Armorall Posted September 2, 2021 Share Posted September 2, 2021 I was watching Michael Priebe (The Lovely Grind) while I was going through withdrawal, and someone in the comments had asked him if he was willing to write a success story for Surviving Antidepressants. Then I looked up the site. I don't think it comes up very high in search results, which is sad, I wish I had found it sooner than I did. 3/21/19 started Bupropion XL 150 mg 3/21/19 started Risperidone 2mg 7/7/19 start Abilify half dose 5 mg. discontinue Risperidone 7/9/19 full dose Abilify 10 mg 7/29/19 discontinued Abilify due to panicky side effects 8/2/19 Began Latuda 20 mg 8/5/19 discontinued Latuda due to similar side effects 8/10/19 discontinued Bupropion after realizing it was causing the insomnia From 8/10/19 no drugs whatsoever Currently taking vitamin C, D, E, a probiotic and fish oil. Message me here if you want: https://www.facebook.com/morra.lal.3/ I've been getting a lot of fake friend requests, so please send a message before friend requesting me, thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoenixmama Posted September 2, 2021 Share Posted September 2, 2021 @Armorall i would like to read it 2021: started celexa 10mg feb 2nd feb 25th took my last 10g feb 26th took 5mg feb 27th took 5mg feb 28th 2021 cold turkey currently taking mag Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armorall Posted September 3, 2021 Share Posted September 3, 2021 @Phoenixmama Unfortunately, even though someone asked him to do it, he did not. The question just made me aware of the existence of SA, but it wasn't because he then complied. He does detail his process in a Lovely Grind video though, it was one that I actually wrote down many of the words to, since I was hurting in WD and needed some relief. I had it on my wall for a long time. Just the bit about the further away you are from your quit/taper start date, the better it will become even if you can't tell at first. And his major changes happened within the 18-24th month mark, which ended up being my "turn the corner" zone as well. 3/21/19 started Bupropion XL 150 mg 3/21/19 started Risperidone 2mg 7/7/19 start Abilify half dose 5 mg. discontinue Risperidone 7/9/19 full dose Abilify 10 mg 7/29/19 discontinued Abilify due to panicky side effects 8/2/19 Began Latuda 20 mg 8/5/19 discontinued Latuda due to similar side effects 8/10/19 discontinued Bupropion after realizing it was causing the insomnia From 8/10/19 no drugs whatsoever Currently taking vitamin C, D, E, a probiotic and fish oil. Message me here if you want: https://www.facebook.com/morra.lal.3/ I've been getting a lot of fake friend requests, so please send a message before friend requesting me, thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PsychologicalSafe15 Posted September 6, 2021 Share Posted September 6, 2021 Someone suggested me in reddit. 2017 october--2018 march->(6 month) fluoxetine 20,30 mg-->cold turkey= after 2 month semen leakage 2018 july---2018 Aug-->(24 days) fluoxetine 20 mg --> cold turkey = vivid dreams begin 2018 december 2019 Jan-->(1 month) Amitriptyline 25--> cold turkey --------++++--horror of drugs begins. Taking one after another and cold turkey-------+++------------------ 2019 May--2019 May--> (12 days) Lexapro cold turkey 2019 May--2019 august -->(3 month)Cobazam 10 mg +amitriptyline 25 mg --> clobazam cold turkey ----2019 october ---> went cold turkey amitriptyline 25 mg. 2019 october--2020 Jan -->(3 months) duloxetine cymbalta 30mg --->cold turkey 2020 jan-2020 Apr--> (3 months) paroxetine 25 mg --> Cold turkey 2020 July--2021 Jan--> (6 months) amitriptyline 50 mg ,75 mg,100 mg ,125 mg -> cold turkey 2021 jan--2021 May--> (4 months) imipramine 75 mg -->cold turkey 2021 may-2021 Aug--> (3 months) nortriptyline 25 mg --> cold turkey== still semen leakage and vivid dream Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyDarkNight Posted September 7, 2021 Share Posted September 7, 2021 (edited) I found this site via a YouTube video panel discussion on IIPDW. I am AMAZED at how easily doctors prescribe antidepressants without informing about what long-term use can do to your life! They don’t tell you how common sexual dysfunction is, and worse, how scary & hard it is to stop taking them. I’m looking for support as I navigate COVID19, my own refusal of the vax, even though I’ve never been anti-vax before now. The poor leadership added to my suspicions about big PHARMA & a very BIG distrust of any medications & doctors that want to keep me medicated. I am a recovering cocaine addict. I got involved in 12-step groups in 1984 & have been free of coke since 1/5/85. I started antidepressants & adhd meds under the care of my GP in the 90’s to deal with attention issues & menopausal symptoms. Those meds quit working & I sought psychiatric care about 5 years ago. I was switched from fluoxetine & adderall to Lexapro & Vyvanse. Last November I had a psychotic episode and was inpatient for 2 weeks, where my meds were changed abruptly. The ARNP I was working with told me it was a drug induced mania & he had “seen it coming” but NEVER TOLD ME! So I came out of that episode knowing that I had to find myself again & I could not do that until I got off of the drugs. I believe they created the basket case that I became! so now I am emerging from a long detox & dark night of the soul & believe that psychiatric labels & drugs have done more harm than good in my life. Thanks for creating this site! Edited November 25, 2021 by ChessieCat added spacing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TinyDancer Posted November 24, 2021 Share Posted November 24, 2021 I found this site through this research article: Protracted withdrawal syndrome after stopping antidepressants: a descriptive quantitative analysis of consumer narratives from a large internet forum https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2045125320980573?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub 0pubmed Drug history: Zoloft 10mg 1999 - estimated 2007 Lexapro (escitalopram) 20mg estimated start 2009 - Jan 2021 (self tapered Sep 2020 - Dec 2020) Tried fish oil supplements (1200mg EPA + 900mg DHA) in June and July 2021 but had increased anxiety/agitation SAM-e 400mg estimated start August 2021 to present Introduction post Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Frogie Posted November 24, 2021 Moderator Share Posted November 24, 2021 I was referred through a desperate google search on how to stop lexapro the correct way! PREVIOUS medications and discontinuations: Have been on medications since 1996. Valium, Gabapentin, Lamictal, Prilosec and Zantac from 2000 to 2015 with a fast taper by a psychiatrist. Liquid Lexapro Nov, 2016 to 31-March, 2019 Lexapro free!!! (total Lexapro taper was 4 years-started with pill form) ---CURRENT MEDICATIONS:Supplements:Milk Thistle, Metamucil, Magnesium Citrate, Vitamin D3, Levothyroxine 25mcg, Vitamin C, Krill oil. Xanax 1mg 3x day June, 2000 to 19-September, 2020 Went from .150 grams (average weight of 1 Xanax) 3x day to .003 grams 3x day. 19-September, 2020 Xanax free!!! (total Xanax taper was 15-1/2 months-1-June, 2019-19-September, 2020) I am not a medical professional. The suggestions I make are based on personal experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonpie Posted November 24, 2021 Share Posted November 24, 2021 Like Frogie. A desperate Google search for help tapering. 1 .025 Xanax 3 x daily Start date 10-13-2013 through 8-13-2014. Started tapering 6-2014 to 8-2014. Some small discomfort. 25 mg Zoloft - Start date 5-1-2014. 50mg. 6-2014. through 7-14-2014 . Started tapering 7-14-2014, stopped tapering 10-2014. I did 1/4 of the dose a month. small discomfort. These next 3 were prescribed when I made some seriously bad choices with my thyroid medication. Was in ER twice for possible heart attack. INTENSE anxiety, panic, fear. Lost 30 pounds in 2 weeks. Thyroid levels bounced to extremes for 8 months. Dr. prescribed Zoloft 50mg 9-2105. After 2 doses had a bad reaction passed out in my bedroom. Also prescribed Xanax .025 at the same time. 3 times daily, 4 if needed. Was only on it about 2 weeks. Was not working. Trip ER they gave me an Ativan IV and it worked and lasted. switched to Ativan. 9-24-2016. 1.5 mg Ativan - .5 mg three x daily -start date 9/24/16. Attempted taper start 12-16-2016. Was shaving Pills and alternating tapering AM, PM and midday dose weekly. Buspar .5mg -2.5mg. am and 2. 5mg. pm start date 9-26-2016 . Lexapro .10mg start date - 10-26-2016. Found SA and began 10/14/2017 tapering .001 gm every 4 days Held longer if there were was WD. Was very sensitive to Ativan. 3-15-2018 Off midday dose - 7-16-2018 Off PM dose - OFF ATIVAN! 11-17-2018 10 mg. Lexapro. PM - 5 mg start date 10/11/2016 increased to 10 mg 2/2/17. 1-1-2019 Began tapering Lexapro. .001 gm every 4 days. Held longer if there was WD. Last doses some I held a month. OFF LEXAPRO! 2-21 2021 5 mg. Buspar divided into two, 2.5 mg doses AM and PM- Start date 9/26/2016 Cold turkey on Dr. direction, PM does. Reinstated PM dose 9-22 N.P. Desiccated Thyroid. 12-22-17 reduced from 75 mg. to 67.5 daily, dose now 60 mg a day. Bioidentical hormones. Bi-est/Prog cream, 1/4 tsp. 1 time daily My intro: Moonpie:. Need help and supporting tapering off of Ativan My benzo thread: Moonpie: Need help Ativan weight tapering Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Emeritus ChessieCat Posted November 24, 2021 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted November 24, 2021 I thought I had already posted in this topic but I've just checked and I haven't. I also found SA through an internet search. Just before reducing my Pristiq 100mg to 50mg I had been searching for Pristiq side effects (trying to work out why I had the different issues I had, which turned out to be mild serotonin syndrome), which unfortunately did not bring up SA. Because Pristiq is only available in 50mg and 100mg in Australia (our drug authority has not authorised 25mg here grrr) and because of the serotonin toxicity I needed to reduce quickly. Once I got really bad withdrawal symptoms after the above reduction, I started searching for Pristiq withdrawal symptoms instead and SA come up in one of the first few results on the page. The ironic thing about me getting bad withdrawals is that if I had had no issues, or only minor ones, going from 100mg to 50mg I would not have found SA and I might still be on Pristiq. Six years after joining I am at 0mg!!! And all thanks to SA. VIDEO: Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management MISSION ACCOMPLISHED: (6 year taper) 0mg Pristiq on 13th November 2021 Woohoo!!! Finally off Pristiq Post 0 updates start here 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 My full tapering program My Intro (goes to my tapering graph) My website PLEASE NOTE: I am not a medical professional. I provide information and make suggestions. Please DO NOT TAG me - thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy2Heal Posted November 25, 2021 Share Posted November 25, 2021 I thought I had posted here too but I guess not I found this site thru a desperate google search when I was already suffering terribly in WD and my PCP was trying to get me to take some drug, clonadine (sp) I think? she was rxing it for severe insomnia and to help with what she thought were my PTSD symptoms I wanted to know what the side effects of that drug might be, and somehow a link popped up to SA that mentioned it. it was like a bolt of electricity went thru me when I saw that this forum was for ppl getting off antidepressants, because I had just been arguing with the dr that what I was going thru HAD TO BE from coming off the lexapro too quickly she laughed at me (something she did often, I realize now looking back- why did I put up with that kind of disrespect??) anyway............ that's how I found SA that was in early Dec of 2015 this forum saved my life and my sanity. I will be forever grateful. 1 pysch med history: 1974 @ age 18 to Oct 2017 (approx 43 yrs total) Drug list: stelazine, haldol, elavil, lithium, zoloft, celexa, lexapro(doses as high as 40mgs), klonopin, ambien, seroquel(high doses), depakote, zyprexa, lamictal- plus brief trials of dozens of other psych meds over the years started lexapro 2002, dose varied from 20mgs to 40mgs. I tried to get off it several times. WD symptoms were mistaken for "relapse". 2013 too fast taper down to 5mg but WD forced me back to 20mgs June of 2105, tapered again too rapidly to 2.5mgs by Dec 2015. Found SA, held at 2.5 mgs til May 2016 when I foolishly "jumped off". Crashed in Sept, reinstated at 0.3mgs in Oct. 2106 Tapered off to zero by Oct. 2017 Doing very well Nov. 2018 feel 95% healed, current age 63 Jan. 2020 feel 100% healed, peaceful and content Aug 2021, loving life ❤️ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThatOneGirlStitch Posted December 5, 2021 Share Posted December 5, 2021 I don't remember. I was in such a haze at that point. Depression, trying to fight off good intentions of family and friends to get ketamine and more meds. I came from the anhedonia reddit page to a site that were worried about pssd a lot. (It did't fit the bill either) Then this one, and it slowly clicked that "Oh my god, this is whats happening to me. Current: Bupropion 450mg, Neurontin 800mg, Klonopin 0.5mg History: July 2020: started Cogentin 1mg, Lamictal 50mg, Zoloft 150mg, Zyprexa 5mg (+5mg as needed), Klonopin 0.5mg November 2020: stopped all meds cold-turkey February 2021: started Latuda 60mg, Lithium 300mg, Melatonin 5mg, Protonix 40mg, Topamax 25mg 2 weeks later: stopped Topamax, increased Lithium 900mg, started Klonopin 1mg, Lexapro 20mg, Neurontin 400mg April 2021: started Bupropion 150mg, Revia ?mg May 2021: stopped Revia, Protonix, Lexapro, increased Neurontin 800mg, started Celexa 10mg August 2021: decreased Celexa 5mg (stopped Celexa 2 weeks later), increased Bupropion 300mg September 2021: increased Latuda 80mg October 2021: decreased Lithium 600mg for 4 days, Lithium 300mg for 4 days, stopped Lithium, Latuda, increased Bupropion 450mg, started Remeron 15mg, decreased Remeron 7.5mg, stopped Remeron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UserMan1775 Posted December 5, 2021 Share Posted December 5, 2021 I found the website through googling the recent symptoms I have been having and it popped up in a search result Klonopin Mar 2013 - Feb 2021 - used .000 gram scale to cut pills did very slowly from 2017-2021, had no issues stopping after final dose that was sub .5mg diazepam equivalent (If anyone wants advice for tapering Klonopin with a gram scale, feel free to ask!) tapered off zyprexa twice over 2 weeks in my 20's, had little issue with that after about 3-4 years of use both times. Prozac 40MG for 5 years - 2016 - 2021 (Total of 13 years of consecutive use) (Most recent after last break, been on cumulatively in my life 14 years all times combined, 3 separate on/off occasions, all successful except most recent 3/4) Recent Issue: Tapered gradually from 40MG down to 0MG from May 7th - Aug 18th Felt fine through Oct 5th, slowly started getting depression, panic, and anxiety (Was original thing I was treated for) Decided to go back on SSRI Nov 1st, reacted very bad to 20mg reinstatement, day 1 was fine, day 2 had ADR. Doctor said to drop dosage. Took 5mg for 2 weeks, 10mg for 2 weeks, still felt physically sick, could not take 20mg for more than 3 days, looking for advice going forward (ADR) Not happy about it, but on 1.5mg 3x ativan and temazepam 15mg for sleep (Was sleeping 2-3 hrs nightly prior to temazepam, was first thing that broke 2-3 hr then wide awake sleep cycle) Main symptoms: headaches from certain foods and meds, sleep is broken, anxiety and agitation is extremely high, cortisol spike sensitive, bad in morning better at night, panic attacks, concentration is awful, focus is awful, anhedonia is awful, sensitive to light and noise, especially noise, extreme depression, intense bouts of fear, every looks and feels 'scary' at times, stress tolerance extremely low, have bouts of extreme anxiety, and bouts akathesia, and bouts extreme anticipatory anxiety over basic events/tasks. No Prozac for 218 days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moxie Posted February 22 Share Posted February 22 I was a moderator on the Lyrica Survivors FB site up until the switch to here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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