arekusu881 Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 Hi. At the age of 13 i was prescribed respiridone. By 19 I had an adverse reaction involving my heart. Stopped and was drug free for 4 years. I was prescribed clonazepam on a take as needed basis. Another adverse reaction which led to many er trips. Was given lorazepam in the er. I became physically dependent soon afterward. I cold turkeyed on accident and went through hell. Got back on and tapered for a year and went through the worst hell of my life. Late 2013 started Zoloft to try and beat withdrawal symptoms. 200mgs Zoloft for 2 years now. I've been on a chemical roller coaster most of my life and I need help. I want to feel and love deeply. I want to cry and I want to remember what its like to be me free of chemicals and to figure out my life. At the moment I've been taking 200mgs of Zoloft for 2 years. I want to begin by tapering to 150mgs. Thanks for reading. Alex Link to comment
arekusu881 Posted June 24, 2015 Author Share Posted June 24, 2015 So basically I'm here asking help in asking about how to taper. Last time it didn't go good for me, but of course that was entirely different drug. One of the things i have noticed and my biggest concerns are Zoloft has made my depression worse, it has also significantly dampened my ability to feel and think. No me is a good me but I believe I'll be better for it if I reduce my dose. Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted June 24, 2015 Administrator Share Posted June 24, 2015 Welcome, arekusu. Please read these topics: Why taper by 10% of my dosage? Tips for tapering off Zoloft (sertraline) This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein All postings © copyrighted. Link to comment
westcoast Posted June 25, 2015 Share Posted June 25, 2015 Hi, Arekusu, welcome. Maybe getting of Zoloft won't be as hard as getting off Lorazepam. There are people here who've had to get off both and they can probably tell you what they think. It's amazing that your long taper was WORSE than the accidental cold-turkey. And now you're on Zoloft. At least you know not to use a benzo to get off it. Some docs switch the person over to Prozac, which fills the brain's demand/need for an SSRI, and is supposed to be a smoother withdrawal. It stays in your body longer and sort of "self-tapers." This might be on the site elsewhere. It's the got info about how long the drugs stay in your body. http://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/going-off-antidepressants As far as what you can expect with Zoloft, have you ever stopped the Zoloft before, or missed a day? Could be a clue. It's lousy that you've been on it for two years with no benefit...Dr. David Healy mentioned the incredibly low efficacy of Zoloft a few years back. Even the drugmaker knew it, we eventually found out. http://www.madinamerica.com/2012/03/breaking-scandal/ Best of luck, whatever you decide to do. BTW It makes sense to work with a doctor in addition to getting moral support here (as long as the doctor isn't incompetent). W 2009: Cancer hospital said I had adjustment disorder because I thought they were doing it wrong. Their headshrinker prescribed Effexor, and my life set on a new course. I didn't know what was ahead, like a passenger on Disneyland's Matterhorn, smiling and waving as it climbs...clink, clink, clink. 2010: Post surgical accidental Effexor discontinuation by nurses, masked by intravenous Dilaudid. (The car is balanced at the top of the track.) I get home, pop a Vicodin, and ... Whooosh...down, down, down, down, down...goes the trajectory of my life, up goes my mood and tendency to think everything is a good idea.2012: After the bipolar jig was up, now a walking bag of unrelated symptoms, I went crazy on Daytrana (the Ritalin skin patch by Noven), because ADHD was a perfect fit for a bag of unrelated symptoms. I was prescribed Effexor for the nervousness of it, and things got neurological. An EEG showed enough activity to warrant an epilepsy diagnosis rather than non-epileptic ("psychogenic") seizures. 2013-2014: Quit everything and got worse. I probably went through DAWS: dopamine agonist withdrawal syndrome. I drank to not feel, but I felt a lot: dread, fear, regret, grief: an utter sense of total loss of everything worth breathing about, for almost two years. I was not suicidal but I wanted to be dead, at least dead to the experience of my own brain and body. 2015: I began to recover after adding virgin coconut oil and organic grass-fed fed butter to a cup of instant coffee in the morning. I did it hoping for mental acuity and better memory. After ten days of that, I was much better, mood-wise. Approximately neutral. And, I experienced drowsiness. I could sleep. Not exactly happy, I did 30 days on Wellbutrin, because it had done me no harm in the past. I don't have the DAWS mood or state of mind. It never feel like doing anything if it means standing up. In fact, I don't especially like moving. I'm a brain with a beanbag body. Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now