Success stories after many years of withdrawal syndrome?

[LexAnger]

Alto is right that everyone is different and even for the same person it could be different at different stages. Our brain is way too complicated and it's almost impossible to predict for a particular case. Unfortunately this is what we are dealing with after being messed up by these meds.

[WiggleIt]

I think there is a time for many when they are in the thick of wd (and for some this could still be happening several years out) that you are grasping for some shred of hope that this will eventually end. You start to seek out recovery stories but don't quite find what you want. There are recovery stories everywhere and there are enough already! But you want to find someone with your exact drug or your exact length of struggle who also has this or that qualifier and THAT is impossible to find. So you dismiss what you read and moan that you are unique and recovery won't ever happen for you.

 

I've got news for you: the fat lady hasn't sung yet. I will take any and all bets that you will recover, that anyone will, I just cannot predict when. You just have to stay alive long enough for it to happen. In my case, I read all the stories (and more than once) and what they did is seep into my subconscious. At some certain point (and never during my worst withdrawal times) they would pop into my mind and I could see there might be a light at the end of the tunnel and that now I can see it. You have to be able to recognize that you are always evidencing some measure of recovery (your depression isn't as deep, you haven't thought of suicide for the last hour, you slept 10 minutes more last night) even though it may get worse again. That is the body healing and it is erratic in it's efforts but in the end it will manage to pull it all together and you will be the new and improved version of 'YOU', sadder but wiser and more resilient to life's stresses. Those things start creeping up and you finally see them and you start knowing that it will happen for you. Unfortunately you can't force it, the body has it's own wisdom and timetable. You just have to give it the tools to work with. See my post here about what I think is important (it is in the last half).

 

Everyone on this board is a recovery story waiting to happen, their thread is a journal of how they are getting there. Read them all. (Except skip the beginning of mine, I was nuttier than fruitcake when I got here...)

 

You can't know how much your post means to me.  I just got to this community and I have been looking for EXACTLY my story reflected in someone else's recovery situation.  Thank you for reminding me that I am a success story waiting to happen if I just stick with it.  

[Altostrata]

Nicely written, cw!

[Skyler]

Excellent cw, I just copied your post into another thread... you spoke to the situation perfectly, as you have for many others.  Thanks!

[cymbaltawithdrawal5600]

If no one minds I am copying this to the 'Best of SA" thread. I actually forgot I wrote this!

 

It is particularly written for those members who are compelled to write (and sometimes over and over) that they will never recover. I have been there and I know that it is patently false. Everyone recovers, it is just a matter of degree and length of time passed. For me it appears to be a relatively short time (a little over 2 years post cold turkey) that I can say I am recovered from the worst of the autonomic nervous system dysfunction that is the dreaded 'withdrawal syndrome'. Along with it comes a very upsetting emotional component but the good news is that as the nervous system heals itself, so does the emotional system. There will always be some fine tuning needed (here is where CBT techniques might fit in nicely) and maybe some therapy specific to the issues that caused a person to seek medication to begin with but the worst is over, hopefully never to return.

 

It becomes imperative, however, that one must always be mindful of lifestyle. Gone are the days of staying up late and not getting enough sleep. Skipping meals is out. You have to eat your veggies and fruits and stop trying to exist on candy bars and diet soda and coffee (cut that crap out too or else only use sparingly AFTER you have recovered.) Easy on the carbs and become friends with high quality protein. Get some exercise every day and GET OUTSIDE INTO THE SUN DAILY! I haven't proved this to myself (I am totally chicken because I don't want to experience wd ever again) but my intuition tells me that unless we straighten up and fly right, once we have gone through wd it can happen again without having any medication in out systems. We are forever sensitized because of our medication history and poor lifestyle choices. I'll bet the farm on this and if there is anyone who wants to prove me wrong, have at it. Someone already has had this happen to them. Remember Matt Samet anyone? We would all do well to heed his story. He had a non-medication relapse in 2013 (I believe it was overuse of caffeine) and I cannot find any recent writings from him showing that he is back in the land of the living yet. So beware, all of you. And by the way, if you are in the thick of wd, if you are using caffeine in any form, and this includes decaf and chocolate, stop it right now. You have no idea what it is doing to your nervous system. Far better to go cold turkey on it immediately (and suffer a bit) than to continue to poke at a nervous system gone haywire.

[Babs]

  I haven't proved this to myself (I am totally chicken because I don't want to experience wd ever again) but my intuition tells me that unless we straighten up and fly right, once we have gone through wd it can happen again without having any medication in out systems. We are forever sensitized because of our medication history and poor lifestyle choices.

 

I've been off Paxil for almost 10 years now and I have to agree with this.  And maybe that's why I never posted a "success story" at PP, because I never felt 100% recovered.  I've always felt that my nervous system never quite bounced back and I am just more sensitive now.  I don't think I'll ever be thrown back into withdrawal but something ain't right.  Having said that, I do consider myself recovered and fully functional in life.  Just not the same person as before.  I think if that's the yardstick we use to measure recovery nobody will ever attain it.

 

[Altostrata]

Words of wisdom, cw and Babs!

[WiggleIt]

Personally, I don't mind if I can never have caffeine or alcohol or anything else ever again.  If getting to keep my health intact means no more cheesecake, then I will gladly say goodbye to cheesecake!

 

I don't think it's a bad or a sad thing to say goodbye to things that work against our health.  In so much of modern society, we look at things like ice cream and cigarettes as indulgences we have the RIGHT to enjoy.  But maybe nobody has the right to poison their body.  Maybe our health is a privilege and we should treat it as such, instead of being sad about the Red Bulls we can't drink.    

 

Don't get me wrong, I MISS me some coffee and cigarettes and whiskey, but if being healthy means doing without, then I'll gladly do without.

 

I'm happy to be straightened up and to fly right!  I just hope it all works.  I hope it all pays off and that I reach full recovery.  

[UnfoldingSky]

 

 

Also, does anyone know of a person who has reinstated after being off for years and what the outcome was? I figure as a last resort (a few years from now if things haven't improved) I may as well try the drugs again, maybe I am just dependent on them now.

 

Hi andy,

 

Sorry to hear you are still suffering.  I reinstated Celexa after being off for at least a year, after having done a cold turkey.  Reinstatement didn't go well for me.

 

My situation is a bit unusual though in that I was not suffering withdrawal when I reinstated.  However, once I did that I had adverse reactions to it.  Had I not restarted the drug I wouldn't even be here.

 

I can't tell you what to do or how it would go but generally it seems in reading about this reinstatement so late in the game when you are still symptomatic is pretty risky. 

[UnfoldingSky]

. Remember Matt Samet anyone? We would all do well to heed his story. He had a non-medication relapse in 2013 (I believe it was overuse of caffeine) and I cannot find any recent writings from him showing that he is back in the land of the living yet.

 

Good news, Matt Samet is back posting on Mad in America again. Not sure how he's doing exactly but it seems he's okay enough to write at least. 

[WiggleIt]

Thanks for that update, US.  

[cymbaltawithdrawal5600]

Oh yes, US! I would have missed it if not for you, knowing I had just recently looked. I don't have an account there so I could not sign up for a notification like I do with some postings here.

 

Thank you (it's mesmerizing reading as usual.)

[UnfoldingSky]

Hey no problem!

 

His latest piece was good, wasn't it?  I love how direct he is in his writing.

 

[nz11]

 

  I am certainly not going to give up, not ever.  I have fought valiantly for my life and my health and you have too, stick around and wait for the rewards ok?

Wow great words. 

[nz11]

One member last year sent me this list ...i pin these kind of lists to the wall

 

Light - 17 years on various drugs  -last 6 years of them pollydrugged - 10 years off now 70% recovered
Musicman - 12 years on paxil, also on steroids for 11 years. 10 years off still bad, but akathisia resolved and other problems getting better finally
Healing - 12 years on antidepressants - 9 years off slowly getting better, mostly recovered
Squirrel - 8 years - 9 years off, mostly recovered, still has very mild DR/DP, slight dizziness from time to time, anxiety and sinus problems. Nothing major
Tryingtogetwell- 8 years off, recovered at 7 years off
Alto - 10 years free - recovered, has minor sleep issues

 

Also a member in a bad way who talked  to Shipko [Dr. Stuart Shipko] was given this encouraging info..which they shared with me .....i think its ok to share this (i dont think this is a breach of privacy..then again maybe it is...i hope not ..i'm unable to contact the person directly to get permission.....i'm sure a mod will advise me.)

 

"Your letter indicates that you are looking for hope.  There is indeed hope.  I never followed six patients for 7 years.  Rather, there were three patients who did significantly improve after about 7 years.  There were no patients followed for 7 years who did poorly.  My experience is not the only information on the subject.  I have spoken to people who tell me that they improve even after longer than 7 years.  Do not despair.  Rather, do what you can to promote good health - proper diet, exercise as tolerated, etc."

 

I think Shipko is great.

 

Here is a list put together on another site, there are people in this list taking over 5 yrs to recover. Not sure if this list is encouraging as not that many names over 5 yrs but even one or two gives hope right?

rubberduckie - 3 years
no fears - 2.5 years
areoman - 4 years
jonno - 2 years
dottie - 6 years
mightywarrier - 2.5 years
blankets 2/3 years
llhh - 3 years
marebear - 3 years
paxhell - 3 years
akenew - 3-5 years
hopeful 2.5 years
saiff - 16 months
wallflower - 2 years for 80%
lov4k9 - 18 months
banjodan - 2 years
hope -- 5 years
shea carney 3-7 years
rickyjohnson - 3 years
zoloftfree - 3-5 years
SCHNAUZERPOWER - 2 years
nolex - 3 years
expaxman - 2 years
nicoasg - 3 years
whatisnormal - 2 years
lossleader - 4.5 years
WURSTBROT - 2.5 years
EDROPHIS - 3 years
goldenbawls - 2.5/3 years
__________________

Edited January 6, 2015 by cymbaltawithdrawal5600
added emphasis to Shipko's words

[LexAnger]

Hi Unfoldingsky, you are not alone in having bad reactions to reinstatement/increase. I suffers millions of weirded and severe problems from increasing dose after 1 yr holding on lower dose.

 

Glad you are half recovered. Can you send me the link to your intro page?

[MrDenton]

One member last year sent me this list ...i pin these kind of lists to the wall

 

Light - 17 years on various drugs  -last 6 years of them pollydrugged - 10 years off now 70% recovered

Musicman - 12 years on paxil, also on steroids for 11 years. 10 years off still bad, but akathisia resolved and other problems getting better finally

Healing - 12 years on antidepressants - 9 years off slowly getting better, mostly recovered

Squirrel - 8 years - 9 years off, mostly recovered, still has very mild DR/DP, slight dizziness from time to time, anxiety and sinus problems. Nothing major

Tryingtogetwell- 8 years off, recovered at 7 years off

Alto - 10 years free - recovered, has minor sleep issues

 

Also a member in a bad way who talked  to Shipko [Dr. Stuart Shipko] was given this encouraging info..which they shared with me .....i think its ok to share this (i dont think this is a breach of privacy..then again maybe it is...i hope not ..i'm unable to contact the person directly to get permission.....i'm sure a mod will advise me.)

 

"Your letter indicates that you are looking for hope.  There is indeed hope.  I never followed six patients for 7 years.  Rather, there were three patients who did significantly improve after about 7 years.  There were no patients followed for 7 years who did poorly.  My experience is not the only information on the subject.  I have spoken to people who tell me that they improve even after longer than 7 years.  Do not despair.  Rather, do what you can to promote good health - proper diet, exercise as tolerated, etc."

 

I think Shipko is great.

 

Here is a list put together on another site, there are people in this list taking over 5 yrs to recover. Not sure if this list is encouraging as not that many names over 5 yrs but even one or two gives hope right?

rubberduckie - 3 years

no fears - 2.5 years

areoman - 4 years

jonno - 2 years

dottie - 6 years

mightywarrier - 2.5 years

blankets 2/3 years

llhh - 3 years

marebear - 3 years

paxhell - 3 years

akenew - 3-5 years

hopeful 2.5 years

saiff - 16 months

wallflower - 2 years for 80%

lov4k9 - 18 months

banjodan - 2 years

hope -- 5 years

shea carney 3-7 years

rickyjohnson - 3 years

zoloftfree - 3-5 years

SCHNAUZERPOWER - 2 years

nolex - 3 years

expaxman - 2 years

nicoasg - 3 years

whatisnormal - 2 years

lossleader - 4.5 years

WURSTBROT - 2.5 years

EDROPHIS - 3 years

goldenbawls - 2.5/3 years

__________________

 

Have i missed something?I woud not want to come off sounding like a whiner but why in many posts people tell that recovery takes month's to years when the average recovery time seems to be 3 years with many people feeling better only after 5 years and no success stories of feeling better after lets say 6 to 15 month? Better to say that it probably takes 3 years for those who get withdrawals to recover:) 

[cymbaltawithdrawal5600]

If that is your comment "inside the quote" how did you calculate that 'average'? Are you extrapolating that list to the whole of the recovery community here, at PP or planet-wide?

 

Recovery sites do not attract everybody and ours is not the only "game in town" (but it is the best, imo).

[NoMeaning25]

I sent you this. I received this email from Dr Shipko after his very discouraging post on MIA. You are welcome to post it and glad you did!

 

 

Also a member in a bad way who talked  to Shipko [Dr. Stuart Shipko] was given this encouraging info..which they shared with me .....i think its ok to share this (i dont think this is a breach of privacy..then again maybe it is...i hope not ..i'm unable to contact the person directly to get permission.....i'm sure a mod will advise me.)

 

"Your letter indicates that you are looking for hope.  There is indeed hope.  I never followed six patients for 7 years.  Rather, there were three patients who did significantly improve after about 7 years.  There were no patients followed for 7 years who did poorly.  My experience is not the only information on the subject.  I have spoken to people who tell me that they improve even after longer than 7 years.  Do not despair.  Rather, do what you can to promote good health - proper diet, exercise as tolerated, etc."

 

I think Shipko is great.

 

Here is a list put together on another site, there are people in this list taking over 5 yrs to recover. Not sure if this list is encouraging as not that many names over 5 yrs but even one or two gives hope right?

rubberduckie - 3 years

no fears - 2.5 years

areoman - 4 years

jonno - 2 yearsdottie - 6 years

mightywarrier - 2.5 years

blankets 2/3 years

llhh - 3 years

marebear - 3 years

paxhell - 3 yearsakenew - 3-5 years

hopeful 2.5 years

saiff - 16 months

wallflower - 2 years for 80%

lov4k9 - 18 months

banjodan - 2 yearshope -- 5 years

shea carney 3-7 years

rickyjohnson - 3 years

zoloftfree - 3-5 years

SCHNAUZERPOWER - 2 years

nolex - 3 years

expaxman - 2 years

nicoasg - 3 years

whatisnormal - 2 years

lossleader - 4.5 years

WURSTBROT - 2.5 years

EDROPHIS - 3 years

goldenbawls - 2.5/3 years

__________________

[UnfoldingSky]

Hi Unfoldingsky, you are not alone in having bad reactions to reinstatement/increase. I suffers millions of weirded and severe problems from increasing dose after 1 yr holding on lower dose.

 

Glad you are half recovered. Can you send me the link to your intro page?

 

Hi LexAnger, sorry to hear you had issues like mine too. 

 

I will get you that link to my intro if I can find it, for some reason it's difficult for me to find even...

 

There's not much there though as I abandonned it, as revisiting what I had been through was too much at the time I posted it.  I want to update it though, so will dig around and get back to you. 

[cymbaltawithdrawal5600]

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/972-unfoldingskys-protracted-withdrawal-from-celexa-other-drugs/

 

search term in google:

 

survivingantidepressants.org (space) (username)

 

That's why we try to edit titles of intros so they include your username, usually first, followed by :

[UnfoldingSky]

Hey thanks CW!  You are a miracle worker!  Is there a reason why it doesn't show up in the list of threads I've posted to in my profile page?  (I hope this makes sense, I so need sleep).

I tried to find it a while ago and it wasn't coming up there and so for a bit I thought y'all had deleted it. 

[UnfoldingSky]

Mr. Denton, in answer to your question in that quote box, there are people who do get shorter withdrawals.

 

I've known people who had mild withdrawal issues coming off a drug, say like zaps and not much else and they would clear up in a month or less.  The people I spoke to whom this happened to never sought out sites like this.

 

Also I've spoken to people who had severe adverse reactions to short term drug exposures and they tended to recover in months, not years.  One guy I recall recovered in a month even. 

[cymbaltawithdrawal5600]

Hey thanks CW!  You are a miracle worker!  Is there a reason why it doesn't show up in the list of threads I've posted to in my profile page?  (I hope this makes sense, I so need sleep).

 

I tried to find it a while ago and it wasn't coming up there and so for a bit I thought y'all had deleted it. 

 

nope no miracle worker. Search function on this site has "limitations" (translation: it kinda sucks.) I know that in advance. Using goog works better, use search string in format listed above.

 

The 'search content' is limited to anything in past year. If your post to your thread was > 1 yr, won't show. So I automatically use goog for searching most things. There are some instances where site search is good, tho. Can't pitch baby out w/ bathwater.

 

The only time thread search for an intro fails is if their (username) has not been inserted into it, either upon first creation or mod editing.

 

We do not delete threads. If you had searched all (as of today the count is 45 pages) 45 pages of intro threads you would have:

 

found it

fallen asleep

blinked and missed it

given up in defeat

PM'd a 'tech' mod like me for help in finding it

started a new one and then I would have swooped into action and merged them. (don't do this please)

run for the cussin' thread

[btdt]

If no one minds I am copying this to the 'Best of SA" thread. I actually forgot I wrote this!

 

It is particularly written for those members who are compelled to write (and sometimes over and over) that they will never recover. I have been there and I know that it is patently false. Everyone recovers, it is just a matter of degree and length of time passed. For me it appears to be a relatively short time (a little over 2 years post cold turkey) that I can say I am recovered from the worst of the autonomic nervous system dysfunction that is the dreaded 'withdrawal syndrome'. Along with it comes a very upsetting emotional component but the good news is that as the nervous system heals itself, so does the emotional system. There will always be some fine tuning needed (here is where CBT techniques might fit in nicely) and maybe some therapy specific to the issues that caused a person to seek medication to begin with but the worst is over, hopefully never to return.

 

It becomes imperative, however, that one must always be mindful of lifestyle. Gone are the days of staying up late and not getting enough sleep. Skipping meals is out. You have to eat your veggies and fruits and stop trying to exist on candy bars and diet soda and coffee (cut that crap out too or else only use sparingly AFTER you have recovered.) Easy on the carbs and become friends with high quality protein. Get some exercise every day and GET OUTSIDE INTO THE SUN DAILY! I haven't proved this to myself (I am totally chicken because I don't want to experience wd ever again) but my intuition tells me that unless we straighten up and fly right, once we have gone through wd it can happen again without having any medication in out systems. We are forever sensitized because of our medication history and poor lifestyle choices. I'll bet the farm on this and if there is anyone who wants to prove me wrong, have at it. Someone already has had this happen to them. Remember Matt Samet anyone? We would all do well to heed his story. He had a non-medication relapse in 2013 (I believe it was overuse of caffeine) and I cannot find any recent writings from him showing that he is back in the land of the living yet. So beware, all of you. And by the way, if you are in the thick of wd, if you are using caffeine in any form, and this includes decaf and chocolate, stop it right now. You have no idea what it is doing to your nervous system. Far better to go cold turkey on it immediately (and suffer a bit) than to continue to poke at a nervous system gone haywire.

'There will always be some fine tuning needed (here is where CBT techniques might fit in nicely) and maybe some therapy specific to the issues that caused a person to seek medication to begin with but the worst is over, hopefully never to return." 

 

Some of us did not has a psych reason to start the drugs I just want to put that out there the drugs have caused all this for some of us. 

 

and this..

"Everyone recovers, it is just a matter of degree " 

To date the degree is not yet acceptable to me to the degree I would write a recovery story.  I don't call that recovery. Again I seem to be splitting hairs but I can't seem to stand it when folks seem to be minimizing... maybe I am just sore that others are going on when I feel so stuck and damaged still. 

sorry if I am being a wet blanket... I came to read your last post thought it was going to be your recovery story and I got stuck here as I often do can't see the forest for the trees. 

My five cents.

peace all

 

[cymbaltawithdrawal5600]

Btdt,

 

My story won't be in this forum anyway, this is a subforum of the 'Recovery Stories' main forum, where it will be, if I ever decide to write it.

 

I am holding off because I have slacked off on what I did to recover, and I feel so very unsure of myself a lot of the days. There was no secret, just that I was probably more rigid than most about sticking to certain things that I enumerated in that post, for a whole danged year. And it produced an amazing result.

 

Your situation is so different, how have you managed to stay sane with all that has happened to you? Death, illness, loss, changed living circumstances. I did not have these to contend with (yet), but you did.

 

 

maybe I am just sore that others are going on when I feel so stuck and damaged still.

 

Ok, but I am going to butt in and tell you that that kind of thinking (being 'sore') is not helping you. This is no race and you are not being left behind. Each person's recovery is different and my life is not over yet, neither is yours. Can you read the future? Do you know that you and I might change places in our circumstances in the future? Could very well happen. Try doing what I did for a whole year. See what happens. Won't be anything like me because you are you.

 

So here's your 5 cents back. The fat lady has not sung yet.

[LexAnger]

Thank you unfoldingsky! I think you can find your intro by clicking your name on the right upper corner then click the my content form the list there.

[Brandy]

One member last year sent me this list ...i pin these kind of lists to the wall

 

Light - 17 years on various drugs  -last 6 years of them pollydrugged - 10 years off now 70% recovered

Musicman - 12 years on paxil, also on steroids for 11 years. 10 years off still bad, but akathisia resolved and other problems getting better finally

Healing - 12 years on antidepressants - 9 years off slowly getting better, mostly recovered

Squirrel - 8 years - 9 years off, mostly recovered, still has very mild DR/DP, slight dizziness from time to time, anxiety and sinus problems. Nothing major

Tryingtogetwell- 8 years off, recovered at 7 years off

Alto - 10 years free - recovered, has minor sleep issues 

 

....

 

My user name on PP was "TryingtoGetWell" and I realize I am 8 years off, so this probably refers to me. I have no idea who gave you this information, but it is extremely misleading, though hopefully unintentionally. I do consider myself substantially recovered, but nothing significant occurred at 7 years off. Perhaps whoever gave you this information was referring to a communication when I was 7 years off, but I don't want anyone to think it took me 7 years to have any recovery! I did continue to recover after "turning the corner" at almost 4 years off, though.

 

(My symptoms and conditions were myriad, and my med history and recovery complicated. That is true of many people, most of whom have never to my knowledge posted about their full medication and withdrawal histories, much less past medical histories, which I believe can affect rate of recovery in many - though certainly not all - instances. (At least not those who I was in contact with in my more active years in withdrawal groups like PP.)

 

I will post more about this soon in the post I am drafting, tentatively called "Why People Don't Post Recovery Stories." (Important - it is NOT saying that people don't recover. Just the opposite.) I rarely proofread posts - but should!!! - and in this case will, so stay tuned...

[MrDenton]

Mr. Denton, in answer to your question in that quote box, there are people who do get shorter withdrawals.

 

I've known people who had mild withdrawal issues coming off a drug, say like zaps and not much else and they would clear up in a month or less.  The people I spoke to whom this happened to never sought out sites like this.

 

Also I've spoken to people who had severe adverse reactions to short term drug exposures and they tended to recover in months, not years.  One guy I recall recovered in a month even. 

Thank you, now i know that there is hope for a quicker recovery:)

[cymbaltawithdrawal5600]

 

Perhaps whoever gave you this information was referring to a communication when I was 7 years off,

 

Brandy and anyone else who was mentioned in that particular post, it was posted 'as is' and not checked for accuracy. It can be edited on request: if there is something that needs to be changed, please PM me with the new info and I will amend it for you, OK?

[btdt]

Btdt,

 

My story won't be in this forum anyway, this is a subforum of the 'Recovery Stories' main forum, where it will be, if I ever decide to write it.

 

I am holding off because I have slacked off on what I did to recover, and I feel so very unsure of myself a lot of the days. There was no secret, just that I was probably more rigid than most about sticking to certain things that I enumerated in that post, for a whole danged year. And it produced an amazing result.

 

Your situation is so different, how have you managed to stay sane with all that has happened to you? Death, illness, loss, changed living circumstances. I did not have these to contend with (yet), but you did.

 

 

maybe I am just sore that others are going on when I feel so stuck and damaged still.

 

Ok, but I am going to butt in and tell you that that kind of thinking (being 'sore') is not helping you. This is no race and you are not being left behind. Each person's recovery is different and my life is not over yet, neither is yours. Can you read the future? Do you know that you and I might change places in our circumstances in the future? Could very well happen. Try doing what I did for a whole year. See what happens. Won't be anything like me because you are you.

 

So here's your 5 cents back. The fat lady has not sung yet.

I am not really sore at that at all.  I only said it as it was a thought... that was a place to look at I looked and no I am not.  I want you to know that I did all you did and more for more than a year and for me it did not work there is an element of luck perhaps.  The life changes I have seen with others before and they still healed in 3 years or less so it can't be all that either.  It could well be the length of time I was drugged.  18+ years.  It could be the poly drugging or the different sorts of drugs I was on to treat the side effects ... and the damage from that.  It could be the illnesses are a hangover from some of this damage. Liver for example. 

 

There are always mitigating factors in every life while this program you have stuck to has worked and I am glad it worked for you I truly am... it does not work for all of us.  I know I am not alone but I feel I am as the long term folks though they have posted here and have contacted me some in pm... are just not active on this board much.  We may be very few in number I hope we are.  It does nobody any good to have people be ill and non functioning nobody.   It may be something genetic I can't seem to get beyond I just don't know nobody does.  

 

While your right the fat lady may not have sang but the longer this goes on there may well be nobody left to care if she ever sings as so much time has been lost recovering from the loss of time weighs more each year.  I am saying the amount of time makes a difference in how this feels how it affects a persons life and how one can get on with living.  I am sure everybody knows this on some level I am just saying it out loud...one voice for me and those others out there like me. 

peace is what we want... healing would bring peace....justice would be therapeutic 

[btdt]

Light - 17 years on various drugs  -last 6 years of them pollydrugged - 10 years off now 70% recovered

 

Maybe this is my comparison as I was drugged about the same amount of time so I have a few more years to go. 

peace

[NewMe]

Still going well - love to all

[gemini]

I'm also partially recovered - 65 to 70% if I had to quantify it. I am 19.5 months off ssri, snri and a tricyclic antidepressant I'd taken for over a decade. I cold turkeyed them all at once, simultaneously. Probably not the best action to take but I did. The first year was met with psychotic depression, Dr/dp , extreme muscle rigidity, hypersensitivity to noise/light, severe paranoid ideations, hallucinations, mainly aural. Couldn't work, could barely feed myself. I became an illiterate mute.

 

Today I'm back at work, able to read and digest nyt articles to legal material for work. My symptoms have broken up to where I am now experiencing moderate waves of depression that are shorter in length and lighter in severity at each successive session and my cognitive distortions are likewise receding into the background and becoming tolerably dissipating noise .

 

I hope we all heal as pain-free as possible.

 

Peace and love.

[Swede]

Encouraging Gemini and good for you!!

[elbee]

These hopeful threads have been really important for me. Thanks to those of you who don't "disappear" completely into your recovered or partially recovered life, and come back at least periodically to share and update us on your stories of courage. To me, on really rough days like today, it feels like people throwing out lifelines to me. I appreciate it so much, and hope that I will be in a position to do the same for others someday. Much gratitude!