Jump to content
Support our work - please give today

Can progesterone & other hormones help people heal from psychiatric drug withdrawal?

Zyprexa19

By Zyprexa19
in Symptoms and self-care

 Share

Recommended Posts

Zyprexa19 Newbie

Zyprexa19

Posted
Posted

Hi,

 

i came across this scientific paper on the use of the sex hormone progesterone in traumatic brain injury cases

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6025750/?fbclid=IwAR3Cfkbz8ZBDHQ26fkH5iXobY_mi_WalETazszqGYtxe_pe24HE_KYMTJ7I

 

apparently progesterone naturally helps the brain achieve neuronal “homeostasis” and has “neuroprotective” qualities.

 

Progesterone has also been identified as an effective cure for insomnia and sleep apnea 

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/17168724/

 

could it be that if we approached psych drug withdrawal the same way we treated traumatic brain injury that patients would achieve better discontinuation outcomes?

 

also see this article 

 

https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/12/26/this-natural-hormone-can-help-heal-your-brain-injury.aspx

 

I have hope that there might be a relatively safe way to mitigate the horror of Zyprexa withdrawal 

 

What do you think?

 

Zyprexa 5 mg since November 27th, 2018

 

briefly stopped from December 26th through January 4th, but had to go back on to external career stress (and bad advice from my shrink)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
TedB Newbie

TedB

Posted
Posted

I don't know what to think but mine is ORDERED!! I'll try anything!! 

Quote

 

 

Only daily prescription drug I take - Amlodipine-Benaz 5/20mg - for high blood pressure

March 21, 2018 - 50mg of Sertraline

July 16, 2018 - stopped cold turkey

July 16 - November 25th -- 0.5mg Xanas - took only 9 times 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
SDOE Newbie

SDOE

Posted
Posted

Very Interesting.  Thank you for sharing.

-2005 -2016 60mg Cymbalta

11/2016 abrupt drop to 30mg. Insomnia started (about 2x a week.)

6/29/2017 started aggressive taper. Dosage:6/29 25mg,7/7 20mg,7/10 15mg,7/1713mg,7/18 10 mg,7/22 8mg,7/31 7.5mg,8/1 6.25mg. At 6.25mg insomnia every night (waking 2-4am.) 

8/2017 began up dosing 8/9 7.5mg,8/16 10mg.

Late 2017 new taper from 25mg. Approx 10% reduction per mos (mini-tablets.) 10mg sleep would not stabilize. Cont'd taper meds running out.

Jan 2019 stopped taper at 2.5mg. Using only supplements. Morning 500mg tyrosine, 100mg L-theanine, 600mg NAC. After breakfast 1000mg fish oil, 5mg iron, 2000IU D3, B complex, 500mg ginseng, 50mg ginkgo, probiotics & 50mg zinc. Bedtime 1000mg tryptophan, 500mg gaba, 3mg time released melatonin, 325mg magnesium powder, & 100mg progesterone.

Feb 2019 brain zaps gone. Still have chronic insomnia & anxiety at times.

March 2019-Purchased Alpha Stim

May 2019-sleep still inconsistent.

 October 2019- (Morning) L-Tyrosine, Super B complex, 5mg ferritin,fish oil, vit c, (Evening)200mg progesterone, 1mg Natrol Time Release Melatonin, 325mg Calm magnesium, glycine powder. Alpha Stim only seems to help with anxiety not insomnia. Usually wake up nightly average of 2 hours. *Using 25mg Benadryl or 12.5mg Doxylamine Succinate occasionally

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Administrator
Altostrata Grand Master

Altostrata

Posted
  • Administrator
Posted

Please follow these instructions before starting a topic in Journals

 

@Zyprexa19 please start another topic in the correct format and I'll archive this one.

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
  • 3 weeks later...
Repent Newbie

Repent

Posted
Posted

I used Progesteronecream for 2 months, and that was my worst choice. Got severe damage on my cns and immunesystem. Have been going to my neurologist and endokrinolog for some months now :( just my experience. 

2008 - Setralin 150mg, CT after 1 year. 
2015 - Venlafaxin 150mg. CT after 1 month. 
2016 - Brintellix 100mg, CT after  2 years.
2018 

January - Mirtazapin 25 mg, CT after 1 month. 
Mars - Setralin 100 mg. CT after 1 month. 
August- Lexapro 5 mg. CT after 1 month, adverse reaction. Stopped all benzo, sleeping pills here too. 

2019 

January - Took fluconazol and itraconazol, strong reaction, like bein floxed. 

January - Used progesteronecream 200mg a day for 1 month. Severe reaction month 2 so i stopped (maybe built up cream in tissues?) 

April - Took plan-B, this messed me up the most. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...
rapunzel2 Newbie

rapunzel2

Posted
Posted

this is very interesting!

 

I have been withdrawing from Prozac and Seroquel for over 6 years. the withdrawals have been bad. however, I decided to try to get pregnant, still. at the end of 2018 I had missed miscarriage. we found out on 11th week.

 

the whole pregnancy I was feeling beyond horrible. extremely tired, sleep horribly messed up, depression and crying. but after this miscarriage I have been able to withdraw at an impressive speed (for me). and withdrawals have not been that bad anymore. I really think it's because of the progesterone? I heard that it can also sensitize serotonin receptors. 

in 2002- 0,5 tablet cipramil for half a year, ended it uneventfully. in 2006 - citalopram for half a year, ended in horrific state, ditched the drugs CT. 2007-2008 not feeling well but drug free. in 2008 prozac 20mg + quetiapine 25mg. 2009 tried to stop, ended up in hole after couple of months, started zoloft. 2009-2011 zoloft 50mg. went to 25mg in 2011 summer, it resulted in half a year horrible suffering. reinstated, changed drugs, nothing happened. by 2012 beginning suddenly felt great and CT meds. after 4 months came suddenly most horrible human suffering that's possible. was started on prozac and questiapine. started tapering slowly, GFCF diet and Hardy Nutritionals vitamins in 2013 summer. 

current medications: 1) fluoxetine and quetiapine since Aug 2012; 2) Daily Essential Nutrients by Hardy Nutritionals 7 capsules / since May 2013 + omega3; 3) Gluten-free-casein-free diet since june 2013

Started withdrawing slowly since april 2013. Mostly around 10% cuts. 

April'13 - March'14: fluoxetine 40mg -> 19,5mg; quetiapine 50mg -> 40mg
April'14-March'15: fluoxetine 19,5mg -> 14,4mg; quetiapine 40mg -> 22mg

April'15-March'16: fluoxetine 14,4mg -> 7,4mg; quetiapine 22mg -> 15mg

April'16-March'17: fluoxetine 7,4mg -> 5,0mg; quetiapine 15mg -> 7,25mg

April'17-March'18: fluoxetine 5,0mg -> 4,0mg; quetiapine 7,25mg -> 0 (as of 1st Feb 2018)!!!!

April´18-March´19: fluoxetine 4,0mg - > 2,3mg. Jumped off fluoxetine 1,4mg due to pregnancy in July 2019. Oct 2019 severe withdrawal syndrome started.

Took mistakenly a complex for hormonal support that included pregnenolone dec2019-april2020. Stopped it april 2020 and immediately severe akathisia started. Have had life threatening akathisia since, 100% disabled, suicidal, very hard to hold on. 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Moderator Emeritus
bubble Rookie

bubble

Posted
  • Moderator Emeritus
Posted
52 minutes ago, rapunzel2 said:

at the end of 2018 I had missed miscarriage. we found out on 11th week.

 

Hello again Rapunzel!

 

Very sorry to hear about the miscarriage. I also got pregnant this year while still taking Lexapro and Xanax and after 5 years of tapering at the age of 42. I made it to week 24 at the moment. I was also feeling very unwell at the beginning of pregnancy but those appeared to be mostly regular pregnancy symptoms. 

55 minutes ago, rapunzel2 said:

have been able to withdraw at an impressive speed (for me). and withdrawals have not been that bad anymore. I really think it's because of the progesterone?

 

I was able to reduce Xanax in half in 3 months which would take me at least a year or two under normal circumstances. I also attributed it to progesterone. I have hit a wall recently and started worrying I will still crash badly especially once the progesterone drops. 

 

I wish you all the best with realizing pregnancy. I started feeling a lot better after the first trimester and really enjoy my pregnancy. Both baby and me are doing well so far but of course I worry a lot about the baby being exposed... but there was no other way. Keep in touch.

Current: 9/2022 Xanax 0.08, Lexapro 2

2020 Xanax 0.26 (down from 2 mg in 2013), Lexapro 2.85 mg (down from 5 mg 2013)

Amitriptyline (tricyclic AD) and clonazepam for 3 months to treat headache in 1996 
1999. - present Xanax prn up to 3 mg.
2000-2005 Prozac CT twice, 2005-2010 Zoloft CT 3 times, 2010-2013 Escitalopram 10 mg
went from 2.5 to zero on 7 Aug 2013, bad crash 40 days after
reinstated to 5 mg Escitalopram 4Oct 2013 and holding liquid Xanax every 5 hours
28 Jan 2014 Xanax 1.9, 18 Apr  2015 1 mg,  25 June 2015 Lex 4.8, 6 Aug Lexapro 4.6, 1 Jan 2016 0.64  Xanax     9 month hold

24 Sept 2016 4.5 Lex, 17 Oct 4.4 Lex (Nov 0.63 Xanax, Dec 0.625 Xanax), 1 Jan 2017 4.3 Lex, 24 Jan 4.2, 5 Feb 4.1, 24 Mar 4 mg, 10 Apr 3.9 mg, May 3.85, June 3.8, July 3.75, 22 July 3.7, 15 Aug 3.65, 17 Sept 3.6, 1 Jan 2018 3.55, 19 Jan 3.5, 16 Mar 3.4, 14 Apr 3.3, 23 May 3.2, 16 June 3.15, 15 Jul 3.1, 31 Jul 3, 21 Aug 2.9 26 Sept 2.85, 14 Nov Xan 0.61, 1 Dec 0.59, 19 Dec 0.58, 4 Jan 0.565, 6 Feb 0.55, 20 Feb 0.535, 1 Mar 0.505, 10 Mar 0.475, 14 Mar 0.45, 4 Apr 0.415, 13 Apr 0.37, 21 Apr 0.33, 29 Apr 0.29, 10 May 0.27, 17 May 0.25, 28 May 0.22, 19 June 0.22, 21 Jun updose to 0.24, 24 Jun updose to 0.26

Supplements: Omega 3 + Vit E, Vit C, D, magnesium, Taurine, probiotic 

I'm not a medical professional. Any advice I give is based on my own experience and reading. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Administrator
Altostrata Grand Master

Altostrata

Posted
  • Administrator
Posted

I moved this topic to the Symptoms and Self-Care forum.

 

There are many discussions of progesterone in this forum, please use search to find them.

 

Generally, taking female hormonal supplements is dicey, even for females. Traumatic brain injury can be so devastating, people are willing to take higher risks in the hopes of an improvement.

 

I would be very surprised if anything was a miracle cure for iatrogenic psychiatric drug effects.

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
  • ChessieCat changed the title to Can progesterone help people heal from psychiatric drug withdrawal?
rapunzel2 Newbie

rapunzel2

Posted
Posted
On 6/22/2019 at 9:46 PM, bubble said:

 

Hello again Rapunzel!

 

Very sorry to hear about the miscarriage. I also got pregnant this year while still taking Lexapro and Xanax and after 5 years of tapering at the age of 42. I made it to week 24 at the moment. I was also feeling very unwell at the beginning of pregnancy but those appeared to be mostly regular pregnancy symptoms. 

 

I was able to reduce Xanax in half in 3 months which would take me at least a year or two under normal circumstances. I also attributed it to progesterone. I have hit a wall recently and started worrying I will still crash badly especially once the progesterone drops. 

 

I wish you all the best with realizing pregnancy. I started feeling a lot better after the first trimester and really enjoy my pregnancy. Both baby and me are doing well so far but of course I worry a lot about the baby being exposed... but there was no other way. Keep in touch.

 

Whoah, bubble, congratulations, I'm so happy for you! Wishing you smooth pregnancy and 4th trimester ;) I hope everything will be allright with you and the baby. is it your first child?

 

That's very interesting that you have been able to speed up as well. I have also gone down impressively since January - from 3,4mg to 1,4mg - unbelievable tempo. this would have taken me also 1-2 years in regular speed. 

 

With this going on, I'm secretly hoping I manage to ditch the drugs before I get pregnant again. Or get to such low dose that I can jump when I get pregnant.

 

Unfortunately this pregnancy somehow messed up my thyroid (I strongly believe this is also connected to all those years taking drugs), and now I'm slightly subthyroid and need to start taking hormones :( just when I hoped I can be totally free of drugs :( But what to do...

 

It's very good to hear that you felt better once the first trimester was over. 

 

in 2002- 0,5 tablet cipramil for half a year, ended it uneventfully. in 2006 - citalopram for half a year, ended in horrific state, ditched the drugs CT. 2007-2008 not feeling well but drug free. in 2008 prozac 20mg + quetiapine 25mg. 2009 tried to stop, ended up in hole after couple of months, started zoloft. 2009-2011 zoloft 50mg. went to 25mg in 2011 summer, it resulted in half a year horrible suffering. reinstated, changed drugs, nothing happened. by 2012 beginning suddenly felt great and CT meds. after 4 months came suddenly most horrible human suffering that's possible. was started on prozac and questiapine. started tapering slowly, GFCF diet and Hardy Nutritionals vitamins in 2013 summer. 

current medications: 1) fluoxetine and quetiapine since Aug 2012; 2) Daily Essential Nutrients by Hardy Nutritionals 7 capsules / since May 2013 + omega3; 3) Gluten-free-casein-free diet since june 2013

Started withdrawing slowly since april 2013. Mostly around 10% cuts. 

April'13 - March'14: fluoxetine 40mg -> 19,5mg; quetiapine 50mg -> 40mg
April'14-March'15: fluoxetine 19,5mg -> 14,4mg; quetiapine 40mg -> 22mg

April'15-March'16: fluoxetine 14,4mg -> 7,4mg; quetiapine 22mg -> 15mg

April'16-March'17: fluoxetine 7,4mg -> 5,0mg; quetiapine 15mg -> 7,25mg

April'17-March'18: fluoxetine 5,0mg -> 4,0mg; quetiapine 7,25mg -> 0 (as of 1st Feb 2018)!!!!

April´18-March´19: fluoxetine 4,0mg - > 2,3mg. Jumped off fluoxetine 1,4mg due to pregnancy in July 2019. Oct 2019 severe withdrawal syndrome started.

Took mistakenly a complex for hormonal support that included pregnenolone dec2019-april2020. Stopped it april 2020 and immediately severe akathisia started. Have had life threatening akathisia since, 100% disabled, suicidal, very hard to hold on. 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...
RuthS Newbie

RuthS

Posted
Posted

          I started bio-identical progesterone after I completed my taper from all drugs and it made the biggest difference in my recovery.  I’ve been taking it for three months and I feel truly healed for the first time.  I have no symptoms whatsoever of depression or anxiety.  Anxiety, agitation, and insomnia were my biggest problems after stopping antidepressants.  After being on progesterone for 3 months, those symptoms are completely gone, even when I stop taking the progesterone for one week every month when I have a period.  I’m convinced the progesterone has healing effects.

 

          I am being monitored by a functional medicine doctor, who is going to test all my hormones, my methylation status, and my nutritional status (Nutreval by Genova Diagnostics) in August to see how the progesterone is affecting all systems in my body.  I’m guessing the lab results will be good because I keep getting better and better since I started taking bio-identical progesterone.  

Paxil 25 mg — January 2010 — June 2012

 

Wellbutrin 300 mg — December 2012 — September 2016

Prozac 20 mg — December 2012 — September 2016

Trazadone — 100 mg December 2012 — September 2016

 

10 mg Prozac — October 2016 — November 2017

25 mg Trazadone — October 2016 — present

 

8 mg Liquid Prozac November 2017 — present

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 1 year later...
Jav1 Newbie

Jav1

Posted
Posted

Hi @RuthS thanks for sharing your experience with progesterone. I am also working with a functional MD who prescribed bioidentical progesterone 50mg from day 25-1st day of period, 100mg from day 1-14 and 200mg from day 15-24. Can you please share an update on how you’re doing?  Are you off progesterone now? Did you get withdrawal symptoms after stopping? TIA. 

Nov 10 - Dec 10, 2019 - Clonazepam & Alprazolam

Dec 2019 - Aug 2, 2020 - 30mg Mirtazapine

Aug 3, 2020 - Sept 2020 - 15 mg Mirtazapine

Sept - Nov 2020 - 15 mg Mirtazapine every other day

 

Supplements: B Complex, Magnesium, Fish Oil, Multivit, Q10, Vit D, Vit C

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...
Dee12h Rookie

Dee12h

Posted
Posted

Interesting. My guess is it would help if you are low but could cause issues/not help if you’re not. You might want to get tested (Dutch urine test is the best). I was on 100mg for PPD/A after child #2, and it made all the difference. Insomnia & anxiety went away as soon as my dose was strong enough. (Had to add St Johns Wort for depression to end- do not take this if on ssri.) After #3 I had it worse, but progesterone didn’t touch it (did suppositories 2nd time & cream 1st time, so that may have made a difference). None of this was related to WD, just thought I’d share bc it definitely affected my mood!

May 2019 started lexapro 2.5 mg; 2020 went to every other day; 2021 beginning of Mar, tried to stop but had insomnia; Mar 30, 2021 reinstated 1.25 ev other day, WD symptoms, not enough

April 19, 2021 started liquid, .85 mg/day; May 1, 2021 .8 mg/day; May 6, 2021 .75 mg/day; June 6, 2021 .7 mg/day, June 20, 2021 .65mg/day, June 30, 2021 .6mg/day, Jul 24 .55 mg/day, Oct 17 .5 mg/day, Dec 5- .45 mg/day; Jan 26, 2022- 4mg/day; April 18- .375 lex; April 24- .35 lex; April 29- .3 lex; Jun 12- .25 mg lex; Jun 28- .2 mg lex; Sept- .15 mg

Nov- .1 mg

Magnesium, ALA, melatonin or theanine as needed for sleep

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 6 months later...
LKB90 Newbie

LKB90

Posted
Posted
On 10/10/2021 at 11:03 PM, Altostrata said:

Yes, we see withdrawal syndrome very slowly fades over many months. Getting sleep is important to assist healing.

 

On 7/6/2019 at 4:29 PM, RuthS said:

          I started bio-identical progesterone after I completed my taper from all drugs and it made the biggest difference in my recovery.  I’ve been taking it for three months and I feel truly healed for the first time.  I have no symptoms whatsoever of depression or anxiety.  Anxiety, agitation, and insomnia were my biggest problems after stopping antidepressants.  After being on progesterone for 3 months, those symptoms are completely gone, even when I stop taking the progesterone for one week every month when I have a period.  I’m convinced the progesterone has healing effects.

 

          I am being monitored by a functional medicine doctor, who is going to test all my hormones, my methylation status, and my nutritional status (Nutreval by Genova Diagnostics) in August to see how the progesterone is affecting all systems in my body.  I’m guessing the lab results will be good because I keep getting better and better since I started taking bio-identical progesterone.  

 

On 7/6/2019 at 4:29 PM, RuthS said:

          I started bio-identical progesterone after I completed my taper from all drugs and it made the biggest difference in my recovery.  I’ve been taking it for three months and I feel truly healed for the first time.  I have no symptoms whatsoever of depression or anxiety.  Anxiety, agitation, and insomnia were my biggest problems after stopping antidepressants.  After being on progesterone for 3 months, those symptoms are completely gone, even when I stop taking the progesterone for one week every month when I have a period.  I’m convinced the progesterone has healing effects.

 

          I am being monitored by a functional medicine doctor, who is going to test all my hormones, my methylation status, and my nutritional status (Nutreval by Genova Diagnostics) in August to see how the progesterone is affecting all systems in my body.  I’m guessing the lab results will be good because I keep getting better and better since I started taking bio-identical progesterone.  

Dear Ruth, 

Can you please please update us how are you at the moment? Would help me enormously!

- Mirtazapine: 7.5 mg only occassionally

- Zoloft: 1.5 weeks 25 mg, 1 week 50 mg | stopped cold turkey | severe insomnia, digestion problems, suicidal thoughts, restlessness, disorientation, loose of feelings, sweating, incredibly rapid heartbeat

- Pregabalin: 8 days 75 mg

- Mirtazapine: 12 days 15 mg | stopped cold turkey | chronic insomnia, PGAD, digestion issues, sweating, anxtiety, depression

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Altostrata changed the title to Can progesterone & other hormones help people heal from psychiatric drug withdrawal?
 Share
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Terms of Use Privacy Policy

  I accept