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Discussion about Kelly Brogan


DaddyCee

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Hi btdt,

 

I am able to tolerate the B12 injection i give myself once a month. I am cautious about introducing supplements because each time i do i end up in a bad place about day 3, then it takes me 3 more days to balance out. cant afford those episodes since i have to work and function.

 

my bloodwork showed low D3 which i really need but last time i tried I could not tolerate. might try again in coming months a very low dose, like micro. instead i am trying to get 15 minutes of sun daily when i can. easier now that it is not so hot. cant tolerate the heat. may be the w/d or just my age - I am a 57yr old woman. say no more!

 

will let you know what happens at next appointment.

 

btw - I am from Canada - New Brunswick. Been i NYC since '82.

 

Best,

 

Pokeshaw

7 yrs Lexapro 10 mg. Mar/2011 - 1 month taper. Severe W/D. Multiple symptoms.Gallbladder and parathyroid surgery in Aug and Oct. Disability 3 months.  Dec/2011 reinstated 5mg Lex and went back to work. very bad shape.

By Aug/2012 - self tapered to 1.25 mg cutting pills. -very bad shape. Nov/2012  Dr. Hinz neuro-replete. up and down. Aug/2013 at aprox 1.0 mg Lex stopped neuro-replete ~Oct 2013 Found this site  ~ began using compounded Lexapro and have been micro tapering since then and holding as needed.

11/6/2013 -  0.6 mg

2/1/2018 - .135 mg  Now reducing 5-10% per month 

4/1/18 - .1 mg

4/17/18 - changed delivery from compounded individual caps to aliquot. went from .1 mg to .09 aliquot

7/4/2018 - .09 mg Holding due to wave of W/D symptoms

7/22/18 updosed to .1 mg aliquot

9/30/18 - reduced to .0975 aliquot

2/1/19 - updosed to .1 mg aliquot due to instability bad wave W/D

9/12/19 - back to .1 mg individual caps since could not get stable using aliquot

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Hi btdt,

 

I am able to tolerate the B12 injection i give myself once a month. I am cautious about introducing supplements because each time i do i end up in a bad place about day 3, then it takes me 3 more days to balance out. cant afford those episodes since i have to work and function.

 

my bloodwork showed low D3 which i really need but last time i tried I could not tolerate. might try again in coming months a very low dose, like micro. instead i am trying to get 15 minutes of sun daily when i can. easier now that it is not so hot. cant tolerate the heat. may be the w/d or just my age - I am a 57yr old woman. say no more!

 

will let you know what happens at next appointment.

 

btw - I am from Canada - New Brunswick. Been i NYC since '82.

 

Best,

 

Pokeshaw

So the B12 you reacted to was what type?  Just before my last allergic reaction to tea and tomato... I had half a sub lingual B12 slip two days in a row... and I wondered if that had anything to do with the blistering mouth..I was desperately tired so thought I would try a little B12 ... I could not use it before so it sits here. The pills were a night mare for me.. then I heard others say the under the tongue were tolerable but they were not for me... my B12 is normal anyway... but D is low and has been for years tho it was up some last test it was not deficient just suboptimal. I have tried many types of D too.

 

My first attempt at a B supplement was a liquid recommended by the health food store for folks with chronic fatigue... it was great at the start then I went off the rails for 2 months. High anxiety and no sleep.  

 

the last one I want to tell you about but I can't remember.. I wish I could. 

 

I once was talked into a shot of B12 by a nurse friend... she was very convincing she talked me into a half dose... odd I can't recall what happened with that either..hmmm this is annoying. I know I never used the other half vile so it could not have been good. 

 

I wonder if I could use it now and what are the affects when you use it?  Is your B12 low on blood work tests?

 

On vit D I once read ( and it is posted here) that if your too low in mag you will react badly to D3... so I have been trying to increase my mag ever so slowly as I react to that too.... 

mag history... first try it was a miracle.. first few days till it wasn't... I can't recall what happened... my this is bad... but it wasn't good... so I stopped... since I tried one 300 mg mag and could not get off the couch for a wkend ... so I watched a marathon of some show I can't recall. hm

 

I have since been trying to inch up my mag  by grinding a 300mg pill and taking a tiny bit through out the day ..maybe once my mag is high enough I can tolerate D3 

 

I have learned from this post that my memory is real bad now... is just now or is it going to be all the time.. anyones guess.... 

and a bit scary.

 

I can't believe you work.. the difference between cold turkey and taper I suspect... be careful try to keep your life going. 

I wish 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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New Brunswick

Are you moving home when you retire or are you home now?

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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Hi btdt,

 

Are you in New Brunswick?  That is where i am from. Not sure if I will move back to Canada when I retire. Time will tell. My partner and I talk about moving to Canada but that would mean pulling up 30 yr roots here in NYC and finding jobs. Not so easy at our age. Though I must say, I would like a slower pace!

 

Yes, I do work. When I was initially in W/D after going off the Lexapro too fast I ended up on short term disability and when it ended I had to go back to work. it was very difficult for some time. Better now as long as I take good care of myself. Stress is the biggest issue. I have to keep it very simple. go to bed early, eat well, do relaxation etc. Otherwise I get into a wavy place!

 

Re the B12, I can tolerate one self administered shot per month. Dr. Brogan gave me a script. it is hydroxocobal 10 mg. At first she wanted me to do it a couple times a week but that was too activating. Once a month is fine. when I first had bloodwork my B12 was a bit low. Not sure what it is now.

 

Interesting what you said about mag and D3. I have some magnesium oil that is to be rubbed on the skin. I will try introducing a bit of that to see how I tolerate it. Then maybe I can try the D3 again in small amounts.  It doesnt take much for my symptoms to get aggravated so I have not tried anything besides the B12 for a while.

 

Take care,

 

Poke

7 yrs Lexapro 10 mg. Mar/2011 - 1 month taper. Severe W/D. Multiple symptoms.Gallbladder and parathyroid surgery in Aug and Oct. Disability 3 months.  Dec/2011 reinstated 5mg Lex and went back to work. very bad shape.

By Aug/2012 - self tapered to 1.25 mg cutting pills. -very bad shape. Nov/2012  Dr. Hinz neuro-replete. up and down. Aug/2013 at aprox 1.0 mg Lex stopped neuro-replete ~Oct 2013 Found this site  ~ began using compounded Lexapro and have been micro tapering since then and holding as needed.

11/6/2013 -  0.6 mg

2/1/2018 - .135 mg  Now reducing 5-10% per month 

4/1/18 - .1 mg

4/17/18 - changed delivery from compounded individual caps to aliquot. went from .1 mg to .09 aliquot

7/4/2018 - .09 mg Holding due to wave of W/D symptoms

7/22/18 updosed to .1 mg aliquot

9/30/18 - reduced to .0975 aliquot

2/1/19 - updosed to .1 mg aliquot due to instability bad wave W/D

9/12/19 - back to .1 mg individual caps since could not get stable using aliquot

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If you never used the mag oil much try it in the evening just in case.. I have family in NB I am not there looks nice in pictures I may go some day should I be well. I have not worked a day in years many years now.  We can buy B12 without a script here just ask at the pharmacy.  I had a cousin who buys her own and injects herself I could not help her with the injection forget giving myself one. I use to give my dog his insulin that is the only needle I will ever do.  I had no choice I loved my dog and nobody else would do it. 

 

I would not take and D unless you know for sure you are deficient even then if it bothers you it may not be worth it.  I do wonder if eating organ meats such as liver would be helpful to you as I think that is how I got my D to move up a slightly.  Apparently if the D comes from liver our bodies handle it differently. I eat it when I feel I need to all intuition at this point I can't be sure what works and what doesn't. 

 

I have watched many pick up and move back to Canada late in life.  Moving is not treat at any time. 

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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  • 4 weeks later...

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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  • 2 weeks later...

 

Kelly Brogan M.D. - What Functional Medicine does TO your brain
healing anyone

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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  • 6 months later...

Has anyone read this? This nurse blogger hates Dr. Kelly Brogan :( Can't see the forest for the trees, can she...

 

https://ctmoavr.wordpress.com/2016/03/21/part-1of10-refuting-dr-brogans-a-mind-of-your-own/

2000: Paxil, low dose. 2001: Paxil, quickly tapered off. 2006: Zoloft, 25mg. 2007: Wellbutrin, low dose, discontinued after a week or a month. 2007-2009: Zoloft, increasing dose (up to 75mg). 2009-2011: Zoloft, failed withdrawal attempts (cold-turkey; fast tapering). 2009-2011: Trying out Cymbalta, Celexa, Prozac, Lexapro, Ambien, Ativan, and Xanax. 2012-2015: Zoloft, 100mg to 200mg. 2013: Trazadone for Zoloft-induced insomnia, 25mg to 50mg.  2015: Trileptal, dose?, withdrew; Bupropion, up to 200mg. 2016: Zoloft, 137mg, Bupropion, 150mg, Trazodone, 25mg.

05/21/16: Began Zoloft taper - 10% from 150mg - 137ish mg

06/23/16: Zoloft taper - 125mg

08/03/16: Bupropion XL taper - cut 150mg pill in crude half (mistake)

10/31: Zoloft successfully down to 100mg. Staying on 100mg for 2-3 months to let my brain rest.

11/09: Wellbutrin SR prescribed, 150mg once a day, for withdrawal.

12/11: Wellbutrin SR, twice daily - minus 18ishmg = 112.50mg

09/30/17: Off Wellbutrin SR successfully. Zoloft taper: 90ish mg (shaving it off). Trazodone: still at 50mg.

June 2018: Zoloft: 80ish (shaving off). Trazodone: 6mg. End of 2018: Off Trazodone.

01/20: Zoloft: 70ish?

08/20: Still around 80 or 70. Tapering by only 15 shaves each month.

04/2021: 50mg! 11/2022: 40ish mg

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I actually feel this nurse has some valid points.  And Dr. Brogan is not without faults.   I had an interaction with her early on in my depression period where I felt quite shamed over the phone for requesting medication for my depression.  I am not throwing out the help she has to offer but I know of another person who was shamed and refused by Dr. Brogan for asking her for a temporary prescription (this person was a patient of Dr. Brogans). 

 

There are many ways to treat depression and cancer.  It is not a one size fits all approach.  A dear friend of mine's life was saved by chemotherapy and radiation and then did some acupuncture once the brain tumor was gone.  I also tried numerous holistic treatments when I was depressed and if one of them had worked for me, I would have committed to that route but I was in such a state of mental free fall that only medication, and many wrongs ones, stopped me from going into a hospital.  I don't like antidepressants, nor do I like how they are prescribed like candy.  However, I feel they crudely shut down the part of my brain that was fried. 

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 see it a little differently from you Hibari.

 

Good on Dr Brogan for refusing to prescribe antidepressants and take such a firm stand. Thats what i say.

Wow what a doctor. We need more doctors like that.

 

Temporary prescriptions have the habit of morphing into a 'need to take for life' prescription very quickly.

 

KB is doing you and many others a big life saving favour.

Sadly i see inspite of KBs nonprescribing  you no doubt found a person who was all too willing to put you on this drug merry-go -round.

Thought for the day: Lets stand up, and let’s speak out , together. G Olsen

We have until the 14th. Feb 2018. 

URGENT REQUEST Please consider submitting  for the petition on Prescribed Drug Dependence and Withdrawal currently awaiting its third consideration at the Scottish Parliament. You don't even have to be from Scotland. By clicking on the link below you can read some of the previous submissions but be warned many of them are quite harrowing.

http://www.parliament.scot/GettingInvolved/Petitions/PE01651   

Please tell them about your problems taking and withdrawing from antidepressants and/or benzos.

Send by email to petitions@parliament.scot and quote PE01651 in the subject heading. Keep to a maximum of 3 sides of A4 and you can't name for legal reasons any doctor you have consulted. Tell them if you wish to remain anonymous. We need the numbers to help convince the committee members we are not isolated cases. You have until mid February. Thank you

Recovering paxil addict

None of the published articles shed light on what ssri's ... actually do or what their hazards might be. Healy 2013. 

This is so true, with anything you get on these drugs, dependance, tapering, withdrawal symptoms, side effects, just silent. And if there is something mentioned then their is a serious disconnect between what is said and reality! 

  "Every time I read of a multi-person shooting, I always presume that person had just started a SSRI or had just stopped."  Dr Mosher. Me too! 

Over two decades later, the number of antidepressant prescriptions a year is slightly more than the number of people in the Western world. Most (nine out of 10) prescriptions are for patients who faced difficulties on stopping, equating to about a tenth of the population. These patients are often advised to continue treatment because their difficulties indicate they need ongoing treatment, just as a person with diabetes needs insulin. Healy 2015

I believe the ssri era will soon stand as one of the most shameful in the history of medicine. Healy 2015

Let people help people ... in a natural, kind, non-addictive (and non-big pharma) way. J Broadley 2017

 

 

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Wow, the RN did a 10 part series refuting Dr. Brogan.   In quickly glancing at it, she sounds like a big time big pharma apologist.   And anyone who questions the studies is anti-science.  Yup, we have seen that movie before.

 

But Hibari, I find your post disturbing having known about holistic psychiatrists who also refused to prescribe psych medication on a temporary basis. So nz11, I have to disagree with you about your position.  If someone is in severe crisis and needs the meds, that should be their choice as long as they are making a fully informed decision.

 

Regarding cancer treatment, I have mixed emotions.   I know someone whose life has been prolonged several years due to chemotherapy.   But I know someone else who never should have had surgery as his cancer was way too advanced.   This person died shortly after having it.

 

I think as long as people are given a fully informed choice, it should be up to them.   Not sure what I would do if I had cancer because I fear I would be prone to all the horrific side effect of chemotherapy that would completely destroy the quality of my life.

 

Anyway, I have some reading to do.

Drug cocktail 1995 - 2010
Started taper of Adderall, Wellbutrin XL, Remeron, and Doxepin in 2006
Finished taper on June 10, 2010

Temazepam on a PRN basis approximately twice a month - 2014 to 2016

Beginning in 2017 - Consumption increased to about two times per week

April 2017 - Increased to taking it full time for insomnia

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A search on "quackwatch" gives up nothing.

(I know nussink 'bout her or the blogger.)

Born 1945. 

1999 - First Effexor/Venlafaxine

2016 Withdrawal research. Effexor.  13Jul - 212.5mg;  6Aug - 200.0mg;  24Aug - 187.5mg;  13Sep - 175.0mg;  3Oct - 162.5mg;  26Oct - 150mg 

2017  9Jan - 150.00mg;  23Mar - 137.50mg;  24Apr - 125.00mg;  31May - 112.50mg holding;  3Sep - 100.00mg;  20Sep - 93.75mg;  20Oct - 87.5mg;  12Nov - 81.25mg;  13 Dec - 75.00mg

2018  18Jan - 69.1mg; 16Feb - 62.5mg; 16March - 57.5mg (-8%); 22Apr - 56.3mg(-2%); CRASHED - Updose 29May - 62.5mg; Updose - 1Jul - 75.0mg. Updose - 2Aug - 87.5mg. Updose - 27Aug - 100.0mg. Updose - 11Oct 112.5mg. Updose - 6Nov 125.00mg

2019 Updoses 19 Jan - 150.0mg. 1April - 162.5mg. 24 April - Feeling better - doing tasks, getting outside.  7 May - usual depression questionnaire gives "probably no depression" result.

Supps/Vits  Omega 3;  Chelated Magnesium;  Prebiotics/Probiotics, Vit D3. 

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I love healthy discussion of topics like this.  I am writing passionately about it but have no ill will even towards KB in my posts. 

 

No, NZ  from my perspective, KB did not do me a favor.  Since she was unwilling to even listen that closely, I had no chance to explain who I was, a very holistic person who was struggling and unlikely to take medication blindly.  I actually went to 5 different psychiatrist, one being a holistic who also wanted to prescribe Ritalin at the end of the day because I was so down.  I was able to refuse even in the darkest of my despair. 

 

I don't like rigidity in any practitioner.  When KB refused her own patient, I feel she was saying "I don't trust you to know yourself".   In fact, the person I mentioned was not a long term medication person but a person in crisis.   There are many people on this site and on Beyond Meds who have to take a certain medication for a short period, sometimes a benzo, to get through their wd.  I trust them to know what they need.  It's not a failure to need a med to get through something. 

 

If I had started with the last psychiatrist I am with now, my medication journey would have been shorter.  He got , that meds should be prescribed sparingly and for short term.  I had to educate him on the withdrawal piece but I made the decision to come off, not him.  And he did not distrust my choice, just the pace.  But there was no budging on my pat.  

 

I also know that their are psychiatrists,  and I had them, who are just awful and clueless.  Their method of prescribing is criminal.  Again, I am not pro antidepressants.  My own journey of getting off them has been hellish but at the time of my depression, nothing else worked.  

 

Compsport, yes, there are also patients who receive chemo and radiation who don't make it-my father being one of them.  There are also people who should never be pushed to surgery.  I also know of a acupuncturist who had colon cancer and turned to the late Dr. Nicholas Gonzalez, a leader in holistic medicine for cancer.  (I also went to him over 20 years ago, did his detox treatment and he also prescribed a thyroid medication).  Dr. G told the acupuncturist to get surgery rather than try to heal it through holistic means.  She did and is grateful to his suggestion as she is cancer free. 

 

What I am trying to express is that we are to be trusted as individuals.  We have the right to get off meds, we have a right to refuse them, we have the right to ask for them.  We are to be trusted with our own physical and mental health choices. 

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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It's not a failure to need a med to get through something.

 

Sadly its this kind of pharmaceutical indoctrinated doctor talk that pushed many on this site into the situation they now find themselves in.

 

I'm all into choosing for oneself but how can a person make an informed decision when the truth is being hidden, data manipulated for marketing purposes risks understated and benefits so exaggerated.  they would no doubt meet the definition of a lie. and lets not forget the dirtiest little secret of all 'addiction' which is completely denied. Look at the McLaren quote in my drug sig on the nature of paroxetine  i can guarantee you people have not been told anything like that.

Thought for the day: Lets stand up, and let’s speak out , together. G Olsen

We have until the 14th. Feb 2018. 

URGENT REQUEST Please consider submitting  for the petition on Prescribed Drug Dependence and Withdrawal currently awaiting its third consideration at the Scottish Parliament. You don't even have to be from Scotland. By clicking on the link below you can read some of the previous submissions but be warned many of them are quite harrowing.

http://www.parliament.scot/GettingInvolved/Petitions/PE01651   

Please tell them about your problems taking and withdrawing from antidepressants and/or benzos.

Send by email to petitions@parliament.scot and quote PE01651 in the subject heading. Keep to a maximum of 3 sides of A4 and you can't name for legal reasons any doctor you have consulted. Tell them if you wish to remain anonymous. We need the numbers to help convince the committee members we are not isolated cases. You have until mid February. Thank you

Recovering paxil addict

None of the published articles shed light on what ssri's ... actually do or what their hazards might be. Healy 2013. 

This is so true, with anything you get on these drugs, dependance, tapering, withdrawal symptoms, side effects, just silent. And if there is something mentioned then their is a serious disconnect between what is said and reality! 

  "Every time I read of a multi-person shooting, I always presume that person had just started a SSRI or had just stopped."  Dr Mosher. Me too! 

Over two decades later, the number of antidepressant prescriptions a year is slightly more than the number of people in the Western world. Most (nine out of 10) prescriptions are for patients who faced difficulties on stopping, equating to about a tenth of the population. These patients are often advised to continue treatment because their difficulties indicate they need ongoing treatment, just as a person with diabetes needs insulin. Healy 2015

I believe the ssri era will soon stand as one of the most shameful in the history of medicine. Healy 2015

Let people help people ... in a natural, kind, non-addictive (and non-big pharma) way. J Broadley 2017

 

 

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Ok, the nurse is alleging that Brogan will fire patients for not adhering precisely to the recommended protocol.    True or not?

Drug cocktail 1995 - 2010
Started taper of Adderall, Wellbutrin XL, Remeron, and Doxepin in 2006
Finished taper on June 10, 2010

Temazepam on a PRN basis approximately twice a month - 2014 to 2016

Beginning in 2017 - Consumption increased to about two times per week

April 2017 - Increased to taking it full time for insomnia

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On 2016-12-19 at 0:29 PM, nz11 said:

It's not a failure to need a med to get through something.

 

Sadly its this kind of pharmaceutical indoctrinated doctor talk that pushed many on this site into the situation they now find themselves in.

 

I'm all into choosing for oneself but how can a person make an informed decision when the truth is being hidden, data manipulated for marketing purposes risks understated and benefits so exaggerated.  they would no doubt meet the definition of a lie. and lets not forget the dirtiest little secret of all 'addiction' which is completely denied. Look at the McLaren quote in my drug sig on the nature of paroxetine  i can guarantee you people have not been told anything like that.

 

You raise some good points NZ11 but many people don't need data to know they need a rescue med temporarily.

.

Edited by scallywag
restored quote because it wasn't the post immediately above this one

Drug cocktail 1995 - 2010
Started taper of Adderall, Wellbutrin XL, Remeron, and Doxepin in 2006
Finished taper on June 10, 2010

Temazepam on a PRN basis approximately twice a month - 2014 to 2016

Beginning in 2017 - Consumption increased to about two times per week

April 2017 - Increased to taking it full time for insomnia

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Ok, the nurse is alleging that Brogan will fire patients for not adhering precisely to the recommended protocol.    True or not?

I don't know about that.

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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It's not a failure to need a med to get through something.

 

Sadly its this kind of pharmaceutical indoctrinated doctor talk that pushed many on this site into the situation they now find themselves in.

 

I'm all into choosing for oneself but how can a person make an informed decision when the truth is being hidden, data manipulated for marketing purposes risks understated and benefits so exaggerated.  they would no doubt meet the definition of a lie. and lets not forget the dirtiest little secret of all 'addiction' which is completely denied. Look at the McLaren quote in my drug sig on the nature of paroxetine  i can guarantee you people have not been told anything like that.

Yes, I agree there are many psychiatrists and doctors who use this line right before they prescribe a medication.  It is a terrible thing to say to someone who is already struggling.  And how these drugs end up affecting us is also horrible.

 

The real point I was trying to make,  and it comes from my personal journey,  is that rigidity in any doctor is not helpful.  I have run into both holistic doctors who were rigid and closed to their patient's experience and the same with western medical doctors.   When I said, It is not a failure to need a med to get through something, I meant it as Compsport interpreted it.  We are to be trusted with knowing what we need and don't need.  No one should feel that they are viewed through a specific lens and that lens only. 

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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Well i had a read of some of that stuff in the link from the op and it seems to me its the usual pharma response.

 

 

 

Thought for the day: Lets stand up, and let’s speak out , together. G Olsen

We have until the 14th. Feb 2018. 

URGENT REQUEST Please consider submitting  for the petition on Prescribed Drug Dependence and Withdrawal currently awaiting its third consideration at the Scottish Parliament. You don't even have to be from Scotland. By clicking on the link below you can read some of the previous submissions but be warned many of them are quite harrowing.

http://www.parliament.scot/GettingInvolved/Petitions/PE01651   

Please tell them about your problems taking and withdrawing from antidepressants and/or benzos.

Send by email to petitions@parliament.scot and quote PE01651 in the subject heading. Keep to a maximum of 3 sides of A4 and you can't name for legal reasons any doctor you have consulted. Tell them if you wish to remain anonymous. We need the numbers to help convince the committee members we are not isolated cases. You have until mid February. Thank you

Recovering paxil addict

None of the published articles shed light on what ssri's ... actually do or what their hazards might be. Healy 2013. 

This is so true, with anything you get on these drugs, dependance, tapering, withdrawal symptoms, side effects, just silent. And if there is something mentioned then their is a serious disconnect between what is said and reality! 

  "Every time I read of a multi-person shooting, I always presume that person had just started a SSRI or had just stopped."  Dr Mosher. Me too! 

Over two decades later, the number of antidepressant prescriptions a year is slightly more than the number of people in the Western world. Most (nine out of 10) prescriptions are for patients who faced difficulties on stopping, equating to about a tenth of the population. These patients are often advised to continue treatment because their difficulties indicate they need ongoing treatment, just as a person with diabetes needs insulin. Healy 2015

I believe the ssri era will soon stand as one of the most shameful in the history of medicine. Healy 2015

Let people help people ... in a natural, kind, non-addictive (and non-big pharma) way. J Broadley 2017

 

 

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Agreed. Rescue med ?  What is that ?

Many SSRI's and SSNRI's over 20 years. Zoloft for 7 years followed by Effexor, Lexapro, Prozac, Cymbalta, Celexa, Pristiq, Valdoxan, Mianserin and more - on and off. No tapering. Cold turkey off Valdoxan - end of May 2014

 

                                                  Psych Drug - free since May 2014
.
         

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Agreed. Rescue med ?  What is that ?

It means taking a med if things are so out of control that nonmed coping techniques don't work and you are in danger of being hospitalized.    Jim Gottstein gives a good example of this as he talks about taking medication on a PRN basis.

 

http://www.mindfreedom.org/personal-stories/gottsteinjim

Drug cocktail 1995 - 2010
Started taper of Adderall, Wellbutrin XL, Remeron, and Doxepin in 2006
Finished taper on June 10, 2010

Temazepam on a PRN basis approximately twice a month - 2014 to 2016

Beginning in 2017 - Consumption increased to about two times per week

April 2017 - Increased to taking it full time for insomnia

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That might be a " slippery slope" but in extreme cases maybe it's warranted if all else fails. Not sure. I would hope that it doesn't get to that stage - ever.

Many SSRI's and SSNRI's over 20 years. Zoloft for 7 years followed by Effexor, Lexapro, Prozac, Cymbalta, Celexa, Pristiq, Valdoxan, Mianserin and more - on and off. No tapering. Cold turkey off Valdoxan - end of May 2014

 

                                                  Psych Drug - free since May 2014
.
         

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It could be a slippery slope but it seems to work well for Mr. Gottstein.     Another person who takes them on an as needed basis but rarely is  Keris Myrick, former President of NAMI and a past blogger on the MIA site.   She has a diagnosis of schizoaffective and obsessive compulsive disorder. 

 

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/mad-in-america/201111/rorschach-test-psych-meds

Drug cocktail 1995 - 2010
Started taper of Adderall, Wellbutrin XL, Remeron, and Doxepin in 2006
Finished taper on June 10, 2010

Temazepam on a PRN basis approximately twice a month - 2014 to 2016

Beginning in 2017 - Consumption increased to about two times per week

April 2017 - Increased to taking it full time for insomnia

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That article was in 2011 be interesting to hear from that person today.

Anyone who takes this stuff on an as needed basis is playing with fire.

Thought for the day: Lets stand up, and let’s speak out , together. G Olsen

We have until the 14th. Feb 2018. 

URGENT REQUEST Please consider submitting  for the petition on Prescribed Drug Dependence and Withdrawal currently awaiting its third consideration at the Scottish Parliament. You don't even have to be from Scotland. By clicking on the link below you can read some of the previous submissions but be warned many of them are quite harrowing.

http://www.parliament.scot/GettingInvolved/Petitions/PE01651   

Please tell them about your problems taking and withdrawing from antidepressants and/or benzos.

Send by email to petitions@parliament.scot and quote PE01651 in the subject heading. Keep to a maximum of 3 sides of A4 and you can't name for legal reasons any doctor you have consulted. Tell them if you wish to remain anonymous. We need the numbers to help convince the committee members we are not isolated cases. You have until mid February. Thank you

Recovering paxil addict

None of the published articles shed light on what ssri's ... actually do or what their hazards might be. Healy 2013. 

This is so true, with anything you get on these drugs, dependance, tapering, withdrawal symptoms, side effects, just silent. And if there is something mentioned then their is a serious disconnect between what is said and reality! 

  "Every time I read of a multi-person shooting, I always presume that person had just started a SSRI or had just stopped."  Dr Mosher. Me too! 

Over two decades later, the number of antidepressant prescriptions a year is slightly more than the number of people in the Western world. Most (nine out of 10) prescriptions are for patients who faced difficulties on stopping, equating to about a tenth of the population. These patients are often advised to continue treatment because their difficulties indicate they need ongoing treatment, just as a person with diabetes needs insulin. Healy 2015

I believe the ssri era will soon stand as one of the most shameful in the history of medicine. Healy 2015

Let people help people ... in a natural, kind, non-addictive (and non-big pharma) way. J Broadley 2017

 

 

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I realized I never said this clearly in my first post.  I don't think Kelly Brogan is a quack.   I try to view each practitioner as fairly as I can and now that my mind is clearer from dropping down on my meds, I can see what works for me.  As they say in program, "take what you like and leave the rest". 

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 just wanted to say that i don't like the title of this thread.

 

It would be great if the op could request it to be changed.

This title will appear in google searches and may influence others to believe untruths.

 

KB says that she does not prescribe and for that she is a hero. She is one of us, she is on our side. She 'gets it'.

 

nz11

Thought for the day: Lets stand up, and let’s speak out , together. G Olsen

We have until the 14th. Feb 2018. 

URGENT REQUEST Please consider submitting  for the petition on Prescribed Drug Dependence and Withdrawal currently awaiting its third consideration at the Scottish Parliament. You don't even have to be from Scotland. By clicking on the link below you can read some of the previous submissions but be warned many of them are quite harrowing.

http://www.parliament.scot/GettingInvolved/Petitions/PE01651   

Please tell them about your problems taking and withdrawing from antidepressants and/or benzos.

Send by email to petitions@parliament.scot and quote PE01651 in the subject heading. Keep to a maximum of 3 sides of A4 and you can't name for legal reasons any doctor you have consulted. Tell them if you wish to remain anonymous. We need the numbers to help convince the committee members we are not isolated cases. You have until mid February. Thank you

Recovering paxil addict

None of the published articles shed light on what ssri's ... actually do or what their hazards might be. Healy 2013. 

This is so true, with anything you get on these drugs, dependance, tapering, withdrawal symptoms, side effects, just silent. And if there is something mentioned then their is a serious disconnect between what is said and reality! 

  "Every time I read of a multi-person shooting, I always presume that person had just started a SSRI or had just stopped."  Dr Mosher. Me too! 

Over two decades later, the number of antidepressant prescriptions a year is slightly more than the number of people in the Western world. Most (nine out of 10) prescriptions are for patients who faced difficulties on stopping, equating to about a tenth of the population. These patients are often advised to continue treatment because their difficulties indicate they need ongoing treatment, just as a person with diabetes needs insulin. Healy 2015

I believe the ssri era will soon stand as one of the most shameful in the history of medicine. Healy 2015

Let people help people ... in a natural, kind, non-addictive (and non-big pharma) way. J Broadley 2017

 

 

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Wow. Amazing how much energy that blogger put into defending what she calls "science," which implies objectivity, when we know that the science she's talking about is subject to the financial concerns of the pharmaceutical companies that are carrying it out. I wish she had read Anatomy of An Epidemic instead of A Mind of Your Own.....she'd get some real science there. 

 

Interestingly, I came across one point on which I completely agree. She writes, " Dr. Brogan’s very detailed and specific meal plan is not only expensive but would take a lot of energy to put into to place and follow on a daily basis. Dr. Brogan states that she will fire a patient if they don’t follow her meal plan, which would effectively weed out any of the clinically depressed or financially strapped patients who lack the energy or finances to complete her program. If a doctor demanded that all of his patients with Parkinson’s disease be able to jog one mile a day before they could continue to be under his care, then it would be easy for that doctor to claim that he has found the cure for Parkinson’s Disease as he has weeded out all of the progressed cases in which a patient would not be able to jog and therefore didn’t fit into his narrowly selected, one-sided views of the illness he has claimed to found a cure for."

 

She has a point there. Dr. Brogan's program is really only feasible for someone with a lot of money to spend on food and supplements, and a lot of time and energy to spend cooking (and many women have to cook for their whole families, so this would either mean getting the whole family to agree to radical diet change, or cooking separate meals for herself on top of what she cooks for the family). My bigger issue with her plan, though, is that she does what psychiatry does: reduce depression to an easily identifiable physical cause (inflammation rather than brain chemistry) and claims that it can be eradicated by swallowing something (supplements and better food rather than drugs). 

 

I do admire her a lot and think there's a lot of good information in her book and especially in her blogs, which delve into the spiritual and societal causes of depression that are not even mentioned in her book. Exploring those, for me, is where healing lies. 

Trying to get off Paxil since 2007. Was tapering by 0.1 mg every 4-5 weeks. Had awful crash in November 2015 at .5 mg; updosed gradually to 2 mg. 

 

Doing better and tapering again, much slower this time.  2016: Dropped from 2 mg to 1.62 mg.  2017:  1.62 mg to 1.2 mg. 2018: 1.2 mg to .76 mg. 2019: .76 mg to .56 mg. 2020: .56 mg to .33 mg. 2021: .33 mg to .13 mg. 2022: .13 mg to .03 mg. 6/12/23 .002 mg. OFF PAXIL 9/4/23

 

Started Klonopin in November 2015 to deal with crash. 1/10/16 started milk titration taper from .5 mg. Finished taper 12/6/17. Still take Klonopin for agoraphobia 2 - 3 times a week. 

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NZ11. my friend feels that taking Trazadone for sleep has made a big difference in her life.  It would be very arrogant of me to say she was playing with fire.   

 

Rachelina, your most recent post is why I find dealing with healthcare providers of all stripes so frustrating.   The mainstream folks like the nurse think drugs are the answer to everything and accuses anyone of questioning their efficiency as being quacks and anti science.

 

But folks like Brogan charge outrageous prices for services and also advocate what I feel are questionable philosophies.   For example, she says this about someone with diabetes:

 

""We also know that the autonomic nervous system and associated individualized differences in pancreatic innervation can dictate whether one person thrives on a high carb (whole food) diet and another tanks on it. I’ll never forget the feeling of shattered nutrition dogma when Dr. Gonzalez discussed with me a patient of his whose insulin-dependent diabetes had resolved on a prescribed high carb vegetarian diet complete with multiple glasses of carrot juice daily. (We will be publishing this case soon!)""

 

Uh, without extensive blood sugar testing on a glucometer, this proves absolutely nothing.  It is also is totally contrary to the experiences of many diabetics who found that even eating "good" carbs greatly spiked their blood sugar.

 

CS

Drug cocktail 1995 - 2010
Started taper of Adderall, Wellbutrin XL, Remeron, and Doxepin in 2006
Finished taper on June 10, 2010

Temazepam on a PRN basis approximately twice a month - 2014 to 2016

Beginning in 2017 - Consumption increased to about two times per week

April 2017 - Increased to taking it full time for insomnia

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I agree with compsports and Rachelina.  Just because KB is anti-psych drug doesn't mean she is 'right on everything' and should receive a blank check without scrutiny.  Her book and her website make several claims that are loosely based on science, especially around the burgeoning understanding of 'gut health.'  Some people may point to her degree from MIT as validation for her methods or thoughts except that blindly following the word of people with prestigious degrees is how many of us got to this point to begin with.  Higher education degrees generate highly specialized, singular focused individuals who will often use their degrees as justification for claims outside the scope of their study. 

 

As it pertains to the limited use of psych drugs, before I got into this whole debacle, I was given a benzo twice before two separate surgeries and they worked well (just before anesthesia).  Amphetamines, as well, have legit uses in some circumstances where the benefits outweigh the risks.  Some of these drugs do have legitimate uses (excluding anti-depressants and anti-psychotics in my personal opinion), however, through first hand experience I believe none should be used for an extended period of time.   

 

If there's any hope of reforming the prescribing practices of psych-drugs, it lies in a middle ground that SOME of the drugs have LIMITED reasons for being used and LITTLE TO NONE of the drugs have justification/are safe for long term use. 

 

 

Not to mention KB has positioned herself as an 'exclusive' womens; mental health provider that charges absurd fees.  This alone should raise flags. She is positioning herself as a 'MD celebrity' of the same ilk as the many daytime TV and book-mill doctors whose primary goal is revenue and not science based medicine. 

 

The overarching problem is dogma and/or ideology.  KB most definitely has a dogma all her own, and just because it causes less or no harm compared to psych-drugs doesn't make it true.

Year 0:      Social anxiety, obsessive thoughts, NO depression, NO suicidal ideations

Years 1-2: Ativan (benzo) <1mg as needed, not abused but developed physical dependence

Years 2-3: Paxil (20mg) augmented with Adderall XR (10-20mg) due to withdrawal from Ativan

Years 3-Present: Severe depression, headaches, psychiatric hospitalization, lost job, etc.

 

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  • 4 months later...

I agree with compsports and Rachelina.  Just because KB is anti-psych drug doesn't mean she is 'right on everything' and should receive a blank check without scrutiny.  Her book and her website make several claims that are loosely based on science, especially around the burgeoning understanding of 'gut health.'  Some people may point to her degree from MIT as validation for her methods or thoughts except that blindly following the word of people with prestigious degrees is how many of us got to this point to begin with.  Higher education degrees generate highly specialized, singular focused individuals who will often use their degrees as justification for claims outside the scope of their study. 

 

I do believe that every doctor who speaks about the dangers of psychotropics needs to preface their message with the fact that those who are already on psychotropics need to do understand that coming off of any psychotropics can be potentially dangerous. I think it was around the 2005-2007 when I was on 10 or 20mg Prozac (depending on how depressed I was) and my life was pretty good, that I started reading more and more articles about the SSRI's not being effective, and so on. This gave me a false sense of security that I could probably stop taking it, as my life was actually quite decent at the moment. This made me naively cold turkey the entire 20mg of Prozac in 2008 for a month (followed by a quick reinstatement), which resulted in a very bleak depression, which I only now understand to have been an SSRI withdrawal. As long as she and all the doctors preface their speeches and talks about the potential dangers of coming off, or provide some guidance (as Dr. Breggin did in his book "Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal"), I am fine with her message.

 

Most mental health advocates like Will Hall, who I greatly respect, have to give out that disclaimer for legal reasons before they can say anything. I don't see why Doctors shouldn't give out the same disclaimer up-front. That also goes for the doctor who prescribed me Prozac first. Informed consent :)

Prozac 1997- 2013, stopped after 1 month short-taper. 

Ativan  0.5mg intermittent use, end of 2010 - end of 2014

Ativan  up to 2-3mg/day Dec 2014/Jan 2015

Partial Valium crossover: down to 0.5mg/day Ativan and 10mg/day Valium (2015-2017)

(2/2018 - 10/2018, tapered down Valium from 10mg to 3.75mg Valium per day) (HOLDING at 3.75mg/day)

(10/2018) - Ativan 0.5mg a day (HOLDING @ 0.5mg since mid 2017)

11/2018 - Cut valium to 2.5mg a day

3/23/2019 - Cut Buspar from 20mg to 15mg/day (intense symptoms)

4/4/2019 - Updosed Buspar from 15mg to 17mg

4/13/2019 - Ativan - 0.48mg/day

4/17/2019 - Buspar down to 16mg/day

4/24/2019 - Buspar down to 15mg/day

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  • 1 month later...

 

Short Term Case: 7 pill of 10 mg of Modafinil in a 3 month span, but last 3 I took back to back causing severe withdrawals, lasting 3 weeks. Than 2 pills lexapro to help withdrawal lead to more withdrawal.  I have most symptoms Pssd, emotional loss, cognitive issues, nerve damage in legs.  Also 2 benzodiazepines.  Not much to damage me long term...

 

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  • 1 month later...

I just watched this! Really interesting and well put. I'm going to try and go off her plan. Coffee enemas?? Man. Not looking forward to it. But I'm willing to try!!

Starting taking Anafranil when I was in 8th grade for OCD. I only took it for about one year. I had no withdrawel coming off as a freshman in high school. 

Then started various SSRI's my first two years of college. I felt side effects from all different meds but they were still prescribed by docs.

2010-Finally landed on lexapro for about one year and I noticed cognitive issues while on it.

Taper quickly off and felt very depressed for around four months. Was put on 50 mg Pristiq and symptoms got better but still had depression to a certain degree. Started getting severe issues from Pristiq so I tapered off over a four month period and have been dealing with withdrawal and healing from withdrawal since.

I was on Pristiq for about 2.5 years and then tapered off in the fall of 13'.

I am currently taking:

 

-255mg of gabapentin (holding for now)

-10 mg viibryd (holding for now)

-5 mg buspar (2.5 in the morn and 2.5 at night) (I weighed out half a tablet and it weighed about .053 on my scale so I started measuring it out to .050 with a nail file morning and night. That was my first cut. Beginning of December was when it was made). 

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Thoughts on the well known Holistic Psychriatist, Kelly Brogan?

 

http://kellybroganmd.com/vitalmindreset/

 

seems like she knows her stuff but her online therapy course is $700!!!! Makes me think it's bogus bc it's so much? I don't know! 

In 2015- had UTI put on Microbid. Stopped sleeping & had a nervous breakdown! Was put on Seroquil, Trazadone, Klonopin, just to name a few! Got off all drugs except Celexa until May of 2018. 

 

Update as of 1/19- reinstated Celexa 20mg. Drinking wine nightly along with a slew of meds/supplements to try and get to sleep. 

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So did you try? 

In 2015- had UTI put on Microbid. Stopped sleeping & had a nervous breakdown! Was put on Seroquil, Trazadone, Klonopin, just to name a few! Got off all drugs except Celexa until May of 2018. 

 

Update as of 1/19- reinstated Celexa 20mg. Drinking wine nightly along with a slew of meds/supplements to try and get to sleep. 

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  • scallywag changed the title to Discussion about Kelly Brogan, one blogger claims Brogan "is a quack"

Psychiatry is fake science....so what do you think Holistic Psychiatry is?  It's marketing. 

Year 0:      Social anxiety, obsessive thoughts, NO depression, NO suicidal ideations

Years 1-2: Ativan (benzo) <1mg as needed, not abused but developed physical dependence

Years 2-3: Paxil (20mg) augmented with Adderall XR (10-20mg) due to withdrawal from Ativan

Years 3-Present: Severe depression, headaches, psychiatric hospitalization, lost job, etc.

 

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I think she is genuine, and has focused her area of practice. 

 

She can only see so many patients, I've heard her waiting list is 2-3 years long.

 

For those of us in immediate distress, she has other programs.

 

I think that her prices are high for someone who claims to want to help - but if you nose around on the web, you can take the best (eliminate gluten, dairy, paleo light) and create your own program.  She has given enough information away for free.

 

I don't encourage people in withdrawal to start her yoga practice, it is affiliated with some questionable cult-ish activities, and would be overstimulating for someone in withdrawal.  But again - find your own yoga practice, and you will still learn and grow.

 

Taking everything that anyone says completely literally, is still giving your power away.  Seek for yourself.  Brogan has contributed greatly to the field.  But you are still in charge of your own body & brain - and it's still up to you to choose the practices and procedures that will guide you towards healing & wellness.

"Easy, easy - just go easy and you'll finish." - Hawaiian Kapuna

 

Holding is hard work, holding is a blessing. Give your brain time to heal before you try again.

 

My suggestions are not medical advice, you are in charge of your own medical choices.

 

A lifetime of being prescribed antidepressants that caused problems (30 years in total). At age 35 flipped to "bipolar," but was not diagnosed for 5 years. Started my journey in Midwest United States. Crossed the Pacific for love and hope; currently living in Australia.   CT Seroquel 25 mg some time in 2013.   Tapered Reboxetine 4 mg Oct 2013 to Sept 2014 = GONE (3 years on Reboxetine).     Tapered Lithium 900 to 475 MG (alternating with the SNRI) Jan 2014 - Nov 2014, tapered Lithium 475 mg Jan 2015 -  Feb 2016 = GONE (10 years  on Lithium).  Many mistakes in dry cutting dosages were made.


The tedious thread (my intro):  JanCarol ☼ Reboxetine first, then Lithium

The happy thread (my success story):  JanCarol - Undiagnosed  Off all bipolar drugs

My own blog:  https://shamanexplorations.com/shamans-blog/

 

 

I have been psych drug FREE since 1 Feb 2016!

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