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Marsha's Success Story


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  • Moderator Emeritus

@Marsha What a beautiful success story! Thank you for coming back and posting this.  It truly was a long journey to get off these drugs. I've very happy to read you're sleeping so good and finding joy in life.

 

Well done and well deserved. 

 

 

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Oh wow Marsha what a profound and beautiful post!  I am so happy for you that you are enjoying life again; the descriptions of how you are experiencing life and the world now are just lovely.  Thank you for sharing your inspirational story with us and providing hope that there is an amazing life awaiting those of us still struggling with coming off of psych drugs.  

-1/06 - 3/07 Cymbalta. Fast taper (essentially CT); withdrawal symptoms after 4 mos (didn't realize was WD)

-10/07: 100 mg Zoloft; 1 mg Klonopin - tapered off Klonopin after 4 mos. Several unsuccessful slow tapers of Zoloft; went up and down in dose a lot

-Spring 2013 back on 1 mg Klonopin to counter WD symptoms; switched over 5-6 mos from Zoloft to 35 mg citalopram
-Two attempts at slow tapering citalopram, always increased dose due to WD; also increased Klonopin to 1.25 mg in 2014, then to 1.5 mg in 2015

-8/17-9/17: After holding one year at 20 mg, feeling withdrawal symptoms due to stress - slowly increased to 25 mg. No change in symptoms after 6 months (? tolerance ?)  - decided to start citalopram taper February 2018 (still on Klonopin 1.5 mg).

Supplements: fish oil; magnesium; vitamin D3; curcumin

Citalopram taper:  2/2018 - 12/2019: 25 mg - 11.03 mg I 2020: 10.89 mg - 7.9 mg I 2021: 7.8 mg - 5.26 mg I 2022: 5.2 mg - 3.36 mg I 2023: 3.3 mg - 1.47 mg 2024: 1/5/24: 1.44 mg; 1/19/24: 1.40 mg; 1/26/24: 1.37 mg; 2/2/24: 1.34 mg; 2/9/24: 1.31 mg; 2/23/24: 1.28 mg; 3/1/24: 1.25 mg; 3/8/24: 1.22 mg; 3/15/24: 1.19 mg; 3/29/24: 1.17 mg; 4/5/24: 1.14 mg; 4/13/24: 1.11 mg; 4/20/24: 1.09 mg; 4/27/24: 1.06 mg

 

 

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Thank you for sharing marsha, what a beautiful achievement!
Wish you a delightful new year in this new stage of your life ☀️

2006 : 20mg Paxil+Bromazepam. 2008 : cold turkey of both. 2010 : Reinstatement 20mg Paxil + Bromazepam.

2014-June2017 : Switch from Bromazepam to Prazepam, slow taper to 0mg.

2018 to August 2019 : Paxil 20mg taper (3% every 15 days). 22 Aug 2019 updose to 10mg (was at 8.4mg).

25th Sept 2019 To April 2020 : found SA, holding at 10mg Paxil. 

April 2020 : Paxil 10mg to Prozac 7mg bridge. Details topic/21457

 

Current Supplements : magnesium citrate + fish oil

Current medication :

* 7pm Diazepam  : 0.85mg (15 Aug 2022) / 0.95 mg (24 April 2022) / 1mg Diazepam (since 29 Aug 2020)

* 8am Prozac : 6.16mg (25 oct 2022, feel awful, slight updose) / 6.08 mg (9 oct 2022) / 6.24mg (11 July 22) / 6.44mg (22 May 22) / 6.64mg (4 Nov 21) / 6.72mg (8 oct 21) / 6.8 mg (15 Sept 21)6.88mg (14 Aug 21)/ 6.92mg (23 Jun 21)

 

I am not a professional, I don't give medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Thank you @MarshaWhat an incredible feat--to reclaim your life.  It is so good to know that it can be done.  Thank you for sharing and bolstering our faith.  

Best wishes to you,

Arbor

Zoloft: 1995 - 2015

Prozac: 2015 - 2018 (tapered from 40mg x day on July 31 to 30mg on August 31 to 20mg on September 31 to 10mg October 31 to 0mg on  December 15, 2018

Gabapentin: 2016 to 2019  (tapered from 300mg x day to 150mg on August 31, 2019 to 75mg on September 15 to 50mg on September 31 to 25ishmg on October 15 to 0mg on December 1, 2019

Enalapril: 2010 - 2019

Lipitor: 2017 -2017

Metformin: 2000 - 2020

Liothyronine: 2007 - 2019

Levothyroxine: 2000 - 2022

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Your story gives me hope. Thank you for sharing!

3/27/2020 12.5-25mg of Trazodone

6/28/2021 Cold Turkey Trazodone 

7/21-9/21  - Trazodone 25mg PRN

9/25/2021 Magnesium glycinate 200mg

10/21 -12/1/2021- Magnesium glycinate 250mg - worked briefly

11/24/2021 - 18mg Trazodone - planning taper

12/1/2021 - 2/21/2022 - 7.7mg Trazodone - less side effects

1/17/2022-2/3/2022 Mag Malate 200mg - could not sense an effect

2/4/2022- 2/8/2022 Mag Carbonate 1/2 teaspoon - chill affect - constipation and stomach cramps

 

Current medications: 1.6MG Trazodone, Atomoxetine 10mg 2009 - present.

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  • Moderator Emeritus

What an amazing and beautiful story, Marsha!  You are a major inspiration to this site.  Thanks so much for coming back and letting us know that it is possible to get off the drug merry go round and recover and have a good life!  

Please do not private message me.  Only tag me for urgent questions about tapering and reinstating - thank you.  

 

***Please note this is not medical advice.  Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a doctor who understands psych meds and how to withdraw from them, if you can find one.

 

Lexapro   Started Apr 15 2010 - 10 mg;  started taper August 2017, recent taper info: Apr 2 '20  0.18 mg; Jul 16  0.17 mg, Aug 23  0.16 mg, Oct 7  0.15 mg, Nov 8 - 0.14, Jan 16 '21 - 0.13, Feb 7 - 0.12, Feb 22 - 0.11, Mar 26 - 0.10, May 21 - 0.09, June 15 - 0.08 Aug 16 - 0.07, Oct 6 - 0.06, Nov 21 0.05, Dec. 17 0.04, Jan 14 '22 0.03, Feb 19 0.02, Apr 18 0.01, May 15 0.005,  Jul 8, 0.00.  Psych Drug Free as of July 8, 2022!!  Woohoo!!!

other meds: Levothyroxine 75 mg

magnesium in small amounts at 4 AM, before bed

suppl AM: fish oil, flax oil, vit C, vit E, multivitamin, zinc

suppl 8 PM: magnesium 350 mg, extended release vitamin C, melatonin 2 mg

 

Paxil 2002 - 2010, switched to Lexapro 2010 

Trazodone 50 mg. 2002 - 2019, fast tapered in 2019 

Xanax 0.5 mg as needed 2002 - 2019, up to 3x weekly 

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@Marsha thanks for your success story and congratulation.

I wish you all the best for your future. 

 

LG 

Pina

0 - 0 - 0 since 08.07.2018, 1 - 0 - 0 = 0,11 mg  since 21.05.2018, 2 - 0 - 0 = 0,22 mg since 01.05.2018, 3 - 0 - 0 = 0,33 mg since 09.04.2018, 3 - 1 - 0 = 0,45 mg since  04.03.2018, 3 - 2 - 0 = 0,56mg since 30.01.2018, 3 - 3 - 0 = 0,6666mg since 29.12.2017,  4 - 3 - 0 = 0,777mg since 18.09.2017, 4 - 4 - 0 = 0,8888 mg since 02.09.2017 

Cymbalta 120 mg 2011 - 2013. July 2013 I started to weaning off Cymbalta. 5 - 10 % from the last dose every 4 weeks, sometimes I must wait longer for the next reducting step. 

(Summer 2011  burn out with a severe depressive episode)

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Marsha, your story is just great and will help others to recover.

 

My story: End of 2016: I was forced to take citropram in a clinic although I had hallucinations. I was admitted to this awful clinic because of panic attacks as a result of stress. Two weeks later I left.

 

I then decided to taper off very very slowly which took almost a half a year. I had been taking the minimal amount.

 

And then over 4 years of prolonged suffering.

 

2017: I lay next to my hubby. He swallows. The sound is intolerable. The rattle of a newspaper makes me jump. Brain zaps 24 hrs, and just from looking left or leaving the sofa. I suffer from excessive pain in the stomach and intestines. My vagus nerve is doing overtime. I give my symptoms a name: Charlie.

 

But I will not give up. I go to my dancing class (belly dancing). I go shopping. I drive the car. I work hours in the garden. I continue with painting,  landscapes and portraits. Like you, Marsha, my love of life, people and nature made me carry on. 2021: My "Charlie" is gone.

 

My help was CBD Oil, Yoga and of course my wonderful husband, my friends and prayers.

 

2022: I occasionally bite my tongue and have hot flushes - but this is all. 

 

I tell all of you: NEVER give up. You will recover. It is hard work. But SUCCESS is nearer than you think.

 

My Rules were: Get up from that couch, go out, meet up with friends, take up hobbies again. Yes, you are "scared" because you will get additional brain zaps and other reactions. BUT DO IT netherless. With time these brain zaps and all other symptoms WILL GO. And your LOVE of LIFE will return. 

 

Mo

 

November  2016 Panic Attacks, severe nausea

December  2016 short stay in hospital

                           Citalopram 20 mg 

January      2017 tapering Citalopram due to side effects: hallucinations, no sleep

                            Psychologist refuses to help me                        

January - 

August        2017 Using water method, reducing by approx. 10% 2-3 weeks 

                            At 1 mg Citalopram Withdrawal symptoms including dizzyness, neck pains, 

                            diarrohea. 

                            Supplements: Fish Oil Omega, Vitamins, Ashwagandha and now Magnesium

                             

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@Marshaamazing to read. Thank you for posting!

Age 16 (1995 - 2000) -Paroxetine
Age 21 (2000-2004) - Effexor 37.5mg
Age 24 (2004-2012) - Lexapro (70mg), Xanax minimum 2mg Xanax a day
About 32 (2012-2017?) - Every mood stabiliser under the sun (not at the same time) and minimum 2mg Xanax a day; occasional amisulpride 
About 35 (2017-current) - Lurasidone 80 mg, quickly titrated down to 40mg, Pristiq (50 mg), minimum of 2mg Xanax a day
About 41 (2020) Switched from Xanax to clonazepam and started tapering at 0.125 mg each reduction, tapered off Pristiq with a cross taper at the end, low dose of dextroamphetamine.
Age 42 (2021) Tried to taper off Lurasidone three times. Quick taper from 40mg to 0 mg over a couple of months the first time. Reinstated at 20mg. Tried twice more to taper from 20 mg to 0 mg dropping by 5 mg each reduction (about every 2 weeks).
Age 42-43 (April 2022) 20mg-18mg; May 18mg-16mg; June 16-14mg; September 14-12mg; September 12-14mg reinstated. February 2023 - hiccup with brand change, Back to Apotek brand and switch to homemade suspension.

Age 44 (August 2023 -restarted clonazepam taper). Start dose 0.375mg. 1/9/2023 - 0.365mg; 1/10/2023 - 0.324mg; 1/11/2023 - 0.264mg; 1/12/2023 - 0.25 mg (holding); 1/2/2024 - 0.232mg; 1/3/2024 - 0.221mg; 1/4/2024 - 0.205mg;

Health regimen: walks, hot/cold showers, ice baths, breathwork, mostly healthy diet, therapy...... Open to ideas! Supplements: Milk Kefir, Mag, Omega 3, CBD/THC.

 

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I so needed to read this to give me hope I am nearly 6 years off all meds and still in a bad place and starting to loose hope but then stories like this come up it can be fllicker of light in a dark room I’m so happy for you truly 

2001 to jan 2015 Effexor 150 mg 

jan 2015 15 mg mirtazapine 20 mg quetiapine 

feb 2015 quetiapine stopped 

feb 2015 30 mg of citalopram added 

feb 2015 mirtazapine increased to 30 mg 

july 2015 citalopram stopped 

sept 2015 200mg of pregabalin 

jan 2017 mirtazapine stopped

jan 2017 20 mg fluoxetine

march 2017 all meds stopped 

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Yay Marsha!!!  And woohoo.........I am so very happy to read your success story.

I remember.  Your struggle.  I do.

And Geodon, oh my gosh........just reading about it and seeing it in your signature made me feel a bit gaggy and sick.  That was one of the worst for me.......difficult to explain just how........it just was a very non-health promoting drug.  It made me sick in many, many ways.  OOOFTAH.

 

This is so great.

Thanks for writing your story.

Feel free to add to it, when memories come back, as they do from time to time.  Especially how you managed and coped.  What helped you the very best.

Even details around WD from one or another particular drug sometimes help too.

Time periods from WD symptoms appearing and then to them ending...........members always want to know that kind of stuff too.

 

Huge hug Marsha.  Gratitude too.  Ayup, we are all in this together.  And this made me very happy to see and read.

 

L, P, H, and G,

mmt

Late 2023- gone to emeritus status, inactive, don't @ me, I can check who I've posted on, and I'm not really here like I used to be......thanks.

Started with psycho meds/psychiatric care circa 1988.  In retrospect, and on contemplation, situational overwhelm.

Rounding up to 30 years of medications(30 medication trials, poly-pharmacy maximum was 3 at one time).

5/28/2015-off Adderal salts 2.5mg. (I had been on that since hospital 10/2014)

12/2015---just holding, holding, holding, with trileptal/oxcarb at 75 mg. 1/2 tab at hs.  My last psycho med ever!  Tapered @ 10% every 4 weeks, sometimes 2 weeks to

2016 Dec 16 medication free!!

Longer signature post here, with current supplements.

Herb and alcohol free since 5/15/2016.  And.....I quit smoking 11/2021. Lapsed.  Redo of quit smoking 9/28/2022.  Can you say Hallelujah?(took me long enough)💜

None of my posts are intended as medical advice.  Please discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical provider.  My success story:  Blue skies ahead, clear sailing

 

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@Marsha It is so wonderful to hear that you have recovered. It gives me some hope that I will one day reach this point. You mentioned that your journey lasted 10 years, I am curious at what year mark did you notice a major shift towards healing or was it all gradual and at the 10 year mark all the withdrawal symptoms abated?

BrokenWings: Introduction

 

Zoloft (Sertraline) 50 mg to 150 mg
Start Date: 2/1/2000
End Date: 1/26/2018

Quit cold turkey, Quit multiple times using recommended tapering from a psychiatrist over 2 weeks, Quit using rapid taper over about 1 year 150mg to 100mg to 75mg to 50 mg to 25 mg to 12.5 mg to 0mg.

 

Klonopin (Clonazepam) 0.5 mg as needed
Start Date: 2/1/2000
End Date: 3/1/2000

Quit cold turkey after one month.

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  • Mentor

Bravo @Marsha👏👏👏

What a wonderful success story. Thank you for sharing and all the best to you.

 


1999-2020  20 mg Paxil

Bridged with Fluoxetine to help me get off Paxil.

2022 Fluoxetine 15 mg 12/12 14mg 27/12  13mg jan 12mg feb 11mg mars 10mg, 9 mg 8,5 mg 7.6mg 7.0 mg 6,3 mg 5,6 mg 5,0 mg 4,5 mg 4,0 mg 3.6mg 3,2 mg 2,9 mg 2,6 mg 2,3 mg 2,0 mg 1.8 mg

 


I am not a medical professional nor is this a medical advice. I only talk from my own experience.

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Well done @Marsha !! It’s always so uplifting to read success stories from long-haulers - thank you 🥰

 

Glad to hear you made it to the other side and are, once again, enjoying life! 
 

 

Effexor XR 75mg 1997-2012 

Effexor XR 37.5mg 2012-2017 (tapered off over six months - finished taper July 2017)

SCA Aug 12th, 2017

Cymbalta 30mg Aug 2017 - Nov 2017 (CT Nov. 17th for medical reasons)

Metoprolol 50mg Aug 2017 - Feb 2019 tapered down to 25mg June 2019 then tapered down to zero. Off Metoprolol as of Jan 2020        

Amiodarone (anti-arrhythmic med) 200mg Nov 2017- May 2018

Supplements: Omega 3, vitamin D3, magnesium

What helps me: Manual lymphatic drainage massage, acupressure, meditation, homeopathy (my psychiatrist is also a certified homeopath), a healthy diet when possible organic, yoga, walking my dogs every day and gardening.

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@Marsha

Thank you for sharing your story and how life is for your now.  

 

You have given me hope as I continue on my journey (again) to taper off my last and final medication.

 

Wishing you a continued joyous life. 

 

Hibari

9/2013-4/2014:  After moms death, was prescribed a series of meds for short periods of time that didn't work. Zoloft, Lexapro,  Nortriptyline, Liquid Prozac, Cymbalta. 

1/2014-9/2014. Clonzapam: Given Lamictal, stopped Clonzapam at .125mgs  

1/2015-4 2017 Remeron: 41.25 -0.025mgs

7/2015-11/2018 Lamictal: 200mgs-0.05 mgs Had paradoxical reaction to Lamictal wd, broke my heart to take a benzo but wasn't sleeping. 

3/28/2019 -2/5/ 2021  Clonazapam: 0.625mgs-.00115 Med Free 

July 27th, 2022**Severe Setback due to surgery/ anesthesia. 

9/7/22-10/4/22 Trazadone 50-100mgs for sleep, 10/13/22-11/13/22 Trazadone 1 mg to stabilize

10/4/22-11/20/22 Remeron 7.5mgs (for sleep doesn't work) 11/20/22 7.3 - 12/31/22 6.3 

2023: 1/18/23 6.1 - 6/6/23 3.6  6/16 3.4  6/28 3.0 7/12 2.7  7/28 2.5 8/11 2.2 8/23 2.0  9/5 1.8  9/16 1.6  9/30 1.4  10/13 1.2  10/26 1.0  11/9 0.8  11/22 0.6  12/6 0.4  12/23 0.2.

2024 1/4/24  Remeron/Mirtazapine free 

Additional Support:  Armour Thyroid 75mgs, Magnesium Glycinate 300-500mgs,  L-theanine 

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 1/6/2023 at 7:37 AM, BrokenWings said:

@Marsha It is so wonderful to hear that you have recovered. It gives me some hope that I will one day reach this point. You mentioned that your journey lasted 10 years, I am curious at what year mark did you notice a major shift towards healing or was it all gradual and at the 10 year mark all the withdrawal symptoms 

I just kept plugging away wondering when the day would come when I could write success story but not feeling anxiety about it too much. Then one day I  knew I  was there. 

I am not a medical professional. My comments and posts are based on personal experiences. Please consult appropriate medical professionals for advice. 

I was started on psych drugs back in the late 80's. You name it. I probably was on it. 47 different drugs. Over 57 thousand pills. Tapered off final cocktail February 1st, 2013- September 9th, 2019. For Hashimotos I take Levothyroxine. Liothyronine. BP meds. For supplements I take B12 hydroxy. Fish oil w/D3. Bee pollen. Magnesium Glycinate.

 

 

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Hello Marsha, 

 

Congratulations. Can I ask you somethings?

did you have strong waves with symptoms in the last year for your success story? Did you have new symptoms in the last months before you already healed? 

Did you have symptoms like histamine intolerance and goes it away?

 

LG

Pina

0 - 0 - 0 since 08.07.2018, 1 - 0 - 0 = 0,11 mg  since 21.05.2018, 2 - 0 - 0 = 0,22 mg since 01.05.2018, 3 - 0 - 0 = 0,33 mg since 09.04.2018, 3 - 1 - 0 = 0,45 mg since  04.03.2018, 3 - 2 - 0 = 0,56mg since 30.01.2018, 3 - 3 - 0 = 0,6666mg since 29.12.2017,  4 - 3 - 0 = 0,777mg since 18.09.2017, 4 - 4 - 0 = 0,8888 mg since 02.09.2017 

Cymbalta 120 mg 2011 - 2013. July 2013 I started to weaning off Cymbalta. 5 - 10 % from the last dose every 4 weeks, sometimes I must wait longer for the next reducting step. 

(Summer 2011  burn out with a severe depressive episode)

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  • 1 year later...

Sending love and hugs. Praying life keeps getting better and better for you.♥️ I know it will. 🏖️

20 yr+ Paroxetine/ Dec2018-May 2022 20 mg/ May 2022 30mg/2022.07.28-2022.08.24 30mg to 0mg/ August 24-29 2022 10mg Prozac/2022.11.28-2022.12.04- 5mg Paroxetine/Dec 5&6/22 10mg Paroxetine/ Dec 8&9/22 10mg Prozac/ 2022.12.07 to 2023.07.01 5mg Paroxetine

TAPER 23.07.02-58mgpw/4.9mgai/ 23.07.21-4.8 mg/23.07.28-4.73 mg/23.08.04-4.65 mg/21.09.23-4.58 mg/27.10.23-4.56 mg/5.12.23-4.54 mg/2.1.24-4.52 mg/9.1.24-4.51 mg/17.1.24-4.49 mg/26.1.24-4.47 mg/6.2.24-4.46 mg/19.2.24-4.44mg /4.4.24-4.43mg/28.4.24-4.4mg/

8am-probiotics/9am-paroxetine, 200mg mag bisglycinate/ 1000mg Vitamin D/noon-1000 mg algae oil (500mg DHA/10mg EPA/620mg Omega 3)/5pm-75 mg DGL/200mg calcium citrate/8pm-.25 mg melatonin

"... your strength will be in keeping calm..."-Isaiah 30:15

I am not a medical professional just your peer. The suggestions I give are based on personal experience and/or the well documented experience of others.

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