Looking for people from the UK and Canada willing to share their story with antidepressant withdrawal

[JulieRoy]

Hi everyone,
I was wondering if some members of this group from the United Kingdom and Canada would accept to share with me their experience with antidepressant withdrawal. 
It is for a written report to be published in a Canadian media. The stories of few people will help to illustrate the nature and the extent of the problem.
I don’t absolutely need to disclose the full name or to publish pictures in the report, for those who prefer to stay anonymous. The purpose of the report is not to put a big spotlight on people who are suffering or suffered from withdrawal. It is to explain the depth of this issue; the stories of antidepressant users will come in support and will be told with care and respect.
If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask. 
Thanks in advance for your help!
Julie Roy
 

[LukeUK]

I can, if you still need people.

[Tweed9674]

Hi Julie, I don't know if you're still looking. What media is it for?

[ClaireM]

Hello,

brand new member, not sure if I have set things up correctly but I would be very happy to talk about my experience.  I was on Clomipramine for 23 years, but had to come off it due to heart & kidney damage.  I have now been completely off for exactly 12 months but I have had terrible withdrawal symptoms and have now been told that I have Protracted Withdrawal Syndrome & ongoing issues.  But I am off, and have been for 12 months so I guess that is a success! 

[Erimus]

On 4/19/2024 at 6:48 PM, ClaireM said:

Hello,

brand new member, not sure if I have set things up correctly but I would be very happy to talk about my experience.  I was on Clomipramine for 23 years, but had to come off it due to heart & kidney damage.  I have now been completely off for exactly 12 months but I have had terrible withdrawal symptoms and have now been told that I have Protracted Withdrawal Syndrome & ongoing issues.  But I am off, and have been for 12 months so I guess that is a success! 

Hello @ClaireM. If you'd like to start an introduction topic about yourself, thanks. Click here.

[JulieRoy]

Thanks everyone for your reply. I have already published my paper on radio-canada.ca at the end of February.

So I am not looking anymore. Good luck to all of you in your attempt to withdraw antidepressants. 

Julie

[Tweed9674]

1 minute ago, JulieRoy said:

Thanks everyone for your reply. I have already published my paper on radio-canada.ca at the end of February.

So I am not looking anymore. Good luck to all of you in your attempt to withdraw antidepressants. 

Julie

 

Do you have a link? I'm interested! Even if it's it's in french...

 

Thank you!

[Tweed9674]

I found it, if anyone is interested. The article is in french.

https://ici.radio-canada.ca/info/long-format/2050737/antidepresseur-sevrage-arret-medicament-medecin

It's a great article. Well researched in my opinion.

It's infuriating how Dr Pierre Bleau, Dr Benoit Mulsant and Dre Daphné Rocha Marussi are completely dismissive. For them, we don't exist.

I wonder how many of their patients just "relapse" for no reasons?

[JulieRoy]

Thank you for reading my report and for your good words.

I know it can be really challenging to read what canadian doctors had to say about withdrawal.

The difference of position with Dr Horowitz, Moncrieff and Read is striking. 

Still a long road ahead. 

 

[gentlehermione]

‘Dr. Benoit Mulsant, Professor and Chair of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto, believes that antidepressant withdrawal is not a problem.

“It's like having the flu. It's flu-like symptoms that last 3, 4, 5 days. People get a bit dizzy, have stomach problems, nausea, diarrhea,” he says.

“A small number [of patients] have withdrawal symptoms, probably 5-10%. But for 90% of them, they can be avoided simply by tapering off. But not over months, that's nonsense,” he says. To stop, it's two to three weeks.’

 

I beg to differ…

 

Thank you @JulieRoy 🥰