Scotty Posted February 15, 2019 Share Posted February 15, 2019 https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/health-and-wellness/nausea-panic-tears-why-wasn-t-i-warned-about-antidepressant-comedown-20190207-p50w97.html This pIece was published in The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald last Saturday - right next to the editorial, not shoved away into the health and wellness section. The author’s own withdrawal only lasted 3 weeks, but she acknowledges the truth of protracted withdrawal. To my knowledge this is the first article about antidepressant withdrawal to appear in a major Australian newspaper, so that was progress. I’m hoping it may initiate further awareness and discussion in our mainstream media....notably lacking till now. 2002 - April - prescribed Zoloft 100mg. 2007 - began very slow taper. 2009 - down to 50mg. Dose raised back to 100mg due to anxiety provoked by stressful events. Continued on this dose until approx. 2016 then began another very slow taper. By approx January 2017 down to 25mg. 5 October 2017 - GP increased dose to 50mg. Suffered immediate and severe adverse reaction. Diagnosed with seretonin syndrome. Dose cut back to 25mg. Stayed on this until February 2018 - reduced to 20mg. 3 March - reduced to 15 mg. 10 March - increased to 17.5 mg to ease symptoms. 12 March - returned to 15 mg. Continued to taper down in approx 2 - 3 mg. increments. 1 June 2018 - ceased taking Zoloft altogether. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lloyd Posted February 15, 2019 Share Posted February 15, 2019 I think we will start seeing more attention focused on this in the near future. Industry can't continue to deny the severity & prevalence of withdrawal when at-least 10% of the population is taking these drugs. Notably ive opened up about my experience to family & friends and the similar stories i am hearing from them are the same as what i have been going through. I don't think ive had a single person describe their (or someone they knew) withdrawal experience as mild. Paroxatine - 2004-2006 Effexor XR 75mg 2006 - 2016 (Discontinued Feb 2016) - Withdrawal for 6 months. Effexor XR 75mg Re-instated June 2017 (Discontinued Dec 2017) Effexor XR 2-3 mg Re-instated March 10 2018 - 1 day (Didn't work) Effexor XR 2mg Reinstated (Again) May 11 2018. 6 Beads July 2018 - 0.0mg of Effexor. Zilch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty Posted February 16, 2019 Author Share Posted February 16, 2019 Thanks for your response Lloyd...I certainly hope you’re right. History shows that popular consensus about drugs can eventually be changed...for example barbiturates...and benzos which used to be prescribed freely for unrestricted periods. It’s a long struggle though, which is why articles like this are so important. As well as the industry pressure, the psychiatric norm is to deny withdrawal and often to belittle sufferers. How I would love to find one psychiatrist in this country who acknowledged and understood withdrawal....I’d travel interstate for that! Best of luck with your recovery - I’m 9 months off and still suffering quite a few disabling symptoms, mostly anxiety related. Cheers , Scotty. 2002 - April - prescribed Zoloft 100mg. 2007 - began very slow taper. 2009 - down to 50mg. Dose raised back to 100mg due to anxiety provoked by stressful events. Continued on this dose until approx. 2016 then began another very slow taper. By approx January 2017 down to 25mg. 5 October 2017 - GP increased dose to 50mg. Suffered immediate and severe adverse reaction. Diagnosed with seretonin syndrome. Dose cut back to 25mg. Stayed on this until February 2018 - reduced to 20mg. 3 March - reduced to 15 mg. 10 March - increased to 17.5 mg to ease symptoms. 12 March - returned to 15 mg. Continued to taper down in approx 2 - 3 mg. increments. 1 June 2018 - ceased taking Zoloft altogether. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryder Posted February 17, 2019 Share Posted February 17, 2019 On 2/15/2019 at 1:46 PM, Lloyd said: at-least 10% of the population is taking these drugs. I thought it was atleast half the population. Maybe that's after the 1/2 people in this country will experience Mental ilness. Im not trying to belittle mentall illnesses here, but I feel as soon as someone is prescribed a mental illness, then they will be prescribed a pill to go with that. 2008-2012: Cymbalta, Zyprexa, Valium (5 days supply), 2012 - Seroquel x 4 weeks C/T. 2014 - Seroquel x 2 Weeks C/T. Crossed to Risperidone 3mg for 6months until December. 2014 - Stopped Risperidone. Xfer > Anti-Depressant 200mg Zoloft and 6mg Clonazepam. 2018 - 150mg Clomipromine changed Anti-depressant. Tapered Benzo to 1mg Clonazepam. 2019 - xfer to 20mg Diazepam. Currently: Anafranil: 75mg. 17th Dec 2022 70mg. 27th Dec 22: 75mg, 14 January 23': 70mg. 16-26th January: 50mg (too fast drop no sleep). Jan 28th 2023: 70mg. 20 Feb 2023: 65mg. 11/06: 60mg 9/08: 55mg 15/08/23 : 50mg 3/03/2024: 60mg (Updose) Diazepam (V): 25th Oct 2019' 20mg. 22 Dec 19' 19mg. 04 Apr 2020' 18mg, 30 September 20' 17.5mg , 13 Nov 2020' 17mg. 01 January 2021: 16mg, 13th Aug 21' 15mg. 1st Nov' 2021 14.5mg. 1st Dec' 2021 14mg. 13 January 2022: 13.5mg, 11 Feb: 13mg. 11 April 22' 12.5mg, 12 May 22': 12mg, 6th September 2022: 11mg Valium. 9th October: 10.5mg, 25th Oct 10mg. 12 March 23: 9.5mg 2 April: 9.25mg 23 April: 9mg 12/05: 8.75 26/05: 8.5 12/09: 8.25 21/09: 8.5. 3/10: 8.25 17/10: 8mg 20th Nov Brassmonkey: (7.9.,7.8, 7.75) 5 Feb: 7.25mg. 23 Feb: 7mg *. Have tried to go at faster rate than 0.5mg but is currently too fast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lloyd Posted February 18, 2019 Share Posted February 18, 2019 11 hours ago, Ryder said: I thought it was atleast half the population. Maybe that's after the 1/2 people in this country will experience Mental ilness. Im not trying to belittle mentall illnesses here, but I feel as soon as someone is prescribed a mental illness, then they will be prescribed a pill to go with that. Seems that drugs are handed out like candy by GP's. I've been offered plenty of them after seeking help. Paroxatine - 2004-2006 Effexor XR 75mg 2006 - 2016 (Discontinued Feb 2016) - Withdrawal for 6 months. Effexor XR 75mg Re-instated June 2017 (Discontinued Dec 2017) Effexor XR 2-3 mg Re-instated March 10 2018 - 1 day (Didn't work) Effexor XR 2mg Reinstated (Again) May 11 2018. 6 Beads July 2018 - 0.0mg of Effexor. Zilch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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