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Kev93: 3 months off Sertraline


Kev93

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I have had  OCD since I was 24. Mainly intrusive thoughts and panic, anxiety.I am now 45 and have been on 50mg sertraline for the last 10 or 11 years. The meds were starting to lose their effectiveness at 50mg so my doctor increased dose to 100mg. Within one week of increase I t started turning yellow and felt horrible.

 I went in for blood test and was admitted to hospital for a couple days. My liver enzymes were increased and I was given many tests. They say it wasn't from increase in sertraline but a virus of some kind. I'm not sure what the real cause was but the liver doctor pulled me off the sertraline just to be sure.

  So, I am three months off of it cold turkey and it has been hell.

     I am having feeling of disconnect anxiety, panic attacks, severe depression and intrusive thoughts are coming back that i haven't had in years.

     I do have good moments but some are really dark. 

    Am I having relapse or is this withdrawal? Can withdrawal cause intrusive thoughts?

      

Sertraline 50mg once a day

May 15 2006 until October 27th 2017

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Hello, Kev93 and welcome to SA.   I'm glad you found your way to us

 

To give members the best information, we ask them to summarize their medication history in a signature -- drugs, doses, dates, and discontinuations & reinstatements, in the last 12-24 months particularly.
  • Any drugs prior to 24 months ago can just be listed with start and stop years. 
  • Please use actual dates or approximate dates (mid-June, Late October) rather than relative time frames (last week, 3 months ago) 
  • Spell out months, e.g. "October" or "Oct."; 9/1/2016 can be interpreted as Jan. 9, 2016 or Sept. 1, 2016. 
  • Please leave out symptoms and diagnoses. 
  • A list is easier to understand than one or multiple paragraphs. 
  • Link to Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature.

The feelings of disconnect, anxiety and panic attack are common withdrawal symptoms.

PDF Monthly List of Dr Glenmullen's Symptoms to Print & PDF Monthly List BLANK to Print

 

Regarding intrusive thoughts, my reading of SA's posts on intrusive thoughts indicate that this symptom too can be attributed to withdrawal.  Google "SurvivingAntidepressants.org intrusive thoughts" for further reading.

 

Regarding severe depression, the following links may help you to distinguish if it is withdrawal or relapse:

This post and Is it withdrawal or relapse?  The fact that your are having good moments is a very positive sign and leads me to think that this symptom too is likely due to withdrawal.

 

Let me make a few suggestions.  Reinstatement of a very small dose of the original drug is the only known way to help alleviate withdrawal syndrome.  The only other alternative is to try and wait out the symptoms and manage as best you can until your central nervous system returns to homeostasis.  Unfortunately no one can give you an exact timeline as to when you will start feeling better and while some do recover relatively easily, for others it can take longer.  The fact that you were experiences poop-out at 50mg and had an adverse reaction at 100mg gives me pause as to this course of action, but I wanted to present this option to you.  Please read this link for more information:  

About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms

 

The non-drug coping skills in these two links can help you in dealing with your symptoms:

 
We don't recommend a lot of supplements on SA, as many members report being sensitive to them due to our over-reactive nervous systems, but two supplements that we do recommend are magnesium and omega 3 (fish oil). Many people find these to be calming to the nervous system. 

 

 

 

Please research all supplements first and only add in one at a time and at a low dose in case you do experience problems. 
 
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. I hope you'll find the information in the SA forums helpful for your situation. I'm sorry that you are in the position that you need the information, but, as I said, I am glad that you found us.

 


 

 

 

Gridley Introduction

 

Lexapro 20 mg since 2004.  Begin Brassmonkey Slide Taper Jan. 2017.   

End 2017 year 1 of taper at 9.25mg 

End 2018 year 2 of taper at 4.1mg

End 2019 year 3 of taper at 1.0mg  

Oct. 30, 2020  Jump to zero from 0.025mg.  Current dose: 0.000mg

3 year, 10 month taper is 100% complete.

 

Ativan 1 mg to 1.875mg 1986-2020, two CT's and reinstatements

Nov. 2020, 7-week Ativan-Valium crossover to 18.75mg Valium

Feb. 2021, begin 10%/4 week taper of 18.75mg Valium 

End 2021  year 1 of Valium taper at 6mg

End 2022 year 2 of Valium taper at 2.75mg 

End 2023 year 3 of Valium taper at 1mg

Jan. 24, 2024: Hold at 1mg and shift to Imipramine taper.

Taper is 95% complete.

 

Imipramine 75 mg daily since 1986.  Jan.-Sept. 2016 tapered to 14.4mg  

March 22, 2022: Begin 10%/4 week taper

Aug. 5, 2022: hold at 9.5mg and shift to Valium taper

Jan. 24, 2024: Resume Imipramine taper.  Current dose as of Feb. 22: 7.6mg

Taper is 90% complete.  

  

Supplements: multiple, quercetin, omega-3, vitamins C, E and D3, magnesium glycinate, probiotics, zinc, melatonin .3mg, anti-candida, iron, serrapeptase, nattokinase


I am not a medical professional and this is not medical advice but simply information based on my own experience, as well as other members who have survived these drugs.

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  • ChessieCat changed the title to Kev93: 3 months off Sertraline
9 hours ago, Kev93 said:

I have had  OCD since I was 24. Mainly intrusive thoughts and panic, anxiety.I am now 45 and have been on 50mg sertraline for the last 10 or 11 years. The meds were starting to lose their effectiveness at 50mg so my doctor increased dose to 100mg. Within one week of increase I t started turning yellow and felt horrible.

 I went in for blood test and was admitted to hospital for a couple days. My liver enzymes were increased and I was given many tests. They say it wasn't from increase in sertraline but a virus of some kind. I'm not sure what the real cause was but the liver doctor pulled me off the sertraline just to be sure.

  So, I am three months off of it cold turkey and it has been hell.

     I am having feeling of disconnect anxiety, panic attacks, severe depression and intrusive thoughts are coming back that i haven't had in years.

     I do have good moments but some are really dark. 

    Am I having relapse or is this withdrawal? Can withdrawal cause intrusive thoughts?

      

Hi Kev,

 

I had all those things when I stopped. I didn't suffer any of those things before I took medication. Anxiety was a massive part of my withdrawal to the point I couldn't function for months. I'd never had anything but the mildest anxiety before medication. I was put on the pills for moderate depression.

 

If what you are experiencing is a lot different and more extreme to anything you've ever experienced before then it is more than likely due to withdrawal. The good news is it will get better. Hang in there and best wishes.

Seroxat 30mg (January 1998 > till started taper April 2013 > off completely July 2013) this was about my fourth attempt.

 

Prozac 40mg ( July 2013 - Feb 2014) 

 

Sertraline 75mg (Feb 2014- started taper Feb 2015 - off May 2015)

 

Mirtazapine - 7.5mg for 2 weeks - 3.75mg one week - 2mg one week (December'15 - Jan 16)

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10 hours ago, Kev93 said:

Can withdrawal cause intrusive thoughts?

You bet, does it ever. 

Sometimes the wdl has so badly damaged the moral filtering system in the brain that the intrusive thoughts run rampant and people do crazy things like take guns and shoot others then themselves. Sometimes just themselves. Actions occur oblivious to consequences. 

Its well documented.

So glad you found sa

Welcome.

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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10 hours ago, Kev93 said:

The meds were starting to lose their effectiveness at 50mg so my doctor increased dose to 100mg. Within one week of increase I t started turning yellow and felt horrible.

 I went in for blood test and was admitted to hospital for a couple days. My liver enzymes were increased and I was given many tests. They say it wasn't from increase in sertraline but a virus of some kind. I'm not sure what the real cause was but the liver doctor pulled me off the sertraline just to be sure.

  So, I am three months off of it cold turkey and it has been hell.

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

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Welcome Kev.  Your experience is common.  I had the intrusive thoughts, too, and sometimes I still do.  I've had horrible anxiety since 2011, depression, and panic attacks, too.  I'm much better now than I was last Sept, Oct and November, but I wish I had found SA early enough to reinstate sertraline.

 

You might benefit from reading my thread.  I went off of sertraline at 150 mg cold turkey almost a year ago.  Five years before that I had been recommended by a doctor to stop Celexa (citalopram) cold turkey and replace it with sertraline. I did and have been suffering ever since, but I didn't know what suffering was, really, until I stopped sertraline.

 

I'm writing to make sure someone tells you what I wish I had known before it is too late:  If you decide to go back on an AD, please don't think that taking some AD you have never taken before will make everything all right.  This is very important: Please don't let a doctor convince you to switch to a different anti-depressant or to take a benzodiazepine or a sleeping pill with the AD.  Look up anything the doctor tells you to take and find out how hard it is to quit before you take it.  Look at the stories here of people who tried to quit any drug your doctor recommends.  They will really open your eyes.

 

These drugs are not aspirin, ibuprophen or acetaminophen.  They literally change the structure of the brain.  Medical doctors have written books on this subject, but the greater medical community does not listen to anything they do not want to hear.  The pharmaceutical companies have not studied what happens to people after they have taken ADs for years.  

 

After 5 years my brain needed sertraline like it needed sufficient oxygen. There are videos and explanations on this site about that subject. Five years earlier, my brain had needed Celexa to function, and without it I was not well at all.  No doctor or nurse or any health care professional told me what might happen when I switched.  It's as if they don't know.  My doctor simply told me to take sertraline instead of Celexa.  There was no warning of the enormous downside to doing that.  The doctor did same thing when I went to him in misery after I stopped sertraline -- the psych doc gave me Trazodone, a third anti-depressant.  It did not help.  I do not believe these drugs are interchangeable like acetaminophen and ibuprophen.  The first time, my brain was used to Celexa and nothing else would do.  For me, after 9 years of Celexa Zoloft (sertraline) couldn't take the place of Celexa.  Then after 5 years of sertraline, Trazodone was of no use to my brain.

 

Btw, I'm absolutely shocked that your doctor doubled a large dose of sertraline like that.  I would get a new doctor just because of that.  How he could think that was necessary and not dangerous, I cannot imagine.  I'm wondering if you are lucky that your reaction was not worse.  

 

I hope you can get your bearings here and get a handle on what's happened to you quickly so that you can make the decisions you need to make.  It can be overwhelming.  So, feel free to ask questions and for help finding the information you need.

 

Best of luck,

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

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11 hours ago, Kev93 said:

I have had  OCD since I was 24. Mainly intrusive thoughts and panic, anxiety.I am now 45 and have been on 50mg sertraline for the last 10 or 11 years. The meds were starting to lose their effectiveness at 50mg so my doctor increased dose to 100mg. Within one week of increase I t started turning yellow and felt horrible.

 I went in for blood test and was admitted to hospital for a couple days. My liver enzymes were increased and I was given many tests. They say it wasn't from increase in sertraline but a virus of some kind. I'm not sure what the real cause was but the liver doctor pulled me off the sertraline just to be sure.

  So, I am three months off of it cold turkey and it has been hell.

     I am having feeling of disconnect anxiety, panic attacks, severe depression and intrusive thoughts are coming back that i haven't had in years.

     I do have good moments but some are really dark. 

    Am I having relapse or is this withdrawal? Can withdrawal cause intrusive thoughts?

      

I was pulled off of effexor in 3 weeks. I reinstated to 5 beads a month ago. I’m not sure what it’s doing. It’s hard to judge. . I think those medications really cover stuff up. They use effexor for ocd. I have never been diagnosed with ocd, but I think i have an obsession problem.Everything bad that ever happened to me is coming up.  I keep thinking about the same thing over and over. never dealt with it. A lot of old things have been coming up. So, I know how you feel. It’s the hardest part for me. I don’t know if it’s relapse or depression. It’s a very tough part of this. It’s hard to deal with. They do say that intrusive thoughts are a part of withdrawal, and they have sites on here that give suggestions on how to deal with it.  Your supposed to “switch the channel” and try to think of something else. Or do something. Tonight I want to a choir practice and that kind of helped for 2 hours. 

 

2001 Remeron , Celexa, prozac a week on lithium. 

2014 went off effexor and trazadone in 3 weeks. 

2014 zoloft (hyper reaction) put on effexor 75 mg. Was stable until 2017 

2017  Trazadone 50 mg (June) Effexor to 113 mg (2 weeks) Effexor 150 mg for a month . Took 75 mg until November. . Lithium 10 days, Lamactil 10 day  aug-nov15 ativan

October : Prozac bridge to get off 75 mg of effexor Used 10 mg of prozac. Stopped prozac 3 wk 

Dec 6, 7 Upped trazadone from 50 to 100 mg Did it for 3 days Stopped it

Dec 7 , Dec 8 Took prozac again 0.1 , 0.1, 0.6 stopped it

Dec 11 and Dec 12 upped it to 100 again

Dec 15 , 16,17 went back to 50 mg of trazadone

December 18 Began 3 beads of effexor  Dec 25 began 5 beads of effexor take 10 mg of omneprazole daily

 

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I had intrusive thoughts before starting sertraline. That's why its scaring me so. I am afraid I'm having relapse.

Sertraline 50mg once a day

May 15 2006 until October 27th 2017

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8 hours ago, Kev93 said:

I had intrusive thoughts before starting sertraline. That's why its scaring me so. I am afraid I'm having relapse.

I’m convinced the pills do cover up these problems somehow. I have found this has slowed down a little in the last few days. My thinking of things I dont want to think about. The depression I’m having is very much like the depression I always have. So, I don’t think that’s part of wd. But, who knows? They say if it’s wd it’s a little different, and they have waves and windows. Maybe a mod can tell us. I

 

2001 Remeron , Celexa, prozac a week on lithium. 

2014 went off effexor and trazadone in 3 weeks. 

2014 zoloft (hyper reaction) put on effexor 75 mg. Was stable until 2017 

2017  Trazadone 50 mg (June) Effexor to 113 mg (2 weeks) Effexor 150 mg for a month . Took 75 mg until November. . Lithium 10 days, Lamactil 10 day  aug-nov15 ativan

October : Prozac bridge to get off 75 mg of effexor Used 10 mg of prozac. Stopped prozac 3 wk 

Dec 6, 7 Upped trazadone from 50 to 100 mg Did it for 3 days Stopped it

Dec 7 , Dec 8 Took prozac again 0.1 , 0.1, 0.6 stopped it

Dec 11 and Dec 12 upped it to 100 again

Dec 15 , 16,17 went back to 50 mg of trazadone

December 18 Began 3 beads of effexor  Dec 25 began 5 beads of effexor take 10 mg of omneprazole daily

 

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21 hours ago, Rosetta said:

Welcome Kev.  Your experience is common.  I had the intrusive thoughts, too, and sometimes I still do.  I've had horrible anxiety since 2011, depression, and panic attacks, too.  I'm much better now than I was last Sept, Oct and November, but I wish I had found SA early enough to reinstate sertraline.

 

You might benefit from reading my thread.  I went off of sertraline at 150 mg cold turkey almost a year ago.  Five years before that I had been recommended by a doctor to stop Celexa (citalopram) cold turkey and replace it with sertraline. I did and have been suffering ever since, but I didn't know what suffering was, really, until I stopped sertraline.

 

I'm writing to make sure someone tells you what I wish I had known before it is too late:  If you decide to go back on an AD, please don't think that taking some AD you have never taken before will make everything all right.  This is very important: Please don't let a doctor convince you to switch to a different anti-depressant or to take a benzodiazepine or a sleeping pill with the AD.  Look up anything the doctor tells you to take and find out how hard it is to quit before you take it.  Look at the stories here of people who tried to quit any drug your doctor recommends.  They will really open your eyes.

 

These drugs are not aspirin, ibuprophen or acetaminophen.  They literally change the structure of the brain.  Medical doctors have written books on this subject, but the greater medical community does not listen to anything they do not want to hear.  The pharmaceutical companies have not studied what happens to people after they have taken ADs for years.  

 

After 5 years my brain needed sertraline like it needed sufficient oxygen. There are videos and explanations on this site about that subject. Five years earlier, my brain had needed Celexa to function, and without it I was not well at all.  No doctor or nurse or any health care professional told me what might happen when I switched.  It's as if they don't know.  My doctor simply told me to take sertraline instead of Celexa.  There was no warning of the enormous downside to doing that.  The doctor did same thing when I went to him in misery after I stopped sertraline -- the psych doc gave me Trazodone, a third anti-depressant.  It did not help.  I do not believe these drugs are interchangeable like acetaminophen and ibuprophen.  The first time, my brain was used to Celexa and nothing else would do.  For me, after 9 years of Celexa Zoloft (sertraline) couldn't take the place of Celexa.  Then after 5 years of sertraline, Trazodone was of no use to my brain.

 

Btw, I'm absolutely shocked that your doctor doubled a large dose of sertraline like that.  I would get a new doctor just because of that.  How he could think that was necessary and not dangerous, I cannot imagine.  I'm wondering if you are lucky that your reaction was not worse.  

 

I hope you can get your bearings here and get a handle on what's happened to you quickly so that you can make the decisions you need to make.  It can be overwhelming.  So, feel free to ask questions and for help finding the information you need.

 

Best of luck,

Rosetta

How are you doing now Rosetta? How long have you been at this? 

 

2001 Remeron , Celexa, prozac a week on lithium. 

2014 went off effexor and trazadone in 3 weeks. 

2014 zoloft (hyper reaction) put on effexor 75 mg. Was stable until 2017 

2017  Trazadone 50 mg (June) Effexor to 113 mg (2 weeks) Effexor 150 mg for a month . Took 75 mg until November. . Lithium 10 days, Lamactil 10 day  aug-nov15 ativan

October : Prozac bridge to get off 75 mg of effexor Used 10 mg of prozac. Stopped prozac 3 wk 

Dec 6, 7 Upped trazadone from 50 to 100 mg Did it for 3 days Stopped it

Dec 7 , Dec 8 Took prozac again 0.1 , 0.1, 0.6 stopped it

Dec 11 and Dec 12 upped it to 100 again

Dec 15 , 16,17 went back to 50 mg of trazadone

December 18 Began 3 beads of effexor  Dec 25 began 5 beads of effexor take 10 mg of omneprazole daily

 

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Im seriously considering taking different AD like fluvoxamine. These thoughts are killing me.

Sertraline 50mg once a day

May 15 2006 until October 27th 2017

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Hi Kev,

 

16 hours ago, Kev93 said:

Im seriously considering taking different AD like fluvoxamine. These thoughts are killing me.

 

 

Is there a reason you would not go back on a low dose of sertraline? This thread I am posting below recommends that if one tries to go back on medication after withdrawal starts, one should go back to the medication he was previously using instead of going to a different Med.  The post says it's the "only known way to alleviate withdrawal symptoms."  Even if it may not alleviate all of them, I don't believe any other AD would be safer for you at this point.  That's my opinion based on my experience.  

 

I understand how scary the intrusive thoughts can be.  I had them and sometimes they were very ugly.  I hope you'll try sertraline again before you decided to try fluvoxamine.  I think you would have a better chance of reducing the intrusive thoughts with the drug your brain is used to. ***Note that the link below indicates the dose should be quite small at first to see if there is a bad reaction.  After that one can increase the dose if necessary.

 

 

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

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On ‎1‎/‎25‎/‎2018 at 4:23 AM, Kev93 said:

I am afraid I'm having relapse.

I'm not sure what your lapse was to start with but I'm convinced that is a non event in light of the delayed withdrawal symptoms that may  now be hitting you from what looks in your drug sig to be a CT from Zoloft 3-4 months ago after long term use. 

 

1 hour ago, Kev93 said:

Is 3-4 months off to long of a time to reinstate? 

I don't believe so .

If you have reached the end and can go on no longer then ri is an option.

Many people have done it and stabilized. Others have had adverse effects. I always managed to stabilsie no problem when i ri  in the past.

Whether you are among the 'many people' or the 'others' we don't know. Which is why this site suggests if you are going back in then go in low. 

 

If you are going to ri something it is best to try the one you took prior. You are a Zoloft addict. Try Zoloft first.

 

What wdl symptom is worrying you the most? Just intrusive thoughts? 

 

So sorry you are going through this.

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

 

 

Link to comment

Hi Kev,

 

I hope Gridley will answer, and help you make the decision about timing and dosage.  I have no experience with that, and I'm not a Mod.

 

I wrote you because I was concerned that you were considering taking a different drug as I have experienced the negative results of that when I switched drugs.  I didn't miss a day between the Celexa and Zoloft, but the result was terrible for me.  I would not want you try a new drug before considering reinstatement of sertraline.  The new drug would change your brain and possibly make reinstatement of sertraline impossible.

 

I'm sorry you are feeling so badly.  The panic and anxiety are horrible as I well know.

 

Peace,

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
1 hour ago, nz11 said:

I'm not sure what your lapse was to start with but I'm convinced that is a non event in light of the delayed withdrawal symptoms that may  now be hitting you from what looks in your drug sig to be a CT from Zoloft 3-4 months ago after long term use. 

 

I don't believe so .

If you have reached the end and can go on no longer then ri is an option.

Many people have done it and stabilized. Others have had adverse effects. I always managed to stabilsie no problem when i ri  in the past.

Whether you are among the 'many people' or the 'others' we don't know. Which is why this site suggests if you are going back in then go in low. 

 

If you are going to ri something it is best to try the one you took prior. You are a Zoloft addict. Try Zoloft first.

 

What wdl symptom is worrying you the most? Just intrusive thoughts? 

 

So sorry you are going through this.

nz11

Mostly the intrusive thoughts and some anxiety. 

 

Sertraline 50mg once a day

May 15 2006 until October 27th 2017

Link to comment
1 minute ago, Kev93 said:

Mostly the intrusive thoughts and some anxiety. 

 

Intrusive thoughts and terrible anxiety with panic attacks were my reason for initially starting sertraline

.

Sertraline 50mg once a day

May 15 2006 until October 27th 2017

Link to comment
1 hour ago, Rosetta said:

Hi Kev,

 

I hope Gridley will answer, and help you make the decision about timing and dosage.  I have no experience with that, and I'm not a Mod.

 

I wrote you because I was concerned that you were considering taking a different drug as I have experienced the negative results of that when I switched drugs.  I didn't miss a day between the Celexa and Zoloft, but the result was terrible for me.  I would not want you try a new drug before considering reinstatement of sertraline.  The new drug would change your brain and possibly make reinstatement of sertraline impossible.

 

I'm sorry you are feeling so badly.  The panic and anxiety are horrible as I well know.

 

Peace,

Rosetta

 

 

Thank you Rosetta

Sertraline 50mg once a day

May 15 2006 until October 27th 2017

Link to comment
17 minutes ago, Kev93 said:

intrusive thoughts and terrible anxiety with panic attacks were my reason for initially starting sertraline

.

Do you know what was the cause of this?

Do you smoke?

 

21 minutes ago, Kev93 said:

Mostly the intrusive thoughts and some anxiety. 

Do you think this is manageable?

Are you able to push these thoughts aside eg speak back to them and say..."thankyou for sharing cancel cancel" 

I mean think up some novel ways to push them aside can you repeat a poem or something when hit by a wave of these thoughts 

There is a whole heap of resouces here for this kind of thing ...check out the claires weeks thread.

Are they pushing you in a self destructive direction? 

 

 

 

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

 

 

Link to comment

So are you saying your OCD defined as 'intrusive thoughts terrible anxiety and panic attacks' is something  you were born with ?

 

These drugs carry black box warnings and are not to be given to people under age of 24. You have taken it for 11 years. Lets say your doctor couldn't wait but had a conscience and  started you on Zoloft at age 24 and one day then you are now 35 at least.

May i ask how you dealt with your ocd prior to 24? Is it possible you can use those same nondrug coping strategies again? 

 

 

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

 

 

Link to comment

Kev,

 

I suspect you are experiencing anxiety that is not real as in there is no basis in reality for the anxiety.  That is the most consistent symptom everyone who goes off the meds too fast seems to have.  You do not have the same brain you had at 35, your life is most likely drastically different now, and whatever caused you anxiety at 35 is no longer happening.  If only it were as simple as the doctors seem to think: if the circumstances causing the anxiety are gone then we can stop the drug.  It's simply not true for most people.  I suspect it's not true fir any, but some people are not affected as severely as others.  However, in the real world the circumstances have actually changed, and you are not facing the same circumstances as you did at 35.  You are safe.  Your brain is screaming out that you aren't, but you are.

 

I'm not sure how long it took me to use logic to overcome the signals my brain was sending to tell me there was reason to panic.  I'm not even sure I did anything to make the anxiety lessen.  It was most likely the case that time allowed me to have a lower intensity of anxiety, and at that point I managed to get some control.  It took a long while, but I began to develop a skill: to feel the anxiety and talk back to it.  Now, I look around and say to myself "there is no danger, there is no threat, everything is all right.  My life is not what I would like it to be, but there is no threat.. ". Oh, I can think of all kinds of potential threats, but they are not immediate, and they aren't even likely to become immediate.  My brain is saying, "You are in mortal danger right now!" But I'm not; not at all.   I'm able to believe that I'm safe now even though I can feel the anxiety and my brain is trying to send the signal to panic.  I tell my brain to stop it.  I tell it all the reasons that I am safe.  I tell it how unlikely it is that anything I'm worried about will happen.  I tell it how far off any of those things are even if they do happen.  It's not an emergency now.  There is no reason for anxiety now.  (So, yeah, I talk to myself, lol.)

 

You will make it to where I am now.  I am so happy to see that you only took one AD and no benzos or ADHD drugs or antipsychotics on top of it.  You would not believe the cocktails of drugs I see on the "drug signatures" on this site!!  The doctors just start throwing drugs at us and hope something works.  They have no method, no reasoning or theory behind what they do.  When I became anxious while still on an AD (because of withdrawal from the first AD I took being taken away and replaced with another) the doctor gave me Xanax.  I tried not take it very often, but one doctor told me to take 1.25 mg every day!  I had been taking 0.25 mg every three days to avoid addiction.  Thank God I knew better than to take Xanax every day at 5 times the dosage!!  That doctor would have had me addicted in just a couple of weeks!  When I was finally convinced that the Zoloft did not help me and stopped taking it, the psychiatrist gave me Trazodone for insomnia.  (Trazodone is an AD).  He didn't tell me it was an AD.  He led me to believe it was a sleeping pill, and he didn't tell me it was addictive either.  So, I had both Zoloft and Trazodone withdrawal.  It was horrendous.

 

What I like about SA is that all the theories of what is going wrong for us after we stop using an AD too fast are provided here.  Dysregulation of the CNS, destabilization of the glutamate system, and limbic kindling.  The theories make sense.  The theory of neuro-emotions is another link to check out.  The theories we see on SA explain what the doctors cannot explain or do not try to explain even to themselves.  The doctors operate on a theory of "differential diagnosis" just like on the show House.  Try this drug.  Did it work?  No.  Then try this one.  Did it work?  No, she got worse.  Then try this drug.  She is worse than ever before!! They are creating the perfect circumstances for Limbic Kindling!!  Of course we get worse under differential diagnosis!! We cannot use psych drugs this way!  It's disasterous!  

 

The theory of limbic kindling explains why we can't add new drugs once we are in withdrawal.  Look up GiaK, and you'll find the link that she has posted.  I'll try to find it for you, too.  If you give your CNS a chance to return to normal by not adding any new drugs, it will heal. When the CNS starts to heal you will find that the anxiety can be brought under control, and then it will start to go away.  Whatever caused you anxiety 10 years ago is over.  You are going to have a new brain when you are finished healing and if you treat it gently now and then tell it to see all the reasons you are safe when you have the ability to do that later, you will have a brain that does not need a psych drug to handle normal, non-chemically induced, non-WD anxiety.  

 

I hope this helps.

 

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
10 hours ago, nz11 said:

Do you know what was the cause of this?

Do you smoke?

 

Do you think this is manageable?

Are you able to push these thoughts aside eg speak back to them and say..."thankyou for sharing cancel cancel" 

I mean think up some novel ways to push them aside can you repeat a poem or something when hit by a wave of these thoughts 

There is a whole heap of resouces here for this kind of thing ...check out the claires weeks thread.

Are they pushing you in a self destructive direction? 

 

 

 

 

9 hours ago, nz11 said:

So are you saying your OCD defined as 'intrusive thoughts terrible anxiety and panic attacks' is something  you were born with ?

 

These drugs carry black box warnings and are not to be given to people under age of 24. You have taken it for 11 years. Lets say your doctor couldn't wait but had a conscience and  started you on Zoloft at age 24 and one day then you are now 35 at least.

May i ask how you dealt with your ocd prior to 24? Is it possible you can use those same nondrug coping strategies again? 

 

 

OCD appeared at 24 suffered through it until zoloft

Sertraline 50mg once a day

May 15 2006 until October 27th 2017

Link to comment
9 hours ago, Rosetta said:

Kev,

 

I suspect you are experiencing anxiety that is not real as in there is no basis in reality for the anxiety.  That is the most consistent symptom everyone who goes off the meds too fast seems to have.  You do not have the same brain you had at 35, your life is most likely drastically different now, and whatever caused you anxiety at 35 is no longer happening.  If only it were as simple as the doctors seem to think: if the circumstances causing the anxiety are gone then we can stop the drug.  It's simply not true for most people.  I suspect it's not true fir any, but some people are not affected as severely as others.  However, in the real world the circumstances have actually changed, and you are not facing the same circumstances as you did at 35.  You are safe.  Your brain is screaming out that you aren't, but you are.

 

I'm not sure how long it took me to use logic to overcome the signals my brain was sending to tell me there was reason to panic.  I'm not even sure I did anything to make the anxiety lessen.  It was most likely the case that time allowed me to have a lower intensity of anxiety, and at that point I managed to get some control.  It took a long while, but I began to develop a skill: to feel the anxiety and talk back to it.  Now, I look around and say to myself "there is no danger, there is no threat, everything is all right.  My life is not what I would like it to be, but there is no threat.. ". Oh, I can think of all kinds of potential threats, but they are not immediate, and they aren't even likely to become immediate.  My brain is saying, "You are in mortal danger right now!" But I'm not; not at all.   I'm able to believe that I'm safe now even though I can feel the anxiety and my brain is trying to send the signal to panic.  I tell my brain to stop it.  I tell it all the reasons that I am safe.  I tell it how unlikely it is that anything I'm worried about will happen.  I tell it how far off any of those things are even if they do happen.  It's not an emergency now.  There is no reason for anxiety now.  (So, yeah, I talk to myself, lol.)

 

You will make it to where I am now.  I am so happy to see that you only took one AD and no benzos or ADHD drugs or antipsychotics on top of it.  You would not believe the cocktails of drugs I see on the "drug signatures" on this site!!  The doctors just start throwing drugs at us and hope something works.  They have no method, no reasoning or theory behind what they do.  When I became anxious while still on an AD (because of withdrawal from the first AD I took being taken away and replaced with another) the doctor gave me Xanax.  I tried not take it very often, but one doctor told me to take 1.25 mg every day!  I had been taking 0.25 mg every three days to avoid addiction.  Thank God I knew better than to take Xanax every day at 5 times the dosage!!  That doctor would have had me addicted in just a couple of weeks!  When I was finally convinced that the Zoloft did not help me and stopped taking it, the psychiatrist gave me Trazodone for insomnia.  (Trazodone is an AD).  He didn't tell me it was an AD.  He led me to believe it was a sleeping pill, and he didn't tell me it was addictive either.  So, I had both Zoloft and Trazodone withdrawal.  It was horrendous.

 

What I like about SA is that all the theories of what is going wrong for us after we stop using an AD too fast are provided here.  Dysregulation of the CNS, destabilization of the glutamate system, and limbic kindling.  The theories make sense.  The theory of neuro-emotions is another link to check out.  The theories we see on SA explain what the doctors cannot explain or do not try to explain even to themselves.  The doctors operate on a theory of "differential diagnosis" just like on the show House.  Try this drug.  Did it work?  No.  Then try this one.  Did it work?  No, she got worse.  Then try this drug.  She is worse than ever before!! They are creating the perfect circumstances for Limbic Kindling!!  Of course we get worse under differential diagnosis!! We cannot use psych drugs this way!  It's disasterous!  

 

The theory of limbic kindling explains why we can't add new drugs once we are in withdrawal.  Look up GiaK, and you'll find the link that she has posted.  I'll try to find it for you, too.  If you give your CNS a chance to return to normal by not adding any new drugs, it will heal. When the CNS starts to heal you will find that the anxiety can be brought under control, and then it will start to go away.  Whatever caused you anxiety 10 years ago is over.  You are going to have a new brain when you are finished healing and if you treat it gently now and then tell it to see all the reasons you are safe when you have the ability to do that later, you will have a brain that does not need a psych drug to handle normal, non-chemically induced, non-WD anxiety.  

 

I hope this helps.

 

Rosetta

That gives me great hope Rosetta. Thank you

Sertraline 50mg once a day

May 15 2006 until October 27th 2017

Link to comment
6 hours ago, Kev93 said:

OCD appeared at 24

Seeing your  OCD defined as 'intrusive thoughts terrible anxiety and panic attacks' Do you think there was anything that you felt might have triggered this ..have you ever smoked marijuana ? taken illegal drugs or legal drugs for that matter? Hope you don't mind me asking this. 

 

 

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

 

 

Link to comment
On ‎24‎/‎01‎/‎2018 at 2:59 AM, Downbutnotout said:

I was pulled off of effexor in 3 weeks. I reinstated to 5 beads a month ago. I’m not sure what it’s doing. It’s hard to judge. . I think those medications really cover stuff up. They use effexor for ocd. I have never been diagnosed with ocd, but I think i have an obsession problem.Everything bad that ever happened to me is coming up.  I keep thinking about the same thing over and over. never dealt with it. A lot of old things have been coming up. So, I know how you feel. It’s the hardest part for me. I don’t know if it’s relapse or depression. It’s a very tough part of this. It’s hard to deal with. They do say that intrusive thoughts are a part of withdrawal, and they have sites on here that give suggestions on how to deal with it.  Your supposed to “switch the channel” and try to think of something else. Or do something. Tonight I want to a choir practice and that kind of helped for 2 hours. 

Hi D ,I wonder is this symptom worse for Effexor ,I'm on venlafaxine .and this is my biggest issue also .its like all these bad memories or uncomfortable feelings from the past are opened up by a key in this process and they flood us and overwhelm us .I respect the change the channel theory but its nearly impossible for me to do it. ive spent days wanting a relief from this ,I'm terrified .

I'm not saying ide ever drink again but the feeling of wanting relief is overwhelming me to the point I wonder what ile reach for .

I spent an hour today listening about the super ego ,just trying to get relief .

Take care .

Alcohol free since February 2015 

1MG diazepam

4.5MG PROZAC.

 

 

 

Link to comment

Nobody should have to go through this. I wish I had an answer for you. I share your pain. Probably drinking isn’t a great idea, but whatever works. I would be terrified of drinking in my present condition, but it always depressed me anyway. 

 

2001 Remeron , Celexa, prozac a week on lithium. 

2014 went off effexor and trazadone in 3 weeks. 

2014 zoloft (hyper reaction) put on effexor 75 mg. Was stable until 2017 

2017  Trazadone 50 mg (June) Effexor to 113 mg (2 weeks) Effexor 150 mg for a month . Took 75 mg until November. . Lithium 10 days, Lamactil 10 day  aug-nov15 ativan

October : Prozac bridge to get off 75 mg of effexor Used 10 mg of prozac. Stopped prozac 3 wk 

Dec 6, 7 Upped trazadone from 50 to 100 mg Did it for 3 days Stopped it

Dec 7 , Dec 8 Took prozac again 0.1 , 0.1, 0.6 stopped it

Dec 11 and Dec 12 upped it to 100 again

Dec 15 , 16,17 went back to 50 mg of trazadone

December 18 Began 3 beads of effexor  Dec 25 began 5 beads of effexor take 10 mg of omneprazole daily

 

Link to comment
7 hours ago, Kev93 said:

That gives me great hope Rosetta. Thank you

Keep the hope going

 

2001 Remeron , Celexa, prozac a week on lithium. 

2014 went off effexor and trazadone in 3 weeks. 

2014 zoloft (hyper reaction) put on effexor 75 mg. Was stable until 2017 

2017  Trazadone 50 mg (June) Effexor to 113 mg (2 weeks) Effexor 150 mg for a month . Took 75 mg until November. . Lithium 10 days, Lamactil 10 day  aug-nov15 ativan

October : Prozac bridge to get off 75 mg of effexor Used 10 mg of prozac. Stopped prozac 3 wk 

Dec 6, 7 Upped trazadone from 50 to 100 mg Did it for 3 days Stopped it

Dec 7 , Dec 8 Took prozac again 0.1 , 0.1, 0.6 stopped it

Dec 11 and Dec 12 upped it to 100 again

Dec 15 , 16,17 went back to 50 mg of trazadone

December 18 Began 3 beads of effexor  Dec 25 began 5 beads of effexor take 10 mg of omneprazole daily

 

Link to comment
1 hour ago, powerback said:

Hi D ,I wonder is this symptom worse for Effexor ,I'm on venlafaxine .and this is my biggest issue also .its like all these bad memories or uncomfortable feelings from the past are opened up by a key in this process and they flood us and overwhelm us .I respect the change the channel theory but its nearly impossible for me to do it. ive spent days wanting a relief from this ,I'm terrified .

I'm not saying ide ever drink again but the feeling of wanting relief is overwhelming me to the point I wonder what ile reach for .

I spent an hour today listening about the super ego ,just trying to get relief .

Take care .

 

I had this symptom.  It was bothering me the past few days as I wasn't sleeping well, but it wasn't as strong as before.  It was easier to ignore.   It comes and goes, and like all the rest it's less intense each time it comes back.  

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
11 minutes ago, Rosetta said:

 

I had this symptom.  It was bothering me the past few days as I wasn't sleeping well, but it wasn't as strong as before.  It was easier to ignore.   It comes and goes, and like all the rest it's less intense each time it comes back.  

Such a pain Rosetta isn't it .the brain and the mind really is an astonishing anomaly ,albeit chemically corrupted .  

Alcohol free since February 2015 

1MG diazepam

4.5MG PROZAC.

 

 

 

Link to comment

I do have moments every now and then  that I feel really good and almost normal followed by not so good. These are windows? Is this a good sign?

Sertraline 50mg once a day

May 15 2006 until October 27th 2017

Link to comment
  • Moderator Emeritus

That is a great sign.

Gridley Introduction

 

Lexapro 20 mg since 2004.  Begin Brassmonkey Slide Taper Jan. 2017.   

End 2017 year 1 of taper at 9.25mg 

End 2018 year 2 of taper at 4.1mg

End 2019 year 3 of taper at 1.0mg  

Oct. 30, 2020  Jump to zero from 0.025mg.  Current dose: 0.000mg

3 year, 10 month taper is 100% complete.

 

Ativan 1 mg to 1.875mg 1986-2020, two CT's and reinstatements

Nov. 2020, 7-week Ativan-Valium crossover to 18.75mg Valium

Feb. 2021, begin 10%/4 week taper of 18.75mg Valium 

End 2021  year 1 of Valium taper at 6mg

End 2022 year 2 of Valium taper at 2.75mg 

End 2023 year 3 of Valium taper at 1mg

Jan. 24, 2024: Hold at 1mg and shift to Imipramine taper.

Taper is 95% complete.

 

Imipramine 75 mg daily since 1986.  Jan.-Sept. 2016 tapered to 14.4mg  

March 22, 2022: Begin 10%/4 week taper

Aug. 5, 2022: hold at 9.5mg and shift to Valium taper

Jan. 24, 2024: Resume Imipramine taper.  Current dose as of Feb. 22: 7.6mg

Taper is 90% complete.  

  

Supplements: multiple, quercetin, omega-3, vitamins C, E and D3, magnesium glycinate, probiotics, zinc, melatonin .3mg, anti-candida, iron, serrapeptase, nattokinase


I am not a medical professional and this is not medical advice but simply information based on my own experience, as well as other members who have survived these drugs.

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2 hours ago, Gridley said:

That is a great sign.

3 hours ago, Gridley said:

That is a great sign.

This whole withdrawal has been very strange so far. The absolute bizarre thoughts, wanting to no longer exist, trapped in your own mind without any escaping the dark and now there is hope through feeling like I'm "me" again. Even if it's not all the time yet.

   Sertraline did help me out of a very dark time in my life. I just wish I could have made it without it. Hopefully my mind will recover and be better than it was before sertraline.

Sertraline 50mg once a day

May 15 2006 until October 27th 2017

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20 hours ago, nz11 said:

Seeing your  OCD defined as 'intrusive thoughts terrible anxiety and panic attacks' Do you think there was anything that you felt might have triggered this ..have you ever smoked marijuana ? taken illegal drugs or legal drugs for that matter? Hope you don't mind me asking this. 

 

 

No drugs. 

Sertraline 50mg once a day

May 15 2006 until October 27th 2017

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16 hours ago, Kev93 said:

I do have moments every now and then  that I feel really good and almost normal followed by not so good. These are windows? Is this a good sign?

 

Beautiful!  Remember this; it will get you through.  A very good sign indeed!

 

How is your sleep?

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

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