Has there been anyone on for 30 years?

[Gigi66]

I have been on antidepressants for 30 years.  It is stunning and devastating at the same time.  I am on my last taper off sertraline and taking slow .   Who knows how long  this will take.  I want to connect with others on this long or similar time and hear their experiences and hopefully success stories.  

[pinkfairy]

On 11/8/2023 at 1:14 AM, Gigi66 said:

I have been on antidepressants for 30 years.  It is stunning and devastating at the same time.  I am on my last taper off sertraline and taking slow .   Who knows how long  this will take.  I want to connect with others on this long or similar time and hear their experiences and hopefully success stories.  

Hi lovely,

I am 25-27 years i cannot remember but its creeping up that way. I can't wait to be free x

[Gigi66]

Me either getting to lowering doses getting a bit harder .  I think I am at that point where the 10% a month is too much so I am going to have to slow down a bit more.  How much do you have to go and which drug?

[pinkfairy]

8 minutes ago, Gigi66 said:

Me either getting to lowering doses getting a bit harder .  I think I am at that point where the 10% a month is too much so I am going to have to slow down a bit more.  How much do you have to go and which drug?

Yes, i find that as well the lower i go the more tough its becoming. I cannot do 10% as it was to much for my brain and nervous system after the CT i went through.So i started micro tapering the benzo and i am at 0.058. but i have stopped that one for now and started tapering the Mirtazapine and i am at 5.70 on that one and doing 3-4% a month drop and a couple of weeks hold. I am doing the Brass Monkey slide but i am holding right now.

 

Awesome work on getting so low total hero's journey for sure.

[Gigi66]

Thats wonderful and encouraging .  The Benzo withdrawl is an accomplishment as well.  Yes, I believe that I will have to do a smaller drop.  Keep going and hold on to all that is good.  

 

[Catina7]

On 11/7/2023 at 8:14 PM, Gigi66 said:

I have been on antidepressants for 30 years.  It is stunning and devastating at the same time.  I am on my last taper off sertraline and taking slow .   Who knows how long  this will take.  I want to connect with others on this long or similar time and hear their experiences and hopefully success stories.  

 

Hi @Gigi66 and welcome to SA!  I've been on some form of psych drug for 30 years....ugh!  I'm currently on both Effexor and Trazodone.  I'm trying to get off Effexor first and then Trazodone.  I'm looking forward to one day being drug-free!  

 

Catina 😊

[pinkfairy]

11 hours ago, Gigi66 said:

Thats wonderful and encouraging .  The Benzo withdrawl is an accomplishment as well.  Yes, I believe that I will have to do a smaller drop.  Keep going and hold on to all that is good.  

 

Honestly you're doing amazing, hold onto all that is good and sometimes things may get dark but i always remember that i am the light in this journey home to ourselves.My greatest lessons have come from the darkness, i know it cannot hurt me and i welcome being wrapped in that blanket because inside that blanket is where the transformation is taking place. I cannot wait to see us ALL being  free.The good times no matter how small or big celebrate them because every day and moving forwards no matter how small or big is a HUGE WIN in this.Our time will come, we just have to stay the course. Faith is an inside job and fear is external.I feed the one i want to grow. x

[Gigi66]

Thank you both for answering .  I feel like I have been on these for so long and sometimes it seems like I am the only one.  Although I know this is not reality.  I cant believe that my providers just kept me going with this and no one ever questioned it.  It was always this model of the mental health system.  Now I realize how flawed they were and the system.  Catina7 I saw you too were put on for PMDD.  Back in 1993 the specialist I saw was convinced it would help me .  It worked for a while it really did .  However, I never knew how bad things were until a few years ago . Then I was polly drugged and everything came crashing down.  I hope we can check back periodically to support each other on this journey and once we are off wont it be something.  Thanks for the encouraging words you both have.  

[BigCat]

On 11/8/2023 at 1:14 AM, Gigi66 said:

I have been on antidepressants for 30 years.  It is stunning and devastating at the same time.  I am on my last taper off sertraline and taking slow .   Who knows how long  this will take.  I want to connect with others on this long or similar time and hear their experiences and hopefully success stories.  

I have been on and off ADs for 31 years, permanently for 23 years.  

Sounds like you are forging a new way of being- encouraging for those of us who have recently started tapering.  Slow and steady seems to be working for me.  More power to you!

[Gigi66]

Thank you Big Cat.  I really needed to hear from others that have dealth with this for so long.  Feeling like my brain will never know or feel like it was intended to be .  It has been structurally changed by these things.  Who was I before this?  A young woman looking for answers, now a much older one still looking for answers feeling cheated.  I have a lot of anger that has come up . Not just about the medications but other things in life.  It has almost been unleashed as part of possibly the tapering and intensive feelings that are attributed to that process. I hope you continue on your path and stay true and steady to reach its end .  What does the saying L'exposition du merde est temporaries mean ? French?  I tried to translate in google by looking at it and with what little I know of Italian something about a position being temporary. Google said ...

**** exposure is temporary

[Chlo]

On 11/10/2023 at 4:20 PM, Gigi66 said:

Thank you both for answering .  I feel like I have been on these for so long and sometimes it seems like I am the only one.  Although I know this is not reality.  I cant believe that my providers just kept me going with this and no one ever questioned it.  It was always this model of the mental health system.  Now I realize how flawed they were and the system.  Catina7 I saw you too were put on for PMDD.  Back in 1993 the specialist I saw was convinced it would help me .  It worked for a while it really did .  However, I never knew how bad things were until a few years ago . Then I was polly drugged and everything came crashing down.  I hope we can check back periodically to support each other on this journey and once we are off wont it be something.  Thanks for the encouraging words you both have.  

I have been on them for 25 years. Am currently down to 1.11mg Lex. Having heavy waves atm. Nausea, no appetite, fear. And panic attacks. Have you experienced this as well, and what do you do to help ease? @pinkfairy @Gigi66

I feel like I'm headed down the road of depression 🫥 

[Gigi66]

@Chlo,  I am sorry you are struggling .  Yes, I have experienced all these things and it sounds like you need to slow down and maybe hold for a while.  I just recently attended a synposium from another group called Inner Compass and they had a doctor that explained the exponential growth of symptoms that start to unravel and severity the lower you get.  At this point you must be going even lower.  What method have you used?  Even at your low dosage 5 % drop a month might be too much.  I am having to slow down as well.  We might even be so much more sensitive having been on this crap for so long.

[Aveju]

Hi, I’ve been on ssri meds for 31 years.  I can relate with everything you’ve all said!

[pinkfairy]

On 11/16/2023 at 9:36 PM, Chlo said:

I have been on them for 25 years. Am currently down to 1.11mg Lex. Having heavy waves atm. Nausea, no appetite, fear. And panic attacks. Have you experienced this as well, and what do you do to help ease? @pinkfairy @Gigi66

I feel like I'm headed down the road of depression 🫥 

Awesome work getting so low down, keep plugging away and your freedom is waiting on the other side.I surrender and allow every symptom to  just BE and distract.Once you understand that your nervous system is doing its job it takes all the fear away.I got comfortable being uncomfortable.Also a huge one is when the WD peaks or loads of symptoms i hold and allow the wave to subside.I listen to my body and go as gentle as possible and allow the process to unfold because we cannot control those WD they do dictate the show, but we can control how we respond to those waves. Keep up the great work.

[pinkfairy]

18 hours ago, Aveju said:

Hi, I’ve been on ssri meds for 31 years.  I can relate with everything you’ve all said!

Long ole time isn't it. But look at us all we are ECSCAPING and heading for freedom.W e have been the canary's in the coal mine.I cannot wait to see us all fly.

[Chlo]

On 11/20/2023 at 10:42 AM, Gigi66 said:

@Chlo,  I am sorry you are struggling .  Yes, I have experienced all these things and it sounds like you need to slow down and maybe hold for a while.  I just recently attended a synposium from another group called Inner Compass and they had a doctor that explained the exponential growth of symptoms that start to unravel and severity the lower you get.  At this point you must be going even lower.  What method have you used?  Even at your low dosage 5 % drop a month might be too much.  I am having to slow down as well.  We might even be so much more sensitive having been on this crap for so long.

@Gigi66 athanasius you for your heartfelt response. I am also a member of The Inner Compass Exchange and have attended the seminar with Dr. Anders Sorensen. I was doing a micro taper of .001 every 4 days, but it seems it may be too much as well. I've been holding for about 3 weeks now. Going to resume after the holidays. Question: Are we still healing even though we are holding?