Ozanna: withdrawal from Zoloft and Abilify

[Ozanna]

Today, it has been 2 months since my withdrawal symptoms began.  For the first month, I was plagued by constant, severe anxiety.  The day after I wrote my last post, the torturous anxiety finally lifted and it has not returned.  I think maybe it took my reinstatement a whole month to finally take effect.

My other main symptom, the insomnia, continued however, even though the anxiety lifted.  Two weeks ago, I decided to begin acupuncture treatments to see if that would help me sleep.  I've been going once per week. I had my third session today.  My acupuncturist also gave me Chinese herbs to take.  I was nervous about taking them at first, but finally decided to give them a try.  My sleep has significantly improved since taking the herbs.  Before, my sleep pattern was to wake up every two hours.  Now I'm only waking once per night!  

Some less serious symptoms that I've noticed include what I call my "ocd" symptoms:. Counting the power lines on the road as I'm driving during the day, and also running my tongue over my teeth repetitively throughout the day.  Both of these symptoms feel unconscious...I "catch" myself doing them throughout the day.

To deal with this withdrawal experience, I have had to really dig deep and I have a stronger relationship with myself and with god than I have ever had before.  I had no other choice but to lean on myself and on god.  Although I have friends, I've realized (unfortunately) none of them truly understand what I am going through.  

Reading tons of books has helped me get through the past month.  I read "The Power of Now" and "A New Earth" by Eckhart Tolle, "Untethered Soul" by Michael Singer, "Recovery and Renewal" by Baylissa Frederick, "Anatomy of an Epidemic" by Robert Whitaker, and I'm currently reading "Sophia Code" by Kaia Ra.

I'm embracing this horrific experience as an opportunity to awaken spiritually in depths I have never known.

[Shep]

Nice update, Ozanna. Glad you're finding ways to get through this. 

[Ozanna]

Today, it has been 3 months since my withdrawal symptoms began.  My initial wave lasted one month.  Then, it was followed by a window that lasted for a month and a half.  I honestly thought I was in the clear and wouldn't experience anymore waves.  Then, a big one hit me.  The severe anxiety and panic returned.  Luckily the wave only lasted a few days.  I live in Tampa, Florida so I believe it was the adrenaline from preparing for hurricane Ian that pushed my nervous system over the edge.  I did acupuncture and took the Chinese herbs for only a few weeks, but that was enough to reset my sleep rhythm and I am now sleeping through the night.  My insomnia did not return during the wave this month -- only the anxiety returned during the wave.  I'm still experiencing the "OCD" symptoms:. Counting power lines and moving my tongue over my teeth repetitively, but I'm trying not to fret about it.  I know that one day these symptoms will disappear once my neurotransmitters have upregulated.  

This month, what has helped me the most is reading the book, "The Wim Hof Method" and practicing this technique daily.  It includes a 20 minutes breathing exercise followed by an ice bath at 58°.  There are lots of studies about how this method significantly improves mental health.  Check it out!

I'm thinking about dropping from 50mg Zoloft to 25mg Zoloft and then after a month of holding, starting the 10% per month tapering.  On a scale of 1-10, how bad is this idea?

Edited October 14, 2022 by Ozanna

[Altostrata]

On 10/14/2022 at 11:49 AM, Ozanna said:

I'm thinking about dropping from 50mg Zoloft to 25mg Zoloft and then after a month of holding, starting the 10% per month tapering.  On a scale of 1-10, how bad is this idea?

 

Given you had withdrawal problems only a few months ago, I'd give this a 9.

[Ozanna]

Update: my withdrawal journey began 4 months ago.  The initial wave lasted a month and was horrific.  My main symptoms were severe anxiety and insomnia.  Then, the symptoms lifted and I got a window that lasted 6 weeks.  Next, I got hit with a wave that lasted one week (only the anxiety came back -- not the insomnia).  That was followed by a window that lasted 4 weeks.  But then, two weeks ago, I was hit with another wave.  This time, the symptom was severe Depression!  This was my first time experiencing depression since withdrawal began.  It lasted two weeks and in the height of it, I almost completed suicide.  I had a plan and was carrying it out.  Then, a friend called and I told her what I was doing and she stopped me.

One thing that was strange about the depression was that it was terrible during the day and then it would magically disappear in the evening each day.  My anxiety in previous waves had followed this same pattern.  I thought it was because of cortisol levels, but why would depression follow this same pattern?

Throughout the entire 4 months, I've also had the less serious symptoms of counting power lines and running my tongue over my teeth.  These symptoms are weird and annoying.

I have an appointment with a naturopathic doctor next week who specializes in psych med withdrawal.  I'm hoping she can help me going forward with the rest of my journey.

I also continue to read a lot.  Reading has given me relief through these 4 months, when nothing else worked.  This month I read, "The Biology of Belief" by Bruce Lipton, "Return of a Sage" by Lani Gonzalez, and "Becoming Supernatural" by Joe Dispenza.

 

P.S. I still haven't figured out how to make friends on this website.

 

 

 

 

 

[Altostrata]

Nobody seems to like withdrawal syndrome.

[Shep]

On 11/17/2022 at 3:55 PM, Ozanna said:

P.S. I still haven't figured out how to make friends on this website.

 

The best way to do this is to post encouragement on other members' threads. Many times they may thank you by posting on your intro thread. Members sometimes take their conversations onto the PM (private messaging system) and if there's enough in common, exchange email addresses or other contact information. 

[Ozanna]

5 month update:

My withdrawal begin 5 months ago today.  In the past month, I haven't had any waves.  So that's 4 weeks without a wave.  

This month I delved deep into the daily meditation work taught by Dr Joe Dispenza.  I believe it is helping me.

I also began seeing Dr Julia Britz as a patient this month. She is a naturopathic doctor who works in Las Vegas Nevada.  She does telehealth.  And she specializes in helping patients who are going through withdrawal from psych medications.  

I plan to start my taper for Zoloft next week.  

I am hopeful that this nightmare will be over soon and I will be healed and whole again.  

[Shep]

Very nice update, @Ozanna. 

[Erfan]

@ozanna

Nice plans! Glad to see you are getting better. BTW, you have OCD (as you mentioned), you have to apply ERP technique to get mastery over your symptoms. It's a gold standard for OCD treatment. It helped to overcome my SSRI withdrawal just by believing and apply ERP method. IOCDF has tons of stuff

[Thorin]

On 12/15/2022 at 4:19 AM, Ozanna said:

5 month update:

My withdrawal begin 5 months ago today.  In the past month, I haven't had any waves.  So that's 4 weeks without a wave.  

This month I delved deep into the daily meditation work taught by Dr Joe Dispenza.  I believe it is helping me.

I also began seeing Dr Julia Britz as a patient this month. She is a naturopathic doctor who works in Las Vegas Nevada.  She does telehealth.  And she specializes in helping patients who are going through withdrawal from psych medications.  

I plan to start my taper for Zoloft next week.  

I am hopeful that this nightmare will be over soon and I will be healed and whole again.  

How was your experience with Julia Britz?

[Ozanna]

Today it has been 12 weeks since my last wave!  Baylissa Frederick in her book "Recovery & Renewal" says that once you have a window that lasts 12 weeks, withdrawal is over!  I am so happy today that words can't even express it!

On January 1, I began my taper of the Zoloft I reinstated when withdrawal began for me in July.  I am tapering faster than the recommended 10% per month, but so far, no withdrawal symptoms have returned.  I contribute my success to 3 factors:

1.  I began working with Dr. Julia Britz in November.  She is a naturopathic doctor who specializes in helping patients taper from psych meds and she treats psych med withdrawal.  She has helped thousands of people and knows what she is doing.  She treats with supplements, which made me nervous at first.  But I added them slowly, one at a time.

2.  I have been daily practicing the methods and techniques taught by Dr. Joe Dispenza on how to heal yourself with energy from quantum physics.  

3.  My intuition has told me from the beginning that my withdrawal symptoms (constant panic attacks and daily insomnia), which lasted 8 weeks straight, were so horrific because I tapered off of an antipsychotic and I did not reinstate it.  

This has been the most painful experience I have ever survived in my life, but I have grown and changed in so many ways that I am grateful for.

**At this point, I am not looking for any advice from the moderators.  I am only continuing to post updates in hopes that one day science will use this website to study withdrawal seriously, and I want to contribute my story.

[Ozanna]

First day without taking a pharmaceutical drug in 9 years.  This moment feels so sublime.  

And I never have to take that poison ever again for the rest of my life.  There are no words to express how I feel in this moment.

 

I would like to submit my "Success Story" to this website.  What do I need to do for that?  What are the guidelines?

[manymoretodays]

First post here:  How to write your success story

If your withdrawal syndrome is completely resolved -- you've been off ALL drugs for a year -- please open a topic for yourself here.

 

Tenative congratulations.  I think time will tell now.  It looks a little risky, what you've done, and decided.

 

And it looks like you did some large tapers, just saying.....

Hopefully you saw this at some point:  Why taper by 10% of my dosage

And then most will jump off well below 1 mg for a drug like Zoloft.

 

We can give you a sunshine symbol soon...... let's just see how it goes in the next couple of months first.  That's a symbol that shows you are in a good place in your recovery.

And I hope you are one of the lucky ones.  Again, you've taken the risky approach.

 

And be prepared to cope with Windows and Waves:

The Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

Also see:  Important Topics about tests, supplements, treatments, and diets

Start with the first post and read down from there.  I do see some supplements in your signature that we don't recommend.  Hope you are not spending a fortune.  It's risky what you've done and are doing now.

 

I'm sure I've made that clear.

 

Keep us updated. 

 

Love, peace, healing, and growth,

mmt

 

Edited May 3, 2023 by manymoretodays

[Ozanna]

@manymoretodays

I'm very disappointed in your pessimistic post on my page.

 

I was happy to find this website in the early days of my withdrawal when I didn't know what was happening to me nor did I even have a name to call it.

It was so helpful to be able to read other stories and know I wasn't the only one going through this.  I have appreciated the other members giving me encouragement when I needed it most.

 

But the moderators giving medical advice (which I know you swear is not medical advice, but you hand it out anyway) has been detrimental to my recovery and is unsolicited.

 

That is why I sought out a doctor who is a specialist in treating psych med withdrawal and she has supervised my taper and supplementation, so no I have not done anything "risky" and I do not need "luck."

 

I have asked the moderators not to give me anymore medical recommendations.

 

I have already stated that the only reason I continue to post to this website is in hopes that science will some day use this website to seriously study withdrawal and I want to contribute my story.

 

[manymoretodays]

I'm sorry you are disappointed.  You have the information needed now, for when it's time to write your success story. 

It is heady when you swallow your last prescription psychoactive pill.

 

Gave you some more information.

And I really hope you do well.

 

I just want you to be prepared to use your tools, your non-drug coping tools.  I do see you found some on your own and have also been given links to some.

 

We are happy to get your updates. 

3 hours ago, Ozanna said:

I have already stated that the only reason I continue to post to this website is in hopes that science will some day use this website to seriously study withdrawal and I want to contribute my story.

 

 

Your story is important.  As are you.  And.....there ARE people seriously studying withdrawal, scientists, and psychologists, and some psychiatrists, and other doctors too, and your data is important.  I'm glad for your contributions.

Edited May 3, 2023 by manymoretodays
her quote, added naturopathy and supplements to tags,