GiaK Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 Herbal medicine for the win! I tested hyperthyroid about 6 weeks ago…it made my iatrogenic nervous system chaos far worse. I took herbs (mostly a variety of different but particular nervine herbs which I made into teas and sipped therapeutically throughout the day) and did yoga, concentrating on a few poses for supporting my thyroid and also emphasized certain healthy foods in my diet. A few days ago I sensed I no longer needed the herbs (I continuously intuitively took what I needed, not what is generally prescribed by herbalists, even…I totally listened to my body and the energetics of the herbs) So I stopped the herbs a few days ago as they seemed to no longer be needed and in fact were not agreeing with me anymore and so I stopped them over the course of a few days. Today it’s been 6 weeks since I last tested and my thyroid test came back NORMAL. I’m off the medicinal herbs and feeling much better. A regular doctor would have put me on pharmaceuticals that are dangerous and have potentially serious side-effects. I would not have been allowed to play with my dose and intuit what I needed like I did with the plants. THIS is what healing can look like. I will stay attuned and continue to learn about what my body needs and test again if I feel I need to do that. The best part is I’m feeling better than ever. It seems that course of nervine herbs helped heal my nervous system in general. HEAL is the operative word. I am not taking them at this point. They did their job and when it was done they let me know it was done. I was able to know by tuning into the energetics in my body. That is how plant medicine works. The proof is in the lab result I just got this morning. Related posts: My healing protocol detailed… Mamma earth in action and my big brother Menopause can be a magical time of growth and transformation (reframing may be necessary) Protracted psychiatric drug withdrawal syndrome, chronic illness, CFS, Fibromyalgia. Yeah, they all have things in common. original post http://wp.me/p5nnb-aRn Everything Matters: Beyond Meds https://beyondmeds.com/ withdrawn from a cocktail of 6 psychiatric drugs that included every class of psych drug.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...
NoMeaning25 Posted May 15, 2014 Share Posted May 15, 2014 GiaK, I feel very happy for you! Wow you are so determined and motivated to get well, i kinda envy you so so much you have no idea. I wish so badly i had this motivation you have, maybe i would also start getting better. But to be honest, i have NO idea where to start. No clue. There are so many thing i need to change that i feel too overwhelmed to start if that makes any sense. Thank you for sharing all this with us. Was on Citalopram 20mg since Feb 2008 - switched to Paxil 20mg in August 2010 Tapered way too fast in April 2012 by skipping days. Taper completed in 6 weeks Tried prozac 20mg for 3 days - felt spaced out, not better. Tried 30mg Cymbalta for 2 days. SEVERE ADVERSE REACTION Antidepressant free since 14 August 2012 Birth control on and off during this time - Last taken 18 June 2017 - Morning after pill Started mainly using 0.5mg Xanax beginning 2016 for severe panic attacks and anxiety due to trauma Xanax on and off never more than 0.5mg at a time, never taking it 3 days in a row - used sparingly 6 Years antidepressant free - Still in severe withdrawal with over 60 symptoms Severe setback started May 2018 with no let up to date. Developed many new symptoms like tremors, inner vibrations, insomnia, visual distortions and dr/dp are 100x worse, i have severe sensitivity to movement, My dizziness and vertigo got worse and it now feels like im constantly rocking on a boat, my anxiety is sky high, suicidal idiation is back, i feel extremely brain damaged Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GiaK Posted May 15, 2014 Author Share Posted May 15, 2014 I felt like that too, Olivia... it's all baby steps...and trusting yourself...and frankly, if I or anyone further on the path is annoying to you -- my suggestion is to take us in small doses...some of the folks that helped me get better because they had totally recovered drove me nuts at times because they would tell me I would get better all the time and I'd want to say F - you!! What do they know about me? And in part that is true...we are all different and none of us have a crystal ball. seriously...it's okay to feel that way...all the overwhelm and darkness does eventually work it's way into something else...and that's just a law of nature...everything changes and everything passes. hang on and take care. 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...
NoMeaning25 Posted May 15, 2014 Share Posted May 15, 2014 I wouldn't say i am annoyed, i would say i am disappointment in myself for not trying harder. I know non of this is my fault, but i blame myself for not forcing myself hard enough to get better. I am really doing baby steps right now and i really believe that someday i will be well again. Im 21 months off with no windows of any kind, to say i am worried is an understatement. I know this is probably not the right question to ask, but have you ever seen anyone not get better? Im not counting on a miraculous recovery, i know it can take a long time. Just hoping a long time doesn't mean 10 years if you know what i mean. Was on Citalopram 20mg since Feb 2008 - switched to Paxil 20mg in August 2010 Tapered way too fast in April 2012 by skipping days. Taper completed in 6 weeks Tried prozac 20mg for 3 days - felt spaced out, not better. Tried 30mg Cymbalta for 2 days. SEVERE ADVERSE REACTION Antidepressant free since 14 August 2012 Birth control on and off during this time - Last taken 18 June 2017 - Morning after pill Started mainly using 0.5mg Xanax beginning 2016 for severe panic attacks and anxiety due to trauma Xanax on and off never more than 0.5mg at a time, never taking it 3 days in a row - used sparingly 6 Years antidepressant free - Still in severe withdrawal with over 60 symptoms Severe setback started May 2018 with no let up to date. Developed many new symptoms like tremors, inner vibrations, insomnia, visual distortions and dr/dp are 100x worse, i have severe sensitivity to movement, My dizziness and vertigo got worse and it now feels like im constantly rocking on a boat, my anxiety is sky high, suicidal idiation is back, i feel extremely brain damaged Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GiaK Posted May 15, 2014 Author Share Posted May 15, 2014 you cannot force yourself to get better...go easy... for me the biggest lesson has been to surrender to this process...resistance actually makes it worse...and I know that probably sounds weird and counter-intuitive, but that is what has helped me most. and I have been sick a decade...so that is all I'll say. I started considering what it meant to learn to live well while being sick...that helped me a lot really... I wrote about that here: Living well while being sick http://beyondmeds.com/livingwell-while-sick/ if one learns to live well while being sick then one is in the moment with that which is now...because that is all we ever have. I'm still sick by any general standard, but I don't think like that really anymore...I live well. Life is exciting. I am largely content if also still often tired and in pain. I've reached the other side even though I still have symptoms. 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...
Administrator Altostrata Posted May 17, 2014 Administrator Share Posted May 17, 2014 This is excellent. My sister said she cured her hyperthyroidism with herbs, too. This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein All postings © copyrighted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Emeritus SquirrellyGirl Posted April 5, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted April 5, 2016 I realize this is an old thread, but can hyperthyroidism be a withdrawal symptom? is that how it came about for you, Giak (if you are still out there!)? I know of someone on another forum who came off mirtazapine recently, albeit faster than recommended and she has just been diagnosed with hyper-T. SG Started ADs back around 1995 after bad break-up, starting with Prozac. Switched to Wellbutrin, and then to Effexor in 2002 Effexor XR 2002-2014 up to 225 mg at one point, down to 37.5 mg towards end but back up to 75 mg in 2014; now realize I had W/D as I dropped down, memory very poor about history. Extreme emotions, poor concentration as I stepped back down, didn't connect the dots! Summer 2014 reduced to 0 very quickly, was sick of anhedonia/sexual dysfunction due to meds, depression never controlled if not worse. Didn't recognize WD since symptoms built slowly (thought I had ADD! and menopausal on top of it), starting with severe sweats, very bad cog-fog and memory issues, culminating in weight loss, severe anxiety and depression, panic, severe apathy and insomnia by eight months off. Saw p-doc who put me on Remeron, increased from 7.5 mg/day to 37.5 mg by May 22, 2015; still doing very badly though able to sleep. June 1. 2015 Reinstated Effexor XR 37.5 mg, Remeron dropped to 30 mg PM. Immediate relief of symptoms, like nothing had ever happened! Joined SA and began on advice of friend who recognized it was WD all along! Began tapering in July 2015. Been tapering both meds ever since, focusing on one more than the other or doing no more than 5% of each per month. 12 mg Effexor and 5.8 mg Remeron (mirtazapine SolTabs to make a solution with OraPlus) as of 5/4/2017 Update 3/14/18: 2.9 mg Remeron and 6 mg Effexor; 6/10/18: 2.6 mg Remeron and 4.9 mg Effexor My intro: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/9313-squirrellygirl-effexor-withdrawal-etc/page-2#entry196679 This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GiaK Posted April 5, 2016 Author Share Posted April 5, 2016 withdrawal can mess up the endocrine system in general, so yes...it can impact the thyroid in numerous ways and often one can bring it back into balance as I did by tending to the whole body/mind. 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 Emeritus KarenB Posted April 6, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted April 6, 2016 I just read another link in GiaK's post - 'Living well while being sick.' It's amazing - exactly what I've been trying to do in a muddled kind of way - and expressed so well. It's a really important perspective. Gia - what do you think about creating a new topic for that article in the Symptoms & Self-Care forum? 2010 Fluoxetine 20mg. 2011 Escitalopram 20mg. 2013 Tapered badly and destabilised CNS. Effexor 150mg. 2015 Begin using info at SurvivingAntidepressants. Cut 10% - bad w/d 2 months, held 1 month. Micro-tapering: four weekly 0.4% cuts, hold 4 weeks (struggling with symptoms). 8 month hold. 2017 Micro-tapering: four weekly 1% cuts, hold 4 weeks (symptoms almost non-existent). 2020 Still micro-tapering. Just over 2/3 of the way off effexor. Minimal symptoms, - and sleeping well. Supplements: Fish oil, vitamin C, iron, oat-straw tea, nettle tea. 2023 December - Now on 5 micro-beads Effexor. Minimal symptoms but much more time needed between drops. Symptoms begin to increase. 2024 April - Updosed to 6 microbeads - immediate increase in symptoms for 4 days. Decreased to 5 microbeads. 'The possibility of renewal exists so long as life exists.' Dr Gabor Mate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Emeritus Fresh Posted April 6, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted April 6, 2016 SqirrellyGirl , thyroid damage is one of the effects of long term ssri use. See "Thyroid Symptoms , hypothyroid , Hashimotos" here http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1593-thyroid-symptoms-hypothyroid-hashimotos/?view=findpost&p=148109&hl=thyroid and "Autoimmune Disease Triggered by ssri Withdrawal" here http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/6722-auto-immune-diseases-triggered-by-ssri-withdrawal/?view=findpost&p=121965&hl=%2Bautoimmune+%2Bdisorder 1987-1997 pertofran , prothiaden , Prozac 1997-2002 Zoloft 2002-2004 effexor 2004-2010 Lexapro 40mg 2010-2012Cymbalta 120mg Sept. 2012 -decreased 90mg in 6months. Care taken over by Dr Lucire in March 2013 , decreased last 30mg at 2mg per week over 3 months. July 21 , 2013- last dose of Cymbalta Protracted withdrawal syndrome kicked in badly Jan.2014 Unrelenting akathisia until May 2014. Voluntary hosp. admission. Cocktail of Seroquel, Ativan and mirtazapine and I was well enough to go home after 14 days. Stopped all hosp. meds in next few months. July 2014 felt v.depressed - couldn't stop crying. Started pristiq 50mg. Felt improvement within days and continued to improve, so stayed on 50mg for 8 months. Began taper 28 Feb. 2015. Pristiq 50mg down to 45mg. Had one month of w/d symptoms. Started CES therapy in March. No w/d symptoms down to 30mg. October 2015 , taking 25mg Pristiq. Capsules compounded with slow-release additive. March 2016 , 21mg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GiaK Posted April 7, 2016 Author Share Posted April 7, 2016 KarenB, There is a post with that title...you can leave comments there and see if there is any interest. No one responded to it when it was first posted. See: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/6942-it-gets-better-living-well-while-being-sick-httpwpmep5nnb-bln/?hl=%22living+well+while+being+sick%22 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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