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How does length of time on a medication affect withdrawal from it?


Hibari

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So this is me trying to figure things out in the middle of wd but I feel I need to understand this in order to be kinder to myself.

 

I had the notion that the amount of time I was on a medication would impact how wd would go.

 

I understand that we are all unique and how we respond to medication wd is unique to us, though this wonderful site provides tons of information on universal wd symptoms, etc.

 

Here is what I am trying to understand. 

 

 I was on both of my medications for about 10 months apiece before I started to taper. 

 

My taper of Remeron, at a high dose of 41.25mgs  started in January of 2015 and I am down to 12mgs.

My taper of Lamictal at  a high dose of 200mgs started in July of 2015 and I am down to 50mgs.

 

It will probably will take me into this summer to be off of both and that's what I struggle with as I know many people do.

 

My question is, once the brain has assimilated or incorporated the drug, does it matter whether it happened at 6 months or 5 years, once the drug is fully integrated, how long you have been on it doesn't matter? 

 

So whether the brain has gotten used the drug at 6 months or 1 year, once it's used to it, it's used to it? 

 

Because the brain will use what it's being given and the drug's effect on the brain, if it's the same dosage, will not increase over time? 

 

Maybe more then one question but any thoughts or responses would be helpful.

 

Hibari

 

9/2013-4/2014:  After moms death, was prescribed a series of meds for short periods of time that didn't work. Zoloft, Lexapro,  Nortriptyline, Liquid Prozac, Cymbalta. 

1/2014-9/2014. Clonzapam: Given Lamictal, stopped Clonzapam at .125mgs  

1/2015-4 2017 Remeron: 41.25 -0.025mgs

7/2015-11/2018 Lamictal: 200mgs-0.05 mgs Had paradoxical reaction to Lamictal wd, broke my heart to take a benzo but wasn't sleeping. 

3/28/2019 -2/5/ 2021  Clonazapam: 0.625mgs-.00115 Med Free 

July 27th, 2022**Severe Setback due to surgery/ anesthesia. 

9/7/22-10/4/22 Trazadone 50-100mgs for sleep, 10/13/22-11/13/22 Trazadone 1 mg to stabilize

10/4/22-11/20/22 Remeron 7.5mgs (for sleep doesn't work) 11/20/22 7.3 - 12/31/22 6.3 

2023: 1/18/23 6.1 - 6/6/23 3.6  6/16 3.4  6/28 3.0 7/12 2.7  7/28 2.5 8/11 2.2 8/23 2.0  9/5 1.8  9/16 1.6  9/30 1.4  10/13 1.2  10/26 1.0  11/9 0.8  11/22 0.6  12/6 0.4  12/23 0.2.

2024 1/4/24  Remeron/Mirtazapine free 

Additional Support:  Armour Thyroid 75mgs, Magnesium Glycinate 300-500mgs,  L-theanine 

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I don't think anyone knows the answers to your questions about the brain and how taking these drugs affects it and how that varies depending on total length of time. I mean, people have ideas and stuff, but as far as any actual concrete information, like, science, it hasn't been done, not at that "what it actually causes in the brain" level.  

 

I do know however that in Will Hall's guide, somebody or other said that they found that how long people are on meds is the single factor that correlates most strongly with whether or not they are going to be able to get off them. The longer, the less likely they will succeed. (That is particularly people who don't have good info about tapering, I suspect.)

Started on Prozac and Xanax in 1992 for PTSD after an assault. One drug led to more, the usual story. Got sicker and sicker, but believed I needed the drugs for my "underlying disease". Long story...lost everything. Life savings, home, physical and mental health, relationships, friendships, ability to work, everything. Amitryptiline, Prozac, bupropion, buspirone, flurazepam, diazepam, alprazolam, Paxil, citalopram, lamotrigine, gabapentin...probably more I've forgotten. 

Started multidrug taper in Feb 2010.  Doing a very slow microtaper, down to low doses now and feeling SO much better, getting my old personality and my brain back! Able to work full time, have a full social life, and cope with stress better than ever. Not perfect, but much better. After 23 lost years. Big Pharma has a lot to answer for. And "medicine for profit" is just not a great idea.

 

Feb 15 2010:  300 mg Neurontin  200 Lamictal   10 Celexa      0.65 Xanax   and 5 mg Ambien 

Feb 10 2014:   62 Lamictal    1.1 Celexa         0.135 Xanax    1.8 Valium

Feb 10 2015:   50 Lamictal      0.875 Celexa    0.11 Xanax      1.5 Valium

Feb 15 2016:   47.5 Lamictal   0.75 Celexa      0.0875 Xanax    1.42 Valium    

2/12/20             12                       0.045               0.007                   1 

May 2021            7                       0.01                  0.0037                1

Feb 2022            6                      0!!!                     0.00167               0.98                2.5 mg Ambien

Oct 2022       4.5 mg Lamictal    (off Celexa, off Xanax)   0.95 Valium    Ambien, 1/4 to 1/2 of a 5 mg tablet 

 

I'm not a doctor. Any advice I give is just my civilian opinion.

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It is my belief that the longer one has been on the med, the more difficult it becomes to get off it.  Whether this plateaus at some point I have no idea.   I also believe that going on multiple times makes it more difficult to get off each time, and also if you crash and updose it becomes more difficult to taper each time.  This has been my experience, but of course, individual responses vary.  I also wonder if there is a connection with dose, that is, does the brain 'get used to' the drug quicker if we're taking more of it.  It seems to me that being on a higher dose tends to lead to poop-out quicker, but I haven't seen any actual research about it.

2001–2002 paroxetine

2003  citalopram

2004-2008  paroxetine (various failed tapers) 
2008  paroxetine slow taper down to

2016  Aug off paroxetine
2016  citalopram May 20mg  Oct 15mg … slow taper down
2018  citalopram 13 Feb 4.6mg 15 Mar 4.4mg 29 Apr 4.2mg 6 Jul 4.1mg 17 Aug 4.0mg  18 Nov 3.8mg
2019  15 Mar 3.6mg  21 May 3.4mg  26 Dec 3.2mg 

2020  19 Feb 3.0mg 19 Jul 2.9mg 16 Sep 2.8mg 25 Oct 2.7mg 23 Oct 2.6mg 24 Dec 2.5mg

2021   29 Aug 2.4mg   15 Nov 2.3mg

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i have often wondered this - if the brain is attempting to establish homeostasis whilst on a drug it shouldn't matter whether it's 6 weeks, 6 months or 6 years should it?  Or is it like a path - the more it is walked the deeper the ruts?

 

in the end  I have concluded that it is more to do with the individual.  I know several people who have been on AD's and stopped CT with no ongoing problems after the initial headache/diarrhoea/nausea.  maybe some people just take longer to repopulate their receptors.  

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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Thanks for all your responses.   If I can lift this pressure off myself, I think the journey will be easier. 

 

I wish I was like those people who jumped off with no problem but for right now I'm not and I have to make peace with it.  I'm not a peace but I guess that will be a process as well. 

9/2013-4/2014:  After moms death, was prescribed a series of meds for short periods of time that didn't work. Zoloft, Lexapro,  Nortriptyline, Liquid Prozac, Cymbalta. 

1/2014-9/2014. Clonzapam: Given Lamictal, stopped Clonzapam at .125mgs  

1/2015-4 2017 Remeron: 41.25 -0.025mgs

7/2015-11/2018 Lamictal: 200mgs-0.05 mgs Had paradoxical reaction to Lamictal wd, broke my heart to take a benzo but wasn't sleeping. 

3/28/2019 -2/5/ 2021  Clonazapam: 0.625mgs-.00115 Med Free 

July 27th, 2022**Severe Setback due to surgery/ anesthesia. 

9/7/22-10/4/22 Trazadone 50-100mgs for sleep, 10/13/22-11/13/22 Trazadone 1 mg to stabilize

10/4/22-11/20/22 Remeron 7.5mgs (for sleep doesn't work) 11/20/22 7.3 - 12/31/22 6.3 

2023: 1/18/23 6.1 - 6/6/23 3.6  6/16 3.4  6/28 3.0 7/12 2.7  7/28 2.5 8/11 2.2 8/23 2.0  9/5 1.8  9/16 1.6  9/30 1.4  10/13 1.2  10/26 1.0  11/9 0.8  11/22 0.6  12/6 0.4  12/23 0.2.

2024 1/4/24  Remeron/Mirtazapine free 

Additional Support:  Armour Thyroid 75mgs, Magnesium Glycinate 300-500mgs,  L-theanine 

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Criminy, I hope the bodily adaptation plateaus out after some point (like 6 months or a year?). Otherwise I could have some real issues after 34 years! Got to believe the body is constantly rebuilding and adapting.

1975--first signs of depression

1981--started on imipramine (Tofranil) for IBS and depression

1983-1986--severe depression, rotated through several drugs, on MAOI for one year, eventually back to tricyclics

1986-1994--chronic low grade depression, on tricyclics

1994-96--severe depression, rotated through several drugs inc. Prozax, Effexor, etc..

1996-2013--chronic low grade depression, SAD, on amitryptiline usual dose 12.5-25mg

     flurazepam (Dalmane) as needed for insomnia

2013--developed temazepam (Restoril) dependance for 2 months, tapered off over 1 month

   started bio-identical progesterone 5 mg., depression has lifted completely to this day

March 2016--forced to c/t both amitryptiline and flurazepam, zolpidem not helpful

reinstated small dose (.5 mg) amitryptiline due to stomach issues and tapering w/titration

June 19th--jumped from amitryptiline--drug free!

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I think it's probably more than 6-12 months, but likely to be a lot less than 34 years!  I noticed long-term effects after about 2-3 years.  I mean things like emotional blunting, lethargy, etc. that I didn't really have in the first year or so.  I think these longer term side effects are signs of the body making longer term adjustments.

2001–2002 paroxetine

2003  citalopram

2004-2008  paroxetine (various failed tapers) 
2008  paroxetine slow taper down to

2016  Aug off paroxetine
2016  citalopram May 20mg  Oct 15mg … slow taper down
2018  citalopram 13 Feb 4.6mg 15 Mar 4.4mg 29 Apr 4.2mg 6 Jul 4.1mg 17 Aug 4.0mg  18 Nov 3.8mg
2019  15 Mar 3.6mg  21 May 3.4mg  26 Dec 3.2mg 

2020  19 Feb 3.0mg 19 Jul 2.9mg 16 Sep 2.8mg 25 Oct 2.7mg 23 Oct 2.6mg 24 Dec 2.5mg

2021   29 Aug 2.4mg   15 Nov 2.3mg

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Now that I am in a place of acceptance, for now at least, all I can do is take the next step forward.

9/2013-4/2014:  After moms death, was prescribed a series of meds for short periods of time that didn't work. Zoloft, Lexapro,  Nortriptyline, Liquid Prozac, Cymbalta. 

1/2014-9/2014. Clonzapam: Given Lamictal, stopped Clonzapam at .125mgs  

1/2015-4 2017 Remeron: 41.25 -0.025mgs

7/2015-11/2018 Lamictal: 200mgs-0.05 mgs Had paradoxical reaction to Lamictal wd, broke my heart to take a benzo but wasn't sleeping. 

3/28/2019 -2/5/ 2021  Clonazapam: 0.625mgs-.00115 Med Free 

July 27th, 2022**Severe Setback due to surgery/ anesthesia. 

9/7/22-10/4/22 Trazadone 50-100mgs for sleep, 10/13/22-11/13/22 Trazadone 1 mg to stabilize

10/4/22-11/20/22 Remeron 7.5mgs (for sleep doesn't work) 11/20/22 7.3 - 12/31/22 6.3 

2023: 1/18/23 6.1 - 6/6/23 3.6  6/16 3.4  6/28 3.0 7/12 2.7  7/28 2.5 8/11 2.2 8/23 2.0  9/5 1.8  9/16 1.6  9/30 1.4  10/13 1.2  10/26 1.0  11/9 0.8  11/22 0.6  12/6 0.4  12/23 0.2.

2024 1/4/24  Remeron/Mirtazapine free 

Additional Support:  Armour Thyroid 75mgs, Magnesium Glycinate 300-500mgs,  L-theanine 

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There's a lot of question-marks with the topic.  I quickly went up to 37.5 mg mirtazapine over 4 weeks, and will be tapering off for many more months than I was ever on before starting the taper!  Part of me worries that my brain will get even more used to having the drug around, adapt further, by taking the taper so slow.  But I am terrified of the alternative. 

 

The Effexor is a no brainer, since I was on it for 12 years and failed to come off once before.  I will have to creep and crawl my way off, but off I will go!  The more  I know about how profoundly these drugs affect our nervous systems, the more compelled I am to get off!

 

I did run into someone on another forum who took Effexor for five days, and six months later she is still having fallout!  One thing seems for sure:  our nervous system seems to adapt rather quickly to the action of the drug, but it is VERY SLOW to adapt back when reducing or removing the drug!

 

SG

Started ADs back around 1995 after bad break-up, starting with Prozac.  Switched to Wellbutrin, and then to Effexor in 2002
Effexor XR 2002-2014 up to 225 mg at one point, down to 37.5 mg towards end but back up to 75 mg in 2014; now realize I had W/D as I dropped down, memory very poor about history.  Extreme emotions, poor concentration as I stepped back down, didn't connect the dots!
Summer 2014 reduced to 0 very quickly, was sick of anhedonia/sexual dysfunction due to meds, depression never controlled if not worse. Didn't recognize WD since symptoms built slowly (thought I had ADD! and menopausal on top of it), starting with severe sweats, very bad cog-fog and memory issues, culminating in weight loss, severe anxiety and depression, panic, severe apathy and insomnia by eight months off.  Saw p-doc who put me on Remeron, increased from 7.5 mg/day to 37.5 mg by May 22, 2015; still doing very badly though able to sleep.

June 1. 2015 Reinstated Effexor XR 37.5 mg, Remeron dropped to 30 mg PM. Immediate relief of symptoms, like nothing had ever happened!  Joined SA and began on advice of friend who recognized it was WD all along! Began tapering in July 2015.

Been tapering both meds ever since, focusing on one more than the other or doing no more than 5% of each per month.

12 mg Effexor and 5.8 mg Remeron (mirtazapine SolTabs to make a solution with OraPlus) as of 5/4/2017 

Update 3/14/18: 2.9 mg Remeron and 6 mg Effexor; 6/10/18:  2.6 mg Remeron and 4.9 mg Effexor

 

My intro: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/9313-squirrellygirl-effexor-withdrawal-etc/page-2#entry196679

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

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and will be tapering off for many more months than I was ever on before starting the taper!  Part of me worries that my brain will get even more used to having the drug around, adapt further, by taking the taper so slow.  But I am terrified of the alternative.

 

Me too.  I thought I'd only be on the paroxetine for 6 to 12 months, ten years later I'm still trying to taper off.

 

I did run into someone on another forum who took Effexor for five days, and six months later she is still having fallout!

 

That's unusual, it sounds more like a severe adverse reaction.

2001–2002 paroxetine

2003  citalopram

2004-2008  paroxetine (various failed tapers) 
2008  paroxetine slow taper down to

2016  Aug off paroxetine
2016  citalopram May 20mg  Oct 15mg … slow taper down
2018  citalopram 13 Feb 4.6mg 15 Mar 4.4mg 29 Apr 4.2mg 6 Jul 4.1mg 17 Aug 4.0mg  18 Nov 3.8mg
2019  15 Mar 3.6mg  21 May 3.4mg  26 Dec 3.2mg 

2020  19 Feb 3.0mg 19 Jul 2.9mg 16 Sep 2.8mg 25 Oct 2.7mg 23 Oct 2.6mg 24 Dec 2.5mg

2021   29 Aug 2.4mg   15 Nov 2.3mg

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From the earlier scientific studies on withdrawal, prior to drug companies publishing papers on the topic, researchers found anyone taking a drug longer than a month could have withdrawal symptoms after quitting.

 

Length of time on the drug does not seem to determine who has the worst withdrawal symptoms, or for how long. This appears to be an interaction between the specific action of the drug (including half-life and metabolites), dosage, metabolism of the individual, neurology of the individual, and general health of the individual. In other words, it cannot be predicted for any individual.

 

The month window is only an estimate. While it's possible people who have been taking the drug for a month-ish may be able to go off faster, people who have been taking the drugs for years definitely need to plan on slow tapering. The purpose of slow tapering is to minimize withdrawal symptoms.

 

Whether the length of time on a drug is 6 months, 2 years, or 20 years, it still may be difficult to go off.

 

Even so, some people who taper very, very slowly still may suffer significant withdrawal symptoms, such as some of our members who had been on Paxil, Zoloft, or Prozac for decades.

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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  • Moderator Emeritus

 

and will be tapering off for many more months than I was ever on before starting the taper!  Part of me worries that my brain will get even more used to having the drug around, adapt further, by taking the taper so slow.  But I am terrified of the alternative.

 

Me too.  I thought I'd only be on the paroxetine for 6 to 12 months, ten years later I'm still trying to taper off.

 

I did run into someone on another forum who took Effexor for five days, and six months later she is still having fallout!

 

That's unusual, it sounds more like a severe adverse reaction.

 

Actually, I just discovered that this person is here on SA!  Laura1981, and she is now 11 months out and still having problems!

Started ADs back around 1995 after bad break-up, starting with Prozac.  Switched to Wellbutrin, and then to Effexor in 2002
Effexor XR 2002-2014 up to 225 mg at one point, down to 37.5 mg towards end but back up to 75 mg in 2014; now realize I had W/D as I dropped down, memory very poor about history.  Extreme emotions, poor concentration as I stepped back down, didn't connect the dots!
Summer 2014 reduced to 0 very quickly, was sick of anhedonia/sexual dysfunction due to meds, depression never controlled if not worse. Didn't recognize WD since symptoms built slowly (thought I had ADD! and menopausal on top of it), starting with severe sweats, very bad cog-fog and memory issues, culminating in weight loss, severe anxiety and depression, panic, severe apathy and insomnia by eight months off.  Saw p-doc who put me on Remeron, increased from 7.5 mg/day to 37.5 mg by May 22, 2015; still doing very badly though able to sleep.

June 1. 2015 Reinstated Effexor XR 37.5 mg, Remeron dropped to 30 mg PM. Immediate relief of symptoms, like nothing had ever happened!  Joined SA and began on advice of friend who recognized it was WD all along! Began tapering in July 2015.

Been tapering both meds ever since, focusing on one more than the other or doing no more than 5% of each per month.

12 mg Effexor and 5.8 mg Remeron (mirtazapine SolTabs to make a solution with OraPlus) as of 5/4/2017 

Update 3/14/18: 2.9 mg Remeron and 6 mg Effexor; 6/10/18:  2.6 mg Remeron and 4.9 mg Effexor

 

My intro: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/9313-squirrellygirl-effexor-withdrawal-etc/page-2#entry196679

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

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  • 1 month later...

I've given this some thought. It doesn't seem fair that being on a drug for a short time would necessitate the same slow taper of wd. The good news about short term users could be that they hopefully have escaped some of the 'other' unwanted adverse effects of the drug that are in dire need of repair.

 

The longer we are on these drugs, the more damage these drugs do to our bodies. Wear and tear on our livers and hearts, for example, amplified by the time 'on' the drug. That goes beyond serotonin, receptors and the brain. In my case massive weight gain, problems with my eyes, and many more years to damage relationships to name a few. 

 

I am very angry that doctor(s) allowed me to be medicated for decades - a third of my life, without a thought. Without a care about what they were allowing to happen to me. And I am angry with myself for being so stupid. This medication has been holding me hostage.

 

Acceptance. I need to work on acceptance. I will.

2001-2007 Rem 90 mg, xanax 2 mg synthroid 112mcg - 2007-2014 Rem 60 mg xanax 3-4 mg

2015   Feb Rem 45 mg xanax 2 mg, March Rem 30 xanax 2, April  Rem 22.5, May Rem 30  xanax .25x4 hrs, June Rem 26 xanax 2-3, July Rem 22.5 xanax 2, Aug Rem 15 xanax 2, Sept Rem 22 xanax 2, Oct Rem 18 mg xanax .25 mg /4 hrs, Nov Rem 23 mg xanax .5mg, Dec Rem 24 xanax 2 

2016  Jan Rem 20 xanax 2,  Feb Rem 18 mg xanax 1.5, Feb Rem 14 12 mg xanax 1 mg, March Rem 10 9 mg xanax 1-2 mg Rem 7.3 8 xanax 1-2, April Rem 10 12 mg xanax 2 mg, May Rem 11 xanax 1 .75mg Nov Rem 10mg Xanax 2mg 2017 May Rem 10.25 Xanax 1 mg, November Xanax 1mg

 

 

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I've given this some thought. It doesn't seem fair that being on a drug for a short time would necessitate the same slow taper of wd. The good news about short term users could be that they hopefully have escaped some of the 'other' unwanted adverse effects of the drug that are in dire need of repair.

 

The longer we are on these drugs, the more damage these drugs do to our bodies. Wear and tear on our livers and hearts, for example, amplified by the time 'on' the drug. That goes beyond serotonin, receptors and the brain. In my case massive weight gain, problems with my eyes, and many more years to damage relationships to name a few. 

 

I am very angry that doctor(s) allowed me to be medicated for decades - a third of my life, without a thought. Without a care about what they were allowing to happen to me. And I am angry with myself for being so stupid. This medication has been holding me hostage.

 

Acceptance. I need to work on acceptance. I will.

leahy I am angry too. Trying to put my life back together again after 20 years on these poisonous drugs is the greatest feat I have endeavored to accomplish in my life. The damage to my brain is extensive in the form of severe memory loss from benzodiazepines and tardive dyskenisia from antipsychotic. I too am struggling with acceptance and trying to move forward. But I know in the end I will recover. I just have to be patient and do everything I can to repair the damage while I wait for my cns to stabilize so I can resume tapering. Take care. We will get through it.

I am not a medical professional. My comments and posts are based on personal experiences. Please consult appropriate medical professionals for advice. 

I was started on psych drugs back in the late 80's. You name it. I probably was on it. Tapered off final cocktail 2013-2019. For Hashimotos and high blood pressure I take Levothyroxine. Liothyronine. Spironolactone. Hydrochlorothiazide. Losartan. B12 hydroxy. Fish oil w/D3. Bee pollen. Magnesium Glycinate.

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http://www.neuroleptic-awareness.co.uk/downloads/Antidepressant%20Withdrawal%20Reactions.pdf

 

I have not checked the resources they used but here one idea or oppinion

 

Antidepressant ‘Half-life’ Discontinuation Syndrome is more likely to occur following a long duration of antidepressant use and antidepressants with a short half-life13 of less than 24 hours are more hazardous compared to those with a long ‘half-life’.14 This is due to the inability of the brain to adjust to the erratic biochemical imbalances caused by the fluctuating drug blood levels every day and results in impaired functioning,14 unstable moods, irritability and aggression. Antidepressants with a longer ½ life such as Prozac (4-6 days) and Citalopram (36 hours) may be easier to stop initially, as withdrawal reactions may not start until as much as 25 days later as in the case of Prozac or a week later with Citalopram.9

 

Antidepressant Withdrawal Reactions Discontinuation symptoms are determined by individual genetic characteristics as these affect the breakdown of antidepressants,7 with Poor Metabolisers experiencing greater difficulties in withdrawal.4 Genetic characteristics i.e. to determine Poor Metaboliser status, can be determined by a genotyping test. Discontinuation symptoms typically start when 90% or more of the drug has left the body system.9 and are more likely to occur at the start of a drug, change in dosage, tapering and on discontinuation or withdrawal.1, 2, 4, 10-13. The physical and psychological withdrawal reactions10 indicate antidepressants do cause dependency. The habit forming potential of Seroxat was acknowledged in June 2003, 8 months after the BBC Panorama programme “Secrets of Seroxat”11 when wording was removed from the Patient Information Leaflet that previously denied the habit forming potential of Seroxat.

 

 

Resources if anyone wants to look them up and read more are here

 

sorry computer issues I was unable to list the references but you can find them at the link there are plenty

 

http://www.neuroleptic-awareness.co.uk/downloads/Antidepressant%20Withdrawal%20Reactions.pdf

 

 

(5) Lejoyeux M, Adès J. Antidepressant discontinuation: a review of the literature. J Clin Psychiatry. 1997;58 Suppl 7:11-5; discussion 16. Review. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9219488(6) Rosenbaum JF, Zajecka J. Clinical management of antidepressant discontinuation. J Clin Psychiatry. 1997;58 Suppl 7:37-40. Review. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9219493 (7) Haddad PM., Anderson IM., Recognising and managing antidepressant discontinuation symptoms. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment (2007) 13: 447-457 http://apt.rcpsych.org/content/13/6/447.full (8) Tint A, Haddad PM, Anderson IM. The effect of rate of antidepressant tapering on the incidence of discontinuation symptoms: a randomised study. J Psychopharmacol. 2008 May;22(3):330-2. Erratum in: J Psychopharmacol. 2009 Nov;23(8):1006. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18515448

 

 

I recall an extensive paper on the duration of use and how it affects healing/wd... so far it can't be found 

peace all

WARNING THIS WILL BE LONG
Had a car accident in 85
Codeine was the pain med when I was release from hosp continuous use till 89
Given PROZAC by a specialist to help with nerve pain in my leg 89-90 not sure which year
Was not told a thing about it being a psych med thought it was a pain killer no info about psych side effects I went nuts had hallucinations. As I had a head injury and was diagnosed with a concussion in 85 I was sent to a head injury clinic in 1990 five years after the accident. I don't think they knew I had been on prozac I did not think it a big deal and never did finish the bottle of pills. I had tests of course lots of them. Was put into a pain clinic and given amitriptyline which stopped the withdrawal but had many side effects. But I could sleep something I had not done in a very long time the pain lessened. My mother got cancer in 94 they switched my meds to Zoloft to help deal with this pressure as I was her main care giver she died in 96. I stopped zoloft in 96 had withdrawal was put on paxil went nutty quit it ct put on resperidol quit it ct had withdrawal was put on Effexor... 2years later celexa was added 20mg then increased to 40mg huge personality change went wild. Did too fast taper off Celexa 05 as I felt unwell for a long time prior... quit Effexor 150mg ct 07 found ****** 8 months into withdrawal learned some things was banned from there in 08 have kept learning since. there is really not enough room here to put my history but I have a lot of opinions about a lot of things especially any of the drugs mentioned above.
One thing I would like to add here is this tidbit ALL OPIATES INCREASE SEROTONIN it is not a huge jump to being in chronic pain to being put on an ssri/snri and opiates will affect your antidepressants and your thinking.

As I do not update much I will put my quit date Nov. 17 2007 I quit Effexor cold turkey. 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1096-introducing-myself-btdt/

There is a crack in everything ..That's how the light gets in :)

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I had no problem tapering for the first four months. (I started tapering five weeks after being on full dose.) Felt almost nothing. It was on the fifth months everything became hellish and extremely hard. Well, here I am five years later. Still tapering...

I hate this...I couldnt ever imagine this would happen.

Current dose: 0! Free!  Quit June 2017.

2017: Last dose zoloft: 17 June 0,00065 mg 18 May 0, 001 mg 14 May 0,002 mg 9 May 0,003 mg 28 April 0,006 mg 19 April 0,009 mg 8 April 0,013 mg 25 March 0,019 mg 22 March 0,039 mg 18 March 0,052 mg 16 March 0,079 mg 4 March 0,086 1 March 0,099 mg 22 February 0,11 mg 15 February 0,13 mg 6 February 0,145 mg 24 January 0,15 mg 19 January 0,19 mg 10 January 0,20 mg 3 January

2016: 0,98 to 0,22 mg; 2015: 2,35 to 1,01 mg; 2014: 4,9 to 2,5 mg; 2013: 9,1 to 5,1 mg; 2012: 15,7 to 9,7 mg; 2011: Started on 25 mg - then 50 mg- dropped to 25- to 12.5 mg - back to 25 mg - after 18.75 mg started tiny tapering to 16.6 mg

Started on 25 mg Zoloft in March 2011 due to stressrelated tinnitus that gave me panicattacks. Had a terrible reaction to Zoloft from start, but was told to "hold on". After four months I was stuck. Therefore the long taper. Crazy, I know... Super sensitive to drops and have dropped by 4-6 % from the previous dose.

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Any long timers what I recall about one article that included the scientific links it was brown ink done by a psychologist who's name escapes me included in the series were the affects of serotonin on the brain... norepinephrine and one on the affects of dopomine... and how each inter relate to each other.. raise serotonin lower dopamine ect... 

 

does anyone recall this series or know the name of the psychologist?

WARNING THIS WILL BE LONG
Had a car accident in 85
Codeine was the pain med when I was release from hosp continuous use till 89
Given PROZAC by a specialist to help with nerve pain in my leg 89-90 not sure which year
Was not told a thing about it being a psych med thought it was a pain killer no info about psych side effects I went nuts had hallucinations. As I had a head injury and was diagnosed with a concussion in 85 I was sent to a head injury clinic in 1990 five years after the accident. I don't think they knew I had been on prozac I did not think it a big deal and never did finish the bottle of pills. I had tests of course lots of them. Was put into a pain clinic and given amitriptyline which stopped the withdrawal but had many side effects. But I could sleep something I had not done in a very long time the pain lessened. My mother got cancer in 94 they switched my meds to Zoloft to help deal with this pressure as I was her main care giver she died in 96. I stopped zoloft in 96 had withdrawal was put on paxil went nutty quit it ct put on resperidol quit it ct had withdrawal was put on Effexor... 2years later celexa was added 20mg then increased to 40mg huge personality change went wild. Did too fast taper off Celexa 05 as I felt unwell for a long time prior... quit Effexor 150mg ct 07 found ****** 8 months into withdrawal learned some things was banned from there in 08 have kept learning since. there is really not enough room here to put my history but I have a lot of opinions about a lot of things especially any of the drugs mentioned above.
One thing I would like to add here is this tidbit ALL OPIATES INCREASE SEROTONIN it is not a huge jump to being in chronic pain to being put on an ssri/snri and opiates will affect your antidepressants and your thinking.

As I do not update much I will put my quit date Nov. 17 2007 I quit Effexor cold turkey. 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1096-introducing-myself-btdt/

There is a crack in everything ..That's how the light gets in :)

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Not an answer for your question BTDT but it reminded me of a youtube video on the mechanism of action for mirtazapine. The robo people are weird but it helped me a little to understand why I would feel nauseous. I'm not sure how links work here so I posted two.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RtBGkwcOZk

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RtBGkwcOZk

2001-2007 Rem 90 mg, xanax 2 mg synthroid 112mcg - 2007-2014 Rem 60 mg xanax 3-4 mg

2015   Feb Rem 45 mg xanax 2 mg, March Rem 30 xanax 2, April  Rem 22.5, May Rem 30  xanax .25x4 hrs, June Rem 26 xanax 2-3, July Rem 22.5 xanax 2, Aug Rem 15 xanax 2, Sept Rem 22 xanax 2, Oct Rem 18 mg xanax .25 mg /4 hrs, Nov Rem 23 mg xanax .5mg, Dec Rem 24 xanax 2 

2016  Jan Rem 20 xanax 2,  Feb Rem 18 mg xanax 1.5, Feb Rem 14 12 mg xanax 1 mg, March Rem 10 9 mg xanax 1-2 mg Rem 7.3 8 xanax 1-2, April Rem 10 12 mg xanax 2 mg, May Rem 11 xanax 1 .75mg Nov Rem 10mg Xanax 2mg 2017 May Rem 10.25 Xanax 1 mg, November Xanax 1mg

 

 

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Not about wd but dementia relating to time on drugs. 

Drugs are listed read it for yourself and don't shoot the messenger I am not any happier than you to learn this.... some over the counter drugs made the list like antihistamines the more I learn the more pissed I get. 

 

 

http://mentalhealthdaily.com/2015/02/20/dementia-linked-to-benzodiazepines-sleeping-pills-anticholinergics/

1. Duration

In general, the duration over which a person has taken a benzodiazepine, anticholinergic, antihistamine, or antipsychotic appears to matter. Those that have taken these drugs for long-terms (i.e. years) are increasingly likely to develop dementia than those who were on them for a short period of time. In order to decrease your risk for neurodegeneration, it is recommended to use these drugs only when necessary.

Those who take benzodiazepines for less than 3 months have approximately the same risk of developing dementia as someone who never uses one. Taking benzos for 3 to 6 months raises Alzheimer’s risk by roughly 32% – which is relatively significant. If you have been on a benzodiazepine for over 6 months, your risk further increases by 84%.

2. Frequency of usage

The more frequently you use the drug, the more likely you are to suffer neurodegeneration. Currently it is unknown as to whether taking the drug, followed by a sober period of a few days has any effect on reducing likelihood of developing dementia. It should be speculated that intermittent or “as needed” usage is less likely to produce impairment over the long term than consistent, daily usage. Using these drugs on a daily basis further increases risk of long-term cognitive deficits.

3. Dosage

The higher the dosage you take, the greater the extent to which the drug will affect your brain. Those taking lower dosages may be at less risk of developing dementia. Taking high doses over a long-term can lead to neurodegeneration and may leave more of an irreversible mark on brain function than lower doses. Therefore if you must take these drugs, it is always recommended to take the “minimal effective dose.” Unfortunately though, it is relatively easy to build up tolerance (especially to benzodiazepines), making it difficult to avoid an increase in dose.

4. The specific drug(s)

The specific drug(s) that you take (or took) play a role in determining your dementia risk. Those who are on “long-acting” benzodiazepines (e.g. Valium) are at greater risk for impairment than those taking a “short-acting” drug (e.g. Xanax). The longer the drug produces a sedating, anxiolytic effect, the greater likelihood that you will experience impairment over the long-term.

While most people are only taking one of these medications at a time, poly-drug usage is still prevalent. Using multiple CNS depressants simultaneously can be fatal, yet people still do. Over the long-term, utilizing multiple medications associated with dementia may further increase risk of neurodegeneration.

5. Individual factors

It is important to consider other factors that may increase risk of developing dementia as a result of taking these drugs. It is possible that the drugs may interact with a person’s physiology and genetic expression to cause dementia. It also means that some people may have genetics that make them more resilient and less prone to developing a condition like Alzheimer’s as a result of taking Xanax.

The lifestyle you live, amount of stress you endure, whether you get adequate sleep, other drugs you take, your diet, and heredity may also contribute to developing dementia. Consider the possibility that all of these symbiotic factors may collectively (or indirectly) contribute to development of dementia.

WARNING THIS WILL BE LONG
Had a car accident in 85
Codeine was the pain med when I was release from hosp continuous use till 89
Given PROZAC by a specialist to help with nerve pain in my leg 89-90 not sure which year
Was not told a thing about it being a psych med thought it was a pain killer no info about psych side effects I went nuts had hallucinations. As I had a head injury and was diagnosed with a concussion in 85 I was sent to a head injury clinic in 1990 five years after the accident. I don't think they knew I had been on prozac I did not think it a big deal and never did finish the bottle of pills. I had tests of course lots of them. Was put into a pain clinic and given amitriptyline which stopped the withdrawal but had many side effects. But I could sleep something I had not done in a very long time the pain lessened. My mother got cancer in 94 they switched my meds to Zoloft to help deal with this pressure as I was her main care giver she died in 96. I stopped zoloft in 96 had withdrawal was put on paxil went nutty quit it ct put on resperidol quit it ct had withdrawal was put on Effexor... 2years later celexa was added 20mg then increased to 40mg huge personality change went wild. Did too fast taper off Celexa 05 as I felt unwell for a long time prior... quit Effexor 150mg ct 07 found ****** 8 months into withdrawal learned some things was banned from there in 08 have kept learning since. there is really not enough room here to put my history but I have a lot of opinions about a lot of things especially any of the drugs mentioned above.
One thing I would like to add here is this tidbit ALL OPIATES INCREASE SEROTONIN it is not a huge jump to being in chronic pain to being put on an ssri/snri and opiates will affect your antidepressants and your thinking.

As I do not update much I will put my quit date Nov. 17 2007 I quit Effexor cold turkey. 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1096-introducing-myself-btdt/

There is a crack in everything ..That's how the light gets in :)

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Not going to shoot the messenger-it's important information. 

 

I actually find it motivating at this point as I continue to push my taper as much as can, which is dictated by my body. 

9/2013-4/2014:  After moms death, was prescribed a series of meds for short periods of time that didn't work. Zoloft, Lexapro,  Nortriptyline, Liquid Prozac, Cymbalta. 

1/2014-9/2014. Clonzapam: Given Lamictal, stopped Clonzapam at .125mgs  

1/2015-4 2017 Remeron: 41.25 -0.025mgs

7/2015-11/2018 Lamictal: 200mgs-0.05 mgs Had paradoxical reaction to Lamictal wd, broke my heart to take a benzo but wasn't sleeping. 

3/28/2019 -2/5/ 2021  Clonazapam: 0.625mgs-.00115 Med Free 

July 27th, 2022**Severe Setback due to surgery/ anesthesia. 

9/7/22-10/4/22 Trazadone 50-100mgs for sleep, 10/13/22-11/13/22 Trazadone 1 mg to stabilize

10/4/22-11/20/22 Remeron 7.5mgs (for sleep doesn't work) 11/20/22 7.3 - 12/31/22 6.3 

2023: 1/18/23 6.1 - 6/6/23 3.6  6/16 3.4  6/28 3.0 7/12 2.7  7/28 2.5 8/11 2.2 8/23 2.0  9/5 1.8  9/16 1.6  9/30 1.4  10/13 1.2  10/26 1.0  11/9 0.8  11/22 0.6  12/6 0.4  12/23 0.2.

2024 1/4/24  Remeron/Mirtazapine free 

Additional Support:  Armour Thyroid 75mgs, Magnesium Glycinate 300-500mgs,  L-theanine 

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Excellent information. Thank you, BTDT, for posting. It makes sense to me. The following quote contradicts the Aston Method big time. It was a start but I think that manual/concept/approach is in need of updating.

 

"The specific drug(s) that you take (or took) play a role in determining your dementia risk. Those who are on “long-acting” benzodiazepines (e.g. Valium) are at greater risk for impairment than those taking a “short-acting” drug (e.g. Xanax). The longer the drug produces a sedating, anxiolytic effect, the greater likelihood that you will experience impairment over the long-term."

2001-2007 Rem 90 mg, xanax 2 mg synthroid 112mcg - 2007-2014 Rem 60 mg xanax 3-4 mg

2015   Feb Rem 45 mg xanax 2 mg, March Rem 30 xanax 2, April  Rem 22.5, May Rem 30  xanax .25x4 hrs, June Rem 26 xanax 2-3, July Rem 22.5 xanax 2, Aug Rem 15 xanax 2, Sept Rem 22 xanax 2, Oct Rem 18 mg xanax .25 mg /4 hrs, Nov Rem 23 mg xanax .5mg, Dec Rem 24 xanax 2 

2016  Jan Rem 20 xanax 2,  Feb Rem 18 mg xanax 1.5, Feb Rem 14 12 mg xanax 1 mg, March Rem 10 9 mg xanax 1-2 mg Rem 7.3 8 xanax 1-2, April Rem 10 12 mg xanax 2 mg, May Rem 11 xanax 1 .75mg Nov Rem 10mg Xanax 2mg 2017 May Rem 10.25 Xanax 1 mg, November Xanax 1mg

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Most recently, neuroscientists have learned not only that the effects of a single neurotransmitter like serotonin are extremely widespread but that different neurotransmitters do not function independently of one another. Critical systems like serotonin, adrenaline, and dopamine are linked through complex circuitry. Dramatic changes in one, like boosting serotonin, can trigger compensatory changes in the others.

Chief among the brain's reactions to artificially elevated serotonin levels is a compensatory drop in dopamine. Drugs producing a dopamine drop are well known to cause the dangerous side effects that are now appearing with Prozac and other drugs in its class. We simply did not know that serotonin boosters had these powerful secondary effects on other neurotransmitters when they were introduced. At the time they were an utterly new class of medications whose long-term dangers were unknown. Doctors and scientists are just beginning to understand the connections between the serotonin and dopamine systems in the brain that are thought to be responsible for the drugs' severe effects. But with earlier classes of drugs,

 

and here is the money shot...

" the brain damage that can result is slowly progressive and often silent, and only manifests itself once it is severe. A critical variable determining the degree of damage appears to be total cumulative exposure to the drugs.

http://www.webheights.net/depression/glenm/pb.htm

 

From Prozac Backlash an old book from Glenmullen worth reading 

this is the table of contents gives a good hint as to what areas of your body are going to be damaged

 

  Introduction: The Prozac Phenomenon   7
PART I.

The Dangers of Prozac-Type
Antidepressants
 

  1. The Awakened Giant's Wrath: Risking Brain Damage  29

 

2. Held Hostage: Withdrawal, Dependence, and Wearing Off  64

 

3. Not Tonight, Dear -- I'm on Prozac: Sexual Dysfunction 106

 

4. Bones Rattling Like Tuning Forks: Startling New Information on Suicide and Violence 135

 

 

 

PART II.

Balancing Medications with Alternative Approaches
 

  5. Behind-the-Scenes Forces: Understanding the Prozac Phenomenon 189

 

6. Unraveling Depression: Stifled Anger and Sadness 233

 

7. Surmounting Anxiety: Training for Elevators, a Patient's Story 272

 

8. Conquering Addictions: Substances Abuse, Sexual Addictions, and Eating Disorders 310  

Epilogue: Effecting Personal Change

333   Notes 339   Index 375          

[from the hardbound edition]

Thus, even the highly touted "selectivity" of the Prozac group is an illusion. In fact, the extreme emphasis these drugs place on serotonin may be a liability, because changes in serotonin levels can trigger secondary, or indirect, changes in dopamine. I call the compensatory reactions of the brain to these serotonergic drugs "Prozac backlash." Here I am using the word "Prozac" generically to stand for the whole group of closely related drugs, since Prozac is the first and best known in the class. In patients on the other drugs, it could as easily be called by names like "Zoloft backlash" or "Paxil backlash." Experts believe this backlash is responsible for the severe side effects emerging with the drugs.

WARNING THIS WILL BE LONG
Had a car accident in 85
Codeine was the pain med when I was release from hosp continuous use till 89
Given PROZAC by a specialist to help with nerve pain in my leg 89-90 not sure which year
Was not told a thing about it being a psych med thought it was a pain killer no info about psych side effects I went nuts had hallucinations. As I had a head injury and was diagnosed with a concussion in 85 I was sent to a head injury clinic in 1990 five years after the accident. I don't think they knew I had been on prozac I did not think it a big deal and never did finish the bottle of pills. I had tests of course lots of them. Was put into a pain clinic and given amitriptyline which stopped the withdrawal but had many side effects. But I could sleep something I had not done in a very long time the pain lessened. My mother got cancer in 94 they switched my meds to Zoloft to help deal with this pressure as I was her main care giver she died in 96. I stopped zoloft in 96 had withdrawal was put on paxil went nutty quit it ct put on resperidol quit it ct had withdrawal was put on Effexor... 2years later celexa was added 20mg then increased to 40mg huge personality change went wild. Did too fast taper off Celexa 05 as I felt unwell for a long time prior... quit Effexor 150mg ct 07 found ****** 8 months into withdrawal learned some things was banned from there in 08 have kept learning since. there is really not enough room here to put my history but I have a lot of opinions about a lot of things especially any of the drugs mentioned above.
One thing I would like to add here is this tidbit ALL OPIATES INCREASE SEROTONIN it is not a huge jump to being in chronic pain to being put on an ssri/snri and opiates will affect your antidepressants and your thinking.

As I do not update much I will put my quit date Nov. 17 2007 I quit Effexor cold turkey. 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1096-introducing-myself-btdt/

There is a crack in everything ..That's how the light gets in :)

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or this bit on movement disorders

https://www.nytimes.com/books/first/g/glenmullen-prozac.html

 

"As I watched Leslie, I thought her eyes looked as though they were peering out from behind a mask, rather than a fully expressive face. Parkinsonism, I thought, would explain the incongruity between her mental agility and her slowed physical state. But I did not know Leslie's baseline as a point of comparison. Was this how she looked before the drug? Or was this a change?"

 

"Most recently, psychopharmacologist Ronald Pies (cited earlier for his comparing serotonin boosters to major tranquilizers) published an article in the January 1999 issue of the Psychiatric Times in which he advocated that patients on serotonin boosters should be informed of these potentially dangerous side effects and evaluated for whether or not they are experiencing any of them. But not all physicians agree with the approach of Dr. Pies. Shortly after his article was published, I attended a Harvard conference at which another leading psychopharmacologist gave a talk on serotonin boosters. This psychopharmacologist said Pies was "crazy" to suggest informing patients. He protested, "You can't tell patients whom you're giving something that's supposed to help them that it may poison them." He insisted, "We have to put the best face on our treatments."

 

all these are old.. but wise

WARNING THIS WILL BE LONG
Had a car accident in 85
Codeine was the pain med when I was release from hosp continuous use till 89
Given PROZAC by a specialist to help with nerve pain in my leg 89-90 not sure which year
Was not told a thing about it being a psych med thought it was a pain killer no info about psych side effects I went nuts had hallucinations. As I had a head injury and was diagnosed with a concussion in 85 I was sent to a head injury clinic in 1990 five years after the accident. I don't think they knew I had been on prozac I did not think it a big deal and never did finish the bottle of pills. I had tests of course lots of them. Was put into a pain clinic and given amitriptyline which stopped the withdrawal but had many side effects. But I could sleep something I had not done in a very long time the pain lessened. My mother got cancer in 94 they switched my meds to Zoloft to help deal with this pressure as I was her main care giver she died in 96. I stopped zoloft in 96 had withdrawal was put on paxil went nutty quit it ct put on resperidol quit it ct had withdrawal was put on Effexor... 2years later celexa was added 20mg then increased to 40mg huge personality change went wild. Did too fast taper off Celexa 05 as I felt unwell for a long time prior... quit Effexor 150mg ct 07 found ****** 8 months into withdrawal learned some things was banned from there in 08 have kept learning since. there is really not enough room here to put my history but I have a lot of opinions about a lot of things especially any of the drugs mentioned above.
One thing I would like to add here is this tidbit ALL OPIATES INCREASE SEROTONIN it is not a huge jump to being in chronic pain to being put on an ssri/snri and opiates will affect your antidepressants and your thinking.

As I do not update much I will put my quit date Nov. 17 2007 I quit Effexor cold turkey. 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1096-introducing-myself-btdt/

There is a crack in everything ..That's how the light gets in :)

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Thanks for your informative posts, BTDT. I'm having a hard time getting a handle on all this information. I keep reading and it keeps floating out of my head.

 

I think I need to order or find The Antidepressant Solution by Glenmullen. He seems to have much to offer. I think I already bought it but don't remember and/or can't find it.

 

I wonder how much damage I have after 20 years...

2001-2007 Rem 90 mg, xanax 2 mg synthroid 112mcg - 2007-2014 Rem 60 mg xanax 3-4 mg

2015   Feb Rem 45 mg xanax 2 mg, March Rem 30 xanax 2, April  Rem 22.5, May Rem 30  xanax .25x4 hrs, June Rem 26 xanax 2-3, July Rem 22.5 xanax 2, Aug Rem 15 xanax 2, Sept Rem 22 xanax 2, Oct Rem 18 mg xanax .25 mg /4 hrs, Nov Rem 23 mg xanax .5mg, Dec Rem 24 xanax 2 

2016  Jan Rem 20 xanax 2,  Feb Rem 18 mg xanax 1.5, Feb Rem 14 12 mg xanax 1 mg, March Rem 10 9 mg xanax 1-2 mg Rem 7.3 8 xanax 1-2, April Rem 10 12 mg xanax 2 mg, May Rem 11 xanax 1 .75mg Nov Rem 10mg Xanax 2mg 2017 May Rem 10.25 Xanax 1 mg, November Xanax 1mg

 

 

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Most recently, neuroscientists have learned not only that the effects of a single neurotransmitter like serotonin are extremely widespread but that different neurotransmitters do not function independently of one another. Critical systems like serotonin, adrenaline, and dopamine are linked through complex circuitry. Dramatic changes in one, like boosting serotonin, can trigger compensatory changes in the others.

 

 

Thanks for posting this, btdt - I hadn't seen it written about concisely in one place.  Now I want to get Glenmullen's book!

 

It makes sense that the reason withdrawal is so varied, with windows and waves, is that the reverberations of changing one factor, such as unblocking some serotonin receptors, are far reaching and take a long time to settle out with all the compensatory interactions of the various systems, from neurotransmitters to hormones, etc. 

 

SG

Started ADs back around 1995 after bad break-up, starting with Prozac.  Switched to Wellbutrin, and then to Effexor in 2002
Effexor XR 2002-2014 up to 225 mg at one point, down to 37.5 mg towards end but back up to 75 mg in 2014; now realize I had W/D as I dropped down, memory very poor about history.  Extreme emotions, poor concentration as I stepped back down, didn't connect the dots!
Summer 2014 reduced to 0 very quickly, was sick of anhedonia/sexual dysfunction due to meds, depression never controlled if not worse. Didn't recognize WD since symptoms built slowly (thought I had ADD! and menopausal on top of it), starting with severe sweats, very bad cog-fog and memory issues, culminating in weight loss, severe anxiety and depression, panic, severe apathy and insomnia by eight months off.  Saw p-doc who put me on Remeron, increased from 7.5 mg/day to 37.5 mg by May 22, 2015; still doing very badly though able to sleep.

June 1. 2015 Reinstated Effexor XR 37.5 mg, Remeron dropped to 30 mg PM. Immediate relief of symptoms, like nothing had ever happened!  Joined SA and began on advice of friend who recognized it was WD all along! Began tapering in July 2015.

Been tapering both meds ever since, focusing on one more than the other or doing no more than 5% of each per month.

12 mg Effexor and 5.8 mg Remeron (mirtazapine SolTabs to make a solution with OraPlus) as of 5/4/2017 

Update 3/14/18: 2.9 mg Remeron and 6 mg Effexor; 6/10/18:  2.6 mg Remeron and 4.9 mg Effexor

 

My intro: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/9313-squirrellygirl-effexor-withdrawal-etc/page-2#entry196679

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

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Thanks for your informative posts, BTDT. I'm having a hard time getting a handle on all this information. I keep reading and it keeps floating out of my head.

 

I think I need to order or find The Antidepressant Solution by Glenmullen. He seems to have much to offer. I think I already bought it but don't remember and/or can't find it.

 

I wonder how much damage I have after 20 years...

I read all his books but was like you in and out of memory issues could think some times and other times I could not end of the day I can't recall most of it and wish I had bought his books as I wonder how long till they are not available at all.  I got them at the library. The one I am quoting here is called Prozac Backlash... 

I think it is in this books he talks about pharma deciding the lowest dose of prozac... can't recall what it was but the idea that the lowest drug dose was simply too high at the end of the day.  

In this book he talks about the people he seen in his practice who were on the drug how it all looked to him from the outside in all of it was very interesting to me and this is one of the best books I have read on the subject and I have read them all...not saying I remember it but I read them all. 

I was drugged 18 years close to your 20 and I am thinking the same things your thinking.... and more. Still why not wanting to scare the pants of other people who are in wd.. hiding the facts is not helping anyone not even them.  Knowing the drugs are damaging is part of the incentive to stay off them or keep on fighting back to get off them.  

That has to be worth something as well as the simple facts of the truth being told.  Period... 

 

I guess our questions will be answered in time and with any luck those following after us will not be taking these drugs as long as we did.  We can only hope. 

Wishing you peace

WARNING THIS WILL BE LONG
Had a car accident in 85
Codeine was the pain med when I was release from hosp continuous use till 89
Given PROZAC by a specialist to help with nerve pain in my leg 89-90 not sure which year
Was not told a thing about it being a psych med thought it was a pain killer no info about psych side effects I went nuts had hallucinations. As I had a head injury and was diagnosed with a concussion in 85 I was sent to a head injury clinic in 1990 five years after the accident. I don't think they knew I had been on prozac I did not think it a big deal and never did finish the bottle of pills. I had tests of course lots of them. Was put into a pain clinic and given amitriptyline which stopped the withdrawal but had many side effects. But I could sleep something I had not done in a very long time the pain lessened. My mother got cancer in 94 they switched my meds to Zoloft to help deal with this pressure as I was her main care giver she died in 96. I stopped zoloft in 96 had withdrawal was put on paxil went nutty quit it ct put on resperidol quit it ct had withdrawal was put on Effexor... 2years later celexa was added 20mg then increased to 40mg huge personality change went wild. Did too fast taper off Celexa 05 as I felt unwell for a long time prior... quit Effexor 150mg ct 07 found ****** 8 months into withdrawal learned some things was banned from there in 08 have kept learning since. there is really not enough room here to put my history but I have a lot of opinions about a lot of things especially any of the drugs mentioned above.
One thing I would like to add here is this tidbit ALL OPIATES INCREASE SEROTONIN it is not a huge jump to being in chronic pain to being put on an ssri/snri and opiates will affect your antidepressants and your thinking.

As I do not update much I will put my quit date Nov. 17 2007 I quit Effexor cold turkey. 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1096-introducing-myself-btdt/

There is a crack in everything ..That's how the light gets in :)

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Most recently, neuroscientists have learned not only that the effects of a single neurotransmitter like serotonin are extremely widespread but that different neurotransmitters do not function independently of one another. Critical systems like serotonin, adrenaline, and dopamine are linked through complex circuitry. Dramatic changes in one, like boosting serotonin, can trigger compensatory changes in the others.

 

 

Thanks for posting this, btdt - I hadn't seen it written about concisely in one place.  Now I want to get Glenmullen's book!

 

It makes sense that the reason withdrawal is so varied, with windows and waves, is that the reverberations of changing one factor, such as unblocking some serotonin receptors, are far reaching and take a long time to settle out with all the compensatory interactions of the various systems, from neurotransmitters to hormones, etc. 

 

SG

 

Yes this is one of the issues with personality changes affecting many people who end their marriages or other significant relationships that was the first place I seen it put in writing in an actual real scenario.  There was a paper presented at topix effexor withdrawal by some academic source.. which I can no longer find sorry I have looked the site is gone down and I can't find any reference to this topic now.  In terms of people cheating and leaving marriages the gist of the paper said that for some serotonin went up and dopamine went down... causing lack of joy lack of love feeling ... spouses would come to the site and say over and over... they said they just did not feel love for me any more... and they left... I am talking hundreds of people saying the same thing over and over... shortly after the drug was taken the person started cheating left the marriage broke up families had extreme personality changes... 

 

The cause according to that paper was the drop in dopamine... cheating or any risk taking will increase dopamine so by doing risky things they were self medicating their own brain chemistry... allowing themselves to feel again ... so they did not want to die. 

 

For myself I quit my job became a stripper... self medicating or an excuse... lol many will say it is an excuse but if you look at the facts it made no sense for a person of my age or personal status to strike out of the blue and take off her clothes for money... and it did not start there... 

 

I have posted my guts online for years and in some respects I am grateful some of the sites I have posted to have been shut down and nobody can see it any longer as I processed it all online the events of recovery coming to terms with it all best I can.  It was there for the world to see in doing so I like to think I have allowed others to do the same and to free themselves from a lot of agony.  I stand by what I said no matter what it is all the truth even tho it is not a kind light even tho much of it was very painful and takes something out of me to even think of now.. that sort of pain is where many people are and they are stuck... at the mercy of their brain chemistry.  

 

If anyone here is super great at finding information online maybe that paper could be found.  I keep thinking one of the old posters from the topix site kept a copy and will turn up with it one day.  Things like that do happen from time to time. 

 

Information about these drugs comes and goes if something is important to you keep a hard copy.

 

peace all

WARNING THIS WILL BE LONG
Had a car accident in 85
Codeine was the pain med when I was release from hosp continuous use till 89
Given PROZAC by a specialist to help with nerve pain in my leg 89-90 not sure which year
Was not told a thing about it being a psych med thought it was a pain killer no info about psych side effects I went nuts had hallucinations. As I had a head injury and was diagnosed with a concussion in 85 I was sent to a head injury clinic in 1990 five years after the accident. I don't think they knew I had been on prozac I did not think it a big deal and never did finish the bottle of pills. I had tests of course lots of them. Was put into a pain clinic and given amitriptyline which stopped the withdrawal but had many side effects. But I could sleep something I had not done in a very long time the pain lessened. My mother got cancer in 94 they switched my meds to Zoloft to help deal with this pressure as I was her main care giver she died in 96. I stopped zoloft in 96 had withdrawal was put on paxil went nutty quit it ct put on resperidol quit it ct had withdrawal was put on Effexor... 2years later celexa was added 20mg then increased to 40mg huge personality change went wild. Did too fast taper off Celexa 05 as I felt unwell for a long time prior... quit Effexor 150mg ct 07 found ****** 8 months into withdrawal learned some things was banned from there in 08 have kept learning since. there is really not enough room here to put my history but I have a lot of opinions about a lot of things especially any of the drugs mentioned above.
One thing I would like to add here is this tidbit ALL OPIATES INCREASE SEROTONIN it is not a huge jump to being in chronic pain to being put on an ssri/snri and opiates will affect your antidepressants and your thinking.

As I do not update much I will put my quit date Nov. 17 2007 I quit Effexor cold turkey. 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1096-introducing-myself-btdt/

There is a crack in everything ..That's how the light gets in :)

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To complicate matters even more but to also shine a light on how little is known ( that pharma will tell us as lets face it they have most of the research and they don't have to tell us anything)  

There are 108 neurotransmitters known about 8 of them are named drug tweak a few of those if changing serotonin changes noripinephrine ect ... what others does it change and what is the fallout... we do not know. 

 

it is that simple and that complex all at the same time 

WARNING THIS WILL BE LONG
Had a car accident in 85
Codeine was the pain med when I was release from hosp continuous use till 89
Given PROZAC by a specialist to help with nerve pain in my leg 89-90 not sure which year
Was not told a thing about it being a psych med thought it was a pain killer no info about psych side effects I went nuts had hallucinations. As I had a head injury and was diagnosed with a concussion in 85 I was sent to a head injury clinic in 1990 five years after the accident. I don't think they knew I had been on prozac I did not think it a big deal and never did finish the bottle of pills. I had tests of course lots of them. Was put into a pain clinic and given amitriptyline which stopped the withdrawal but had many side effects. But I could sleep something I had not done in a very long time the pain lessened. My mother got cancer in 94 they switched my meds to Zoloft to help deal with this pressure as I was her main care giver she died in 96. I stopped zoloft in 96 had withdrawal was put on paxil went nutty quit it ct put on resperidol quit it ct had withdrawal was put on Effexor... 2years later celexa was added 20mg then increased to 40mg huge personality change went wild. Did too fast taper off Celexa 05 as I felt unwell for a long time prior... quit Effexor 150mg ct 07 found ****** 8 months into withdrawal learned some things was banned from there in 08 have kept learning since. there is really not enough room here to put my history but I have a lot of opinions about a lot of things especially any of the drugs mentioned above.
One thing I would like to add here is this tidbit ALL OPIATES INCREASE SEROTONIN it is not a huge jump to being in chronic pain to being put on an ssri/snri and opiates will affect your antidepressants and your thinking.

As I do not update much I will put my quit date Nov. 17 2007 I quit Effexor cold turkey. 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1096-introducing-myself-btdt/

There is a crack in everything ..That's how the light gets in :)

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Neurotransmitters play a major role in shaping everyday life and functions. Their exact numbers are unknown but more than 100 chemical messengers have been identified.[2]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurotransmitter

 

 

 This is only the beginning of understanding not the end...

if you feel smart today take a look at this link

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuropeptide

 

clarity for me comes and goes some days I can and some days I can't

 

over the years my mad search of google to heal myself to find an answer.. bits keep coming up like 

Somatostatin involved in COPD oxytocin which causes bonding in humans released at orgasm stomach issues but you only see that if you can recall what you read before I can't.. but I can do a search and see it like this...

https://www.google.ca/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=survivingantidepressants.org+-+%22Somatostatin%22

 

sorry if I am taking you kicking and screaming on a wild goose chase this is what I do what I have done for all of the past 9 years if I could see... all in the faint hope of healing myself

peace to you all

WARNING THIS WILL BE LONG
Had a car accident in 85
Codeine was the pain med when I was release from hosp continuous use till 89
Given PROZAC by a specialist to help with nerve pain in my leg 89-90 not sure which year
Was not told a thing about it being a psych med thought it was a pain killer no info about psych side effects I went nuts had hallucinations. As I had a head injury and was diagnosed with a concussion in 85 I was sent to a head injury clinic in 1990 five years after the accident. I don't think they knew I had been on prozac I did not think it a big deal and never did finish the bottle of pills. I had tests of course lots of them. Was put into a pain clinic and given amitriptyline which stopped the withdrawal but had many side effects. But I could sleep something I had not done in a very long time the pain lessened. My mother got cancer in 94 they switched my meds to Zoloft to help deal with this pressure as I was her main care giver she died in 96. I stopped zoloft in 96 had withdrawal was put on paxil went nutty quit it ct put on resperidol quit it ct had withdrawal was put on Effexor... 2years later celexa was added 20mg then increased to 40mg huge personality change went wild. Did too fast taper off Celexa 05 as I felt unwell for a long time prior... quit Effexor 150mg ct 07 found ****** 8 months into withdrawal learned some things was banned from there in 08 have kept learning since. there is really not enough room here to put my history but I have a lot of opinions about a lot of things especially any of the drugs mentioned above.
One thing I would like to add here is this tidbit ALL OPIATES INCREASE SEROTONIN it is not a huge jump to being in chronic pain to being put on an ssri/snri and opiates will affect your antidepressants and your thinking.

As I do not update much I will put my quit date Nov. 17 2007 I quit Effexor cold turkey. 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1096-introducing-myself-btdt/

There is a crack in everything ..That's how the light gets in :)

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Great job at explaining the complexity of this, BTDT!

2001-2007 Rem 90 mg, xanax 2 mg synthroid 112mcg - 2007-2014 Rem 60 mg xanax 3-4 mg

2015   Feb Rem 45 mg xanax 2 mg, March Rem 30 xanax 2, April  Rem 22.5, May Rem 30  xanax .25x4 hrs, June Rem 26 xanax 2-3, July Rem 22.5 xanax 2, Aug Rem 15 xanax 2, Sept Rem 22 xanax 2, Oct Rem 18 mg xanax .25 mg /4 hrs, Nov Rem 23 mg xanax .5mg, Dec Rem 24 xanax 2 

2016  Jan Rem 20 xanax 2,  Feb Rem 18 mg xanax 1.5, Feb Rem 14 12 mg xanax 1 mg, March Rem 10 9 mg xanax 1-2 mg Rem 7.3 8 xanax 1-2, April Rem 10 12 mg xanax 2 mg, May Rem 11 xanax 1 .75mg Nov Rem 10mg Xanax 2mg 2017 May Rem 10.25 Xanax 1 mg, November Xanax 1mg

 

 

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  • 2 years later...

After thinking deeply about the issue of healing I found a formula of the time it takes to heal from antidepressants. This formula does not apply to stopping ct.

The formula is (healing period=  (dose in mg/tapering time in yesrs) + length of taking the drug in years + (age in years/20).

 

Mod Note:  Please read this topic 

 

Edited by ChessieCat
added link

My drug history:

Cipralex 10mg for two months from February 2015 to April 2015. Tapered for one month 

Cipralex 20mg for six months from February 2016 to August 2016. Tapered for 5 weeks.

From October 2016 till fourth of April 2018 I am drug free.

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1 hour ago, Ibnabu said:

 Hi,

After thinking deeply about the issue of healing I found a formula of the time it takes to heal from antidepressants. This formula does not apply to stopping ct.

The formula is (healing period=  (dose in mg/tapering time in yesrs) + length of taking the drug in years + (age in years/20).

 

this looks like a really accurate formula lol, you make this up yourself?

2001 - 2005 prozac,  2001 - 2017 various benzos, mainly diazapem and zanex,  2002 - 2017 olanzapine or seroquel,  2002 -2017 propanolol, 2005 - 2009 venlafaxine 75mg , forced to go cold turkey off venlafaxine as moved Thailand, doctor cut me off and couldn't get it there, severely ill for over 2 years, countered withdrawals with more zanex and seroquel

2014 returned to UK, mainly to get treatment getting off meds

doctor advised to taper seroquel over a few weeks, severely ill and bed bed-bound so reinstated it, 2015 tapered seroquel myself slower over a few months, was off it 2 months and was too ill so went on olanzapine, became zombie and too tired to get out of bed, went back on seroquel, very depressed so went back on venlafaxine, didnt work  so doctor swapped to zoloft became very agitated so back on venlafaxine

June 2016 - felt strong enough to begin tapering again, started what I thought was a slow taper of all meds,  2016 July Not had any alcoholic drink since this date, 

2016 October completely off diazepem, 2017 Feb completely off seroquel, 2017 March completely off proponanlol, 2017 April (day before birthday) completely off venlafaxine, OFF ALL MEDS 11/4/2017, was fine for nearly 3 months and then delayed withdrawal hit,

supplements taking: turmeric capsules, NiaCel (nicotinamide riboside), Vit B12 sublingual, Vit B3, Vit B6, Vit B1, apple cider vinegar, manuka umf 10 honey, camu camu powder,  melatonin when needed, epsom salt baths, juices, smoothies, 

Intro: http://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/15175-dj2010-off-all-meds-for-3-months-and-been-fine-now-bad-insomnia/

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Yes dj2010,

I made this myself. Is it strange? You do not believe it? It's up to you.

Hope u will heal Soooon.

Ibnabu

My drug history:

Cipralex 10mg for two months from February 2015 to April 2015. Tapered for one month 

Cipralex 20mg for six months from February 2016 to August 2016. Tapered for 5 weeks.

From October 2016 till fourth of April 2018 I am drug free.

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2 hours ago, Ibnabu said:

 Hi,

After thinking deeply about the issue of healing I found a formula of the time it takes to heal from antidepressants. This formula does not apply to stopping ct.

The formula is (healing period=  (dose in mg/tapering time in yesrs) + length of taking the drug in years + (age in years/20).

In my opinion this way too symplistic (i dont mean offence),there are loads of variables to each persons situation .

Peace.

Alcohol free since February 2015 

1MG diazepam

4.5MG PROZAC.

 

 

 

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Yes indeed power back, these are: age, period of tapering, dose. What more variables you mean. 

My drug history:

Cipralex 10mg for two months from February 2015 to April 2015. Tapered for one month 

Cipralex 20mg for six months from February 2016 to August 2016. Tapered for 5 weeks.

From October 2016 till fourth of April 2018 I am drug free.

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5 minutes ago, Ibnabu said:

Yes dj2010,

I made this myself. Is it strange? You do not believe it? It's up to you.

Hope u will heal Soooon.

Ibnabu

 super, now i know the day that I will be healed, will jot it down in my calendar

2001 - 2005 prozac,  2001 - 2017 various benzos, mainly diazapem and zanex,  2002 - 2017 olanzapine or seroquel,  2002 -2017 propanolol, 2005 - 2009 venlafaxine 75mg , forced to go cold turkey off venlafaxine as moved Thailand, doctor cut me off and couldn't get it there, severely ill for over 2 years, countered withdrawals with more zanex and seroquel

2014 returned to UK, mainly to get treatment getting off meds

doctor advised to taper seroquel over a few weeks, severely ill and bed bed-bound so reinstated it, 2015 tapered seroquel myself slower over a few months, was off it 2 months and was too ill so went on olanzapine, became zombie and too tired to get out of bed, went back on seroquel, very depressed so went back on venlafaxine, didnt work  so doctor swapped to zoloft became very agitated so back on venlafaxine

June 2016 - felt strong enough to begin tapering again, started what I thought was a slow taper of all meds,  2016 July Not had any alcoholic drink since this date, 

2016 October completely off diazepem, 2017 Feb completely off seroquel, 2017 March completely off proponanlol, 2017 April (day before birthday) completely off venlafaxine, OFF ALL MEDS 11/4/2017, was fine for nearly 3 months and then delayed withdrawal hit,

supplements taking: turmeric capsules, NiaCel (nicotinamide riboside), Vit B12 sublingual, Vit B3, Vit B6, Vit B1, apple cider vinegar, manuka umf 10 honey, camu camu powder,  melatonin when needed, epsom salt baths, juices, smoothies, 

Intro: http://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/15175-dj2010-off-all-meds-for-3-months-and-been-fine-now-bad-insomnia/

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