Imlost2: 17 years on psychiatric drugs and off for 11 months

[imlost2]

hi im11 months off psychiatric drugs and feeling bad im in a constant wave with just very little windows but I"m thankful for  SA if it wasn't for this site ill  be back on those terrible drugs ,I did tried two times to stop this drugs but end up back again per doctors orders they all say its your depression and anxiety returning and you need to be on this drugs the rest of your life .

[Fresh]

Hi imlost , welcome to the site. Big congratulations for getting this far.

Could you try to fill in your signature with as much history as you can remember.

 

What is your current symptom pattern? Have you had any support during the past year?

 

Good to have you on board , Fresh

[bubble]

Hello Imlost and welcome to SA,

 

as Fresh wrote, it would be very helpful to add you short drug history in your signature so that we can better understand your context. The instructions are here: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/893-please-put-your-withdrawal-history-in-your-signature/

 

17 years is a long time and you have come a long way so congratulations. How did you taper?

 

What you hear from your doctor is the most common explanation of the withdrawal syndrome they have.

 

Have you tried taking magnesium and omega 3?  http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1300-magnesium-natures-calcium-channel-blocker/

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/36-king-of-supplements-omega-3-fatty-acids-fish-oil/.

 

You will get a lot of friendly support on your journey here.

 

Once again welcome.

 

Bubble

[luv2knit]

Welcome Imlost2. I was 20 years on Zoloft, which I was prescribed for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. I also am 11 months off.

[imlost2]

Thank you fresh,bubble and love2knit for the welcome ill try to remember all the drugs, tappers and coldturkeys i m been.

[imlost2]

Luv2knit what are your symptoms at 11 months off ?

[imlost2]

hi im a member of SA for over a year  and iam 16 off antidepressants and 4.5 years off benzo my withdrawl is been hard and painful but I been able to walk thru the horrible symptoms but right now iam feeling terrible specialy because my wife just gaved me the news that  she is pregnant we have two daughters one is 21 years old she lives at home but works part time and goes to community college ,my other daughter is 19 she is at a university and I just need reassurance that this horrible withdrawl will pass and I will heal so I can help my wife and be abe to enjoy a new baby .Also a year ago my dad got really sick and he needed a heart transplant and in the middle of my withdrawl I was there with him.He is ok now with a new heart thank god Like many of us that been in this meds I was a robot just living the life so I made the decision of stop the meds and have my feelings back but im so scared right now I know if I heal im going to be able to enjoy my baby and have real feelings not numb like when I raised my other kids im also worried because im 43 years old and feel like I will never feel whole and healty please any member that can give advice and reassurance I will appreciate it .Tony

[Fresh]

Hi Tony ,   this will be joined with your other thread in the Introductions section 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/9479-imlost2-17-years-on-psychiatric-drugs-and-off-for-11-months

[nz11]

per doctors orders they all say its your depression and anxiety returning and you need to be on this drugs the rest of your life .

Dont fall for it this is a lie....straight from the marketing department of pharma

 

So glad you found sa . hey maybe you  should change your name because you were lost but not anymore!

 

The first year of wdl is very rough . Some report improvements in the second year and even more in the 2-3 yr.

 

As Bubble says you have come a long way ...you are doing so well.

Hang in there.

[Altostrata]

Hello, Imlost.

 

What are your present symptoms?

[imlost2]

hi Alto my symptoms are depression ,insomnia broken sleep I manage 4 and a half hours then it im a wake two hours and I finally sleep another hour full of vivid dreams then I have to get up to go to work but last night I had zero sleep I had adrenaline or cortisol rushes my body felt like I was burning inside and every week my symptoms change last week I was completely flat no feelings its so hard but I am thankful for this site and members like you that offer support.

[imlost2]

thanks nz11 for you reply and encouragement I know its been so hard for me and my family I know they been suffering too seen me like this because to them iam their rock and support but right now I feel so broken like I need to build my self back but not my old self but a different one that can face life and its challenges with a clean and better mind and soul.Because I don't want to back on those mind altering meds.

[Altostrata]

Please consider fish oil and magnesium -- bubble gave you the informational links.

 

See Important topics about symptoms, including sleep problems

 

It's important to stay calm, don't let things get you angry, anxious, or upset.

[imlost2]

Alto what would you recommend magnesium oxide,magnesium citrate or chelated I have all three and fish oil also I just had a full check and the only thing that my doctor found is that  iam  low in vitamin d and I tried 1000iu for four days but I had a bad reaction to it my body is too sensitive

[Altostrata]

You can try less vitamin D, perhaps 400IU, take the D3 form.

 

Please read the magnesium topic about types of magnesium. bubble gave you the link.

[imlost2]

hi iam 18 months off and need help im been in a long wave for over a month in the holidays me and my family decide to go on vacations out of the country and I had to drive for 36 hours then during our vacations my wife had a miscarriage it was so traumatic for  both of us then I had to come back and drove for another two days I was so exhausted then after two days home I stared to feel real bad with anxiety,deppression,nausea,brain zaps,insomnia,adrenaline cortisol rushes,fear,rage,lost appetite,is this a set back I need reausuranse please some body that is been like me this far out?

[imlost2]

I am in a real bad wave right now and I need advice from people going thru the withdrawls I started going to see a therapist and she told me I have ptsd and she want me to work in that area but from reading other peoples withdrawl symptoms they all have memories of childhood traumas that resurface when they are going thru withdrawl my last visit she sarted on 15 minutes session of reviving the past traumas and I left even worse so should I ask her to stop that ptsd treatment because I just need her to listen to my problems and worries and guide me to be a more positive person and also when I asked her if she knows something about antidepressant withdrawl she said theres not such of thing and she never heard of that before what should I do?sorry for my bad English

[KarenB]

Hello Imlost2,

 

Sorry about your current wave.  I've moved your post to your original thread to keep all your info together.  Whenever you want to post just reply to this topic.

 

Sounds like your therapist is very unhelpful.  You don't need to be un-earthing old problems while you are dealing with withdrawal.  It it were me, I'd look around for a therapist who will help you learn techniques that will be useful to you now - such as CBT or EFT.  You have a good idea of what you want in a therapist, so see if you can find someone who will do that.

 

Otherwise you can always learn these things on the internet.

 

I hope you find someone helpful,

Karen

[nz11]

Sorry to read about the miscarriage, we have a impaired central nervous system and brain and it is trying to heal so any situational upsets  of course will set it off.  Especially traumatic ones. Goodness me I had total meltdowns in the first four years from some of the most trivial and ridiculous things.

 

regarding  this therapy stuff.... I'm with Karen, I also think the counsellor is not being helpful.

My feeling is your therapist doesnt understand ssri wdl so it really is better to find a person who can simply reassure you like a broken record with one sentence" you are going to be ok just hold on" .imo. In fact thats CBT isnt it when we start saying for ourselves 'I'm going to be okay', when a wave comes.

 

Rather than retype i'll give you this

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/7571-☼-nz11-climbs-onboard/?p=201143

 

Also hang out in the neuro emotions thread

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/9809-neuro-emotions/

 

And basically this whole area

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/forum/8-symptoms-and-self-care/

 

Actually I said a person in SSRI withdrawal is really a counsellors nightmare, however a person SSRI withdrawal can also be a counsellors dream, because the therapy can be dragged out for an extraordinary length of time yet with no progress being made. I question the ethics of some of these because surely counselling should be set up to have a point of closure. After that people should be released with the tools to self soothe. Yet sometimes I read about people talking about having therapy for years, what on earth is that all about?

 

If you have a pain at about chest height  from a too heavy wallet, counselling is sure to ease that pain.

 

Wonderful thing about SA is there a whole heap of  information and it's all for free.

(Well apart from the yearly membership fee, I got in early this year with Jan discounts, 50% discount on annual membership but doesn't include PM ability,(no problem that's half my workload cut down), limited to only 5 postings per day,  unlimited postings on your own intro, and unlimited viewing off-line. Actually I think I might have gone over my limit today however that's no problem though because unused  posting limits can be rolled over for the week and carried forward... I got a special deal! But don't worry special deals come up quite often).

 

You'll be hard pressed to find any doctor who understands protracted SSRI withdrawal and that will go for any counsellors as well.

 

I'm not saying don't go to counselling I'm just saying you might want to consider putting it on hold for a couple of years until the central nervous system and the neuro emotions settle down. This is just my opinion. Or as Karen suggests find someone who is not so aggressive. And someone who doesn't go on past witchhunts.

 

A family member or a dear non-judgemental listening friend, who can provide unconditional positive regard, and a broken record reassurance that you're going to be okay, maybe all you need at this time.

 

And don't forget you've got us here in SA.

 

Check out the Claire Weeks thread

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/10964-the-dr-claire-weekes-method-of-recovering-from-a-sensitized-nervous-system/

 

 

nz11

One day when I was in acute withdrawal, my brain turned on me and reminded me of a time in the past when I cheated a point in a racket sports game ... I called a shot out from an opponent that was really in. My brain reminded me of that and hounded me for months  I cried and cried and wanted to die because of it and it happened years ago.  Such is the torment of neuro emotions in withdrawal.

[imlost2]

^{thanks Karen and NZ11 for the advice I appreciate it so much}

[nz11]

 

^{thanks Karen and NZ11 for the advice I appreciate it so much}

 

on behalf of the kiwis ...you're welcome.

 

nz11

oops i've gone over my daily posting quota..gotta go!!