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antidepressantsNoMore: Pristiq cold turkey 2.6 years later


antidepressantsNoMore

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Here's a story and brief background about myself, w/d history

 

 

About 2 years, 6 months ago I stopped taking an SNRI known as Pristiq cold turkey. I was on it for about 1.5 years. Okay so here's the deal. I suffered social anxiety at an early age but around 8 yrs of age, that went away. From 8-15, I was involved in lot of sports, friends, very social.

At 16, I started dating lots of girls becoming very popular. My self-esteem really took off from 17-21. I was drinking and smoking pot a lot. Doing a lot of partying. I realized marijuana and alcohol make social anxiety much worse, JUST NOT RIGHT AWAY. But it does years doing the road especially those prone to developing social anxiety.

 

So after I turned 22, things started to fall apart. I went to a psychiatrist and was prescribed prestiq (SNRI) During this time, waiting for the effects of the SNRI to kick in, I started to develop major depressive symptoms, and deactivated my face book. I still had a few friends but lost a lot of my social circle. The SNRI, really didn't help much at all. I have tried other anti-depressants and they work to an extent but not as good as docs like to say they do. (big pharma lie) I starting going to strip clubs and messing around with the wrong types of girls and using online dating.

 

Around 23 I got into some legal trouble, but ended up only receiving probation and got away with a clean record. This was a very stressful event and my anxiety levels were sky high during this time.

 

About six months after I turned 23, I stopped the Prestiq cold turkey thinking I'd be fine

BIG MISTAKE! I started going into full withdrawal a month - a couple months after stopping, (brain zaps, dizziness, confusion etc). I started having panic attacks daily, sometimes 3-5 a day while having feelings of fear last all day and through out the night. I barely could function and couldn't even get out of bed for a few months. I was only able to stay in college because many of my teachers were aware of my situation but still, it was horrible. My social anxiety became so bad I LOST ALL MY SELF-ESTEEM, all of it. I couldn't even look anyone in the eyes, no assertiveness, none. I was dizzy as hell.

 

The social anxiety got to the point where I was almost experiencing an obsession/paranoia about what others thought about me. I was a wreck. This lasted another two years, but started to get somewhat better around age 25. I finally managed to graduate at 25 years of age from college.

 

At 26 years of age, after losing almost 3 years plus another 1.5 from major depression, I am just starting to get better. I do take a lot of magnesium now in oil form in the morning, 5-HTP from time to time which seems to keep me balanced. However, I still have mild social anxiety.

My question is has anyone ever had this happen after they stopped anti-depressants. I believe stopping anti-depressants caused me to develop severe social anxiety. I know my past history of drug and alcohol abuse has something to do with it to as well. I no longer smoke pot or drink excessively. Please give me your feedback or any other advice.

What is the longest your withdrawals especially those who went cold turkey have lasted? Is 2.6 years too much? It's funny because psychiatrists look at you like you're crazy when you say the w/d symptoms lasted that long but they did for me. The worst symptoms for me were the dizziness, extreme tiredness and social anxiety. My self-esteem is just starting to come back but I'm not 100 percent yet but getting close. Please share any information, experience or advice you have.

 

 

Thanks.

trintellix 1 mg and rexulti .5mg

 

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I've noticed that I'm severely lacking in confidence during WD..and I can feel it in my body language..almost like my body is trying to make it'self as small as poss..head down, shoulders slumped etc..maybe changing body language might help a little...I dunno just a suggestion..

2000 - sertraline for job anxiety low confidence (17 years old) ..which turned the next 16 years into nightmare!

 

On/off sertraline severe withdrawals every time. 2014 - felt better as reduced dose of sertraline no more inner restlessness. Doctor rushed off again. Hit severe withdrawal. Lost the little I had in life. Couldn't get stable again on 12.5mg. Was switched to prozac. Had severe reaction to prozac..came off in November 2015 at 6mg as felt more confused and damaged on it..Even more withdrawal ..rage, depression, dyphoria, near constant suicidal ideation, self harm impulses, doom, concrete block in head, unable to do much of anything with this feeling in head..went back on 6mg of sertraline to see if would alleviate anything. It didn't..reduced from December to June 2016 came off at 2.5mg sertraline as was hospitalised for the severe rage, suicidal impulses, and put on 50mg lofepramine which in 2nd week reduced all symptoms but gave insomnia which still have..psych stopped lofepramine cold turkey..no increased withdrawal symptoms new symptoms from lofepramine except persistant insomnia which has as side effect.

 

Taking Ativan for 8 months for the severe rage self harm impulses 1-3 times a week (mostly 2 times a week) at .5mg. Two months (I'm unsure exactly when the interdose started to happen) ago interdose withdrawal seemed to happen..2 days I think after the Ativan.

 

 

Nightmare that could have been avoided!

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I've noticed that I'm severely lacking in confidence during WD..and I can feel it in my body language..almost like my body is trying to make it'self as small as poss..head down, shoulders slumped etc..maybe changing body language might help a little...I dunno just a suggestion..

 

Yeah, I think you're right but that's really hard especially since your body lanuage is projected by your emotions and your emotions are pretty much crippled during time of w/d. I am feeling a lot better than I used to. I'm glad other people have experience things similiar to this though. It sucks.

trintellix 1 mg and rexulti .5mg

 

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I can almost guarantee that your brush with the Law was directly due to personality changes caused by the antidepressant. This is a common side effect. In order to work an antidepressant numbs a part of your brain, thus reducing anxiety, but at the same time it numbs things generally, including (metaphorically speaking) the brake that under normal conditions automatically stops us from doing something that isn't in our best interest. I'm betting you don't engage in such behavior since you stopped taking the antidepressant, and that you look back on that time and are shocked and puzzled at your behavior. I'm also betting you recall not being like that prior to the antidepressant.

 

CT's are very very tough. That you are still young will help you recover. And you will get through all of this and still have your best years a head of you. If you can get at least even some time with a cognitive/behavioral therapist it would also be a great help to your recovery and later life.

 

I'd also like to add that the self-confidence gradually returns during withdrawal. It's a very definite feeling of inner-sustainment. In other words, you'll return to feeling like your old self, in your case, more outgoing and self-confident. The introversion is absolutely a withdrawal symptom. I'm basing this all on reports of hundreds on this site, as well as my own experience.

Sept 12th 1992-began taking Imipramine (50mgs) for panic attacks.

Stopped Imipramine after 4 months (cold turkey).

7 months later experienced "mysterious" bad flu-like symptoms, although, without upper respiratory problems or fever. Because of this and a day of panic attacks, was put on Prozac (20mgs?) for 2 months and then, when that didn't work-was put back on  Imipramine,  plus Xanax 1 mg (4Xdaily)-October 1993.

March 1999-switched from Imipramine (50mgs) to Celexa.

2008-switched to Pristiq for 3 months, then back to Effexor XR (after bad reaction to the Pristiq).

Sept 1st 2010-Switched from Effexor XR (75mgs) to Effexor Generic (solid form) in preparation for taper.

Nov 15th 2010-Began tapering from 75mgs Effexor Generic.

January 13th 2014-.06mgs

April 17th 2014-      .03mgs

May 11th 2014-       .02mgs

Ended taper October 31st 2014

Oct 4th 2015-11 months post taper and completely back to normal!

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I can almost guarantee that your brush with the Law was directly due to personality changes caused by the antidepressant. This is a common side effect. In order to work an antidepressant numbs a part of your brain, thus reducing anxiety, but at the same time it numbs things generally, including (metaphorically speaking) the brake that under normal conditions automatically stops us from doing something that isn't in our best interest. I'm betting you don't engage in such behavior since you stopped taking the antidepressant, and that you look back on that time and are shocked and puzzled at your behavior. I'm also betting you recall not being like that prior to the antidepressant.

 

CT's are very very tough. That you are still young will help you recover. And you will get through all of this and still have your best years a head of you. If you can get at least even some time with a cognitive/behavioral therapist it would also be a great help to your recovery and later life.

 

I'd also like to add that the self-confidence gradually returns during withdrawal. It's a very definite feeling of inner-sustainment. In other words, you'll return to feeling like your old self, in your case, more outgoing and self-confident. The introversion is absolutely a withdrawal symptom. I'm basing this all on reports of hundreds on this site, as well as my own experience.

 

Thanks for the response. I think anti-depressants can definitely change your personality. Prestiq is an evil drug in my own opinion. I do take 5-HTP which has been helping a lot and because of it, I haven't been severely depressed in over 15 months. I do not take it daily and I know there are bad long term effects on the heart valve due to 5-HTP (even though this is controversial) but I really do not want to stop taking it.

 

I think the combo of the w/d, some bad life circumstances, and past history of pot and abuse caused me to lose all my confidence. My brush with the law was a bad one and I was lucky to not have a record. I DID LEARN FROM MY MISTAKE. It was one of the best learning experiences of my life believe it or not. You're right though, I'm still young and I have turned to God to sort out all these issues and doing so has given me a feeling of hope like no other. Things are getting better and I am thinking about leaving Connecticut in a few years once I really get my things together.

 

I'm glad people have some of the same experiences with the w/d causing low self-esteem. However, most people have not correlated an onset of social anxiety with w/d or have they and they just did not want to admit it? The worst symptoms which contribute to the social anxiety are the dizziness which sucks. AND those DAMN eye floaters. I try not to complain but the social anxiety associated with my w/d were so extreme, I literally feel like I lost two and a half years of my life plus the year and a half before. I know I'm complaining and it's weak, I need to accept this time is gone and my life is still ahead and I am doing so, it just is too bad it had to go down this way. The FDA doesn't care about us, they are just drug pushers. Same goes with so many psychiatrists.

 

As far as CBT goes, I've tried it, it does help to an extent. I may go back to therapy. I'm thinking about it but I am doing 80 percent better than I was before.

 

Any other advice or experiences, please share.

trintellix 1 mg and rexulti .5mg

 

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Hi ADnomore  - welcome!

 

I don't think it is really possible to say if you didn't take AD's would your social anxiety be there or not. In your introduction you say that you were anxious as a child, but that seemed to settle as a teenager/young adult until you used MJ and alcohol?  As you probably know alcohol and MJ are also psycho active drugs.  

 

Psychological development across the lifespan is affected by events such as our attachment to our caregivers (parents) and our general home/social environment. Perhaps you do have a tendency towards shyness that was mediated by a supportive environment. But the use of MJ and alcohol (probably more the MJ) rekindled anxiety.  Which was then dampened down by the pristiq - and the subsequent CT off the pristiq has destabilised you again.

 

AD withdrawal does seem to make depression and anxiety stronger - for you it is manifesting as social anxiety, for others it's obsessive symptoms, others can't bear going out, but they are all just expressions of how the anxiety manifests individually.  With this in mind, CBT would be very helpful - with this approach you are examining your thoughts around the feelings of anxiety and how these thoughts are most probably gross exaggerations of reality.  It isn't a quick fix, but is necessary in order for you live your life without drugs.

Started in 2000 - On 150mg most of the time, (but up to 225mg at highest dose for 6 months in the beginning)
Reduced off easily first time - but got depressed (not too much anxiety) 6 months later
Back on effexor for another 9 months.
Reduced off again with no immediate w/d - suddenly got depressed and anxious ++ again 3 or 4 months later.
Back on effexor - this time for 3 years
Reduced off over a month - 6 weeks later terrible anxiety - back on.
Rinse and repeat 4 more times - each time the period before the anxiety comes back got shorter and shorter
Jan - July 2012 75mg down to 37.5mg;, 8/3/12 - 35mg. 8/25/12 - 32mg. 9/11- 28mg, 10/2 - 25mg, 10/29 - 22mg, 11/19 - 19.8mg; 12/11 - 17m,
1/1- 15.5mg; 1/22 -14mg, 2/7 14.9mg, 2/18 - 17.8mg - crashed big time: back to 75mg where i sat for 2 years....

4th  March 2015 - 67.5mg;   31st March - 60mg;  24th April - 53mg; 13th May - 48mg; 26th May - 45mg;  9th June - 41mg; 1 July- 37.5mg; 20 July - 34mg; 11 August - 31mg; 1st Sept - 28mg;  1st Dec - 25.8mg;  28th Dec - 23.2mg; 23rd Jan-21.9mg; Feb 7th- 21mg; March 1st - 20.1mg, March 30th - 18mg

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Hi ADnomore  - welcome!

 

I don't think it is really possible to say if you didn't take AD's would your social anxiety be there or not. In your introduction you say that you were anxious as a child, but that seemed to settle as a teenager/young adult until you used MJ and alcohol?  As you probably know alcohol and MJ are also psycho active drugs.  

 

Psychological development across the lifespan is affected by events such as our attachment to our caregivers (parents) and our general home/social environment. Perhaps you do have a tendency towards shyness that was mediated by a supportive environment. But the use of MJ and alcohol (probably more the MJ) rekindled anxiety.  Which was then dampened down by the pristiq - and the subsequent CT off the pristiq has destabilised you again.

 

AD withdrawal does seem to make depression and anxiety stronger - for you it is manifesting as social anxiety, for others it's obsessive symptoms, others can't bear going out, but they are all just expressions of how the anxiety manifests individually.  With this in mind, CBT would be very helpful - with this approach you are examining your thoughts around the feelings of anxiety and how these thoughts are most probably gross exaggerations of reality.  It isn't a quick fix, but is necessary in order for you live your life without drugs.

 

 

Yeah your post really made me think. I think your right especially since I suffered from bad anxiety at a really young age but that changed for years. I had some anxiety but no one near what I experienced the last few years.

 

I know for a fact the W/D screwed me up though because that what caused the panic attacks, dizziness so bad I couldn't function, eye floaters, tiredness leading to horrible social anxiety.

 

I'm been going the natural way using Vitamin D3, Magnesium, 5-HTP and Vitamin C. These supplements help a lot. I have done therapy and I know the root of my anxiety so while it may be helpful, I did stick to therapy for quite a while. I cut back on my drinking big time because I realize alcohol numbs anxiety and the next day, I feel anxious as hell. Someone told me this is becaue it fries the GABA receptors. It makes sense.

 

I'm currently looking for work after finishing my degree and I think having too much idle time is horrible. Once, I get a job, and start making money, I'll feel a lot better. Thanks for the reply.

trintellix 1 mg and rexulti .5mg

 

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Welcome, ANM.

 

Thanks for joining us when you are so much better.  I added our cheerful "here comes the sun" symbol



to the title of your Intro topic, to show you're recovering.

 

How would you say your withdrawal symptoms changed over time? Was there anything specifically that helped move your recovery along?

Please do continue to take care of yourself. I hope you will add your story to our Recovery Success Stories eventually!

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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Welcome, ANM.

 

Thanks for joining us when you are so much better.  I added our cheerful "here comes the sun" symbol

 

to the title of your Intro topic, to show you're recovering.

 

How would you say your withdrawal symptoms changed over time? Was there anything specifically that helped move your recovery along?

 

Please do continue to take care of yourself. I hope you will add your story to our Recovery Success Stories eventually!

 

I was going through bad depression six months before I turned 22. This is when my life really started to fall apart. I went through a major depressive episode with constant on edge anxiety which caused me to develop social anxiety and ocd. (This way most likely a result of years of alcohol and pot abuse). Alcohol abuse can also cause an onset of psychosis for people prone to anxiety disorders not just pot.

 

I continued to drink heavily going out to the bar and strip clubs, which are not healthy places to be. I was put on Prestiq. It really didn't help at all. It is a SNRI, it seems to make me more angry. So by 23, some bad things happened and six months after, I stopped cold turkey. The W/D were hell. I started to do research, the first thing I did was:

 

Take magnesium - up to 1500 mg/day, it helped me with severe side effects of w/d like panic, anxious thoughts and constipation. I was constipated for over 7 months, not to be nasty but it was a nightmare but magnesium helped ease this problem.

 

I started exercising again but still was not doing things correctly. I was still drinking so at age 24, I gave up drinking. I started to try to eat better. I started to take a lot of Vitamin C, up to 5 grams/day which make me feel more relaxed especially in the morning when my cortisol levels were high.

 

Around 25, I started to take 5-HTP. I took it for 2 months daily @ 100 mg then just it in moderation. Sometimes I would take a 100 mg twice a week, other times I would go 2 weeks without having to take it. Within a year, this is really when the side effects lessened like the dizziness, eye floaters, constipation, panic and fear. It wasn't completely gone but reduced by at least 80 percent.

 

So my advice is:

- Eat right, take probiotics because anti-depressants get rid of the good bacteria in your gut causing "leaky gut syndrome" which can cause chronic constipation and further feelings of anxiety and depression.

- Take magnesium, specifically magnesium oil, apply in the morning, leave it on for 10-15 minutes before showering. Also keep a bottle of magnesium pills around or some in your pocket. People say magnesium oxide is poorly absorbed but it works for me and constipation issues, can have a laxative effect. Some people prefer magnesium glycinate but I like oxide the best.

- Take Vitamin C, 1-5 grams (yes, 5 grams is high but vitamin C is safe and water soluble). It helps control cortisol, the stress hormone. Take it in the morning when your cortisol levels are the highest but also keep some in your pocket, just in case. Buffered vitamin C is the best but more expensive.

- Give 5-HTP a shot, 50mg-200mg, starting @ 50mg, best to take at night with food, because it could upset your stomach. 5-HTP is one step away from serotinon so it could help with the W/D and will help you sleep.

- Try to exercise, even in moderation, like 40 minutes a day, weights or cardio will help.

- Try to face your fears, this is a hard one and during W/D I really did my best. I wasted a good 2-3 years of my life especially social life but it could be worst. Sometimes the root of our problems is facing our fears. So maybe seeing a therapist will help you.

- Don't drink alcohol, use drugs, smoke or use tobacco. This will make your anxiety 100 percent worse even if it helps it at first. You will get rebound anxiety.

- Eat better, refrain from sugar. Eat good fats like peanut butter etc. Drink a lot of water because your body is made up of mostly water. Avoid caffeine.

- Don't put yourself in extremely stressful situations/avoid negative people if you can, I know some of you can't but my main words are "can"

- Get blood work done by a doctor to see if you are deficient in vitamins/minerals. This may help some of you. They say that as many as 80 percent of Americans are deficient in magnesium, and the test for this cannot be performed. Anyone going through with W/D, I highly suggest MAGNESIUM, please take it. Experiment and adjust the dose right for you.

 

I do not know if any of you are religious but I started listening to Christian surmons by Joel Osteen, a Protestant minister. These helped me a lot believe it or not. It helped me regain faith in God and put my life struggles into perspective. I realized that no battle in life is permanent, and it will pass.

 

I'm not fully healed, but very close to being 100 percent better so yes, you will get 100 percent better and beat the nasty w/d but it could last a while. Natural remedies like the ones I've talked about above are useful so give them a try. I do have a bottle of klonopin but that is rarely taken. We all know that getting addicted and using benzos is the worst idea so stay away from it only in serious situations. It is rather hard to obtain as well. In conclusion, DO NOT quit any medication cold turkey, that is my last piece of advice, ween yourself off it very slowly. But if you did, read my post and if you feel any of my points are useful, take them into consideration.

 

 

Thank you.

trintellix 1 mg and rexulti .5mg

 

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Thank you for your suggestions.

 

Some people have bad reactions to 5-HTP, so I'd suggest caution there.

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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Thank you for your suggestions.

 

Some people have bad reactions to 5-HTP, so I'd suggest caution there.

 

Yeah, I heard about that. The thing is, it has helped me so much. I haven't been depressed in 14 months because of it. Yeah, I still have anxiety like thought patterns etc but it has helped me from falling back into depression. I don't use it daily either.

trintellix 1 mg and rexulti .5mg

 

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ANM, I haven't read the whole thread through but like you I did have anxiety, sometimes severe even before taking a drug. I agree that AD's can make anxiety worse.

 

I will have to deal with my original anxiety now post drug. I can no longer tolerate an SSRI even if I wanted to take it. I'm tapering a tricyclic now.

 

I take magnesium now and I think that helps with my original anxiety. I have no anxiety now. If I have to I will take magnesium for the rest of my life. It beats taking a drug for life. I still don't know what I will run into when I get to lower doses of this tricycliic.

 

Sometimes I think that If I had known about magnesium I may have never had to start a drug to begin with, who knows. I know anxiety runs in my family. My grandfather had it. He used a very small amount of alcohol to control it and never used a psych med. His anxiety "burned out" later in life, "after 40" and never came back. It was very severe earlier in his life. He became a Christian too and he changed a lot after that.

I do believe that since he never took a took a drug for it, his brain slowly corrected itself over time. I believe mine would have too if I had never touched an SSRI.

 

I'm praying the magnesium will carry me now, instead of a drug.

 

Your question about quitting cold turkey, Years ago I went semi cold turkey after 10 years of prozac, with nothing but a few months of brain zaps and elevated anger. Had no problems for about 3 to 4 years. A traumatic event happened and triggered my original anxiety. I ended up trying prozac again and the nightmare got worse. This led to more drugs. So Yes don't go back to any kind of drug if you can avoid it. It make it worse in my opinion. If I had known about the magnesium I could have avoided getting caught in the drug trap again.

Prozac 1999-2009 quit semi cold turkey.

 

2012 Placed on Seroquel 25 mg, Tranxene (Clorezepate) 3.75 mg 3x a day, Remeron 30 mg for anxiety/akathesia.

 

Weaned off Seroquel and Tranxene .to Remeron 15 Mg.

In May 2014 tried quitting Remeron at its lowest dose. Had severe withdrawals.Reinstated Remeron at 30 mg by doctor. August 5 2014 entered hospital. Doctor pulled the Remeron and bridged it to Pamelor (Nortriptyline) 40mg and Zyprexa 2.5mg.After removing the Remeron all my bad symptoms went away and I am stable.

 

9/11/14 - 7.5 mg tranxene, 40mg Pamelor, Zyprexa 2.5mg

12/29/14 -  20mg Pamelor, 1/6/15,  7/31/15 3.5mg, 8/10/15 3.2 mg, 9/15/15 2.2mg, 10/15/15 1.8mg

(Feb 2016 - 1.4mg Pamelor only -  OFF OF TRANXENE AND ZYPREXA SINCE DEC 2014 BENZO FREE Since 2014. Nortrityline (Pamelor) .8mg Aug 2016

March 2017 DRUG FREE

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ANM, I haven't read the whole thread through but like you I did have anxiety, sometimes severe even before taking a drug. I agree that AD's can make anxiety worse.

 

I will have to deal with my original anxiety now post drug. I can no longer tolerate an SSRI even if I wanted to take it. I'm tapering a tricyclic now.

 

I take magnesium now and I think that helps with my original anxiety. I have no anxiety now. If I have to I will take magnesium for the rest of my life. It beats taking a drug for life. I still don't know what I will run into when I get to lower doses of this tricycliic.

 

Sometimes I think that If I had known about magnesium I may have never had to start a drug to begin with, who knows. I know anxiety runs in my family. My grandfather had it. He used a very small amount of alcohol to control it and never used a psych med. His anxiety "burned out" later in life, "after 40" and never came back. It was very severe earlier in his life. He became a Christian too and he changed a lot after that.

I do believe that since he never took a took a drug for it, his brain slowly corrected itself over time. I believe mine would have too if I had never touched an SSRI.

 

I'm praying the magnesium will carry me now, instead of a drug.

 

Your question about quitting cold turkey, Years ago I went semi cold turkey after 10 years of prozac, with nothing but a few months of brain zaps and elevated anger. Had no problems for about 3 to 4 years. A traumatic event happened and triggered my original anxiety. I ended up trying prozac again and the nightmare got worse. This led to more drugs. So Yes don't go back to any kind of drug if you can avoid it. It make it worse in my opinion. If I had known about the magnesium I could have avoided getting caught in the drug trap again.

 

I'm glad your doing a lot better. What kind of magnesium are you taking? Magnesium is incredible isn't it? It's crazy to think this mineral can actually almost completely eliminate 60-90 percent of all anxiety in a person's life. I know everyone is different but magnesium is nothing short of an amazing treatment for anxiety.

 

Prozac has a half life so W/D are not as bad as other drugs like paxil or prestiq (SNRI). However, you were on it for ten years so you were bound to have some W/D but I'm glad it wasn't as bad as some others.

 

Try supplementing some Vitamin C as well. Take 1,000 - 2,000 mg in the morning along with magnesium. That's my mix, magnesium oil in the morning (about 600 mg) oil approx. and 2 grams Vitamin C. I also have a bottle of magnesium pills which I take occasionally as well. I've tried all different forms of magnesium but right now I'm experimenting with magnesium oil which is supposed to be the best form. I also take the 5-HTP which has kept depression from coming back.

 

As far your grandfather's anxiety becoming less severe, I think that has something to do both with age and his faith in God as you said. A professor of mine once told me that as we age, most times, our levels of anxiety get better because we become less concerned about what others think and learn how to deal with our problems more rationally.

 

Traumatic events can cause an onset of both anxiety/panic. I know because after my traumatic event and ending my SNRI cold turkey, I was having 3-10 panic attacks a day that lasted for over six months. I could barely function for a total of a 1 1/2 yrs.

 

If anything good comes out of all this, it is learning from what we considered "wasted time." In reality, this time was not wasted because we matured and grew as people.

trintellix 1 mg and rexulti .5mg

 

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Hi

 

Here is a ted talk on body language and emotions. The author recommends power poses. I do stand up comedy and suffer stage fright, these do help

 

http://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_are?language=en

 

Dalsaan

Please note - I am not a medical practitioner and I do not give medical advice. I offer an opinion based on my own experiences, reading and discussion with others.On Effexor for 2 months at the start of 2005. Had extreme insomnia as an adverse reaction. Changed to mirtazapine. Have been trying to get off since mid 2008 with numerous failures including CTs and slow (but not slow enough tapers)Have slow tapered at 10 per cent or less for years. I have liquid mirtazapine made at a compounding chemist.

Was on 1.6 ml as at 19 March 2014.

Dropped to 1.5 ml 7 June 2014. Dropped to 1.4 in about September.

Dropped to 1.3 on 20 December 2014. Dropped to 1.2 in mid Jan 2015.

Dropped to 1 ml in late Feb 2015. I think my old medication had run out of puff so I tried 1ml when I got the new stuff and it seems to be going ok. Sleep has been good over the last week (as of 13/3/15).

Dropped to 1/2 ml 14/11/15 Fatigue still there as are memory and cognition problems. Sleep is patchy but liveable compared to what it has been in the past.

 

DRUG FREE - as at 1st May 2017

 

>My intro post is here - http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2250-dalsaan

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Hi

 

Here is a ted talk on body language and emotions. The author recommends power poses. I do stand up comedy and suffer stage fright, these do help

 

http://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_are?language=en

 

Dalsaan

 

Yeah I agree with you about how body language can shape other perception's of us. I noticed this during the last three years when my confidence was in the gutter. People could pick up on it and some people would even make comments. I'm talking about strangers insulting me. I really was shocked. Of course, this shows the other person's insecurity and they were projecting it on to myself. They were probably picking up on my negative body language/bad vibes which made them feel uncomfortable but insulting strangers is still inexcusable. I let it go most times but years ago If I heard someone insult me , they would be in a serious amount of trouble. I've matured and grown as a person so much within the last few years because of things like this. Of course, I am not advocating allowing others to bully you. You have to stick up for yourself, however, some battles aren't worth fighting, others are.

 

Before withdrawal, this never occurred. My body language indicated someone who was assertive, confident and dominant. It just goes to show you how w/d can cause low self-esteem and abnormal body language. I'm glad I've come to realize this because I never understood how important body language was before these occurrences. The best thing to improve body language is to feel comfortable in your skin. I didn't watch much of the video that you sent me but I'm sure the lady in it was explain techniques to developing better body language and I am all for that. But you cannot achieve that without feeling comfortable in your own skin.

 

I guess in certain circumstances, you could "fake it until you fake it" but that is just a short term solution. I think once w/d finally ends, most people end up recovering. The only problem is how long with w/d last? Mine is finally going away after 2 1/2 +.

 

Any other advice is welcome. Thank you for your reply.

trintellix 1 mg and rexulti .5mg

 

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Her argument is that our body language impacts how we think and feel, it doesn't just reflect it. So if we assume more powerful body language this impacts our physiology and makes us feel more confident and assertive

Please note - I am not a medical practitioner and I do not give medical advice. I offer an opinion based on my own experiences, reading and discussion with others.On Effexor for 2 months at the start of 2005. Had extreme insomnia as an adverse reaction. Changed to mirtazapine. Have been trying to get off since mid 2008 with numerous failures including CTs and slow (but not slow enough tapers)Have slow tapered at 10 per cent or less for years. I have liquid mirtazapine made at a compounding chemist.

Was on 1.6 ml as at 19 March 2014.

Dropped to 1.5 ml 7 June 2014. Dropped to 1.4 in about September.

Dropped to 1.3 on 20 December 2014. Dropped to 1.2 in mid Jan 2015.

Dropped to 1 ml in late Feb 2015. I think my old medication had run out of puff so I tried 1ml when I got the new stuff and it seems to be going ok. Sleep has been good over the last week (as of 13/3/15).

Dropped to 1/2 ml 14/11/15 Fatigue still there as are memory and cognition problems. Sleep is patchy but liveable compared to what it has been in the past.

 

DRUG FREE - as at 1st May 2017

 

>My intro post is here - http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2250-dalsaan

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Her argument is that our body language impacts how we think and feel, it doesn't just reflect it. So if we assume more powerful body language this impacts our physiology and makes us feel more confident and assertive

 

Yeah, I agree. Not to argue, but when I used these types of body language examples, some people found me to be intimidating. However, I know that was because of other stuff too under the surface and probably a defense mechanism.

 

 

Good post.

trintellix 1 mg and rexulti .5mg

 

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i dont agree with 'faking it til you make it', but since action, thought, and feeling are all a cyclical and feedback-influenced loop, the desire to be or appear more confident is enough to get things rolling, and can create more genuine body postures through intention instead of just mimicking what we assume to be power-granting---like how even just voluntarily smiling at an arbitrary time generally still changes your chemical composition and makes you more likely to think positively.  our memory states are often tied to our bodily positioning (sitting, standing, motion-patterns, etc) in addition to the time of day, nature of the experience, diet and drugs, etc.

 

you (aNM) seemed eager for more replies, which i can understand given the confusing issue, so i figured to add in that i experienced social difficulty/anxiety/whateverness for my entire pre-adult life, and it was essentially unregistered as a legitimized problem until i was seeking psychiatric help for other concurrent difficulties (depression, insomnia, etc) at age 19.  the meds barely made a dent (and only the antipsychotics, which you could chalk up to simply making me less aware in general, not merely less anxious)...however, tapering off, and then quitting...made me feel great!  i had less anxiety than perhaps ever before, and certainly since any prolonged period since elementary school or earlier.

 

but, withdrawal was pretty immediate, and worked through many phases (and still does), and some of those phases entail a much higher anxiety level than all the other times, and even some of the times before meds.  social, generalized, and OCD in format (just like before), and a return of the several-times-daily panic attacks and such.  luckily, that has largely passed, and its less common for me to have periods of withdrawal-induced anxiety (whose severity is likewise decreasing over time, usually).  im like 3 years into withdrawal, after 7 years on meds, and ive never met any doctors, either, that have seen such a thing.  but, as weve all found on here and other websites, its much more common than they would have us believing (purposely or otherwise).

 

the best advice ive ever heard has all already been mentioned by other, notably more topically learned, members, so ill just conclude by also mentioning the importance of eating in general.  blood sugar levels and having the proper nutrients available to convert to neurotransmitters in stressful situations are two big factors affecting situational anxiety, even in people who dont suffer from chronic incidence, so i wanted to recommend a diet that includes regular snacking between meals and a conscious self-regulation of when you might need an extra boost before dealing with a particular problem or situation.

from 2005-2012, i spent 7 years taking 17 different psychotropic medications covering several classes.  i would be taking 3-7 medications at a time, and 6 out of the 17 medications listed below were maxed or overmaxed in clinical dosage before i moved on to trying the next unhelpful cocktail.
 
antidepressants (SSRIs, SNRIs, NDRIs, tetracyclics): zoloft, wellbutrin, effexor, lexapro, prozac, cymbalta, remeron
antipsychotics (atypical): abilify, zyprexa, risperdal, geodon
sleep aids (benzos, off-label antidepressants & antipsychotics, hypnotics): seroquel, temazepam, trazodone, ambien
anxiolytics: buspar
anticonvulsants: topamax
 
i tapered off all psychotropics from late 2011 through early 2013, one by one.  since quitting, ive been cycling through severe, disabling withdrawal symptoms spanning the gamut of the serious, less serious, and rather worrisome side effects of these assorted medications.  previous cross-tapering and medication or dosage changes had also caused undiagnosed withdrawal symptoms.
 
brainpan addlepation

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i dont agree with 'faking it til you make it', but since action, thought, and feeling are all a cyclical and feedback-influenced loop, the desire to be or appear more confident is enough to get things rolling, and can create more genuine body postures through intention instead of just mimicking what we assume to be power-granting---like how even just voluntarily smiling at an arbitrary time generally still changes your chemical composition and makes you more likely to think positively.  our memory states are often tied to our bodily positioning (sitting, standing, motion-patterns, etc) in addition to the time of day, nature of the experience, diet and drugs, etc.

 

you (aNM) seemed eager for more replies, which i can understand given the confusing issue, so i figured to add in that i experienced social difficulty/anxiety/whateverness for my entire pre-adult life, and it was essentially unregistered as a legitimized problem until i was seeking psychiatric help for other concurrent difficulties (depression, insomnia, etc) at age 19.  the meds barely made a dent (and only the antipsychotics, which you could chalk up to simply making me less aware in general, not merely less anxious)...however, tapering off, and then quitting...made me feel great!  i had less anxiety than perhaps ever before, and certainly since any prolonged period since elementary school or earlier.

 

but, withdrawal was pretty immediate, and worked through many phases (and still does), and some of those phases entail a much higher anxiety level than all the other times, and even some of the times before meds.  social, generalized, and OCD in format (just like before), and a return of the several-times-daily panic attacks and such.  luckily, that has largely passed, and its less common for me to have periods of withdrawal-induced anxiety (whose severity is likewise decreasing over time, usually).  im like 3 years into withdrawal, after 7 years on meds, and ive never met any doctors, either, that have seen such a thing.  but, as weve all found on here and other websites, its much more common than they would have us believing (purposely or otherwise).

 

the best advice ive ever heard has all already been mentioned by other, notably more topically learned, members, so ill just conclude by also mentioning the importance of eating in general.  blood sugar levels and having the proper nutrients available to convert to neurotransmitters in stressful situations are two big factors affecting situational anxiety, even in people who dont suffer from chronic incidence, so i wanted to recommend a diet that includes regular snacking between meals and a conscious self-regulation of when you might need an extra boost before dealing with a particular problem or situation.

 

What kind of foods/diet would you recommend? At this moment my diet isn't very good, in fact, it hasn't been good for the last 5 years. I have cut back on alcohol almost completely and eliminated any use of pot and tobacco which has helped.

 

You are correct about the majority of doctors even though who specialize in mental disorders, rx docs being totally unaware or nieve of the w/d of snri and ssri. Many will look at you like your crazy when you've been telling them what you've been going through.

 

My doctor was somewhat well aware of how severe w/d of anti-depressants cold turkey could be but never really explained the severity of it. However, they really couldn't help me too much, and thought the best way to treat w/d was to go back on an anti-depressant which i said "hell no" too.

 

I am a big advocate of magnesium, vitamin c and other drugs that calm down the central nervous system and lower cortisol, especially in times of w/d. These minerals/vitamins have helped me so much.

trintellix 1 mg and rexulti .5mg

 

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i very much hesitate to recommend some holistic diet perspective to a person, because we are, ultimately, often quite different from one another in our needs and functioning, and i dont know much about your biological state and preferences.  i should also reiterate, though you mentioned yourself in asking, that i am not trained or in any way offering a professional opinion, and things i say should be considered one idea among many.

 

a very preliminary thing to suggest is taking a look at the federal guidelines here: http://www.choosemyplate.gov/downloads/mini_poster_English_final.pdf its bound to be biased and crooked, but it has some good basic ideas.  two things i can personally recommend is NOT paying attention to calories as a measure of wholesomeness or usefulness and NOT paying attention to carbs as a means of determining what to eat.

 

our bodies extract and burn energy in different ways during different situations and for different diets or meal combinations.  and, as for losing weight, not all stored fat is created equal, and some fat enables the burning of other fats instead of just being some burden you have to exercise off.  its a pretty complicated situation, and i can find some reading resources if youd like, but the simple approach is to not believe any one diet plan or perspective can be right for everyone.

 

i think its great that youve been having such strong results from supplements.  some supplements are able to be utilized quite well by the body, but i think the general preference for most individuals (biologically speaking) is to get as much of your vitamin/mineral intake from actual food items.  sometimes thats just not possible, due to withdrawal functioning or individual body composition, and everyone handles foods differently, so its really a personal journey of discovery with these things.  its also really good youve cut out agitating factors like alcohol and most drugs---though sometimes there is limited benefits for some individuals, when you are in withdrawal or a state of sensitivity the negative effects can far outweigh any benefit you may have received, and delay your overall progress.

 

youll probably find yourself quite glad you never gave in to the docs trying to put you back on meds.  i dealt with a ton of that, and their incredulity was sometimes hard to deal with on a regular basis...but the further into withdrawal i get, the happier i am that i stuck to my guns.  solidarity, man.

 

-----

 

as for very basic food guidelines, i always recommend non-GMO, avoiding as much of the chemical additives/dyes/preservatives/etc as possible, and avoiding the things commonly added to foods to enhance flavor, even if they are supposedly 'natural'.  high fructose corn syrup (and other processed/superconcentrated sugars), sugar 'replacements' (like stevia, splenda, etc), and other sweeteners are BAD NEWS, in my opinion (and the scientific literature).  when you start eating more healthily, sometimes things dont taste that great, and that is partly because your body is calibrated to whatever you are eating.  high fructose corn syrup, for example, is insanely sweet, and unnecessarily dense in unhelpful calories, but people who commonly eat items with it dont usually notice how overblown the flavor is.  after you reduce or eliminate fake sugars from your diet, your palate adjusts to a more natural scale of flavor, and simple things can taste better than ever.

 

before and during withdrawal, i began modifying my diet in increasingly dramatic ways.  here are some of the main changes you can look through:

 

- cut out all high fructose foods and drinks (so only natural or mexican-manufactured soda---and those wont stay forever, either)

- avoiding as much foods and drinks 'from concentrate' as possible --- the nutritional value and composition are quite different from regular juice, and most people recommend buying fruit and juicing your own if its economical

- WHOLE MILK, preferably organic and unadulterated by added chemicals, vitamins, or preservatives

 

- cut out all fast food (which stops tasting good or feeling nourishing once you spend 1-3 months adjusting, anyway)

- changed less healthy meats for healthier ones --- dont believe the hype against 'red meat', just find the meats that make YOU feel your best, and avoid as much processing, chemical additives, and non-wild stuff as possible

- upped my fish and shrimp intake --- i always liked these things, but didnt always cook them at home.  they are a great way to get healthy fats/cholesterol and important things like omega-3 fatty acids

- added WAY more vegetables, and fruits (even ones i didnt like)

 

- eating way more often --- several snacks a day, in between (and after) meals to keep blood sugar and energy levels supported --- snacks are a great way to focus on a completely healthy spread that is easy to deal tastewise and also easy to prepare (nuts, fruits and vegetables, compact whole grain items are great things to focus on)

 

a few things to point out:

- vegetables are more nutrient rich and important to include than fruits.  fruits have way more sugar and, while also important, often contain less fiber.

- i recommend some form of bottled or filtered water instead of tap water.  almost all tap water is filled with things we should definitely not be consuming, both because municipalities add chemicals (for cleanliness and 'public health') and because most cities on recycled water (which contains traces of tons of drugs and other stuff people excrete or flush down the drains on a regular basis).  most bottled water is pretty scammy, and filtration methods matter, but upping your water intake is often a very important part of regaining superior functioning and beating withdrawal symptoms.  ive found that excessive water intake can happen rather easily on some days, and maintaining snacky portions of food and non-water drinks can help my body absorb and meaningfully use the water i drink between meals.  different people respond differently, so finding an equilibrium, as with the rest of this, is a rather personal issue.

- your diet might change from day to day or week to week based on where you are in your withdrawal ---  our needs for dealing with particular situations are usually rather varied and cyclical, and phases like building muscles, or burning accrued fat, or stabilizing neurological functioning can all entail specific and differentiated approaches

 

also, its important to note that foods can create hypersensitivity reactions just like medications, supplements, and experiences like exercise!  for example, a meal heavy in fish might be too much to handle for some people, so be extra-cautious when making adjustments to your diet.  i could add things to this list forever, and im not really used to giving advice on this stuff all at once so im sure its missing a lot of important stuff, but starting to look for better options is the most important step.  it might seem like a like of complication and rules, but it becomes simpler one you reposition yourself in terms of what foods you gravitate towards (or, forms of foods) and where you shop to get them.

 

a final warning is that food labels are intentionally and inherently misleading.  the FDA barely regulates anything, and most companies get away with blatant lies and deceptions.  i recommend finding online blogs and resources that can help you decode the listed content of packaged foods so you dont fall for as many of their tricks.  things are hidden behind words you think mean something is pure or healthy, and omissions can be legal if special phrases backhandedly include stuff you thought you were avoiding.  its a lot of research, finding products and brands that you can somewhat trust, but its worth it long term, because its the big investment that carries through into better health.

 

im by no means a guru or the healthiest person around, but ive done tons of hours of research and investigation in addition to making some pretty big changes in how im eating.  and its all helped me feel better than i did, i believe.  dont buy a diet or dietary choice just because someone throws some statistics (or even personal experience) at you, but do remain open to challenging paradigms and cultural norms.  good luck! and sorry this got so lengthy.  ill be around if you need clarification or suggestions for how to proceed in a deliberate and clear manner.

from 2005-2012, i spent 7 years taking 17 different psychotropic medications covering several classes.  i would be taking 3-7 medications at a time, and 6 out of the 17 medications listed below were maxed or overmaxed in clinical dosage before i moved on to trying the next unhelpful cocktail.
 
antidepressants (SSRIs, SNRIs, NDRIs, tetracyclics): zoloft, wellbutrin, effexor, lexapro, prozac, cymbalta, remeron
antipsychotics (atypical): abilify, zyprexa, risperdal, geodon
sleep aids (benzos, off-label antidepressants & antipsychotics, hypnotics): seroquel, temazepam, trazodone, ambien
anxiolytics: buspar
anticonvulsants: topamax
 
i tapered off all psychotropics from late 2011 through early 2013, one by one.  since quitting, ive been cycling through severe, disabling withdrawal symptoms spanning the gamut of the serious, less serious, and rather worrisome side effects of these assorted medications.  previous cross-tapering and medication or dosage changes had also caused undiagnosed withdrawal symptoms.
 
brainpan addlepation

Link to comment

i very much hesitate to recommend some holistic diet perspective to a person, because we are, ultimately, often quite different from one another in our needs and functioning, and i dont know much about your biological state and preferences.  i should also reiterate, though you mentioned yourself in asking, that i am not trained or in any way offering a professional opinion, and things i say should be considered one idea among many.

 

a very preliminary thing to suggest is taking a look at the federal guidelines here: http://www.choosemyplate.gov/downloads/mini_poster_English_final.pdf its bound to be biased and crooked, but it has some good basic ideas.  two things i can personally recommend is NOT paying attention to calories as a measure of wholesomeness or usefulness and NOT paying attention to carbs as a means of determining what to eat.

 

our bodies extract and burn energy in different ways during different situations and for different diets or meal combinations.  and, as for losing weight, not all stored fat is created equal, and some fat enables the burning of other fats instead of just being some burden you have to exercise off.  its a pretty complicated situation, and i can find some reading resources if youd like, but the simple approach is to not believe any one diet plan or perspective can be right for everyone.

 

i think its great that youve been having such strong results from supplements.  some supplements are able to be utilized quite well by the body, but i think the general preference for most individuals (biologically speaking) is to get as much of your vitamin/mineral intake from actual food items.  sometimes thats just not possible, due to withdrawal functioning or individual body composition, and everyone handles foods differently, so its really a personal journey of discovery with these things.  its also really good youve cut out agitating factors like alcohol and most drugs---though sometimes there is limited benefits for some individuals, when you are in withdrawal or a state of sensitivity the negative effects can far outweigh any benefit you may have received, and delay your overall progress.

 

youll probably find yourself quite glad you never gave in to the docs trying to put you back on meds.  i dealt with a ton of that, and their incredulity was sometimes hard to deal with on a regular basis...but the further into withdrawal i get, the happier i am that i stuck to my guns.  solidarity, man.

 

-----

 

as for very basic food guidelines, i always recommend non-GMO, avoiding as much of the chemical additives/dyes/preservatives/etc as possible, and avoiding the things commonly added to foods to enhance flavor, even if they are supposedly 'natural'.  high fructose corn syrup (and other processed/superconcentrated sugars), sugar 'replacements' (like stevia, splenda, etc), and other sweeteners are BAD NEWS, in my opinion (and the scientific literature).  when you start eating more healthily, sometimes things dont taste that great, and that is partly because your body is calibrated to whatever you are eating.  high fructose corn syrup, for example, is insanely sweet, and unnecessarily dense in unhelpful calories, but people who commonly eat items with it dont usually notice how overblown the flavor is.  after you reduce or eliminate fake sugars from your diet, your palate adjusts to a more natural scale of flavor, and simple things can taste better than ever.

 

before and during withdrawal, i began modifying my diet in increasingly dramatic ways.  here are some of the main changes you can look through:

 

- cut out all high fructose foods and drinks (so only natural or mexican-manufactured soda---and those wont stay forever, either)

- avoiding as much foods and drinks 'from concentrate' as possible --- the nutritional value and composition are quite different from regular juice, and most people recommend buying fruit and juicing your own if its economical

- WHOLE MILK, preferably organic and unadulterated by added chemicals, vitamins, or preservatives

 

- cut out all fast food (which stops tasting good or feeling nourishing once you spend 1-3 months adjusting, anyway)

- changed less healthy meats for healthier ones --- dont believe the hype against 'red meat', just find the meats that make YOU feel your best, and avoid as much processing, chemical additives, and non-wild stuff as possible

- upped my fish and shrimp intake --- i always liked these things, but didnt always cook them at home.  they are a great way to get healthy fats/cholesterol and important things like omega-3 fatty acids

- added WAY more vegetables, and fruits (even ones i didnt like)

 

- eating way more often --- several snacks a day, in between (and after) meals to keep blood sugar and energy levels supported --- snacks are a great way to focus on a completely healthy spread that is easy to deal tastewise and also easy to prepare (nuts, fruits and vegetables, compact whole grain items are great things to focus on)

 

a few things to point out:

- vegetables are more nutrient rich and important to include than fruits.  fruits have way more sugar and, while also important, often contain less fiber.

- i recommend some form of bottled or filtered water instead of tap water.  almost all tap water is filled with things we should definitely not be consuming, both because municipalities add chemicals (for cleanliness and 'public health') and because most cities on recycled water (which contains traces of tons of drugs and other stuff people excrete or flush down the drains on a regular basis).  most bottled water is pretty scammy, and filtration methods matter, but upping your water intake is often a very important part of regaining superior functioning and beating withdrawal symptoms.  ive found that excessive water intake can happen rather easily on some days, and maintaining snacky portions of food and non-water drinks can help my body absorb and meaningfully use the water i drink between meals.  different people respond differently, so finding an equilibrium, as with the rest of this, is a rather personal issue.

- your diet might change from day to day or week to week based on where you are in your withdrawal ---  our needs for dealing with particular situations are usually rather varied and cyclical, and phases like building muscles, or burning accrued fat, or stabilizing neurological functioning can all entail specific and differentiated approaches

 

also, its important to note that foods can create hypersensitivity reactions just like medications, supplements, and experiences like exercise!  for example, a meal heavy in fish might be too much to handle for some people, so be extra-cautious when making adjustments to your diet.  i could add things to this list forever, and im not really used to giving advice on this stuff all at once so im sure its missing a lot of important stuff, but starting to look for better options is the most important step.  it might seem like a like of complication and rules, but it becomes simpler one you reposition yourself in terms of what foods you gravitate towards (or, forms of foods) and where you shop to get them.

 

a final warning is that food labels are intentionally and inherently misleading.  the FDA barely regulates anything, and most companies get away with blatant lies and deceptions.  i recommend finding online blogs and resources that can help you decode the listed content of packaged foods so you dont fall for as many of their tricks.  things are hidden behind words you think mean something is pure or healthy, and omissions can be legal if special phrases backhandedly include stuff you thought you were avoiding.  its a lot of research, finding products and brands that you can somewhat trust, but its worth it long term, because its the big investment that carries through into better health.

 

im by no means a guru or the healthiest person around, but ive done tons of hours of research and investigation in addition to making some pretty big changes in how im eating.  and its all helped me feel better than i did, i believe.  dont buy a diet or dietary choice just because someone throws some statistics (or even personal experience) at you, but do remain open to challenging paradigms and cultural norms.  good luck! and sorry this got so lengthy.  ill be around if you need clarification or suggestions for how to proceed in a deliberate and clear manner.

 

Yeah I agree with a lot of what you said.

 

My diet is bad! I cut out soda but to be honest, a huge part of the problem is I always had someone to cook for me or they catered to me my entire life. I never learned how to cook a simple meal. Of course, I could learn how to prepare simple meals on my own and it is probably something I should start doing.

 

I noticed that sometimes when I eat less, and drink a lot of water, I actually feel better. I've been eating just a few small meals throughout the day, and I feel a lot better.

 

I did cut out chips, bad snacks, and sweets though. However, I still need to cut back on delivery pizza.

trintellix 1 mg and rexulti .5mg

 

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i can understand that difficulty.  if you can afford delivery foods, and feel unable to cook due to exhaustion or feeling unconfident, perhaps try getting healthier restaurants and foods delivered to bridge the gap between now and when you feel more able to cook.  i order a few times a month from non-fastfood places because my withdrawal is still so bad that it prevents me from cooking and preparing like i normally would.  (plus, i can get a few dishes delivered and then eat them for 2-3 days in a row.)

 

its great to hear that smaller meals and increased water intake has you feeling comparatively improved.  sometimes thirst is interpreted as hunger, especially if you are used to salty snacks, and having enough liquid for more comfortable digestion is an issue for some people.  good changes so far, sometimes its hard to let go, or learn new things, but you tend to feel better after the adjustment, just like you said.

 

as for cooking, simple meals are surprisingly easy, but also take care to start learning your spice rack and how to incorporate fresher ingredients---a lot of things we would take supplements for are built right into common herbs and spices we think of as 'mere flavoring'.  recipe sites utterly abound on the internet, and diet-specific blogs (giving you paleo recipes or vegetarian ideas or whatnot) can be even easier ways to quickly find what appeals most to you amongst the simpler recipes.

 

if you will be preparing foods for yourself, it might be easiest to build dishes around your main ingredients---pick a meat, match it with a starch, choose vegetables or fruits that complement how your other items are being cooked.  i also advise avoiding the microwave as much as possible, even when its sometimes inconvenient to.  re-oven baking leftovers, steaming vegetables (on the stove or in a steamer), and other methods of preparation are definitely healthier than nuking stuff, though different food materials suffer to different degrees from microwave style heating.

 

another thing to note is that foods are sometimes different warm than cold, or prepared one way rather than another.  and i mean nutritionally...things are activated or deactivated (like proteins) or changed in form (to become more digestible, or convert into stuff our bodies need), and what works better for your body is one of those trial and error situations.  once youve been exposing yourself to healthier foods on a regular basis---and youve said this has begun, i think youll find that your gut becomes more informed and thus more able to tell you what to eat at whatever given moment so your needs are more closely met.

 

 

im a militant pro-pizza enthusiast, but to keep a healthy balance, you have to have both meats and vegetables, and avoid the fast-food preparation and cooking methods.  also, not everyones body is suited to take in that much bread (or cheese) at a time, though thin crust or other alternative builds can cater to that.  i refuse to order from places like pizza hut or dominos (the fast-food pizzas), and also despise freezer aisle pizzas.  if you can get a fresh pizza and bake it yourself, like the papa murphys chain, that can often amount to the healthiest and most cost effective way to have an easy and tasty meal.  (ingredients to make your own are also available at some supermarkets, and the cooking instructions for pizza are about as basic as it gets.)  its rare that a pizza chain offers healthyish delivery, so local businesses (check yelp.com for locations and feedback) and the higher end small-area chains might be the best ways to go if youre not ordering from a full-service or wider menu restaurant proper.  most sit-down places still prepare for takeout, so if driving is a possibility, you can supplement your learning to cook with inspirational (or break-allowing) healthier foods if there are decent restaurants in your area.  eating as education!

from 2005-2012, i spent 7 years taking 17 different psychotropic medications covering several classes.  i would be taking 3-7 medications at a time, and 6 out of the 17 medications listed below were maxed or overmaxed in clinical dosage before i moved on to trying the next unhelpful cocktail.
 
antidepressants (SSRIs, SNRIs, NDRIs, tetracyclics): zoloft, wellbutrin, effexor, lexapro, prozac, cymbalta, remeron
antipsychotics (atypical): abilify, zyprexa, risperdal, geodon
sleep aids (benzos, off-label antidepressants & antipsychotics, hypnotics): seroquel, temazepam, trazodone, ambien
anxiolytics: buspar
anticonvulsants: topamax
 
i tapered off all psychotropics from late 2011 through early 2013, one by one.  since quitting, ive been cycling through severe, disabling withdrawal symptoms spanning the gamut of the serious, less serious, and rather worrisome side effects of these assorted medications.  previous cross-tapering and medication or dosage changes had also caused undiagnosed withdrawal symptoms.
 
brainpan addlepation

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im a militant pro-pizza enthusiast, but to keep a healthy balance, you have to have both meats and vegetables, and avoid the fast-food preparation and cooking methods.  also, not everyones body is suited to take in that much bread (or cheese) at a time, though thin crust or other alternative builds can cater to that.  i refuse to order from places like pizza hut or dominos (the fast-food pizzas), and also despise freezer aisle pizzas.  if you can get a fresh pizza and bake it yourself, like the papa murphys chain, that can often amount to the healthiest and most cost effective way to have an easy and tasty meal.  (ingredients to make your own are also available at some supermarkets, and the cooking instructions for pizza are about as basic as it gets.)  its rare that a pizza chain offers healthyish delivery, so local businesses (check yelp.com for locations and feedback) and the higher end small-area chains might be the best ways to go if youre not ordering from a full-service or wider menu restaurant proper.  most sit-down places still prepare for takeout, so if driving is a possibility, you can supplement your learning to cook with inspirational (or break-allowing) healthier foods if there are decent restaurants in your area.  eating as education!

 

Yeah, I mostly order from pizza hut or dominos. Recently, I've been detoxing my body by just drinking a lot of water and eating small meals. If I eat pizza once a week, that's not bad compared to the way I used to eat.

 

My only issue now is noctural anxiety. I've been getting anxiety in the middle of night really bad. I had to chew a klonopin a few times last week in the middle of the night. I got so much on my mind, it's horrible.

trintellix 1 mg and rexulti .5mg

 

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Yup. Nocturnal anxiety is the pits. It will pass. Wishing you peace in the wee hours.

January 2012 - Prescribed 900mg gabapentin and 30mg Norco for lower lumber spinal stenosis pain.

September 2013 - Spinal fusion surgery, 6 levels. Hospital ramped up meds 1500mg gabapentin, 100mg Norco, 80mg Oxycontin, 25mg Fentanyl patch.

January 2014 - Sever nausea daily and with back pain every 4 hours. 2 trips to ER. First endoscopy found ulcer. Treated with Sucralfate and PPI. Second endo in May found no ulcers. Doctors said it was the opiates causing the nausea. CT'd Oxycontin, Fentanyl patch.

July 2014 - Lost 48 lbs. due to not eating because of severe nausea. GP prescribed Prozac 20mg and Ativan 2mg prn. Tried for 4 days, quit. Two week followup GP said keep taking Prozac. 4 days, quit again. Ativan taken rarely prn for anxiety and appetite.

August 2014 - Went to detox. Off opiates. Still nauseous, helmet head, drugged feeling. Doctor CT'd gabapentin. Ended up in ER. Found 2 gallstones. Gabapentin reinstated at 900mg. Tried botched up and down taper to get off Gabapentin. No tapering advice from doctor. Said to just CT again.

September 2014 - Coded on table during gallbladder surgery. Developed liver biloma due to CPR by doctor. Had bile bulb inserted for 2 wks to drain.

October 2014 - Gallbladder removed. Still nauseous, 3am cortisol surging, drugged helmet head, vertigo, breathlessness, whooshing head, heart palps.

November 8th, 2014 - CT'd gabapentin suggested by family and 4 different doctors. Was told no withdrawal is associated with gabapentin. Have been in hell ever since. No windows, just one big tsunami every day with same symptoms for 4 months.

December 26, 2014 - Found SA. At least I know I'm not insane. My family thinks I'm doing this to myself. Akathesia has become unbearable.

March 10, 2015 - In absolute daily hell with no relief. Currently taking magnesium 200mg before bedtime.

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Yup. Nocturnal anxiety is the pits. It will pass. Wishing you peace in the wee hours.

 

Thank you. I'm glad this w/d is almost over. I'm trying really hard to not get upset about the time I've lost due to it. I'm doing okay coping with it so far.

trintellix 1 mg and rexulti .5mg

 

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during the experience is, naturally, the hardest time to stay positive.  afterwards, once youre more functional again, the happiness of your normal(er) life will be a great distraction and balm for the bitterness of your experiences, i think.

from 2005-2012, i spent 7 years taking 17 different psychotropic medications covering several classes.  i would be taking 3-7 medications at a time, and 6 out of the 17 medications listed below were maxed or overmaxed in clinical dosage before i moved on to trying the next unhelpful cocktail.
 
antidepressants (SSRIs, SNRIs, NDRIs, tetracyclics): zoloft, wellbutrin, effexor, lexapro, prozac, cymbalta, remeron
antipsychotics (atypical): abilify, zyprexa, risperdal, geodon
sleep aids (benzos, off-label antidepressants & antipsychotics, hypnotics): seroquel, temazepam, trazodone, ambien
anxiolytics: buspar
anticonvulsants: topamax
 
i tapered off all psychotropics from late 2011 through early 2013, one by one.  since quitting, ive been cycling through severe, disabling withdrawal symptoms spanning the gamut of the serious, less serious, and rather worrisome side effects of these assorted medications.  previous cross-tapering and medication or dosage changes had also caused undiagnosed withdrawal symptoms.
 
brainpan addlepation

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during the experience is, naturally, the hardest time to stay positive.  afterwards, once youre more functional again, the happiness of your normal(er) life will be a great distraction and balm for the bitterness of your experiences, i think.

 

Hopefully, you're correct. I feel a lot better. I think wasted time is the worst thing in my experience of w/e. It's something we all must overcome though.

trintellix 1 mg and rexulti .5mg

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

a bump in the night?  how are things faring?

from 2005-2012, i spent 7 years taking 17 different psychotropic medications covering several classes.  i would be taking 3-7 medications at a time, and 6 out of the 17 medications listed below were maxed or overmaxed in clinical dosage before i moved on to trying the next unhelpful cocktail.
 
antidepressants (SSRIs, SNRIs, NDRIs, tetracyclics): zoloft, wellbutrin, effexor, lexapro, prozac, cymbalta, remeron
antipsychotics (atypical): abilify, zyprexa, risperdal, geodon
sleep aids (benzos, off-label antidepressants & antipsychotics, hypnotics): seroquel, temazepam, trazodone, ambien
anxiolytics: buspar
anticonvulsants: topamax
 
i tapered off all psychotropics from late 2011 through early 2013, one by one.  since quitting, ive been cycling through severe, disabling withdrawal symptoms spanning the gamut of the serious, less serious, and rather worrisome side effects of these assorted medications.  previous cross-tapering and medication or dosage changes had also caused undiagnosed withdrawal symptoms.
 
brainpan addlepation

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a bump in the night?  how are things faring?

 

Trying to find a job, it's driving me crazy. And these damn eye floaters! Besides that, I'm alright. How's everything with you?

trintellix 1 mg and rexulti .5mg

 

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no small thing, jobseeking, but being alright besides that and biological ghosts doesnt sound too bad, compared to before!

 

things are not too dissimilar here...seeking employment/financial self-sufficiency (but unable to do manual labor due to withdrawal, so...short list of work to even look into).  withdrawal being pretty bad still, but ive been a bit more active this week with important stuff (like chores, creative prospects, existing) after a month or three of being too disabled to have much fun at all in life for the most part.  a couple months til my 3 year anniversary off all the meds cept the anticonvulsant, and it feels rather hopeful and encouraging, being here and also seeing more progress lately than i sometimes see.

 

still batshit crazy sometimes, which makes stuff complicated.  what did you do for work before the whole nightmare situation?

from 2005-2012, i spent 7 years taking 17 different psychotropic medications covering several classes.  i would be taking 3-7 medications at a time, and 6 out of the 17 medications listed below were maxed or overmaxed in clinical dosage before i moved on to trying the next unhelpful cocktail.
 
antidepressants (SSRIs, SNRIs, NDRIs, tetracyclics): zoloft, wellbutrin, effexor, lexapro, prozac, cymbalta, remeron
antipsychotics (atypical): abilify, zyprexa, risperdal, geodon
sleep aids (benzos, off-label antidepressants & antipsychotics, hypnotics): seroquel, temazepam, trazodone, ambien
anxiolytics: buspar
anticonvulsants: topamax
 
i tapered off all psychotropics from late 2011 through early 2013, one by one.  since quitting, ive been cycling through severe, disabling withdrawal symptoms spanning the gamut of the serious, less serious, and rather worrisome side effects of these assorted medications.  previous cross-tapering and medication or dosage changes had also caused undiagnosed withdrawal symptoms.
 
brainpan addlepation

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no small thing, jobseeking, but being alright besides that and biological ghosts doesnt sound too bad, compared to before!

 

things are not too dissimilar here...seeking employment/financial self-sufficiency (but unable to do manual labor due to withdrawal, so...short list of work to even look into).  withdrawal being pretty bad still, but ive been a bit more active this week with important stuff (like chores, creative prospects, existing) after a month or three of being too disabled to have much fun at all in life for the most part.  a couple months til my 3 year anniversary off all the meds cept the anticonvulsant, and it feels rather hopeful and encouraging, being here and also seeing more progress lately than i sometimes see.

 

still batshit crazy sometimes, which makes stuff complicated.  what did you do for work before the whole nightmare situation?

 

I did a lot of odd jobs and selling merchadise online. I was buying from china and re-selling but had to stop. My resume is totally BS'ed for like 4 years because of the a/d w/d and one bad depression. It took me 6 1/2 years to get my degree and it is a general BA degree. It is set up for those going to graduate school. Luckily, with this degree, you can go for lots of different things. So it may not benefit me now, but it certainly will, down the road.

 

I had an interview for a long -duration temp job (maybe 5-6 month plus) and did a pre-employment drug test but it's been a week now, and no phone call from the employer. I called them but still no response. I've applied to 700 jobs in all.

 

I'm glad to hear you're doing better than you were before. By reading your signature, it seemed like you were on a lot of different meds for a long duration, so you aren't doing bad consideing those factors. I only stopped one SNRI CT and look what happened. Of course, my symptoms were w/d related but also an changing point in my life due to bad past mistakes and some bad luck.

trintellix 1 mg and rexulti .5mg

 

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Update: At this point I'm 90-95 percent better. My recovery has sped up a lot, like 10 percent in the last few months which is weird considering my WD has lasted 2.7 years.

 

I know I sound like a broken record but anyone struggling with WD or high levels of stress which is causing any amount of distress (anxiety,paranoia,OCD intrusive thoughts), try to supplement asorbic acid (vitamin C) in high doses of 3-5 grams. I told another member on here about it and she was hesitant to do it at first but ended up having great results when she tried it.

 

Some people worry about kidney stones from mega-dosing vitamin C but other doctor journals I read say there is no proven evidence of people developing kidney stones from mega-dosing vitamin C as long as they have no history of kidney stones. So it is up in the air when it comes to the kidney stone thing but I'm gonna continue to mega-dose VItamin C because it is helping like nothing else has.

trintellix 1 mg and rexulti .5mg

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

UPDATE: Trying to be positive. I do not really have any symptoms of W/D anymore but I am dealing with some other issues. However, in life, we all have issues. I am going to be positive because I am still young and there is still hope. That's all for now. Thank you everyone for your responses. If anyone needs any guideness, feel free to PM me with your concerns. Thanks.

trintellix 1 mg and rexulti .5mg

 

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* 2 posts moved from symptom forum and added title
 

WD almost over but decided to finally get help with Pure-OCD/GAD
 
So now that my A/D WD is almost finally over, I decided there are some other underlying issues which have been affecting me pretty bad during the past five years.
 
There was a long time when these symptoms were under control, but I have come to the conclusion that I have an issue with Pure-OCD or OCD like intrusive thoughts which cause distress.
 
I also have been experiencing a lot of worrying. I know WD made these things worse but I finally realize I need to get help for it so I am going to call a therapist today.
 
In order for me to reach my full potential, I need to get help so that is what I am going to do.
 
Anyone who has issues like this, Please don't wait, get help. If anyone has experienced intrusive thoughts etc, share your story. I'll take any insight.
 
Thanks.

Edited by Petunia
added note

trintellix 1 mg and rexulti .5mg

 

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