Freesia Posted November 1, 2018 Share Posted November 1, 2018 (edited) I was on antidepressant for about 15 to 17 years starting in about 1990 Effexor and Wellbutrin for most of those years. Abilify added in at some point and I took it out. Lorazepam / Klonopin stuck in there at some point. Cymbalta the last few years switched medications totally still doing Klonopin with that. I started to taper off using supplements and a naturopath help in September October of 2016. The naturopath threw a whole ton of supplements at me. I couldn't tell what was working and what wasn't and I ended up going off on my own a lot to try to reinvent the wheel. I had four car accidents in this period of time and a fall. I just don't seem to be doing well overall. At this point it's been a year in eight or nine months since I discontinued. I don't know what the situation would be with reinstatement. I'm very scared of all that. I could definitely use some support going forward I thinking now that I have to discontinued myself laments and just go very low and slow. Anxiety has reared its ugly head and sometimes it rolls into a little bit of low mood maybe just because my body so tired from the anxiety I don't know. So I need some help thanks. I had gotten down to like lemon balm and a few other things like some vitamins and that was working for a little while and then I had a setback. Anyone who can steer me in the right direction I'd appreciate it thanks. Freesia Edited November 1, 2018 by ChessieCat reformatted for easier reading Went off ADs Sept/ Oct 2016 - Feb 2017. Cymbalta and Klonopin 1-2 yrs. Prior to that was on Effexor, Wellbutrin Abilify klonapin/ lorazepam. Used a lot of supplements to help getting off the meds and still dabble in them in a panic. Did SAM-e trigger the anxiety? Or traumas? Have tried CBD recently with mixed results. Anxiety is predominant problem now. It sometimes rolls into some low mood. Still not stable. Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus ChessieCat Posted November 2, 2018 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted November 2, 2018 Hi Freesia and welcome to SA, I absolutely love the smell of freesias. 🙂 Just seeing your name and I could smell them. The only supplements which SA recommends. They are Magnesium and Omega-3 Fish Oil. A lot of people find them helpful. Try a little bit of one at a time to see how it affects you. I have found that using magnesium takes the edge off my anxiety. Are you currently taking B vitamins? B6 can be activating. We ask all members to create a drug signature. Please follow these guidelines: Please include the following information. Please be as accurate as possible about the dates and doses. Please make it nice simple by following these instructions (NO diagnoses or symptoms please - thank you). Please update it whenever you make a change: details for last 2 years - dates, ALL drugs, doses summary for older than 2 years - just years and drug/s This link takes you straight to your own drug signature: Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature This is your own Introduction topic where you can ask questions and journal your progress. We encourage members to visit other members' intro topic so you can support each other. Please DO NOT TAG me - thank you PLEASE NOTE: I am not a medical professional. I provide information and make suggestions. 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 Link to comment
Freesia Posted November 12, 2018 Author Share Posted November 12, 2018 How do I see other ppls signatures? I just want to doine correctly. Thank you Went off ADs Sept/ Oct 2016 - Feb 2017. Cymbalta and Klonopin 1-2 yrs. Prior to that was on Effexor, Wellbutrin Abilify klonapin/ lorazepam. Used a lot of supplements to help getting off the meds and still dabble in them in a panic. Did SAM-e trigger the anxiety? Or traumas? Have tried CBD recently with mixed results. Anxiety is predominant problem now. It sometimes rolls into some low mood. Still not stable. Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus SkyBlue Posted November 12, 2018 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted November 12, 2018 Hi Freesia, You'll likely only be able to see other people's signatures when viewing the site on a computer (not phone/tablet). 2020: After 18+ years (entire adult life) on Paxil, a dangerous doctor-led "taper" in 2015, and four years tapering off the last 1 mg thanks to SA and the Brassmonkey slide, I AM COMPLETELY FREE OF PAXIL! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Forever. 2021: Began conservative, proper, CNS-respecting taper of Zoloft, led by the only expert on me -- me. Making own liquid. 5-10% plus holds. 2022: Holding on Zoloft for now. Current dose 47 mg. Hanging in, hanging on. Severe protracted PAWS, windows and waves. While I may not be doing "a lot" by outside standards, things are graaaaadually getting better. Yoga (gentle to medium); walks; daily breath practice; nutrition, fruits/veg; nature; water; EastEnders (lol); practicing self-compassion, self-care; boundaries; connection; allowing feelings; t r u s t ing that I, too, will heal. (--> may need to be reminded of this.) "You are not alone, and this is not the end of your story." - Baylissa Link to comment
Freesia Posted November 12, 2018 Author Share Posted November 12, 2018 Ok TKS. Still new to the site. Went off ADs Sept/ Oct 2016 - Feb 2017. Cymbalta and Klonopin 1-2 yrs. Prior to that was on Effexor, Wellbutrin Abilify klonapin/ lorazepam. Used a lot of supplements to help getting off the meds and still dabble in them in a panic. Did SAM-e trigger the anxiety? Or traumas? Have tried CBD recently with mixed results. Anxiety is predominant problem now. It sometimes rolls into some low mood. Still not stable. Link to comment
Freesia Posted November 23, 2018 Author Share Posted November 23, 2018 I went off any depressants almost 2 years ago. From October/ November through end of February. I've tried various supplements. Various aminos. 5 htp. Some of the aminos "work" or for a time. I get heartburn or gastric upset from some supplements. I'm trying CBD now. A bit of it calms me. I am starting to think I haven't gotten "off" psych meds at all by doing supplements. I just am not sure how to manage the anxiety. At this point it's a bit controllable with CBD lemon balm and theanine. I need to function. Question if I'm progressing or stuck. Am I messing myself up starting CBD more regularly? I really don't want to switch ADs for other things and on limited budget. The aminos can affect neurotransmitters too. So am I really helping myself? Went off ADs Sept/ Oct 2016 - Feb 2017. Cymbalta and Klonopin 1-2 yrs. Prior to that was on Effexor, Wellbutrin Abilify klonapin/ lorazepam. Used a lot of supplements to help getting off the meds and still dabble in them in a panic. Did SAM-e trigger the anxiety? Or traumas? Have tried CBD recently with mixed results. Anxiety is predominant problem now. It sometimes rolls into some low mood. Still not stable. Link to comment
Moderator Gridley Posted November 23, 2018 Moderator Share Posted November 23, 2018 The only supplements that we recommend are magnesium and omega 3 (fish oil). Many people find these to be calming to the nervous system. Magnesium, nature's calcium channel blocker Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) Please research all supplements first and only add in one at a time and at a low dose in case you do experience problems. It's important to try and remain as calm as possible and not to panic. It's important to learn and use Non-drug techniques to cope You might find these helpful: Audio: First Aid for Panic (4 minutes) CBT Course: An Introductory Self-Help Course in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy Audio: How to Recover from Anxiety - Dr Claire Weekes Anxiety Stuff - all kinds of stuff about anxiety attacks and things that help ... 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 taper at 6mg End 2022 year 2 of taper at 2.75mg Current dose as of Feb. 25, 2023 2mg Taper is 89% 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 Taper is 87% complete. Supplements: omega-3, vitamins C, E and D3, magnesium glycinate, probiotic, zinc, melatonin .3mg 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. Link to comment
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