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Weimgirl.. Postpartum depression withdrawal


Weimgirl

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I was diagnosed with PPD when my baby was 7 weeks old. I was put on 25mg of Zoloft and increase slowly to 75mg. 1 year later I tried going off and after 4 months of been off I had a major crash and went back on. I started with 25mg again which was not a therapeutic dose for me but I didn't want to go higher. Was on the 25s for only a month and did another month of tapering (which I know now is still too fast.

 

I have been off now for 9 months and have been going through the classic wave and window cycle I've heard about. My waves tend to last up around 2 months with a section of an out 2-3 weeks of intense horrid misery. The other weeks are just a pain in the but of body aches, insomnia, anxiety and no energy. My head feel like a ton of bricks and I have no interst in anything.

 

My windows are amazing. I feel like the mother I've always wanted to be, I can work, hang with friends and even help others. My last window lasted about 2 and a half months . It was heavenly.

 

Currently I'm in a wave that has lasted longer then expected. Been going on for about 2 months now Physical symptoms seem to just keep lingering. The one positive I have to say I'd that this is the first wave I've had that the love for my daughter has not waivered. That was a huge step in the right direction. for me, through this whole thing,the absolute worst possible part has been when I have felt detached and no love for my own child.

 

I know now that the postpartum is gone and that my battle now is with "surviving these withdrawals ". So happy to have found this sight. It has already been a huge blessing to me. Can't wait to be fully healed and use my story to help mothers through the this seemingly impossible journey. Thanks for listening

Edited by scallywag
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  • Moderator Emeritus

Weimgirl -- Welcome to Surviving Antidepressants (SA)
 
Thanks for posting your experience with Zoloft for postpartum depression. I'm sorry that you had no good advice about coming off it and then a difficult time since discontinuing.
 
You may find it helpful to browse the Symptoms and self-care forum for ideas to deal with the symptoms that arise during your waves.
 
Some general topics that may be relevant:

Important topics about symptoms including sleep problems (a good list of links to symptoms topics)

Non-drug techniques to cope with emotional symptoms

Change the channel - dealing with cognitive symptoms

Non-drug techniques for dealing with physical pain

 

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.

 

Keep posting to let us know how you're doing. :)

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.
1997-1999 Effexor; 2002-2005 Effexor XR 37.5 mg linear taper, dropping same #beads/week with bad results

Cymbalta 60 mg 2012 - 2015; 2016: 20 mg to 7 mg exact doses and dates in this post; 2017: 6.3 mg to  0.0 mg  Aug. 12; details here


scallywag's Introduction
Online spreadsheet for dose taper calculations and nz11's THE WORKS spreadsheet

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Thanks for all the info and sources to look up scallywag.

Things that I have done so far are. Restorative Chiropractic treatments for optimum nerve function, mainly a whole food organic diet, and on and off exercise. I also take vitamin d and fish oil. I live in a place where it's winter most of the year and the lack of sunlight really seems to effect me too.

 

 

I know this is a super vague and probably loaded question. But I know if there are other with similar experiences to me are still dealing with recovery this long after?? I feel like I wasn't on for that long and wasn't at a high doses. Did my body just take to the mediation really badly?? Is it "normal" to still be having these bad of withdrawals 9 months later? Is there an end in sight??

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Lots of people are dealing with symptoms long after their last dose.  Some people seem to get lucky -- they fast taper or even cold-turkey off a drug and have no symptoms (this time). Some of us have CNS that adapt quickly and well to the psychoactive drug and suffer when it's discontinued.

 

Have a look at the Success Stories forum.  People there have posted about their experiences in the first, second and third years off psychoactive drugs.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.
1997-1999 Effexor; 2002-2005 Effexor XR 37.5 mg linear taper, dropping same #beads/week with bad results

Cymbalta 60 mg 2012 - 2015; 2016: 20 mg to 7 mg exact doses and dates in this post; 2017: 6.3 mg to  0.0 mg  Aug. 12; details here


scallywag's Introduction
Online spreadsheet for dose taper calculations and nz11's THE WORKS spreadsheet

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  • Mentor

Hi    weimgirl,                     I was on zoloft, 50mg.                       I went off it,    seemed OK for 12 months,  then the crash happened.                   I had no idea, that would happen.  

You seem very knowledgeable about all of this.     Well done!          

 

Luckily, you were not on the drug very long.   

 

Yes anything is normal in withdrawals,   and yes, there is an end in sight.     Focus on the positives,  which you seem to be doing!  """"""The one positive I have to say I'd that this is the first wave I've had that the love for my daughter has not waivered. That was a huge step in the right direction. for me, through this whole thing,the absolute worst possible part has been when I have felt detached and no love for my own child.""""

 

Best wishes, and welcome!

1992 Dothiepin 375mg 8 weeks, exhaustion/depression.  Serotonin syndrome, oh yes!  seizures . Fell pregnant, 3rd baby, Nitrous Oxide, 3 weeks mental hospital pp psychosis. zoloft tegretol.

Feb 1996 ct tegretol, tapered Zoloft 8 weeks. as (unexpectedly)  pregnant. Steven died after 3 days.(Zolft HLHS baby).  98 had run in with Paxil, 2 tablets, 3 weeks taper, survived.
2005..menopause? exhausted again. Zyprexa, mad in three days, fallout....  Seroquel, Effexor, tegretol,   and 8 years of self destruction. Failed taper.
Damn 1/4 valium... nuts again! .fallout, zoloft 100mg  seroquol 400mg mirtazapine 45 mg  tegretol 400mg.  Mid 14 3 month taper. Nov 14 CRASH.
Mid 15 ....   75mg  seroquel,  3 x 1800mg SJW  2 week window end of December followed by 6 week wave
5/2 68mg seroquel, 2.5 x 1800mg SJW::::20/2 61mg seroquel, 2.5 x  SJW::: 26/2 54mg seroquel, 2 x SJW::::21/3 43mg seroquel, 1 x 2700SJW :::: 23/4 36mg seroquel 1 x 1800 SJW
15/5 33mg seroquel, 1 x SJW::::   28/5 30mg seroquel, 1 x SJW::::;  18/6 25mg seroquel 1/2 SJW::::, 11/7 21mg seroquel 1/2 SJW::, 26/7 18mg seroquel 1/2 SJW:::, 9/8 12mg seroquel :::, 16/8 6mg seroquel ;;;;, 12/9 0 jump.

23/9  3mg.....,  27/9 0mg.  Reinstated, 6mg, then 12mg.............  LIGHTBULB MOMENT,  I have  MTHFR 2x mutations.  CFS and issues with MOULD in my home. So I left home, and working 150km away during week, loving it.

Oh was hard, panic attacks first week, gone now, along with the mould issues.

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So I've been reading about reinstating the drug and tapering at a more appropriate rate. I have already gone 9 months of med free horror. I really don't want to go back on,but I've been in this wave for about 2 months and can't see the end. Is it stupid to reinstate now. I can only get capsules of 25mg of sentraline, so tapering slow would be difficult. Any thoughts???

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  • Moderator Emeritus

9 months out is a long time, but we do have members here who did reinstate after such a long time and had success.  It's just that it's much less likely to work, so in that regard it's a very individual decision. 

 

Slow tapering would be essential.  You'd need to look at Tapering sertraline and see if you think you could either crush and weigh pills, or make a liquid.  

2010  Fluoxetine 20mg.  2011  Escitalopram 20mg.  2013 Tapered badly and destabilised CNS.  Effexor 150mg. 

2015 Begin using info at SurvivingAntidepressants.  Cut 10% - bad w/d 2 months, held 1 month. 

Micro-tapering: four weekly 0.4% cuts, hold 4 weeks (struggling with symptoms).

8 month hold.

2017 Micro-tapering: four weekly 1% cuts, hold 4 weeks (symptoms almost non-existent).

2020 Still micro-tapering. Just over 2/3 of the way off effexor. Minimal symptoms, - and sleeping well.
Supplements: Fish oil, vitamin C, iron, oat-straw tea, nettle tea.

2023 Now on 7 micro-beads of Effexor. Minimal symptoms but much more time needed between drops.

 'The possibility of renewal exists so long as life exists.'  Dr Gabor Mate.

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Oh my goodness will this wave never end?? It has been 2 very long months, the last 2 days were getting so much better and then today....wham back into sadness teary, flu-like, and brain fog. Feeling pretty hopeless that I will ever be different then the way I am right now. I know I should be grateful for those 2 good days and I am, bUT oh how I wish they'd stay for longer. Does anyone have experience with waves getting longer as time goes on?? I thought they were supposed to be getting shorter. I so tired of picking myself up every minute of every day, encouraging myself to take one day at a time. Wish I had the ability to look forward to something without fear of not be well when that day comes. Feeling like a prisonerror stuck in withdrawal.

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Most people experience symptoms decreasing over time as an overall trend.  Looking at day-to-day experience can obscure the big picture.

 

Windows and waves come and go. Sometimes they're the same as the last one, sometimes they're different.

 

I guess you are "kinda sorta" prisoner to withdrawal symptoms. The good news is that it's not a life sentence for most.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.
1997-1999 Effexor; 2002-2005 Effexor XR 37.5 mg linear taper, dropping same #beads/week with bad results

Cymbalta 60 mg 2012 - 2015; 2016: 20 mg to 7 mg exact doses and dates in this post; 2017: 6.3 mg to  0.0 mg  Aug. 12; details here


scallywag's Introduction
Online spreadsheet for dose taper calculations and nz11's THE WORKS spreadsheet

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Welcome Weimgirl

Just wanted to say that 9 months drug free is a great achievemnt.

9 months can also be early days in the recovery journey. I was a right off for 2 years . 

If i was you i would fight to not ri and to stay the course drug free. Many report improvements in yrs 1-2 and more in yrs 2-3.

Hang in there.

Check out the threads on distraction and nondrug ways of coping

 

nz11

Thought for the day: Lets stand up, and let’s speak out , together. G Olsen

We have until the 14th. Feb 2018. 

URGENT REQUEST Please consider submitting  for the petition on Prescribed Drug Dependence and Withdrawal currently awaiting its third consideration at the Scottish Parliament. You don't even have to be from Scotland. By clicking on the link below you can read some of the previous submissions but be warned many of them are quite harrowing.

http://www.parliament.scot/GettingInvolved/Petitions/PE01651   

Please tell them about your problems taking and withdrawing from antidepressants and/or benzos.

Send by email to petitions@parliament.scot and quote PE01651 in the subject heading. Keep to a maximum of 3 sides of A4 and you can't name for legal reasons any doctor you have consulted. Tell them if you wish to remain anonymous. We need the numbers to help convince the committee members we are not isolated cases. You have until mid February. Thank you

Recovering paxil addict

None of the published articles shed light on what ssri's ... actually do or what their hazards might be. Healy 2013. 

This is so true, with anything you get on these drugs, dependance, tapering, withdrawal symptoms, side effects, just silent. And if there is something mentioned then their is a serious disconnect between what is said and reality! 

  "Every time I read of a multi-person shooting, I always presume that person had just started a SSRI or had just stopped."  Dr Mosher. Me too! 

Over two decades later, the number of antidepressant prescriptions a year is slightly more than the number of people in the Western world. Most (nine out of 10) prescriptions are for patients who faced difficulties on stopping, equating to about a tenth of the population. These patients are often advised to continue treatment because their difficulties indicate they need ongoing treatment, just as a person with diabetes needs insulin. Healy 2015

I believe the ssri era will soon stand as one of the most shameful in the history of medicine. Healy 2015

Let people help people ... in a natural, kind, non-addictive (and non-big pharma) way. J Broadley 2017

 

 

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  • 4 months later...

I am just entering yet another wave. Thinking that Christmas time, working too much and an upcoming vacation may be playing a part in overwhelming my brain. on a positive note. I just experienced an amazing window. it lasted for 3 whole months. I was able to plan things look forward to the future and even help family members through some hard times and grief. It felt so amazing to be able to help another and not always being the one who needs it.

 

I'm pretty bummed to be feeling low again even though I can really appreciate how much better this wave is then the last. they are improving little busy little. it gives me so much promise and hope that there is an end. this Oct 1st was a full year drug free and I'm not turning back. After you have returned to the place of feeling yourself again for a bit a part of you gets greedy and never wants to let it go. I've also decided to go to a Holistic nutritionist. I had a full hormone and blood panel done and have gotten my results back seeing there are many things that have been affected and depleeted. I am not going to be adjusting my hormones at the moment until my brain has had time to recover more as adjusting hormones can put a lot of stress on the body. so for now I am just focused on upping everything that was grossly depleeted. Like my iron, Zinc, and B12. I've read here that some B vitaminso may be too much to handle during withdrawal. but I feel I need the b12 otherwise the iron won't absorb.

Edited by scallywag
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  • Moderator Emeritus

A three-month window is terrific!  It happened once, it WILL happen again.

 

Let us know how things go with the holistic nutrition idea.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.
1997-1999 Effexor; 2002-2005 Effexor XR 37.5 mg linear taper, dropping same #beads/week with bad results

Cymbalta 60 mg 2012 - 2015; 2016: 20 mg to 7 mg exact doses and dates in this post; 2017: 6.3 mg to  0.0 mg  Aug. 12; details here


scallywag's Introduction
Online spreadsheet for dose taper calculations and nz11's THE WORKS spreadsheet

Link to comment
  • Mentor

Just a note, have you had B12 levels tested, and homocysteine?  do that before you reinstate.               If you suspect B deficiencies,  dont take supplements, until you get the homocysteine levels done, and if you can, ask for MTHFR.  I can not tolerate synthetic folate, ie folic acid, can NOT tolerate most B12 vitamins.....              but I am seriously B12 deficient, because of MTHFR, genetic differences, which is very, very common.          

 

 

I am no doctor, but this knowledge of my genetics, has saved my life.

 

If you get homocysteine tested, that is MUCH more accurate indication if you have issues absorbing B12, folate etc.    I tried B12 vitamins, they made me worse. They were the synthetic type, I cant tolerate.    

 

(Now I know why my mother forced us to eat fried liver once a week,  just thrown in a frypan, yuck............   but damn I have to start that again, anyone got a liver recipe book?).  I'm smiling again, I havent smiled for two years.....................

1992 Dothiepin 375mg 8 weeks, exhaustion/depression.  Serotonin syndrome, oh yes!  seizures . Fell pregnant, 3rd baby, Nitrous Oxide, 3 weeks mental hospital pp psychosis. zoloft tegretol.

Feb 1996 ct tegretol, tapered Zoloft 8 weeks. as (unexpectedly)  pregnant. Steven died after 3 days.(Zolft HLHS baby).  98 had run in with Paxil, 2 tablets, 3 weeks taper, survived.
2005..menopause? exhausted again. Zyprexa, mad in three days, fallout....  Seroquel, Effexor, tegretol,   and 8 years of self destruction. Failed taper.
Damn 1/4 valium... nuts again! .fallout, zoloft 100mg  seroquol 400mg mirtazapine 45 mg  tegretol 400mg.  Mid 14 3 month taper. Nov 14 CRASH.
Mid 15 ....   75mg  seroquel,  3 x 1800mg SJW  2 week window end of December followed by 6 week wave
5/2 68mg seroquel, 2.5 x 1800mg SJW::::20/2 61mg seroquel, 2.5 x  SJW::: 26/2 54mg seroquel, 2 x SJW::::21/3 43mg seroquel, 1 x 2700SJW :::: 23/4 36mg seroquel 1 x 1800 SJW
15/5 33mg seroquel, 1 x SJW::::   28/5 30mg seroquel, 1 x SJW::::;  18/6 25mg seroquel 1/2 SJW::::, 11/7 21mg seroquel 1/2 SJW::, 26/7 18mg seroquel 1/2 SJW:::, 9/8 12mg seroquel :::, 16/8 6mg seroquel ;;;;, 12/9 0 jump.

23/9  3mg.....,  27/9 0mg.  Reinstated, 6mg, then 12mg.............  LIGHTBULB MOMENT,  I have  MTHFR 2x mutations.  CFS and issues with MOULD in my home. So I left home, and working 150km away during week, loving it.

Oh was hard, panic attacks first week, gone now, along with the mould issues.

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  • Mentor

Tell me about how the holistic practitioner went! gosh I never trusted these people, only trusted  ""modern medicine"" and look where that got me...............      ??

1992 Dothiepin 375mg 8 weeks, exhaustion/depression.  Serotonin syndrome, oh yes!  seizures . Fell pregnant, 3rd baby, Nitrous Oxide, 3 weeks mental hospital pp psychosis. zoloft tegretol.

Feb 1996 ct tegretol, tapered Zoloft 8 weeks. as (unexpectedly)  pregnant. Steven died after 3 days.(Zolft HLHS baby).  98 had run in with Paxil, 2 tablets, 3 weeks taper, survived.
2005..menopause? exhausted again. Zyprexa, mad in three days, fallout....  Seroquel, Effexor, tegretol,   and 8 years of self destruction. Failed taper.
Damn 1/4 valium... nuts again! .fallout, zoloft 100mg  seroquol 400mg mirtazapine 45 mg  tegretol 400mg.  Mid 14 3 month taper. Nov 14 CRASH.
Mid 15 ....   75mg  seroquel,  3 x 1800mg SJW  2 week window end of December followed by 6 week wave
5/2 68mg seroquel, 2.5 x 1800mg SJW::::20/2 61mg seroquel, 2.5 x  SJW::: 26/2 54mg seroquel, 2 x SJW::::21/3 43mg seroquel, 1 x 2700SJW :::: 23/4 36mg seroquel 1 x 1800 SJW
15/5 33mg seroquel, 1 x SJW::::   28/5 30mg seroquel, 1 x SJW::::;  18/6 25mg seroquel 1/2 SJW::::, 11/7 21mg seroquel 1/2 SJW::, 26/7 18mg seroquel 1/2 SJW:::, 9/8 12mg seroquel :::, 16/8 6mg seroquel ;;;;, 12/9 0 jump.

23/9  3mg.....,  27/9 0mg.  Reinstated, 6mg, then 12mg.............  LIGHTBULB MOMENT,  I have  MTHFR 2x mutations.  CFS and issues with MOULD in my home. So I left home, and working 150km away during week, loving it.

Oh was hard, panic attacks first week, gone now, along with the mould issues.

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Hey Ang. Thanks for all your insights. I have had my levels checked and my B12 was terribly low bit my other B vitamined were ok. I eat a very good diet so I'm not too worried I'm low in foliate. I would not take the artificial folic acid. Everything our bodies can get from food rather then a suppliments is far better.

I, like you am incredibly disenchanted with the medical system. I actually started living a pretty much holistic lifestyle when trying to conceive my daughter. taking an antidepressant for my Postpartum depression has been the only pharmaceutical I've taken in close ton 10 years. I felt really pushed into it and of course look where it got me. I live near Winnipeg Manitoba so the girl I see for my blood and hormone analysis is there and is called Winnipeg Nutrition. when looking for a trustworthy consultant a very strong pulling factor was that she was selling nothing except her time and info. She does not sell her own supplies or suppliments and just gives her recommendations.Some natural doctors have there own line of suppliments too and then you never know whether they are suggesting the best for you or what gonna put the most coin on thier pocket. No better then some medical docs. The good news is Blood and saliva can't lie. I wanted to see where my body was and what I could do to support it while it went through this ever exhausting journey of withdrawals.

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  • Mentor

Hello Weimgirl.             Did you have nitrous oxide when baby was born?  I had that for one of my five babies, and got post partum psychosis, because of it    (had been off zoloft for 12 months).

 

I checked my B12 and it is only a little low, also the folate levels show OK.   But that is the horror of this synthetic folate, etc in our food, and I was taking the wrong sort of B12 supplement.   So even though levels look ok, on the tests, in reality are far from being OK.           With MTHFR genetics, I can not use this folic acid  (shows up as folate in blood tests) and can not use the synthetic B12.    The real test for low B12 is having homocysteine levels checked.  Mine is sky high.  I am now having a test called MMA,  that shows whether I have low folate, as well as the low B12 I already know about.

 

I agree, blood tests dont lie, I also am skeptical of all the supplements, I made the mistake of adding them, in a haphazard way, and it made me terribly worse.  Now I know why.  I only need B12, in the correct form, thats all.       Taking the cheap B12 tablets, was the worst thing I could have done, and I am already overdosed on the synthetic folic acid, which is toxic for me.

 

 

I believe perhaps, the only problem for me, the artificial chemicals  (ie folic acid) is in all the food now, the grains, bread, rice,  and it is like a slow poison for me.  Also taking this folic acid each pregnancy.......Also with then addint, the nitrous oxide, instantly took what small amount of B12 I had, and it sent me nuts.         

      

 

Low in B12 is extremely dangerous.     Mental and physical problems. 

 

Please watch the video I posted, if you get time. 

1992 Dothiepin 375mg 8 weeks, exhaustion/depression.  Serotonin syndrome, oh yes!  seizures . Fell pregnant, 3rd baby, Nitrous Oxide, 3 weeks mental hospital pp psychosis. zoloft tegretol.

Feb 1996 ct tegretol, tapered Zoloft 8 weeks. as (unexpectedly)  pregnant. Steven died after 3 days.(Zolft HLHS baby).  98 had run in with Paxil, 2 tablets, 3 weeks taper, survived.
2005..menopause? exhausted again. Zyprexa, mad in three days, fallout....  Seroquel, Effexor, tegretol,   and 8 years of self destruction. Failed taper.
Damn 1/4 valium... nuts again! .fallout, zoloft 100mg  seroquol 400mg mirtazapine 45 mg  tegretol 400mg.  Mid 14 3 month taper. Nov 14 CRASH.
Mid 15 ....   75mg  seroquel,  3 x 1800mg SJW  2 week window end of December followed by 6 week wave
5/2 68mg seroquel, 2.5 x 1800mg SJW::::20/2 61mg seroquel, 2.5 x  SJW::: 26/2 54mg seroquel, 2 x SJW::::21/3 43mg seroquel, 1 x 2700SJW :::: 23/4 36mg seroquel 1 x 1800 SJW
15/5 33mg seroquel, 1 x SJW::::   28/5 30mg seroquel, 1 x SJW::::;  18/6 25mg seroquel 1/2 SJW::::, 11/7 21mg seroquel 1/2 SJW::, 26/7 18mg seroquel 1/2 SJW:::, 9/8 12mg seroquel :::, 16/8 6mg seroquel ;;;;, 12/9 0 jump.

23/9  3mg.....,  27/9 0mg.  Reinstated, 6mg, then 12mg.............  LIGHTBULB MOMENT,  I have  MTHFR 2x mutations.  CFS and issues with MOULD in my home. So I left home, and working 150km away during week, loving it.

Oh was hard, panic attacks first week, gone now, along with the mould issues.

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