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Seeking interview participants for research -- may I quote you?


pinarustel

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Dear members of the Surviving Antidepressants community, 

 

I am a PhD candidate in Social Work and Sociology at the University of Michigan, studying the processes of lay knowledge production around psychiatric drug withdrawal. I am interested in the ideas and perspectives of SA members on illness, health, and healing. To be more specific, my aim is to trace the processes through which people learn what they know on withdrawal, coin new terms to explain what they are going through, or develop new techniques to cope with the difficulties involved.

 

Part of my research consists of observing online spaces like this forum, where people share what has worked for them in their withdrawal journey. I am also interviewing people about their accounts of medication use and withdrawal.

 

A while ago I contacted Alto Strata to ask for her permission to observe the interactions on this website. I was particularly interested in the possibility of quoting some user posts in the written products. We agreed that I would have to introduce myself to community members first, answer the questions they might have, and ask for individual members' permission to use their words.

 

Based on this conversation, I am planning to write about the content of selected threads descriptively ("this is an issue that community members are discussing", "these are the points of contention", "these are the things that some people find helpful"). I will message members if I am interested in directly quoting something they have written. I will NOT use your words unless I have your permission. In the written products, I can refer to you as “a forum user” or use your forum handle, depending on your preference. 

 

Feel free to ask me any questions about the study, and give me feedback if you feel so inclined. I will have a separate post about interviews, but feel free to contact me if you are interested in being interviewed as well. Thank you!

 

My university profiles here (sociology) and here (social work)

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  • Administrator

Thank you, Pinar.

 

If you have any questions about Pinar's project, please post them here.

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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  • Moderator Emeritus

Hi!

Pinarustel  : I think this is a very very important work To do, and that every way might be interesting To use To get everybody knows this sanitary scandal

I totally encourage you!!! 

 

I'm curious: did you experiment WD ? What made you interested in this subject?

 

I did myself a lot of researches and have many articles on my computer  : they are all in French, so I don't know if it could interest you...Feel free To ask!

 

I won't propose you To be interviewed because of my poor English.

 

 

Finally, I wanna highlight the importance of Being very précautious : we all are here hyper sensitive, traumatized, going through hell sometimes. I think it is really important that you keep that in mind.

 

Have a great day!

2006 : 20mg Paxil+Bromazepam. 2008 : cold turkey of both. 2010 : Reinstatement 20mg Paxil + Bromazepam.

2014-June2017 : Switch from Bromazepam to Prazepam, slow taper to 0mg.

2018 to August 2019 : Paxil 20mg taper (3% every 15 days). 22 Aug 2019 updose to 10mg (was at 8.4mg).

25th Sept 2019 To April 2020 : found SA, holding at 10mg Paxil. 

April 2020 : Paxil 10mg to Prozac 7mg bridge. Details topic/21457

 

Current Supplements : magnesium citrate + fish oil

Current medication :

* 7pm Diazepam  : 0.85mg (15 Aug 2022) / 0.95 mg (24 April 2022) / 1mg Diazepam (since 29 Aug 2020)

* 8am Prozac : 6.16mg (25 oct 2022, feel awful, slight updose) / 6.08 mg (9 oct 2022) / 6.24mg (11 July 22) / 6.44mg (22 May 22) / 6.64mg (4 Nov 21) / 6.72mg (8 oct 21) / 6.8 mg (15 Sept 21)6.88mg (14 Aug 21)/ 6.92mg (23 Jun 21)

 

I am not a professional, I don't give medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Pinarustel,

 

Welcome to SA.  Sounds like a good project.

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 Valium taper at 6mg

End 2022 year 2 of Valium taper at 2.75mg 

End 2023 year 3 of Valium taper at 1mg

Jan. 24, 2024: Hold at 1mg and shift to Imipramine taper.

Taper is 95% 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

Jan. 24, 2024: Resume Imipramine taper.  Current dose as of Feb. 22: 7.6mg

Taper is 90% complete.  

  

Supplements: multiple, quercetin, omega-3, vitamins C, E and D3, magnesium glycinate, probiotics, zinc, melatonin .3mg, anti-candida, iron, serrapeptase, nattokinase


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.

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Welcome Pinarustel:

 

 I think it’s wonderful what you are doing.

 

 I hope you will be able to make some sort of difference with your research.

 

Take care,

 Frogie xx

PREVIOUS medications and discontinuations: Have been on medications since 1996. 

 Valium, Gabapentin, Lamictal, Prilosec and Zantac from 2000 to 2015 with a fast taper by a psychiatrist.

 Liquid Lexapro Nov, 2016 to 31-March, 2019 Lexapro free!!! (total Lexapro taper was 4 years-started with pill form)

---CURRENT MEDICATIONS:Supplements:Milk Thistle, Metamucil, Magnesium Citrate, Vitamin D3, Levothyroxine 25mcg, Vitamin C, Krill oil.

Xanax 1mg 3x day June, 2000 to 19-September, 2020 Went from .150 grams (average weight of 1 Xanax) 3x day to .003 grams 3x day. April 1, 2021 went back on 1mg a day. Started tapering May 19, 2023. July 28, 2023-approximately .87mg. Dr. fast tapered me at the end and realized he messed up. Prescribe it again and I am doing "slower than a turtle" taper.

19-September, 2020 Xanax free!!! (total Xanax taper was 15-1/2 months-1-June, 2019-19-September, 2020)

I am not a medical professional.

The suggestions I make are based on personal experience.

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I am glad to read this; sounds like you are doing valuable work. 

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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On 9/27/2019 at 5:41 AM, Erell said:

Hi!

Pinarustel  : I think this is a very very important work To do, and that every way might be interesting To use To get everybody knows this sanitary scandal

I totally encourage you!!! 

 

I'm curious: did you experiment WD ? What made you interested in this subject?

 

I did myself a lot of researches and have many articles on my computer  : they are all in French, so I don't know if it could interest you...Feel free To ask!

 

I won't propose you To be interviewed because of my poor English.

 

 

Finally, I wanna highlight the importance of Being very précautious : we all are here hyper sensitive, traumatized, going through hell sometimes. I think it is really important that you keep that in mind.

 

Have a great day!

 

Thanks everybody for your comments!

 

Erell, I would love to talk to you. English is not my first language either, and I happen to speak a little French. I'm really out of practice but this would be a good reason to work those muscles! I will send you a message about the interview and the articles you've mentioned.

 

How I got interested in this topic:

At the beginning, I had a very broad question that I wanted to follow - something like  "How do people talk about and interpret their mental health issues/distress?". I was interested in tracing how we develop the language for talking about depression and anxiety, and how we share our experiences with friends, family, and sometimes strangers. Do we use a biomedical framework? Do we develop our own vocabularies and metaphors? etc. This question, however, was super broad and I needed something more specific.

 

So I was spending a lot of time in online patient groups and reading the conversations. Then I realized that an important part of these online conversations were shaped around medication use, and people were helping each other reduce/come off their medications. I think I also saw Laura Delano's "The Withdrawal Project", and Icarus Project's "Harm Reduction Guide to Coming off Psychiatric Medications" around that time. I was intrigued by the level of detail, and by the fact that these guides were based, to a great extent, on people's lived experiences. Oh, around that time, there was also a NYT article on withdrawal... Anyway, I got increasingly interested in this topic and my question became more specific: Now I wanted to explore how people were talking about withdrawal, developing tapering strategies, reporting back their experiences to the online community. In short, a qualitative study of how people generate knowledge and navigate withdrawal. I think the connection is still there to the initial question, but now things are more specific and grounded.

I don't have first-hand experience of withdrawal. I have used SSRIs (escitalopram) before for short periods of time and didn't have problems when I tried to come off. I've greatly benefited, however, from psychodynamic psychotherapy in handling past trauma and attachment issues. I have a therapist that I like and trust, and I usually reach out to her when things get very overwhelming. 

 

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Dear members of the SA community,

 

I am a PhD candidate in Social Work and Sociology at the University of Michigan, studying the processes of lay knowledge production around psychiatric drug withdrawal. I am interested in the ideas and perspectives of SA members on illness, health, and healing. To be more specific, my aim is to trace the processes through which people learn what they know on withdrawal, coin new terms to explain what they are going through, or develop new techniques to cope with the difficulties involved. Last week I posted another announcement on SA about quoting user posts with permission.

 

I am also seeking interview participants! These can be Skype/Zoom/phone interviews, or, if you are located near me and open to meet in person, we can arrange a meeting. I can also interview two people at once if the presence of another person with lived experience would make you feel more comfortable. In short, I would like to do this on your terms, in a format that would make you feel comfortable. Interviews usually take about an hour. For accuracy and completeness, I would like your permission to tape-record the interview. As a token of appreciation for the effort you have taken, you will receive a $25 gift card.

 

My main questions will focus on how you have learned what you know about withdrawal, and how you are using this knowledge to support others. You will be able to skip any questions and end participation at any time. In order to protect your privacy, your name or other personal identifiers will not be included in project reports. 

 

If you are interested, please send me a message. I can provide more information and answer your questions. You can also post your questions in the comments below!

 

Thank you! 

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Hi pinarustel !

Thanks for your explainations! Hope you won't use SSRI's anymore ;)

 

Feel free To send me a message : all I can do To highlights  and explain our  situation Will make me happy!

 

Have a Nice day!

2006 : 20mg Paxil+Bromazepam. 2008 : cold turkey of both. 2010 : Reinstatement 20mg Paxil + Bromazepam.

2014-June2017 : Switch from Bromazepam to Prazepam, slow taper to 0mg.

2018 to August 2019 : Paxil 20mg taper (3% every 15 days). 22 Aug 2019 updose to 10mg (was at 8.4mg).

25th Sept 2019 To April 2020 : found SA, holding at 10mg Paxil. 

April 2020 : Paxil 10mg to Prozac 7mg bridge. Details topic/21457

 

Current Supplements : magnesium citrate + fish oil

Current medication :

* 7pm Diazepam  : 0.85mg (15 Aug 2022) / 0.95 mg (24 April 2022) / 1mg Diazepam (since 29 Aug 2020)

* 8am Prozac : 6.16mg (25 oct 2022, feel awful, slight updose) / 6.08 mg (9 oct 2022) / 6.24mg (11 July 22) / 6.44mg (22 May 22) / 6.64mg (4 Nov 21) / 6.72mg (8 oct 21) / 6.8 mg (15 Sept 21)6.88mg (14 Aug 21)/ 6.92mg (23 Jun 21)

 

I am not a professional, I don't give medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

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  • Altostrata changed the title to Seeking interview participants for research -- may I quote you?
  • Administrator

Hi, Pinar. No need to post another topic, it's best to keep discussion of your research in one place.

 

You might also look around in the Introductions forum and introduce yourself through the personal messaging to people you'd like to interview.

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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On 9/26/2019 at 9:22 PM, pinarustel said:

Dear members of the Surviving Antidepressants community, 

 

I am a PhD candidate in Social Work and Sociology at the University of Michigan, studying the processes of lay knowledge production around psychiatric drug withdrawal. I am interested in the ideas and perspectives of SA members on illness, health, and healing. To be more specific, my aim is to trace the processes through which people learn what they know on withdrawal, coin new terms to explain what they are going through, or develop new techniques to cope with the difficulties involved.

 

Part of my research consists of observing online spaces like this forum, where people share what has worked for them in their withdrawal journey. I am also interviewing people about their accounts of medication use and withdrawal.

 

A while ago I contacted Alto Strata to ask for her permission to observe the interactions on this website. I was particularly interested in the possibility of quoting some user posts in the written products. We agreed that I would have to introduce myself to community members first, answer the questions they might have, and ask for individual members' permission to use their words.

 

Based on this conversation, I am planning to write about the content of selected threads descriptively ("this is an issue that community members are discussing", "these are the points of contention", "these are the things that some people find helpful"). I will message members if I am interested in directly quoting something they have written. I will NOT use your words unless I have your permission. In the written products, I can refer to you as “a forum user” or use your forum handle, depending on your preference. 

 

Feel free to ask me any questions about the study, and give me feedback if you feel so inclined. I will have a separate post about interviews, but feel free to contact me if you are interested in being interviewed as well. Thank you!

 

My university profiles here (sociology) and here (social work)

How do I contact you directly 

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20 hours ago, pinarustel said:

How I got interested in this topic:

At the beginning, I had a very broad question that I wanted to follow - something like  "How do people talk about and interpret their mental health issues/distress?". I was interested in tracing how we develop the language for talking about depression and anxiety, and how we share our experiences with friends, family, and sometimes strangers. Do we use a biomedical framework? Do we develop our own vocabularies and metaphors? etc. This question, however, was super broad and I needed something more specific.

 

Have you read any of Dr. Thomas Szasz's writings? He addresses the concept of rhetoric and language within the "mental health" system. 

 

Szasz has written over 30 books and his work was instrumental in deinstitutionalization. If you haven't come across his writings and you're interested in reading them, you may want to start out with the book  Thomas Szasz - Primary Values and Major ContentionsThis book unpacks several key themes in Szasz's writings and is co-written by an attorney and a professor of rhetoric and communication (which is great for unpacking psychiatry's way of speaking and language).  This book was written to be used as a text for introduce students to Szasz's works without requiring they read the dozens of books he's written. 

 

Since some of us (though not all of us) with lived experience are getting an education in anti-psychiatry, you will sometimes read about terms like "depression" and "anxiety" being a metaphor for trauma or other non-medicalized issues and at times, political issues. The concept of "mental illness" as a myth and a metaphor is also used in these kinds of conversations. For this reason, Szasz's work can be very helpful. 

 

You may also be interested in these articles off the Mad in America (MiA) site in relation to how language is used, written in two parts:

 

Don’t Harm Them Twice: When the Language Surrounding Benzodiazepines Adds Insult to Injury (Part I)

 

Don’t Harm Them Twice (Part II): What Can Be Done?

 

 

Edited by Shep
fixed link

 

 

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Regular Doctors so need training on SSRI's. Over the 20 years I was on this stuff, I had 3 different Doctors and none of them would believe I was dependent on the drug and couldn't stop taking it. None of them believed there were withdrawal issues. None of them thought taking it for decades would cause me any problems. None of them would help me get off of it.

Here I am at age 61, off of Prozac for 17 months  with no help from a doctor and still feeling some lingering symptoms of withdrawal.

 

What keeps be going is having read that the average person feels normal again after 100 weeks so I hope to be normal again next spring.

 

Thanks,

Felkers

 

On 9/26/2019 at 4:22 PM, pinarustel said:

Dear members of the Surviving Antidepressants community, 

 

I am a PhD candidate in Social Work and Sociology at the University of Michigan, studying the processes of lay knowledge production around psychiatric drug withdrawal. I am interested in the ideas and perspectives of SA members on illness, health, and healing. To be more specific, my aim is to trace the processes through which people learn what they know on withdrawal, coin new terms to explain what they are going through, or develop new techniques to cope with the difficulties involved.

 

Part of my research consists of observing online spaces like this forum, where people share what has worked for them in their withdrawal journey. I am also interviewing people about their accounts of medication use and withdrawal.

 

A while ago I contacted Alto Strata to ask for her permission to observe the interactions on this website. I was particularly interested in the possibility of quoting some user posts in the written products. We agreed that I would have to introduce myself to community members first, answer the questions they might have, and ask for individual members' permission to use their words.

 

Based on this conversation, I am planning to write about the content of selected threads descriptively ("this is an issue that community members are discussing", "these are the points of contention", "these are the things that some people find helpful"). I will message members if I am interested in directly quoting something they have written. I will NOT use your words unless I have your permission. In the written products, I can refer to you as “a forum user” or use your forum handle, depending on your preference. 

 

Feel free to ask me any questions about the study, and give me feedback if you feel so inclined. I will have a separate post about interviews, but feel free to contact me if you are interested in being interviewed as well. Thank you!

 

My university profiles here (sociology) and here (social work)

 

Antidepressants 40 years. Been through all the popular brands. 15 yrs 40 mg prozac. Cold turkey date April 11, 2018, Still having withdrawal symptoms as of  June 11, 2018. U

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On 10/2/2019 at 12:34 PM, pinarustel said:

Dear members of the SA community,

 

I am a PhD candidate in Social Work and Sociology at the University of Michigan, studying the processes of lay knowledge production around psychiatric drug withdrawal. I am interested in the ideas and perspectives of SA members on illness, health, and healing. To be more specific, my aim is to trace the processes through which people learn what they know on withdrawal, coin new terms to explain what they are going through, or develop new techniques to cope with the difficulties involved. Last week I posted another announcement on SA about quoting user posts with permission.

 

I am also seeking interview participants! These can be Skype/Zoom/phone interviews, or, if you are located near me and open to meet in person, we can arrange a meeting. I can also interview two people at once if the presence of another person with lived experience would make you feel more comfortable. In short, I would like to do this on your terms, in a format that would make you feel comfortable. Interviews usually take about an hour. For accuracy and completeness, I would like your permission to tape-record the interview. As a token of appreciation for the effort you have taken, you will receive a $25 gift card.

 

My main questions will focus on how you have learned what you know about withdrawal, and how you are using this knowledge to support others. You will be able to skip any questions and end participation at any time. In order to protect your privacy, your name or other personal identifiers will not be included in project reports. 

 

If you are interested, please send me a message. I can provide more information and answer your questions. You can also post your questions in the comments below!

 

Thank you! 

Hi,

My desire is that more research is done on antidepressant withdrawal but that the medical community would actually listen and believe what patients tell them regarding their withdrawal experiences. Unfortunately doctor's listen to the drug manufacturers. They, of course, lose millions of dollars if we stop taking their product. So instead, they make new drugs to "help" with symptoms, but instead just add to the problem. Most doctors are just "practicing medicine" and throw any and all drugs at the patient and hope one sticks. I mean it is almost impossible to find a current or past antidepressant user who has only ever taken one antidepressant.  It's madness! The side effects are usually not even explained by most doctors but instead hold the "buyer beware" mindset and it all falls on the patient.  So, if this project of yours will actually help this field of medicine, I'm all for it. 

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Hello. I agree with what Tbug said. The medical community needs to recognize withdrawal symptoms and how disabling they can be. I was on Lexapro for only 2 months and stopped it cold turkey. I had a horrible reaction and was immediately in withdrawal but had no idea what was happening to me because my doctor NEVER mentioned tapering or withdrawal. After researching the drug, I expressed my concerns to her, she told me I was not on it long enough for it to cause any problems. She also told me that when I go to pick up my next prescription, not to read the paper that lists the all the warnings and side effects. She told me to just throw it out. And so I ended up in the psychiatric ward confused and frightened. I was in withdrawal and didn't know it. And for the next 8 months, I was switched around on more drugs that just made everything worse. I was labeled psychotic! These drugs don't cure chemical imbalances, they create them!

Gemma92's signature(now Gem92) (added in by mod mmt 4/23/22)

90s and 2008:Prozac for a year

2016:ADHD drug for a few months CT 2017:Right thyroid removed. 

May-June 2018: Lexapro 10-20mg. July 4th 2018 Lex CT and took Penicillin, Z-pack.

August 2018: 3rd antibiotic and Effexor for 5 days CT. 

September 2018: Lexapro 5mg (CT after month) Ativan 1-.5mg(CT after 2 weeks) and Hydroxyine 50mg (2 weeks) SEVERE REACTIONS AND SEVERE WITHDRAWAL

October 2018: Ashwahganda 2 weeks, Probiotics 2 weeks. Mirt 15mg 6 days CT Oct- Nov 2018: gaba gummies, cbd oil, magnesium. December 2018: Mirt 7.5mg, 15mg, 30mg, Zyprexa 2.5mg, 5mg for 1 week back to 2.5mg. 4th antibiotic used. Hydroxyine. Jan 2019: Mirtazapine 26.5mg. Different brands used when hospitalized. Hydroxyine.

Feb 2019: Mirtazapine 22.5mg, 15mg. Zyprexa 2.5mg CT. Prozac 1 pill, Trazadone 4 pills, Hydroxyine few pills, INJECTED with steroids, antibiotics and pain killers for 2 days. Took high doses of benadryl a few times, few more pain killers

June 2019: Mirt 14.5mg-13.5mg Sept 2019: 13mg, 12mg, sep 25th 11 mg. 
4/22/22- 6.3mg (Tapering between 2 and 3% every 2 weeks). 11/27/2022- 5.4mg 
1/8/23- 5.25mg 1/30/23-5.2mg 2/22/23-5.15mg 3/10/23-5.1mg 4/4/23-5.05mg 4/16/23-5mg

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On 10/2/2019 at 3:34 PM, pinarustel said:

For accuracy and completeness, I would like your permission to tape-record the interview. As a token of appreciation for the effort you have taken, you will receive a $25 gift card.

 

Pinarustel, you may not be familiar with the level of financial corruption that's deeply embedded in the mental health system. The fact that you're compensating people, even at this small level, will mean that ethically you'll have to disclose the fact that your research participants were paid. If this isn't disclosed, you'll risk anyone criticizing your work making this known in a way that could show your work as biased. This will not help us, although that may not be the real intent of your research, as is the case in a lot of academic work. 

 

Also, should you decide to criticize the mental health system in your paper for its level of financial corruption, your own research is tainted from doing the same thing that you're criticizing others for doing. 

 

I really don't think you understand how much people want to get their stories out there. You don't need to taint your research by paying participants. People want their voices heard. 

 

The payment we want is for this psychiatric oppression to stop. 

 

 

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4 minutes ago, Shep said:

 

Pinarustel, you may not be familiar with the level of financial corruption that's deeply embedded in the mental health system. The fact that you're compensating people, even at this small level, will mean that ethically you'll have to disclose the fact that your research participants were paid. If this isn't disclosed, you'll risk anyone criticizing your work making this known in a way that could show your work as biased. This will not help us, although that may not be the real intent of your research, as is the case in a lot of academic work. 

 

Also, should you decide to criticize the mental health system in your paper for its level of financial corruption, your own research is tainted from doing the same thing that you're criticizing others for doing. 

 

I really don't think you understand how much people want to get their stories out there. You don't need to taint your research by paying participants. People want their voices heard. 

 

The payment we want is for this psychiatric oppression to stop. 

 

 

Totally, deeply agree with Shep.

2006 : 20mg Paxil+Bromazepam. 2008 : cold turkey of both. 2010 : Reinstatement 20mg Paxil + Bromazepam.

2014-June2017 : Switch from Bromazepam to Prazepam, slow taper to 0mg.

2018 to August 2019 : Paxil 20mg taper (3% every 15 days). 22 Aug 2019 updose to 10mg (was at 8.4mg).

25th Sept 2019 To April 2020 : found SA, holding at 10mg Paxil. 

April 2020 : Paxil 10mg to Prozac 7mg bridge. Details topic/21457

 

Current Supplements : magnesium citrate + fish oil

Current medication :

* 7pm Diazepam  : 0.85mg (15 Aug 2022) / 0.95 mg (24 April 2022) / 1mg Diazepam (since 29 Aug 2020)

* 8am Prozac : 6.16mg (25 oct 2022, feel awful, slight updose) / 6.08 mg (9 oct 2022) / 6.24mg (11 July 22) / 6.44mg (22 May 22) / 6.64mg (4 Nov 21) / 6.72mg (8 oct 21) / 6.8 mg (15 Sept 21)6.88mg (14 Aug 21)/ 6.92mg (23 Jun 21)

 

I am not a professional, I don't give medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

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Thanks everybody for your contributions to this thread. Apologies for the delayed response, I was dealing with health issues this week.

I'm going to try and address your comments one by one.

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On 10/4/2019 at 7:43 AM, Shep said:

 

Pinarustel, you may not be familiar with the level of financial corruption that's deeply embedded in the mental health system. The fact that you're compensating people, even at this small level, will mean that ethically you'll have to disclose the fact that your research participants were paid. If this isn't disclosed, you'll risk anyone criticizing your work making this known in a way that could show your work as biased. This will not help us, although that may not be the real intent of your research, as is the case in a lot of academic work. 

 

Also, should you decide to criticize the mental health system in your paper for its level of financial corruption, your own research is tainted from doing the same thing that you're criticizing others for doing. 

 

I really don't think you understand how much people want to get their stories out there. You don't need to taint your research by paying participants. People want their voices heard. 

 

The payment we want is for this psychiatric oppression to stop. 

 

 

Shep, thank you for your comment.

 

I disclose in the methodology section that I compensate interviewees for their time and effort. This is made possible by way of small research grants through the University and is common practice, as long as you write openly about it. The amount is very small and considered non-coercive by the Institutional Review Board at the University.

 

I am receiving mixed feedback on this. For instance, earlier in the process, someone criticized me because they assumed I was not compensating people. They thought I either had to include interviewees as co-authors (which would not be possible with 50-60 interview participants), or compensate them for their time. Their reasoning was that people in withdrawal support groups were already doing the "unpaid and unacknowledged work” of caring for each other/healing; and that I should be offering something, however small, in order to not perpetuate the same pattern of exploitation.

 

Some people accepted the gift cards but emphasized that they were not doing the interview for the compensation. One person thanked me and said they were going to donate the money (the equivalent of the gift card) to BIC - Benzodiazepine Information Coalition. I can include these different reactions in the final version of the methods section, including your comment & criticism, so that readers develop a sense of the range of responses to this practice. 

 

I understand your concern about findings being discarded as biased, and I would like to talk more about this if you are available. In comparison to the financial power of the industry, what I offer (and my entire budget) is very small, if not totally insignificant. But I deeply care about the transparency of the work that I do, and I want it to represent your point of view as well. I look forward to discussing this further.

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17 hours ago, pinarustel said:

I am receiving mixed feedback on this. For instance, earlier in the process, someone criticized me because they assumed I was not compensating people. They thought I either had to include interviewees as co-authors (which would not be possible with 50-60 interview participants), or compensate them for their time. Their reasoning was that people in withdrawal support groups were already doing the "unpaid and unacknowledged work” of caring for each other/healing; and that I should be offering something, however small, in order to not perpetuate the same pattern of exploitation.

 

Some people accepted the gift cards but emphasized that they were not doing the interview for the compensation. One person thanked me and said they were going to donate the money (the equivalent of the gift card) to BIC - Benzodiazepine Information Coalition. I can include these different reactions in the final version of the methods section, including your comment & criticism, so that readers develop a sense of the range of responses to this practice. 

 

Thank you for your explanation, Pina. I'm sure you are getting mixed results, as you're drawing from a wide pool of very diverse people. Sounds like you're covering your bases with your disclosure. 

Edited by Shep
fixed typo

 

 

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Hi pinarustel,

 

I don't wish to be interviewed but, I wanted to ask if you might include a particular question of interviewees? 

 

One thing a number of us who have had bad reactions to antidepressants and a withdrawal syndrome coming off of them have been finding is that we develop sensitivities to certain things, such as certain foods or medications.   Doctors tend not to know much of anything about this so this leaves people vulnerable when needing medical treatment, as they won't be able to predict very well how well they can tolerate it.  I was wondering if you would be able to ask interviewees if they have experienced issues with foods, pills, other sorts of medical treatments like say anesthetics, alcohol, etc...after having been harmed by antidepressants, so that we can have a sense of how common this may be, in order to work towards building awareness of this problem.

 

Thank you for your consideration in this matter and I hope that your research goes well!

I am not a medical professional and nothing I say is a medical opinion or meant to be medical advice, please seek a competent and trusted medical professional to consult for all medical decisions.

 

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@pinarustel this topic was also posted to our Facebook group. Some people there are interested in talking to you. See

 

 

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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Pina, Please contact me privately and I will be happy to spend whatever time you need answering your questions to the best of my ability.

 

I am not a health professional in any way.  I do not give medical advice.   Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a professional medical practitioner.

 

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Medications: Gabapentin, Prednisone 1.5mg a day, Cortisol Inhaler daily. 

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • Mentor
On 10/2/2019 at 3:34 PM, pinarustel said:

As a token of appreciation for the effort you have taken, you will receive a $25 gift card.

 

what sort of gift card?  if participants are anonymous, how will they get this gift card?

I know reasonable ppl may disagree but since I was severely damaged by the so called mental "health" system while they profited in many different ways, and because I know it is common practice to offer small bits of compensation for participating in research projects *and* since I live on a very low fixed income,  $25 is a pretty decent amount of money to me, and could make the difference between me having to walk every where or being able to hop on the bus sometimes, just as an example.

 

I've already participated but haven't heard any more about the gift card that was mentioned here.  I did NOT participate simply for the $25, I was hoping that the truth about these drugs got some more exposure.   However, I did expect to at least be offered the gift card at the end of the interview, which ran almost 2 hrs and was very emotionally draining.

 

I'm waiting to hear back about it. 

 

 

 

 

  • pysch med history: 1974 @ age 18 to Oct 2017 (approx 43 yrs total) 
  •  Drug list: stelazine, haldol, elavil, lithium, zoloft, celexa, lexapro(doses as high as 40mgs), klonopin, ambien, seroquel(high doses), depakote, zyprexa, lamictal- plus brief trials of dozens of other psych meds over the years
  • started lexapro 2002, dose varied from 20mgs to 40mgs. First attempt to get off it was 2007- WD symptoms were mistaken for "relapse". 
  •  2013 too fast taper down to 5mg but WD forced me back to 20mgs
  •  June of 2105, tapered again too rapidly to 2.5mgs by Dec 2015. Found SA, held at 2.5 mgs til May 2016 when I foolishly "jumped off". felt ok until  Sept, then acute WD hit!!  reinstated at 0.3mgs in Oct. 2106
  • Tapered off to zero by  Oct. 2017 Doing very well. 
  • Nov. 2018 feel 95% healed, age 63 
  • Jan. 2020 feel 100% healed, peaceful and content
  • Dec 2023 Loving life! ❤️ with all it's ups and downs ;) 
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1 hour ago, Happy2Heal said:

 

what sort of gift card?  if participants are anonymous, how will they get this gift card?

I use an email address or phone number you have already provided. I don't have to know your name or any other information.

I just re-sent yours and I think this time it went through! 

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5 hours ago, pinarustel said:

I use an email address or phone number you have already provided. I don't have to know your name or any other information.

I just re-sent yours and I think this time it went through! 

 

 

I got it, thank you so much.

 

 

 

  • pysch med history: 1974 @ age 18 to Oct 2017 (approx 43 yrs total) 
  •  Drug list: stelazine, haldol, elavil, lithium, zoloft, celexa, lexapro(doses as high as 40mgs), klonopin, ambien, seroquel(high doses), depakote, zyprexa, lamictal- plus brief trials of dozens of other psych meds over the years
  • started lexapro 2002, dose varied from 20mgs to 40mgs. First attempt to get off it was 2007- WD symptoms were mistaken for "relapse". 
  •  2013 too fast taper down to 5mg but WD forced me back to 20mgs
  •  June of 2105, tapered again too rapidly to 2.5mgs by Dec 2015. Found SA, held at 2.5 mgs til May 2016 when I foolishly "jumped off". felt ok until  Sept, then acute WD hit!!  reinstated at 0.3mgs in Oct. 2106
  • Tapered off to zero by  Oct. 2017 Doing very well. 
  • Nov. 2018 feel 95% healed, age 63 
  • Jan. 2020 feel 100% healed, peaceful and content
  • Dec 2023 Loving life! ❤️ with all it's ups and downs ;) 
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7 hours ago, Happy2Heal said:

the interview, which ran almost 2 hrs and was very emotionally draining.

 

I'm glad you did it, though, since I know you have good information to share and it's important. 

 

and I'm glad you finally got the compensation!  every little bit helps, right?

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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  • 2 weeks later...

@pinarustel,

 

Are you still doing this research?  I may be interested in an interview.  I would like to find out a little more about it.  I live in Ohio so I may even be able to meet you in person, depending on the distance.  It is good to see researchers taking an interest in antidepressant withdrawal.  Research is much needed in this area. 

1993-2000: Zoloft few months CT, Prozac 1-2 yrs, Ritalin PRN

2002/2003: Wellbutrin,  Paxil 25mg FT, and Xanax PRN CT (all 3 to 6 months), Adderal 40mg, Strattera 40mg

2003- 2016: Effexor XR 75 mg to 150 mg., Strattera (2002-2008)

2017: Effexor XR 225 mg. Gabapentin 300 mg. Elavil 25 mg.

2018: (Sept.) Effexor XR 187.5 mg, Zoloft 10 mg. (OCT.) FT off Gabapentin (NOV.) FT off Elavil (DEC) FT Effexor to 150 mg.

2019: (JAN.) D/C Zoloft, added Viibryd 10mg (FEB) CT Viibryd, (MAR) Prozac bridge, Effexor xr 112.5mg, (Sept.) Effexor XR 112.5 mg + 0.4 mg (1 bead), (Oct.) Effexor XR 112.5mg, (Dec.28) start 10% taper Effexor XR 101.25 mg, 

2020: (Jan. 25) Effexor XR 91 mg., (Feb. 22) Effexor xr 82 mg., (Mar. 21) 75 mg. 

Supplements:  Vitamin D 5000 IU topical, Probiotic 6 billion CFU, Epsom salt bath 1C 2 to 3 X week, California Poppy 2 droppers, various essential oils 

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/21446-superwoman-effexor-taper/page/8/?tab=comments#comment-475779

 

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On 11/26/2019 at 11:25 AM, Superwoman said:

@pinarustel,

 

Are you still doing this research?  I may be interested in an interview.  I would like to find out a little more about it.  I live in Ohio so I may even be able to meet you in person, depending on the distance.  It is good to see researchers taking an interest in antidepressant withdrawal.  Research is much needed in this area. 

 

Yes, I am still conducting interviews. Thanks a lot for your interest! I will send you a direct message.

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  • 2 months later...

I realize I’m late to the party but feel free to message me if you’re still looking for people to interview. Happy to hear you’re doing this! 

December 2013- zoloft 100mg, tapered off in April 13

January 2015- zoloft 100mg for ppd

March 2016- switched to celexa but tapered quickly April 2016 after significant new SE

August 2016- prescribed buspar but September 2016- switched from buspar to wellbutrin, then again to Effexor xr 75mg because of SI

July 2017- failed tapered off 75mg effexor and reinstated September 2017 effexor 37.5mg 

June 2018- too quickly tapered effexor 37.5mg, reinstated at 18.75mg,; april 2019 started taper using brassmonkey sliding scale 

**currently at 7.9 7/31/2020 , still tapering! 

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