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Jordan Peterson and his Benzodiazepine / Akathisia Experience


India

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Jordan Update February 2020         "Hi everyone, it’s been months since we’ve given an update on Jordan and my family’s health and it’s time for one so here goes. The last year has been extremely difficult for our family. Dad was put on a low dose of a benzodiazepine a few years ago for anxiety following an extremely severe autoimmune reaction to food. He took the medication as prescribed. Last April when my mom was diagnosed with terminal cancer, the dose of the medication was increased. It became apparent that he was suffering from both a physical dependency and a paradoxical reaction to the medication. A paradoxical reaction means the drugs do the opposite of what they’re supposed to. These reactions are rare but are not unheard of. For the last 8 months he’s been in unbearable discomfort from this drug, made worse when trying to remove it, because of the addition of withdrawal symptoms, stemming from physical dependence. He experienced terrible akathisia, which is a condition where the person feels an incredible, endless, irresistible restlessness, bordering on panic, and an inability to sit still. The reaction made him suicidal.  After several failed treatment attempts in North American hospitals, including attempts at tapering and micro-tapering, we had to seek an emergency medical benzodiazepine detox, which we were only able to find in Russia. It was incredibly gruelling, and was further complicated by severe pneumonia which we’ve been told he developed in one of the previous hospitals. He’s had to spend 4 weeks in the ICU in terrible shape, but, with the help of some extremely competent and courageous doctors, he survived.  The decision to bring him to Russia was made in extreme desperation, when we couldn’t find any better option. The uncertainty around his recovery has been one of the most difficult and scary experiences we’ve ever had. So: Finally Dad is on the mend, even though there’s a lot of physiological damage that he needs to recover from. He’s improving, and is off the horrible medication. His sense of humour is back. He’s smiling again for the first time in months, but he still has a long way to go to recover fully. It appears that we are going to get through this by the skin of our teeth. So let me make a couple of things clear: 1.    Neither our family nor the doctors here believe that this is  a case of psychological addiction.  2. Benzodiazepine physical dependence due to brain changes can occur in a matter of weeks. It can be made even worse by paradoxical reactions that are difficult to diagnose, and can be extremely dangerous. 3.    We’ve been told and hope that Dad will recover fully but it will take time and he still has a ways to go. 4.    We are extremely lucky and grateful that he’s alive. The next update will come from him directly. Thanks again for all the support. Previous update: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPwai...

1999:  Paroxetine (20mg). Age 16. 2007-2008: Fluoxetine (Prozac) for 1.5 years (age 25) Citalopram 20mg 2002-2005, 2009: Escitalopram (20mg), 2 weeks, (age 26) (adverse  reaction)/*Valium 5mg/Temazepam 10mg 2010: Mirtazipine (Remeron)( do not remember dosage) 2010, 5 months.                     2010-2017: Citalopram (20mg) (age 27 to 34) 2016: i.1st Sept- 31st Oct Citalopram 10mg , ii.1st November 2017-30th November 2017, Citalopram 5mg iii.1st December 2017- 4th February 2018, Citalopram 0mg, iv.5th February 2018- March 2018 Citalopram 5mg (10mg every other day) 28th February- tried titration of 5mg ( some adverse effects)

2018: 1st March 2018- 1st June Citalopram 10 mg (tablet form) /started titration 8mg , then 7 mg.2018: June 15th- 10th July Citalopram 10 mg pill every other day 2018: 10th July - 13th Sept Citalopram- 0mg  (CBD oil first month of 0mg, passiflora on and off) 2018 13th Sept Citalopram  2mg ,  approx 16th Sept 4mg , approx 25th Sept 6mg held.  2019: 11 Feb 19: 7mg (instant bad rxn) 12 Feb 19 6mg held 1 May 19 5.4mg held 5 Oct 19 5.36mg 22 Oct 19 5.29mg 30 Oct 19 5.23mg 4/NOV/19 5.18mg 12 Nov 19 5.08mg 20 Nov 19 4.77mg 7 May 22 2.31mg 17/09/2023 0.8mg

(Herbal/Supplements since 1st September: Omega Fish Oil 1200mg, 663mg of EPA- 2 tablets a day, magnesium and magnesium bath salts)

I did not die, and yet I lost life’s breath
- Dante
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@India

 

Thanks for posting this.  I knew he was on AD's, at least last I heard, I think Zoloft and possibly Wellbutrin, but had no idea he was on benzos.  These drugs are so treacherous.

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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  • Administrator

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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I've been following this story and also was surprised to learn he'd been on benzos. I knew about the Wellbutrin (or Hellbutrin as I see someone here has renamed it.)

 

God, that family have had a crappy time over the last year.. 

January 2008 to April 2015 Citalopram 20mg to 5mg, reducing in 50 per cent leaps. Jumped off at 5mg

March 2016 used MDMA triggered setback

April 2016 Citalopram 10mg October 2016 cut to 5mg, May 2017 cut to 2.5mg

May 2018 used MDMA triggered setback

June 2018 Citalopram 2.5mg up to 10mg, then back to 5mg

July/ August 2018 7.5mg, then 10mg

June 2019 updosed to 20mg Citalopram

August 2019 cold switch to Venlafaxine 75mg XR

Supplements; 1100mg fish oil daily; also 100mg Magnesium Glycinate. Tried Vagifem 10mcg from mid May 2021 to mid June 2021; caused depression, so stopped.

 

 

 

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Clinical Psychologist discusses Jordan Peterson.  

 

 

Current Dose

0.5mcg Clonidine and 1.25 Diazepam PRN for treatment of iatrogenic hypertension. 

2010 .Prescribed Pristiq 100 mg in July by GP

2010 .Reduced to 50mg by splitting and weighing. Held at 50mg

2014. Reduced from 50-35 .Held at 35mg. 

2017. Taper from 35mg commenced using compounded Desvenlafaxine

2018. 23/06 13.5mg. 21/07  12.5mg. 25/08 11.5mg. 09/2018 10mg. 14/11 11mg (updose) 21/11 -12mg (updose)

2019. Still holding at 12mg and stuck. 

2020. January 2019 Prozac Bridge-- Prozac 2.5 to 10mg and

Pristiq 23rd Jan 6mg/ 27th Jan 5mg/ 28th Jan 3mg/ 30 Jan 0

Prozac 6th Feb 9.5mg. Vitamin D3 5000iu with K2

Magnesium Glycinate with Glycine and Passionflower  600mg 

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  • 3 weeks later...

He was on large dose of Clonazepam and had bad addiction. Often he can’t get meds and was searching for help in the hospital’s emergencies. I know this from close people and believe me there was very high doses. Don’t be scared. It’s not from one pill per day.

AD: Seroxat since 2005 20 mg and tapering from March 2018 10% every 4 weeks.

15-11-2019 down to 5.5 mg 

28-12-2019 crashed really bad on 5.5mg 

01-01-2020 updose to 7mg

16-01-2020 Updose to 9 mg

 

Benzos: Bromazepam 1.5 mg daily since 2015

Quit CT Bromazepam 16-01-2020 No withdrawals 

Occasionally 1.5 mg extra

Last extra 1.5 mg 12-01-2020

 

 

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He is another victim of pharmas and ignorant practitioners. Another sad story - like many we have prsonal contact with.

 

 

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On 3/4/2020 at 5:15 PM, pinciukas said:

He was on large dose of Clonazepam and had bad addiction. Often he can’t get meds and was searching for help in the hospital’s emergencies. I know this from close people and believe me there was very high doses. Don’t be scared. It’s not from one pill per day.

This is not correct. Physical dependence can occur from low doses taken only once a day. 

Current Dose

0.5mcg Clonidine and 1.25 Diazepam PRN for treatment of iatrogenic hypertension. 

2010 .Prescribed Pristiq 100 mg in July by GP

2010 .Reduced to 50mg by splitting and weighing. Held at 50mg

2014. Reduced from 50-35 .Held at 35mg. 

2017. Taper from 35mg commenced using compounded Desvenlafaxine

2018. 23/06 13.5mg. 21/07  12.5mg. 25/08 11.5mg. 09/2018 10mg. 14/11 11mg (updose) 21/11 -12mg (updose)

2019. Still holding at 12mg and stuck. 

2020. January 2019 Prozac Bridge-- Prozac 2.5 to 10mg and

Pristiq 23rd Jan 6mg/ 27th Jan 5mg/ 28th Jan 3mg/ 30 Jan 0

Prozac 6th Feb 9.5mg. Vitamin D3 5000iu with K2

Magnesium Glycinate with Glycine and Passionflower  600mg 

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4 hours ago, Andie said:

This is not correct. Physical dependence can occur from low doses taken only once a day. 

As you develop physical tolerance, you require either a higher dose to get the same effect of what you saw before, or essentially people just start getting a breakthrough of all their anxiety symptoms. He knew it and he was 10 years on benzos. He was on very high dose. 

AD: Seroxat since 2005 20 mg and tapering from March 2018 10% every 4 weeks.

15-11-2019 down to 5.5 mg 

28-12-2019 crashed really bad on 5.5mg 

01-01-2020 updose to 7mg

16-01-2020 Updose to 9 mg

 

Benzos: Bromazepam 1.5 mg daily since 2015

Quit CT Bromazepam 16-01-2020 No withdrawals 

Occasionally 1.5 mg extra

Last extra 1.5 mg 12-01-2020

 

 

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  • 3 months later...

Jordan Petersons first appearance since hes benzo hell.

 

Warning ,this will be highly triggering ,so dont watch if it will trigger you.

Prescribers will surely wake up after someone so high profile is speaking out .

 

 

Edited by ChessieCat
added topic title

Alcohol free since February 2015 

1MG diazepam

4.5MG PROZAC.

 

 

 

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Very compelling. It is unfortunate he gave a shout out to supposed 'long term efficacy' of SSRI's.....which we all know is BS. And it is unfortunate they couldn't mention the other toxic crap that causes akathesia and withdrawal hell/nightmares (antipsychotics).....but at least it is raising awareness of how little psych docs know and how utterly useless they are.

 

Thanks for posting!

2016 - Oct -Daughter started Risperdal (for steroid induced psychosis that never went away after stopping prednisone)

Nov - dose increases stopped at 1.5mg in Dec

2017 - Jan- weaned from 1.5 to 1.0 in 2 weeks then 1.0 to .5 in two weeks and then off. Feb. 3 weeks of increased psychosis, pacing, insomnia, other awful symptoms so late Feb  - Back on 1.5 mg Risperdal. May  - decrease to 1.25mg, two weeks later 1.0mg - symptoms started again. June - held steady at 1.25mg for 6 weeks and switched to liquid (3 ml syringe). July - started 10% taper every 3 weeks, October -  .8 mg, December - .7 mg .

2018 -Jan- 0.65 mg,  Feb- 0.59,  Mar-0.50, late April - .40mg, July- .36 mg, Aug - switched from 3 mL syringe to 1 mL syringe for more accuracy (her dad and i were not sure we were giving her the same dose when in between the 'dashes' on the 3 mL syringe.) Aug -.30 mg (3mL syr)/.44 mg (1 mL syr) difference due to med in the tip of both syringes). Sept- .28 mg (3mL syr)/.42 mg (1 mL syr). Oct - .16 mg (3 mL syr)/.30 mg (1 mL syr). Nov.- .06mg (3mL syr)/.20 mg (1mLsyr). Dec. - tip only/unmeasurable (3mL syr)/.10 mg (1mLsyr)

2019- Jan -.06 mg (1 mL syr), Feb- .025 mg (1 mL syr), Feb 27, 2019 - jumped to zero!!

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I just came here to post this article and saw someone beat me to it.  In my opinion, it seems he is still learning about Benzos, and is still not out of the woods....He says he feels quite a bit better, but seems to have been given some other kind of drug(s) in Serbia, where he is now, and he doesn't say what the drug is.  He mentions ketamine, which was given to him earlier, in order to help wean him off the benzo, but it would be interesting to know if and what other drugs were prescribed to him in Canada by psychiatrists to deal with the benzo withdrawal.    

It would be interesting too to know what benzo he was taking because, as many of us know, they have different half lives, and this affects the symptoms one has.  For example, Ativan has a short half life, and people often feel inter-dose withdrawals as a result, whereas valium has a much longer half life, and so switching to valium, a la the Ashton Taper, smooths out and eliminates the interdose withdrawals.

Interestingly, he mentioned the Ashton Method for tapering and said it did not "work" for him.... I really question whether he gave it enough of a try, whether he was too impatient.  The cross-over often takes time, weeks, and even sometimes a couple of months, and it then it takes a while to stabilize before you can start tapering.  And I get the sense that he likely gave up too quickly, and then moved on in desperation to try to find another solution, which made things even worse.

He did mention taking an SSRI, I think, for a prolonged time.   Could his anxiety for which he had been prescribed benzos ( I think he said in  2014? or 2012? --), been related somehow to his SSRI?  It's hard to know as he did not say when and if he had stopped the SSRI(s).  In the interview, he has not put forward his whole psych drug history as we do in our "signature lines" .  Without knowing that, it is hard to assess what exactly is going on with him. 

I wonder also if he was not as wealthy as he is, if he did not have the option of flying from country to country searching for a solution, and if the only feasible option he had was to be patient and stick with the Ashton taper, he would have stabilized, then tapered successfully.  I wonder too, if he had just joined benzo buddies or this group, and tapered along with us, whether he could have avoided all the extremes he went through, e.g. induced coma in Russia, etc.  In his case, I think being wealthy and famous probably was a hinderance. Most of us here have no other options other than staying in our own homes, and in our desperation, we come here, and find a community of supportive people who hold our hand, who have walked the path and know the way. With the sheer number of people here, our collective knowledge is great; no matter how weird the symptoms are, there is someone here who has gone through it before, and can tell and reassure us from first-hand experience that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and how best to get there.  

Anyway, he has woken up to the danger of Benzos, and is waking up to the danger of psych drugs, but still not totally aware... It is good though that he has put the dangers on the radar by sharing his experience in this video.

200 Zoloft; 10 mg Zyprexa; 4 mg valium as of May 2021;  Valium taper: July 16: 3.5 valium; July 30: 3 mg (paused valium taper); Aug. 23: 2.5 mg
Zyprexa: July 26: 8.75 mg; Aug. 9: 7.5 mg; Aug. 30: 7.1 mg

-------
Dec 1, 2016. 10 mg zyprexa for 1.5 month. Started taper mid-Jan. 2017. Cut 1.25 mg every 2 weeks; smaller cuts 2.5 mg down. Stopped at .6 mg. May 7, 2017: zyprexa free. 
Zoloft: Dec1, 2016, 200 mg. Started taper: Jun12, 2017: 197.5 mg; Jun19,:195 mg; July 2:185mg; July 9,:180 mg; July16,: 175; July 23: 170; July 30: 165; Aug6: 160; Aug13: 155; Aug. 20: 150; Aug.27: 146 mg; Sept3: 145 mg; Sept10:143 mg; Sept17:140 mg....Nov5: 122 mg...Dec3:112.5 mg; Jan14, 2018: 95 mg...Jan28: 90 mg; Feb21:80 mg; Mar11: 75 mg; May2:70 mg; May15: 68 mg; May28: 65 mg; Jun9: 62 mg;Jun25: 60 mg:July22: 55 mg; Aug25: 45 mg. Aug28: 50 mg...Oct 28: 38 mg; Dec.4: 30 mg; Jan8,2019: 25mg; Feb6: 23.5 mg; Apr1:17.5mg; May1:1 mg; May 5: 18;  May 18:15mg; June 16:12.5mg; Sept 10:11 mg; Sept.16:10 mg; Oct. 1: 9mg; Nov. 27: 8mg; Dec.5: 7mg; Jan.1,2020, 6 mg; Feb1: 5 mg; May 1: 2.5 mg; Jn 1: 2 mg; Jy 1: 1.5 mg

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17 hours ago, Madeleine said:

He did mention taking an SSRI, I think, for a prolonged time.   Could his anxiety for which he had been prescribed benzos ( I think he said in  2014? or 2012? --), been related somehow to his SSRI?  It's hard to know as he did not say when and if he had stopped the SSRI(s).  In the interview, he has not put forward his whole psych drug history as we do in our "signature lines" .  Without knowing that, it is hard to assess what exactly is going on with him. 


Possibly, however I believe that he did experience both anxiety and major depression for some time before taking medication. His daughter has had similar issues, amongst other things. 
It was only until recently that they both reduced medications when Mikhaila went to an all beef diet and found reprieve. Pretty fascinating and for me it makes me think of the microbiotal effects of psychiatric drugs in comparison to dietary changes.
They both talk about their experiences in other videos with the diet and their health history, moreso Mikhaila. 
 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqXZY3B-cGo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6g_geYeL4U

 

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Full interview with Robert witacker  below .

 

Alcohol free since February 2015 

1MG diazepam

4.5MG PROZAC.

 

 

 

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On 7/1/2020 at 4:17 PM, Madeleine said:

It would be interesting too to know what benzo he was taking

He says in the interview it was Clonazepam (Klonopin).

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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Merged the Jordan Peterson topics into 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.

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Merged another Jordan Peterson topic into this one.

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

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

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On 7/2/2020 at 11:14 AM, Shishacoda said:


Possibly, however I believe that he did experience both anxiety and major depression for some time before taking medication. His daughter has had similar issues, amongst other things. 
It was only until recently that they both reduced medications when Mikhaila went to an all beef diet and found reprieve. Pretty fascinating and for me it makes me think of the microbiotal effects of psychiatric drugs in comparison to dietary changes.
They both talk about their experiences in other videos with the diet and their health history, moreso Mikhaila. 
 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqXZY3B-cGo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6g_geYeL4U

 


I had heard about the diet-- yes, he and she had both talked about the all-meat diet, and I kept thinking that that is not that healthy.... They say they found reprieve from the diet...  But, despite their claims at the time I thought and still think that our body needs a balanced diet. I understand not everyone can tolerate all foods, and some have to be eliminated -- but making very drastic changes to a diet and eating only one type of food, and eliminating a whole set of nutrients must somehow affect our brain, and our nervous system...  

200 Zoloft; 10 mg Zyprexa; 4 mg valium as of May 2021;  Valium taper: July 16: 3.5 valium; July 30: 3 mg (paused valium taper); Aug. 23: 2.5 mg
Zyprexa: July 26: 8.75 mg; Aug. 9: 7.5 mg; Aug. 30: 7.1 mg

-------
Dec 1, 2016. 10 mg zyprexa for 1.5 month. Started taper mid-Jan. 2017. Cut 1.25 mg every 2 weeks; smaller cuts 2.5 mg down. Stopped at .6 mg. May 7, 2017: zyprexa free. 
Zoloft: Dec1, 2016, 200 mg. Started taper: Jun12, 2017: 197.5 mg; Jun19,:195 mg; July 2:185mg; July 9,:180 mg; July16,: 175; July 23: 170; July 30: 165; Aug6: 160; Aug13: 155; Aug. 20: 150; Aug.27: 146 mg; Sept3: 145 mg; Sept10:143 mg; Sept17:140 mg....Nov5: 122 mg...Dec3:112.5 mg; Jan14, 2018: 95 mg...Jan28: 90 mg; Feb21:80 mg; Mar11: 75 mg; May2:70 mg; May15: 68 mg; May28: 65 mg; Jun9: 62 mg;Jun25: 60 mg:July22: 55 mg; Aug25: 45 mg. Aug28: 50 mg...Oct 28: 38 mg; Dec.4: 30 mg; Jan8,2019: 25mg; Feb6: 23.5 mg; Apr1:17.5mg; May1:1 mg; May 5: 18;  May 18:15mg; June 16:12.5mg; Sept 10:11 mg; Sept.16:10 mg; Oct. 1: 9mg; Nov. 27: 8mg; Dec.5: 7mg; Jan.1,2020, 6 mg; Feb1: 5 mg; May 1: 2.5 mg; Jn 1: 2 mg; Jy 1: 1.5 mg

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  • 3 months later...

Dr. Jordan Peterson is back.  He made this video.  I am myself stabilized.  I tried on the 18 to reduce by evening dose by 10% and it backfired, so I'm back to my original dose 15mg at night and 4mg in morning.  In the future, I will try only for 5% reductions, and if not I'll go for even less.  I'm happy Dr. Peterson is better.

 

1989, 25mg, Amitriptyline 1st prescribed for 1wk insomnia, 2020 october Cold turkey

20/12/21, 22.5mg reinstated; waited 1.5 year to start tapering

21/07/25, 20mg tapering started. 10% every 4 weeks

22/02/26, 9.5mg - Emergency surgery put chaos to tapering: chronic insomnia till May

22/04/11, 10mg tapering started. 10% every 4 week. Sleep came back but trickled away in Sep' 22

22/09/17, 5,1mg - 10/15, 4.6mg - 11/12, 4,1mg - 12/10, 3.7mg.  Too fast. Permanent symptoms.

22/12/28, 4,0mg - partial updose where I'll remain until perfect stabilizing

22/12/30, 4,0mg - started Melatonin 3mg, Maritime Pine Bark Extract am & pm

23/02/03, 4,0mg - sleeping well every night with dreams, symptoms are diminishing

22/03/20, 4,0mg - insomnia is back on some nights. Waves. Anxiety. My dog is sick.

Maritime Pine Bark Extract (Omega Alpha Labs) in capsules am & pm, Melatonin 3mg

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On 7/12/2020 at 2:13 PM, Madeleine said:


I had heard about the diet-- yes, he and she had both talked about the all-meat diet, and I kept thinking that that is not that healthy.... They say they found reprieve from the diet...  But, despite their claims at the time I thought and still think that our body needs a balanced diet. I understand not everyone can tolerate all foods, and some have to be eliminated -- but making very drastic changes to a diet and eating only one type of food, and eliminating a whole set of nutrients must somehow affect our brain, and our nervous system...  

 

I tend to agree.

 

I would add that eliminating gluten can be a dramatic help if you have headaches.

Previously - Escitalopram ("Lexapro"): 03 - 05/2018 - 10mg // 05/2018 - 12/2019 - monthly hyperbolic dose reduction to 0.

 

I am not a medical doctor.  Always consult a qualified medical professional before taking any substance.

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  • 2 months later...

I am interested as to why he could not have had the treatment in Canada?  I currently personally know someone in a medically induced coma for similar reasons.  Here in Canada.  

April 2011 - citalopram 20 mg

April 2018 - tapered in 4 weeks

Nov 2018 - reinstated 20 mg

Stopped 8 days later bad reaction

November 5 2020 - reinstated citalopram 0.5mg. Increase to 1mg

November 10 2020 - stopped citalopram.  

December 8 2020 - reinstate 2.5mg citalopram. Stayed on until December 17

December 20 2020 - discontinue citalopram again 

Dec 2020 - start ativan for akathisia 

Nov 2020 to Jan 2021 - tried low dose Seroquel, Risperidone, Luvox, Zoloft and Prozac. just added symptoms no benefit

Feb 2021 - ativan went paradoxical. landed in hospital. cold turkeyed.

Totally drug free since Feb 21, 2021

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I have also been following his recovery and tend to agree that his wealth has been a disadvantage,in that the family have paid for really expensive treatments that pretty much anyone here could have told them are dangerous/ don't work. However, am really glad someone so high profile is raising awareness about benzo addiction.

 

Tangentially, another person I admire but whom I wouldn't totally recommend is Dr. Kelly Brogan.

I do really like her stance on psychiatric drugs being harmful and the fact that she is a psychiatrist who is speaking out.

However, she also advocates 'detoxing' which I'm not on board with. Via home-administered coffee enemas. It's the whole 'detoxing' thing that I'm not sure about. Our bodies are detoxing all the time via the liver and kidneys anyway.

 

Also, having read her books and some of her patient accounts, I get the sense that she encourages people to keep tapering even when their WD symptoms are really bad. Perhaps this is an inaccurate perception, I'd be really curious about talking to someone who has been through a tapering process with her.

January 2008 to April 2015 Citalopram 20mg to 5mg, reducing in 50 per cent leaps. Jumped off at 5mg

March 2016 used MDMA triggered setback

April 2016 Citalopram 10mg October 2016 cut to 5mg, May 2017 cut to 2.5mg

May 2018 used MDMA triggered setback

June 2018 Citalopram 2.5mg up to 10mg, then back to 5mg

July/ August 2018 7.5mg, then 10mg

June 2019 updosed to 20mg Citalopram

August 2019 cold switch to Venlafaxine 75mg XR

Supplements; 1100mg fish oil daily; also 100mg Magnesium Glycinate. Tried Vagifem 10mcg from mid May 2021 to mid June 2021; caused depression, so stopped.

 

 

 

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Just watched that video on his daughters podcast now that he is doing better, gotta say wow, he went from 0.5mg/day to 4mg/day of clonazepam. That is a high dosage. Glad to see he is doing better.

2004 - 2020: Olanzapine 40mg for schizophrenia (Started to taper in 2016, completely off December 2020, still have withdrawals)

2004 - present: Lorazepam/Clonazepam 1mg as needed, rarely use them

2004 - 2017: Venlafaxine 75mg for depression

2008 - present: Metformin 2000mg for diabetes

2008 - 2013: Lipitor 40mg for high cholesterol

2008 - 2018: Bezalip 400mg for high triglycerides

2013 - present: Crestor 40mg, 20mg , 10mg and now 5mg for high cholesterol

2016 - present: Forxiga 10mg for diabetes

2019 - present: Lurasidone 60mg for schizophrenia

2020 - 2021: Various supplements (100mg 5-HTP, 100mg l-theanine, 500mg GABA, Jamieson Herbal Complex (Relax and Sleep), 500mg Vitamin C, 400 IU Vitamin D, 12.5mg Zinc picolinate , 5mg Melatonin, CalmAid, 10mg CBD, 100mg l-theanine)

2021 - present: Reinstated Olanzapine for sleep, stopped working after a month, no longer on it, still have brutal withdrawal insomnia. Stopped all previous supplements. For sleep I now use: 1 mg clonazepam, 3000mg glycine, 700mg l-theanine/day.

I've tried some other drugs short term but discontinued them early due to side effects. I can't remember all their names, antidepressants and antipsychotics, was only on them for a week or so.

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  • 1 year later...

Understanding that the same thing doesn't work for everyone, I'm sharing this article from Mikhaila Peterson regarding her and her father's Akathisia experience, in case it might help someone.

 

https://liondiet.com/how-we-cured-treated-suicidal-akathisia/

2012-present - Escitalopram currently 2.55 mg

Supplements:  Daytime- Green Lipped Mussel 1200mg, Omega-3s 1710mg, Wheat Germ Oil 770mg, Sodium Butyrate 1.2g, Phosphatidylcholine 2600mg, Multi-Min 2 tablets, Liposomal Glutathione 4 pumps, Probiotic 1 capsule, Beyond Balance herbal tinctures for lyme and gut healing (including one only taken during menstruation); Nighttime - L-theanine 200mg, melatonin 1mg, magnesium glycinate 400mg.

History:

2012-2017- Escitalopram 10mg

2017-2020 - Escitalopram 5mg

07/2019-11/2019 - Valium 10mg, every 2-3 days, then stopped

11/2020 - Stopped Escitalopram 5mg abruptly (crashed January 2021)

1/2021-12/2021 - Escitalopram Reinstated 2.5mg to 5 to 10 to 7.5 and then started slow taper

1/2021-2/2021 - Ativan .5mg - Took 13.5 pills over the course of 22 days and stopped

2/2021-9/2021  Hydroxyzine - 50-100mg tapering down to .8mg, then cross-tapered to Claritin and stopped

9/2021-9/2022 - Claritin 5 mg (tapered off)

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