Jesse12

[Jesse12]

Hi. I'm taking 100mg Zoloft, 300mg Lamictal and 2mg/3x day Klonopin (all generic). (I want to add that I usually take only 2mg/2x day of opinion though.)

I want to get off all of them.

I want to know if I can taper from more than one at a time. If not which one should I taper off first. 

 

I do take other medications because I have fibromyalgia and psoriatic arthritis. I want to reduce all the drugs I'm taking.

 

I've been taking the psych meds for over 13 years, longer than I've been taking medications for my autoimmune diseases (9 yrs).

 

I've seen no difference in how the psych meds work all these years. Frankly, they haven't really helped. I still suffer from depression and panic attacks.

 

Thanks

 

[Gridley]

Hello, Jesse12 and welcome to SA.

 

To give members the best information, we ask them to summarize their medication history in a signature -- drugs, doses, dates, and discontinuations & reinstatements, in the last 12-24 months particularly.

• Any drugs prior to 24 months ago can just be listed with start and stop years. 
• Please use actual dates or approximate dates (mid-June, Late October) rather than relative time frames (last week, 3 months ago) 
• Spell out months, e.g. "October" or "Oct."; 9/1/2016 can be interpreted as Jan. 9, 2016 or Sept. 1, 2016. 
• Please leave out symptoms and diagnoses. 
• A list is easier to understand than one or multiple paragraphs. 
• Link to Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature.

Please also list your other medications.

 

When a person is on multiple psychiatric drugs, we recommend tapering the more activating drug first, with the more sedating drug(s) remaining to act as a cushion to help with withdrawal.  SSRI's, including Zoloft, are activating (known as accelerators) , while Lamictal and benzos like Klonopin are sedating (known as brakes).  Therefore, you should taper the Zoloft first.

 

Taking multiple psych drugs? Which drug to taper first?

 

At Surviving Antidepressants, it is recommended that a person taper by no more than 10% of their current dose with at least a four week hold in-between decreases.  The 10% taper recommendation is a harm reduction approach to going off psychiatric drugs.  Some people may have to taper at a more conservative rate as they are sensitive to even the smallest drops.
  

Before you begin tapering what you need to know

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

Brain Remodelling

Tips for tapering off Zoloft (sertraline)

 

Here is some information on withdrawal.

 

What is withdrawal syndrome.

 

Glenmullen’s withdrawal symptom list.

 

When we take medications, the CNS (central nervous system) responds by making changes over the months and years we take the drug(s). When the medication is discontinued, the CNS has to undo all the changes it made. Rebuilding the neurotransmitter production and reactivating the receptor and transporter cells takes time -- during that rebuilding process symptoms occur.  

 

Youtube video, 4 minutes: Healing from antidepressants

 

Please be aware that sometime withdrawal symptoms don't appear immediately after a too-fast taper.

 

Delayed onset of withdrawal symptoms

 

We don't recommend a lot of supplements on SA, as many members report being sensitive to them due to our over-reactive nervous systems, but two supplements that we do recommend are magnesium and omega 3 (fish oil). Many people find these to be calming to the nervous system. 

 

Magnesium, nature's calcium channel blocker 

 

Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) 

 

Please research all supplements first and only add in one at a time and at a low dose in case you do experience problems.

 

While it is often a first response to stress to take a B-Complex, in withdrawal it can be overstimulating.

 

Hypersensitive to B Vitamin or B-Complex  

 

Many members have found the techniques in the following two links helpful in coping with withdrawal.  

 

The Dr. Claire Weekes Method of Recovering from a Sensitized Nervous System

 

Non-drug techniques to cope with emotional symptoms.

 

This is your introduction topic -- the place for you to ask questions, record symptoms, share your progress, and connect with other members of the SA community.  I hope you’ll find the information in the SA forums helpful for your situation.  I'm sorry that you are in the position that you need the information, but I am glad that you found us.

 

Edited April 1, 2018 by ChessieCat
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[Jesse12]

My apologies for not filling out the signature box. I hope I did it correctly :-) .

Thank you for the links and information. I've read most of them.

You mentioned supplements omega 3, magnesium, and B-Complex (the latter not being advised to take during tapering). I take all 3 along with Turmeric, QBC (Quercetin, Bromelin, Vit C Complex) and vitamin/mineral supplements. I take these for my autoimmune diseases. I also eat as healthy as I can afford to (lol); organic products being as expensive ass they are. I'm almost finished with the bottle of B-Complex and will start working on tapering after.

 

I've kept a med diary since I first began taking medications 13yrs ago. It's been invaluable to me.

 

I've suffered from depression my entire life and never took any medication. I just dealt with it when it came on. I only took an antidepressant because I had been depressed for months and my job was on the line from taking too many days off. 

 

It helped for a couple of months but after that my life became a nightmare for several years.

I had never been suicidal, a cutter or have sudden extreme mood changes. By the time I applied for Disability, I'd been on over 35 medications. I don't know how many times I tried to kill myself and all the side effects each cocktail of drugs gave me along with all the scars on my body. I lost a great relationship I was in for 6 years because he was burnt out from all I put him through after I got on medication about 4 years into our relationship. I don't blame him.

 

The reason I remained on the 3 psych meds I'm on now (have to edit signature) is because it stopped the "crazy" behavior that started when I got on psych meds. I was diagnosed as having bipolar depression because I had no past of any manic behavior (except for when I started taking medication!).

When I developed fibromyalgia (I got hit with psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, rosecea (believed to be an autoimmune disease also) and chronic fatigue syndrome all at once), my doctor told me that having taken so many meds could have played a role in my getting sick. 

As I wrote in my intro, the psych meds have not helped me at all with the symptoms they're supposed to. 

Getting off these medications will, in the long run, help with my autoimmune diseases, although the journey won't be pleasant.

Thanks for taking the time to read my post.

[ChessieCat]

5 hours ago, Jesse12 said:

B-Complex (the latter not being advised to take during tapering). I take all 3 along with Turmeric, QBC (Quercetin, Bromelin, Vit C Complex) and vitamin/mineral supplements. I take these for my autoimmune diseases. I also eat as healthy as I can afford to (lol); organic products being as expensive ass they are. I'm almost finished with the bottle of B-Complex and will start working on tapering after.

 

Whatever you have been taking prior to tapering may be okay to continue, including the B Complex.  However it is good to be aware of the possibility that the B vitamins, especially B6 may cause an issue.

[Jesse12]

Thanks ChessieCat.

[Jesse12]

I was browsing through an article on a different site regarding fibromyalgia and antidepressant medications.

The following caught my attention

"After a year the AD group showed a worst impact of the disease, worsened quality of life, and disability linked to bipolar symptoms"

 

I was given a bipolar depression diagnosis basically because I couldn't take an antidepressant alone without developing hypomanic symptoms. That's when the mood stabilizers where introduced. I must mentioned before the mood stabilizers, I was put on anxiety meds. (As previously mentioned the list of drugs was over 35 by the time I had no choice but to apply for disability.)

 

My question is, was I bipolar or did the medications make me bipolar? 

This question has plagued me for years.

 

Edited April 3, 2018 by ChessieCat
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[ChessieCat]

4 hours ago, Jesse12 said:

My question is, was I bipolar or did the medications make me bipolar? 

This question has plagued me for years.

 

I suggest your read Anatomy of an Epidemic by Robert Whitaker and also Your Drug May Be Your Problem by Dr Peter Breggin.

[Jesse12]

13 hours ago, ChessieCat said:

 

I suggest your read Anatomy of an Epidemic by Robert Whitaker and also Your Drug May Be Your Problem by Dr Peter Breggin.

I will. Thanks

[Jesse12]

I'm taking both Buspar and klonopin. I was told to taper off Zoloft and than lamictal first. But what comes after that, klonopin or Buspar?

[Altostrata]

Hi, Jesse. Your Intro topic is the place to ask questions like this because we need the context to answer.

 

What times of day do you take your drugs? What is your current symptom pattern?

 

Please put ALL your drugs in the Drug Interactions Checker https://www.drugs.com/drug_interactions.php
and copy and paste the results in this topic.

 

On 4/3/2018 at 9:45 AM, Jesse12 said:

was given a bipolar depression diagnosis basically because I couldn't take an antidepressant alone without developing hypomanic symptoms. That's when the mood stabilizers where introduced. I must mentioned before the mood stabilizers, I was put on anxiety meds. (As previously mentioned the list of drugs was over 35 by the time I had no choice but to apply for disability.)

 

My question is, was I bipolar or did the medications make me bipolar? 

 

Jesse, that mode of diagnosing bipolar disorder is invalid. What probably happened is that the dosage of the antidepressant was too high for you, and it revved you up. That is a common adverse effect of antidepressants. Most likely, you are not bipolar at all.