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Cold turkey or rapid taper success stories?


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Is this the success story section ?

Dear me. So much of this site makes for distressing reading.

I wonder how many desperate people who aren’t members, but are in an acute fragile state due to negligent doctors  end up here reading some of this.  It’s like you don’t think you can get emotionally lower but you fail to see the trapdoor you’re standing on.

 There are, I’m sure, many kind and helpful people on this site, I know I’ve been helped by two and I’ve only been a member for one day. But I really am going to have to be careful about what I read. I’ve been through that trapdoor a few times already today. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1)On Seroxat (Paxil) 14 years

Stopped working.

2) September 2017 cross tapered to Mitrazipine 15mg over 4 week period.

3)Six weeks after cross taper tried to reinstate to Seroxat at low dosage. Lasted 10 days. Failed.

4)  Remained on just Mirtazapine 15mg for 8 months.

5)  in May 2018 attempted cold turkey from Mitrazipine. Lasted 4 days. Failed.

6) reinstated 15mg for 9 days

7)  reduced dose of Mirtazapine

to 7.5mg. Been on  this dose for  six weeks to the present day and I’m now totally unstable.

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  • Administrator

This topic is not the Success Stories section. It is within the Success Stories section, which contains hundreds of topics, some of them complaining about the Success Stories.

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.

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  • 1 month later...
On 3/13/2018 at 5:20 AM, anongrl5590 said:

 

Hi there -

Well I am about 18 months out since my CT. I still have about half of the symptoms I started out with but they are progressively getting better although VERY slowly. A lot of my physical symptoms have improved but I still have some that still hit me pretty hard every now and then. Mainly my mental symptoms are the ones that are driving me nuts. I don't really get much of a break from the mental symptoms. I am just chugging along everyday trying to survive as usual. But again, I have noticed improvements. I am definitely not where I was few months ago. I hope things keep progressing in the right direction. 

How are you now?

Took prozac 40 mg for 20 years.

January 2017 started cutting down prozac by 12.5% a week. End of February 2017 completely off prozac and withdrawals began.

Currently taking Levothyroxine 75 mcg, Magnesium citrate 200mg,Sage leaf 50mg daily

Amlodipine: October 2017 , discontinued 26 Feb 2019; Candesartan:  26 Feb 2019, 4mg.

Discontinued magnesium citrate 200mg Apr 3rd 2019

Reinstated prozac:  14 Jan 2019, 1mg; 26 Jan, 1.5mg; 4 Feb, 2mg; 16 Feb, 2.5mg; 2 Mar, 3mg; 5 Mar, 2.5mg, 23 Mar, 3 mg; 6 Apr, 3.5mg, 14 Apr 4mg, 23 Apr 5mg, 10 Jul 8mg, 1 Dec 20mg, 1 Apr 2020 40mg 

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  • 5 months later...

Found this group too late after CT Prozac from Jan-April 2018 (May as well have been CT). Was on Prozac many years (as well as many drugs over prior years). Did not know I was in withdrawal because I attributed my withdrawal symptoms to my having chronic Lyme (and likely poor brain function from coming off Prozac wayyyyyy too fast—my withdrawal symptoms are horrible! Can’t believe I did not connect the dots! ). Im not currently treating Lyme. I’m looking for any success stories of people with similar experience who CT long term use of SSRIs and are improved now. Can anyone link me to such success stories on this site?

2002-ish-April 2018: Prozac 40mg (was on 20mg for many of those years); Jan-April 2018: too fast "taper" off Prozac

 

July 2018: Tried lowest dose dose Lexapro for 3 weeks; quick tapered off; Aug-Nov. 2108: Ambien and Ambien CR for sleep (appx 10 total doses). Made depression worse and did not work; Nov 2018: 7 doses .5mg Ativan for sleep over 12 days time. Stopped.

December 2018: One week Remeron for sleep. Did not work or help. "Tapered" off over a few weeks.

In past years also took/tried Wellbutrin, Seroquel, Klonopin, Paxil; Current supplements: 1 mg Melatonin; Transdermal magnesium; Fish oil; Ketotifen (mast cell stabilizer), vitamin C; milk peptides 

March 26, 2019: Re-instated  0.5mg Prozac; April 15, 2019 Started 0.75mg Prozac May 6 2019: 1mg Prozac; May 27: 1.25mg Prozac; July 29,  2019: Began 1.25mg Lamotrigine

 

 

 

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  • ChessieCat changed the title to Any cold turkey (without reinstatement) success stories?
  • Administrator

Merged similar topics.

 

Please use search in the Success Stories forum to see outcomes of cold turkey.

 

Clearly, people do survive cold turkey. If it killed people, that would be a public health crisis even psychiatrists couldn't ignore.

 

Same with rapid taper. In fact, rapid taper is the norm. Most likely recovery follows a bell curve, with a small number having no problems at all; a large number, possibly a majority, recovering within a few weeks or months; a substantial percentage take months to a couple of years to recover; and a minority taking many years to recover.

 

Before you go off drugs, there is no way to predict which group you'll be in.

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.

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  • 2 weeks later...
13 hours ago, WiggleIt said:

Oh my gosh!!!!  I can't believe it!  All those years ago, I was searching for stories of surviving cold turkey, and now I can say I DID survive!!!  How crazy to see this thread that I started because I was terrified, but now I can look back at my past self, and others like me, and I can say with confidence that they can make it through.

Is your success story posted in here?  

 

Effexor 2008 - 2017 37.5 Mg . Upped to 150 mg on 2017.  November of 2017 to March 2018 went from 150 mg to 0.

Ativan May 2018 started 1 - 2 mg daily stayed at 1mg Sept 2018. 03/9/19 .975mg, 03/16 .950mg, 04/13 .94, 04/20 .93, 04/27 .916 slowly tapered from April to  August 2019 at .77mg,  December 2020 .10mg, Jan 2021 0.0 MG 

Valium June 2018 started 10 mg currently 2.5 mg daily, September 2021 0.0 mg

Trazadone started March 2018 100 mg at night to sleep Oct 16, 2018 went to 75 mg , November 13, 2018 67.5 mg, Dec 11 60.75 mg, January 21, 2019  54 mg, 02/09 50 mg, March 2022 0.0 mg

Six Ketamine treatments September 2018.  2 treatments a week for 3 weeks

Completely drug free as of March 2022

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  • Moderator Emeritus
1 hour ago, Rezten said:

Is your success story posted in here?  

 

I have not written one.  I've wavered back and forth on whether to write one or not, to be honest.  Mentally and emotionally, I've recovered from meds, but there has been lasting physical damage, so I'm never really sure whether to consider myself a "success" or a "partial success" or a "total success."  What I do know for sure is that I'm much, much better.  It's stunning what psych meds do.  It's shocking that I lived through it, but I did, and I feel truly honest about telling others that it gets better.

*I'm not a doctor and don't give medical advice, just personal experience
**Off all meds since Nov. 2014. Mentally & emotionally recovered; physically not
-Dual cold turkeys off TCA & Ativan in Oct 2014. Prescribed from 2011-2014

-All meds were Rxed off-label for an autoimmune illness.  It was a MISDIAGNOSIS, but I did not find out until AFTER meds caused damage.  All med tapers/cold turkeys directed by doctors 

-Nortriptyline May 2012 - Dec 2013. Cold turkey off nortrip & cold switched to desipramine

-Desipramine Jan 2014 - Oct. 29, 2014 (rapid taper/cold turkey)

-Lorazepam 1 mg per night during 2011
-Lorazepam 1 mg per month in 2012 (or less)

-Lorazepam on & off, Dec 2013 through Aug 2014. Didn't exceed 3x a week

-Lorazepam again in Oct. 2014 to help get off of desipramine. Last dose lzpam was 1 mg, Nov. 2, 2014. Immediate paradoxical reactions to benzos after stopping TCAs 

-First muscle/dystonia side effects started on nortriptyline, but docs too stupid to figure it out. On desipramine, muscle tremors & rigidity worsened

-Two weeks after I got off all meds, I developed full-blown TD.  Tardive dystonia, dyskinesia, myoclonic jerks ALL over body, ribcage wiggles, facial tics, twitching tongue & fingers, tremors/twitches of arms, legs, cognitive impairment, throat muscles semi-paralyzed & unable to swallow solid food, brain zaps, ears ring, dizzy, everything looks too far away, insomnia, numbness & electric shocks everywhere when I try to fall asleep, jerk awake from sleep with big, gasping breaths, wake with terrors & tremors, severely depressed.  NO HISTORY OF DEPRESSION, EVER. Meds CREATED it.

-Month 7: hair falling out; no vision improvement; still tardive dystonia; facial & tongue tics returned
-Month 8: back to acute, incl. Grand Mal seizure-like episodes. New mental torment, PGAD, worse insomnia
-Month 9: tardive dystonia worse, dyskinesia returned. Unable to breathe well due to dystonia in stomach, chest, throat
-Month 13: Back to acute, brain zaps back, developed eczema & stomach problems. Left leg no longer works right due to dystonia, meaning both legs now damaged
-7 years off: Huge improvements, incl. improved dystonia

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8 minutes ago, WiggleIt said:

 

I have not written one.  I've wavered back and forth on whether to write one or not, to be honest.  Mentally and emotionally, I've recovered from meds, but there has been lasting physical damage, so I'm never really sure whether to consider myself a "success" or a "partial success" or a "total success."  What I do know for sure is that I'm much, much better.  It's stunning what psych meds do.  It's shocking that I lived through it, but I did, and I feel truly honest about telling others that it gets better.

Thank you for those encouraging words.  I can understand why you may not want to post.  I'm feeling very scared and discouraged and your post here gives me some hope.  But I also feel like others may heal but I wont.  

 

I'm sorry you still have some lasting issues. Hopefully those will go away as well.

 

Thank you again

 

Effexor 2008 - 2017 37.5 Mg . Upped to 150 mg on 2017.  November of 2017 to March 2018 went from 150 mg to 0.

Ativan May 2018 started 1 - 2 mg daily stayed at 1mg Sept 2018. 03/9/19 .975mg, 03/16 .950mg, 04/13 .94, 04/20 .93, 04/27 .916 slowly tapered from April to  August 2019 at .77mg,  December 2020 .10mg, Jan 2021 0.0 MG 

Valium June 2018 started 10 mg currently 2.5 mg daily, September 2021 0.0 mg

Trazadone started March 2018 100 mg at night to sleep Oct 16, 2018 went to 75 mg , November 13, 2018 67.5 mg, Dec 11 60.75 mg, January 21, 2019  54 mg, 02/09 50 mg, March 2022 0.0 mg

Six Ketamine treatments September 2018.  2 treatments a week for 3 weeks

Completely drug free as of March 2022

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  • Moderator Emeritus
12 minutes ago, Rezten said:

Thank you for those encouraging words.  I can understand why you may not want to post.  I'm feeling very scared and discouraged and your post here gives me some hope.  But I also feel like others may heal but I wont.  

 

I'm sorry you still have some lasting issues. Hopefully those will go away as well.

 

Thank you again

 

I understand what it's like to be scared you won't heal!  I was so convinced I wouldn't and was so convinced I was the worst case here.  I thought, "Oh, others got better, but that's because they weren't as bad as me in the first place."  Thank God, I was wrong!  I did get better, and everyone who told me I'd get better... well, THOSE were the people who were right.

And I really, really recommend actually printing out your favorite success stories and highlighting the most hopeful parts.  Reading them online is great, but sometimes I really needed to hold the papers in my hand without having to scroll through a bunch of links first.  When they're in print, they're just a little easier to access, especially on days when light sensitivity makes it hard to look at a screen.

You'll get better, Rezten!  

*I'm not a doctor and don't give medical advice, just personal experience
**Off all meds since Nov. 2014. Mentally & emotionally recovered; physically not
-Dual cold turkeys off TCA & Ativan in Oct 2014. Prescribed from 2011-2014

-All meds were Rxed off-label for an autoimmune illness.  It was a MISDIAGNOSIS, but I did not find out until AFTER meds caused damage.  All med tapers/cold turkeys directed by doctors 

-Nortriptyline May 2012 - Dec 2013. Cold turkey off nortrip & cold switched to desipramine

-Desipramine Jan 2014 - Oct. 29, 2014 (rapid taper/cold turkey)

-Lorazepam 1 mg per night during 2011
-Lorazepam 1 mg per month in 2012 (or less)

-Lorazepam on & off, Dec 2013 through Aug 2014. Didn't exceed 3x a week

-Lorazepam again in Oct. 2014 to help get off of desipramine. Last dose lzpam was 1 mg, Nov. 2, 2014. Immediate paradoxical reactions to benzos after stopping TCAs 

-First muscle/dystonia side effects started on nortriptyline, but docs too stupid to figure it out. On desipramine, muscle tremors & rigidity worsened

-Two weeks after I got off all meds, I developed full-blown TD.  Tardive dystonia, dyskinesia, myoclonic jerks ALL over body, ribcage wiggles, facial tics, twitching tongue & fingers, tremors/twitches of arms, legs, cognitive impairment, throat muscles semi-paralyzed & unable to swallow solid food, brain zaps, ears ring, dizzy, everything looks too far away, insomnia, numbness & electric shocks everywhere when I try to fall asleep, jerk awake from sleep with big, gasping breaths, wake with terrors & tremors, severely depressed.  NO HISTORY OF DEPRESSION, EVER. Meds CREATED it.

-Month 7: hair falling out; no vision improvement; still tardive dystonia; facial & tongue tics returned
-Month 8: back to acute, incl. Grand Mal seizure-like episodes. New mental torment, PGAD, worse insomnia
-Month 9: tardive dystonia worse, dyskinesia returned. Unable to breathe well due to dystonia in stomach, chest, throat
-Month 13: Back to acute, brain zaps back, developed eczema & stomach problems. Left leg no longer works right due to dystonia, meaning both legs now damaged
-7 years off: Huge improvements, incl. improved dystonia

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2 minutes ago, WiggleIt said:

And I really, really recommend actually printing out your favorite success stories and highlighting the most hopeful parts.

That's a good idea!  Thank you.

 

Effexor 2008 - 2017 37.5 Mg . Upped to 150 mg on 2017.  November of 2017 to March 2018 went from 150 mg to 0.

Ativan May 2018 started 1 - 2 mg daily stayed at 1mg Sept 2018. 03/9/19 .975mg, 03/16 .950mg, 04/13 .94, 04/20 .93, 04/27 .916 slowly tapered from April to  August 2019 at .77mg,  December 2020 .10mg, Jan 2021 0.0 MG 

Valium June 2018 started 10 mg currently 2.5 mg daily, September 2021 0.0 mg

Trazadone started March 2018 100 mg at night to sleep Oct 16, 2018 went to 75 mg , November 13, 2018 67.5 mg, Dec 11 60.75 mg, January 21, 2019  54 mg, 02/09 50 mg, March 2022 0.0 mg

Six Ketamine treatments September 2018.  2 treatments a week for 3 weeks

Completely drug free as of March 2022

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1 hour ago, WiggleIt said:

 

I have not written one.  I've wavered back and forth on whether to write one or not, to be honest.  Mentally and emotionally, I've recovered from meds, but there has been lasting physical damage, so I'm never really sure whether to consider myself a "success" or a "partial success" or a "total success."  What I do know for sure is that I'm much, much better.  It's stunning what psych meds do.  It's shocking that I lived through it, but I did, and I feel truly honest about telling others that it gets better.

You are a success!

2005-2015 sertaline, 2015 to November 2018 escatalopram. Used liquid titration to drop doses. By 0.5mg at first then drops as small as 0.01mg at end of taper. Jumped of at 0.02mg

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On 1/12/2015 at 12:48 AM, Brandy said:

WiggleIt, I was surprised when I saw your thread. There were countless success stories on PP from rapid tapers and cold turkeys. I don't recall anyone actually posting a "success story" per se until very recent years though.

 

I was very worried and thought I was an exception who would not recover, after joining PP in 2007, almost a year after my last dose from a much-too-fast taper off paxil. At that time, normal recovery on PP was considered to be 12 months, possibly as long as 18 months. And the 10% taper was something one person was trying as an experiment after repeated failures to be able to go off faster,and not what anyone else on AD sites had done. At almost one year off, I was in the worst of withdrawal, and that continued for me beyond the one-year point. Anything beyond one year was termed "protracted withdrawal" and newbies especially would freak out if anyone mentioned their withdrawal was lasting that long. A thread started for protracted withdrawal1 yr+ was frowned upon but tolerated. Requests for a success stories section or thread were repeatedly refused on that site. (It was only many years later that some "success stories" were collected in some threads, and by that time most members were gone or rarely posted, and newer members were or had been tapering by the 10% method.)

 

I am personally familiar with many, if not most, of the cases cited from PP in the thread about success stories from other sites, and most of them are from people who c/t'd (cold-turkeyed) or tapered very quickly, though their history is not given in those posts.

 

Recovery from cold turkeys or too-fast tapers either are brief or relatively uneventful, in which case people don't generally think to seek out withdrawal groups, or can be slow, although - I cannnot overemphasize this - do not remain at the early severity for the duration, and this group (SA) is new enough (and deliberately started very small, with a membership consisting specifically of people in protracted withdrawal) that most people who went off quickly are still recovering, albeit with many of us having had substantial improvement. I think most members of this group, especially those who post actively, are doing slow tapers, or joined too recently to have recovered from their too-fast tapers or c/t's  yet.

 

There are many other considerations to bear in mind. And many reasons why many, probably most people, don't post success stories. (I am one who has never done that.) The reasons are not what you'd think, and may alleviate a lot of people's needless worries. I have drafted a post about why people don't post success stories (based on many years in withdrawal groups and having corresponded with countless people privately.) I want to proofread it later (something I should always, but only very rarely do!). I will post it in this section of the site soon.

Really illuminating

1999:  Paroxetine (20mg). Age 16. 2007-2008: Fluoxetine (Prozac) for 1.5 years (age 25) Citalopram 20mg 2002-2005, 2009: Escitalopram (20mg), 2 weeks, (age 26) (adverse  reaction)/*Valium 5mg/Temazepam 10mg 2010: Mirtazipine (Remeron)( do not remember dosage) 2010, 5 months.                     2010-2017: Citalopram (20mg) (age 27 to 34) 2016: i.1st Sept- 31st Oct Citalopram 10mg , ii.1st November 2017-30th November 2017, Citalopram 5mg iii.1st December 2017- 4th February 2018, Citalopram 0mg, iv.5th February 2018- March 2018 Citalopram 5mg (10mg every other day) 28th February- tried titration of 5mg ( some adverse effects)

2018: 1st March 2018- 1st June Citalopram 10 mg (tablet form) /started titration 8mg , then 7 mg.2018: June 15th- 10th July Citalopram 10 mg pill every other day 2018: 10th July - 13th Sept Citalopram- 0mg  (CBD oil first month of 0mg, passiflora on and off) 2018 13th Sept Citalopram  2mg ,  approx 16th Sept 4mg , approx 25th Sept 6mg held.  2019: 11 Feb 19: 7mg (instant bad rxn) 12 Feb 19 6mg held 1 May 19 5.4mg held 5 Oct 19 5.36mg 22 Oct 19 5.29mg 30 Oct 19 5.23mg 4/NOV/19 5.18mg 12 Nov 19 5.08mg 20 Nov 19 4.77mg 7 May 22 2.31mg 17/09/2023 0.8mg

(Herbal/Supplements since 1st September: Omega Fish Oil 1200mg, 663mg of EPA- 2 tablets a day, magnesium and magnesium bath salts)

I did not die, and yet I lost life’s breath
- Dante
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On 1/17/2019 at 7:52 AM, Altostrata said:

Merged similar topics.

 

Please use search in the Success Stories forum to see outcomes of cold turkey.

 

Clearly, people do survive cold turkey. If it killed people, that would be a public health crisis even psychiatrists couldn't ignore.

 

Same with rapid taper. In fact, rapid taper is the norm. Most likely recovery follows a bell curve, with a small number having no problems at all; a large number, possibly a majority, recovering within a few weeks or months; a substantial percentage take months to a couple of years to recover; and a minority taking many years to recover.

 

Before you go off drugs, there is no way to predict which group you'll be in.

And also you can be on different positions on the bell curve at different periods of your life. At 22, I stopped taking 20mg of citalopram after 3 years overnight and had 0 W/D symptoms. Now I am in protracted withdrawal after 12 years of consecutive use and a too fast taper. Thank you for this analogy/post  . 

1999:  Paroxetine (20mg). Age 16. 2007-2008: Fluoxetine (Prozac) for 1.5 years (age 25) Citalopram 20mg 2002-2005, 2009: Escitalopram (20mg), 2 weeks, (age 26) (adverse  reaction)/*Valium 5mg/Temazepam 10mg 2010: Mirtazipine (Remeron)( do not remember dosage) 2010, 5 months.                     2010-2017: Citalopram (20mg) (age 27 to 34) 2016: i.1st Sept- 31st Oct Citalopram 10mg , ii.1st November 2017-30th November 2017, Citalopram 5mg iii.1st December 2017- 4th February 2018, Citalopram 0mg, iv.5th February 2018- March 2018 Citalopram 5mg (10mg every other day) 28th February- tried titration of 5mg ( some adverse effects)

2018: 1st March 2018- 1st June Citalopram 10 mg (tablet form) /started titration 8mg , then 7 mg.2018: June 15th- 10th July Citalopram 10 mg pill every other day 2018: 10th July - 13th Sept Citalopram- 0mg  (CBD oil first month of 0mg, passiflora on and off) 2018 13th Sept Citalopram  2mg ,  approx 16th Sept 4mg , approx 25th Sept 6mg held.  2019: 11 Feb 19: 7mg (instant bad rxn) 12 Feb 19 6mg held 1 May 19 5.4mg held 5 Oct 19 5.36mg 22 Oct 19 5.29mg 30 Oct 19 5.23mg 4/NOV/19 5.18mg 12 Nov 19 5.08mg 20 Nov 19 4.77mg 7 May 22 2.31mg 17/09/2023 0.8mg

(Herbal/Supplements since 1st September: Omega Fish Oil 1200mg, 663mg of EPA- 2 tablets a day, magnesium and magnesium bath salts)

I did not die, and yet I lost life’s breath
- Dante
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  • Mentor
34 minutes ago, India said:

There are many other considerations to bear in mind. And many reasons why many, probably most people, don't post success stories. (I am one who has never done that.) The reasons are not what you'd think, and may alleviate a lot of people's needless worries. I have drafted a post about why people don't post success stories (based on many years in withdrawal groups and having corresponded with countless people privately.) I want to proofread it later (something I should always, but only very rarely do!). I will post it in this section of the site soon.

Hi @Brandy, I would really like to read your take on why people do not write success stories. I just assumed (always the best strategy) that people got better and were so busy living again that they didn't come back. The Success Stories are a lifeline for me (22 months) and, of course, would like to read more. But eager to find out reasons there are not. Thanks! And glad you recovered.

  • Prozac | late 2004-mid-2005 | CT WD in a couple months, mostly emotional
  • Sertraline 50-100mg | 11/2011-3/2014, 10/2014-3/2017
  • Sertraline fast taper March 2017, 4 weeks, OFF sertraline April 1, 2017
  • Quit alcohol May 20, 2017
  • Lifestyle changes: AA, kundalini yoga

 

"If you've seen a monster, even if it's horrible, that's evidence of divinity." – Damien Echols

 

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  • Administrator

We know people do not come back after recovery because they want to put a difficult period in their lives behind them.

 

As you post in topics, particularly Intro topics, please encourage people to keep in touch as they feel better!

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.

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On 2/1/2019 at 6:52 AM, WiggleIt said:

Oh my gosh!!!!  I can't believe it!  All those years ago, I was searching for stories of surviving cold turkey, and now I can say I DID survive!!!  How crazy to see this thread that I started because I was terrified, but now I can look back at my past self, and others like me, and I can say with confidence that they can make it through.

Like honey to many of our ears

1999:  Paroxetine (20mg). Age 16. 2007-2008: Fluoxetine (Prozac) for 1.5 years (age 25) Citalopram 20mg 2002-2005, 2009: Escitalopram (20mg), 2 weeks, (age 26) (adverse  reaction)/*Valium 5mg/Temazepam 10mg 2010: Mirtazipine (Remeron)( do not remember dosage) 2010, 5 months.                     2010-2017: Citalopram (20mg) (age 27 to 34) 2016: i.1st Sept- 31st Oct Citalopram 10mg , ii.1st November 2017-30th November 2017, Citalopram 5mg iii.1st December 2017- 4th February 2018, Citalopram 0mg, iv.5th February 2018- March 2018 Citalopram 5mg (10mg every other day) 28th February- tried titration of 5mg ( some adverse effects)

2018: 1st March 2018- 1st June Citalopram 10 mg (tablet form) /started titration 8mg , then 7 mg.2018: June 15th- 10th July Citalopram 10 mg pill every other day 2018: 10th July - 13th Sept Citalopram- 0mg  (CBD oil first month of 0mg, passiflora on and off) 2018 13th Sept Citalopram  2mg ,  approx 16th Sept 4mg , approx 25th Sept 6mg held.  2019: 11 Feb 19: 7mg (instant bad rxn) 12 Feb 19 6mg held 1 May 19 5.4mg held 5 Oct 19 5.36mg 22 Oct 19 5.29mg 30 Oct 19 5.23mg 4/NOV/19 5.18mg 12 Nov 19 5.08mg 20 Nov 19 4.77mg 7 May 22 2.31mg 17/09/2023 0.8mg

(Herbal/Supplements since 1st September: Omega Fish Oil 1200mg, 663mg of EPA- 2 tablets a day, magnesium and magnesium bath salts)

I did not die, and yet I lost life’s breath
- Dante
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  • 1 month later...
On 2/2/2019 at 1:06 PM, FarmGirlWorks said:

Hi @Brandy, I would really like to read your take on why people do not write success stories. I just assumed (always the best strategy) that people got better and were so busy living again that they didn't come back. The Success Stories are a lifeline for me (22 months) and, of course, would like to read more. But eager to find out reasons there are not. Thanks! And glad you recovered.

 

FarmGirlWorks, I apologize so much for not replying sooner. I have been through an unbelievable siege in life (not w/d-related) for far too long, and have barely been able to get to the store or do laundry for many months. Hadn't checked the email I use with this account in ages and want others who contacted me to know that I'm so glad old friends have been in touch and will write as soon as possible. I also had to do a lot of searching at home to find my password here - couldn't even remember my user name!!!

 

The fact that I had said I would post more (really thought it would be soon!) I didn't completely forget but had slipped my mind. I'm so sorry. I don't even remember when I wrote it but will have to check when I have time (don't hold your breath!) but will try to remember what was on my mind at that time. I think basically I was thinking of two things. One was well-expressed by WiggleIt on this thread:

 

On 2/1/2019 at 1:31 PM, WiggleIt said:

 

I have not written one.  I've wavered back and forth on whether to write one or not, to be honest.  Mentally and emotionally, I've recovered from meds, but there has been lasting physical damage, so I'm never really sure whether to consider myself a "success" or a "partial success" or a "total success."  What I do know for sure is that I'm much, much better.  It's stunning what psych meds do.  It's shocking that I lived through it, but I did, and I feel truly honest about telling others that it gets better.

 

Like Alto said, most people want to move on with our lives after too long of life being disrupted to an indescribable degree and often for far too long. And while still trying to cope with all the issues one needs to in life - family and so many other things.

 

I also don't want people to be discouraged by those of us who have a few remaining symptoms or problems after basically recovering from w/d. That seems to be pretty rare, based on my correspondence with people who have dealt with w/d and recovery going way back, most even before this group started and we were members of the former group PP. But for those apparent minority of us who do continue to have some issues we didn't have before w/d, that is drowned out by being back to feeling like ourselves and remembering who we really are and what we still want to do in life.

 

Many of us don't go into w/d with our health a clean slate. In my case, I was diagnosed totally physically disabled with serious chronic medical problems; in fact, paxil was prescribed for me to address physical symptoms (which I must admit it did to a great extent - but caused new ones I would never have chosen to risk had I known the risks). I was not depressed or anxious or anything. W/d caused those and I now have a much greater understanding of those with those conditions, ironically.

 

It can be very difficult to sort out what problems are from chronic serious conditions (or new ones that could have developed over many years on an SSRI but were masked), but some I never had or even heard of and which started all at once when w/d hit me. I am still looking into them with new doctors right now, and it looks like some may have been things I was prone to physically but which the physical "shock" of w/d (especially from going off much too quickly) may have triggered them. (I'm also a whole lot older now - hard for me to believe, but quite old, and that would have happened whether I'd taken the med or not!). But I continue to find new ways to manage or modify those symptoms and as I learn more (still a work in progress after too long with doctors who did not know what to do or suggest), I will post about them. (Really! It's been on my mind, just a "work in progress" at this time.)

 

I cannot overemphasize that the few remaining conditions/symptoms are NOTHING compared to the horror I was in for too long in protracted w/d. Please everyone, don't worry about that. I also have lingering problems that I have just had to learn to live with from things like accidents and serious illnesses in my life, and that was true before I took paxil and before any of my w/d's, and I still managed to live my life as fully as possible and have wonderful jobs and experiences. Life can leave scars, but if you can move on with your life, even with limitations (which I have been dealing with literally since I was a child, and I'm a "senior" - hate that word! - now), that's what matters and I just thank god I've been able to do that as often as I could. In fact, I grasped every chance when able and have had experiences most people could never dream of. I learned early on not to dwell on what I can't do - had to recognize those things and tricky to explain to people who can do what most people can do, but if they can't accept my virtually lifelong limitations, they are not people I want as friends. Everyone else just has to accept I do what I can do and not everyone can do everything.

 

One other thing that's very important and which I remember I was going to mention when I posted what you quoted, is that when one has been through protracted w/d with so many symptoms it's hard to remember how you used to feel, it's very hard to know when and what to post about recovery, because in cases like mine symptoms do not all go away at one time. And often they seem gone, then recur - but usually for shorter and shorter periods of time, and less and less often. You reach a point where you haven't had a symptom in six months or longer, and in fact have often forgotten about it, then suddenly it comes back as a flashback. Again - don't be alarmed if this happens! In a while it's so rare you forget about it, and when you think "Oh, no, here I go again" it's gone within weeks or days, then over time in hours.

 

I've read many accounts of people whose cases I've followed (and often corresponded with), who suddenly woke up and severe w/d was gone and never returned! But none of us know at first if we will have "flashbacks" (we had a term for that but it's been so long since I "lived" on w/d groups for support, I can't even remember the term - it had to do with waves and whatever though). And then, as Also said, we move on with our lives (often with a lot of pieces to pick up), and w/d - even for those of us with some lingering symptoms - becomes one of many memories in life as so many new things come to the fore.

 

fwiw, I had gone through benzo w/d (taken re my epilepsy) many years before I was ever on paxil, and one lasting symptom I had from it even after reinstating (albeit with a different one, but necessary in my particular case to control my seizure disorder - long story, but can't tolerate most other anticonvulsants and others don't work on my type of epilepsy) was a strange one - a gold circle would suddenly flash through my vision from the lower corner of my eye upward, then back down again. This happened very frequently and for many, many years. I could still see, just something I learned to live with. Over a great deal of time (decades) that got less frequent and then gone so long I'd completely forgotten about it, then one day I had it again - one time only! Didn't happen again for probably another six months or more. Now probably happens once every few years. No big deal and doesn't even interrupt my reading or TV viewing. But an example of how tricky it can be to post when something is gone, even though I'm now dealing with far bigger medical issues and that one is nothing more than a rare and unimportant curiosity.

 

I repeat that my case was not typical right from the start (my medical condition then and certainly now, especially after a bad accident), so don't think my story will be yours. I still hear from people who had become my world a decade or more ago (!) and they are all much, much better and moving on with their lives. W'd is just one more thing in life that happened to us, although certainly the worst or one of the worst while we were in the thick of it and could see no light at the end of the tunnel.

 

The light may not look exactly as before but it's there, and so is your life! Really!

I was "TryingToGetWell" (aka TTGW) on paxilprogress. I also was one of the original members here on Surviving Antidepressants

 

I had horrific and protracted withdrawal from paxil, but now am back to enjoying life with enthusiasm to the max, some residual physical symptoms continued but largely improve. The horror, severe derealization, anhedonia, akathisia, and so much more, are long over.

 

My signature is a temporary scribble from year 2013. I'll rewrite it when I can.

 

If you want to read it, click on http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/209-brandy-anyone/?p=110343

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On 2/2/2019 at 12:32 PM, India said:

Really illuminating

India, I just saw the notification about your post when I came here about something else! I'm so sorry I wasn't aware of it - my life has been completely crazy lately. Don't know whether I'm Job or Sisyphus lol. I hope you're doing well (I haven't been here much in ages) and that my reply to FarmGirlWorks above might be helpful to you if relevant.

I was "TryingToGetWell" (aka TTGW) on paxilprogress. I also was one of the original members here on Surviving Antidepressants

 

I had horrific and protracted withdrawal from paxil, but now am back to enjoying life with enthusiasm to the max, some residual physical symptoms continued but largely improve. The horror, severe derealization, anhedonia, akathisia, and so much more, are long over.

 

My signature is a temporary scribble from year 2013. I'll rewrite it when I can.

 

If you want to read it, click on http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/209-brandy-anyone/?p=110343

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8 minutes ago, Brandy said:

The light may not look exactly as before but it's there, and so is your life! Really!

Thank you for your post. I'm struggling a lot right now and feel this will be forever.  Your words are encouraging. 

 

Effexor 2008 - 2017 37.5 Mg . Upped to 150 mg on 2017.  November of 2017 to March 2018 went from 150 mg to 0.

Ativan May 2018 started 1 - 2 mg daily stayed at 1mg Sept 2018. 03/9/19 .975mg, 03/16 .950mg, 04/13 .94, 04/20 .93, 04/27 .916 slowly tapered from April to  August 2019 at .77mg,  December 2020 .10mg, Jan 2021 0.0 MG 

Valium June 2018 started 10 mg currently 2.5 mg daily, September 2021 0.0 mg

Trazadone started March 2018 100 mg at night to sleep Oct 16, 2018 went to 75 mg , November 13, 2018 67.5 mg, Dec 11 60.75 mg, January 21, 2019  54 mg, 02/09 50 mg, March 2022 0.0 mg

Six Ketamine treatments September 2018.  2 treatments a week for 3 weeks

Completely drug free as of March 2022

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  • 8 months later...

Thought I'd collect success stories from people who have CT'd psychiatric drugs. If you've done so, please post your story below. Thanks :)

 

(Also consider posting if you've CT'd and are getting better)

No prior history of psychiatric/recreational drug use. I developed depersonalization/derealization disorder in December 2016, and recovered completely in August. What I'm experiencing currently is very, very different to anything I experienced then. 

 

- September 1st to 5th (2019) : Took 5 mg of Abilify (Noticed my confidence levels beginning to decline, slight depression/dread/panic beginning to creep in, creativity/cognitive abilities seemed slightly diminished)

- September 6th to 15th (2019) : Increased dose to 10 mg (Symptoms listed above became worse, and developed severe restlessness)

- September 15th to 23rd (2019) : Tapered over a period of 1 week. Restlessness improved but other symptoms became slightly worse

- September 23rd to 30th (2019) : Depression continued to increase. On the 30th I started experiencing the worst case of depersonalization I've ever experienced. Severe depression, thoughts and emotions gone, could barely function cognitively. I'm a bit calmer now but the symptoms haven't improved still

 

November 24th to December 7th : Reinstated 10 mg. Noticed no effect other than breast growth. Tapered over a week and quit again

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Using search in the Success Stories forum, here are the posts mentioning "cold turkey":

 

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/search/?&q="cold turkey"&type=forums_topic&page=2&nodes=28&search_and_or=or&sortby=relevancy

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.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I am so pleased us CT sufferers have this to refer to I need this to keep me going Thank you for starting it Wigglet 

Take care everyone we will get through this That’s what everyone tells us 🙏

Lexapro Fast Track/ Cold Turkey

Last dose end Dec 2018 

Tapered 1/2 a daily dose a week (20mg) for  14 weeks, last dose was a 20 mg pill!!  

 3.5 times slower than Psychiatrist recommended, I felt proud of myself!! Little did I know!!!!Got too scared to reinstate because I’d left it too long.

On ADs for 20 years (Prozac approx 10 years/ Pristiq approx 3 years/ Citalipram approx 2 years/. Lexapro a approx  5 years/. Last two years 40mgs Lexapro day.

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  • 4 weeks later...

@WiggleIt    It’s a great success story, WiggleIt.  Body heals itself with time.  This is what bodies do when we stop to eat for a little while (no hunger as in restrictive diets).  During fasting, when body is left alone on 4th-5thday, body's healing will focus to repair a wrecked nervous system as it is necessary to detoxification.  I wanted to find the article for the above, but found a great article on same.  Search keywords on Google.

Neuroscientist-shows-what-fasting-does-to-your-brain-why-big-pharma-wont-study-it

2015/12/11

Website:  collective-evolution

1989, 25mg, Amitriptyline 1st prescribed for 1wk insomnia, 2020 october Cold turkey

20/12/21, 22.5mg reinstated; waited 1.5 year to start tapering

21/07/25, 20mg tapering started. 10% every 4 weeks

22/02/26, 9.5mg - Emergency surgery put chaos to tapering: chronic insomnia till May

22/04/11, 10mg tapering started. 10% every 4 week. Sleep came back but trickled away in Sep' 22

22/09/17, 5,1mg - 10/15, 4.6mg - 11/12, 4,1mg - 12/10, 3.7mg.  Too fast. Permanent symptoms.

22/12/28, 4,0mg - partial updose where I'll remain until perfect stabilizing

22/12/30, 4,0mg - started Melatonin 3mg, Maritime Pine Bark Extract am & pm

23/02/03, 4,0mg - sleeping well every night with dreams, symptoms are diminishing

22/03/20, 4,0mg - insomnia is back on some nights. Waves. Anxiety. My dog is sick.

Maritime Pine Bark Extract (Omega Alpha Labs) in capsules am & pm, Melatonin 3mg

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1 hour ago, Longestroadhome said:

I guess I am a cold turkey survivor, well technically,  but for the most part I followed a slow and steady withdrawal. I finally Did a cold turkey from 2mg of Lexapro which was completely unplanned. 
 

That was about sixteen months ago. For the most part I am doing really well. Currently I am in a wave but compared to how I was before this is very mild. I am learning to cope with life minus drugs, alcohol and other stimulants that did me more harm than good. 
 

Twelve years ago I was on 30mg lexapro along with benzodiazepines. It took me twelve months to withdraw from Benzodiazepines then I started on the Lexapro.

 

Anxiety didn’t magically disappear but my fear of it kind of did. Knowledge is power and understanding the enemy helps. I thank God for people like Claire Weeks who helped me manage my symptoms along the way. 
 

I wish I could get a refund on all the ‘cures’ I bought along the way. Expensive machines ( brain waves?) and equally as expensive alternative health practitioners who took advantage of my vulnerability. The best help? Watching Eckhart Tolle videos on YouTube....FREE 😜

 

I was very lucky with withdrawal and did not suffer with many side effects but I credit that to the slow and steady withdrawal process ( till the end when I CT) 

 

I hope to write my success story at the end of the year when I will be two years free. In the meantime I am enjoying life with the odd hiccup and a wave or two. The good days far outweigh the bad. I wish I could have reassured the me of twelve years ago with that last sentence 🙏❤️

This is amazing to hear! I am a fast taper survivor as well. I thought it would never get better. Now I know it does. I am almost 1 year paroxetine free! :) Congrats on your success! 

I follow The Plant Paradox lifestyle by Dr.Gundry. This lifestyle has given me my life back and I feel better than I have ever felt in my life. It has enabled me to finally get off of this medication and truly live my life. Nutrition is the key to health!!!!! 

2008 to 2019  - 20 mg Paroxetine

Attempted 2 CT's around the 5-6 year mark. Were absolutely terrible and reinstated. Was never explained by the doctor the seriousness of the short half life of this drug. 

2017 - Attempted a tapered discontinuation of this drug and reinstated after being unsuccessful.

2019 - Feb. 12 - After a three month taper I am off of paroxetine. The 3 months were terrible, awful withdrawal feelings. I followed the doctors guidelines for the reduction of this drug and now know it was way too fast. 
2019 - Oct. 12 - 8 months off paroxetine. 75% improvement since coming off the drug. Definitely have had tons of challenges along the way. Let’s go!!!! 

2021 - Feb. 12 - 24 months off paroxetine. I have minor challenges now. Tinnitus/Headaches are still around but are reduced by a massive amount. 

 

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  • 1 year later...
On 5/6/2017 at 6:26 AM, excuse said:

Two of my friends Cold Turkey'd SSRi with out any issues after 3 and 6 months of consumption.

This cold turkey stuff depends upon person to person.

Gives me hope 

2021:  started celexa 10mg feb 2nd 

feb 25th took my last 10g; feb 26th 5mg; feb 27th 5mg; feb 28th 2021 cold turkey 

currently taking mag

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It is reassuring to hear success stories of CT's, although disheartening that it takes so long. (I'm only 7 weeks out). 5-6 years sounds like a lifetime when you feel so bad. I CT'd Buspirone in Dec 2020, & reinstated with a fast taper in Jan 2021. Grappling with if should reinstate at a low dose, but it would have to be another quick taper bc I suffer severe side effects also on the Buspirone, & I'm scared that another quick taper will just further destabilize my CNS. Although my first quick taper did help.

 

2004-2012 Lexipro 15 mg (CT'd 4 times during this period. Not sure exact dates).

Dec 2014-June 2017 Lexipro 15 mg CT WD agitation, Anhedonia from kindling while taking Feb 2018-Oct 2019 Lexipro 15mg, more severe Anhedonia while taking, CT WD depression May 2020- Sept 2020 Wellbutrin 300mg, OCD, anxiety, while taking, CT, WD anxiety, depression Dec 2020 Wellbutrin 150mg 3 days stop CT WD anxiety, depression, suicidal durations (seemed to stop once drug out system)

Dec 2020 Buspirone 10mg 2.5 weeks, extreme severe Anhedonia while taking, Anhedonia stopped once stopped buspirone, WD cycling anxiety, depression, suicidal ideations Jan 2021 Reinstated Buspirone 5mg 1 month, tapered from 5mg to 1.25mg, experienced severe Anhedonia while taking, WD anxiety, depression, hyperarousal, photophobia, headaches, hyperacusis, early waking.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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  • 4 weeks later...

My mother took Citalopram an SSRI for years and quit cold turkey no problems. I wish I was lucky like that but hey I guess everyone is different.

May 2017-citalopram 20mg, olanzapine 15mg

January 2020-august 2022 multiple failed taper and switch attempts

August 22nd 10mg citalopram, 10mg olanzapine

Previous suppliments: pain reliever pm 2017-2022

Current suppliments: melatonin 5mg tablet

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  • 1 year later...

Hiw did people who ct after 20 years feel after 2.6 years off? 

Year 2010 to 2020 remeron, Buspar, atenelol, Ativan as needed (once a week)  remeron  stopped working (pooped out)

oct 2020 started amitryptyline took it 3 months 

Dec started wellbutrin, Stopped it 3 months later 

Started Paxil again for 3 months

took vibryd for 1 month, Stopped it in 5 days 

Started sam e 100mgs 3x a day, Tyrosine 1000mgs 3 x a dayfor 6 months 

August 2020 - Off all antidepressants 

16 th of Feb, 2023  started taperingsam e  the 100mg  2 x a day of sam e. I stopped taking the  afternoon one. And started every other day then every r day.

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 5/8/2017 at 3:00 AM, coldturkmama said:

I'm 3.5 yrs out from a cold turkey. I was on Paxil 20 mg for 14 or 15 yrs and then upped to 40 mg for 8 months when I stopped.

I had stopped and started the medication before, but always returned to it thinking it was me- not withdrawal.

Slowly but surely- the brain heals.

How are you doing?

Year 2010 to 2020 remeron, Buspar, atenelol, Ativan as needed (once a week)  remeron  stopped working (pooped out)

oct 2020 started amitryptyline took it 3 months 

Dec started wellbutrin, Stopped it 3 months later 

Started Paxil again for 3 months

took vibryd for 1 month, Stopped it in 5 days 

Started sam e 100mgs 3x a day, Tyrosine 1000mgs 3 x a dayfor 6 months 

August 2020 - Off all antidepressants 

16 th of Feb, 2023  started taperingsam e  the 100mg  2 x a day of sam e. I stopped taking the  afternoon one. And started every other day then every r day.

 

 

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19 hours ago, GGGG said:

How are you doing?


doing pretty good!

I am coming up on 9 years out next fall.

I think lol 😂 I lost track! 
Anyway, I’d say alllllll of my withdrawal symptoms are gone, I have regular old anxiety issues which honestly are nothing compared to withdrawal now that I know how to manage it better and have developed more coping skills.

claire Weekes’  book and The Anxious Truth helped a lot! 

Paxil 20mg from 1998-2011 

Paxil 40mg from 2011-2012 while experiencing poopout

October 2013 quit cold turkey

Oct-mid Nov 2013 great window

Late November WD nightmare 

Windows and waves pattern 

Now: 28 months cold turkey...doing decent learning to deal with the windows/waves pattern fighting it every step of the way. 

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  • Moderator Emeritus

I want to give some hope for people in recovery after CT with an AD.  I'm about to start my 51st month of w/d from sertraline and Prozac.  It has been an excruciating process.  However I am now able to say that I'm so much better.  I will write on my timeline where you can read more.  I hope it can encourage you.  The hell of w/d is beyond words--

Zoloft: 1995 - 2015

Prozac: 2015 - 2018 (tapered from 40mg x day on July 31 to 30mg on August 31 to 20mg on September 31 to 10mg October 31 to 0mg on  December 15, 2018

Gabapentin: 2016 to 2019  (tapered from 300mg x day to 150mg on August 31, 2019 to 75mg on September 15 to 50mg on September 31 to 25ishmg on October 15 to 0mg on December 1, 2019

Enalapril: 2010 - 2019

Lipitor: 2017 -2017

Metformin: 2000 - 2020

Liothyronine: 2007 - 2019

Levothyroxine: 2000 - 2022

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  • 1 month later...

Thank you @arbor for this post, I am 26 months cold turkey and seem to get worse at 21 months with debilitating symptoms, this give me hope and many others on here. I agree the hell of withdrawal can never be expressed in words.  Well done surviving it!!

 

 

Started venlafaxine December 2016. Started to wean off Effexor over 16 months period and I had no issues at all. Stopped June 2020.  Unfortunately, I was under chronic stress from 4 deaths (1 was my mother) in the family amongst other things  and sunk back down in October 2020.  Rather than accepting this was chronic stress and grief, I panicked and went to the GP.

 

October 2020 prescribed Vortioxetine 10mg for 1 month and then increased to 15 mg ups advice from GP on for 7 weeks in total.  Had suicidal thoughts and off the wall anxiety.  Changed to Lexapro in mid December 2020, slow titration from 2.5mg up to 10mg.  After 7 weeks again off the wall anxiety. I was advised to take 5mg for one week and stop as I want to go 'au natural'.  Last SSRI was 30 January 2021.  

 

I was also prescribed diazepam and Zopiclone through the 4 months of taking SSRis to 'manage' the side effects and also for the withdrawal.   I am probably withdrawing from all drugs.

 

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Dear @BooBoo19  Hang in there.  It's not unusual to have dips many months out.  They don't mean you won't get better--

Best wishes to you,

Arbor

Zoloft: 1995 - 2015

Prozac: 2015 - 2018 (tapered from 40mg x day on July 31 to 30mg on August 31 to 20mg on September 31 to 10mg October 31 to 0mg on  December 15, 2018

Gabapentin: 2016 to 2019  (tapered from 300mg x day to 150mg on August 31, 2019 to 75mg on September 15 to 50mg on September 31 to 25ishmg on October 15 to 0mg on December 1, 2019

Enalapril: 2010 - 2019

Lipitor: 2017 -2017

Metformin: 2000 - 2020

Liothyronine: 2007 - 2019

Levothyroxine: 2000 - 2022

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On 2/24/2023 at 7:33 PM, arbor said:

I want to give some hope for people in recovery after CT with an AD.  I'm about to start my 51st month of w/d from sertraline and Prozac.  It has been an excruciating process.  However I am now able to say that I'm so much better.  I will write on my timeline where you can read more.  I hope it can encourage you.  The hell of w/d is beyond words--

This is amazing news @arbor

I am so glad for you after the very difficult summer (and before). There is a saying in Turkish - which puzzled me when I first learned it - "May these be the worst days you will have" but it makes sense - may all your future days be much much better than this. 

 

You got through this! I am so proud of you. 

OMW

"Nothing so small as a moment is insurmountable, and moments are all that we have. You have survived every trial and tribulation that life has thrown at you up until this very instant. When future troubles come—and they will come—a version of you will be born into that moment that can conquer them, too." - Kevin Koenig 

 

I am not a doctor and this should not be considered medical advice. You can use the information and recommendations provided in whatever way you want and all decisions on your treatment are yours. 

 

In the next few weeks I do not have a lot of capacity to respond to questions. If you need a quick answer pls tag or ask other moderators who may want to be tagged. 

 

Aug  2000 - July 2003 (ct, 4-6 wk wd) , citalopram 20 mg,  xanax prn, wellbutrin for a few months, trazodone prn 

Dec 2004 - July 2018 citalopram 20 mg, xanax prn (rarely used)

Aug 2018 - citalopram 40 mg (self titrated up)

September 2018 - January 2019 tapered citalopram - 40/30/20/10/5 no issues until a week after reaching 0

Feb 2019 0.25 xanax - 0.5/day (3 weeks) over to klonopin 0.25 once a day to manage severe wd

March 6, reinstated citalopram 2.5 mg (liquid), klonopin 0.25 mg for sleep 2-3 times a week

Apr 1st citalopram 2.0 mg (liquid), klonopin 0.25 once a week (off by 4/14/19- no tapering)

citalopram (liquid) 4/14/19 -1.8 mg, 5/8/19 - 1.6 mg,  7/27/19 -1.5 mg,  8/15/19 - 1.35, 2/21/21 - 1.1 (smaller drops in between), 6/20/21 - 1.03 mg, 8/7/21- 1.025, 8/11/21 - 1.02, 8/15/21 - 1.015, 9/3/21 - 0.925 (fingers crossed!), 10/8/21 - 0.9, 10/18/21 - 0.875, 12/31/21 - 0.85, 1/7/22 - 0.825, 1/14/22 - 0.8, 1/22/22 - 0.785, 8/18/22 - 0.59, 12/15/2022 - 0.48, 2/15/22 - 0.43, 25/07/23 - 0.25 (mistake), 6/08/23 - 0.33mg

 

Supplements: magnesium citrate and bi-glycinate

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Dear @Onmyway Thank you for your encouragement.  I'm not out of the woods entirely, but the condition of the injury has improved.  Avoiding stress is crucial for me--and I hazard to guess, for all of us.

I send you hugs,

Arbor

Zoloft: 1995 - 2015

Prozac: 2015 - 2018 (tapered from 40mg x day on July 31 to 30mg on August 31 to 20mg on September 31 to 10mg October 31 to 0mg on  December 15, 2018

Gabapentin: 2016 to 2019  (tapered from 300mg x day to 150mg on August 31, 2019 to 75mg on September 15 to 50mg on September 31 to 25ishmg on October 15 to 0mg on December 1, 2019

Enalapril: 2010 - 2019

Lipitor: 2017 -2017

Metformin: 2000 - 2020

Liothyronine: 2007 - 2019

Levothyroxine: 2000 - 2022

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