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Cannabis, marijuana, hashish, THC, & CBD / cannabidiol or Hemp oil


Jonathan

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  • Moderator
17 hours ago, Glynboslice said:

Have you found cutting down to be a benefit to yourself during the withdrawal process in terms of symptoms and recovery? What differences have you noticed?

 

Yeah, it's definitely improved my lucidity and daily functioning, social interactions, work etc.  None of that 'did I do that right or are they weirded out?' dopiness.  Again my baseline state of mind is better, and this is helpful to establish during wds.  I'm not sure I would've been in a position to do the deep healing work I've done this year if I hadn't, too.  Anything that masks your emotions is by definition in the way there.

 

Plus when you give up, you get to know the demon properly eh 🙂

 

I still find it has value after say a hellish week at work, or at a party, but I tend to use thoughtfully now and again rather than just out of habit lately.

 

I have a strong preference for high CBD strains when I can get them - high THC tends to be psychotomimetic which is probably not what you usually want.  There was a good BBC doco piece on that some years ago.

 

Breaking habits is a good discipline in general

Edited by Shep
updated to reflect new username in textbox

I am not a health professional - your actions are your own.  

Please do not seek tapering support via private message - "Any reason to hold is a good one"

My taper visualised as a graph   |   My intro thread

Backdrop:  2003 10mg olanzapine | 2004 2-3mg risperidone | end 2014 3wks aripiprazole

2015: olanzapine  10 -> 7½ -> 6⅔ -> 5mg  by crude pill cutter

2018:  Mar 5.00mg -> water titrated taper -> Aug2.5mg tablet and hold

Jan 2019 2.50mg water titration -> Jan 2020 1.214  -> Jan 2021 0.44 -> 2 Oct 0.205 ->3 Oct ZERO🥂

Jun 2023 💉150mg paliperidone "loading" depot shot, 100mg 1wk after Jul 100mg Aug-Dec 75mg/4wks

Jul 2023 2.50mg aripiprazole/day attempt to lower prolactin^

Jan-Feb 2024 cross taper off shots to 1mg risperidone

 

Ask not what you can do for your country, but what your country did to you"  -- KMFDM

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Pot makes depression and anxiety worse. Makes you lazy and unmotivated and can make a mess of any mental illness a million times worse. Why bother....it is no miracle maker.

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  • 1 month later...

I wouldn’t mess with cbd, I have yet to find any that doesn’t make me feel a bit high, pure cbd without thc seems impossible to find, plus it just made me hungry, no positive effects really. 

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20 minutes ago, Ryguy said:

I wouldn’t mess with cbd, I have yet to find any that doesn’t make me feel a bit high, pure cbd without thc seems impossible to find, plus it just made me hungry, no positive effects really. 

I agree

Try:https://medterracbd.com/products?clx=6290000&r=https://www.tuck.com/best-cbd-oils/&affid=5241&d=products&utm_source=tuck&utm_medium=review&utm_campaign=top

CIPRALEX 10MG(M) TAB (Escitalopram): 29/01/2014-08/05/2016
VIEPAX 37.5MG TAB (Venlafaxine): 08/05/2016-26/06/2016
PRIZMA TAB (Fluoxetine Hydrochloride): 26/06/2016-18/08/2016
ELATROL 25MG TAB (Amitriptyline Hydrochloride): 18/08/2016-05/01/2017
WELLBUTRIN XR 150MG (M) TAB (Bupropion-Wellbutrin): 05/01/2017-16/01/2017
WELLBUTRIN XR 300MG (M) TAB (Bupropion-Wellbutrin): 16/01/2017-05/2018
SERTRALINE TEVA 50MG TAB (Sertraline): 29/05/2017-
SERENADA 50 MG TAB (Sertraline): 03/07/2017-16/07/2018
ARIPLY 5MG<><>(28) TAB (Aripiprazole): 17/06/2018-24/06/2018
BRINTELLIX (M) 10MG TAB 28 (Vortioxetine): 24/06/2018-16/07/2018
CLONEX 0.5 MG TAB (Clonazepam): 29/05/2017-16/07/2018 when needed not constant

May 2018 cold turkey: SERENADA 50 MG TAB, WELLBUTRIN XR 300MG TAB, SERTRALINE TEVA 100 MG TAB. June 2018 - partial reinstatement: ARIPLY 5 MG TAB, BRINTELLIX 10 MG TAB, SERENADA 50 MG TAB. July 16 2018 - cold turkey again. October 4 2018 - reinstatement: SERTRALINE TEVA ~ 0-25 MG TAB Overall: 29/01/14 - 16/07/18 + 27 days >>>> 4 years, 6 months, 1 week, 6 days, 8 hours, 40 minutes. 

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On 10/26/2019 at 8:25 AM, Harriet8 said:

Hi Rhiannon,

Just looked at your drug signature.  I'm where you were at in the lost everything phase.  Also have CPTSD.  Would you have used it in withdrawal?  I have possibility of trying non-THC cannabinoids.  But is pilot study.  Doc who is keen on Esketamine.  Linked to companies excited about huge profits to be made.  Scary.  Trying to consider ahead of consultation tomorrow.  My instinct is not to do it.  But my life is ruined by my symptoms.  If it provided some amelioration of them, it could be worth it.  But would most certainly make withdrawal very complicated.

 

Appreciate your opinion.  Realise posting a lot today but feeling very alone and vulnerable.

 

Thank you,

 

Harriet8

 @Harriet8, did you try the CBD? I just came across this post. 

 

I did try using cannabis in withdrawal. It helped with sleep but I didn't like the other effects. I'm not sure, I think it might have made the cortisol mornings worse, although those were (and still are) kind of unpredictable so it was hard to come up with any cause and effect. Mostly I didn't like the mind altering effects when I was in withdrawal. That was before the current situation where you can get the legal CBD oils that you can get now with no THC in them.

 

I recently tried CBD to help with my gut issues. I think it helped the first couple of days but after that I haven't noticed much difference. From what I've been reading you need a pretty high dose to do much, and that costs more money than I want to spend.

 

I think medicinal cannabis has a lot of potential for good things but there are also downsides and a lot of research needs to be done. Also, since it acts on neurotransmitters, there are always going to be tolerance effects. And it seems like it could potentially be as neuro-disruptive as the psych drugs we all know and hate. I think there will always be tradeoffs, but then that's pretty much true in all of life.

 

Anyway, how is it going for you?

Started on Prozac and Xanax in 1992 for PTSD after an assault. One drug led to more, the usual story. Got sicker and sicker, but believed I needed the drugs for my "underlying disease". Long story...lost everything. Life savings, home, physical and mental health, relationships, friendships, ability to work, everything. Amitryptiline, Prozac, bupropion, buspirone, flurazepam, diazepam, alprazolam, Paxil, citalopram, lamotrigine, gabapentin...probably more I've forgotten. 

Started multidrug taper in Feb 2010.  Doing a very slow microtaper, down to low doses now and feeling SO much better, getting my old personality and my brain back! Able to work full time, have a full social life, and cope with stress better than ever. Not perfect, but much better. After 23 lost years. Big Pharma has a lot to answer for. And "medicine for profit" is just not a great idea.

 

Feb 15 2010:  300 mg Neurontin  200 Lamictal   10 Celexa      0.65 Xanax   and 5 mg Ambien 

Feb 10 2014:   62 Lamictal    1.1 Celexa         0.135 Xanax    1.8 Valium

Feb 10 2015:   50 Lamictal      0.875 Celexa    0.11 Xanax      1.5 Valium

Feb 15 2016:   47.5 Lamictal   0.75 Celexa      0.0875 Xanax    1.42 Valium    

2/12/20             12                       0.045               0.007                   1 

May 2021            7                       0.01                  0.0037                1

Feb 2022            6                      0!!!                     0.00167               0.98                2.5 mg Ambien

Oct 2022       4.5 mg Lamictal    (off Celexa, off Xanax)   0.95 Valium    Ambien, 1/4 to 1/2 of a 5 mg tablet 

 

I'm not a doctor. Any advice I give is just my civilian opinion.

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1 hour ago, Rhiannon said:

 @Harriet8, did you try the CBD? I just came across this post. 

 

I did try using cannabis in withdrawal. It helped with sleep but I didn't like the other effects. I'm not sure, I think it might have made the cortisol mornings worse, although those were (and still are) kind of unpredictable so it was hard to come up with any cause and effect. Mostly I didn't like the mind altering effects when I was in withdrawal. That was before the current situation where you can get the legal CBD oils that you can get now with no THC in them.

 

I recently tried CBD to help with my gut issues. I think it helped the first couple of days but after that I haven't noticed much difference. From what I've been reading you need a pretty high dose to do much, and that costs more money than I want to spend.

 

I think medicinal cannabis has a lot of potential for good things but there are also downsides and a lot of research needs to be done. Also, since it acts on neurotransmitters, there are always going to be tolerance effects. And it seems like it could potentially be as neuro-disruptive as the psych drugs we all know and hate. I think there will always be tradeoffs, but then that's pretty much true in all of life.

 

Anyway, how is it going for you?

Hi @Rhiannon,

 

Thank you for your message.  Much appreciated.

 

No, I didn't go ahead with the CBD.  I considered it because I am quite severely disabled by my condition.  But I concluded that it would just make withdrawal more complicated.  Plus, having experienced life-changing effects of psych meds, I am wary of putting anything else into my system which acts on neurotransmitters.

 

To be honest, I feel so stuck and alone.  One of the biggest challenges I face is that my withdrawal over recent years (which was too quick - and on the back of a long history, including drugs which should never have been prescribed together....) has resulted in my becoming dependent.  I tried living with carers for a while to see if I could manage to stay in my own home but I couldn't make it work.  So now I'm in another country, staying with my parents but that is proving extremely hard.  My greatest wish at the moment is to be able to establish myself somewhere, settle; to be able to let go of the constant worry of where and how to live.  I don't know if others on this site have been rendered dependent by the effects of psych meds?  It is proving so hard.  Has me back in my family of origin where my trauma began, different medical system, language...... I have sunk very low indeed and am trying to find a way up and out.  Being single and having lost my community entirely, it is so difficult to know how to help myself.  My nervous system needs stability.  I need it.  I also need access to meds, a doctor to prescribe them, and some way of creating some community again.  Very challenging times - which is why your message and kind enquiry feels so welcome.  

 

Best wishes to you,

 

H8

1997   1st psychiatric appt: began medications (no record);   2002   Efexor XL, Xanax, Risperdal, Stilnoct; 2003  Efexor, Xanax, Stilnoct, Serlain;   2004   many medications (no record), but including Lithium, Diazepam, Lorazepam;   2005  Clomipramine; Imipramine; (8 sessions of Electroconvulsive Therapy, ECT);   Sept 2005 Citalopram, Quetiapine 800mg, L-Tryptophan;   2006 - 2009 Reduced L-Tryptophan and Quetiapine, finished Quetiapine Nov 2009;  Jan 2010  Began reducing Citalopram   >>>STARTED NOTICING SOMATIC SYMPTOMS (described above)>>>   2012   Citalopram, Diazepam, Zolpidem, Promethazine, Risperidone, Mirtazepine, Trazadone, Buspirone, L-Tryptophan, Chlorpromazine, Alprazolam   Sept 2012medications changed to Citalopram, Quetiapine, Diazepam, L-Tryptophan;   2015 - 2017: reduced meds until just Citalopram 60mg;   2017  1 May   Citalopram, 50mg   25 May Citalopram, 40mg   Dec 2017 - Apr 2018: Citalopram, 35mg > 30 mg >   25 mg > 20mg;   2018   1 May Citalopram 30mg,   21 May 35mg   Jun Diazepam, 2mg, increased to 6mg (3 x 2mg to assist eating)   Aug Zolpidem for 10 days   Sept Zopiclone 3.75mg;   (Nov: inpatient admission):  Dec Pregabalin 100mg added, Diazepam increased to 8mg, Citalopram increased to 40mg;   2019  Jan Citalopram 40mg, Diazepam 8mg, Pregabalin 100mg, Zopiclone 3.75mg (now reducing Zopiclone: 2.81mg on 2 May, 1.88mg on 16 May)

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 9/14/2018 at 5:06 PM, manymoretodays said:

Mod note:  previous page 9 of this topic-reconstructed

 

Raye

Seattle, U.S.

Posted March 3 2018

Dose this apply to THC to? I guess it would not be a good idea to smoke then at all if it raises levels in the blood, would you agree?

Yea the only things i find on the web is “maybe it raises the antidepressant level” or “minor side effects"

it makes me sad about the weed, to be honest, because it used to really helped me feel calm : P

 

LinLina

Germany

Posted March 3, 2018

I don't know about the thc, but it's not advisable to consume weed with high thc and very low cbd for calming down, as it is likely to trigger anxiety and other symptoms. CBD is the component that's responsible for the calming effect, alone or in combination with thc. I agree it would be better to stay away from cannabis at least until you got the drug out of the system. It is very likely that taking CBD and fluvoxamine together are going to raise blood levels significantly, they are both inhibitors of the degrading enzymes. Did you smoke weed while you were on fluvoxamine before? I mean, it is your decision and I would decide carefully.

 

The problem is, besides the possibility of adverse effects when taking the two together, you are going to counteract your taper, because reducing the dose while increasing bloodlevels by smoking weed possibly won't help your body to adjust to a lower amount of the drug.

 

Raye

March 5, 2018

I used to smoke on fluvoxamine but stopped when I found out it isn’t good for taper. I didn’t experience many bad effects then because I used to be on a high dose of fluvoxamine so I don’t think I felt the difference when it increased. There were a few times I greened out however (on not a super high dose of weed either)  and I think looking back this was because the fluvaomine in me caused the weed to increase  and have a really strong effect. That was a terrible experience, took about 5 hours to come down at all.  I plan on not smoking at all as I’m coming off the antidepressant.

Its legal where I live and a store in about every city, but its expensive, so good to save money. 

 

I would definitely agree tho, that if tapering from any drug, its probably best to not add another into the mix, unless you know you can. 

 

Athena

Canada

Posted March 17, 2018

Bromor, Ang, Indigo, Apace41 and others... How are you guys with your experiments with CBD? Would you recommend it for a severe insomnia that is lasting 8months on a very tired and desperate lady? Thank you so much

 

apace41

Washington, DC

March 17

Hi, Athena.  CBD has been beneficial for some and not so much for others.  With products not containing THC I have not heard many (if any) "horror stories" where people see a major worsening that doesn't correct promptly if they stop the CBD.  The trade-off for what seems to be a relatively small risk is that there have been several members who have gained a lot of benefit with sleep and anxiety.

 

Nobody can tell you what to try but I think CBD is at least a reasonable option to try at a very low level to see if it might provide some relief.  Again, with NO THC in the mix (or at least below the levels that require a prescription).

 

Best,

 

Andy

 

Athena

March 18

Thank you so much for this nice summary on CBD Andy, it helps me a lot. I might give it a try, but there is also milk peptides I haven't tried and might try first. But here is what I would order if I try the CBD, available in Canada:  https://www.cannabiscare.ca/collections/concentrates/cbd-concentrates/

I think I would try the BRONZE one (500mg) because the only one that is less concentrate is not strong enough for insomnia according to them. And I would try with ONE DROP first. They say there is less than 0.3% THC so that should be ok I think.

 

I will let you guys know if I try it.

 

SquirrelyGirl

near Fresno, CA

Posted March 24. 2018

I updated my Intro about this but wanted to add here, if you are still taking meds, do NOT take CBD oil!

 

I think I triggered a mild, though terrifying, case of serotonin syndrome!  I started taking 5 mg of CBD oil to help with sleep without doing my research first.  For a few nights things went well and I did sleep better.  But then I began to feel low.  This was on the tail end of the flu, as well.  Monday I was feeling low.  Tuesday I had to go to a memorial, and I didn't want to go, went anyway, found myself feeling more glum.  Wednesday, I was really in the dumps and feeling very lonely and ruminative.  Thursday was worse, with sleep degrading again.  I couldn't find any way to distract myself that felt good, and was revisiting all the negatives in my life, obsessing on my lack of friends, my introversion, the future, all the  things I can't get done around here,  feeling totally overwhelmed.  Friday was the same, fully depressed and fearing my future.  Getting through the day alone was torture. Last night I woke early and no amount of tapping could get me back to sleep, and every worry came to the fore.  When I got up, I was starving, yet when my husband made me breakfast, I could barely eat it.  Mildly nauseous afterwards.  Blood pressure is up a little.  I wish I'd thought to take it a day or two ago but wasn't aware of what was happening.  It did occur to me that the CBD oil was doing this so stopped it a couple of nights ago, but strange that things kept building.   I'm on 6 mg venlafaxine and 2.9 mg mirtazapine, so maybe it took a few days for the full blocking of the p450 enzymes since I was only taking 5 or so mg, and then additional time for the venlafaxine to build up to cause the SS.  I am hoping this is the explanation and that levels are now dropping off as the p450 system gets unblocked and the venlafaxine can clear.

 

This has been hell.  I am hoping this is the explanation and not that I have fallen into instability due to tapering, because if that's the case, I just don't know...the thoughts that go with this are pretty scary!  But it really does remind me of my SS episode in 2015.

 

SG

 

I am in the middle of what I think is a bad reaction to CBD. I've been off all drugs for 3 1/2 years and was still in withdrawal when I started using a very low dose of CBD a few months ago on and off. It seemed to be working for anxiety so about 3 months ago I started using a strong dose daily. I used it for about 2 months before realising that it was making me very drowsy so I stopped about a month ago. I've got a lot worse since then and have felt like I did when I first stopped the antidepressants. WHen you had your bad reaction how long did it take for you to get over it? I'm worried that I've put myself back to the beginning again and will take another 3 years to get back to where I was 3 months ago.

Originally went on prozac 2008 for CFS - 20mg

Finished end 2012 - extreme anxiety and insomnia for a year, reinstated Jan 2014 - 40mg.

Jan 2015 tapered to 20mg - 5 months WD

Sept 2015 - took 3 tablets for vertigo - triggered 5 months WD

Switched to sertraline Dec 2015 - didn't work so went CT Jan 2016. 6 weeks of breathing and sleep problems so reinstated sertraline.

April 2016 CT - WD started.

April - August 2016 very low dose zopiclone - made WD worse so stopped end August 2017

Since Sept 2016 WD: drowsiness and fatigue; headaches (ended Christmas 2016); numb face (ended Christmas 2016); vivid dreams; anxiety and tearfulness; dizziness; nausea; loud tinnitus; irrational feelings of fear and dread; tingling up and down the backs of my legs; some insomnia but that's getting better. 

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Hi @Chochka, maybe tapering off the CBD would be better.

 

Last time I took a tolerance break for three months it was quite challenging, especially with work, and it took about that long for derealisation, irritability, emotions resurfacing, sensitivity to light and sound etc to settle back down and feel ok without the weed.  I had been smoking fairly low amounts but on most days for years before that.

 

Now that was THC/CBD but if the CBD has been calming and sedating for you I wouldn't be surprised to see the opposite effects on quitting suddenly.  I would give it a couple of months before I started worrying too much.

 

I have used it very lightly again and less frequently over the last year or two, but started having paradoxical effects from it as I reached 1.25mg in my olanzapine taper, so have more or less cut out weed again the last few weeks.  Grumpy, a bit of derealisation etc...but after say two weeks I'm feeling more or less ok again. 

I am not a health professional - your actions are your own.  

Please do not seek tapering support via private message - "Any reason to hold is a good one"

My taper visualised as a graph   |   My intro thread

Backdrop:  2003 10mg olanzapine | 2004 2-3mg risperidone | end 2014 3wks aripiprazole

2015: olanzapine  10 -> 7½ -> 6⅔ -> 5mg  by crude pill cutter

2018:  Mar 5.00mg -> water titrated taper -> Aug2.5mg tablet and hold

Jan 2019 2.50mg water titration -> Jan 2020 1.214  -> Jan 2021 0.44 -> 2 Oct 0.205 ->3 Oct ZERO🥂

Jun 2023 💉150mg paliperidone "loading" depot shot, 100mg 1wk after Jul 100mg Aug-Dec 75mg/4wks

Jul 2023 2.50mg aripiprazole/day attempt to lower prolactin^

Jan-Feb 2024 cross taper off shots to 1mg risperidone

 

Ask not what you can do for your country, but what your country did to you"  -- KMFDM

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I read that a study found Cannabis at low doses decreases Cortisol and Stress.  I've known little and heavy users of Cannabis and I think it is true. I found the info from an article titled "Cannabis does relieve stress, but only at low doses".   

1989, 25mg, Amitriptyline 1st prescribed for 1wk insomnia, 2020 october Cold turkey

20/12/21, 22.5mg reinstated; waited 1.5 year to start tapering

21/07/25, 20mg tapering started. 10% every 4 weeks

22/02/26, 9.5mg - Emergency surgery put chaos to tapering: chronic insomnia till May

22/04/11, 10mg tapering started. 10% every 4 week. Sleep came back but trickled away in Sep' 22

22/09/17, 5,1mg - 10/15, 4.6mg - 11/12, 4,1mg - 12/10, 3.7mg.  Too fast. Permanent symptoms.

22/12/28, 4,0mg - partial updose where I'll remain until perfect stabilizing

22/12/30, 4,0mg - started Melatonin 3mg, Maritime Pine Bark Extract am & pm

23/02/03, 4,0mg - sleeping well every night with dreams, symptoms are diminishing

22/03/20, 4,0mg - insomnia is back on some nights. Waves. Anxiety. My dog is sick.

Maritime Pine Bark Extract (Omega Alpha Labs) in capsules am & pm, Melatonin 3mg

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8 hours ago, Sleepan said:

I read that a study found Cannabis at low doses decreases Cortisol and Stress.  I've known little and heavy users of Cannabis and I think it is true. I found the info from an article titled "Cannabis does relieve stress, but only at low doses".   

 

 

here is a good site for learning about dosing, especially low and micro dose. 

 

healer.com   there are programs you can buy, but there is also a lot of free info there. 

Currently taking Ramapril (blood pressure) 5 mg twice a day

Omeprazole 10 mg AM and 20 mg PM  (the taper has gone nowhere after the first cut)

Famotidine   once a day (and I still needs tums sometimes)

magnesium 200 mg at night

as of yesterday 2 fish oil capsules "EPA-DHA 1000"

 

off Lexapro as of 5/2018  - last dose had been 5 mg every other day for a couple years

 

highest dose had been 20 mg at which point I was diagnosed with Bipolar II, which went away when I cut the lexapro down to 15 mg. 

 

I spent years on Paxil before Lexapro (can't remember dose), briefly on Effexor and Abilify and others I have forgotten. in fact, when I was diagnoses with BPII I was put on all kinds of things which made me feel so bad I stopped them cold turkey within maybe 3 or 4 weeks, thank goodness. since then I've known these pills were terrible and I weaned down the Lexapro with zero help or support over I'm not sure how many years. 

 

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Thank you for sharing.  I wish it was as easy to lower tolerance to Amitriptyline.  My reinstatement of Amitriptyline is failing.  How do you get your history with AD to appear below quote?

1989, 25mg, Amitriptyline 1st prescribed for 1wk insomnia, 2020 october Cold turkey

20/12/21, 22.5mg reinstated; waited 1.5 year to start tapering

21/07/25, 20mg tapering started. 10% every 4 weeks

22/02/26, 9.5mg - Emergency surgery put chaos to tapering: chronic insomnia till May

22/04/11, 10mg tapering started. 10% every 4 week. Sleep came back but trickled away in Sep' 22

22/09/17, 5,1mg - 10/15, 4.6mg - 11/12, 4,1mg - 12/10, 3.7mg.  Too fast. Permanent symptoms.

22/12/28, 4,0mg - partial updose where I'll remain until perfect stabilizing

22/12/30, 4,0mg - started Melatonin 3mg, Maritime Pine Bark Extract am & pm

23/02/03, 4,0mg - sleeping well every night with dreams, symptoms are diminishing

22/03/20, 4,0mg - insomnia is back on some nights. Waves. Anxiety. My dog is sick.

Maritime Pine Bark Extract (Omega Alpha Labs) in capsules am & pm, Melatonin 3mg

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42 minutes ago, Sleepan said:

Thank you for sharing.  I wish it was as easy to lower tolerance to Amitriptyline.  My reinstatement of Amitriptyline is failing.  How do you get your history with AD to appear below quote?

 

Hi Sleepan.

 

Top right of the page, click on your username, choose Account Settings then Signature

 

Cheers

I am not a health professional - your actions are your own.  

Please do not seek tapering support via private message - "Any reason to hold is a good one"

My taper visualised as a graph   |   My intro thread

Backdrop:  2003 10mg olanzapine | 2004 2-3mg risperidone | end 2014 3wks aripiprazole

2015: olanzapine  10 -> 7½ -> 6⅔ -> 5mg  by crude pill cutter

2018:  Mar 5.00mg -> water titrated taper -> Aug2.5mg tablet and hold

Jan 2019 2.50mg water titration -> Jan 2020 1.214  -> Jan 2021 0.44 -> 2 Oct 0.205 ->3 Oct ZERO🥂

Jun 2023 💉150mg paliperidone "loading" depot shot, 100mg 1wk after Jul 100mg Aug-Dec 75mg/4wks

Jul 2023 2.50mg aripiprazole/day attempt to lower prolactin^

Jan-Feb 2024 cross taper off shots to 1mg risperidone

 

Ask not what you can do for your country, but what your country did to you"  -- KMFDM

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  • 5 weeks later...
  • Moderator Emeritus

  

16 hours ago, GSmythe said:

Thanks for all that info, I'll be sure to explore all those links.

 

To answer your question, during the day I am able to get by but I tire easily and am low energy. Sometimes I'm easily irritated.

 

I took your advice on the supplements. i just got back from the store. Picked up some Omega 3's, Magnesium and Melatonin. After reading your post, when I was at the store, I was shocked to see the dosages they had for the Melatonin. One was a 10mg time release capsule to last all night. I decided to stay away from that because of what you said about starting small. The smallest dosage of Melatonin they had was a 3mg  pill so I picked that up and will just cut the pills up and go from there.

 

I mentioned CBD in my original post, I would like to add some more information in the hopes that it helps someone else by saving them time and money experimenting with CBD. First off there are different types like full spectrum vs broad spectrum. Then there are also different oils that CBD comes mixed with like coconut oil or grape seed oil which affect absorption. You can get sublingual tinctures or capsules or patches or flower(i didn't like that). There is quite a bit of information on CBD out there so do your research. I've tried 2 different brands that I found most effective. The first is a company called Hemp Bombs. I don't care much for that name but the CBD agrees with me. I was in Canada a while back and picked up some CBD called Mary's Medibles. That worked well too. I advise people to stay away from the generics, the no name brands you find on various websites. I've tried a bunch and found them ineffective and a waste of money, but of course everyone is different so your mileage may vary. In the end educate yourself, read the reviews, test things out and see what works for you. When it comes to CBD I've read all kinds of claims about all the problems it helps alleviate, I can't attest to all that, but a lot of those problems have to do with the nervous system, such as anxiety, depression , psychosis, pain, inflammation, etc... I don't know how CBD alleviates all these problems but it does bind to the cannabinoid receptors in your nervous system so perhaps it somehow temporarily resets your nervous system or perhaps it simply masks the problems. In any event with your nervous system being reset or problems masked, the anxiety, depression, psychosis, pain, inflammation, etc... goes away or lessens for a while, until the CBD wears off, your problems come back and you need more. The good news is that CBD isn't addictive, is generally safe and doesn't get you high. I've never heard of anyone having a bad reaction to it although I have heard of people not noticing any difference, but again that may be do to the type and dosage of CBD they tried so if your try it with no results give another kind a try or raise your dosage. I've tried up to 100mg in a day and experience no ill effects. To those experiencing nervous system related problems its worth a shot, I've found it very helpful with many of my Olanzapine withdrawal symptoms.

 

 

 

Quoted from members introduction, to add to the discussion here.

mmt

Edited by Shep
Added to this topic from members introduction (manymoretodays), updated username in quote box to reflect new username

Late 2023- gone to emeritus status, inactive, don't @ me, I can check who I've posted on, and I'm not really here like I used to be......thanks.

Started with psycho meds/psychiatric care circa 1988.  In retrospect, and on contemplation, situational overwhelm.

Rounding up to 30 years of medications(30 medication trials, poly-pharmacy maximum was 3 at one time).

5/28/2015-off Adderal salts 2.5mg. (I had been on that since hospital 10/2014)

12/2015---just holding, holding, holding, with trileptal/oxcarb at 75 mg. 1/2 tab at hs.  My last psycho med ever!  Tapered @ 10% every 4 weeks, sometimes 2 weeks to

2016 Dec 16 medication free!!

Longer signature post here, with current supplements.

Herb and alcohol free since 5/15/2016.  And.....I quit smoking 11/2021. Lapsed.  Redo of quit smoking 9/28/2022.  Can you say Hallelujah?(took me long enough)💜

None of my posts are intended as medical advice.  Please discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical provider.  My success story:  Blue skies ahead, clear sailing

 

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  • 1 month later...
  • Moderator

10 weeks since my last joint, which is such a long standing new year's tradition.

 

Unfortunately at this point in the taper my weed use, though light, was making it harder than it needs to be.

 

Not having any significant cravings, and discomfort from getting off it (mainly some derealisation and a sense of unease with things feeling a bit sharp or brightly lit) passed around a month ago.

 

I have little doubt CBD would've helped at various stages during my olanzapine withdrawals but I don't have to factor in transitioning off that now either.  My main reluctance to start on it was the high cost.  It doesn't feel necessary now.

I am not a health professional - your actions are your own.  

Please do not seek tapering support via private message - "Any reason to hold is a good one"

My taper visualised as a graph   |   My intro thread

Backdrop:  2003 10mg olanzapine | 2004 2-3mg risperidone | end 2014 3wks aripiprazole

2015: olanzapine  10 -> 7½ -> 6⅔ -> 5mg  by crude pill cutter

2018:  Mar 5.00mg -> water titrated taper -> Aug2.5mg tablet and hold

Jan 2019 2.50mg water titration -> Jan 2020 1.214  -> Jan 2021 0.44 -> 2 Oct 0.205 ->3 Oct ZERO🥂

Jun 2023 💉150mg paliperidone "loading" depot shot, 100mg 1wk after Jul 100mg Aug-Dec 75mg/4wks

Jul 2023 2.50mg aripiprazole/day attempt to lower prolactin^

Jan-Feb 2024 cross taper off shots to 1mg risperidone

 

Ask not what you can do for your country, but what your country did to you"  -- KMFDM

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  • 6 months later...

I'd never recommend anything with thc, but cbd is legal here and I have been taking it for two weeks now. 

I read that it heals neurotransmitters and is an anti inflammatory. I have constant back problems and am getting sick of taking ibuprofen so I thought Id give it a try. Obviously my brain needs healing as well. 

Starting on a low dose, at first I felt some slight withdrawal effects (slight breathing difficulties, irritable) but now I find it kind of reduces my anxiety a little and it definitely gets me to sleep. 

 

 

10 years on various anti-depressants

5 years Effexor xr

tappered of 150mg in 6 months

nothing for two weeks

Reinstated 15 beads for 50 days

Tappered off then clean 2-3months

gradually went back up to 13 mg 3 years

bridged fluoxetine 10mg

2 week tapper

1 year clean

reinstated 5ml dispersed fluroxatine for 6months

 

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On 9/27/2020 at 9:16 AM, SouthernFreeze said:

I'd never recommend anything with thc, but cbd is legal here and I have been taking it for two weeks now. 

I read that it heals neurotransmitters and is an anti inflammatory. I have constant back problems and am getting sick of taking ibuprofen so I thought Id give it a try. Obviously my brain needs healing as well. 

Starting on a low dose, at first I felt some slight withdrawal effects (slight breathing difficulties, irritable) but now I find it kind of reduces my anxiety a little and it definitely gets me to sleep. 

 

 

Be careful my friend marijuana, joints and mostly cbd, gave me akathisia...

CIPRALEX 10MG(M) TAB (Escitalopram): 29/01/2014-08/05/2016
VIEPAX 37.5MG TAB (Venlafaxine): 08/05/2016-26/06/2016
PRIZMA TAB (Fluoxetine Hydrochloride): 26/06/2016-18/08/2016
ELATROL 25MG TAB (Amitriptyline Hydrochloride): 18/08/2016-05/01/2017
WELLBUTRIN XR 150MG (M) TAB (Bupropion-Wellbutrin): 05/01/2017-16/01/2017
WELLBUTRIN XR 300MG (M) TAB (Bupropion-Wellbutrin): 16/01/2017-05/2018
SERTRALINE TEVA 50MG TAB (Sertraline): 29/05/2017-
SERENADA 50 MG TAB (Sertraline): 03/07/2017-16/07/2018
ARIPLY 5MG<><>(28) TAB (Aripiprazole): 17/06/2018-24/06/2018
BRINTELLIX (M) 10MG TAB 28 (Vortioxetine): 24/06/2018-16/07/2018
CLONEX 0.5 MG TAB (Clonazepam): 29/05/2017-16/07/2018 when needed not constant

May 2018 cold turkey: SERENADA 50 MG TAB, WELLBUTRIN XR 300MG TAB, SERTRALINE TEVA 100 MG TAB. June 2018 - partial reinstatement: ARIPLY 5 MG TAB, BRINTELLIX 10 MG TAB, SERENADA 50 MG TAB. July 16 2018 - cold turkey again. October 4 2018 - reinstatement: SERTRALINE TEVA ~ 0-25 MG TAB Overall: 29/01/14 - 16/07/18 + 27 days >>>> 4 years, 6 months, 1 week, 6 days, 8 hours, 40 minutes. 

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13 hours ago, Asi1309 said:

Be careful my friend marijuana, joints and mostly cbd, gave me akathisia...

Funny you say that, last night I was up until midnight with a leg that would NOT stop twitching!! Seriously, it was really bad. 

 

 

 

10 years on various anti-depressants

5 years Effexor xr

tappered of 150mg in 6 months

nothing for two weeks

Reinstated 15 beads for 50 days

Tappered off then clean 2-3months

gradually went back up to 13 mg 3 years

bridged fluoxetine 10mg

2 week tapper

1 year clean

reinstated 5ml dispersed fluroxatine for 6months

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

After lowering my dose I don't seem to get the akathisia.. I do notice magnisum gives akathisia though. 

10 years on various anti-depressants

5 years Effexor xr

tappered of 150mg in 6 months

nothing for two weeks

Reinstated 15 beads for 50 days

Tappered off then clean 2-3months

gradually went back up to 13 mg 3 years

bridged fluoxetine 10mg

2 week tapper

1 year clean

reinstated 5ml dispersed fluroxatine for 6months

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I just realized that for the whole 2 years i was on zoloft i probably smoked a few grams of marijuana every day....now im thinking maybe the severity of my so far 10 year withdrawal is due to that giant mistake....is it possible? Or is this just zoloft by itself that had done this to me....anyone know if marijuana could have led to doubling the withdrawal severity or more? 

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On 11/24/2019 at 5:44 AM, Cherio said:

Pot makes depression and anxiety worse. Makes you lazy and unmotivated and can make a mess of any mental illness a million times worse. Why bother....it is no miracle maker.

 

I noticed it made my depression worse, but it helped me a lot with anxiety, it actually sort of cured my anxiety. That was pre-meds me. But it definitely helped my anxiety. 

 

I 've used again in withdrawal and I found that tiny dosage helped immensely with my stress, that is a few puffs every other day, but I am very scared about the addiction potential because I 've had both great times on weed, really excellent I should say being happy, productive, stress free but I 've also has some horrible depression like symptoms, although of course getting off it was a breeze as compared to the hell that is being on and getting off of antipsychotics. 

 

As far as lazy and unmotivated, sure it's done that too, but it was nowhere near the lack of motivation I feel on antipsychotics, and it was giving me a great high too, not making me feel miserable.

Feb 2015 Invega 9mg tapered to zero over 6 month, Levomepromazine 25mg for 3 monthsCitalopram raised from 20mg to 80mg over 3 months, at 80mg for 1 year and 5 months, Venlaxafine raised from 150mg to 450mg over 3 months (after citalopram) maintained for 1 year and 2 months. Cold turkey off both.     Two shots of haldol decanoate. Alprazolam from 0.5 to 7(!) mg due to the immense stress of the ads. Down to 2.5mg October 2017

Occtober 2017 - Dec 2017 Moclobemide raised from 200mg to 800mg during a month and half discontinued with no tapering.

Jan 2017 Feb 2017Fluvoxamine and Venlaxafine 300mg and 450mg, abrupt start, no tapering in discontinuation. 30mg Mirtazapin at night.

Close to two months off antidepressants but on benzos. 6 months on 2.5mg alprazolam, Diazepam 5mg for 1.5 months. Currently on 600mg peronten, 400mg seroquel xr, Risperdal Consta 50mg. 

In the past 8 months dropped quitapine from 400 -> 300->200->100->75->50->25. Dropped paliperidone palmitate 100 to 75mg (two months on the lower dosage) Dropped Gabapentin 300mg->200mg->100mg->0

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19 hours ago, Ryguy said:

I just realized that for the whole 2 years i was on zoloft i probably smoked a few grams of marijuana every day....now im thinking maybe the severity of my so far 10 year withdrawal is due to that giant mistake....is it possible? Or is this just zoloft by itself that had done this to me....anyone know if marijuana could have led to doubling the withdrawal severity or more? 

 

Hey Ryguy,

 

I've always been a lightweight with weed, good mileage being the upside.  But smoking a few cones daily really set in after a few years.  2 or 3 years ago I took a tolerance break, when I was treading water on 5mg of the olanzapine.  There was considerable discomfort for 8-10 weeks, including low mood, irritability and derealisation.  These are also my most common side effects in coming off the olanzapine, so it was a good warm up.

 

During my taper down from 2.5mg I had gradually built up leaning on weed a few times a week mainly for unloading work stress again.  I did hold the olanzapine dosage while I reset that to maybe once or twice a month, but it was much easier this time.

 

I'd say withdrawing from weed at the same time as anything else will stack up the symptoms.  One thing at a time is my suggestion.

I am not a health professional - your actions are your own.  

Please do not seek tapering support via private message - "Any reason to hold is a good one"

My taper visualised as a graph   |   My intro thread

Backdrop:  2003 10mg olanzapine | 2004 2-3mg risperidone | end 2014 3wks aripiprazole

2015: olanzapine  10 -> 7½ -> 6⅔ -> 5mg  by crude pill cutter

2018:  Mar 5.00mg -> water titrated taper -> Aug2.5mg tablet and hold

Jan 2019 2.50mg water titration -> Jan 2020 1.214  -> Jan 2021 0.44 -> 2 Oct 0.205 ->3 Oct ZERO🥂

Jun 2023 💉150mg paliperidone "loading" depot shot, 100mg 1wk after Jul 100mg Aug-Dec 75mg/4wks

Jul 2023 2.50mg aripiprazole/day attempt to lower prolactin^

Jan-Feb 2024 cross taper off shots to 1mg risperidone

 

Ask not what you can do for your country, but what your country did to you"  -- KMFDM

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7 hours ago, hayduke said:

 

Hey Ryguy,

 

I've always been a lightweight with weed, good mileage being the upside.  But smoking a few cones daily really set in after a few years.  2 or 3 years ago I took a tolerance break, when I was treading water on 5mg of the olanzapine.  There was considerable discomfort for 8-10 weeks, including low mood, irritability and derealisation.  These are also my most common side effects in coming off the olanzapine, so it was a good warm up.

 

During my taper down from 2.5mg I had gradually built up leaning on weed a few times a week mainly for unloading work stress again.  I did hold the olanzapine dosage while I reset that to maybe once or twice a month, but it was much easier this time.

 

I'd say withdrawing from weed at the same time as anything else will stack up the symptoms.  One thing at a time is my suggestion.

Too late for me now lol, im ten years into zoloft withdrawal and i smoked probably three joints a day while on zoloft, from ages 17-19....now im 29,, i feel i may have done a lot more damage and set myself back a few more years causr of all that weed smoking....maybe im thinking it had a larger impct then it actually did or maybe ill never reallt know...

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Ι wouldn't worry about it, while weed isn't benign it doesn't do much damage either and it can sometimes be helpful. I know plenty of people who have smoked tons since their late teens and have gone on to lead very productive and fulfilling lives. It's a lot safer than any other drug, and it's by far safer than alcohol.

Feb 2015 Invega 9mg tapered to zero over 6 month, Levomepromazine 25mg for 3 monthsCitalopram raised from 20mg to 80mg over 3 months, at 80mg for 1 year and 5 months, Venlaxafine raised from 150mg to 450mg over 3 months (after citalopram) maintained for 1 year and 2 months. Cold turkey off both.     Two shots of haldol decanoate. Alprazolam from 0.5 to 7(!) mg due to the immense stress of the ads. Down to 2.5mg October 2017

Occtober 2017 - Dec 2017 Moclobemide raised from 200mg to 800mg during a month and half discontinued with no tapering.

Jan 2017 Feb 2017Fluvoxamine and Venlaxafine 300mg and 450mg, abrupt start, no tapering in discontinuation. 30mg Mirtazapin at night.

Close to two months off antidepressants but on benzos. 6 months on 2.5mg alprazolam, Diazepam 5mg for 1.5 months. Currently on 600mg peronten, 400mg seroquel xr, Risperdal Consta 50mg. 

In the past 8 months dropped quitapine from 400 -> 300->200->100->75->50->25. Dropped paliperidone palmitate 100 to 75mg (two months on the lower dosage) Dropped Gabapentin 300mg->200mg->100mg->0

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You might read this topic from the beginning to see the effect of marijuana is unpredictable for people whose nervous systems are sensitized by withdrawal and it sometimes makes them feel worse.

 

We advise people to be very cautious with all drugs, including "natural" drugs like marijuana, which can be very strong and set you back if you are recovering from withdrawal.

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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15 hours ago, Ryguy said:

Too late for me now lol, im ten years into zoloft withdrawal and i smoked probably three joints a day while on zoloft, from ages 17-19....now im 29,, i feel i may have done a lot more damage and set myself back a few more years causr of all that weed smoking....maybe im thinking it had a larger impct then it actually did or maybe ill never reallt know...

 

Yeah but if your weed usage was constant while you were withdrawing from your prescription then it’s still just one thing at a time.  When did you stop smoking weed?

I am not a health professional - your actions are your own.  

Please do not seek tapering support via private message - "Any reason to hold is a good one"

My taper visualised as a graph   |   My intro thread

Backdrop:  2003 10mg olanzapine | 2004 2-3mg risperidone | end 2014 3wks aripiprazole

2015: olanzapine  10 -> 7½ -> 6⅔ -> 5mg  by crude pill cutter

2018:  Mar 5.00mg -> water titrated taper -> Aug2.5mg tablet and hold

Jan 2019 2.50mg water titration -> Jan 2020 1.214  -> Jan 2021 0.44 -> 2 Oct 0.205 ->3 Oct ZERO🥂

Jun 2023 💉150mg paliperidone "loading" depot shot, 100mg 1wk after Jul 100mg Aug-Dec 75mg/4wks

Jul 2023 2.50mg aripiprazole/day attempt to lower prolactin^

Jan-Feb 2024 cross taper off shots to 1mg risperidone

 

Ask not what you can do for your country, but what your country did to you"  -- KMFDM

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9 hours ago, Altostrata said:

You might read this topic from the beginning to see the effect of marijuana is unpredictable for people whose nervous systems are sensitized by withdrawal and it sometimes makes them feel worse.

 

We advise people to be very cautious with all drugs, including "natural" drugs like marijuana, which can be very strong and set you back if you are recovering from withdrawal.

 

Word Alto.

 

I have found it beneficial mostly but it has bit me on the arse a few times when I have not respected it properly.  I had to get off it to start tapering.  YMMV as always. 

I am not a health professional - your actions are your own.  

Please do not seek tapering support via private message - "Any reason to hold is a good one"

My taper visualised as a graph   |   My intro thread

Backdrop:  2003 10mg olanzapine | 2004 2-3mg risperidone | end 2014 3wks aripiprazole

2015: olanzapine  10 -> 7½ -> 6⅔ -> 5mg  by crude pill cutter

2018:  Mar 5.00mg -> water titrated taper -> Aug2.5mg tablet and hold

Jan 2019 2.50mg water titration -> Jan 2020 1.214  -> Jan 2021 0.44 -> 2 Oct 0.205 ->3 Oct ZERO🥂

Jun 2023 💉150mg paliperidone "loading" depot shot, 100mg 1wk after Jul 100mg Aug-Dec 75mg/4wks

Jul 2023 2.50mg aripiprazole/day attempt to lower prolactin^

Jan-Feb 2024 cross taper off shots to 1mg risperidone

 

Ask not what you can do for your country, but what your country did to you"  -- KMFDM

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3 hours ago, hayduke said:

 

Yeah but if your weed usage was constant while you were withdrawing from your prescription then it’s still just one thing at a time.  When did you stop smoking weed?

I smoked weed from 17-19 while taking zoloft , i stopped both at the same time ....i smoked constantly while on zoloft , everyday and then i stopped both cold turkey, there have been many times since ive been off zoloft where i have smoked weed again, ans its always been negative, always

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Prior to my last decrease of my cymbalta dose by 41 beads I used to enjoy cannabis.  I have now been on my pre CT dose of cymbalta for 3 years now and while I no longer suffer from panic attacks, anorexia, anxiety, insomnia or depression; I no longer am able to enjoy any of the many pleasures of cannabis.  Is anyone aware of this type of experience and do they know of it resolving with treatment or time?  Thank you!

If on a Benzo for a relatively short period of time, such as less than 6-12 months, one may want to consider tapering off their Benzo first (please see Will Hall's book on Harm Reduction)

 

Prior to commencing with an AD taper please consider what problems the AD is causing, as tapering is an extremely serious endeavor.   

If one has been on an AD for more than 10 yrs. please consider the potential long term negative consequences of AD withdrawal prior to tapering. (please see Drs. Healy, Glenmullen and Shipko) 

Prior to re-starting an AD taper, please do not resume tapering until all w/d sx's from any prior taper, especially CT, have resolved. 

 

2004 - Dec. 2015,  Cymbalta 20mg/d  for neck pain - Never had problems with Cymbalta.   Dec 2015, CT 20mg/d Cymbalta.  5 weeks later reinstated 20mg/d Cymbalta - without increase in CT sx's.   

Feb 2016 STARTED VALIUM 25mg/d for CT Cymbalta wd sxs.    Jan-April 2016 Held Cymbalta 20mg/d - doing pretty well (AM 3/10 anxiety and 3/10 tinnitus)

April 2016, CT Cymbalta sx's had not yet resolved and I prematurely tapered 10% q 4 wks x 3 mos.  After 3rd cut developed 10/10 wd sx's of Anxiety, Anhedonia, Anorexia, Panic attacks, dark, incresaed Valium to 28mg/d. 

November 2016, after 3 cuts, UP-DOSED all (41 beads) back up to 20mg (193 beads total) Cymbalta - from , dark to light.

VALIUM TAPER: Jan 2017 28mg to March 2019 Zero   Cymbalta has partially stabilized and helped with the Valium taper.  The only sx I have now is 3/10 Tinnitus, which I only notice when it is quiet.

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/11900-woof-cymbalta-re-stabilization-after-cold-turkey-withdrawal/  Benzo Posts http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/11951-woof-valium-scheduling-and-dosage-with-cymbalta-wd-symptoms/

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3 hours ago, woof said:

I no longer am able to enjoy any of the many pleasures of cannabis. 

 

My question is:  After managing to reduce/get off psychiatric drug/s why would you want to subject your brain and nervous system to a chemical which gives temporary and fake pleasure?  My personal opinion is that it would be better to try to find things that bring pleasure by "normal" means.  And life has its ups and downs for anybody, and the downs provide contrast for the ups.  If you take a drug to make you feel pleasure then the normal everyday pleasures that happen aren't going to feel as pleasurable.

 

And taking drugs of any kind are not without their problems.  Sometimes short term, sometimes long term.

 

But as I said that is my opinion so there is no need for anyone to try to justify their reasons for taking it.

* 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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I essentially agree. But one can view this another way in that weed is part of the joys, pleasurable sensations and relief one can feel and that it can augment "normal" happy moments and alleviate the suffering when in distress. I haven't yet made up my mind on weed one way or the other, it's given me a hard time many times and I 've quit and enjoyed life much more without it, but at other times it's been my faithful buddy and it's helped, healed and overjoyed me. Sad thing I can't say the same for psychiatric drugs that have uniformly caused nothing put pain, misery and ruin to my life. A case can be made I think for both abstaining from mind influencing substances so as not to affect your mental wellbeing overall and indulging in them so as to make use of the brain's innate capacity to feel a multitude of pleasurable and relaxing sensations when under the influence of some substances. But if ones brain has struggled before in coping with psychiatric medicine it's pretty vulnerable to any influence thereafter. 

Feb 2015 Invega 9mg tapered to zero over 6 month, Levomepromazine 25mg for 3 monthsCitalopram raised from 20mg to 80mg over 3 months, at 80mg for 1 year and 5 months, Venlaxafine raised from 150mg to 450mg over 3 months (after citalopram) maintained for 1 year and 2 months. Cold turkey off both.     Two shots of haldol decanoate. Alprazolam from 0.5 to 7(!) mg due to the immense stress of the ads. Down to 2.5mg October 2017

Occtober 2017 - Dec 2017 Moclobemide raised from 200mg to 800mg during a month and half discontinued with no tapering.

Jan 2017 Feb 2017Fluvoxamine and Venlaxafine 300mg and 450mg, abrupt start, no tapering in discontinuation. 30mg Mirtazapin at night.

Close to two months off antidepressants but on benzos. 6 months on 2.5mg alprazolam, Diazepam 5mg for 1.5 months. Currently on 600mg peronten, 400mg seroquel xr, Risperdal Consta 50mg. 

In the past 8 months dropped quitapine from 400 -> 300->200->100->75->50->25. Dropped paliperidone palmitate 100 to 75mg (two months on the lower dosage) Dropped Gabapentin 300mg->200mg->100mg->0

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I of course everyone is different and has had different experiences, but cannabis has truly been wonderful for me throughout my entire life.  I took Cymbalta strictly for neck pain, that was it.  I was very happy before and after taking Cymbalta, in fact Cymbalta did help sleep better, that was about it - until I decided to CT it and found this site, which when I arrived I had all of my emotions intact, I just had some AM anxiety which would have resolved over the next few months. However, I was advised to decrease my Cymbalta dose after just successfully re-instating 4 weeks after my CT.  I just needed time to recover from the CT and to get off of the Valium in a tapered fashion - which I did.  Prior to the advised decrease I was still able to enjoy cannabis, but since that tapering advice I was never able to enjoy cannabis again.  This is what I had planned to do, but it was my decision to come on this site and take the advice that I was given.  I know everyone on this site means well, but it nor Alto. are perfect and I need to live with my decisions.  The dogma that all antidepressants must be tapered from is not prudent. 

 

So at this point I was just wondering if anyone was aware of the negation of cannabis' affects and was anyone aware  they know of it resolving with treatment or time?  Thank you!

If on a Benzo for a relatively short period of time, such as less than 6-12 months, one may want to consider tapering off their Benzo first (please see Will Hall's book on Harm Reduction)

 

Prior to commencing with an AD taper please consider what problems the AD is causing, as tapering is an extremely serious endeavor.   

If one has been on an AD for more than 10 yrs. please consider the potential long term negative consequences of AD withdrawal prior to tapering. (please see Drs. Healy, Glenmullen and Shipko) 

Prior to re-starting an AD taper, please do not resume tapering until all w/d sx's from any prior taper, especially CT, have resolved. 

 

2004 - Dec. 2015,  Cymbalta 20mg/d  for neck pain - Never had problems with Cymbalta.   Dec 2015, CT 20mg/d Cymbalta.  5 weeks later reinstated 20mg/d Cymbalta - without increase in CT sx's.   

Feb 2016 STARTED VALIUM 25mg/d for CT Cymbalta wd sxs.    Jan-April 2016 Held Cymbalta 20mg/d - doing pretty well (AM 3/10 anxiety and 3/10 tinnitus)

April 2016, CT Cymbalta sx's had not yet resolved and I prematurely tapered 10% q 4 wks x 3 mos.  After 3rd cut developed 10/10 wd sx's of Anxiety, Anhedonia, Anorexia, Panic attacks, dark, incresaed Valium to 28mg/d. 

November 2016, after 3 cuts, UP-DOSED all (41 beads) back up to 20mg (193 beads total) Cymbalta - from , dark to light.

VALIUM TAPER: Jan 2017 28mg to March 2019 Zero   Cymbalta has partially stabilized and helped with the Valium taper.  The only sx I have now is 3/10 Tinnitus, which I only notice when it is quiet.

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/11900-woof-cymbalta-re-stabilization-after-cold-turkey-withdrawal/  Benzo Posts http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/11951-woof-valium-scheduling-and-dosage-with-cymbalta-wd-symptoms/

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2 hours ago, woof said:

I know everyone on this site means well, but it nor Alto. are perfect and I need to live with my decisions. 

 

And nobody can tell the future either.  If you had taken advice from the (majority of) medical professionals you could possibly be in a much worse situation on the drug merry go round, or poly drugged.

 

2 hours ago, woof said:

Prior to the advised decrease I was still able to enjoy cannabis, but since that tapering advice I was never able to enjoy cannabis again.  This is what I had planned to do, but it was my decision to come on this site and take the advice that I was given. 

 

I'm sorry, but I see this as you having your priorities wrong.  If this is your only issue (or one of a few minor ones), then I think you should consider yourself very fortunate.  There are members on this site who would, in an instant, switch places with you because they are suffering so badly and for so long (eg the members suffering from PSSD or who are bedridden and have lost jobs/relationships, etc).

 

And it may not have been the tapering of the drug which caused the lack of cannabis enjoyment.  It could have been something else or it might have happened anyway regardless of reducing the psychiatric drug.  We are all an experiment where N=1.  And over time it may return, just like many other symptoms gradually resolve.

 

I am not being argumentative with the post, just trying to provide some perspective.

 

Edited by ChessieCat

* 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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  One member's bad experience with using cannabis:

 

17 minutes ago, mlbz said:

 

Hello, all-- so i was diagnosed earlier this summer with cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS). Basically, my system overloaded on cannabinoids and the result was hell in a handbasket. I'd smoked for about 7 years, certainly too much as it made me feel happy and good in a way that nothing ever had. But that's behind me, I quit cold turkey (continued use wasn't even possible, bc it would only make symptoms worse) as CHS was awful and I never want to feel that again. Also, quite luckily, I caught it and stopped ingesting cannabis soon enough that I did not hit hyperemesis. For that I am thankful, I know folks that vomit dozens of times a day for weeks, their esophagi tear, they have heart attacks from the force of the expulsion. Even worse, with CHS you are experiencing panic attacks while this is all happening. Wave after wave of panic, not even my klonopin could tamp down these panic attacks. They are something entirely different than a typical panic attack, idk if they come from our gut or what. This legalized weed craze is about to hit a very real wall as my guess is that CHS will soon go from a "rare diagnosis" to something far more common.

 

In any case, I'm about 3.5 months without cannabis at this point. However, my system still cannot process any foods that contain cannabinoids-- there are many, but this includes cinnamon, black pepper, white pepper, rosemary, basil, oregano, kale, cabbage, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, omega-3's (!) and others. The impact of marijuana and CHS on my gut health has been extreme, but I am slowly, slowly healing. The silver lining is that I basically eat the same exact thing almost every day, so it is easy for me to tell when i eat something that disagrees with me. I made the mistake of eating two scrambled eggs last week, and was rewarded with immediate nausea and crazy diarrhea for a couple of days (thanks to the omega-3s).

 

 

* 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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4 hours ago, ChessieCat said:

  One member's bad experience with using cannabis:

 

 

That's terrible, I've never heard of anything like it, it must be very very rear. My argument would be that if it wasn't legalised something like this would never be diagnosed. 

 

As for myself I have been taking cbd everyday for about a month now. 

 

I find if I keep the dose low it has no side effects so far and is great for getting to sleep. I'd compare it to magnesium, but magnesium gives me twitchy legs if I take it before bed so I find cbd better. 

 

I'd avoid thc as I have played around with that before in withdrawal. Its so unpredictable, terrible on the stressors. 

10 years on various anti-depressants

5 years Effexor xr

tappered of 150mg in 6 months

nothing for two weeks

Reinstated 15 beads for 50 days

Tappered off then clean 2-3months

gradually went back up to 13 mg 3 years

bridged fluoxetine 10mg

2 week tapper

1 year clean

reinstated 5ml dispersed fluroxatine for 6months

 

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From https://greencamp.com/cannabinoid-hyperemesis-syndrome/

 

Quote

 

Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome is considered rare statistically, but it’s still more common than you would think.

According to a recent paper, almost a third of regular marijuana smokers admitted to the New York City hospital have experienced Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome. (4)

However, since the conclusions were based on medical records of only 150 patients, we can’t take these findings for granted.

Still, because of the stigma around cannabis use, it’s hard to tell how common this syndrome really is.

Some users simply don’t connect vomiting (and other symptoms) with cannabis use, while others are just not comfortable sharing their cannabis habits with doctors. This makes diagnosing and treating Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome difficult.

Since the majority of doctors are not even aware of Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome and not much is known about it in general, CHS can be left undiagnosed for a very long time.

Regardless of whether 10 or 10 million people suffer from it, we cannot deny that CHS is a real condition.

 

* 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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I think it's also important to distinguish abuse from responsible use of any drug. 

 

I've abused weed in the past, it can bite if you don't respect it.

 

On the other hand it can be a salve and used for healing if you use it sensibly.

 

In the context of withdrawing from the horror compounds on this site, extra caution is warranted.

 

10 hours ago, woof said:

Prior to the advised decrease I was still able to enjoy cannabis, but since that tapering advice I was never able to enjoy cannabis again. 

 

Many of us have had to quit coffee and/or alcohol to get clear of these horrible prescriptions.  I had to put weed in the same basket. 

 

I've read it just stops being helpful for a lot of people in their 40s or 50s in any case.  And for others several months of tolerance breaks have improved it for them.  But it basically sounds like your body is telling you it doesn't want THC right now.  I found yoga a very reliable substitute when you want to relax and bliss out, with a clearer head.  YMMV, as always

I am not a health professional - your actions are your own.  

Please do not seek tapering support via private message - "Any reason to hold is a good one"

My taper visualised as a graph   |   My intro thread

Backdrop:  2003 10mg olanzapine | 2004 2-3mg risperidone | end 2014 3wks aripiprazole

2015: olanzapine  10 -> 7½ -> 6⅔ -> 5mg  by crude pill cutter

2018:  Mar 5.00mg -> water titrated taper -> Aug2.5mg tablet and hold

Jan 2019 2.50mg water titration -> Jan 2020 1.214  -> Jan 2021 0.44 -> 2 Oct 0.205 ->3 Oct ZERO🥂

Jun 2023 💉150mg paliperidone "loading" depot shot, 100mg 1wk after Jul 100mg Aug-Dec 75mg/4wks

Jul 2023 2.50mg aripiprazole/day attempt to lower prolactin^

Jan-Feb 2024 cross taper off shots to 1mg risperidone

 

Ask not what you can do for your country, but what your country did to you"  -- KMFDM

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