brief history

[Kieferpollock]

I stopped taking Zoloft in around 1997, in my 20s, while working abroad in South Africa (I am from the US).  I'm pretty sure now that I was hypomanic, "happier than I'd ever been" and it made sense to me that it was a great time to switch to more "natural" remedies.  I've recently read that Zoloft itself can cause hypomania.  I think I tapered off in about 2 weeks - I had no guidance whatsoever.  Over the next few months I lost my mind, and since I had no idea what was happening to me, or anyone to ask, and Google did not yet exist (I don't think), I was terrified.  I broke my brain.  Time moved incredibly slowly, I had many doom and death fantasies, I couldn't concentrate or think clearly, I had repetitive intrusive obsessive thoughts, crazy dreams, etc.  I'm not sure how I made it home to my family.  Once home they put me back on Zoloft, but it had no effect.  I plunged into a paralyzing depression, which they told me was a relapse.  I lost capacity to have any interest in my former career, or in anything.  I spent the next 10 years lost, trying many different meds, therapists, lost my identity, my career, became someone I didn't recognize.  I have continued to be quite disabled.  And I blamed myself, because I was so "sick" right?

So now I just tuned 50, I'm on a "cocktail," and I'm finally  pretty stable emotionally and professionally.  I  do keep getting different physical maladies that doctors can't seem to explain, plus cognitive difficulties.  But I honestly feel I cannot afford another withdrawal downward spiral.  So I feel trapped - I would LIKE to find a truly informed psychiatrist who can help me evaluate which of my meds are the most toxic, and have a closely-watched effort to MAYBE lower my dose of something... I now live in the Dominican Republic, and the docs here all trained in the US pro-meds model.  I contacted Dr. Stuart Shipko, but he said he's not taking new patients.  He sent me here.

I am looking for recommendations of docs who work in the virtual space, or at least some tips for what terms to enter in a google search to maybe find someone who could help me.

The attached list of meds is what I sent to Dr. Shipko.

 

 

Edited June 16, 2021 by Karma
Removed attachment

[getofflex]

Hello, and welcome to SA.  We are a peer owned and run forum of people who have been or are getting off of psychiatric drugs.  I'm so sorry to hear about all the troubles you have had from when you went off Zoloft in 1997.  It is very strong and courageous of you to start considering getting off drugs again, and prudent that you are doing this in a very proactive and careful way.  I think with plenty of patience, you should be able to reduce your drugs.   If you do a very slow and cautious taper, you should be able to reduce the drugs without going through another horrific withdrawal.  We can tell you how to accomplish this.  

 

First of all, can you please give us specific information about your drug history for all drugs you are on and have been on, especially for the past 18-24 months?  It would be especially helpful to have the details of your drugs in a concise list (no symptoms), only drug names, specific dates (as best you can say for example early March if you don't recall the day) and dosages of each medication decrease or increase.  Please read the link below for instructions.  This will allow us to give you the best guidance.  

 

How to List Drug History in Signature

 

Here is a thread with a list of doctors who are knowledgable about psych med withdrawal syndrome. 

 

Recommended Doctors, Therapists, and Clinics

 

Here is some information about how these drugs actually work.  

 

How Psychiatric Drugs Remodel Your Brain

 

 

This helps you understand what withdrawal syndrome is: 

 

 Video on Recovery from Psych Drugs

 

What is Withdrawal Syndrome?

 

Tapering is best done extremely slowly, and we taper by 10% of the current dose no more than once every 4 weeks, so that the taper becomes exponentially smaller.

 

 Why Taper by 10% of my Dosage  

 

 

There is also another method that is even gentler, called the Brass Monkey slide method:  

 

Brass Monkey Slide Method of Micro Tapering

 

 

Also, as we are recovering, we suggest keeping things slow, simple, and stable. This is extremely important. 

 

Keep it Simple, Slow, and Stable

 

 

When we recover, there are times of feeling OK mixed in with times of feeling bad.  This is called windows and waves.

 

Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

Here are some techniques to cope with symptoms: 

 

Non Drug Ways to Cope with Withdrawal Symptoms

 

 

We don't suggest many supplements, but 2 that many of us find helpful are magnesium and omega-3 fish oil. Here are the links for info about those. It is suggested to add one at a time, and start with a low dose to see how it affects you. 

Magnesium

 

Omega 3 Fish Oil

 

Here is a link to information about doctors 

Please read through everything, especially the links about tapering.  Feel free to ask questions. 

[Gridley]

On 6/14/2021 at 9:19 PM, Kieferpollock said:

So I feel trapped - I would LIKE to find a truly informed psychiatrist who can help me evaluate which of my meds are the most toxic, and have a closely-watched effort to MAYBE lower my dose of something.

 

I don't know anything about this group but I've seen their name come up a couple of times on SA in the context of tapering psychiatric drugs.  It might be worth an exploratory communication.

 

www.freerangepsych.org - Virtual Visits Anywhere