Don't waste your money on Truehope, The Road Back, Point of Return, Label Me Sane, Hardy Nutritionals

[Raito]

Thank you for sharing that! 

I've tried most of them, to calm down a little, and in my experience (of course, everybody's system is different)...

 

Very effective: L-theanine, 

Effective to some extent: NAC, Hawthorn extract, Hop extract, Inositol, Magnesium, Zinc

Effective at first: Passion flower extract, Valerian Root, California Poppy, GABA, Bacopa

Arousing: B vitamins (even in the MTHFR form), L-Glutammine, Calcium, Curcumine 

No visible effects: Omega-3, Tart Cherry Juice, D Vitamin, Potassium, Melatonin 

Edited June 3, 2017 by Raito

[GentleSteps]

In the search for a Pdoc who acknowledges the fact of, and is experienced working on, withdrawal from SSRIs has anyone ended up in the office of a new Pdoc ("holistic," with reference in website to helping patients withdraw from psychotropic medications) who sells (cash or check only) supplements and proprietary compounds of supplements out of the office?  And/or, who responds to a patient seeking help with WD/tapering an SSRI by ignoring the WD subject, suggesting instead staying at current dose for now (baseline), but (1) obtaining a costly "comprehensive panel" of blood tests to determine (2) which of several supplements from three separate categories that help the sympathetic nervous system to "quiet" and also help to "lift" depressive symptoms (no acknowledgment of WD at work) will be useful?  Followed by a string of supplement names to indicate a "sampling" of what might be on offer -  vitamin C, "multivitamin,"  theanine, GABA, taurine, fish oil, and some bottled liquids with names like "Calm Heart" (clearly multi-supp concoction) ... to name just a few ...

 

I did not know whether to laugh or cry.  In the context of this thread, there was no indication that the Pdoc had any inkling that throwing supplements onto WD- induced hypersensitive autonomic nervous systems is like playing Russian roulette with the patient.

 

Meanwhile, I have been taking Magnesium Citrate 300mg twice daily since last week and just started Vitamin C thanks to Allostrata's suggestion.  Fish oil has made me nauseous (in the distant past), but I may add tablets or gelcaps as SA provides much support for those. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Eaglesoar]

I take  a supplement called Cortisol Manager.  It ashwagandha root, L-Theanine, and magnolia bark extract.  I get it from my naturopath and take it one hour before bed.  It seems to help me with calmness.

[DD44]

Anyone have any experience with point of return ? I see some positive stories on YouTube videos and some positive reviews.

 

Everyone at SA has been and continues to be a big help but I feel I can never be over prepared for this journey. Let me know thanks!

[Altostrata]

See above. Please use search in Symptoms forum before starting new topics.

[InChristAlone]

Has anyone heard of or used the Point of Return program? It is a nonprofit organization started by a woman named Alesandra Rains that specializes in helping people taper from antidepressants, Benzos, etc. I wondered if anybody had any info. It sounds good, but I know cons like to prey on people who are hurting. 
 

pointofreturn.com

 

I hope it’s ok to ask this question here. I searched and couldn’t find any info.

 

Thanks

[Gridley]

1 hour ago, InChristAlone said:

Has anyone heard of or used the Point of Return program?

SA doesn't recommend any supplement program, for reasons explained in this link.  Point of Return is mentioned in one of the posts.

Truehope, The Road Back, LabelMeSane - Symptoms and ..

[Altostrata]

merged similar topics. Please use search in the Symptoms and Self-Care forum before starting a new topic.

[Altostrata]

Please note there are several posters in this topic who registered specifically to respond to our clear lack of recommendation for these commercial supplement programs. They have 1-3 posts and have participated nowhere else on this site but in this topic.

 

At least one is an employee of one of these visitors and a prolific poster on social media attesting to how effective the supplement program was for her.

 

This is very typical of these programs. They have employees or devoted followers who post everywhere about the help they've gotten from these supplement programs. Many of the stories are about dramatic miracle cures where medical care failed.

 

Please also note that over the years, The Road Back, Truehope, whatever Jim Harper is calling his many companies, have changed their advice about tapering to match the 10% exponential taper we advise here.

 

Tapering is the secret sauce to getting off psychiatric drugs, not supplements. If people follow a gradual taper schedule while taking an expensive supplement package, they may attribute any success to the supplements (as the supplement company support people and diligent promotion encourage them to think), but that's coincidental to tapering. It is the tapering that works, not magical supplement programs.

 

These companies also do not know what to do when a taper goes wrong. We know that because those people come here.

 

Where these companies have supplied "scientific documentation", I have looked carefully at it, and found it's either animal studies, studies with questionable designs or conclusions, or otherwise not applicable to tapering psychiatric drugs and withdrawal syndrome.

 

Whatever "scientific documentation" is provided, it does not support the hyperbolic claims of these commercial enterprises. These companies plant infomercials everywhere there might be susceptible people. Here's an example (about the Alternative to Meds Center in Arizona, also not recommended by us) of this on MadinAmerica.com. It is a promotional piece by a paid consultant.

 

[Mattie]

Unfortunately I didn’t read up on any of this valuable information and bought the supplements from true hope. I took 1 vitamin and 2 of the 4 amino acids and felt worse than usual . My depression and anxiety was heightened more than usual which is already severe . Very pricey mistake 

[Faure]

I am not starting a new thread at the moment but this company Outro has come to my attention - it says it helps people taper ADs at a cost of $199 a month (yes, you read that right).  

 

It looks like Mark Horowitz co-founded it and is working there so this gives me hope it may actually do the right thing for people. However their FAQs say it takes a minimum of 3-6 months to come off which doesn’t fit at all with SA guidelines.  The company does monitor you and I would hope have the experience and knowledge to know whether people, based on their symptoms, can safely taper off at this speed. The reality is a hyperbolic taper @ 10% every 4 weeks takes around 3 years. 3 years @$199 a month.  It’s going to cost people over $7,000 to stick with this company for their taper. I wonder if SA will end up bailing their clients out.

 

I think I’m in the wrong business. People don’t pay these prices for what I currently do (nothing to do with helping people quit ADs)!
 

@Altostrata thank you for freely sharing all you have learned. 

Edited May 15, 2023 by Faure

[Altostrata]

Thank you. 

 

I am also advising Outro. It does cost $199 per month at present -- it provides medical tapering services, and the medical personnel need to be paid market rates. In the US, you would pay hundreds of dollars for any single office visit.

 

(Currently, Outro provides services ONLY in British Columbia and Ontario, Canada.)

 

Outro is aware the cost limits its clientele, but it has to pay the bills. Eventually, insurance will cover all or part of the cost, but at present, it is out-of-pocket.

 

Dr. Horowitz is of the opinion that if people taper properly from the start, the total length of the taper may be shorter. Outro's clinicians have been trained to monitor patients carefully and taper at the rate of the person's tolerance. They will of course adjust If people need to taper longer.

 

Outro is a legitimate medical tapering service, NOT like Truehope, The Road Back, Point of Return, Label Me Sane, Hardy Nutritionals, or Alternative to Meds Center in Sedona, Arizona.

[eje91]

I have found this supplement helpful. I thought I would share it with others here. It can help with insomnia. 

 

https://www.hardynutritionals.com/blog/2020/03/using-daily-essential-nutrients-to-balance-moods

 

 

[Altostrata]

See the above topic. Please use search in the Symptoms and Self-Care forum before starting new topics. Thank you.