sunflower: My story ...

[Petunia]

Have any of you experienced improvement of depression/mood as you go down on medications?

 

Hi sunflower,

I noticed you didn't get a response to this question you posted in the symptoms section a couple of weeks ago, so I've moved it to your thread.

 

From my own experience, coming off antidepressants did improve my mood, because for me, from the start, they were what caused my low level depression, I went on them for anxiety.  But unfortunately, I'm now in protracted withdrawal from stopping too fast, so my mood isn't very good now.  But for the first couple of months after stopping them, my mood was much better than any time I was on them.

 

I've also read many accounts of people having improved mood and increased energy as the dose gets lower, I think a lot of it depends on which drug is being tapered and if it has been causing low mood as a side effect.

[sunflower]

Hello Fellow Survivors,

 

It's been a long time since I posted and so much has happened. Within the next few days I will share my story.

 

Sunflower

[Santino]

HI Sunflower.

 

So will you let us into your story...???!!!

 

I really hope it is a happy one and will bring us joy and hope...

[Uniklymeek]

Hi there,

 

I'm writing on behalf on my mom, sunflower who was once an active member of this community. I'm writing because she's been bed-ridden for 2 years after stopping Zoloft cold-turkey. It's been a tumultuous time for her and my family. We just want her to feel better. She's struggling big time with suicidal ideations and we don't want to lose her.

 

 

A little about her in her own words:

 

- - -

In 1998 I was in the throes of peri-menopause and some life stressors which caused me to experience severe anxiety. Went to my family doc who prescribed some Ativan, which caused me to feel really depressed. I was then prescribed Zoloft and slowly but surely I weaned myself off the Ativan. I have to be honest and say that the Zoloft did help with the anxiety and other peri-menopausal symptoms so I continued to take it. In 2010 my insurance changed and it no longer covered the brand name Zoloft I was using so went on the generic. I did not feel well after I began taking the generic so I went to my psych doc and she wanted to add a mood stabilizer to my regimen. I did not want to go that route so I decided that it was time to get off the medi-go-round. I continued taking the generic Zoloft, but also decided to give bio-identical hormones a try with the hope that I could eventually wean off what I believed was the worse of the two evils...Zoloft. Well, the estrogen patch only made matters worse for me and I went into a severe depression. I then went to see a homeopathic psych doc who increased my Zoloft from 100 mgs to 200mgs., prescribed Klonopin, and Remeron. Boy was I over-medicated and a mess. Since then I have managed to wean myself from the K...the R and decrease the Z from 200 mgs back to 100 mgs. The more I lowered the meds, the better I felt. I am currently considering weaning completely off the Zoloft, but have so many concerns. It is my hope to continue to learn as much as I can about "surviving antidepressants" to be able to survive without them.

 

The above is from Post #1 of Sunflower's Intro.

 

2 1/2 years ago I went cold turkey off the 100 mg of Zoloft and I've been bedridden ever since. I currently take Alprazolam 2 mgs at bedtime and Buspieron 15 mgs three times a day. I have been given numerous Antidepressants but don't work.

- - -

 

Thank you to you all for your time and any help.

 

Sincerely,

 

David

 

Edited September 16, 2017 by ChessieCat
Added note in italics

[ChessieCat]

Hi David,

 

I'm sorry to hear that your mother is suffering.

 

We really need to have information about ALL dates, drugs, doses, reinstatements/reductions since 21st January 2015 which was the last information provided in her drug signature below.

 

1998-2010. Zoloft 100 mgs.

3/2010. Switched to generic Z and began not to feel well.

7/2010. Estrogen patch added which caused severe depression.

8/2010 to 10/2010. Zoloft increased from 100 mgs to 200 mgs., Klonopin .25 mgs in am; .50 mgs pm; Remeron

.25 mgs. added by new doc

1/2011. Began tapering K; last dose of K 7/2011.

11/2011 Began Remeron taper; last dose of R 1/2012 (Tapered K & R by dry cutting)

1/2013 Began tapering Z from 200 mgs to 100 mgs by dry cutting

3/2013. Experiencing wd sx...took break

9/2013. Down to 150 mgs.

2/2014 - Present. 100 mgs Z

1-21-15. Began dry cutting 100 mgs.

[bubble]

It would be good to try and add the information indicated so that we can try and help.

 

So sorry to hear about all that suffering.