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The Dr. Claire Weekes Method of Recovering from a Sensitized Nervous System


Petunia

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Hope and Help for Your Nerves by Weekes

 

 

I started reading the book OP posted but am disgusted by how the author keeps reccomending the long term use of benzodiazepines. How am I supposed to take the book seriously now?

 

Which book are you referring to by which author?

 

01/12-09/13: Sedation dentistry w 0.75mg Halcion once per month

04/15-01/17: Xaxax 0.25-0.75mg PRN panic attacks once per month

06/15-03/16: Ambien 5-10mg /night

03/16-06/16: Tapered off Ambien using subtapers of 12.5mg - 62.5mg Benadryl

09/16-1/17: Xanax 0.25mg 1-2 times week,Prilosec + Zantac which interacts w Xanax, Benadryl 25-75mg per night

01/15/17: C/Td Xanax, Benadryl, and Zantac after tapering Prilosec for 2 months. Insomnia fibromyalgia twitching anxiety.

       Intermittent Ambien every other night at avg dose of 4mg

01/24/17: Remeron 3.75mg for 6 days, off for 4 days, then reinstate to 1mg

02/10/17: Off Ambien. Remeron 1mg - fast taper logarithmic 10%/day

03/18/17: Off Remeron - jumped at 0.2mg

04/15/17: Ambien rescue dose, reinstate Remeron 2mg

04/22/17: Remeron 1mg, abx for lyme, herxing in acute

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  • Moderator Emeritus

My thought is don't throw out the baby with the bath water.  I haven't read any of her books, only listened to some of her videos.  Throw out anything relating to drugs (thankfully we know that it can be inadvisable to use them) and keep the non-drug coping techniques.

 

Being born in 1903 she was 60 years old when valium came on the market.

 

 

Benzo history from wiki:

 

The first such drug, chlordiazepoxide (Librium), was discovered accidentally by Leo Sternbach in 1955, and made available in 1960 by Hoffmann–La Roche, which, since 1963, has also marketed the benzodiazepine diazepam (Valium).[1] In 1977 benzodiazepines were globally the most prescribed medications.[2]

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

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  • 3 weeks later...

does someone helped by her books and felt less simphtoms?

2007-2015- zoloft 100 mg
5-8/2015 taper zoloft 12.5 mg every 2 weeks
3/2016 -11/16 lexapro 20 mg

taper lexapro every month by 30%

11/4/17-lexapro 3.5 mg

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On 5/15/2017 at 0:53 AM, ChessieCat said:

My thought is don't throw out the baby with the bath water.

 

Yeah - it does get jarring sometimes when she writes about the benefits of sedation or shock therapy. I have to remind myself that she wrote her books in the late 60s, when those things were still accepted and the long-term effects were not really understood.

 

Still, she knows her stuff when it comes to the other ways of dealing with anxiety.

 

SJ

Main thread: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/14472-shakeyjerr-say-hello/

History: Prozac & Lithium from 1999 to 2003. Ended up back on after 4 months because taking a beta-blocker caused immediate depression (just 2 doses - turned out I didn't even need it; I had no other withdrawal symptoms - I might have ended up med and withdrawal-free otherwise :(). - Switched to Effexor (75mg 3/day) and Seroquel (50mg 3/day) in 2010. - Did a self-taper during 2016. - Developed Discontinuation Syndrome 02/17.

Supplements: Magnesium-Glycinate 400mg split into 4 100mg doses throughout the day. Vitamin C 500mg - once per day. Fish Oil 1360 mg (950 mg Active Omega-3) - twice per day.

I'm not a doctor. I use the internet, experience, and trial & error. Seek medical advice if necessary.

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  • 1 year later...

My wife and I have found Claire Weekes so helpful in addressing anxiety.     Her voice is comforting and she is very compassionate.   I encourage everyone to read Hope And Help For Your Nerves.     She was a pioneer in her time and has helped countless people who are suffering.    We call her “Saint Claire”!  😁

2010:  Escitalopram (Lexapro) 10 mg.   Mirtazapine (Remeron) 15 mg. 

2011:    Tapered Mirtazapine: 5 month successful taper.  Then tapered Lexapro:  4 month successful taper

May 2011 to August 2017:   No medications, full recovery

September 6, 2017:  started Mirtazapine (Remeron) 15 mg  - due to severe sudden insomnia (I believe caused by statin use)

November 16, 2017:   started Escitalopram (Lexapro) 10 mg

January 1, 2018 to October 30. 2020 -- 34 month taper off of Mirtazapine 15 mg to 0.00 mg

June 16, 2018:  Started slow taper of 10 mg Escitalopram (Lexapro)

Current (mgai):    0.23 mg  Escitalopram

Supplements:  Fish Oil, Curcumin, bio active B vitamins, zinc, magnesium glycinate, Vitamin D, Vitamin C, saffron, citrus bergamot, ashwagandha

 

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."  Matthew 6:34

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Hi Ive just ordered the book Self Help for your nerves. I'm hoping it will help with the intense anxiety I feel at the moment and learn to live with some of the symptoms like tremors and feeling sick. I have realised some of these things I'd be better off accepting may last a long time and not try and fight them. Its hard with anxious thoughts but I hope they will fade or at least decrease in intensity in time. Does anyone else have experience of this and how best to manage the intensity  of overwhelming anxiety during the withdrawal?

2004- 2013 Citalopram 20mg

2012-2013- Diazepam 10mg, Amitryptiline (both for head injury) Cold turkey on diazepam amitryptiline and citalopram

2013 Dec-  Citalopram 10mg

2017 July- 7.5mg

2017 Nov 5mg

2018 Mar 2.5mg

2018 June 2mg

2018 July 1.5mg

2018 Sep 1mg

2018 Oct 1.16mg tablet

2018 Oct 11th 0.5mg liquid am, 0.58mg tablet pm, Oct 22nd 0.5mg liquid am, 0.47mg liquid pm, Oct 29th 0.55mg liquid am, 0.55mg liquid pm. Dec 15th 1.2mg tablet 

https://wordpress.com/post/butterflyhopedotblog.wordpress.com/10

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • Mentor
On 1/9/2016 at 11:51 AM, nz11 said:

(from Claire Weekes): At some point in nervous illness the sufferer may be so ill he no longer cares what happens; however, as he begins to recover, caring returns and this may be complicated by his feeling that although much better, he cannot face the future demands and responsibilities of normal living. At such a time he is often accused of not wanting to get better. Make no mistake, he wants to recover, but at the same time the prospect of coping with the demands of recovery may be so frightening while he is in his present state of only partial recovery, that he almost convinces himself that the criticism may be true – another bewilderment in nervous illness!  

 

Enough time must pass to provide a protective layer of normal responses to help him gradually find his balance and normal living, to take normal reaction for granted.

 

As his body strengthens, his spirits rise, optimism and confidence returned. The process may be so gradual he may be unaware of it. It is this gradualness that makes all possible and only the passage of enough time can bring such gradualness.

That passage from Claire Weekes is helping me cope with this day. I had a powerful weekend and now am in a dark wave that feels different than waves of the past but is filled with fear of the future, napping, and cortisol spikes. I have no job really and fear that I will not be able to make a stable income. I am better than last year when I was sure that I'd be homeless and a zombie on the streets and had SI more often (hourly instead of daily) and less afraid of the change of weather to the darker days. So CW helps by saying that even though one begins to feel better, the fear of recovery may set one back and that only time will restore "normal" responses. Accept and do not struggle -- that is her advice.

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

 

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

 

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  • 1 month later...
On 1/2/2016 at 3:10 AM, Petunia said:

The way I understand her now is that when it comes to the experience of anxiety symptoms, or any unexpected, unexplained symptoms, our natural reaction is to fight them, to try and get rid of them, to struggle with them or try and escape from them, spending vast amounts of energy trying to make them go away, trying to ignore them and keep pushing on with our lives, or we become obsessed with them and spend hours on the internet, trying to find answers. So our whole existence becomes a constant war between us and our symptoms. Of course we become more and more exhausted from fighting this battle all the time and this exhaustion causes more stress which in turn makes our symptoms worse and so we get sicker.

 

Her message is acceptance of the symptoms, letting them be there and floating through what we need to do while the symptoms are allowed to be there for as long as they are. I think this works well for us in recovery from withdrawal because there are things we have to do, things which our symptoms make very difficult. By using her method, we can manage to do what we need to do, without causing further stress and exhaustion by adding 'symptom fighting' to our struggle.

 

By not fighting with our symptoms, but letting them be there, we can retain some of our energy, lower stress and start recovering.

 

Appreciated this contribution 😊

  • 45 years old male
  • job in spatial planning
  • into sports, animals and nature
  • Started using 20 mg Paroxetine (Paxil) in 2004 for stressrelated anxiety/depression
  • Attempted several times to stop, starting a few years after 2004
  • Found out in 2015 about paxil withdrawal symptoms and the 5-10% taper guideline
  • Started using liquid paxil in 2015/2016
  • 2018 --> 11.2 mg of paxil
  • 2019-2023 developed severe food- and other sensitivities (anti imflammatory, anti oxidant, food colourings, oils, herbs, chemicals etc.)
  • 12/2023 Poop-out/tolerance, introducing brassmonkey slide method 0.1mg/week
  • 26/1/2024 10 mg (journey halfway).
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  • 2 months later...

i love this lady. we could do with more people like her in the world. ❤️

Took prozac 40 mg for 20 years.

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

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

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

Discontinued magnesium citrate 200mg Apr 3rd 2019

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

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  • ChessieCat changed the title to Anxiety and panic attacks - Dr Claire Weekes

Omg. She says to use tranquilizers to go out for the first couple weeks😭

 

Rachel - 1998-2012 Prozac 20mg

2012-2014 Prozac 40mg

Sept 17 Remeron 15mg, March ‘18 7.5mg

Jan 31 - Feb 13 1/4 - 1mg Ativan

Jan 31 - feb 5 - 2mg Prozac, 4mg feb 7

feb 10 - 10mg rem, Feb 27 - 7.5mg rem

Feb 27 - March 6th - 5mg Baclofen 

March 12th - Keppra 250mg

March 24 - 30mg phenobarbital 

 

 

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Yes, that is very unfortunate, but you have to realise the time that she was practising:

 

Born: 11 April 1903, Died: 2 June 1990

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

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  • Moderator Emeritus

I've added a note about this in the first post of this topic, and the Anxiety and Panic Attacks topic.

 

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

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On 2/11/2019 at 2:25 PM, ChessieCat said:

Yes, that is very unfortunate, but you have to realise the time that she was practising:

 

Born: 11 April 1903, Died: 2 June 1990

I know. I more mean like...that’s how hard it is for me to leave the house too... i really like her voice tho. Delightful. 

 

Rachel - 1998-2012 Prozac 20mg

2012-2014 Prozac 40mg

Sept 17 Remeron 15mg, March ‘18 7.5mg

Jan 31 - Feb 13 1/4 - 1mg Ativan

Jan 31 - feb 5 - 2mg Prozac, 4mg feb 7

feb 10 - 10mg rem, Feb 27 - 7.5mg rem

Feb 27 - March 6th - 5mg Baclofen 

March 12th - Keppra 250mg

March 24 - 30mg phenobarbital 

 

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

I wanted to add to this very valuable resource with posting a link to David Daish's videos. David suffered from anxiety like the rest of us, and found comfort and cure fro Claire Weekes' help. He has a very soothing tone to listen too, and I find him very easy to relate to.

 

https://www.youtube.com/user/OldRockMan58/videos

 

Unfortunately, David is no longer with us, but the legacy that he leaves behind in these videos is a wonderful thing, and for that I am very grateful.

2006-2008 - Citalopram (30mg) for PTSD

2009-2017 - Perfectly fine!! "Maintenance dose" of Citalopram (20mg) - doc's orders

June 2017 - Doc tapers me off Citalopram in 2 weeks... YES... 2 weeks

Aug 2017 - Relapse and back onto 30mg Citalopram

Aug 2018 - Cross-taper (3 weeks) to Cymbalta 60mg - bad side effects

Sep 2018 - Cross-taper (8 weeks) back to 30mg Citalopram

Nov 2018 - Cross-taper (2 weeks) to 15mg Lexapro (was told citalopram was "out-dated")

Dec 2018 - Pregabalin (50mg) for 8 days - very bad reaction

Feb 2019 - Bad reaction to Lexapro - dropped to 10mg (self-medicated)

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  • 5 months later...
  • Moderator Emeritus

Yes I think this secondary fear, which I see as freaking out over the withdrawal symptoms and fighting them, is a problem for me.  My takeaway from this is that I need to accept my W/D symptoms, and just flow with them, instead of fighting them or getting upset by them.  This forum is a huge help in allowing me to do that.  I already feel much calmer now than I did earlier today.   

 

What happens is I feel so good for a few days, then it's as if the bottom has dropped out and I feel awful the next day, and it takes me by surprise.  Windows and waves. 

Please do not private message me.  Only tag me for urgent questions about tapering and reinstating - thank you.  

 

***Please note this is not medical advice.  Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a doctor who understands psych meds and how to withdraw from them, if you can find one.

 

Lexapro   Started Apr 15 2010 - 10 mg;  started taper August 2017, recent taper info: Apr 2 '20  0.18 mg; Jul 16  0.17 mg, Aug 23  0.16 mg, Oct 7  0.15 mg, Nov 8 - 0.14, Jan 16 '21 - 0.13, Feb 7 - 0.12, Feb 22 - 0.11, Mar 26 - 0.10, May 21 - 0.09, June 15 - 0.08 Aug 16 - 0.07, Oct 6 - 0.06, Nov 21 0.05, Dec. 17 0.04, Jan 14 '22 0.03, Feb 19 0.02, Apr 18 0.01, May 15 0.005,  Jul 8, 0.00.  Psych Drug Free as of July 8, 2022!!  Woohoo!!!

other meds: Levothyroxine 75 mg

magnesium in small amounts at 4 AM, before bed

suppl AM: fish oil, flax oil, vit C, vit E, multivitamin, zinc

suppl 8 PM: magnesium 350 mg, extended release vitamin C, melatonin 2 mg

 

Paxil 2002 - 2010, switched to Lexapro 2010 

Trazodone 50 mg. 2002 - 2019, fast tapered in 2019 

Xanax 0.5 mg as needed 2002 - 2019, up to 3x weekly 

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  • 10 months later...
  • Moderator Emeritus

Since starting this topic several years ago, I came across a YouTube video of one of Dr. Weekes's audio books:  Freedom from Nervous Suffering. I don't know how long it will stay available on YouTube though. If you find it helpful, perhaps download it.

_________________________________________

1 hour 20 minutes long

 

The original video posted in this link was no longer available.  But I have found this one (October 2021) when I search for "Freedom from Nervous Suffering" on Youtube.  The title for the video is in Portugese (and I think it has Portugese subtitles).  But the video is in English:

 

 

Edited by ChessieCat
updated video link

I'm not a doctor.  My comments are not medical advise. These are my opinions based on my own experience and what I've learned. Please discuss your situation with a medical practitioner who has knowledge of tapering and withdrawal...if you are lucky enough to find one.

My Introduction Thread

Full Drug and Withdrawal History

Brief Summary

Several SSRIs for 13 years starting 1997 (for mild to moderate partly situational anxiety) Xanax PRN ~ Various other drugs over the years for side effects

2 month 'taper' off Lexapro 2010

Short acute withdrawal, followed by 2 -3 months of improvement then delayed protracted withdrawal

DX ADHD followed by several years of stimulants and other drugs trying to manage increasing symptoms

Failed reinstatement of Lexapro and trial of Prozac (became suicidal)

May 2013 Found SA, learned about withdrawal, stopped taking drugs...healing begins.

Protracted withdrawal, with a very sensitized nervous system, slowly recovering as time passes

Supplements which have helped: Vitamin C, Magnesium, Taurine

Bad reactions: Many supplements but mostly fish oil and Vitamin D

June 2016 - Started daily juicing, mostly vegetables and lots of greens.

Aug 2016 - Oct 2016 Best window ever, felt almost completely recovered

Oct 2016 -Symptoms returned - bad days and less bad days.

April 2018 - No windows, but significant improvement, it feels like permanent full recovery is close.

VIDEO: Where did the chemical imbalance theory come from?



VIDEO: How are psychiatric diagnoses made?



VIDEO: Why do psychiatric drugs have withdrawal syndromes?



VIDEO: Can psychiatric drugs cause long-lasting negative effects?

VIDEO: Dr. Claire Weekes

 

 

 

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  • Mentor

@Petunia Thank you for the video, it is very helpful 

 


1999-2020  20 mg Paxil

Bridged with Fluoxetine to help me get off Paxil.

2022 Fluoxetine 15 mg 12/12 14mg 27/12  13mg jan 12mg feb 11mg mars 10mg, 9 mg 8,5 mg 7.6mg 7.0 mg 6,3 mg 5,6 mg 5,0 mg 4,5 mg 4,0 mg 3.6mg 3,2 mg 2,9 mg 2,6 mg 2,3 mg 2,0 mg

 


I am not a medical professional nor is this a medical advice. I only talk from my own experience.

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  • 10 months later...

 

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/16629-rosetta-ct-may-2011-too-fast-taper-feb-2017/?page=25

2001-2011 Celexa 10 mg raised to 40 mg then 60 mg over this time period

May 2011 OB Doctor's Cold switch Celexa 60 mg to 10 mg Zoloft sertraline (baby born)

2012-2016 - Doctors raised dose of Zoloft up to 150 mg

2016 - Xanax prescribed - as needed - 0.5 mg about every 3 days (bad reaction)

2016 - Stopped Xanax

Late 2016- Began (too fast) taper of Zoloft

Early 2017 - Trazodone prescribed for bedtime (doseage unknown)

Feb 2017 - Completed taper/stopped Trazodone

Drug free since Feb 2017

2017 - Unisom otc very rarely for sleep

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  • 2 months later...
  • Moderator

I just saw this article about her. May be of interest. 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

Aug 2018 - citalopram 40 mg (self titrated up)

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

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

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

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

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

 

Supplements: magnesium citrate and bi-glycinate

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  • 1 month later...

Does anyone know of any guided meditations that are based on the Claire Weekes method? I've listened to one of her audiobooks and parts of another, but while I've learned a lot from them, I'm hoping to find something I can listen to that will help me apply her method. I know it wouldn't likely be by her, but maybe a similar approach in a guided meditation from someone else?

TreeFrog          Key:   v = decrease; ^ = increase

2008: started citalopram

2019-2020:  trazodone: Sept 16-July 31

2021:  Nov 6 v cit 15mg; Nov 12 v cit 10mg; Nov 24 switched to duloxetine 30mg; Dec 8 ^ dulox 60mg

2022:  Jan 16 v dulox 30mg; Jan 31 skipped dulox doses; Feb 11 stopped dulox; Mar 20 reinstated dulox 1.9mg; Mar 26 v dulox 1.15mg; Mar 28 started traz 25mg; Mar 29 stopped dulox, started cit 5mg; Mar 31 ^ traz 37.5mg; Apr 3 ^ traz 50mg; Apr 6 ^ cit 10mg; Apr 13 ^ cit 15mg; Apr 15 v traz 37.5mg; Apr 20 v traz 25mg; Apr 23 v traz 12.5mg; Apr 29 ^ traz 18.5mg; Jun 23 v traz 16.5mg; Jul 1 ^ traz 18.5mg; Nov 3 v traz 17.5mg; Dec 20 v traz 15.75mg

2023: Jan 12 v 14mg traz; Jan 28 v 12.5mg traz

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  • Moderator Emeritus
1 hour ago, TreeFrog said:

Does anyone know of any guided meditations that are based on the Claire Weekes method? I've listened to one of her audiobooks and parts of another, but while I've learned a lot from them, I'm hoping to find something I can listen to that will help me apply her method. I know it wouldn't likely be by her, but maybe a similar approach in a guided meditation from someone else?

 

Dr Claire Weekes - Pass through Panic

 

Available on Audible

 

US Amazon

Canada Amazon

 

(I have no affiliation)

 

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

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  • 6 months later...
  • Moderator Emeritus

I did a search on YouTube and found this.  They are NOT in  chapter order:

 

"Hope and Help For Your Nerves" by Dr. Claire Weekes

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hi.

I read her book and the reference to taking drugs is a little triggering but the general principle in the rest of the book makes sense. 

I dont know if any one hear has rad DARE. I would say it's the same principles written in a friendlier and simpler form without the mention of need for drugs. 

Just an idea. 

I have no idea if that book is referenced anywhere else on this site haha

2015- Jan 2021 20mg Citalapram

Jan 2021- April 2021 Sertraline (CT)

June 2021 - Fluoxetine & Trazadone

Oct 2021- Trazadone to Quitiapin 

Oct 2021 to June 2022 switches Duloxetine then paroxatine then Venlafaxine.

June 2022- venlafaxine for 5 or 6 weeks at 37.5 twice daily. Upped for one week to 75mg twice daily but caused panic attacks. Dropped back down to 37.5 twice daily. Panic attacks stopped. 

1 week- 62.5mg 1 week- 50mg 1 week- 37.5mg 1 week - 25mg 

ANTIDEPRESSANT FREE SINCE JULY 22ND 2022!! 

18/05/23 - 01-06/23 doxycycline for a rat bite 

Taken propranalol since 2015. 80mg.

21/11/22 76mg. 28/11/22 72mg. 05/12/22 68mg. 19/12/22 64mg. 27/12/22 60mg. 02/01/23 56mg. 09/01/23 50mg. 16/01/23 47mg. 23/01/23 44mg. 29/01/23 40mg. 05/02/23 38mg. 12/02/23 35mg. 19/02/23 32mg. 25/02/23 27mg. 04/03/23 25mg. 11/03/23 22mg. 17/03/23 19mg. 24/03/23 20mg. 05/04/23 18mg. 11/04/23 16mg. 17/04/23 14mg. 27/04/23 20mg. 19/06/23 19mg. 25/06/23 20mg. 04/08/23 18mg. 11/08/23 17mg. 16/08/23 16mg. 25/08/23 15mg. 01/09/23 14mg. 08/09/23 13mg. 15/08/23 12mg. 22/09/23 11mg. 29/09/23 10mg. 19/11/23 9mg. 26/11/23 8mg. 03/12/23 7mg. 10/12/23 6mg. 17/12/23 5mg. 24/12/23 4mg. 31/01/23 3mg. 07/01/24 2mg. 13/01/24 1mg. 19/01/24 0mg. DONE! 

 

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If anyone is interested, there's a selection of BBC interviews from the 1980s with Dr Weekes to purchase on Apple TV. It might be available to buy elsewhere too.

 

It's 6 short interviews recorded for a lunchtime UK TV show. It's called Peace from Nervous Suffering.

 

I've just watched through them and (Dame Edna comparisons aside) she's so relaxing to listen to and makes so much sense.

 

She barely mentions tranquillisers, and when she does she says to use them only in very extreme cases and 'for a day'. So it's possible by this time in her life she'd revised her opinion on them.

 

It would have been fascinating to hear how she would approach anxiety and depression caused by withdrawal from modern SSRIs.

Oct 2018 - Jun 2020: 10 mg per day generic Escitalopram in pill form.

Jul 2020 - Aug 2020: Switched to 9 mg per day of Cipralex drops to aid tapering.

Sep 2020 - Oct 2020: Taper to 8 mg.

Nov 2020 - Dec 2020: Taper to 7 mg.

Jan 2021 - Feb 2021: Taper to 6 mg.

Mar 2021 - Apr 2021: Taper to 5 mg.

May 2021 - Jun 2021: Taper to 4 mg.

Jul 2021 - Sep 2021: Taper to 3 mg.

Sep 2021 - Jan 2022: Taper to 2 mg.

Jan 2022: Stopped taking altogether.

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