Administrator Altostrata Posted May 19, 2018 Administrator Share Posted May 19, 2018 Hello, Sandman. Please start a topic for yourself in the Introductions forum so we can get to know you. This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein All postings © copyrighted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pug Posted June 7, 2018 Author Share Posted June 7, 2018 On 5/2/2018 at 6:39 AM, musk said: Hello, Pug. Reading your story is very important to me. My question is, how long did insomnia last for you? and how long did akathisia last? Thank you. Hello, Insomnia and sleep issues have slowly improved over the time that I have been recovering. There has never been a time where it suddenly got better or went away, just a very gradual improvement with many ups and downs along the way. It was the same with akathisia although that pretty much ended for me by the end of the second year, thankfully as it was a terrible symptom. The sleep issues still persist but have improved a great deal. I can usually get at least 5-6 hours of sleep each night now and sometimes more, although with all of the waking up I need to be in bed 8 hours to get that 5-6 hours of sleep. I usually don’t feel very rested when I wake up and mornings can be rough at times, but I am not complaining since I know just how bad it can be and I am happy to now be further along the path and sleep is getting better for me. Hang in there, it takes time to heal and it seems like the most basic of bodily functions like sleep take the longest to sort themselves out. Wishing you the best and a quick recovery. pug 1 20+ years of Zoloft 50-100 mg CT 03/2014 for 5 months Back on Prozac 20 mg for 4 months CT since 11/2014 Found this forum the last day of 2014 The secret is to keep going! Time will heal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pug Posted June 7, 2018 Author Share Posted June 7, 2018 On 5/5/2018 at 6:46 PM, Liamb123456 said: Hi pug did your vision go back to normal I'm 8 half months out and mine is still very bad Hello, Yes my vision issues have cleared up other than a very rare occasion where I have blurry vision, but it is usually short lived. It is a scary symptom and if you have any doubts go and see a doctor just to ensure nothing else is going on. My eye exam was good with no issues, which was reassuring and let me know that the issues were due to withdrawal and recovery. I hope things are improving for you. pug 20+ years of Zoloft 50-100 mg CT 03/2014 for 5 months Back on Prozac 20 mg for 4 months CT since 11/2014 Found this forum the last day of 2014 The secret is to keep going! Time will heal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pug Posted June 7, 2018 Author Share Posted June 7, 2018 On 5/6/2018 at 1:48 PM, Melissa5000 said: Hello Pug I want you to know that I read your story many times. Your story gives me hope! I am so happy that you wrote your story on SA. It looks like you had a very hard time in the first years of your withdrawal. But looking backwards, did you notice some improvements after the first year? I am in heavy withdrawal at the moment as many of us are. I have heavy muscle pain and nerve pain and a burning feeling in my body. It is so bad, I can hardly walk. I can walk around 850 meter. Then I have to sit down. I feel very handicapped. How far could you walk in early withdrawal and what distance could you walk after a year? If you can remember it? When did you notice your first improvements even if they were small improvements? I am obviously looking for some bright spots to look forward to! I am very happy that you are doing so well! You deserve it after those heavy years. Hello, I am sorry you are suffering so severely; I know that it is torture. Improvements will come for you just as they did for me. Mine came mostly in small measures, an extra few minutes of sleep, less nerve pain for the day, my stomach didn’t hurt so bad, or some other little thing that was “different” and let me know that there was a change. It often changed right back to being bad, but I knew from reading success stories that if something changed at all, it was just a matter of time before it would improve and the change would be more permanent. I also felt handicapped for a long time, unable to do much of anything and at times only able to walk from the bed to the chair or the car; unable to think at a basic level and sure that my life was pretty much over. But I was wrong and things got better, I just had to wait, hold on, and stay alive long enough for the healing to begin to show itself. Healing can happen and there is no reason it won’t happen for you also! Everyone is different and you may experience healing in your own unique way and it could be more dramatic and sooner than me or many others. So keep your hope alive and don’t stop! Time can work miracles for us in this process. pug 20+ years of Zoloft 50-100 mg CT 03/2014 for 5 months Back on Prozac 20 mg for 4 months CT since 11/2014 Found this forum the last day of 2014 The secret is to keep going! Time will heal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pug Posted June 7, 2018 Author Share Posted June 7, 2018 On 5/6/2018 at 9:33 PM, Peachy said: Hey Pug, I am still in the throes of WD/tapering, and I was looking for some advice. i see that you did sugar-free. were you able to tolerate natural sugars, like honey and maple syrup, or coconut sugar? Just wondering if it would be helpful to cut these out too? How did you quench a sweet tooth??!! Anyone else's input would be appreciated! Hello, I tried many different things including diet changes like giving up sugar and sweeteners of any kind, gluten, alcohol, caffeine, etc. At the time it helped me keep my hope alive that making these changes might help me feel better, and at that time I needed any type of hope that I could find. I don’t actually think that the changes made much of a difference in reality as far as improving my symptoms, but they were needed because they kept me going and kept me hoping for a better tomorrow. I eventually started slowing adding them back into my diet as my brain healed and I could accept that they were not going to be harmful to me. That process took many months, but now I eat and drink anything that I want. I still eat healthy, but if I want a doughnut, cup of coffee, or a beer, I have it and enjoy it. I hope that improvements are coming your way soon! pug 20+ years of Zoloft 50-100 mg CT 03/2014 for 5 months Back on Prozac 20 mg for 4 months CT since 11/2014 Found this forum the last day of 2014 The secret is to keep going! Time will heal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pug Posted June 7, 2018 Author Share Posted June 7, 2018 On 5/9/2018 at 2:53 AM, musk said: Those of you who have the experience, like you, Pug, I'll be grateful if you tell me how does a window feel exactly? That changes? Are there more windows once you've had a couple of brief windows? More time, more normal? More often? Or it has nothing to do and it is better not to expect anything? A window is when your symptoms ease up and many of the terrible things that you are dealing with on a daily basis get better. Whether that is for an hour or day, suddenly you get a hint of what it will be like when you start to feel better. The windows I had lasted for a few hours or a day or so, but the symptoms always came back and it was very discouraging when they did. But I would keep a journal and record when a window did occur so I could look back on it when I was suffering and know that it was possible for me to feel better and that suffering was not going to be never ending. Some people never get windows and others have them regularly; each person has their own recovery path, but I have to believe that regardless of how the symptoms occur, we are healing and getting better the longer we go without the drugs in our system, or with less drugs if we are tapering. I think it is better not to expect anything but have the knowledge that you are healing and getting better. There are success stories here and elsewhere that point to the fact that we will make it out of this mess if we can keep going and let time do the healing work. The stories of success include those that got no windows and those that did get them, so whatever your method of recovering, healing is happening! Alll the best. pug 20+ years of Zoloft 50-100 mg CT 03/2014 for 5 months Back on Prozac 20 mg for 4 months CT since 11/2014 Found this forum the last day of 2014 The secret is to keep going! Time will heal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pug Posted June 7, 2018 Author Share Posted June 7, 2018 On 5/14/2018 at 1:07 PM, bgoggles1 said: Hi pug, did you have the feeling of your brain banging on the sides of your head, sloshing around, dizziness in the head and severe zaps? It's horrid... Yes I had all of that and other bizarre symptoms like feeling that part of my brain was missing or I had a hole in my head, or like my brain was on fire and frying inside my skull. As you know it is terrifying beyond belief and they are horrible symptoms; but they have gone away for the most part except for the occasional brain zap. It is hard to believe that it will all go away eventually, but I am seeing it happen, it just take time. I hope you are seeing signs of improvement. pug 20+ years of Zoloft 50-100 mg CT 03/2014 for 5 months Back on Prozac 20 mg for 4 months CT since 11/2014 Found this forum the last day of 2014 The secret is to keep going! Time will heal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pug Posted June 7, 2018 Author Share Posted June 7, 2018 On 5/19/2018 at 4:48 AM, Sandman said: Pug, you gave me a new hope to live. I was on Zoloft 100 for 8 years. I am 27 years old now. The medicine has taken away my sexual function. I have stopped the medication 3 months ago but I am still unable to attain erection. Moreover, depression, dementia, mood swings, intense anxiety, sudden emotional outbursts are killing me. I think of killing myself as my life has become an unbearable tragedy. I am a walking dead man. However, your success story of recovery is giving me hope to have patience. Thank you. However, I don't know if I will ever have my normal sexual function back. Waiting to hear from you. Hello, I am very sorry to hear about your suffering. Please believe me when I say that you can recover and beat this great challenge. I know because I have been through it and have gotten so very much better! Your life is not over, even though it may feel like that right now. It is going to take time for the healing to happen, but it will happen and you can do this! Take each day as your goal, just to make it through the day in the best way you can; doing what it takes to survive. For me, I read success stories every day that I had printed out, over and over the same stories until I had them memorized. I did what I could to deal with the symptoms and cope, whether that was lying in bed or trying to do a puzzle or sitting and looking out the window, or anything else I could think of to try and distract myself from the symptoms. I kept a journal and wrote down how I was feeling and all of my frustration, hopelessness and fear that I would never be the same. You just need to keep going, keep working at taking care of yourself and waiting for the healing to happen, because in my experience it will happen. You have found this great forum and know what is happening to you and that is something to be grateful for. This is a wonderful resource and the people here want to help you make it to recovery and there is so much great information here. I know how scared and hopeless you are feeling, but as someone who has been there, I can honestly say that it will get better, just don’t quit and don’t give up! I am sending you all the hope and comfort that I possibly can. pug 20+ years of Zoloft 50-100 mg CT 03/2014 for 5 months Back on Prozac 20 mg for 4 months CT since 11/2014 Found this forum the last day of 2014 The secret is to keep going! Time will heal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pug Posted June 7, 2018 Author Share Posted June 7, 2018 Hello Everyone, Time for an update. I am celebrating 3.5 years off of medication and 1 year since I posted my success story. So how am I doing now? Well not a lot has change during this last year, I still have many of the same symptoms and issues that I did a year ago, but they are lessening and I have improved. My process of recovery has been one of very slow, slow, gradual improvement with a great deal of back and forth, up and down progress. I can only see the progress when I look back over the whole of my recovery as looking back a week, month, or even a year is not enough time to realize and see how I have improved; and I have improved! This recovery process has been impossible to predict or really to even understand for me. It makes no sense to me how long this can take and the manner in which we heal. The only thing I can honestly share with you is that I am better, I am healing, and recovery is possible! If you are reading this and have only been withdrawing/recovering for a short time, take heart, you may be fortunate to recover quickly and move on with your life. We are all so different and no one can predict the recovery path and time frame it will take for each of us, so you might heal quickly. If you have been at this process for a long time and are feeling hopeless, realize that so many others have endured long and difficult recoveries and went on to reclaim their lives. We just have to do whatever it takes to make it through each day, because we just don’t know when our day will come, the day when we start to feel better; it could be tomorrow! That is what kept me going through endless days of misery, (and still keeps me going), the thought that tomorrow might be the day when things would start to change, and then that day finally did arrive. As Churchill said, “If you’re going through hell, keep going!”; and that seems to sum up my whole strategy when I have been at my worst or despaired for myself and the condition I was in; just keep going. If I can share anything with you from my experience, it is that the longer you go the better things get! I know that there are some of you that are suffering longer than I have; don’t see any improvements for years on end, and feel like they are cursed and will never heal. But I have to believe that it can change, that given enough time we will all improve and heal. So please keep going and make it through each day as best as you can, and keep your hope alive that change is possible and this long, dark night does end. If you have any questions of me, please just ask. Wishing Everyone continued healing. pug 20+ years of Zoloft 50-100 mg CT 03/2014 for 5 months Back on Prozac 20 mg for 4 months CT since 11/2014 Found this forum the last day of 2014 The secret is to keep going! Time will heal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerback Posted June 7, 2018 Share Posted June 7, 2018 🙏,great Thanks pug .continue healing to you . Alcohol free since February 2015 1MG diazepam 4.5MG PROZAC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerback Posted June 7, 2018 Share Posted June 7, 2018 On 5/10/2018 at 5:07 AM, Peachy said: thanks @powerback! Your welcome Peachey. Alcohol free since February 2015 1MG diazepam 4.5MG PROZAC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LexAnger Posted June 7, 2018 Share Posted June 7, 2018 Hi Pug, i just re-read your whole thread to get some hope as I'm in the darkest stage losing the entire ground fop rom a very complicated tapering and multiple severe post taper setbacks. im lucky to be right at the time seeing your update you made 2 hours ago. I want to thank you for coming back to give others hope and let you know how much your success, faith and streghth mean to me. i hope you continuous healing and all the best to the new life you regained after such a incredible battle! love and hugs, lex Drug free Sep. 23 2017 2009 Mar.: lexapro 10mg for headache for 2 weeks. 2009-2012: on and off 1/4 to 1/3 of 10mg 2012 June--2013 Jan,: 1/4-1/3 of 10mg generic, bad jaw pain 2013 Jan-Mar: 10 mg generic. severe jaw and head pain; 2013 Mar--Aug. started tapering (liquid ever since) from 10 to 5 (one step) then gradually down to 2.25 mg by July. first ever panic attack, severe head/jaw pain 2013 Aug.: back to 2.75 mg; Nov: back to Brand Lex. 2.75mg -- 3mg, 2014 June: stopped PPI, head pressure/numbness. up-dosed 4.5mg, severe reaction mental symptoms added on 2014 Aug--2015 Aug: Micro taper down to 3.2mg, .025mg (<1%) cut holding 2-3 weeks. 2015 Aug 15th, Accidental one dose of 4.2mg. worsening brain non-functional, swollen head, body, coma like, DR 2016 Feb., started dosing 10am through 11 pm everyday 2/13--3.2mg, 3/15-- 2.9mg, 4/19-- 2.6mg, 6/26--2.2mg, 7/22 --1.9mg, 8/16--1.8mg，8/31--1.7m g, 9/13--1.6mg, 9/27--1.5mg, 10/8--1.4mg, 10/14--1.3mg， 11/1--1.2mg, 11/29--1.1mg, 12/12--1mg, 12/22--0.9mg 2017: 1/7--0.8mg, 1/15--0.7mg, 1/17--0.6mg, 1/20--0.52, 1/21--0.4mg, 1/22--0.26, 1/23--0.2, 2/13--0.13mg, 2/20--0.06mg, 3/18--0.13mg, 6/1--0.12mg, 7/6--0.1mg, 7/14--0.08mg, 8/17--0.04mg, 8/20--0.03mg, 8/28--0.02mg, 9/6--0.0205mg, 9/8--0.02mg, 9/17--0.015mg, 9/20--0.01mg, 9/21--0.0048mg, 9/22--0.0001mg, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hosanna Posted June 7, 2018 Share Posted June 7, 2018 27 minutes ago, LexAnger said: Hi Pug, i just re-read your whole thread to get some hope as I'm in the darkest stage losing the entire ground fop rom a very complicated tapering and multiple severe post taper setbacks. im lucky to be right at the time seeing your update you made 2 hours ago. I want to thank you for coming back to give others hope and let you know how much your success, faith and streghth mean to me. i hope you continuous healing and all the best to the new life you regained after such a incredible battle! love and hugs, lex Lex, I’m sorry you are suffering so... it’s horrible predicament we find ourselves in. Such pain, anguish, and So so erratic and confusing. I’m not on this site much but when I have I’ve seen you helping people. Thanks so much for your kindness and selflessness. It’s so hard to get out of ourselves and help others while suffering, and you do that. I wish you hope and healing. Hang in there. http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/user/9209-hosanna/ my story 12 years on increasing amounts of prozac, then 10 years on increasing amounts of effexor (to 300MG)along with 12 years on Enbrel or Humira and strong anti-inflammatory for arthritis || 2013 I did a 5 month taper off effexor from 300 to zero while adding prozac back and then tapering prozac (this was under a psychmd direction). this was way too fast... then real trouble...so psychMDs put me back on all kinds of new crazy stuff (Latuda (4 months), Trintellix(3 months), Depakote (a week), seroquel (a week), then a cocktail of Xoloft , wellbutrin, trazadone and elavil for 1.5 years) || then MS Diagnosis-extreme amount of brain lesions. told the cause is probably the Humira so taken off that (yes after some law suits there is now some fine print Humira warnings about it causing neurological disease) || 5 month taper off xoloft, wellbutrin, elavil, Trazadone (way too fast) || currently on zero meds since January 2016 including anti-inflammatories || anguishing for so long, just now realizing the root cause is protracted Rx withdraw because of the damage and ptsd of the chemical assault and too fast of a taper twice (I think the first effexor stuff is most significant).This is awful!!! I can't even put into words the waves that hit after not taking any of These so-called medicines at 3 months and 6 months and 9 months and a year . Its like it is getting worse not better || Diet: no sugar, no grains, nothing that can be GMO (corn, soy, etc.), limited potatoes, lots of vegetables, good fats, proteins. whole food natural supplements, herbal and homeopathic remedies...give my body what it needs to build new healthy cells/tissues/organs/systems and detox the toxic load. ***through all the pain, misery, insanity, loss (health, daily life, marriage, family, career possibility etc. )...God has taken care of me. My faith in God and in Jesus Christ my lord and savior is not lost. God is good, His word is true, He is who he says he is and I am who he says I am. His grace has kept me alive and sustained me...just hasn't totally healed me yet... I will focus on and trust in God and his promises...not my circumstances*** Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hosanna Posted June 7, 2018 Share Posted June 7, 2018 Thanks for coming back and helping us Pug. I really appreciate your knowledge of our illness/injury and your ability to communicate so honestly and clearly about it all. Like you did, I’ve found Baylissa’s books and counsel Invaluable for maintaining hope. Thanks for the knowledge, information and hope you give us. I hope you keep getting better and better. http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/user/9209-hosanna/ my story 12 years on increasing amounts of prozac, then 10 years on increasing amounts of effexor (to 300MG)along with 12 years on Enbrel or Humira and strong anti-inflammatory for arthritis || 2013 I did a 5 month taper off effexor from 300 to zero while adding prozac back and then tapering prozac (this was under a psychmd direction). this was way too fast... then real trouble...so psychMDs put me back on all kinds of new crazy stuff (Latuda (4 months), Trintellix(3 months), Depakote (a week), seroquel (a week), then a cocktail of Xoloft , wellbutrin, trazadone and elavil for 1.5 years) || then MS Diagnosis-extreme amount of brain lesions. told the cause is probably the Humira so taken off that (yes after some law suits there is now some fine print Humira warnings about it causing neurological disease) || 5 month taper off xoloft, wellbutrin, elavil, Trazadone (way too fast) || currently on zero meds since January 2016 including anti-inflammatories || anguishing for so long, just now realizing the root cause is protracted Rx withdraw because of the damage and ptsd of the chemical assault and too fast of a taper twice (I think the first effexor stuff is most significant).This is awful!!! I can't even put into words the waves that hit after not taking any of These so-called medicines at 3 months and 6 months and 9 months and a year . Its like it is getting worse not better || Diet: no sugar, no grains, nothing that can be GMO (corn, soy, etc.), limited potatoes, lots of vegetables, good fats, proteins. whole food natural supplements, herbal and homeopathic remedies...give my body what it needs to build new healthy cells/tissues/organs/systems and detox the toxic load. ***through all the pain, misery, insanity, loss (health, daily life, marriage, family, career possibility etc. )...God has taken care of me. My faith in God and in Jesus Christ my lord and savior is not lost. God is good, His word is true, He is who he says he is and I am who he says I am. His grace has kept me alive and sustained me...just hasn't totally healed me yet... I will focus on and trust in God and his promises...not my circumstances*** Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa5000 Posted June 7, 2018 Share Posted June 7, 2018 Hello Pug, thank you so much for answering and coming back. I am sitting here with tears in my eyes. You give me hope again. Thank you for your update too. It is good to read that you keep improving over the years. 😊 2019 2.1 mg amitriptyline ,15th july 2.1 mg, 22-7 2.09 mg, 29-7 2.08 mg, 5-8 2.09 mg , 7-8 2.1 mg . 2020 Holding at 2.1 mg 2019 125 mg lyrica, 15th july 124,5 mg, 22-7 124 mg, 29-7 123,5 mg, 4-8 124 mg 2020 holding at 124 mg 2015 january building up my medication to 450 mg lyrica and 50 mg amitriptyline for face ache after a rootcanal treatment at the dentist. 2016 february start tapering lyrica from 450 mg to 200 mg 2016 october tapered 25 mg amitriptyline to 25 mg 2017 tapered lyrica from 200 mg to 100 mg 2017 september tapered my last tablet of 25 mg amitriptyline to zero (horrible muscle pain started) 2018 february tapered lyrica from 100 mg to 75 mg (my muscle pain got worse and I have a lot of nervepain in my arms and legs, sometimes all over musclepain and nerve pain and burning pain) 2018 may reinstated 25 mg lyrica. My current dose is 100 mg lyrica. My pain is still very bad but a little less intense, my mood improved. 2018 since 22th may updose amitriptyline. 9 beads. 2018 june updosing lyrica. 2018 16 th june 125 mg lyrica and 9 beads amitriptyline ( 2mg) Now I'm doing a long hold. I can't taper anymore. Too much pain. I hope to stabilize and improve while holding. I'm trying graded activity to get rid of my pain. 2019 1 jan. Lyrica 125 mg (holding) 2019 1 jan. Amitriptyline tapering from 9 beads to 8 beads (1 jan. 2019), 8,5 beads (5 jan 19), 9 beads (16 jan 19) tapper attempt failed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mirage Posted June 7, 2018 Share Posted June 7, 2018 Pug so glad to hear success! I am 1 year into being healthy again. My worse symptoms are constant dizziness, occasional vertigo and my brain feels like there is a disconnect between a lot of things. I have times when it actually feels scrambled. It is like a computer with a bad virus. I am staying positive and doing as much as I can each and every day. I have to maintain some type of life. I keep telling myself, "this too shall pass". How long did it take you for the dizziness to go away? I know my journey may not be the same as yours, but it is good to hear that these symptoms do go away. 8 years of Welbutrin 300xl 5/2017 quit cold turkey 9/2017 was put on 15mg Remeron 10/2017 upped Remeron to 30mg 1/2018 started wean off Remeron 3/2018 last dose of Remeron Started Wellbutrin 300xl mid July, 2009. Stopped Wellbutrin 300xl cold turkey May 8, 2017 Started having symptoms started June 2, 2017. Started Wellbutrin 150xl July 7, 2017 Started Remeron 15mg August 15, 2017. Increased Remeron to 30mg October 4, 2017 Increased Wellbutrin to 300xl November 24, 2017. Lowered Wellbutrin 300xl back to 150xl January 8, 2018 Started weaning off of Remeron 30mg. Cut to 22.25mg January 11, 2018 Cut Remeron to 15mg January 18, 2018 Cut Remeron to 7.5mg January 25, 2018 Cut Remeron to 3.5mg January 30,2018. Stopped taking Remeron February 1, 2018 Currently taking: Fish Oil, Magnesium, Calcium, Vit D, Progesterone, Hormone Replacement Pellets-Estrogen Testosterone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentor FarmGirlWorks Posted June 7, 2018 Mentor Share Posted June 7, 2018 As another Zoloft survivor, I so appreciate you're coming back here and updating us with your recovery... so much hope when it is desperately needed. Prozac | late 2004-mid-2005 | CT WD in a couple months, mostly emotional Sertraline 50-100mg | 11/2011-3/2014, 10/2014-3/2017 Sertraline fast taper March 2017, 4 weeks, OFF sertraline April 1, 2017 Quit alcohol May 20, 2017 Lifestyle changes: AA, kundalini yoga "If you've seen a monster, even if it's horrible, that's evidence of divinity." – Damien Echols Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liamb123456 Posted June 8, 2018 Share Posted June 8, 2018 18 hours ago, FarmGirlWorks said: As another Zoloft survivor, I so appreciate you're coming back here and updating us with your recovery... so much hope when it is desperately needed. How are you today did you cold turkey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentor FarmGirlWorks Posted June 8, 2018 Mentor Share Posted June 8, 2018 My info is in my signature and you and I messaged a bit. I'm hanging in there, mainly depressed. Prozac | late 2004-mid-2005 | CT WD in a couple months, mostly emotional Sertraline 50-100mg | 11/2011-3/2014, 10/2014-3/2017 Sertraline fast taper March 2017, 4 weeks, OFF sertraline April 1, 2017 Quit alcohol May 20, 2017 Lifestyle changes: AA, kundalini yoga "If you've seen a monster, even if it's horrible, that's evidence of divinity." – Damien Echols Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bgoggles1 Posted June 8, 2018 Share Posted June 8, 2018 On 6/7/2018 at 1:29 PM, pug said: Hello Everyone, Time for an update. I am celebrating 3.5 years off of medication and 1 year since I posted my success story. So how am I doing now? Well not a lot has change during this last year, I still have many of the same symptoms and issues that I did a year ago, but they are lessening and I have improved. My process of recovery has been one of very slow, slow, gradual improvement with a great deal of back and forth, up and down progress. I can only see the progress when I look back over the whole of my recovery as looking back a week, month, or even a year is not enough time to realize and see how I have improved; and I have improved! This recovery process has been impossible to predict or really to even understand for me. It makes no sense to me how long this can take and the manner in which we heal. The only thing I can honestly share with you is that I am better, I am healing, and recovery is possible! If you are reading this and have only been withdrawing/recovering for a short time, take heart, you may be fortunate to recover quickly and move on with your life. We are all so different and no one can predict the recovery path and time frame it will take for each of us, so you might heal quickly. If you have been at this process for a long time and are feeling hopeless, realize that so many others have endured long and difficult recoveries and went on to reclaim their lives. We just have to do whatever it takes to make it through each day, because we just don’t know when our day will come, the day when we start to feel better; it could be tomorrow! That is what kept me going through endless days of misery, (and still keeps me going), the thought that tomorrow might be the day when things would start to change, and then that day finally did arrive. As Churchill said, “If you’re going through hell, keep going!”; and that seems to sum up my whole strategy when I have been at my worst or despaired for myself and the condition I was in; just keep going. If I can share anything with you from my experience, it is that the longer you go the better things get! I know that there are some of you that are suffering longer than I have; don’t see any improvements for years on end, and feel like they are cursed and will never heal. But I have to believe that it can change, that given enough time we will all improve and heal. So please keep going and make it through each day as best as you can, and keep your hope alive that change is possible and this long, dark night does end. If you have any questions of me, please just ask. Wishing Everyone continued healing. pug Hi pug, are you still able to exercise and run like you said before? What symptoms do you have left? Are you still able to function and live a pretty normal life? Also, how is your brain fog??? Here it goes March 2015- started 5mg Lexapro November 2015- switched over to Cymbalta 30mg August 2016- stopped Cymbalta cold turkey Early December 2016- took Zoloft 25mg Tried to then cross taper over to Lexapro 5mg then up to 10mg for a week Aug 2017- Stopped lexapro- not sure if seratonin toxicity was present. Er prescribed klonopin- currently tapering .25mg. Sept 2017-Tried resperidal 1mg for two weeks November 2017- Tried Lexapro again 2.5 mg then to 5mg for two weeks then stopped Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShadowMan Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 I read your story every week @pug, I thought tha I was doing better and out of nowhere, new sympthoms appeared, terrible ones, after them I have small windows where I feel much better, but he bad ones keep coming back. I wanted to ask you about this symptoms in particular. When your insomnia was really bad, at some point, did you lost your ability to sleep, like when you are falling asleep you get some jolt/shock in you stomach, and this feeling persisted throught the day(like that classical anxiety feeling of butterflies in the stomach but worse). Oh just one more thing, did you experienced some kind of numbness in skin? Like sensitivity diminished? Thank you @pug, I really hope that you finish your recovery to 100% Paroxetine 40mg from 2005 to 2013, between 2007 - 2009 I stopped cold turkey, no problems, less than a week with brain zaps and thats it 2009 started taking Paroxetine again 2013 easy transition to Lexapro 15mg + Wellbutrin XL 300 2015 dropped Wellbutrin without problems 04/2017 transition to Pristiq taking 7,5mg of Lexapro + 25mg of Pristiq, than dropped Lexapro bad things starting, 05/2017 stopped Pristiq, being in hell! 05/14/2017 -> Most of the symptoms ceased, constant arousal like sensation and erectyle disfunction appeared. Anxietys on the roof, dread thoughts. Using a little bit of bromazepam. Reinstated LexaPro + Wellbutrin 08/2017 -> tappered fast both 05/2018 -> SEVERE worsening, keep getting worse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa5000 Posted June 12, 2018 Share Posted June 12, 2018 Last night when I laid in bed just before I fell asleep I remember I got a shock through my body. It happened only one time. After it I slept. I have had this weird symptom every now and then. Very strange. I didn't even recognize it as a withdrawal symptom. But your story Shadowman makes me thinking.......... 2019 2.1 mg amitriptyline ,15th july 2.1 mg, 22-7 2.09 mg, 29-7 2.08 mg, 5-8 2.09 mg , 7-8 2.1 mg . 2020 Holding at 2.1 mg 2019 125 mg lyrica, 15th july 124,5 mg, 22-7 124 mg, 29-7 123,5 mg, 4-8 124 mg 2020 holding at 124 mg 2015 january building up my medication to 450 mg lyrica and 50 mg amitriptyline for face ache after a rootcanal treatment at the dentist. 2016 february start tapering lyrica from 450 mg to 200 mg 2016 october tapered 25 mg amitriptyline to 25 mg 2017 tapered lyrica from 200 mg to 100 mg 2017 september tapered my last tablet of 25 mg amitriptyline to zero (horrible muscle pain started) 2018 february tapered lyrica from 100 mg to 75 mg (my muscle pain got worse and I have a lot of nervepain in my arms and legs, sometimes all over musclepain and nerve pain and burning pain) 2018 may reinstated 25 mg lyrica. My current dose is 100 mg lyrica. My pain is still very bad but a little less intense, my mood improved. 2018 since 22th may updose amitriptyline. 9 beads. 2018 june updosing lyrica. 2018 16 th june 125 mg lyrica and 9 beads amitriptyline ( 2mg) Now I'm doing a long hold. I can't taper anymore. Too much pain. I hope to stabilize and improve while holding. I'm trying graded activity to get rid of my pain. 2019 1 jan. Lyrica 125 mg (holding) 2019 1 jan. Amitriptyline tapering from 9 beads to 8 beads (1 jan. 2019), 8,5 beads (5 jan 19), 9 beads (16 jan 19) tapper attempt failed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicolantana Posted June 13, 2018 Share Posted June 13, 2018 Thank you so much Pug! I echo the question 'Are you living a pretty normal life?' exercising, socializing, ability to work should you choose, range of emotions, etc... late July...lexapro 10 seroquel 25.....due to mild depression......adverse reaction, suicidal thoughts, hospitalization August....felt that meds were ripping stomach apart....docs didn't believe me..upped meds to seroquel 125, lexapro 20, mirtazapine 30, olanzapine 20....stayed on these drugs unitl mid november......severe anhedonia all the time...mid novemeber 2016 , began taper.....very small windows of emotion...Christmas....off everything by Christmas day......last six weeks, cried and laughed on a number of occasions for first time since taking initial meds....8 occasions of strong emotion over 6 weeks in ealry 2016.......doubting recovery...... BIG WINDOW IN july 2017, felt incredible, lasted a month or so, felt close to recovered...window left, september to Chrimstas 17 was anhedonic hell.....Turn of the year, January 2018, some very strong days (a window) offering renewed hope back to hell until late February 2018, strong 10 day window....followed by anhedonic wave for 7 months straight! not a flicker of normalcy September 2018 ...incredible window...followed by three month wave.January 2019.... a strong window window subsided, but new baseline was higher.....life since January 2019 ( 9 months and counting) has been far better. Complete anhedonia is gone!! God, I've tears writing that. I am far from recovered, but far from hell...to use a scale, if life is rated out of a hundred, I was about minus 50 for the majority of 2 years..I know feel about 30 per cent of self, experiences intermittent flickers of normal life regularly....My days have more quality and I am optimistic of recovery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pug Posted June 20, 2018 Author Share Posted June 20, 2018 On 6/13/2018 at 6:53 AM, nicolantana said: Thank you so much Pug! I echo the question 'Are you living a pretty normal life?' exercising, socializing, ability to work should you choose, range of emotions, etc... Hello, Yes, I am living a “normal” life! I have challenges left that are related to withdrawal recovery, but they do not usually keep me from leading the life that I choose. There are times when doing something is more challenging because of a symptom, but I still do it and don’t feel like I am missing out any longer. Sometimes I am tired/fatigued and take things more easily than I will when I have recovered even more; sometimes I feel a little down or discouraged but that passes quickly; sometimes the PSSD shows up and things don’t work quite as well as I would like, but they still work and continue to get better; sometimes I am a little more angry, judgmental, or negative than I like, but that passes after a time; I think you get the picture. I am functioning fully, at a lower level than I will after complete recovery, but at a level that allows me to enjoy life and appreciate where I am and what I have! • I eat and drink what I like, nothing is off limits • I exercise and play sports • I go hiking and get outdoors • I am in good health and take no medications or supplements of any kind • I desire and can have sex and it is enjoyable • I have good cognition and can think and problem solve • I can read books, watch movies and TV, and play computer games • I can go out to restaurants, markets, shops, see music, plays, art, etc. • I can love, have feelings, and feel emotions and they are appropriate for the situation • I love to laugh and enjoy joking around and having fun • I am grateful and thankful that I have kept going and made it this far in recovery • I am hopeful for the future • I appreciate every single one of you who are reading this right now and feel in my heart that you can do this thing that seems impossible now, but that you will do it and make it to recovery. I will be right here waiting for you with all of the thousands and thousands of others who have made it and are living a wonderfully full life. Please keep going and join us here! All of my best to all of you. pug 1 20+ years of Zoloft 50-100 mg CT 03/2014 for 5 months Back on Prozac 20 mg for 4 months CT since 11/2014 Found this forum the last day of 2014 The secret is to keep going! Time will heal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wantrelief Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 9 minutes ago, pug said: I appreciate every single one of you who are reading this right now and feel in my heart that you can do this thing that seems impossible now, but that you will do it and make it to recovery. I will be right here waiting for you with all of the thousands and thousands of others who have made it and are living a wonderfully full life. Please keep going and join us here! Thank you so much for coming back to encourage us to keep going. It can be so hard when everyday presents a struggle but your message helps a lot. With gratitude - WR. -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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mirage Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 @pug Thank you for sharing your happy life with us. I am looking forward to the day when I can write that I am back to doing all the things I did before this journey and can't wait for these symptom to all go away. Congratulations!!!!! Started Wellbutrin 300xl mid July, 2009. Stopped Wellbutrin 300xl cold turkey May 8, 2017 Started having symptoms started June 2, 2017. Started Wellbutrin 150xl July 7, 2017 Started Remeron 15mg August 15, 2017. Increased Remeron to 30mg October 4, 2017 Increased Wellbutrin to 300xl November 24, 2017. Lowered Wellbutrin 300xl back to 150xl January 8, 2018 Started weaning off of Remeron 30mg. Cut to 22.25mg January 11, 2018 Cut Remeron to 15mg January 18, 2018 Cut Remeron to 7.5mg January 25, 2018 Cut Remeron to 3.5mg January 30,2018. Stopped taking Remeron February 1, 2018 Currently taking: Fish Oil, Magnesium, Calcium, Vit D, Progesterone, Hormone Replacement Pellets-Estrogen Testosterone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Psvt Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 2 hours ago, pug said: Hello, Yes, I am living a “normal” life! I have challenges left that are related to withdrawal recovery, but they do not usually keep me from leading the life that I choose. There are times when doing something is more challenging because of a symptom, but I still do it and don’t feel like I am missing out any longer. Sometimes I am tired/fatigued and take things more easily than I will when I have recovered even more; sometimes I feel a little down or discouraged but that passes quickly; sometimes the PSSD shows up and things don’t work quite as well as I would like, but they still work and continue to get better; sometimes I am a little more angry, judgmental, or negative than I like, but that passes after a time; I think you get the picture. I am functioning fully, at a lower level than I will after complete recovery, but at a level that allows me to enjoy life and appreciate where I am and what I have! • I eat and drink what I like, nothing is off limits • I exercise and play sports • I go hiking and get outdoors • I am in good health and take no medications or supplements of any kind • I desire and can have sex and it is enjoyable • I have good cognition and can think and problem solve • I can read books, watch movies and TV, and play computer games • I can go out to restaurants, markets, shops, see music, plays, art, etc. • I can love, have feelings, and feel emotions and they are appropriate for the situation • I love to laugh and enjoy joking around and having fun • I am grateful and thankful that I have kept going and made it this far in recovery • I am hopeful for the future • I appreciate every single one of you who are reading this right now and feel in my heart that you can do this thing that seems impossible now, but that you will do it and make it to recovery. I will be right here waiting for you with all of the thousands and thousands of others who have made it and are living a wonderfully full life. Please keep going and join us here! All of my best to all of you. pug AND 1 hour ago, wantrelief said: Thank you so much for coming back to encourage us to keep going. It can be so hard when everyday presents a struggle but your message helps a lot. With gratitude - WR. Ditto! Anthony Zoloft: Sometime early in 2014 Three days only. Torture! Lexapro: Early 2015- Mid 2015 10mg Lexapro: Mid 2015-March 2017 20mg Tapered too fast, Withdrawal started through April-June 2017. Told by Doctor that it was rebound anxiety and have now developed MDD Pristiq: July 2017-October 2017 50mg (total 56 days) Lexapro: October 2017-October 2017 10mg (6 days) Lexapro: October 2017-October 2017 20mg (5 days) COLD TURKEY>>>>>>>>>>>>October 11,2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Offforgood Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 Am so happy for you pug.. sitting here with tears in my eyes for joy for you .. looking over the list of things you can do that I can only dream of doing makes me so happy for you! Zoloft . On 10-15 years started 100 mg last dose 200mg tapered to zero in one month.. psych dr advise Last dose: 50mg Zoloft in February 2017 5mg Olanzipine - 1 -2 yrs last dose 5 mg in Jan 2017 told to stop within a weEk NOTE: had very bad withdrawal symptoms with discontinuation of Zoloft and Olanzipine.. very very seriously suicidal... 450mg Effexor XR - started at 75mg a couple of years ago, increasing every few months until I got to 450mg beginning in February to July 22 - 450, 300, 150, 75, 37.5 , 16.5 mg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scorpio Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 Hi pug thank you so much for writing and giving us all who are struggling through the helpless/hopeless stages of w/d that life can return to normal for all of us. ‘It is certainly giving me hope that I can do this even though nearly everyday is a nightmare of dominant anxiety and all those other joyous symptoms that bite us. 2006 After sudden death of mother put on 20mg of citaloprom for depression. 2014 Drug stopped working after two weeks of panic attacks felt fine. Aug 2014. Doctor put me on lyrica for rash on face, diarrhoea, sleeplessness,muscle cramp, bruising. Initial dose too strong, halved dose. Stopped taking it 22/10/14 2014 severe anxiety after several ssri's attempted, seem to have developed severe sensitivity to any drug, but giving severe reactions put on cipralex drop form.started on 2 drops and had to increase by 1 drop every 3 days. Eventually got to 12 drops and had to stop as side effects every step of the way dreadful. Psychiatrist kept telling me to stick with it and my body would get used to it. Eventually down to 8 drops. Bad reactions throughout the time I was on it Have been on this until may 2017. Stopped over two weeks. Felt fine for 5 weeks after initial dizziness, nightmares, nausea, insomnia. Given diazepam by gp and told to take them when anxiety bad. Have only taken them very rarely as they frighten me. Last two weeks severe anxiety returned and feeling hopeless 11July 2017. Cipralex 2mg. Anxiety, nausea still severe 13 July 2017 Cipralex 1mg due to advice of too high dosage by kind person on thus site. so dropped from 2mg to 1mg and feelings of anxiety still at severe. As well as nausea, headaches, fatigue. 15 July still feeling extremely anxious verging on panic. Nausea, feelings of fainting, fatigue. Lots of head pains 3 August. Three weeks into trying to stabilise on one drop of cipralex. Still have waking from 4am. Sporadic upset stomach. Nausea. High anxiety. Throbbing/burning in nether regions seems to have eased for time being but stabbing/burning in calves of legs. Tinnitus. Occasional half to whole better days but mainly still struggling. Fatigue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosetta Posted June 22, 2018 Share Posted June 22, 2018 Thanks, Pug, for coming back to encourage us. It means so much! - Rosetta https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/16629-rosetta-ct-may-2011-too-fast-taper-feb-2017/?page=25 2001-2011 Celexa 10 mg raised to 40 mg then 60 mg over this time period May 2011 OB Doctor's Cold switch Celexa 60 mg to 10 mg Zoloft sertraline (baby born) 2012-2016 - Doctors raised dose of Zoloft up to 150 mg 2016 - Xanax prescribed - as needed - 0.5 mg about every 3 days (bad reaction) 2016 - Stopped Xanax Late 2016- Began (too fast) taper of Zoloft Early 2017 - Trazodone prescribed for bedtime (doseage unknown) Feb 2017 - Completed taper/stopped Trazodone Drug free since Feb 2017 2017 - Unisom otc very rarely for sleep Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liamb123456 Posted June 22, 2018 Share Posted June 22, 2018 On 6/21/2018 at 10:40 AM, Scorpio said: Hi pug thank you so much for writing and giving us all who are struggling through the helpless/hopeless stages of w/d that life can return to normal for all of us. ‘It is certainly giving me hope that I can do this even though nearly everyday is a nightmare of dominant anxiety and all those other joyous symptoms that bite us. Did you cold meds or tapering if you cold turkey how long you off Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheera Posted June 25, 2018 Share Posted June 25, 2018 Pug—I’m at 20 months and in a wave right now. I read your entire thread before bed—was one of those nights where my eyes were just closed so not a lot of sleeping. But I could hear your positivity in my head. Thank you for coming back and giving that hope to people like me! Started Lamictal and Brintellix in November 2015 May 2016 Discontinued Lamictal 100 to 50 and then stopped completely. October 20, 2016 discontinued Brintellex 10 to 5 then went from 5 to 0 on November 10, 2016. Currently off all antidepressants Current Supplements: L-Theanine, Natural Progesterone, L-Methylfolate, Vitamin D, Omega-3's, Probiotic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pug Posted July 2, 2018 Author Share Posted July 2, 2018 On 6/22/2018 at 1:36 PM, Liamb123456 said: Did you cold meds or tapering if you cold turkey how long you off Hello, I unfortunately went cold-turkey twice. The first time in March 2014 under my new primary care physician’s advice after having been on zoloft for well over 20 years. Somehow I made it to August 2014 before I tried to reinstate, after thinking that all the hell I was in was a return of my previous troubles. The reinstatement went very badly and my doc quickly switched me to prozac, which was total hell also and took me deeper into a dark, black, hopeless place. I hung on for a few more months of the torture and after having some really bad days in November 2014, I went cold-turkey on my own out of pure desperation. I found this website not long after that and discovered what withdrawal was all about and I am sure that it saved my life; a big thank you S.A.! So I have been totally off of meds since November 2014 or about 43 months at this point. I am proof that even the poor choice of cold-turkey can be overcome and we can regain our lives and health. I am still not completely done healing, but life is so, so much better for me now than it has been in a very long time, and that includes the time on the drugs. I am ever so grateful that I did not give up; that I kept going, and that I believed what the success stories told me: That I would recover eventually and be happy once again. So anyone who is reading this, I beg you to please keep going and don’t give up; tomorrow could be the day that a change for the better begins, you just have to be there to greet it. And if you can hold dear to that thought; store it away somewhere in the deep recesses of your mind and call upon it regularly, one day you will experience that “tomorrow” and your healing will become evident to you. It is worth fighting for. With much love and all my best, pug 20+ years of Zoloft 50-100 mg CT 03/2014 for 5 months Back on Prozac 20 mg for 4 months CT since 11/2014 Found this forum the last day of 2014 The secret is to keep going! Time will heal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LexAnger Posted July 3, 2018 Share Posted July 3, 2018 Hi pug, your encouraging words are like God sent as I'm in another day of profound feeling of losing hope. God bless your heart and health! Lex Drug free Sep. 23 2017 2009 Mar.: lexapro 10mg for headache for 2 weeks. 2009-2012: on and off 1/4 to 1/3 of 10mg 2012 June--2013 Jan,: 1/4-1/3 of 10mg generic, bad jaw pain 2013 Jan-Mar: 10 mg generic. severe jaw and head pain; 2013 Mar--Aug. started tapering (liquid ever since) from 10 to 5 (one step) then gradually down to 2.25 mg by July. first ever panic attack, severe head/jaw pain 2013 Aug.: back to 2.75 mg; Nov: back to Brand Lex. 2.75mg -- 3mg, 2014 June: stopped PPI, head pressure/numbness. up-dosed 4.5mg, severe reaction mental symptoms added on 2014 Aug--2015 Aug: Micro taper down to 3.2mg, .025mg (<1%) cut holding 2-3 weeks. 2015 Aug 15th, Accidental one dose of 4.2mg. worsening brain non-functional, swollen head, body, coma like, DR 2016 Feb., started dosing 10am through 11 pm everyday 2/13--3.2mg, 3/15-- 2.9mg, 4/19-- 2.6mg, 6/26--2.2mg, 7/22 --1.9mg, 8/16--1.8mg，8/31--1.7m g, 9/13--1.6mg, 9/27--1.5mg, 10/8--1.4mg, 10/14--1.3mg， 11/1--1.2mg, 11/29--1.1mg, 12/12--1mg, 12/22--0.9mg 2017: 1/7--0.8mg, 1/15--0.7mg, 1/17--0.6mg, 1/20--0.52, 1/21--0.4mg, 1/22--0.26, 1/23--0.2, 2/13--0.13mg, 2/20--0.06mg, 3/18--0.13mg, 6/1--0.12mg, 7/6--0.1mg, 7/14--0.08mg, 8/17--0.04mg, 8/20--0.03mg, 8/28--0.02mg, 9/6--0.0205mg, 9/8--0.02mg, 9/17--0.015mg, 9/20--0.01mg, 9/21--0.0048mg, 9/22--0.0001mg, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mirage Posted July 3, 2018 Share Posted July 3, 2018 @pug THANK YOU!!!!!!! I re-read your success story. It is great to have someone come back and help those of us who are still on this journey. I look forward to coming back as well and helping anyone I can. It is important to see progress happen and to see happiness and a good life come back. You are an inspiration. Please keep shining your light on us. Started Wellbutrin 300xl mid July, 2009. Stopped Wellbutrin 300xl cold turkey May 8, 2017 Started having symptoms started June 2, 2017. Started Wellbutrin 150xl July 7, 2017 Started Remeron 15mg August 15, 2017. Increased Remeron to 30mg October 4, 2017 Increased Wellbutrin to 300xl November 24, 2017. Lowered Wellbutrin 300xl back to 150xl January 8, 2018 Started weaning off of Remeron 30mg. Cut to 22.25mg January 11, 2018 Cut Remeron to 15mg January 18, 2018 Cut Remeron to 7.5mg January 25, 2018 Cut Remeron to 3.5mg January 30,2018. Stopped taking Remeron February 1, 2018 Currently taking: Fish Oil, Magnesium, Calcium, Vit D, Progesterone, Hormone Replacement Pellets-Estrogen Testosterone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonnypeters1234567 Posted July 3, 2018 Share Posted July 3, 2018 13 hours ago, pug said: Hello, I unfortunately went cold-turkey twice. The first time in March 2014 under my new primary care physician’s advice after having been on zoloft for well over 20 years. Somehow I made it to August 2014 before I tried to reinstate, after thinking that all the hell I was in was a return of my previous troubles. The reinstatement went very badly and my doc quickly switched me to prozac, which was total hell also and took me deeper into a dark, black, hopeless place. I hung on for a few more months of the torture and after having some really bad days in November 2014, I went cold-turkey on my own out of pure desperation. I found this website not long after that and discovered what withdrawal was all about and I am sure that it saved my life; a big thank you S.A.! So I have been totally off of meds since November 2014 or about 43 months at this point. I am proof that even the poor choice of cold-turkey can be overcome and we can regain our lives and health. I am still not completely done healing, but life is so, so much better for me now than it has been in a very long time, and that includes the time on the drugs. I am ever so grateful that I did not give up; that I kept going, and that I believed what the success stories told me: That I would recover eventually and be happy once again. So anyone who is reading this, I beg you to please keep going and don’t give up; tomorrow could be the day that a change for the better begins, you just have to be there to greet it. And if you can hold dear to that thought; store it away somewhere in the deep recesses of your mind and call upon it regularly, one day you will experience that “tomorrow” and your healing will become evident to you. It is worth fighting for. With much love and all my best, pug Well done, what symptoms do you have left? 2009-2010 Citalopram 20mg CT no problems Sertaline 2010- 6monnths 2011- 2017 June 2017- Citalopram 20mg CT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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