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What helps, what doesn't? Managing supplements, herbs, vitamins, amino acids, etc.


Shanti

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Magnesium I take 400mg for anxiety I think it helps

2000 - sertraline for job anxiety low confidence (17 years old) ..which turned the next 16 years into nightmare!

 

On/off sertraline severe withdrawals every time. 2014 - felt better as reduced dose of sertraline no more inner restlessness. Doctor rushed off again. Hit severe withdrawal. Lost the little I had in life. Couldn't get stable again on 12.5mg. Was switched to prozac. Had severe reaction to prozac..came off in November 2015 at 6mg as felt more confused and damaged on it..Even more withdrawal ..rage, depression, dyphoria, near constant suicidal ideation, self harm impulses, doom, concrete block in head, unable to do much of anything with this feeling in head..went back on 6mg of sertraline to see if would alleviate anything. It didn't..reduced from December to June 2016 came off at 2.5mg sertraline as was hospitalised for the severe rage, suicidal impulses, and put on 50mg lofepramine which in 2nd week reduced all symptoms but gave insomnia which still have..psych stopped lofepramine cold turkey..no increased withdrawal symptoms new symptoms from lofepramine except persistant insomnia which has as side effect.

 

Taking Ativan for 8 months for the severe rage self harm impulses 1-3 times a week (mostly 2 times a week) at .5mg. Two months (I'm unsure exactly when the interdose started to happen) ago interdose withdrawal seemed to happen..2 days I think after the Ativan.

 

 

Nightmare that could have been avoided!

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I have heard of magnesium and fish oil helping. I'm really interested to know if amino acids like 5-HTP have helped anyone or any supplements like rhodiola or ashwaghanda. I know there have been people that they felt too activated by these things but I'm wondering if they have helped anyone. Because it seems like that's the kind of stuff my naturopath suggests and says has helped people but I want to hear it from others.

I started out on zoloft 50 mg or 20mg (can't remember at that point) and was on it for a few months then decided I didn't want to take it because of the side effects so I cold turkey'd it and then was miserable and reinstated and all my symptoms went away and I felt normal. Stayed on it for a while tried lexapro 5mg for a month or two instead to see if I had less side effects. Then switched back to zoloft 20mg I think and weaned down to 6mg and jumped off too soon because it supposedly wasn't a "therapeutic dose" and was told it would be ok. Then I was going through withdrawal again so I reinstated again after about a month I switched to prozac because it's easier to wean off of supposedly. Weaned off over 9 month from 8mg Prozac. Then two months after stopping it on September 2, 2014. I went into withdrawal.

 

18 months off as of March 2, 2016

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There is no definitive answer, that's why you can't find one. Some people have very sensitive nervous systems so leaving them alone is the best approach, fish oil and magnesium seem to be the least disruptive (but some people still struggle on those). Others have done well on other supplements depending on their symptoms, tolerance if the supplement and responsiveness to it.

 

I do well on taurine and magnesium together for sleep. I must take them together, others get no benefit or can't tolerate them.

 

The best thing you can do is to cautiously experiment. To be cautious in this context us to wait until you have some stability in your system, throwing new substances into an already destabilised nervous system s a recipe for disaster. Try one thing at a time so you can observe the effect. If you add a supplement that has three different ingredients and you have a negative reaction you gave no way of knowing which one(s) tripped you off. Start slow. Try a very small dose first. If it goes ok but has little or no effect increase the dose. Observe for a while to see if it has helped

 

I know it's tedious but that's the nature of a destabilised nervous system. Slowly, slowly, gently, gently

 

Dalsaan

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

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I've taken vitamins d, b, e, and c, fish oil, zinc, magnesium, etc.. Impossible to say if any helped.

 

I'd say time, patience and total acceptance with slow taper are much more potent supplements. Hunting for shortcuts does not work. I've tried very hard.

 

Might still be wise to take fish oil and magnesium if it does not make you worse.

08 Cipralex 10mg for about 6 months. 11-12 Cipralex 20mg. Unsuccesful WD. 12-13 Zoloft 100mg with Diazepam 10-20mg as needed for anxiety.
Fall 13 Tapering Zoloft 100->50->25->12,5->0 in 2,5 months and CT Diazepam. 12/24/13 RI Zoloft 12,5mg
.

1/21/14 11mg

3/18/14 9,9mg

2/18/14 8mg

4/22/14 7,6mg

5/5/14 7,2mg

5/12/14 -> cutting 0,5mg per week, holding when necessary.

8/18/14 -> cutting 0,25mg per week holding when necessary.

10/20/2014 -> cutting 0,1mg per week, holding when necessary.
12/28/2014 Jump!

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Oh yeah.

 

The only thing that really seems to work: probiotics.

 

If your belly is smiling so is your face.

08 Cipralex 10mg for about 6 months. 11-12 Cipralex 20mg. Unsuccesful WD. 12-13 Zoloft 100mg with Diazepam 10-20mg as needed for anxiety.
Fall 13 Tapering Zoloft 100->50->25->12,5->0 in 2,5 months and CT Diazepam. 12/24/13 RI Zoloft 12,5mg
.

1/21/14 11mg

3/18/14 9,9mg

2/18/14 8mg

4/22/14 7,6mg

5/5/14 7,2mg

5/12/14 -> cutting 0,5mg per week, holding when necessary.

8/18/14 -> cutting 0,25mg per week holding when necessary.

10/20/2014 -> cutting 0,1mg per week, holding when necessary.
12/28/2014 Jump!

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I did a slow taper off a low dose and I'm still having issues. Guess it wasn't slow enough. I'm not trying to find a shortcut per say I'm trying to find something that will help me get to the other side of this. Probiotics are important and helpful that is true I was taking them but I have had acid reflux from withdrawal and now taking a probiotic makes it worse. :/ magnesium I think is ok to take but I feel like fish oil might be contributing to me getting body zaps. Not totally sure it's fish oil but something is and it seems to happen when I take fish oil but it's also happened without fish oil so who knows.

I started out on zoloft 50 mg or 20mg (can't remember at that point) and was on it for a few months then decided I didn't want to take it because of the side effects so I cold turkey'd it and then was miserable and reinstated and all my symptoms went away and I felt normal. Stayed on it for a while tried lexapro 5mg for a month or two instead to see if I had less side effects. Then switched back to zoloft 20mg I think and weaned down to 6mg and jumped off too soon because it supposedly wasn't a "therapeutic dose" and was told it would be ok. Then I was going through withdrawal again so I reinstated again after about a month I switched to prozac because it's easier to wean off of supposedly. Weaned off over 9 month from 8mg Prozac. Then two months after stopping it on September 2, 2014. I went into withdrawal.

 

18 months off as of March 2, 2016

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I take a multivitamin, 2000IUs of vitamin D, 1 to 2 mg of fish oil and occasionally 100mg of magnesium.   I seem to be very sensitive to supplements and feel this is what works for me.   The only one that I can say for sure helps me is the vitamin D.   I practically ceased getting colds once I started taking a total of 3000IUs of vitamin D even with my insomnia issues.

Drug cocktail 1995 - 2010
Started taper of Adderall, Wellbutrin XL, Remeron, and Doxepin in 2006
Finished taper on June 10, 2010

Temazepam on a PRN basis approximately twice a month - 2014 to 2016

Beginning in 2017 - Consumption increased to about two times per week

April 2017 - Increased to taking it full time for insomnia

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When tapering from SSRI's, gluathione levels are often depleted.  Glutathione is your body's master anti-oxidant.  Your body needs glutathione to heal itself.  You can't take gluathione pills, as these are counterproductive, they will actually cause your body to produce less gluathione.  Gluathione is produced in your liver.  Some foods contain gluathione, but your body produces the bulk of what you need.  The best way of boosting your body's way to make gluathione is to provide the necessary building blocks.

 

Glutathione is also a powerful antiviral and anti-microbial weapon. Glutathione deficiency not only compromises antiviral and anti-microbial defenses, it also has a potent pro-viral effect. While the presence of glutathione inhibits viruses and intracelluar organisms, its absence stimulates them. Glutathione deficiency actually augments viral replication.

 

When my girlfriend was first tapering off Lexapro, she had severe waves, electrical zaps, adrenal fatigue, nausea.  By taking the following, she was most likely able to help her body produce more gluathione, and all of those symptoms subsided.  

 

Gluathione boosting supplements: (daily)

 

Zinc Gluconate- 50mg. 

Zinc is good for all metabolic functions, low blood sugar, depression, apathy, lethargy, irritability, paranoia.  Some studies suggest zinc itself may be an antidepressant.  Zinc is also depleted under stress. Intake of calcium, seeds, nuts, and grains prevents zinc absorption.

 

Magnesium Citrate - 400mg (but can be taken to bowel tolerance),

 

selenium (2 Brazil nuts a day) Don't take selenium pills/capsules as these can be toxic

Deficiencies can cause weakness, fatigue, and mental slowing.

 

Vitamin C - 2 to 10 grams (2,000 to 10,000 mg) a day (1/2 life is 1/2 an hour)

 

Omega 3's - Pharmeceutical Grade Fish Oil or Algal Oil - take at least 1000 mg DHA

EPA/DHA is essential for rebuilding the brain cells which are damaged by SSRI/SNRI use.  In addition, it's a great natural anti-depressant

 

Flax Seed Oil. It's rich in ALA.  ALA is important since some vitamins won’t assimilate without ALA.

 

B12, B6, and folate -  these are important for body to produce gluathione and recycle it, however some people are sensitive to B vitamins in withdrawal.

 

Immunocal.  It’s a denatured Whey Protein that’s safe for those who are lactose-intolerant.  It is the most rich thing you can buy that has glutathione.  It's pricey, but really helped make a difference in my girlfriend's initial tapering.  She was taking a packet a day, and it helped relieve her of her dizziness.  A word of caution, you have to take whey supplements with extra water, or else they can give you a headache!

 

Also GREAT for glutathione levels eat: spinach, walnuts, avocados, asparagus

 
It also helps to have an earth-source multi-vitamin, as modern agricultural practices have depleted the soil.
 
Remember:
 
Eating healthy is vital in providing a strong recovery.
 
Eat whole grains, and stay away from white pasta, bread, and rice.
 
Eat plenty of fruits, proteins (which your brain needs to recover), vegetables, and beans.
 
SSRIs/SNRIs weaken the immune system.  Remember, exercise is one of the best things for overall well-being and building the body’s immune system.  Go for walks, lift weights, and be active!
Exercise also boosts gluathione!
 
Sleep as your body tells you to, but try and get at least 8-9 hours sleep a night.
 
Drink plenty of fluoride-free water to flush out your system-- reverse osmosis water removes harmful toxins.
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If you are going to take any supplements, try them one at a time and start with a very small dose...

 

When you add more than one thing at a time -- or, worse, throw the kitchen sink into some kind of cocktail -- and you get a bad reaction, you won't have any idea what to do. Should you drop one thing or all of them?
 
This is also true of mixed supplements, supplements that contain more than one ingredient. It's better to try one ingredient at a time to see how you react.

 

In a nervous system which has been destabilized by withdrawal, even supplements and some foods can cause a paradoxical reaction, so please be careful.  We have found that supplements and vitamins which work fine in a healthy nervous system can cause an increase in symptoms for someone in withdrawal, everyone is different, so you have to find out what works for you.

 

I find magnesium, taurine, zinc, vit c and black cohosh, helpful.  Fish oil and vit D make me worse.  Taking B vits stop me from sleeping.

I'm not a doctor.  My comments are not medical advise. These are my opinions based on my own experience and what I've learned. Please discuss your situation with a medical practitioner who has knowledge of tapering and withdrawal...if you are lucky enough to find one.

My Introduction Thread

Full Drug and Withdrawal History

Brief Summary

Several SSRIs for 13 years starting 1997 (for mild to moderate partly situational anxiety) Xanax PRN ~ Various other drugs over the years for side effects

2 month 'taper' off Lexapro 2010

Short acute withdrawal, followed by 2 -3 months of improvement then delayed protracted withdrawal

DX ADHD followed by several years of stimulants and other drugs trying to manage increasing symptoms

Failed reinstatement of Lexapro and trial of Prozac (became suicidal)

May 2013 Found SA, learned about withdrawal, stopped taking drugs...healing begins.

Protracted withdrawal, with a very sensitized nervous system, slowly recovering as time passes

Supplements which have helped: Vitamin C, Magnesium, Taurine

Bad reactions: Many supplements but mostly fish oil and Vitamin D

June 2016 - Started daily juicing, mostly vegetables and lots of greens.

Aug 2016 - Oct 2016 Best window ever, felt almost completely recovered

Oct 2016 -Symptoms returned - bad days and less bad days.

April 2018 - No windows, but significant improvement, it feels like permanent full recovery is close.

VIDEO: Where did the chemical imbalance theory come from?



VIDEO: How are psychiatric diagnoses made?



VIDEO: Why do psychiatric drugs have withdrawal syndromes?



VIDEO: Can psychiatric drugs cause long-lasting negative effects?

VIDEO: Dr. Claire Weekes

 

 

 

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There were times in my life when supplements helped me with various issues. Such as going through tappering effexor, candida related problems in my gut, leaky gut syndrome and ibs.

I have noticed that I am very sensitive to many of them, responding with upset stomach, diarrhea or anxiety. I cannot take vit B, I get nauseous. Probiotics and magnesium cause diarrhea...I seem to be ok with systemic enzymes...

 

At the moment I only take some homeopatic remedy for anxiety (aconitum) and passionflower.

Somebody suggested to me that magnesium glycinate is easier on stomach and intestines. I bought a powder one, so it is easier to get a dose I want to start with.

 

Unfortunatelly, I cannot eat everything, so my diet is quite limited...no diary products, only limted veg...interestingly, when I started decreasing escitalopram, I started craving meat (i ate mostly fish for a long time) and sweets...

- 12.03.2021- doxepin- 50mg

- 6.11.2020- 75mg

- 16.10.2020- 100mg

- 30.09.2020- doxepin- 125mg

- May 2020, omeprazole 40mg switched to esomeprazole 20mg

- 2012 re-started Doxepin 75mg, evening. Increased to 150mg

- 2012, Atenolol 25mg, twice a day

- 2016, Low dose of HRT in evening, Sandrena and Utrogestan 

- Long term of Nasal spray Otrivine

- 2012, PPI Omeprazole 40mg-evening

24.10.2014- Started ESCITALOPRAM-first 5mg and then 10mg; due to the adverse symptoms reduced on 5.01.2015- Escitalopram- 2.5mg 22.07.2016- re-started reduction by 1% at a time. Completed tappering on  19.03.2020 😇

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B vitamins make me nervous. Only certain ones though I think because I'm fine taking only b12. I like homeopathic medicines too. I am currently using nux vomica for my acid reflux.

I started out on zoloft 50 mg or 20mg (can't remember at that point) and was on it for a few months then decided I didn't want to take it because of the side effects so I cold turkey'd it and then was miserable and reinstated and all my symptoms went away and I felt normal. Stayed on it for a while tried lexapro 5mg for a month or two instead to see if I had less side effects. Then switched back to zoloft 20mg I think and weaned down to 6mg and jumped off too soon because it supposedly wasn't a "therapeutic dose" and was told it would be ok. Then I was going through withdrawal again so I reinstated again after about a month I switched to prozac because it's easier to wean off of supposedly. Weaned off over 9 month from 8mg Prozac. Then two months after stopping it on September 2, 2014. I went into withdrawal.

 

18 months off as of March 2, 2016

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • Moderator Emeritus

Similar topics merged.

I'm not a doctor.  My comments are not medical advise. These are my opinions based on my own experience and what I've learned. Please discuss your situation with a medical practitioner who has knowledge of tapering and withdrawal...if you are lucky enough to find one.

My Introduction Thread

Full Drug and Withdrawal History

Brief Summary

Several SSRIs for 13 years starting 1997 (for mild to moderate partly situational anxiety) Xanax PRN ~ Various other drugs over the years for side effects

2 month 'taper' off Lexapro 2010

Short acute withdrawal, followed by 2 -3 months of improvement then delayed protracted withdrawal

DX ADHD followed by several years of stimulants and other drugs trying to manage increasing symptoms

Failed reinstatement of Lexapro and trial of Prozac (became suicidal)

May 2013 Found SA, learned about withdrawal, stopped taking drugs...healing begins.

Protracted withdrawal, with a very sensitized nervous system, slowly recovering as time passes

Supplements which have helped: Vitamin C, Magnesium, Taurine

Bad reactions: Many supplements but mostly fish oil and Vitamin D

June 2016 - Started daily juicing, mostly vegetables and lots of greens.

Aug 2016 - Oct 2016 Best window ever, felt almost completely recovered

Oct 2016 -Symptoms returned - bad days and less bad days.

April 2018 - No windows, but significant improvement, it feels like permanent full recovery is close.

VIDEO: Where did the chemical imbalance theory come from?



VIDEO: How are psychiatric diagnoses made?



VIDEO: Why do psychiatric drugs have withdrawal syndromes?



VIDEO: Can psychiatric drugs cause long-lasting negative effects?

VIDEO: Dr. Claire Weekes

 

 

 

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If you can't tolerate fish oil but it's important for rebuilding the brain then what can you take or do that is similar. Maybe eat more fish and or wait until the nervous system is stronger to handle the fish oil? Take a small amount of fish oil? Any ideas?

I started out on zoloft 50 mg or 20mg (can't remember at that point) and was on it for a few months then decided I didn't want to take it because of the side effects so I cold turkey'd it and then was miserable and reinstated and all my symptoms went away and I felt normal. Stayed on it for a while tried lexapro 5mg for a month or two instead to see if I had less side effects. Then switched back to zoloft 20mg I think and weaned down to 6mg and jumped off too soon because it supposedly wasn't a "therapeutic dose" and was told it would be ok. Then I was going through withdrawal again so I reinstated again after about a month I switched to prozac because it's easier to wean off of supposedly. Weaned off over 9 month from 8mg Prozac. Then two months after stopping it on September 2, 2014. I went into withdrawal.

 

18 months off as of March 2, 2016

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There are two theories that circulate on the forums, the pros and cons, they show persons with big experience, some of them have well recovered (antidepressantsfact is against if I remember), on the other hand some people have no choice, as they are trying a supplement they are worse, so they stop, their choice is made.

A supplement is an extract of certain food substances (eg fish oil capsules).

A food is in a balanced way in its components, they are all in small quantities. A supplement is a concentrate of one or two specific substances, similar a drug is a concentrated extract, and we know that the dose makes the poison, a drug is toxic, it is world known, as well as much supplement(each people making his dose himself).

My idea: provide quality food to the body and he will extract himself what he needs at his rythm and not force him to ingest pure quantities that he will need then to remove to not poisoned himself(because does he need really this dose!..).

At school, a teacher told that a person who has not enough iron, can eat/drink much and much iron, if his body eliminates it in urine, he will still be in lack of iron. The problem is, does the body work and take the supplement or not, what about a deluge of a substance, will he take it or reject all this abnormal ingesting?...

 

 

One question, does people who use supplements heal better and faster than others?

Until today i have not seen a glaring difference.

So, on this big question, take or not, i have not the answer, and for myself do not take, am i wrong?...

for anxiety 

12 years paxil - cold turkey 1,5 month - switch celexa 1 year taper; total 13 years on brain meds 

67 years old - 9 years  med free

 

in protracted withdrawal

rigidity standing and walking, dryness gougerot-szoegren, sleep deteriorate,

function as have a lack of nerves, improving have been very little 

 

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I don't think supplements make people heal any faster, or more completely, in fact some of them make some people feel worse and increase symptoms.  But many people find that some supplements, especially magnesium and fish oil, reduce the severity of some symptoms, temporarily, and make the withdrawal process slightly easier to tolerate.

 

Probiotics can sometimes reduce GI type symptoms.  Some people have found that taking a particular amino acid supplement can reduce the severity of a symptom for a while.

 

I sleep better when I take magnesium and taurine.  Sleep is good for recovery.  But if I take too much magnesium, I feel worse, so I agree with you that supplements can act like drugs and be a poison to the body. In a nervous system sensitized by withdrawal, supplements are even more likely to have powerful, drug like effects.  That's why we advise that you start with a very small amount to see how its going to effect you.

 

My believe is that high quality, organic food is the best way for people to get the nutrition they need.  But that's not possible for everyone.

 

I don't think supplements speed up recovery, but some of them may reduce some of the withdrawal symptoms without causing more harm. Recovery is still going to take as long as it takes.

I'm not a doctor.  My comments are not medical advise. These are my opinions based on my own experience and what I've learned. Please discuss your situation with a medical practitioner who has knowledge of tapering and withdrawal...if you are lucky enough to find one.

My Introduction Thread

Full Drug and Withdrawal History

Brief Summary

Several SSRIs for 13 years starting 1997 (for mild to moderate partly situational anxiety) Xanax PRN ~ Various other drugs over the years for side effects

2 month 'taper' off Lexapro 2010

Short acute withdrawal, followed by 2 -3 months of improvement then delayed protracted withdrawal

DX ADHD followed by several years of stimulants and other drugs trying to manage increasing symptoms

Failed reinstatement of Lexapro and trial of Prozac (became suicidal)

May 2013 Found SA, learned about withdrawal, stopped taking drugs...healing begins.

Protracted withdrawal, with a very sensitized nervous system, slowly recovering as time passes

Supplements which have helped: Vitamin C, Magnesium, Taurine

Bad reactions: Many supplements but mostly fish oil and Vitamin D

June 2016 - Started daily juicing, mostly vegetables and lots of greens.

Aug 2016 - Oct 2016 Best window ever, felt almost completely recovered

Oct 2016 -Symptoms returned - bad days and less bad days.

April 2018 - No windows, but significant improvement, it feels like permanent full recovery is close.

VIDEO: Where did the chemical imbalance theory come from?



VIDEO: How are psychiatric diagnoses made?



VIDEO: Why do psychiatric drugs have withdrawal syndromes?



VIDEO: Can psychiatric drugs cause long-lasting negative effects?

VIDEO: Dr. Claire Weekes

 

 

 

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I am 2 years into withdrawal ... It didn't hit till 5 months after cold Turkey.. I tried restarting and taking different meds.. just made things worst.. taken just about every supplement on the planet.. I am now as of last week not taking anything.. as everything seems to have a bad reaction... I may try and start some fish oil and magnesium next week and see how it goes.. it's a pain in the ass.. think time relaxation and healthy eating is about the best some of us can do.. even exercise increases my anxiety the next day.. it's like chronic fatigue ... :-/ as stated above,, there is no definite answer as everyone is at different stages of withdrawal and everyone has different tolerances... :-( grrrrr

Citalopram 15mg Feb 2009 to Feb 2013 stopped cold turkey... no withdrawal till july.. Hell on earth

Citalopram 5mg July for two weeks ... Living Hell

venlafaxin 37mg august two weeks even worst Hell

Zoloft november 2013 till Jan 2014 Hell

mirtazapine Feb for 6 weeks.. fatigue

Over the next six month tried nearly very antidepressant could not tolerate anything

tried fish oil, 5htp , nearly every herb, you name it I bought it.. system could not take anything..

Oct 2014 to November 2014 trazodone.. ooo nooo !!!

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Similar topics merged.

 

Also see:  Don't waste your money on these supplements

Edited by Petunia
fixed link

I'm not a doctor.  My comments are not medical advise. These are my opinions based on my own experience and what I've learned. Please discuss your situation with a medical practitioner who has knowledge of tapering and withdrawal...if you are lucky enough to find one.

My Introduction Thread

Full Drug and Withdrawal History

Brief Summary

Several SSRIs for 13 years starting 1997 (for mild to moderate partly situational anxiety) Xanax PRN ~ Various other drugs over the years for side effects

2 month 'taper' off Lexapro 2010

Short acute withdrawal, followed by 2 -3 months of improvement then delayed protracted withdrawal

DX ADHD followed by several years of stimulants and other drugs trying to manage increasing symptoms

Failed reinstatement of Lexapro and trial of Prozac (became suicidal)

May 2013 Found SA, learned about withdrawal, stopped taking drugs...healing begins.

Protracted withdrawal, with a very sensitized nervous system, slowly recovering as time passes

Supplements which have helped: Vitamin C, Magnesium, Taurine

Bad reactions: Many supplements but mostly fish oil and Vitamin D

June 2016 - Started daily juicing, mostly vegetables and lots of greens.

Aug 2016 - Oct 2016 Best window ever, felt almost completely recovered

Oct 2016 -Symptoms returned - bad days and less bad days.

April 2018 - No windows, but significant improvement, it feels like permanent full recovery is close.

VIDEO: Where did the chemical imbalance theory come from?



VIDEO: How are psychiatric diagnoses made?



VIDEO: Why do psychiatric drugs have withdrawal syndromes?



VIDEO: Can psychiatric drugs cause long-lasting negative effects?

VIDEO: Dr. Claire Weekes

 

 

 

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From what I've been looking into, consuming food that promotes body's natural production of glutathione is the most sound, as far as evidence goes.   

*I'm not a doctor and don't give medical advice, just personal experience
**Off all meds since Nov. 2014. Mentally & emotionally recovered; physically not
-Dual cold turkeys off TCA & Ativan in Oct 2014. Prescribed from 2011-2014

-All meds were Rxed off-label for an autoimmune illness.  It was a MISDIAGNOSIS, but I did not find out until AFTER meds caused damage.  All med tapers/cold turkeys directed by doctors 

-Nortriptyline May 2012 - Dec 2013. Cold turkey off nortrip & cold switched to desipramine

-Desipramine Jan 2014 - Oct. 29, 2014 (rapid taper/cold turkey)

-Lorazepam 1 mg per night during 2011
-Lorazepam 1 mg per month in 2012 (or less)

-Lorazepam on & off, Dec 2013 through Aug 2014. Didn't exceed 3x a week

-Lorazepam again in Oct. 2014 to help get off of desipramine. Last dose lzpam was 1 mg, Nov. 2, 2014. Immediate paradoxical reactions to benzos after stopping TCAs 

-First muscle/dystonia side effects started on nortriptyline, but docs too stupid to figure it out. On desipramine, muscle tremors & rigidity worsened

-Two weeks after I got off all meds, I developed full-blown TD.  Tardive dystonia, dyskinesia, myoclonic jerks ALL over body, ribcage wiggles, facial tics, twitching tongue & fingers, tremors/twitches of arms, legs, cognitive impairment, throat muscles semi-paralyzed & unable to swallow solid food, brain zaps, ears ring, dizzy, everything looks too far away, insomnia, numbness & electric shocks everywhere when I try to fall asleep, jerk awake from sleep with big, gasping breaths, wake with terrors & tremors, severely depressed.  NO HISTORY OF DEPRESSION, EVER. Meds CREATED it.

-Month 7: hair falling out; no vision improvement; still tardive dystonia; facial & tongue tics returned
-Month 8: back to acute, incl. Grand Mal seizure-like episodes. New mental torment, PGAD, worse insomnia
-Month 9: tardive dystonia worse, dyskinesia returned. Unable to breathe well due to dystonia in stomach, chest, throat
-Month 13: Back to acute, brain zaps back, developed eczema & stomach problems. Left leg no longer works right due to dystonia, meaning both legs now damaged
-7 years off: Huge improvements, incl. improved dystonia

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  • 3 weeks later...

The Macmillan Dictionary defines 'superfood' as a food that is considered to be very good for your health and that may even help some medical conditions.[5] The Oxford Dictionary definition states a superfood is “a nutrient-rich food considered to be especially beneficial for health and well-being”

 

I wonder what people think about:

- Moringa http://www.apocpcontrol.org/page/apjcp_issues_view.php?sid=Entrez:PubMed&id=pmid:25374169&key=2014.15.20.8571

- Baobab http://www.baobab.com/category/english-language/baobab-health-benefits/

 

They seem to have lots of vitamins and microelements...

- 12.03.2021- doxepin- 50mg

- 6.11.2020- 75mg

- 16.10.2020- 100mg

- 30.09.2020- doxepin- 125mg

- May 2020, omeprazole 40mg switched to esomeprazole 20mg

- 2012 re-started Doxepin 75mg, evening. Increased to 150mg

- 2012, Atenolol 25mg, twice a day

- 2016, Low dose of HRT in evening, Sandrena and Utrogestan 

- Long term of Nasal spray Otrivine

- 2012, PPI Omeprazole 40mg-evening

24.10.2014- Started ESCITALOPRAM-first 5mg and then 10mg; due to the adverse symptoms reduced on 5.01.2015- Escitalopram- 2.5mg 22.07.2016- re-started reduction by 1% at a time. Completed tappering on  19.03.2020 😇

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  • 1 month later...

Hi all,

 

I know, I said that I shouldn't take all kinds of supplements any more and just be patient and wait for healing. But I couldn't stop playing neurobiologist. I wanted to hear your opinion on the below.

 

I suddenly got all those crazy symptoms:

Chest pain

Excessive night sweats

Hyperventilation

Constipation

Limbs moving on their own

Can't empty bladder completely

Couldn't exercise because because I'd hyperventilate

 

So I searched  and found resemblance to the "Autonomic Neuropathy". Antidepressants are even listed as possible cause. So I searched for natural remedies I could support nerve healing / nerve protection and found: 

 

Alpha-lipoic acid

Acetyl-L-Carnitine

L-Carnitine (Similar to Acetyl-L-Carnitine. I confused it with Acetyl-L-Carnitine and took it for two days as an act of desperation)

 

Another study here.

 

It may be coincidence, but the symptoms above got much better since I'm taking the l-carnitine. I also found a review on Amazon saying Acetyl-L-Caritine stopped the brain zaps.

 

There seems to be some reported side effects, especially the bit about the seizures worries me. List below. I don't suggest anyone should take it just yet. Let's see what the opinions are.

 

Cheers,

 

Laura

 

 

Side effects

Stomach upset, nausea, vomiting, and restlessness. It can cause a "fishy" odor of the urine, breath, and sweat.

Under-active thyroid (hypothyroidism): There is some concern that acetyl-L-carnitine might interfere with thyroid hormone. Don’t use acetyl-L-carnitine if you have an under-active thyroid.

Seizures: An increase in the number or seriousness of seizures has been reported in people with a history of seizures who have used L-carnitine by mouth or by IV (intravenously). Since L-carnitine is related to acetyl-L-carnitine, there is a concern that this might also occur with acetyl-L-carnitine. If you have ever had a seizure, don’t take acetyl-L-carnitine.

 

On iHerb I found a review that says the brain feels "dull" when you stop taking it. So I guess it should not used as a long term remedy.

 

 

Feb 2015 Took venlafaxine for 5 days only... experienced withdrawal that made me completely non-functional

Mar 2015 took under 1mg of Sertraline for 10 days in an attempt to combat Venlafaxine withdrawal. Got adverse reactions. 

After stopping Sertraline, withdrawal got much worse. New, horrific symptoms. 

June 2015 Still non-functional but slowly getting better. Still brain zaps, migraines, sweating, heart racing, depression, crying spells

September 2015: 24/7 brain zaps, twitches in the face, no concentration, bad memory, language skills deteriorating. 

 

Profile feed: http://goo.gl/3g2GRn

 

Sign this petition for a blackbox warning on Prozac in Ireland:

https://www.change.org/p/leo-varadakar-hpra-the-lack-of-a-blackbox-warning-on-prozac-in-ireland-and-its-use-by-the-hse-in-under-18-s?recruiter=63289046&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=share_for_starters_page&utm_term=des-lg-no_src-no_msg

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Most supplements like this that are just basically a protein that is taken out of a complicated biochemical pathway are denatured by the low pH of the stomach, and are completely useless by the time they make it into the small intestine and into your bloodstream.  I don't believe any of the "possible effects" of supplements, none of it is regulated or verified, and supplement companies are just as interested in making a quick buck off of you as the pharmaceutical companies that sell the SSRIs.

 

If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

 

The only supplements that really have any effect whatsoever are limited to vitamins and minerals, and some of the herbs that are on the market.

 

You can go ahead and give it a shot, but I'd be willing to bet that the effect is going to be a placebo at best.

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Hi Oskcajga,

 

oh, I didn't know the proteins just get deactivated in your stomach. That would really be a complete waste of money then.

 

I just wanted to update on my experience:

I took both Acetyl-l-Carnitine and Alpha-lipoic acid along with Vitamin C, Primerose oil, Vitamin D for about a week or so. Later I also added B12 and B6, that's when I really started improving a lot. 

 

I didn't feel any immediate difference when adding Acetyl-l-Carnitine and Alpha-lipoic acid. The chest pain I had disappeared a couple of days after starting it, but that could be coincidence or natural progress.

 

I think I'll continue taking them for now, just on the off chance that they do promote nerve healing.

 

Cheers,

 

Laura

Feb 2015 Took venlafaxine for 5 days only... experienced withdrawal that made me completely non-functional

Mar 2015 took under 1mg of Sertraline for 10 days in an attempt to combat Venlafaxine withdrawal. Got adverse reactions. 

After stopping Sertraline, withdrawal got much worse. New, horrific symptoms. 

June 2015 Still non-functional but slowly getting better. Still brain zaps, migraines, sweating, heart racing, depression, crying spells

September 2015: 24/7 brain zaps, twitches in the face, no concentration, bad memory, language skills deteriorating. 

 

Profile feed: http://goo.gl/3g2GRn

 

Sign this petition for a blackbox warning on Prozac in Ireland:

https://www.change.org/p/leo-varadakar-hpra-the-lack-of-a-blackbox-warning-on-prozac-in-ireland-and-its-use-by-the-hse-in-under-18-s?recruiter=63289046&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=share_for_starters_page&utm_term=des-lg-no_src-no_msg

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  • 3 weeks later...

Is it OK to take herbs while in withdrawal? I bought a supplement which contains passiflora. It's supposed to be relaxing. 

What about valerian root? 

I suffer from depression, anxiety, pure-o ocd, and panic attacks since 2004. Been on multiple different psychiatric drugs since 2006. Never had a significant WD problem before, only brain zaps for a month and then I'd be fine...............Been on Cipralex (escitalopram) 15 mg and Fluanxol (flupentixol) 1 mg since Sep 2014. Stopped taking the Cipralex after a fast 20-day taper.Took the last 5 mg Cipralex on Feb 5th, 2015. Then took Seroxat (paroxetine) 10 mg for a week, and stopped it too. Severe WD started suddenly on Feb 16th. RI 5 mg Cipralex on Feb 18th, 2015. RI worked and was relatively stable for a while................April 7 - decreased Fluanxol from 1 mg to 0.5 mg and took it at this dose for a week. - BIG MISTAKE; April 13 - WD starts creeping in; April 14 - RI full dose of Fluanxol 1 mg => severe muscle twitching and jerking when trying to relax and fall asleep, overwhelming sense of doom, dread, terror, and horror, insomnia, hoping to stabilize.
Tried doing a 10% cut off Fluanxol in the end of May for a few days, but quickly updosed to full dose because the twitching returned.
Experiencing waves and windows in the following months.
Unsuccessful brief taper attempt of Fluanxol by 5% on November 1st. Symptoms hit the next day. Too scared to continue tapering, reinstate full dose.
Severe crash in November after stupidly trying a barbiturate on November 9th. Grave mistake. Sense of unshakable inescapable internal torture, like my soul is in hell being tortured, terror/horror/dread/doom (probably akathisia?) that gets especially bad when trying to relax and fall asleep, muscles twitch, jerk and move on their own, shaking, insomnia, can't eat, confusion, disorientation, brain not working normally. Never felt so bad in my entire life. Never experiment with other meds while in WD! Praying to God I stabilize and get back to my baseline.
December - things getting even worse.

January - unbearable suffering

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Hi Blu--  either of those should be fine.  Many people report good results with the Passion Flower, and a lot of people use Valerian for sleep.  Do be careful and research any herb you might want to try, some, like St Johns Wort can cause real trouble in WD.

20 years on Paxil starting at 20mg and working up to 40mg. Sept 2011 started 10% every 6 weeks taper (2.5% every week for 4 weeks then hold for 2 additional weeks), currently at 7.9mg. Oct 2011 CTed 15oz vodka a night, to only drinking 2 beers most nights, totally sober Feb 2013.

Since I wrote this I have continued to decrease my dose by 10% every 6 weeks (2.5% every week for 4 weeks and then hold for an additional 2 weeks). I added in an extra 6 week hold when I hit 10mg to let things settle out even more. When I hit 3mgpw it became hard to split the drop into 4 parts so I switched to dropping 1mgpw (pill weight) every week for 3 weeks and then holding for another 3 weeks.  The 3 + 3 schedule turned out to be too harsh so I cut back to dropping 1mgpw every 4 weeks which is working better.

Final Dose 0.016mg.     Current dose 0.000mg 04-15-2017

 

"It's also important not to become angry, no matter how difficult life is, because you can loose all hope if you can't laugh at yourself and at life in general."  Stephen Hawking

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I had a bad reaction to valerian in early withdrawal, I tried using it for sleep, but it made my anxiety worse, but some people find it helps. I tried passion flower liquid months later, but didn't notice any effect either way. We don't recommend trying mixed supplements because if you have a bad reaction, you wont know which ingredient you reacted to.

 

If you are going to try the supplement you bought, start with a very small dose until you find out how it effects you and please add your results to this topic:

Supplements - what helps, what doesn't?  topics merged

 

here is our discussion topic about valerian root

Edited by Petunia

I'm not a doctor.  My comments are not medical advise. These are my opinions based on my own experience and what I've learned. Please discuss your situation with a medical practitioner who has knowledge of tapering and withdrawal...if you are lucky enough to find one.

My Introduction Thread

Full Drug and Withdrawal History

Brief Summary

Several SSRIs for 13 years starting 1997 (for mild to moderate partly situational anxiety) Xanax PRN ~ Various other drugs over the years for side effects

2 month 'taper' off Lexapro 2010

Short acute withdrawal, followed by 2 -3 months of improvement then delayed protracted withdrawal

DX ADHD followed by several years of stimulants and other drugs trying to manage increasing symptoms

Failed reinstatement of Lexapro and trial of Prozac (became suicidal)

May 2013 Found SA, learned about withdrawal, stopped taking drugs...healing begins.

Protracted withdrawal, with a very sensitized nervous system, slowly recovering as time passes

Supplements which have helped: Vitamin C, Magnesium, Taurine

Bad reactions: Many supplements but mostly fish oil and Vitamin D

June 2016 - Started daily juicing, mostly vegetables and lots of greens.

Aug 2016 - Oct 2016 Best window ever, felt almost completely recovered

Oct 2016 -Symptoms returned - bad days and less bad days.

April 2018 - No windows, but significant improvement, it feels like permanent full recovery is close.

VIDEO: Where did the chemical imbalance theory come from?



VIDEO: How are psychiatric diagnoses made?



VIDEO: Why do psychiatric drugs have withdrawal syndromes?



VIDEO: Can psychiatric drugs cause long-lasting negative effects?

VIDEO: Dr. Claire Weekes

 

 

 

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Thank you. I was looking at the supplements for the brain and nervous system in the pharmacy and a lot of them were mixed. Many contained 5-HTP or St. John's Wort and I know these can be dangerous in WD because they affect serotonin levels, so I didn't buy them. I will try the passiflora one and some valerian root to see if it makes any difference. I also bought a homeopathic remedy by Boiron that is supposed to be relaxing, it's called Sedatif PC. It is for "anxiety, emotional hypersensitivity and irritability, sleeping disorders". 

I suffer from depression, anxiety, pure-o ocd, and panic attacks since 2004. Been on multiple different psychiatric drugs since 2006. Never had a significant WD problem before, only brain zaps for a month and then I'd be fine...............Been on Cipralex (escitalopram) 15 mg and Fluanxol (flupentixol) 1 mg since Sep 2014. Stopped taking the Cipralex after a fast 20-day taper.Took the last 5 mg Cipralex on Feb 5th, 2015. Then took Seroxat (paroxetine) 10 mg for a week, and stopped it too. Severe WD started suddenly on Feb 16th. RI 5 mg Cipralex on Feb 18th, 2015. RI worked and was relatively stable for a while................April 7 - decreased Fluanxol from 1 mg to 0.5 mg and took it at this dose for a week. - BIG MISTAKE; April 13 - WD starts creeping in; April 14 - RI full dose of Fluanxol 1 mg => severe muscle twitching and jerking when trying to relax and fall asleep, overwhelming sense of doom, dread, terror, and horror, insomnia, hoping to stabilize.
Tried doing a 10% cut off Fluanxol in the end of May for a few days, but quickly updosed to full dose because the twitching returned.
Experiencing waves and windows in the following months.
Unsuccessful brief taper attempt of Fluanxol by 5% on November 1st. Symptoms hit the next day. Too scared to continue tapering, reinstate full dose.
Severe crash in November after stupidly trying a barbiturate on November 9th. Grave mistake. Sense of unshakable inescapable internal torture, like my soul is in hell being tortured, terror/horror/dread/doom (probably akathisia?) that gets especially bad when trying to relax and fall asleep, muscles twitch, jerk and move on their own, shaking, insomnia, can't eat, confusion, disorientation, brain not working normally. Never felt so bad in my entire life. Never experiment with other meds while in WD! Praying to God I stabilize and get back to my baseline.
December - things getting even worse.

January - unbearable suffering

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passion flower is a mild maoi, take this into consideration.

It might have interactions with SSRI's, although I don't know about the combination with antipsychotica.

Diagnosis: GAD (2008), clinical depression (2012), again clinical depression (2016) and ptsd (2016)

History of: paroxetine, lexapro, sertraline, bupropion, zyprexa, seroquel, nortrilen, oxazepam, lorazepam, diazepam, nortriptyline.

 

Successfully came off nortriptyline after a full year of tapering from 100 mg. Quit in May 2015.

February 2016 started mirtazapine, followed by levothyroxine in April 2016 (diagnosis hypothyroidism)

 

Current meds/supplements: mirtazapine 15 mg, levothyroxine 50 µg, diazepam 1mg (tapering off) and melatonin 5 mg.

 

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Thanks sky, I didn't know that. It could potentially be dangerous to mix them. I will try to find more info about this.

I suffer from depression, anxiety, pure-o ocd, and panic attacks since 2004. Been on multiple different psychiatric drugs since 2006. Never had a significant WD problem before, only brain zaps for a month and then I'd be fine...............Been on Cipralex (escitalopram) 15 mg and Fluanxol (flupentixol) 1 mg since Sep 2014. Stopped taking the Cipralex after a fast 20-day taper.Took the last 5 mg Cipralex on Feb 5th, 2015. Then took Seroxat (paroxetine) 10 mg for a week, and stopped it too. Severe WD started suddenly on Feb 16th. RI 5 mg Cipralex on Feb 18th, 2015. RI worked and was relatively stable for a while................April 7 - decreased Fluanxol from 1 mg to 0.5 mg and took it at this dose for a week. - BIG MISTAKE; April 13 - WD starts creeping in; April 14 - RI full dose of Fluanxol 1 mg => severe muscle twitching and jerking when trying to relax and fall asleep, overwhelming sense of doom, dread, terror, and horror, insomnia, hoping to stabilize.
Tried doing a 10% cut off Fluanxol in the end of May for a few days, but quickly updosed to full dose because the twitching returned.
Experiencing waves and windows in the following months.
Unsuccessful brief taper attempt of Fluanxol by 5% on November 1st. Symptoms hit the next day. Too scared to continue tapering, reinstate full dose.
Severe crash in November after stupidly trying a barbiturate on November 9th. Grave mistake. Sense of unshakable inescapable internal torture, like my soul is in hell being tortured, terror/horror/dread/doom (probably akathisia?) that gets especially bad when trying to relax and fall asleep, muscles twitch, jerk and move on their own, shaking, insomnia, can't eat, confusion, disorientation, brain not working normally. Never felt so bad in my entire life. Never experiment with other meds while in WD! Praying to God I stabilize and get back to my baseline.
December - things getting even worse.

January - unbearable suffering

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  • 1 month later...

Has anyone tried Moringa? I grow it in my garden and made some tea with it last night. I think it had an uplifting effect. So, I wonder if it's been helpful to anyone.

After being on (over 25) psychiatric meds continuously during a 16 year period, I began in July 2014 to taper off 1mg Klonopin. In September 2014, I came off Brintellix, Trazadone, Zoloft, Proprityline & Hydroxyzine in 2 weeks on my own without knowledge on how to taper properly. I've been off all psych "meds" since 10/2014 and am currently experiencing protracted withdrawal.

 

Medication history: Vibryd, Wellbutrin, Lithium, Prozac, Xanax, Celexa, Cymbalta, Trileptal, Lamictal, Abilify, Zoloft, Trazadone, Citalopram, Effexor, Seroquel, Klonopin, Paxil, Brintellix, Protriptyline, Lexapro, Pristiq, Buspar, Clonidine, Lorazepam, Notriptyline, Hydroxyzine, Serzone.

 

Introduction: http://bit.ly/1SIxWwl.

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  • 1 month later...

a friend of mine recently suggested a supplement called Sedalia for my morning anxiety.

Here is a webpage of information on it: http://www.boironusa.com/?products=/sedalia/

I'm wondering if anyone has had any experience with this for helping with the anxiety caused by coming  off antidepressants? Its all herbal, but I'm wondering if it might be like St. Johns Wort and other things that might just be better avoided while healing ones brain. Any thoughts?

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  • 2 weeks later...

Even though I finished my taper of psych meds in 2010, my body is still in a hypersensitive state due to my sleep problems.   So what I am about to advise on supplements is still applicable.

 

Don't assume that just because something worked great initially, that you can keep on taking it.  You might even find that after a few days that the great reaction you had initially is now turning into a horrific one.

 

Listen to your body carefully as to what is is asking for.   For example, fish oil helps me but I have learned I can't take it every day or I start getting really hyper and agitated even on just one capsule.   Took me awhile to realize that.

 

Tread carefully and don't assume they are going to be the magical answer to everything.  Unfortunately, this is a lesson I have had a hard time learning although I think I am getting better at it.

 

CS

Drug cocktail 1995 - 2010
Started taper of Adderall, Wellbutrin XL, Remeron, and Doxepin in 2006
Finished taper on June 10, 2010

Temazepam on a PRN basis approximately twice a month - 2014 to 2016

Beginning in 2017 - Consumption increased to about two times per week

April 2017 - Increased to taking it full time for insomnia

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • Moderator Emeritus

a friend of mine recently suggested a supplement called Sedalia for my morning anxiety...

 

This is a mixed ingredient supplement and we don't recommend these kinds of formulas because if you react to one ingredient, you don't know which one it is. Its best to try one thing at a time.

 

If you do decide to try this, start with a fraction of the recommended dose to see how you are going to react, then build up slowly if you don't have a bad response.

 

If you do try this, please let us know your results in this topic.

I'm not a doctor.  My comments are not medical advise. These are my opinions based on my own experience and what I've learned. Please discuss your situation with a medical practitioner who has knowledge of tapering and withdrawal...if you are lucky enough to find one.

My Introduction Thread

Full Drug and Withdrawal History

Brief Summary

Several SSRIs for 13 years starting 1997 (for mild to moderate partly situational anxiety) Xanax PRN ~ Various other drugs over the years for side effects

2 month 'taper' off Lexapro 2010

Short acute withdrawal, followed by 2 -3 months of improvement then delayed protracted withdrawal

DX ADHD followed by several years of stimulants and other drugs trying to manage increasing symptoms

Failed reinstatement of Lexapro and trial of Prozac (became suicidal)

May 2013 Found SA, learned about withdrawal, stopped taking drugs...healing begins.

Protracted withdrawal, with a very sensitized nervous system, slowly recovering as time passes

Supplements which have helped: Vitamin C, Magnesium, Taurine

Bad reactions: Many supplements but mostly fish oil and Vitamin D

June 2016 - Started daily juicing, mostly vegetables and lots of greens.

Aug 2016 - Oct 2016 Best window ever, felt almost completely recovered

Oct 2016 -Symptoms returned - bad days and less bad days.

April 2018 - No windows, but significant improvement, it feels like permanent full recovery is close.

VIDEO: Where did the chemical imbalance theory come from?



VIDEO: How are psychiatric diagnoses made?



VIDEO: Why do psychiatric drugs have withdrawal syndromes?



VIDEO: Can psychiatric drugs cause long-lasting negative effects?

VIDEO: Dr. Claire Weekes

 

 

 

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  • 1 month later...

How can we know how long a specific supplement takes? I always give them two months.

  • SSRIs 3-4 times in the last 14 years; would take them for 6-8 months and then taper off under dr supervision with no problems.
  • Med history prior to 2015: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/6012-newbeginning-my-withdrawal-story/?p=267313#entry267313
  • 04/2015: Prozac decreased to 15mg over last 3 months; effexor held steady at 8mg; current effexor XR: 20 beads of a 75mg capsule per day (about 8mg)
  • 06/2015: Prozac: 10mg; effexor XR: 19 beads (about 7.5mg); 07/2015: Prozac: 8.5mg; effexor 18 beads; 08/2015: Prozac: 7.5mg; effexor: 17 beads
  • End of August: withdrawal: depressive symptoms, crying spells. Realized I was measuring prozac dose wrong for the last 2 months. Reinstated Prozac 8.5mg; Kept effexor at 17 beads. Stabilized in 5 weeks.
  • 10/2015: Prozac: 8.5mg; effexor: 17 beads11/2015: Prozac: 1.9ml (7.5mg); effexor: 16 beads12/2015: Prozac: 1.6ml; effexor xr: 16 beads. Withdrawal: neuroemotions
  • 01/2016: prozac: 1.6ml; effexor xr: reinstated 17 beads, withdrawal improved; 02/2016: Prozac 1.5ml; Effexor: 17 beads; 03/2016: Prozac 1.3ml(5mg); Effexor: 17 beads (7mg)-withdrawal (flu-like malaise, lightheaded, drowsy) started end of March. April 15: reinstated Prozac 1.5ml. Stabilized. 2 weeks ok. End of April: Withdrawal (neuroemotions). Eventually stabilized in April-May. Apathy improved.
  • 3 month hold until August. August 2016: apathy came back;

  • October 2016: updosed to Prozac 1.6ml. Bad reaction: anxiety, depression. End of October: went down Prozac 1.5ml. Stabilized over several weeks.

  • Dec 9: tried macca for energy: anxiety/depression. Improved over several weeks, but not completely resolved.

  • Dec 31: cut Effexor 5% to 16 beads. After 9 days: withdrawal anxiety, depression; tried updosing to 17 beads Feb 7 but anxiety got worse; went down to 16 beads

    May 2017: Anxiety improved; severe depression continuesSeptember 2017: finally stabilized!!!!!! 09/07/2017-12/31/2017: hold

  • Stable on Effexor 6mg and Prozac 6mg until around 2019-2020. Side effects (fatigue, anhedonia) continued, but had some long lasting windows thanks to therapy. Windows lasting 5-6 months each year followed by relapses.

  • 2019: bad reaction to melatonin 3 mg. Withdrawal after taking it 2 months. When I tried to stop it developed severe insomnia that lasted 6 months even after I reinstated melatonin. Only slept again because I took hydroxyzine 5 mg 3 times a week for few months. Stopped hydroxyzine with no issues. Sleep normalized.

  • 2020-2021: Holding on Prozac 6mg, Effexor 6mg, Tapered melatonin 1 drop every 2-4 weeks down to 1.5mg. Had to hold because further cuts were causing severe drowsiness. 

  • 2021: Insomnia returned due to caffeine use for few months (only started after months of use). I also had a concussion at this time.

  • 2023: took hydroxyzine 5-100mg for one month (kept increasing dose every 3 days because I developed tolerance). Tapered for 1 week. After 1 month: withdrawal neuroemotions. Reinstated 5mg 2 months after stopping. Gradually increased to 25mg, stabilized, but withdrawal came back after 10 days. Kept increasing dose and withdrawal returning. Currently at 40mg. Not sure how to stabilize. 

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Just wondering if anyone has developed a hypersensitivity from withdrawal to medications and supplemts?

 

does it ever correct itself?

 

Magnesium is still stimulating for me, and I would like to be able to eventually use it -

 

Thanks

 

*Currently at 8.2-8.5 mg of my 10mg pill of Paxil (they actually weigh 12.5mg) 

january 2023 I began reducing my med again. I was a 9mg weight for years, I went to 8.9 in January, went to 8.6mg in February, and in March 2023 I went down to 8.5-8.2 mg ( my scale varies, so I stick within that .3 range because of that) 

*No other supplements or vitamins 

*Taper schedule in the pdf 

Blank.pdf

 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-5vShtJtwAOGA30OxIP87steLmMdFzD29F0fzAPD564

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I read lots cases pp become hypersensitive to meds and supplement after their systems get sensitized. I myself is one of the extreme can't take anything pain killer, vitamins, magnesium etc.

 

I originally thought it's the interaction between meds, but now I know it's our system being sensitized. I would hope once the system is stabilized (both still on meds and off meds), the issue will be gone or at least the reaction becomes less intense.

 

I also like to be able to take some magnesium as I heard it helps with muscle tension and pain. The only time I tries just 10 mg of Mg, I got muscle twitch on my lip.

Drug free Sep. 23 2017

2009 Mar.: lexapro 10mg for headache for 2 weeks.

2009-2012: on and off 1/4 to 1/3 of 10mg

2012 June--2013 Jan,: 1/4-1/3 of 10mg generic, bad jaw pain

2013 Jan-Mar: 10 mg generic. severe jaw and head pain;

2013 Mar--Aug. started tapering (liquid ever since) from 10 to 5 (one step) then gradually down to 2.25 mg by July. first ever panic attack, severe head/jaw pain

2013 Aug.: back to 2.75 mg; Nov: back to Brand Lex. 2.75mg -- 3mg,

2014 June: stopped PPI, head pressure/numbness. up-dosed 4.5mg, severe reaction mental symptoms added on

2014 Aug--2015 Aug: Micro taper down to 3.2mg, .025mg (<1%) cut holding 2-3 weeks.

2015 Aug 15th, Accidental one dose of 4.2mg. worsening brain non-functional, swollen head, body, coma like, DR

2016 Feb., started dosing 10am through 11 pm everyday 2/13--3.2mg, 3/15-- 2.9mg, 4/19-- 2.6mg, 6/26--2.2mg, 7/22 --1.9mg, 8/16--1.8mg,8/31--1.7m g, 9/13--1.6mg, 9/27--1.5mg, 10/8--1.4mg, 10/14--1.3mg, 11/1--1.2mg, 11/29--1.1mg, 12/12--1mg, 12/22--0.9mg

2017: 1/7--0.8mg, 1/15--0.7mg, 1/17--0.6mg, 1/20--0.52, 1/21--0.4mg, 1/22--0.26, 1/23--0.2, 2/13--0.13mg, 2/20--0.06mg, 3/18--0.13mg, 6/1--0.12mg, 7/6--0.1mg, 7/14--0.08mg, 8/17--0.04mg, 8/20--0.03mg, 8/28--0.02mg, 9/6--0.0205mg, 9/8--0.02mg, 9/17--0.015mg, 9/20--0.01mg, 9/21--0.0048mg, 9/22--0.0001mg,

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Similar topics merged.

 


I find magnesium, taurine, zinc, vit c and black cohosh, helpful.  Fish oil and vit D make me worse.  Taking B vits stop me from sleeping.

 

I'm further along in my recovery now and have been able to take Vitamin D. I started about 3 months ago with 500 IU and have slowly increased up to 2500. I'm sure I was deficient, and now, because I'm able to tolerate it, I think its helping to improve my mood... slowly.

 

I'm also no longer taking black cohosh. I was never sure if it helped with  hot flashes and sweating, at first it seemed to help. But I'm no longer getting those symptoms, or very rarely, so I don't take it now.

 

I still can't tolerate fish oil, although I keep trying at various times. My latest experiment was with 1 - 2 drops of a high quality fish oil per day, an almost miniscule amount. Starting this coincided with pushing me out of a very nice window and bringing back symptoms which had gone.

 

Something else I've noticed is that coconut oil will increase anxiety and hyper-arousal if I eat too much. I love the stuff, but only seem to be able to tolerate about a teaspoon full every second day. I like to use it on toast in place of butter.

I'm not a doctor.  My comments are not medical advise. These are my opinions based on my own experience and what I've learned. Please discuss your situation with a medical practitioner who has knowledge of tapering and withdrawal...if you are lucky enough to find one.

My Introduction Thread

Full Drug and Withdrawal History

Brief Summary

Several SSRIs for 13 years starting 1997 (for mild to moderate partly situational anxiety) Xanax PRN ~ Various other drugs over the years for side effects

2 month 'taper' off Lexapro 2010

Short acute withdrawal, followed by 2 -3 months of improvement then delayed protracted withdrawal

DX ADHD followed by several years of stimulants and other drugs trying to manage increasing symptoms

Failed reinstatement of Lexapro and trial of Prozac (became suicidal)

May 2013 Found SA, learned about withdrawal, stopped taking drugs...healing begins.

Protracted withdrawal, with a very sensitized nervous system, slowly recovering as time passes

Supplements which have helped: Vitamin C, Magnesium, Taurine

Bad reactions: Many supplements but mostly fish oil and Vitamin D

June 2016 - Started daily juicing, mostly vegetables and lots of greens.

Aug 2016 - Oct 2016 Best window ever, felt almost completely recovered

Oct 2016 -Symptoms returned - bad days and less bad days.

April 2018 - No windows, but significant improvement, it feels like permanent full recovery is close.

VIDEO: Where did the chemical imbalance theory come from?



VIDEO: How are psychiatric diagnoses made?



VIDEO: Why do psychiatric drugs have withdrawal syndromes?



VIDEO: Can psychiatric drugs cause long-lasting negative effects?

VIDEO: Dr. Claire Weekes

 

 

 

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