LaylaJuneBug Posted November 18, 2012 Share Posted November 18, 2012 I was having a very hard day for some reason. Felt like crying, my needs weren't being met by my family and we had people coming over. I could have melted down and asked the guests not to come. I was close. I couldn't deal with my kids, even being civil to them. So I checked on this site for tips. Almost threw my phone through the wall because I couldn't log on but that's another story. I tried feet on the wall pose and did some breathing. Also tried breathing thru my left nostril on a tip from another site. I feel calmer and more settled. Lets hope I'm going back to my family in a better space. I'll let you know. Zoloft for 10+ yrs (between 50 and 100 mg) Switched to Citalopram 20 mg for the last year Added 150 mg Welbutrin for Citalopram side effects Started tapering from Citalopram - (20mg, then 10 mg, then 5 mg, then 5 mg every other day, then nothing, then reinstated to 5 mg per day to deal with discontinuation symptoms). Quit Wellbutrin cold turkey. Reinstated to 5 mg of Citalopram, then a higher dose eventually because of panic attacks. Feb 2015 switched to Pristiq on advice from Psych Nurse Practitioner with intention of tapering Aug 2015 began tapering Pristiq. Went to 12.5 a day Honestly don't remember the timeline of each taper, but it was extremely slow. Ended up cutting Pristiq into quarters, crushing the quarter, and even halving those at the end. Stopped taking Pristiq in Nov. 2016 http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/3242-tapering-from-citalopram-laylajunebugs-story/page__gopid__37123 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GiaK Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 (edited) I’ve been using yoga as a main source of rehabilitation and recovery since I was bedridden. I began doing yoga while still in bed. Now it continues to be a primary source of continued healing. Lately I’ve been doing backbends and while all the yoga I do feels like it profoundly helps my nervous system, these bends have really been making me think about my autonomic nervous system and how it seems to be healing it. Tending to the autonomic nervous system seems like the most important thing I’m doing in all of my recovery practices. And indeed all of my recovery practices aid in this most important endeavor. ... to read more and see a slide show: http://wp.me/p5nnb-9t9 Edited September 14, 2015 by Petunia fixed text Everything Matters: Beyond Meds https://beyondmeds.com/ withdrawn from a cocktail of 6 psychiatric drugs that included every class of psych drug. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GiaK Posted November 14, 2013 Share Posted November 14, 2013 Many of us who have withdrawn from either benzodiazepines or SSRI antidepressants, both, have to deal with heart palpitations and other often quite distressing heart symptoms as an iatrogenic injury that accompanies withdrawal syndrome. I noticed early on that for my trauma and psychiatric drug withdrawal induced tachycardia that yoga really helped minimize its horrors. It’s not a cure all but it sure as heck helps one get through when things are rough as well as perhaps creating a foundation for long-term healing. Tachycardia is when the heart beats like crazy. I’ve also had palpitations with a normal heart rate that can also be quite overwhelming. Both of those are common among folks coming off these drugs. I never had them before I went on the drugs and that too is the usual scenario with most people coming off of the meds. These symptoms are induced by global autonomic dysfunction that the drugs themselves cause. This autonomic dysfunction can also cause heart pain and all sorts of other chaotic and painful body sensation. The following report is not on exactly the same thing but it’s not all that far off and yoga’s applications are many and diverse. I’m making the assumption, based on my experience, that yoga helps me for much the same reason as those with atrial fibrillation are helped. I’m sharing this here today because I’m quite sure many with psychiatric drug withdrawal syndromes might be helped too. I imagine those with anxiety disorders as well could respond quite well to calming yoga postures. Below the excerpted article are a few postures that help my heart calm. Yoga has helped my entire recovery process, from the time I was bedridden. So it’s helped rebuild my atrophied muscles and given me fitness while also sustaining me in numerous other ways affecting the whole body/mind/spirit. From Medical News Today: Yoga Reduces Atrial Fibrillation Risk Considerably People who regularly practice yoga have a significantly lower risk of having episodes of atrial fibrillation - abnormal heart rhythm (irregular heartbeat) caused by unusual generation of electrical signals in the heart. Atrial fibrillation is a major cause of stroke among elderly individuals. In this US study carried out at the University of Kansas Hospital in Kansas City, not only did researchers report a reduced risk of irregular heartbeat, but also a reduction of anxiety and depression symptoms among those who practice yoga frequently. (continue reading) My favorite yoga position to help minimize the rapid heart beats is legs against the wall: You don’t need to have your butt up against the wall like that for it go be effective. Feel free to make any adjustments your body finds necessary. Absolute form isn’t terribly important when it comes to finding some relief from the tachycardia or palpitations. Lay with your hand on your belly and your heart and pay attention to your breath for a while. Alternately put your arms above your head like in the picture and breathe. I’ve done this for ten or even twenty minutes sometimes. It’s deeply restorative. Update: (a friend and yoga teacher just gave me this tip for additional modification if needed) If folks can’t get their legs up the wall because their hamstrings are tight, they will have a similar effect by putting their lower legs on the seat of a chair. You can put a blanket underneath your heels if the chair is too hard. On some days doing this can alter the course of the day for the better. It’s really quite wonderful when it works that way. Other times it might just make something really intolerable become somewhat tolerable. Some of these symptoms are very stubborn. Doing these exercises at bedtime is helpful too. I also find that doing twists on the ground, really gently can be helpful after doing legs against the wall. After you twist to one side follow by twisting to the other. ________________________________________________________________________—– Also I do this: __________________________________ And roll from side to side and up and down too. There you have it — a mini yoga session to help calm the heart and it works for garden variety anxiety too. This little combination of postures is also helpful in minimizing some of the pain of withdrawal. If you want to experiment with more advanced methods that seem to help with the autonomic dysregulation I later found that back bends are wonderful. Yoga back bends: feels yummy on the autonomic nervous system. The fact is all of yoga helps with these issues. I am profoundly grateful to have discovered this fact. Below I’m posting some of the yoga posts that include very easy videos that I started out with as I got out of bed. Look for RESTORATIVE yoga videos when you first start. These are deeply healing to the nervous system and those of us with withdrawal syndrome need to heal our autonomic nervous systems. Here are some links that can get people started if they’re still ill or if they’re just beginning a yoga practice: Yoga: changing the brains stressful habits Yoga back bends: feels yummy on the autonomic nervous system these sequences have also been very healing…belly breathing is also really really good for the calming of the nervous system: Yoga postures, breathing and waking-up Belly breathing and a bit of yoga …pick and choose what feels appropriate for you…at bedtime I mostly do legs against the wall. The above can get you started with baby steps. Don’t feel beholden to do all of any of these videos. Pick and choose from what your body likes and wants. Here is a longer but very gentle routine as well…again, remember only do that which your body likes. Your yoga for today original post http://wp.me/p5nnb-a3f Everything Matters: Beyond Meds https://beyondmeds.com/ withdrawn from a cocktail of 6 psychiatric drugs that included every class of psych drug. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GiaK Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 I got up this morning wanting to go to a yoga class which I’ve recently been able to do on occasion. Still, the condition of my autonomic nervous system has different ideas sometimes. Even yoga can be too much and a full yoga class in the community quite often is. I decided to find something appropriate on youtube instead. I often do my own routines and don’t absolutely need a class or a youtube video either, but I like finding new routines and new teachers. It really helps me stretch and grow. It also often helps to slow me down when I might otherwise rush through postures on my own. So I found the below gentle yoga for the morning. It’s also good for those of us with seriously challenged nervous systems at any time of the day. Those of us with protracted withdrawal syndrome need to be gentle and learn to listen to our bodies very carefully as we heal. Even yoga can trigger us or put us over the edge if we’re not careful. Choosing to move and connect in the morning is one of the best things we can do for ourselves! This video is gentle practice for all levels a nice way to connect to the muscles and joints and clear the mental and emotional channels for the day ahead. Take your time and connect to the breathe. Notice how you feel and enjoy the art of noticing! Let me know how it goes and have an awesome day! More gentle yoga for the challenged nervous system: Your yoga for today Calming yoga class for the central nervous system (good for those of us with psych drug withdrawal syndrome too) Yoga: Hormones/Endocrine System Yoga postures, breathing and waking-up Belly breathing and a bit of yoga …pick and choose what feels appropriate for you…at bedtime I mostly do legs against the wall Yoga: changing the brains stressful habits Yoga for calming (very simple poses can help greatly) Yoga back bends: feels yummy on the autonomic nervous system Remember you can always modify even more than the teacher suggests or stop entirely — even if it seems really easy and gentle our nervous systems know best. Be careful not to strain. original link http://wp.me/p5nnb-awf 1 Everything Matters: Beyond Meds https://beyondmeds.com/ withdrawn from a cocktail of 6 psychiatric drugs that included every class of psych drug. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trouper Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 this is wonderful! its just what i was looking for. thank you, gia. on 37.5 - 50mg zoloft/sertraline for GAD from 3/1996 to 4/2013 (17 years) too fast taper from 1/13-4/13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissTrish Posted June 26, 2015 Share Posted June 26, 2015 GiaK, thank you for this! So glad to see these links - I have bookmarked them. Now that I have my nifty cool Chromecast, I can actually maybe do these! 1986-2005: Limbitrol (15 Librium/ 50 Elavil combo) 1986-2005, 2005-successfully tapered Librium January of 2009-2011: Mirtazapine 30 mg; Cymbalta 60 mg; tapered cymbalta fall/winter of 2011/12 March 2012-March 2014: Mirtazapine, and various trials of Celexa, Zoloft, Wellbutrin and Lexapro; began Lexapro taper 9/18/14-Lexapro .7 mg; Mirtazapine 30 mg; 9/29/14 ditched Lexapro; added 25 mg Nortryptyline began mirtazapine taper 11/4/14: Mirtazapine 15 mg; Nortryptyline about 12.5 mg; 1/17/15: Mirtazapine 7.5 mg; Nortryptyline 2.5 mg, then jumped nortryptyline. 2/10: Mirtazapine 1.875, 2/11: Re-established at 6.75, 3/19-6.0 mg, 4/9-5.8, 4/17-6.3; 4/21 tried to re-establish at 7.5 4/23/15-Back to 5.8; 5/5-5.1mg; 5/16-4.6 mg; 5/24-4.2 mg; 6/2-3.9 mg; 6/9-3.6 mg; 6/16-3.3 mg; 6/23-3 mg 6/28-2.8 mg; 7/2-2.5 mg; 7/4-Jumped, due to increased misery from the drug itself. In a spell of panic due to agitation and insomnia, went through a few days each of 10, then 5 mg amitryptyline and 5 mg librium. Did not work out well. Horrible insomnia now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissTrish Posted June 28, 2015 Share Posted June 28, 2015 GiaK, I did this video this morning - it is great! My plan is to do it every morning. 1986-2005: Limbitrol (15 Librium/ 50 Elavil combo) 1986-2005, 2005-successfully tapered Librium January of 2009-2011: Mirtazapine 30 mg; Cymbalta 60 mg; tapered cymbalta fall/winter of 2011/12 March 2012-March 2014: Mirtazapine, and various trials of Celexa, Zoloft, Wellbutrin and Lexapro; began Lexapro taper 9/18/14-Lexapro .7 mg; Mirtazapine 30 mg; 9/29/14 ditched Lexapro; added 25 mg Nortryptyline began mirtazapine taper 11/4/14: Mirtazapine 15 mg; Nortryptyline about 12.5 mg; 1/17/15: Mirtazapine 7.5 mg; Nortryptyline 2.5 mg, then jumped nortryptyline. 2/10: Mirtazapine 1.875, 2/11: Re-established at 6.75, 3/19-6.0 mg, 4/9-5.8, 4/17-6.3; 4/21 tried to re-establish at 7.5 4/23/15-Back to 5.8; 5/5-5.1mg; 5/16-4.6 mg; 5/24-4.2 mg; 6/2-3.9 mg; 6/9-3.6 mg; 6/16-3.3 mg; 6/23-3 mg 6/28-2.8 mg; 7/2-2.5 mg; 7/4-Jumped, due to increased misery from the drug itself. In a spell of panic due to agitation and insomnia, went through a few days each of 10, then 5 mg amitryptyline and 5 mg librium. Did not work out well. Horrible insomnia now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GiaK Posted June 28, 2015 Share Posted June 28, 2015 wonderful, it's a great way to start the day for sure. Everything Matters: Beyond Meds https://beyondmeds.com/ withdrawn from a cocktail of 6 psychiatric drugs that included every class of psych drug. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator manymoretodays Posted June 29, 2015 Moderator Share Posted June 29, 2015 Just marking as part of "my content" so I can find easily again. Thank you. 2022 May- continuing with limited activity on site, just something I need to do right now, and.... 2023 April- I will try again soon for another good break. Started with psycho meds/psychiatric care circa 1988. In retrospect, and on contemplation, situational overwhelm. Rounding up to 30 years of medications(30 medication trials, poly-pharmacy maximum was 3 at one time). 5/28/2015-off Adderal salts 2.5mg. (I had been on that since hospital 10/2014) 12/2015---just holding, holding, holding, with trileptal/oxcarb at 75 mg. 1/2 tab at hs. My last psycho med ever! Tapered @ 10% every 4 weeks, sometimes 2 weeks to 2016 Dec 16, medication free!! Longer signature post here, with current supplements. Herb and alcohol free since 5/15/2016. And.....I quit smoking 11/2021. Lapsed. Redo of quit smoking 9/28/2022. Can you say Hallelujah?(took me long enough)💜 None of my posts are intended as medical advice. Please discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical provider. My success story: Blue skies ahead, clear sailing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Emeritus Petunia Posted September 14, 2015 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted September 14, 2015 Several yoga topics merged. Also see: Gianna Kali's toolbox for coping with withdrawal syndrome 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Destroyed Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 This is really helpful to my body and I am now sleeping better. There are lot of classes on YouTube give it a go. If you can get to a class try hot yoga cos it makes you sweat a lot something that I lost because of the drugs. X May 2012 Olanzapine and other anti depressants. Don't know what they were. Sertraline, Flupentixol, Sodium Valporate, Depixol, Lithium, Piportal, Mirtazapine, Lamotrogine, Venlafaxine, Respirodol ECT x 7. Don't know the dates of any of these medications because I can't remember and I have no idea of the doses either. Am no longer on any meds. Take Cod liver oil, Omega 3, B1, Sepia. Still in rehab under section 3 in the UK. I have access to my phone and the house phone and email. Symptoms 110bpm, memory loss, severe anhedonia, no motivation, poor sleep, loss of hobbies and interests including music. Things that have come back are appetite and feeling the cold and my muscles. Nothings gonna hurt me with my eyes shut, I can see through them, I can see through them - Years and Years 2015 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GiaK Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 hot yoga is potentially far too stimulating and can actually cause us harm when we are delicate and unwell from withdrawal. Please go easy and carefully when trying anything new. I still rarely do entire classes of any kind of yoga because that is what my nervous system requires. Some of us seem to tolerate a lot more than others...so simply feel into what you are able to do slowly and gently. I've had lots of folks say they've gone to a yoga class and totally overdone it...this is why I really do recommend yoga at home so you can really learn to know your own body ... the classroom setting can be intimidating if you think you need to keep up with everyone. For those of us that are delicate this is a good post: Yoga tips for those with challenged nervous systems http://wp.me/p5nnb-bWA Everything Matters: Beyond Meds https://beyondmeds.com/ withdrawn from a cocktail of 6 psychiatric drugs that included every class of psych drug. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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