Jump to content
SurvivingAntidepressants.org is temporarily closed to new registrations until 1 April ×

Writing a journal article


dalsaan

Recommended Posts

  • Moderator Emeritus

Hi everyone

 

I have been reading Australian literature on withdrawal. There is very little of it and it's disturbing. The only article written for general practitioners says you should taper for 5-7 days or longer

 

I am thinking about writing an article and submitting it to aust family physician-the ket gp journal. I'm not a doctor but I am an academic and can review/write up the literature. It's a bit cheeky but will see how I go!

 

I was going to write a really cranky article critiquing the lack of care and knowledge but decided that wouldn't be as useful as getting something out there in a constructive informative way. It's only going to be basic key points but given what's out there that would still be a contribution and the word count is 1500 words so that's not much

 

I have journal articles for most of the key points. Does anyone know a journal article that supports a 10 percent taper?

Please note - I am not a medical practitioner and I do not give medical advice. I offer an opinion based on my own experiences, reading and discussion with others.On Effexor for 2 months at the start of 2005. Had extreme insomnia as an adverse reaction. Changed to mirtazapine. Have been trying to get off since mid 2008 with numerous failures including CTs and slow (but not slow enough tapers)Have slow tapered at 10 per cent or less for years. I have liquid mirtazapine made at a compounding chemist.

Was on 1.6 ml as at 19 March 2014.

Dropped to 1.5 ml 7 June 2014. Dropped to 1.4 in about September.

Dropped to 1.3 on 20 December 2014. Dropped to 1.2 in mid Jan 2015.

Dropped to 1 ml in late Feb 2015. I think my old medication had run out of puff so I tried 1ml when I got the new stuff and it seems to be going ok. Sleep has been good over the last week (as of 13/3/15).

Dropped to 1/2 ml 14/11/15 Fatigue still there as are memory and cognition problems. Sleep is patchy but liveable compared to what it has been in the past.

 

DRUG FREE - as at 1st May 2017

 

>My intro post is here - http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2250-dalsaan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dalsaan,

Peter Breggin, MD, advocates the 10% rule in his books. I don't know if he has journal articles. There was an article in American Journal of Family Physicians that was reasonable, from what I recall. I'll try to find it.

Joseph Glenmullen may use the 10% rule in his book.

 

May I ask what your academic focus is?

 

Kudos to you!

 

EDIT: this refers to a few points (some may take a year to taper, some may require hospitalization) but not 10% rule. Also, the term "discontinuation" was intentionally used by psychiatry to minimize AD withdrawal and separate it from addiction. Dr. Ashton speaks to this semantic manipulation in a video posted here on site.

Pristiq tapered over 8 months ending Spring 2011 after 18 years of polydrugging that began w/Zoloft for fatigue/general malaise (not mood). CURRENT: 1mg Klonopin qhs (SSRI bruxism), 75mg trazodone qhs, various hormonesLitigation for 11 years for Work-related injury, settled 2004. Involuntary medical retirement in 2001 (age 39). 2012 - brain MRI showing diffuse, chronic cerebrovascular damage/demyelination possibly vasculitis/cerebritis. Dx w/autoimmune polyendocrine failure.<p>2013 - Dx w/CNS Sjogren's Lupus (FANA antibodies first appeared in 1997 but missed by doc).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Administrator

Excellent idea, Dalsaan.

 

Joseph Glenmullen describes individualized tapers in detail in his book The Antidepressant Solution.

 

Search for a paper by Phelps suggesting a taper longer than 3 months.

 

Mind UK advocates a 10% taper, as does the Icarus Project; you may need to refer to patient-generated sources in your paper.

 

We have a lot of references in the Journals section, I hope this helps.

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

  • Moderator Emeritus

Thanks for your replies

 

I am going to start off using discontinuation and then use it Interchangeably with withdrawal. I will explain this and point to the politics on language in this area

 

I've got the article from American family physician but unfortunately the electronic version wont allow me to access the table on tapering

 

I wil refr to mind as practice based literature and think through the patient generated material. I feel conflicted about the patient stuff because I believe it's the most useful and informed repository of knowledge but I also know that it doesn't rate in so called evidence based medicine but I will see how I go

 

Babarannamated, my academic field is Social Policy

 

Interestingly the national prescribing service is currently doing an audit on good practice in prescribing antidepressants. It asks nothing about discontinuation practices. The silence is deafening here

Please note - I am not a medical practitioner and I do not give medical advice. I offer an opinion based on my own experiences, reading and discussion with others.On Effexor for 2 months at the start of 2005. Had extreme insomnia as an adverse reaction. Changed to mirtazapine. Have been trying to get off since mid 2008 with numerous failures including CTs and slow (but not slow enough tapers)Have slow tapered at 10 per cent or less for years. I have liquid mirtazapine made at a compounding chemist.

Was on 1.6 ml as at 19 March 2014.

Dropped to 1.5 ml 7 June 2014. Dropped to 1.4 in about September.

Dropped to 1.3 on 20 December 2014. Dropped to 1.2 in mid Jan 2015.

Dropped to 1 ml in late Feb 2015. I think my old medication had run out of puff so I tried 1ml when I got the new stuff and it seems to be going ok. Sleep has been good over the last week (as of 13/3/15).

Dropped to 1/2 ml 14/11/15 Fatigue still there as are memory and cognition problems. Sleep is patchy but liveable compared to what it has been in the past.

 

DRUG FREE - as at 1st May 2017

 

>My intro post is here - http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2250-dalsaan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Administrator

You probably don't need to explain in detail how "discontinuation" became the preferred term.

 

Medical libraries will have the journals if you are missing any charts.

 

Interesting, there is an article about "medication optimization" here http://www.madinamerica.com/2012/05/3-minutes-to-create-medication-optimization-for-the-whole-us/

 

Scroll down to the bottom of the comments, you will see examples of proposals that may be submitted by patients that include tapering suggestions.

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

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Terms of Use Privacy Policy