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ittakesavillage


ittakesavillage

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On 2/5/2018 at 11:43 AM, FarmGirlWorks said:

Yup, it truly is. I look for the shoots coming up to remind me that spring is near.

Hi, I am also in Seattle and stopped all Effexor 30 days ago, although I have been tapering for 6 months.  I have been on some form of these pills since I was 8 years old.  I am definitely experiencing these cortisol spikes in the morning and moment of panic. How are you doing?  Is there a support group for this you have found in the area? It scares me that people are saying it takes years to get through this.  I wonder if I can manage this for that long, and I am only at the very beginning. 

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  • Moderator Emeritus

 

 

 

Hello, ittakesavillage, and welcome to SA.  

 
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.  Please include information about your taper.
  • 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.

I am sorry you were put on these drugs at such a young age.  We have had other members who started drugs young, went off them, and are doing fine.  A slow taper is especially important for those who have been drugged at a young age, and I am concerned you have tapered too fast. We recommend that a person taper by no more than 10% of their current dose with at least a four week hold in-between decreases.  The 10% taper recommendation is a harm reduction approach to going off psychiatric drugs.  Some people may have to taper at a more conservative rate as they are sensitive to even the smallest drops.  
Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

Here is some information about cortisol spikes:

Do you have other withdrawal symptoms?  Here is some excellent information on withdrawal:

 

When we take medications, the CNS (central nervous system) responds by making changes over the months and years we take the drug(s). When the medication is discontinued, the CNS has to undo all the changes it made. Rebuilding the neurotransmitter production and reactivating the receptor and transporter cells takes time -- during that rebuilding process symptoms occur.  Some people have found the information and explanations at these links helpful:
 
Please be aware that sometime withdrawal symptoms don't appear immediately after a too-fast taper.
 
Many members have benefitted from the non-drug coping skills described in these links.  I encourage you to read through the links.  Those drugged as children or

teens may not have developed self-soothing strategies to deal with emotional problems at key developmental ages.  So the non-drug coping strategies would be important for those drugged as children.  I encourage you to read through the techniques and strategies in the following link:

Non-drug techniques to cope with emotional symptoms 

 
This link explains how the brain heals and why tapering is necessary.
 
You wrote that it scares you that it may take years to get through this.  It may.  It took me a while to wrap my mind around this unfortunate fact.  One of our moderators, apace, addressed this issue when another member expressed despair at the length of time recovery might take.  I think you will find it helpful:
 
"I think the best answer anyone can give you is that over time the brain will return to homeostasis and healing will occur.  How long that will take  and what that means when taking a healing brain along with the passage of time and mixing it all up is anyone's guess.  The success stories, while they did take more time (in most cases) than any of us would like, seem to indicate that there is substantial healing and a lot of people come out "on the other side" feeling better about life and themselves than they did either before or during the use of the drugs.

 

"It would be misleading and, frankly, unethical for me to tell you "don't worry -- you'll be fine in x months."  The reality, as you already know, is frequently different.  Having said that there are plenty of people who (i) come off with no problem or (ii) come off and see fairly rapid recovery.  My personal experience, however, is that most of the people that find their way to SA have been hit harder than that and are in a situation that is going to take time to repair.  I'm sure there are plenty of people on this site who came on scared, had a fairly quick recovery, and moved on.  There's no other way in my mind to explain all of the "sub-10 post" people (after all, we are a great site -- who would want to leave? ).  But the "usual suspects" and a lot of the new people who have recently joined are going to be at this for a lot longer and need to think in terms of years as opposed to months or weeks.  

 

"But, at the end of the day, the people who have been doing this for a long time tell us that healing will happen and we have no reason to doubt that.  The Success Stories bear that out as well and they also indicate that even those among us who are really sick and dealing with hellacious symptoms will, in the long run, see healing and recovery.

 

"I hope that helps even though I know it's scary and not the answer you want to hear."
 
 
ittakesavillage, 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 I am glad that you found us.
 
Best,
Gridley
 
 
 
"
 
 
 
 
 

 

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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  • Moderator Emeritus

I suggest you read Post #1 of this topic.  About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

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  • Mentor
18 hours ago, ittakesavillage said:

Is there a support group for this you have found in the area?

I started a MeetUp group at :

I suggest joining. A researcher from the UW contacted me today about networking and technology apps for depression. Will pass the info along as I discover more. Hang in there!

  • 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

 

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Thank you so much.  After an unbearable and paralyzing week, I went to a doctor and was prescribed prozac 10mg.  She says prozac is easier to get off of than effexor.  I already feel like a zombie - hard time thinking, just want to stay in bed, feel weak and depressed.  

 

I did read the reinstating meds after withdrawal and had started on 5 beads of the effexor xr.  The doctor told me to gradually decrease this.  Part of me wonders if I should stop the prozac (been on it two days now) and figure out another way to cope with the rapid heart rate/trouble breathing/rapid negative thinking.  I really can't tell which is worse at this point.  

 

The doctor said she doesn't know if my brain can reform without these meds since it was still developing when I was prescribed initially.  It is hopeful to hear from you that it is possible.  I am hanging in there but feeling pretty weak right now.  You are all so strong to push through this. I just want to live a happy and present life where i can really be there for my friends, family, self, and my dear bearded dragon. I feel like that hasn't really been the case this whole time, and I have just been half here half drugged.  

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  • Moderator Emeritus

I'm responding here in your thread to your post in WildChild's thread asking about others who were drugged young and recovered. When WildChild asked this question a while back,  I asked the other moderators for more information and examples, and one of them, Brassmonkey, responded in WildChild's thread.  I think it is helpful and encouraging, and I am quoting it here for you:

 

"I mentioned to Gridley a few days ago that I have known a number of others who were in the same situation. There were several on this forum, but most of them were on another forum called Paxilprogress.com.  It's been closed down for several years, so unfortunately all that information is no longer available.  I do have a personal friend who is not on either forum who started on 20mgai paxil at the age of six.  He started a taper when he reached 19 and has been drug free for many years now.  He is a fine young adult with a good job, apartment and girlfriend.

 

"In dealing with all of these young starters a couple of things really struck me.  First is that the brain is an incredibly adaptable thing, it can be abused to a huge extent and still bounce back and function properly.  The other is that, although they  missed out on their formative years all of these people turned out fine.  The lack of socialization caused some problems for a while, but that is all a matter of learning some skills, making mistakes and developing way of handling life's lessons.  A big key for all of them was the realization that, although they were behind at the start because of the drugs, there was no reason that they couldn't catch up and even surpass their peers.  It was a matter of not giving up, being their own person and finding their way in life. 

 

"Even growing up drugged a lot of life's lessons have been absorbed.  They just need to be dragged to the surface and polished. Also the act of taking control and getting off of the drugs will provide the opportunity to explore life, beliefs, personal strengths, relationships and much more.  Once a person has finished removing these drugs from their life they are much stronger than they ever imagined, have a better idea who they are and their place in the world."

 

Hope this helps.

 

Best.

Gridley

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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  • Moderator Emeritus
51 minutes ago, Gridley said:

but that is all a matter of learning some skills

 

This is a necessity for all of us.  I learned skills several years ago that I wish I had been taught and learned in my younger years.  I'm now 60.

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

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  • 1 year later...
  • Administrator

Ittakesavillage has posted a Success Story here

As is our custom, I will close this topic. Please congratulate ittakesavillage in her Success Story topic.

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.

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