yviroundtheword: stopped without tapering

[yviroundtheworld]

Hi everyone

 

I have stopped my AD without taping, from one day to another. I felt this whole AD-thing took over my live and I was also afraid that the drug would not work anymore and I can't new ones because I am not in treatment. So I stopped. I had of course no clue what the symptoms would be, how long it takes to get to a normal state again. 

 

The first two months were ok, I felt fine but since a month I am really struggling, heavy anxiety, depression attacks, spiralling (which I also learned on this forum). 

I am basically clueless, so I apologize for my questions. 

 

How long will it take till I am completely off the ADs? When do the symptoms stop? What brings ease? 

Should I go back on meds for a while and then start going off again but then by tampering? 

 

Thank you all for your advice and help. 

 

 

[Gridley]

Welcome to SA, yviroundtheworld.

 

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 the drug, the dosage and the date that you stopped.

 

Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature.

 

We recommend tapering at a rate no more than 10% of current dose every four weeks.  Some members have to go more slowly.

 

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

You ask "how long until I am completely off the ADs?"  Unfortunately, it doesn't work this way, as with an aspirin leaving your system after a certain time.  These drugs alter the structure of the brain, and the time it takes for symptoms to stop is impossible to predict.  These links explains further:

 

Brain Remodelling 

 

Video:  Healing From Antidepressants - Patterns of Recovery

 

are-we-there-yet-how-long-is-withdrawal-going-to-take

 

To help you understand the symptoms you are experiencing, here is some information on withdrawal.  

 

What is withdrawal syndrome.

 

Glenmullen’s withdrawal symptom list.

 

 The Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

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.  

 

Youtube video, 4 minutes: Healing from antidepressants

 

Please be aware that sometime withdrawal symptoms don't appear immediately after a too-fast taper.

Delayed onset of withdrawal symptoms

 

You mentioned going back on the meds.  At this time, reinstatement of a very small dose of the original drug is the only known way to help alleviate withdrawal syndrome.  The only other alternative is to try and wait out the symptoms and manage as best you can until your central nervous system returns to homeostasis.  Unfortunately no one can give you an exact timeline as to when you will start feeling better and while some do recover relatively easily, for others it can take many months or longer.  

 

Reinstatement isn't a guarantee of diminished symptoms for everyone but it's the best tactic available.  Reinstatement predictably works up to 3 months after last dose, though this is not a hard-and-fast rule.  It is best to reinstate as soon as possible after withdrawal symptoms occur. We usually suggest a much smaller reinstatement dose than your last dose.  These drugs are strong, and when reinstating it is better to start with a small amount and increase if symptoms remain unbearable. Your system has become sensitized and If you take too much it may be too much for your brain and can cause you become unstable.  Sometimes it can be hard to regain stability after this happens.  Then, once you've stabilized on that dosage, you can begin a 10% per month taper down to zero.   Please read:

.

About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms. -- at least the first page of the topic

 

Depending on when your last dose was, reinstatement may be an option for you.  Please complete your drug signature with the requested information, and do not reinstate until you've heard from us with our suggestions.

 

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 links 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 ...

 

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

 

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.

 

This is your introduction topic where you can ask questions and post updates.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Carmie]

Hi yviaroundtheworld, 

 

Welcome to SA from me too. I’m sorry you are going through such a rough time. Check out the link Gridley gave you on Are We There Yet, How Long Are Withdrawals Going To Take? It will answer a lot of your questions. 

 

During recovery we will all go through windows and waves. There’s a link to that as well. There will be times when we are in windows and get a bit of a reprieve from symptoms, and there will be times when we go through waves where our symptoms ramp up. Sometimes this can happen numerous times in one day. There is nothing linear in the recovery from meds, but we will all heal in the end. It just takes lots of time. 

 

Sending hugs🤗

 

 

 

 

[yviroundtheworld]

Dear Gridley thank you so much! That is a lot of information, I will have to do some serious reading, which I will do with great pleasure. Thank you so much for the insights, it makes a lot of things a lot clearer and gives me hope. Many thanks again for your help and for your care, its so much appreciated.

 

Edited January 13, 2019 by ChessieCat
extract response

[yviroundtheworld]

Thank you so much Carmie! Its such a rocky road! But I am so glad to have found this. After a week of total hell I finally lighted up a bit yesterday and feel better today, I hope it will stay for a while. A lot of my condition is also aligned with external conditions, for instance that I hate my boss, got very tired of my job of 8 years, live in a region where I have little friends etc. When I am in a depression it just cumulates of course and my brain is looking for all negativity. Its then when its the heaviest. But I do have a wonderful wonderful husband and a loving family and that is a bit aid. 

 

I hope we will all overcome this one day and the fog will finally lift from our souls. 

 

Hugs form Switzerland!

[Carmie]

It certainly is a rocky road yviroundtheworld, 

 

I’m glad you’re feeling a little bit better at the moment though, it’s certainly a rollercoaster ride of windows and waves🎢🎢🎢. One of these days the rollercoaster ride will stop. It’s a really long and slow process, but we will get there in the end. 

 

External factors and stress can certainly ramp up our symptoms, even good stress can do that. I’m glad you have a wonderful family though. 

 

You can use your thread here to journal your ups and downs. Wishing you all the best in your continued recovery 💚