitness Trainer, have a girlfriend, and also have another full time job. Life has been really good. I still travel (road trips, backpacking abroad, etc) and have many great things since being off SSRI's.

 

I would say I am about 85% fully recovered. The only things that remain are a sensitive ANS (but I had anxiety prior), some lingering fatigue, burn out easily sometimes, and a sensitivity to various foods so I must eat super healthy and clean (primal diet)...I must be careful with getting too stressed but I suppose that's with everyone.

 

I used another name before and you can read all my old posts (was under the name zepp2011). I haven't been here in a long time but felt it was a good time to say hi and give some encouragement to you all. If anyone needs a friend here in texas or anywhere else, I am here for you! Take care!

 

[bhasski]

Hi,

Good to hear about you.

 

How long did you start noticing your life coming back ?

 

I am almost  2 years off CT , but living a pain with aches, fatigue, memory, anger, apathy, sleep etc.

[bruno2016]

6 minutes ago, bhasski said:

Hi,

Good to hear about you.

 

How long did you start noticing your life coming back ?

 

I am almost  2 years off CT , but living a pain with aches, fatigue, memory, anger, apathy, sleep etc.

 

i suffered severely the first year. Remember, I was on AD for nearly 8 years and went off in ONE week! After a year i saw steady improvements. Around the 2-2.5 year mark (more or less) is when I really felt like i was on the road to recovery. At the three year mark is when I began doing things "normal" people do: dating, traveling, taking up new studies, etc. I believe I would have felt amazing if it wasnt for a severe infection i got while traveling in central america summer 2014; that was a HUGE set back so dont get sick lol. 

 

Dont forget that there are many tools to help you recover faster: i meditated whenever i could (joined a local Buddhist temple to meditate with them as well); I began eating a super clean, super healthy diet (a paleo type diet. Also lots of liver or desiccated liver); i did psycho-therapy; i went camping every few months for days at time; exercise/weight lifting; i did do acupuncture as well; I added a few supplements and still take some supplements (mainly salmon oil, pfeiffer nutrients (things like vit c, zinc, b6, magnesium, chormium) search carl pfieffer); I began fasting as well (dont go too extreme; this was once i began feeling a bit better)...there some other things as well. As you can see, some of these things are free or low cost and very safe. The most important thing to do is have FAITH. No matter how bad you feel, let this phrase always be in the back of your mind: "this bad feeling is temporary and I will continue to heal". This has nothing to do with just trying to be positive or whatever,  this phrase is rooted in fact; the human body is always on a path of healing and will do what it can to get back to a more natural, healthful state of being. 

 

A caveat: I personally believe in the power of nutrition for maintaining good mental health. As I have said,  I use a combination of certain vitamins and minerals to help me feel well. I have gone off this combination a few times and always end up feeling like crap so imo I think some people *may* need some things to keep them feeling well (i.e. methylation nutrients for example). Thats just me, its not to suggest everyone needs certain things I am just offering what helps keep me well in hopes you can be exposed to that knowledge. I am not going to say take xyz or do xyz. 

[bhasski]

Thanks a lot for your reply.

 

I am doing most in my power to get better.

I am a vegetarian, so fats like cheese, oils etc  remains as option.

 

I am currently supplementing l glutamine, and nac with vit b ,c and d3.

But its a feeling that these efforts are going in vain as I rarely find relief.

 

Going to start msm.

[divegrl]

2 hours ago, bruno2016 said:

i was just in oregon this past may, was my first time there. I took a class on herbalism in the southern part of oregon and really loved that area. Was super gorgeous. 

 

Diet has by far been the main factor in my recovery and symptom reduction. Once I changed to a primal way of eating (mainly wild fish, lots of berries, lots of veggies, some other wild meats, etc) I saw lots of improvements. I stopped getting colds, had lots more focus, and the list goes on. I literally have not been sick in YEARS. The last time i was sick was in 2014 and that was ONLY because I got some type of exotic infection while traveling in central america. I was in terrible shape but I eventually pulled through. 

Hi!!

 

Yes Oregon is beautiful!  We call it the Pacific Wonderland!  Its funny because I actually was raised in Texas. 

 

I agree nutrition is huge, thanks for the great reminder!  I love your enthusiasm.... its contagious! 

 

Good luck to you my friend!

[bruno2016]

1 hour ago, divegrl said:

Hi!!

 

Yes Oregon is beautiful!  We call it the Pacific Wonderland!  Its funny because I actually was raised in Texas. 

 

I agree nutrition is huge, thanks for the great reminder!  I love your enthusiasm.... its contagious! 

 

Good luck to you my friend!

thanks so much. I am here if you ever want to chat or need a friend! 

[Hellbutrin]

23 hours ago, bruno2016 said:

thanks so much. I am here if you ever want to chat or need a friend! 

Hi Bruno,

 

Thanks for stopping by to offer your words of encouragement, it means a lot to those of us that are still in the beginning stages of withdrawal. I completed my taper from Wellbutrin three months ago, and have been struggling with depression from withdrawal (I was put on Wellbutrin for anxiety and never had depression prior to taking the drug, so I know that the depressive symptoms are caused by the medication), major memory and concentration impairment, anhedonia, anxiety, and the most frustrating of all is that I don't feel like I can get any enjoyment out of life. It's awful, almost like even if I went and got a banana split and a massage at the same time I can't be happy about it. At what point in your recovery did you start feeling like yourself again, and when did you start seeing your joy in life return? I'm concerned that I will permanently be this shell of the person I used to be. I know that sounds melodramatic, but it's hard not to feel like this when that's the one area that I haven't seen any improvement in at all. 

[bruno2016]

well your depression will resolve with time. I had severe issues the first year and remember i was on for nearly 8 years and went cold turkey! As time goes on, most of your issues will either disappear completely or just reduce to where they arent bothersome. For example, I could not even hold a conversation without feeling drained and now I can talk without a problem. I was also super sensitive to any stressor--i could not handle anything; I would lose my **** so easy. All that stuff is much better. My mood is very level and I mostly feel great but i must do certain things to keep feeling well (strict diet, exercise, meditation, some supplements, etc). 

 

my issue was anxiety as well. That is mostly gone but i still have a sensitive fight or flight reaction---sympathetic dominance. The key to that (for me) is diet, certain nutrients (methylation stuff; zinc, b6, etc; fats/oils)...i also use some herbs from time to time. Dont under-estimate the power of meditation and getting out in nature to relax, rest, and heal. 

 

as mentioned in a prior post, I was very ill for the first year. People recover at different rates depending on lots of factors like the drugs used, taper, age, genetics, etc. Your recovery rate will likely differ. I began feeling well again around 2 years, then from there it got better and better. The main thing to remember is that you will heal with time and the worst symptoms are temporary. Addressing the original cause of the anxiety at some point will help keep you well and off the psych drugs forever. I am now 6 years off of psych meds and will never look back! 

[Hellbutrin]

12 minutes ago, bruno2016 said:

well your depression will resolve with time. I had severe issues the first year and remember i was on for nearly 8 years and went cold turkey! As time goes on, most of your issues will either disappear completely or just reduce to where they arent bothersome. For example, I could not even hold a conversation without feeling drained and now I can talk without a problem. I was also super sensitive to any stressor--i could not handle anything; I would lose my **** so easy. All that stuff is much better. My mood is very level and I mostly feel great but i must do certain things to keep feeling well (strict diet, exercise, meditation, some supplements, etc). 

 

my issue was anxiety as well. That is mostly gone but i still have a sensitive fight or flight reaction---sympathetic dominance. The key to that (for me) is diet, certain nutrients (methylation stuff; zinc, b6, etc; fats/oils)...i also use some herbs from time to time. Dont under-estimate the power of meditation and getting out in nature to relax, rest, and heal. 

 

as mentioned in a prior post, I was very ill for the first year. People recover at different rates depending on lots of factors like the drugs used, taper, age, genetics, etc. Your recovery rate will likely differ. I began feeling well again around 2 years, then from there it got better and better. The main thing to remember is that you will heal with time and the worst symptoms are temporary. Addressing the original cause of the anxiety at some point will help keep you well and off the psych drugs forever. I am now 6 years off of psych meds and will never look back! 

Thanks for the response Bruno, I really appreciate it! For me the hardest part is looking ahead and imagining a time where I feel like myself again. I totally understand that everyone is different physiologically and we all recover at different rates. I took Wellbutrin for almost two years, and I tapered over 2 months, which I know is a very short amount of time to complete a taper when I used the drug for as long as I did. I've only been totally off of the drug for 11 weeks, so I know I still have a long journey ahead of me in order to see any real signs of recovery.  I just wish there was was a ratio to calculate how long it will take me to recover completely. For example, you said that it took two years to start feeling better after taking the drug for 8 years. If I compare my situation to yours (which I understand is totally different), that would mean that I can start seeing some ease of my withdrawal symptoms around 6 months into recovery. I wish that there was more of a platform for advocating against these drugs, so that more people could avoid going through this. If I had known that this kind of withdrawal was probable when I wanted to try to stop taking the drug, I NEVER would have started them in the first place. If there is one thing that I've learned from all of this, it's that you can't put a value on doing your own research. 

[bruno2016]

5 minutes ago, Hellbutrin said:

Thanks for the response Bruno, I really appreciate it! For me the hardest part is looking ahead and imagining a time where I feel like myself again. I totally understand that everyone is different physiologically and we all recover at different rates. I took Wellbutrin for almost two years, and I tapered over 2 months, which I know is a very short amount of time to complete a taper when I used the drug for as long as I did. I've only been totally off of the drug for 11 weeks, so I know I still have a long journey ahead of me in order to see any real signs of recovery.  I just wish there was was a ratio to calculate how long it will take me to recover completely. For example, you said that it took two years to start feeling better after taking the drug for 8 years. If I compare my situation to yours (which I understand is totally different), that would mean that I can start seeing some ease of my withdrawal symptoms around 6 months into recovery. I wish that there was more of a platform for advocating against these drugs, so that more people could avoid going through this. If I had known that this kind of withdrawal was probable when I wanted to try to stop taking the drug, I NEVER would have started them in the first place. If there is one thing that I've learned from all of this, it's that you can't put a value on doing your own research. 

 

 

like i said the recovery rate really varies depending on many things. Dont get too caught up in figuring out how long it will take. Just remember that you are doing yourself a very good deed by staying off psych meds and that with time you will feel better. Life is so much better off those drugs. I would really encourage you to take it one day at a time--meditate daily, eat clean, add some supplements if called for, and let your body do its job. Have faith and you will pull through...and yes that does call for some patience. 

[divegrl]

On ‎10‎/‎25‎/‎2017 at 2:15 PM, bruno2016 said:

thanks so much. I am here if you ever want to chat or need a friend! 

 

Yes thank you so much.  

 

Good luck to you my friend.  I hope you keep coming back to SA to spread encouragement.  

 

Sending joy

[rupa]

Hi Bruno

Have you ever experienced hallucinations kind of dreams?

Please reply.

[EthanC]

Hey bruno2016,

 

I'm wondering if your cognitive problems reversed after stopping your medications for so long?

 

All the best,

 

Ethan

[bruno2016]

Topic title:  Checking In

 

hello friends, I got an IM so logged in here today and figured I would post on the forum. 

 

In about 2 months, I will hit my 8 year mark. Holy cow i cant believe that. Im getting old too lol. I remember being on here and paxil progress years ago through acute WD and protracted WD. Boy I had many hard years. 

 

Where am I now? I ended up going to Massage Therapy school and pursuing Fitness Trainer education. So, I currently help people. I am also in Veterinary Tech school so will be working with animals soon. I have come a long way. The main things that keep me well are: Auto-immune Paleo/Walhs diet; daily meditation (calm app); hiking/nature; exercise; travel; nutritional supplements. I have been doing QiGong the last 6 months or so and that is some powerful stuff. Look into it. 

 

Life is great. Keep up the tapers and you will be drug free one day. 

 

With love, 

 

bruno2016

 

Edited August 24, 2019 by ChessieCat
added topic title

[ChessieCat]

Hi bruno, wow, what a fantastic update.

 

It would be really great and be an encouragement to other members if you could write your success story.

 

How to write your success story

 

Where:  success-stories-recovery-from-withdrawal

[ChessieCat]

It would also be good if you would post an update here:  pssd-post-ssri-sexual-dysfunction

 

Thank you!  😊

 

[India]

@bruno2016 How are your memory/cognitive  issues now? You posted in the brain fog section.

On 8/24/2019 at 4:50 AM, bruno2016 said:

Life is great. Keep up the tapers and you will be drug free one day. 

Wonderful news.. perhaps this could be posted in “success stories”

[bruno2016]

Wow, cant believe I went off psych meds about 10 years ago (in 2011). Boy time flies. Still drug free! Sending love to everyone. 

[Shep]

@bruno2016Hi, Bruno. Just a FYI that I moved your last post. Please continue to keep posting here in your thread so all of your information is in one place.

 

Although it sounds like you may be ready to write a success story. If so, please do so! The success stories are here:

 

Success stories: Recovery from psychiatric drug withdrawal