bubbles Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 (edited) ADMIN NOTE Also see Before you begin tapering - what you need to know Hi everyone Alto suggested that I start a topic here, so here it is! These are the kinds of things I'm doing in preparation for my taper, as I'm expecting to have some rough days along the way. Also, I want to have time free to do self-nurturing things like exercise etc during my taper, so getting organized ahead of time will help with that. * filling up my freezer with home made meals for bad days. * getting really organized at home. * taking vitamins (selected for my situation). * lining up some distractions, like audio books and a (hobby) evening course. * getting enough sleep. * cutting out caffeine. * exercise. * getting some sunshine and fresh air every day. * introducing mindfulness meditations as a daily thing. * might start that tapping EFT thing I've seen at Dr Mercola's website - just can't hurt! I should have included getting enough water. What do you think I could add to my list? Bubbles Edited June 3, 2019 by Altostrata Added admin note 1 2005 St John's Wort / 2006-2012 Lexapro 20mg, 2 failed attempts to stop, tapered over 4.5 months in early 2012 January 2013 started Sertraline, over time worked up to 100mg July 2014 Sertraline dropped from 100mg to 75mg, held for six months, slower tapering until 2019 22 Dec 3.2mg 2020 Sertraline 19 Jan 3.1mg, 26 Jan 3.0mg; 1 Mar 2.9, 7 Mar 2.8, May (some drops here) 24 May 2.5, May 29 2.4, June 21 2.3, June 28 2.2mg, July 4 2.1mg, July 24 (or maybe a bit before) 2mg, early Nov switched to home made suspension; 29 Nov 1.8mg; approx 25 Dec 1.6mg) 2021 Some time in about Jan/Feb realised probably on more like 1.8mg and poss mixing error in making suspension; doses after 10 Feb accurate; 10 Feb 1.6mg; 7 Mar 1.4, continued monthly 10% drops until 1mg, then dropped 0.1mg monthly. May 2022,0.1mg, now dropping 0.01mg per week 29 August 2022 - first day of zero! My thread here at SA: https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/1775-bubbles/page/21/ Current: Armour Thyroid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator Altostrata Posted February 18, 2012 Administrator Share Posted February 18, 2012 Thanks, Bubbles. This is a great topic. What is the link to the EFT thing? I also want to suggest starting to supplement with folate and sublingual vitamin B12 while your nervous system is still stable, especially if you're over 40 or don't eat a lot of animal products. As we get older, B12 absorption in the gut declines. This won't show up in routine blood tests. Sublingual B12 is absorbed in the mouth, bypassing this problem. If you're a vegetarian or don't eat a lot of animal products, you may be low in B12 because it's found only in animal products (evidence that humans evolved as omnivores). Folate and vitamin B12 are important to nerve health. Low levels contribute to nervous system fragility. If you experience withdrawal symptoms, your nervous system may become too sensitive for B vitamin supplementation. Also, omega-3 (fish oil) supplementation is good for the nervous system and brain. Start early with that, too. Withdrawal is going to put a lot of stress on the ol' nervous system, so it makes sense to get it prepared. 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...
bubbles Posted February 19, 2012 Author Share Posted February 19, 2012 This is the link to the Dr Mercola EFT thing. To my way of thinking, it looks like a kind of guided meditation, but I don't know a whole lot about it. I'd love to hear feedback from anyone who kinows about it, or who has done it. Bye Bubbles 2005 St John's Wort / 2006-2012 Lexapro 20mg, 2 failed attempts to stop, tapered over 4.5 months in early 2012 January 2013 started Sertraline, over time worked up to 100mg July 2014 Sertraline dropped from 100mg to 75mg, held for six months, slower tapering until 2019 22 Dec 3.2mg 2020 Sertraline 19 Jan 3.1mg, 26 Jan 3.0mg; 1 Mar 2.9, 7 Mar 2.8, May (some drops here) 24 May 2.5, May 29 2.4, June 21 2.3, June 28 2.2mg, July 4 2.1mg, July 24 (or maybe a bit before) 2mg, early Nov switched to home made suspension; 29 Nov 1.8mg; approx 25 Dec 1.6mg) 2021 Some time in about Jan/Feb realised probably on more like 1.8mg and poss mixing error in making suspension; doses after 10 Feb accurate; 10 Feb 1.6mg; 7 Mar 1.4, continued monthly 10% drops until 1mg, then dropped 0.1mg monthly. May 2022,0.1mg, now dropping 0.01mg per week 29 August 2022 - first day of zero! My thread here at SA: https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/1775-bubbles/page/21/ Current: Armour Thyroid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator Altostrata Posted June 9, 2012 Administrator Share Posted June 9, 2012 Also see Rate symptoms daily to catch withdrawal early Keeping a record of your withdrawal symptom pattern so you can manage it. Dr. Joseph Glenmullen's withdrawal symptom checklist Use this to track symptoms. 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...
lauren Posted September 5, 2013 Share Posted September 5, 2013 Try to find supportive people outside of the medical system also. Sometimes just a connection, call on the phone cup of tea helps a rough time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Emeritus JanCarol Posted December 25, 2015 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted December 25, 2015 Bump - I have found a good video on PsychCentral that talks about preparing for taper: Psych Central 6 Ways to Prepare for Antidepressant Withdrawal and I also like what Will Hall has to say about it: Will Hall - Coming of Psychiatric Medications: A Harm Reduction Approach Both of these address getting support, preparing your environment, and emphasize that a taper from psych drugs is not to be taken lightly - that it is something you want to prepare for. "Easy, easy - just go easy and you'll finish." - Hawaiian Kapuna Holding is hard work, holding is a blessing. Give your brain time to heal before you try again. My suggestions are not medical advice, you are in charge of your own medical choices. A lifetime of being prescribed antidepressants that caused problems (30 years in total). At age 35 flipped to "bipolar," but was not diagnosed for 5 years. Started my journey in Midwest United States. Crossed the Pacific for love and hope; currently living in Australia. CT Seroquel 25 mg some time in 2013. Tapered Reboxetine 4 mg Oct 2013 to Sept 2014 = GONE (3 years on Reboxetine). Tapered Lithium 900 to 475 MG (alternating with the SNRI) Jan 2014 - Nov 2014, tapered Lithium 475 mg Jan 2015 - Feb 2016 = GONE (10 years on Lithium). Many mistakes in dry cutting dosages were made. The tedious thread (my intro): JanCarol ☼ Reboxetine first, then Lithium The happy thread (my success story): JanCarol - Undiagnosed Off all bipolar drugs My own blog: https://shamanexplorations.com/shamans-blog/ I have been psych drug FREE since 1 Feb 2016! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentor ShiningLight Posted April 26, 2019 Mentor Share Posted April 26, 2019 (edited) Topic title: How did you prepare your life to taper? I was forced into (an initially fast, now slow) gabapentin taper due to side effects, which woke up me and made me realize that when I'm done with this I need to get off the zoloft and trazodone... Due to the length of time it's going to take me to get off the gabapentin, and then waiting period after, I have some time to think and strategize how to organize my life for the zoloft taper. So I'm wondering what social and financial preparations people out there have made? I'm concerned about the possibility of becoming disabled from the zoloft, even if I microtaper, due to autonomic/immune issues and having been on zoloft so long. I will not start the taper until I see improvement in that, but I believe the zoloft is causing it. My hope is to be stable throughout the gabapentin taper and maybe save some money in case I need to not work for awhile during the zoloft, but it's rough because I live alone and would also have to pay for my health insurance at great monthly cost. Just wondering if anyone has faced similar challenges and how you approached them. I have little family support and few local close friends. I am going to be working on building social support during this time too. Another issue is finding a doctor who will support me if I hit a rough patch and can't work. Seems like most MDs would just want to put you back on the meds, but the meds are causing me some real problems so I want to get off. Edited April 26, 2019 by ChessieCat added topic title Now: 100 mg Zoloft am, 50 mg Trazodone. Daily drug burden decreased from 2050 in 2018 mg to 150 mg 🐢🐢 Zoloft: 1/24/23 increased to 100 mg after suicide attempt 9/17/22 cut 6 mg, 8/14/22 cut 6.5 mg, 5/7/22 cut 12.5 mg 3/20/22 cut 12.5 mg 10/26/21 cut 6 mg 10/17/21 cut 5 mg, 9/17/21 Cut 3 mg, 9/13/21 cut 4 mg, 8/29/21 Cut 2 mg 8/8/21 Cut 3 mg 7/30/21 Zoloft: Converted 25 mg to liquid. Also take 100 mg pill & 25 mg pill=150 mg total🌞 Feb 28, 2021 0 mg Gapapentin 2021 Gaba each dose 4x/day: Feb 27 7 mg (one dose only), Feb 10, 7 mg, Jan 14 10 mg 2020 Current taper schedule from Aug 30-present: drop 8 mg every 2-3 weeks. Aug 20 31 mg, Aug 18, 33 mg, July 29, 35 mg, July 23 38 mg, July 22 40 mg Jun 24 42 mg, Jun 15 44 mg, Jun 9 48 mg, May 22 50 mg, May 14 54 mg, May 7 56 mg, Apr 16 58 mg, Mar 28 60 mg, Mar 18 62 mg. Feb 26 64 mg. Feb 19, 66 mg. Jan 23, 70 mg. 2019 Dec 19, 72 mg. Nov 14 ,76 mg. Aug 8, 80 mg. Aug 6, 85 mg. Jul 26, 90 mg. Jul 11, 95 mg. Jul 16 trazodone from 100 to 50 mg. Jun 17-July 10 Slowly changed gab fr pill to liquid at same dose 100 mg 4x/d. Apr 24 Stopped klon!!! 🌞 Apr 4 Decreased gaba to 400 mg (100 mg 4x/day)-Apr 4, 2019 0.25 klon March 11 Klonopin .5 mg twice daily, varied dose til Apr 15. Started Klon fast taper 25%, short use Mar 16, 450 mg gaba 3x/day cut 600 mg--not exact!--updose after learning w/d Feb 20, 2019 1800 mg gabapentin; MD taper; off 3 days=mvt disorder & autonomic instability. July 2018 temazepam 15 mg 1-2; prn several x/wk til Jan/Feb 2019 when cold turkey, flu illness for months July 2018 started gabapentin 100 3x/day; titrated up to 1800 mg (600 3x/day) Buspar, I forget how much, 2 pills a day Jan 2017-July 2018 cold turkey. On Zoloft since maybe 2004? After trying many. *I speak from my experience. Nothing I say is medical advice. I'm not a doctor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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