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Can we talk about anger towards big pharma?


Ssriwarrior

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Hello all,

 

I'm new here..not feeling like sharing all the details quite yet but in a nutshell I was medicated against my will at age 9 with Prozac, weaned myself off (by rebelling against my mother and cheeking the pills) by age 11. Had a stressful move to college and started back on SSRIs at 18 because I believed the myth of the medical model that doctors and psychiatrists kept telling me. Had several failed attempts at tapers due to misinformation by the dr. At the age of 32, I had a spiritual awakening and realized the drugs were BS and actually making me more anxious. Started weaning from 10mg of lexapro 09/13 and am now down to 2.5mg at 09/14. I have had some intense muscle pain with last taper and it has largely fueled my anger (maybe rage!) towards the drug companies.

 

To me, it feels like mind control at it's very finest. For years I had doctors telling me my brain was broken and there was something wrong with ME. So for years I believed I was a freak and weird and broken and had no faith in my own personal power. What a way to keep the individual complacent and in fear. Now even with protracted withdrawal symptoms I feel SO much better. Sooooooooo much less anxiety because 10 mg of lexapro was way to stimulating for me. So I'm re-working my identity of being this anxious and depressed person when it was really the drugs all along. My rage comes when I think about all the years I have "lost". 14 years of my adult life could have been lived differently. I may have chosen a different partner, a different job, and I sure as hell would never have taken an SSRI during my pregnancy when all the drs assured me it was safe. Oh the regret and guilt. And I also feel so naive for believing the lies all this time.

 

I can think positively and see how all this pain and deception can help me to help educate others on the dangers of the drugs, especially children!

 

I am a very private person so none of my friends and family (apart from my husband and my best friend) know what I have been going through in this withdrawl process. I am not ready to share my story with the folks in my life for fear of stigma but I'm also looking for ways to express this anger.

Thanks for listening and getting it.

HISTORY: Lexapro 10mg (current and for approximately 7 years; Prozac 20mg for 5 years and Zoloft 50mg for 5 years)

Lexapro (too fast taper) 9mg 09/13; 8mg 10/13; 7mg 12/13; 6mg  02/14; 5mg  04/14; 4mg 06/14 2.5mg 08/29/14 2.25 mg 12/04/14;

 

Re-instatement - 2.5mg 12/17/14; 03/01/15 3.0 mg; 04/01/15 - 5mg;  05/01/15  6mg; 5/15/15 6.5mg 6/01/15 7.5mg

 

2nd attempt at micro taper: starting dose is 7.5mg using liquid compounded rx: 12/16/17 - 7mg;  02/05/18 - 6.75mg 04/06/18 - 6.5ml  05/31/18 re-instate back to 6.75mg 

 

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Good to see you here, Ssriwarrior.

 

Not to confuse you too terribly, I'm going to move this topic back to Finding Meaning as I think you bring up a good topic for discussion: How can you turn this justified anger towards constructive action for you and the world in general?

 

Please also start a topic for yourself in the Introductions forum to track your progress off the drug and out of withdrawal syndrome.

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

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hello all,

 

I'm new here..not feeling like sharing all the details quite yet but in a nutshell I was medicated against my will at age 9 with Prozac, weaned myself off (by rebelling against my mother and cheeking the pills) by age 11. Had a stressful move to college and started back on SSRIs at 18 because I believed the myth of the medical model that doctors and psychiatrists kept telling me. Had several failed attempts at tapers due to misinformation by the dr. At the age of 32, I had a spiritual awakening and realized the drugs were BS and actually making me more anxious. Started weaning from 10mg of lexapro 09/13 and am now down to 2.5mg at 09/14. I have had some intense muscle pain with last taper and it has largely fueled my anger (maybe rage!) towards the drug companies.

 

To me, it feels like mind control at it's very finest. For years I had doctors telling me my brain was broken and there was something wrong with ME. So for years I believed I was a freak and weird and broken and had no faith in my own personal power. What a way to keep the individual complacent and in fear. Now even with protracted withdrawal symptoms I feel SO much better. Sooooooooo much less anxiety because 10 mg of lexapro was way to stimulating for me. So I'm re-working my identity of being this anxious and depressed person when it was really the drugs all along. My rage comes when I think about all the years I have "lost". 14 years of my adult life could have been lived differently. I may have chosen a different partner, a different job, and I sure as hell would never have taken an SSRI during my pregnancy when all the drs assured me it was safe. Oh the regret and guilt. And I also feel so naive for believing the lies all this time.

 

I can think positively and see how all this pain and deception can help me to help educate others on the dangers of the drugs, especially children!

 

I am a very private person so none of my friends and family (apart from my husband and my best friend) know what I have been going through in this withdrawl process. I am not ready to share my story with the folks in my life for fear of stigma but I'm also looking for ways to express this anger.

Thanks for listening and getting it.

"To me, it feels like mind control at it's very finest."

 

I completely agree did 18 years myself feel free to pm me. 

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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  • Moderator Emeritus

I am sorrry that you went through all that but glad that you are now free of the

drugs that controlled you for so long. Thank you for sharing your experience with us. 

**I am not a medical professional, if in doubt please consult a doctor with withdrawal knowledge.

 

 

Different drugs occasionally (mostly benzos) 1976 - 1981 (no problem)

1993 - 2002 in and out of hospital. every type of drug + ECT. Staring with seroxat

2002  effexor. 

Tapered  March 2012 to March 2013, ending with 5 beads.

Withdrawal April 2013 . Reinstated 5 beads reduced to 4 beads May 2013

Restarted taper  Nov 2013  

OFF EFFEXOR Feb 2015    :D 

Tapered atenolol and omeprazole Dec 2013 - May 2014

 

Tapering tramadol, Feb 2015 100mg , March 2015 50mg  

 July 2017 30mg.  May 15 2018 25mg

Taking fish oil, magnesium, B12, folic acid, bilberry eyebright for eye pressure. 

 

My story http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/4199-hello-mammap-checking-in/page-33

 

Lesson learned, slow down taper at lower doses. Taper no more than 10% of CURRENT dose if possible

 

 

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  • 3 months later...

I wanted to look up the original dr who so proudly prescribed me ssri's and give her a piece of my mind.

 

Probably not a lot of use.

If I was generous I would say she was misguided and trying to help.

 

Cheers

 

Damien

Off all SSRIs as at November 2016.

 

Been on SSRIs (mainly Lexapro) for around 15 years.

failed attempts to go cold turkey before I got proper info on it.

Over last 2 years I've slowly gone from 20 mg Lexapro to 2.5 mg Lexapro.

on 25th Jan 2015 I've now moved to home made liquid Lexapro.

Plan is to drop roughly 0.2 mg per month over the next 1-2 years.  

25th Jan 2015 2.5 mg Lexapro liquid.

24th Mar 2016 1.0 mg lexapro (crushed tablet mixed and refilled into capsules)

Planned to be at 0.0 mg lexapro by about October 2016. 

I also take 50-100 mg modafinil per day, no short term plans of stopping/tapering modafinil but will re-evaluate after I'm off lexapro. 

 

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Hello all,

 

I'm new here..not feeling like sharing all the details quite yet but in a nutshell I was medicated against my will at age 9 with Prozac, weaned myself off (by rebelling against my mother and cheeking the pills) by age 11. Had a stressful move to college and started back on SSRIs at 18 because I believed the myth of the medical model that doctors and psychiatrists kept telling me. Had several failed attempts at tapers due to misinformation by the dr. At the age of 32, I had a spiritual awakening and realized the drugs were BS and actually making me more anxious. Started weaning from 10mg of lexapro 09/13 and am now down to 2.5mg at 09/14. I have had some intense muscle pain with last taper and it has largely fueled my anger (maybe rage!) towards the drug companies.

 

To me, it feels like mind control at it's very finest. For years I had doctors telling me my brain was broken and there was something wrong with ME. So for years I believed I was a freak and weird and broken and had no faith in my own personal power. What a way to keep the individual complacent and in fear. Now even with protracted withdrawal symptoms I feel SO much better. Sooooooooo much less anxiety because 10 mg of lexapro was way to stimulating for me. So I'm re-working my identity of being this anxious and depressed person when it was really the drugs all along. My rage comes when I think about all the years I have "lost". 14 years of my adult life could have been lived differently. I may have chosen a different partner, a different job, and I sure as hell would never have taken an SSRI during my pregnancy when all the drs assured me it was safe. Oh the regret and guilt. And I also feel so naive for believing the lies all this time.

 

I can think positively and see how all this pain and deception can help me to help educate others on the dangers of the drugs, especially children!

 

I am a very private person so none of my friends and family (apart from my husband and my best friend) know what I have been going through in this withdrawl process. I am not ready to share my story with the folks in my life for fear of stigma but I'm also looking for ways to express this anger.

Thanks for listening and getting it.

Hi Ssriwarrior,

 

Thanks so much for sharing your story because it makes me feel like I'm not alone. I was placed on Zoloft when I was 10 (and was sent to counselors and therapists before that), which made me always feel like there was something wrong with me. Then whenever I would have a hard time with something (like adjusting to high school or college) I would feel like it was just me and I would run back to the meds. 

 

Ironically, now that I'm off meds for the first time, I feel better about myself than when I was on them, now that I no longer am caught up in the lie that something is really wrong with me (though that belief is always there and tempting). Even though I am still suffering physically, I have come out of all of this a better person and am convinced it is something I had to go through. 

Zoloft: 2003-2004/05 (about 1-2 years)
No symptoms except mild anxiety (can't tell if from withdrawal or not)
Prozac: Dec. 2006-Summer 2008 (about 1.5 years)
Celexa: Summer 2008-April 2009 (6 months-1 year)
Wellbutrin: April 2009-July 2013 (4-4.5 years) highest dose 400 mg
Abilify: tried briefly around 2011
Seroquel: Summer 2012-July 2013 (about 1 year)
Tapered Seroquel 200 mg and Wellbutrin May - July 2013
Sudden onset of symptoms: September 2013, worsened December 2013
Gradually improving December 2013-present
Trazodone: Jan 2014 (tried for about 1 month for sleep)
Supplements: Jan 2014-present

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HATE... One word response to pharma.

 

I saw a pharm rep in a dr office with my mom, and had the inclination to knock him out of his chair.

2005-Zoloft bad reaction.....2006-Lexepro......2012-Upped Lexepro.......2013-Upped Lexepro......2/2014- Attempted Taper Lexepro...2/2014- Updosed Lexepro.......3/2014-Ativan.....5/2014- CT switch from Lexpro to Effexor.....

5/2014-7/2014-Tapered Ativan from 1mg to .25mg.....6/2014-Bad reaction to Effexor........7/2014- Rapid taper Effexor every other day......7/5/2014- Off Effexor.......7/2014-12/2014 - Ativan .25mg.......12/25/2014 -Taper Ativan by 4% due to paradoxical reaction .24mg...11/18/2015-Taper Ativan 1% CURRENTLY ON: .2376mg Ativan taken in 6 .0396mg doses.

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Can we talk about why all of us here are not going into lawsuits against the pharm companies?  It's too bad we've been on different meds, otherwise we'd be able to go into a class action suit.

Actually, for those who HAVE been on the same meds… why don't we?

*I'm not a doctor and don't give medical advice, just personal experience
**Off all meds since Nov. 2014. Mentally & emotionally recovered; physically not
-Dual cold turkeys off TCA & Ativan in Oct 2014. Prescribed from 2011-2014

-All meds were Rxed off-label for an autoimmune illness.  It was a MISDIAGNOSIS, but I did not find out until AFTER meds caused damage.  All med tapers/cold turkeys directed by doctors 

-Nortriptyline May 2012 - Dec 2013. Cold turkey off nortrip & cold switched to desipramine

-Desipramine Jan 2014 - Oct. 29, 2014 (rapid taper/cold turkey)

-Lorazepam 1 mg per night during 2011
-Lorazepam 1 mg per month in 2012 (or less)

-Lorazepam on & off, Dec 2013 through Aug 2014. Didn't exceed 3x a week

-Lorazepam again in Oct. 2014 to help get off of desipramine. Last dose lzpam was 1 mg, Nov. 2, 2014. Immediate paradoxical reactions to benzos after stopping TCAs 

-First muscle/dystonia side effects started on nortriptyline, but docs too stupid to figure it out. On desipramine, muscle tremors & rigidity worsened

-Two weeks after I got off all meds, I developed full-blown TD.  Tardive dystonia, dyskinesia, myoclonic jerks ALL over body, ribcage wiggles, facial tics, twitching tongue & fingers, tremors/twitches of arms, legs, cognitive impairment, throat muscles semi-paralyzed & unable to swallow solid food, brain zaps, ears ring, dizzy, everything looks too far away, insomnia, numbness & electric shocks everywhere when I try to fall asleep, jerk awake from sleep with big, gasping breaths, wake with terrors & tremors, severely depressed.  NO HISTORY OF DEPRESSION, EVER. Meds CREATED it.

-Month 7: hair falling out; no vision improvement; still tardive dystonia; facial & tongue tics returned
-Month 8: back to acute, incl. Grand Mal seizure-like episodes. New mental torment, PGAD, worse insomnia
-Month 9: tardive dystonia worse, dyskinesia returned. Unable to breathe well due to dystonia in stomach, chest, throat
-Month 13: Back to acute, brain zaps back, developed eczema & stomach problems. Left leg no longer works right due to dystonia, meaning both legs now damaged
-7 years off: Huge improvements, incl. improved dystonia

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HATE... One word response to pharma.

 

I saw a pharm rep in a dr office with my mom, and had the inclination to knock him out of his chair.

Was that a neuro emotion  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:

That just cracked me up... as i have been in some very similar places...there is nothing worse than being in the doctors office with yet another withdrawal symptom and sitting waiting forever... while the pharma guy butters up the boss to gives some other poor sucker these drugs. 

 

It is insult to injury then you get in there and get treated weird on top of it and there is nothing they can do to fix your dying liver.... oh ya I have been there with this one. 

 

I laughter comes from recognizing myself in your words and how on a couple of occasions I could not resist a confrontation of small sorts... I could not stop myself.  I recalled thinking later it must have been neuro emotion.. those are the ones that get us put in jail right?  Luckily I don't want to go to jail I can barely stand being out of jail... jail would do me in.  Maybe or maybe I would just adjust nobody could ever say anyone in withdrawal can't adjust as we do it a million times more than normal people... sorry I think I am rambling with no end in sight... 

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 :)

Link to comment

Can we talk about why all of us here are not going into lawsuits against the pharm companies?  It's too bad we've been on different meds, otherwise we'd be able to go into a class action suit.

 

Actually, for those who HAVE been on the same meds… why don't we?

If you can find a lawyer who will take it that would be a great plan.  Nothing should stop you from trying it is your right to seek damages when you have been injured but the system is bent....

 

I live in Canada and I called every lawyer who does this sort of work here and no takers I even called some who specialize in this in the states no takers... it is impossible to go to court without a lawyer on such a thing. 

Other I am sure will tell you that you would have to have taken the drug before all the warning were put on them.. I of course did having taken them since they hit the store almost... that long. 

 

 

There are other reasons or excuses I have heard... they can't fight pharma as they have lawyers on payroll and can keep a lawyer in court for decades and $$$$ cost so much... a small firm could not afford to take a case against pharma.  

 

There is some talk about the process in a book called Death by Prescription by Terrance Young.

 

I think going thru the process of calling lawyers was actually good for me in ways I can't quite name.

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 :)

Link to comment

 

 

HATE... One word response to pharma.

 

I saw a pharm rep in a dr office with my mom, and had the inclination to knock him out of his chair.

Was that a neuro emotion :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

That just cracked me up... as i have been in some very similar places...there is nothing worse than being in the doctors office with yet another withdrawal symptom and sitting waiting forever... while the pharma guy butters up the boss to gives some other poor sucker these drugs.

 

It is insult to injury then you get in there and get treated weird on top of it and there is nothing they can do to fix your dying liver.... oh ya I have been there with this one.

 

I laughter comes from recognizing myself in your words and how on a couple of occasions I could not resist a confrontation of small sorts... I could not stop myself. I recalled thinking later it must have been neuro emotion.. those are the ones that get us put in jail right? Luckily I don't want to go to jail I can barely stand being out of jail... jail would do me in. Maybe or maybe I would just adjust nobody could ever say anyone in withdrawal can't adjust as we do it a million times more than normal people... sorry I think I am rambling with no end in sight...

peace[/quote

 

 

 

I'm glad it made you laugh! I had a thought to hit him upside the head with my purse. Like swing it really good with some momentum and knock him straight in the back of the head! And then take all of his pamphlets and rip them up into pieces and throw them all over the office and then take his briefcase and run it over with the car!!!! Oh I'm sorry, I'm on a tangent. I'll stop now.

2005-Zoloft bad reaction.....2006-Lexepro......2012-Upped Lexepro.......2013-Upped Lexepro......2/2014- Attempted Taper Lexepro...2/2014- Updosed Lexepro.......3/2014-Ativan.....5/2014- CT switch from Lexpro to Effexor.....

5/2014-7/2014-Tapered Ativan from 1mg to .25mg.....6/2014-Bad reaction to Effexor........7/2014- Rapid taper Effexor every other day......7/5/2014- Off Effexor.......7/2014-12/2014 - Ativan .25mg.......12/25/2014 -Taper Ativan by 4% due to paradoxical reaction .24mg...11/18/2015-Taper Ativan 1% CURRENTLY ON: .2376mg Ativan taken in 6 .0396mg doses.

Link to comment

 

 

 

 

HATE... One word response to pharma.

 

I saw a pharm rep in a dr office with my mom, and had the inclination to knock him out of his chair.

Was that a neuro emotion :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

That just cracked me up... as i have been in some very similar places...there is nothing worse than being in the doctors office with yet another withdrawal symptom and sitting waiting forever... while the pharma guy butters up the boss to gives some other poor sucker these drugs.

 

It is insult to injury then you get in there and get treated weird on top of it and there is nothing they can do to fix your dying liver.... oh ya I have been there with this one.

 

I laughter comes from recognizing myself in your words and how on a couple of occasions I could not resist a confrontation of small sorts... I could not stop myself. I recalled thinking later it must have been neuro emotion.. those are the ones that get us put in jail right? Luckily I don't want to go to jail I can barely stand being out of jail... jail would do me in. Maybe or maybe I would just adjust nobody could ever say anyone in withdrawal can't adjust as we do it a million times more than normal people... sorry I think I am rambling with no end in sight...

peace[/quote

 

 

 

I'm glad it made you laugh! I had a thought to hit him upside the head with my purse. Like swing it really good with some momentum and knock him straight in the back of the head! And then take all of his pamphlets and rip them up into pieces and throw them all over the office and then take his briefcase and run it over with the car!!!! Oh I'm sorry, I'm on a tangent. I'll stop now

This is the sort of thing other people don't get ... and they wonder why I am on the computer all the time.. guess tangets are common too 

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 :)

Link to comment

 

 

 

HATE... One word response to pharma.

 

I saw a pharm rep in a dr office with my mom, and had the inclination to knock him out of his chair.

Was that a neuro emotion :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

That just cracked me up... as i have been in some very similar places...there is nothing worse than being in the doctors office with yet another withdrawal symptom and sitting waiting forever... while the pharma guy butters up the boss to gives some other poor sucker these drugs.

 

It is insult to injury then you get in there and get treated weird on top of it and there is nothing they can do to fix your dying liver.... oh ya I have been there with this one.

 

I laughter comes from recognizing myself in your words and how on a couple of occasions I could not resist a confrontation of small sorts... I could not stop myself. I recalled thinking later it must have been neuro emotion.. those are the ones that get us put in jail right? Luckily I don't want to go to jail I can barely stand being out of jail... jail would do me in. Maybe or maybe I would just adjust nobody could ever say anyone in withdrawal can't adjust as we do it a million times more than normal people... sorry I think I am rambling with no end in sight...

peace[/quote

 

 

 

I'm glad it made you laugh! I had a thought to hit him upside the head with my purse. Like swing it really good with some momentum and knock him straight in the back of the head! And then take all of his pamphlets and rip them up into pieces and throw them all over the office and then take his briefcase and run it over with the car!!!! Oh I'm sorry, I'm on a tangent. I'll stop now

This is the sort of thing other people don't get ... and they wonder why I am on the computer all the time.. guess tangets are common too

peace

 

I'm on here all the time, but it's either tangents on here or screaming profanities in the the parking lot.

2005-Zoloft bad reaction.....2006-Lexepro......2012-Upped Lexepro.......2013-Upped Lexepro......2/2014- Attempted Taper Lexepro...2/2014- Updosed Lexepro.......3/2014-Ativan.....5/2014- CT switch from Lexpro to Effexor.....

5/2014-7/2014-Tapered Ativan from 1mg to .25mg.....6/2014-Bad reaction to Effexor........7/2014- Rapid taper Effexor every other day......7/5/2014- Off Effexor.......7/2014-12/2014 - Ativan .25mg.......12/25/2014 -Taper Ativan by 4% due to paradoxical reaction .24mg...11/18/2015-Taper Ativan 1% CURRENTLY ON: .2376mg Ativan taken in 6 .0396mg doses.

Link to comment

"I'm on here all the time, but it's either tangents on here or screaming profanities in the the parking lot. "

 

That would make a good SA t-shirt :) odd the things we laugh at... before this we would think people who thought such things were mad now we see it as our gaining sanity.  So much of this process is unrelated to anything in the real word it is no wonder people feel so very alienated. 

peace 

thanks for the laugh :)

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 :)

Link to comment
  • 2 weeks later...

I am also furious how these drugs are pushed on children. Also how they are blatantly advertised on T.V.

where,though "side-effects" are listed by law, thee is no mention of the nightmare of trying to get off them.

I'm also a very private person and only share my struggle withdrawing from prozac with my husband

and one close friend. Thank you for your post. I think of the people who are dealing with this without

any support, or worse. .  cavalier ignorant medical advice. For years when wanted to withdaw

from prozac, my doctor told me to just cut back to a capsule every other day for a week, then every third day and so on for a month.

Considering the severe consequences I suffered from this, I'm outraged this is still common advice.

On 20 mg of Prozac for about ten years. Sept 2012 started reducing 10% a drop using gram scale, with average of one month holds.

When I'd reached the half way mark, taking 10 mg  powder out of the 20 mg capsules, I switched over to 10 mg capsules and cutting

down from those. Withdrawals got harder the lower I dropped.  May 2013 changed to 5% drops, holding until all withdrawal symptoms gone.

January 2015 changed to liquid prozac (concentration of 20MG per 5 mL) using a 1mL oral syringe.

Current dose of fluoxetine solution equivalent 3.4 mg. Any effort to drop below this has been disastrous so for the time being I'm staying at this level.
Adding 200 mg Tryptophan and 200 GABA a day has helped with anxiety.
Also take 1,300mg Omega- 3,  875mg  Magnesium, 1800mg Curcumin, 1000mg Vit C, 5000 Vit D.
 

 

Link to comment

WiggleIt: I also tried to find a lawyer and no one would consider it. We need some insider info as to why.

 

I have thought about trying it without a lawyer. I mean, I would tell the truth and offer ample evidence that I was not manic or crazy before all this. I have records at pharmacies of who prescribed what. So how can it not be winnable, either against the doctor or the drug companies? YES I KNOW THAT IS NAIVE. My real beef is with the FDA. They use our tax payments to protect us, and they don't protect us. Just checked the Effexor label. They don't warn of psychosis during withdrawal. They do say not to discontinue without your doctor's supervision, but psychosis is not listed as a possible outcome. That needs fixing.

 

As for drug reps, I saw one telling another one how easy it is to sell Seroquel in prisons, because the inmates love it. I tried to tape the conversation on my phone but accidentally switched it off. Dang.

2009: Cancer hospital said I had adjustment disorder because I thought they were doing it wrong. Their headshrinker prescribed Effexor, and my life set on a new course. I didn't know what was ahead, like a passenger on Disneyland's Matterhorn, smiling and waving as it climbs...clink, clink, clink.

2010: Post surgical accidental Effexor discontinuation by nurses, masked by intravenous Dilaudid. (The car is balanced at the top of the track.) I get home, pop a Vicodin, and ...

Whooosh...down, down, down, down, down...goes the trajectory of my life, up goes my mood and tendency to think everything is a good idea.
2012: After the bipolar jig was up, now a walking bag of unrelated symptoms, I went crazy on Daytrana (the Ritalin skin patch by Noven), because ADHD was a perfect fit for a bag of unrelated symptoms. I was prescribed Effexor for the nervousness of it, and things got neurological. An EEG showed enough activity to warrant an epilepsy diagnosis rather than non-epileptic ("psychogenic") seizures.

:o 2013-2014: Quit everything and got worse. I probably went through DAWS: dopamine agonist withdrawal syndrome. I drank to not feel, but I felt a lot: dread, fear, regret, grief: an utter sense of total loss of everything worth breathing about, for almost two years.

I was not suicidal but I wanted to be dead, at least dead to the experience of my own brain and body.

2015: I  began to recover after adding virgin coconut oil and organic grass-fed fed butter to a cup of instant coffee in the morning.

I did it hoping for mental acuity and better memory. After ten days of that, I was much better, mood-wise. Approximately neutral.

And, I experienced drowsiness. I could sleep. Not exactly happy, I did 30 days on Wellbutrin, because it had done me no harm in the past. 

I don't have the DAWS mood or state of mind. It never feel like doing anything if it means standing up.

In fact, I don't especially like moving. I'm a brain with a beanbag body.   :unsure:

Link to comment

They very likely have it covered...

 

  • Effexor XR Side Effects in Detail - Drugs.com
    www.drugs.com › Conditions › Panic Disorder › Effexor XR
    •  
    •  
     

    Learn about the potential side effects of Effexor XR (venlafaxine). ... manic reaction,psychosis, suicidal ideation, abnormal/changed behavior, homicidal ideation  ...

     

    The last time I looked Effexor side effects was 36 pages long... and they add to and changed it many times over the years. 

    http://www.pfizer.ca/en/our_products/products/monograph/258

     

    Just now I am doubting myself as to where to find the information... hmm brain acting odd again maybe..sorry think that is it.

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 :)

Link to comment

What I meant was that they don't list psychosis as a withdrawal side-effect. But I also didn't know they listed it as a medication side effect.

 

Hard to believe they can sell a drug that is known to cause psychosis in some users. And is difficult or impossible to quit. There's a nice little package!

2009: Cancer hospital said I had adjustment disorder because I thought they were doing it wrong. Their headshrinker prescribed Effexor, and my life set on a new course. I didn't know what was ahead, like a passenger on Disneyland's Matterhorn, smiling and waving as it climbs...clink, clink, clink.

2010: Post surgical accidental Effexor discontinuation by nurses, masked by intravenous Dilaudid. (The car is balanced at the top of the track.) I get home, pop a Vicodin, and ...

Whooosh...down, down, down, down, down...goes the trajectory of my life, up goes my mood and tendency to think everything is a good idea.
2012: After the bipolar jig was up, now a walking bag of unrelated symptoms, I went crazy on Daytrana (the Ritalin skin patch by Noven), because ADHD was a perfect fit for a bag of unrelated symptoms. I was prescribed Effexor for the nervousness of it, and things got neurological. An EEG showed enough activity to warrant an epilepsy diagnosis rather than non-epileptic ("psychogenic") seizures.

:o 2013-2014: Quit everything and got worse. I probably went through DAWS: dopamine agonist withdrawal syndrome. I drank to not feel, but I felt a lot: dread, fear, regret, grief: an utter sense of total loss of everything worth breathing about, for almost two years.

I was not suicidal but I wanted to be dead, at least dead to the experience of my own brain and body.

2015: I  began to recover after adding virgin coconut oil and organic grass-fed fed butter to a cup of instant coffee in the morning.

I did it hoping for mental acuity and better memory. After ten days of that, I was much better, mood-wise. Approximately neutral.

And, I experienced drowsiness. I could sleep. Not exactly happy, I did 30 days on Wellbutrin, because it had done me no harm in the past. 

I don't have the DAWS mood or state of mind. It never feel like doing anything if it means standing up.

In fact, I don't especially like moving. I'm a brain with a beanbag body.   :unsure:

Link to comment

Odd wording on drugs.com for side effects of Effexor:

 

Actions that are out of control

talking, feeling, and acting with excitement that you cannot control

 

Why can't they just say mania? Or symptoms of bipolar disorder? Just say this darned drug might make you a candidate for Lithium.

2009: Cancer hospital said I had adjustment disorder because I thought they were doing it wrong. Their headshrinker prescribed Effexor, and my life set on a new course. I didn't know what was ahead, like a passenger on Disneyland's Matterhorn, smiling and waving as it climbs...clink, clink, clink.

2010: Post surgical accidental Effexor discontinuation by nurses, masked by intravenous Dilaudid. (The car is balanced at the top of the track.) I get home, pop a Vicodin, and ...

Whooosh...down, down, down, down, down...goes the trajectory of my life, up goes my mood and tendency to think everything is a good idea.
2012: After the bipolar jig was up, now a walking bag of unrelated symptoms, I went crazy on Daytrana (the Ritalin skin patch by Noven), because ADHD was a perfect fit for a bag of unrelated symptoms. I was prescribed Effexor for the nervousness of it, and things got neurological. An EEG showed enough activity to warrant an epilepsy diagnosis rather than non-epileptic ("psychogenic") seizures.

:o 2013-2014: Quit everything and got worse. I probably went through DAWS: dopamine agonist withdrawal syndrome. I drank to not feel, but I felt a lot: dread, fear, regret, grief: an utter sense of total loss of everything worth breathing about, for almost two years.

I was not suicidal but I wanted to be dead, at least dead to the experience of my own brain and body.

2015: I  began to recover after adding virgin coconut oil and organic grass-fed fed butter to a cup of instant coffee in the morning.

I did it hoping for mental acuity and better memory. After ten days of that, I was much better, mood-wise. Approximately neutral.

And, I experienced drowsiness. I could sleep. Not exactly happy, I did 30 days on Wellbutrin, because it had done me no harm in the past. 

I don't have the DAWS mood or state of mind. It never feel like doing anything if it means standing up.

In fact, I don't especially like moving. I'm a brain with a beanbag body.   :unsure:

Link to comment

I think if you don't live alone some of those things may be noticed by others who are watching you... 

"Actions that are out of control

talking, feeling, and acting with excitement that you cannot control"

 

If you live alone it can be missed.  

When my Effexor was increased from 150 to the next level the fourth wk I was on it.. I happened to have company the day I started the higher dose and from the outside I had worried people pushing me to call my doc who lowered the dose.  I missed it that time.  I did normally live alone and I think the 150 caught up with me later when nobody was around.  I could not see it from the inside. Funny thing about mania. 

 

They can't put those words on the paper as it would push the 

"taking this drug could uncover bipolar" theme off the dock

patients may not think a drug that caused mania was worth the risk of taking to treat whatever it is they are trying to treat which may be less of a problem than mania will become in their lives...

I did not know what mania was when I started on these drugs I had never heard the word.

 

Have you noticed how everybody knows these "pharma" words now..mania bipolar I have heard school kids talk about psych issue using words I am sure did not exist when I was their age.... they know concerta...add adhd odd... blah blah blah.. their friends this and that.. this kid has this and on and on it goes... it is ridiculous ...............

 

Where do these kids go from here... they are brainwashed by drug names and disorders from grade school it is becoming the new normal advertised on tv now like barrel of monkeys were when I was a kid it use to be k tel slinkys and snowball fights now it is ... shooting games  on the rv and psych drugs...what kind of world will that make I wonder.  Actually I guess it is one where half the folks stay home broke eating pills playing violent games on tv while the other half give the drugs and pay them disability. ...sorry went off the rail there... carried away again. 

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 :)

Link to comment

Actually that was interesting and insightful. I have turned into a sedentary internet viewer since my ordeal. And yes, good old Slinky and Silly Sand and other physical toys were good. Realty-based.

 

I don't know what is in store for countries with high tech and low health. I just hope the unmedicted can help lead us away from where we are headed. I'm too sick to change the world right now.

 

P.S. I wonder how many of our doctors were pill-poppers themselves?

2009: Cancer hospital said I had adjustment disorder because I thought they were doing it wrong. Their headshrinker prescribed Effexor, and my life set on a new course. I didn't know what was ahead, like a passenger on Disneyland's Matterhorn, smiling and waving as it climbs...clink, clink, clink.

2010: Post surgical accidental Effexor discontinuation by nurses, masked by intravenous Dilaudid. (The car is balanced at the top of the track.) I get home, pop a Vicodin, and ...

Whooosh...down, down, down, down, down...goes the trajectory of my life, up goes my mood and tendency to think everything is a good idea.
2012: After the bipolar jig was up, now a walking bag of unrelated symptoms, I went crazy on Daytrana (the Ritalin skin patch by Noven), because ADHD was a perfect fit for a bag of unrelated symptoms. I was prescribed Effexor for the nervousness of it, and things got neurological. An EEG showed enough activity to warrant an epilepsy diagnosis rather than non-epileptic ("psychogenic") seizures.

:o 2013-2014: Quit everything and got worse. I probably went through DAWS: dopamine agonist withdrawal syndrome. I drank to not feel, but I felt a lot: dread, fear, regret, grief: an utter sense of total loss of everything worth breathing about, for almost two years.

I was not suicidal but I wanted to be dead, at least dead to the experience of my own brain and body.

2015: I  began to recover after adding virgin coconut oil and organic grass-fed fed butter to a cup of instant coffee in the morning.

I did it hoping for mental acuity and better memory. After ten days of that, I was much better, mood-wise. Approximately neutral.

And, I experienced drowsiness. I could sleep. Not exactly happy, I did 30 days on Wellbutrin, because it had done me no harm in the past. 

I don't have the DAWS mood or state of mind. It never feel like doing anything if it means standing up.

In fact, I don't especially like moving. I'm a brain with a beanbag body.   :unsure:

Link to comment

I'm back to wanting to smack all pharm reps. It comes in cycles...the rage. Hate it. I hope it passes as I get better

2005-Zoloft bad reaction.....2006-Lexepro......2012-Upped Lexepro.......2013-Upped Lexepro......2/2014- Attempted Taper Lexepro...2/2014- Updosed Lexepro.......3/2014-Ativan.....5/2014- CT switch from Lexpro to Effexor.....

5/2014-7/2014-Tapered Ativan from 1mg to .25mg.....6/2014-Bad reaction to Effexor........7/2014- Rapid taper Effexor every other day......7/5/2014- Off Effexor.......7/2014-12/2014 - Ativan .25mg.......12/25/2014 -Taper Ativan by 4% due to paradoxical reaction .24mg...11/18/2015-Taper Ativan 1% CURRENTLY ON: .2376mg Ativan taken in 6 .0396mg doses.

Link to comment

It does but it turns into something worse.. a slow burn in your gut that flashes in front of your eyes when you try to sleep at night and ever time you get another hit from anywhere you will think of the reserves you would have now to deal with it if it were not for pharma... not sure it is any better. 

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 :)

Link to comment

I'm back to wanting to smack all pharm reps. It comes in cycles...the rage. Hate it. I hope it passes as I get better

I don't think the 'pharma rage' will ever leave me!

2008 - Doctors appointment with stress induced anxiety led to Citalopram prescription.

Severe adverse reaction

Mirtazapine prescribed - adverse reaction but told to stay on.

Poop out - December 2013

15mg

Currently on 13.5mg,

April 12mg

May 10th - 11mg

June 10th - 10mg

July 8th - 9mg

September - 0mg

Link to comment

Nor me. Furious.

2000 - sertraline for job anxiety low confidence (17 years old) ..which turned the next 16 years into nightmare!

 

On/off sertraline severe withdrawals every time. 2014 - felt better as reduced dose of sertraline no more inner restlessness. Doctor rushed off again. Hit severe withdrawal. Lost the little I had in life. Couldn't get stable again on 12.5mg. Was switched to prozac. Had severe reaction to prozac..came off in November 2015 at 6mg as felt more confused and damaged on it..Even more withdrawal ..rage, depression, dyphoria, near constant suicidal ideation, self harm impulses, doom, concrete block in head, unable to do much of anything with this feeling in head..went back on 6mg of sertraline to see if would alleviate anything. It didn't..reduced from December to June 2016 came off at 2.5mg sertraline as was hospitalised for the severe rage, suicidal impulses, and put on 50mg lofepramine which in 2nd week reduced all symptoms but gave insomnia which still have..psych stopped lofepramine cold turkey..no increased withdrawal symptoms new symptoms from lofepramine except persistant insomnia which has as side effect.

 

Taking Ativan for 8 months for the severe rage self harm impulses 1-3 times a week (mostly 2 times a week) at .5mg. Two months (I'm unsure exactly when the interdose started to happen) ago interdose withdrawal seemed to happen..2 days I think after the Ativan.

 

 

Nightmare that could have been avoided!

Link to comment

It has to pass. I'm not going to allow this to follow me throughout my life.

 

All of us have a right to be angry. But, I have found in other areas of my life that anger is insidious and eats us alive.

 

They have taken enough from me. I won't allow anger to eat at my spirit indefinitely. They are not worth it.

 

Right now I'm too sick to deal with tryng to forgive. But, I will. Eventually.

2005-Zoloft bad reaction.....2006-Lexepro......2012-Upped Lexepro.......2013-Upped Lexepro......2/2014- Attempted Taper Lexepro...2/2014- Updosed Lexepro.......3/2014-Ativan.....5/2014- CT switch from Lexpro to Effexor.....

5/2014-7/2014-Tapered Ativan from 1mg to .25mg.....6/2014-Bad reaction to Effexor........7/2014- Rapid taper Effexor every other day......7/5/2014- Off Effexor.......7/2014-12/2014 - Ativan .25mg.......12/25/2014 -Taper Ativan by 4% due to paradoxical reaction .24mg...11/18/2015-Taper Ativan 1% CURRENTLY ON: .2376mg Ativan taken in 6 .0396mg doses.

Link to comment

Yes, me too.

2000 - sertraline for job anxiety low confidence (17 years old) ..which turned the next 16 years into nightmare!

 

On/off sertraline severe withdrawals every time. 2014 - felt better as reduced dose of sertraline no more inner restlessness. Doctor rushed off again. Hit severe withdrawal. Lost the little I had in life. Couldn't get stable again on 12.5mg. Was switched to prozac. Had severe reaction to prozac..came off in November 2015 at 6mg as felt more confused and damaged on it..Even more withdrawal ..rage, depression, dyphoria, near constant suicidal ideation, self harm impulses, doom, concrete block in head, unable to do much of anything with this feeling in head..went back on 6mg of sertraline to see if would alleviate anything. It didn't..reduced from December to June 2016 came off at 2.5mg sertraline as was hospitalised for the severe rage, suicidal impulses, and put on 50mg lofepramine which in 2nd week reduced all symptoms but gave insomnia which still have..psych stopped lofepramine cold turkey..no increased withdrawal symptoms new symptoms from lofepramine except persistant insomnia which has as side effect.

 

Taking Ativan for 8 months for the severe rage self harm impulses 1-3 times a week (mostly 2 times a week) at .5mg. Two months (I'm unsure exactly when the interdose started to happen) ago interdose withdrawal seemed to happen..2 days I think after the Ativan.

 

 

Nightmare that could have been avoided!

Link to comment

Lol just realised totally contradicted myself..I cannot forgive right now but if will not allow it to be with me forever.

2000 - sertraline for job anxiety low confidence (17 years old) ..which turned the next 16 years into nightmare!

 

On/off sertraline severe withdrawals every time. 2014 - felt better as reduced dose of sertraline no more inner restlessness. Doctor rushed off again. Hit severe withdrawal. Lost the little I had in life. Couldn't get stable again on 12.5mg. Was switched to prozac. Had severe reaction to prozac..came off in November 2015 at 6mg as felt more confused and damaged on it..Even more withdrawal ..rage, depression, dyphoria, near constant suicidal ideation, self harm impulses, doom, concrete block in head, unable to do much of anything with this feeling in head..went back on 6mg of sertraline to see if would alleviate anything. It didn't..reduced from December to June 2016 came off at 2.5mg sertraline as was hospitalised for the severe rage, suicidal impulses, and put on 50mg lofepramine which in 2nd week reduced all symptoms but gave insomnia which still have..psych stopped lofepramine cold turkey..no increased withdrawal symptoms new symptoms from lofepramine except persistant insomnia which has as side effect.

 

Taking Ativan for 8 months for the severe rage self harm impulses 1-3 times a week (mostly 2 times a week) at .5mg. Two months (I'm unsure exactly when the interdose started to happen) ago interdose withdrawal seemed to happen..2 days I think after the Ativan.

 

 

Nightmare that could have been avoided!

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Actually that was interesting and insightful. I have turned into a sedentary internet viewer since my ordeal. And yes, good old Slinky and Silly Sand and other physical toys were good. Realty-based.

 

I don't know what is in store for countries with high tech and low health. I just hope the unmedicted can help lead us away from where we are headed. I'm too sick to change the world right now.

 

P.S. I wonder how many of our doctors were pill-poppers themselves?

 

I do wonder about the sane leading the way... it is was supposedly the sane that put us here. Was it not?  This is what got us here in the first place everybody who has not lived this thinks the "systems" are taking care of everything just fine except maybe their taxes ect.  They pay the high tax to have no responsibility in this to hand it off to those who specialize as it is too complicated for the common man... everything is so complex or so it seems... when you only look at the small bit that is known or pretended to be known... like the chemical imbalance still showing up on afternoon womans shows... from doctors mouths I seen it in the past month.  Not one thing has changed to cause the sane ordinary man to doubt psychiatry or pharma. Very few ever have it cross their minds very few. 

 

I too wonder about our doctors what drugs are they taking when they give us the happy pills we all gobble up... 

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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One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

2002: "Situational depression" 2002-2010:Prozac.Birth Control.2011 Short trials: Paxil, Celexa, Lexipro, Wellbutrin, Xanax, Ativan- Gee, Doc never mentioned protracted AD wd syndrome. Imagine that. 2011-2015. Lamictal. Seroquel. Remiron. 2012: "Complex post traumatic stress disorder." Fast taper of Remiron jumped off June 2013. Slow tapers ever since of Seroquel & Lamictal.  crippling muscle spasms. crying fits. panic attacks. akathisia. nerve twitches. the jitters. the heebie jeebies. de-personal/realization. numbness. tingling. fatigue. lethargy. nightmares.insomnia. weird images. eye pain.vertigo. dizziness. brain zaps. and on and on and on. withdrawal? side effects? which drug? impossible to know. Stopped Seroquel October 2015.  Stopped Lamictal  March 2016. Had more severe muscle/joint spasms that paralyzed me for 3 days at a time, last episode was March 2017.Going back to work as of February 2018 after 14 years off full-time work due to the crippling effects of psych meds. Check out Robert Whittaker "Anatomy of an Epidemic" for  his breakdown of the rates of mental disability  since the introduction of Prozac into the human population. Best solutions for me: Social support via AA meetings. Acupuncture. Meditation. Dance. Nature. Yoga. Social support online with psych med survivor community. Nutrition. Exercise. More outdoor time. Go sit in the sunshine for 5 minutes. Touch a tree. Breathe deeply.

 

 

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I know I watched that movie a few times yet I can't recall what it is about other than a hosp I think they break out I think. Not sure.

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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You know, I know I have to learn how to move past this and forgive even pharma. Simply because, I believe anger is toxic, and I refuse to hurt myself carrying it around. I've been hurt enough. I don't need anymore, especially not self inflicted.

 

But, I don't know how I will ever forgive. I think that is when I will know I am truly healed, when I can move beyond the anger.

2005-Zoloft bad reaction.....2006-Lexepro......2012-Upped Lexepro.......2013-Upped Lexepro......2/2014- Attempted Taper Lexepro...2/2014- Updosed Lexepro.......3/2014-Ativan.....5/2014- CT switch from Lexpro to Effexor.....

5/2014-7/2014-Tapered Ativan from 1mg to .25mg.....6/2014-Bad reaction to Effexor........7/2014- Rapid taper Effexor every other day......7/5/2014- Off Effexor.......7/2014-12/2014 - Ativan .25mg.......12/25/2014 -Taper Ativan by 4% due to paradoxical reaction .24mg...11/18/2015-Taper Ativan 1% CURRENTLY ON: .2376mg Ativan taken in 6 .0396mg doses.

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I am also furious how these drugs are pushed on children. Also how they are blatantly advertised on T.V.

where,though "side-effects" are listed by law, thee is no mention of the nightmare of trying to get off them.

I'm also a very private person and only share my struggle withdrawing from prozac with my husband

and one close friend. Thank you for your post. I think of the people who are dealing with this without

any support, or worse. . cavalier ignorant medical advice. For years when wanted to withdaw

from prozac, my doctor told me to just cut back to a capsule every other day for a week, then every third day and so on for a month.

Considering the severe consequences I suffered from this, I'm outraged this is still common advice.

I started Lexapro 2013 30? mg

Changed to Effexor 75 mg Jan 2014

Started tapering. 1st Dec 2014 -

75mg down to 37.5 in 1st month.

18.7 mg to 9 mg between 1st jan- 1st feb.

Discontinued 1st Feb- 27th Feb

Have experienced, daily, vertigo, disassociation, chronic fatigue, insomnia,

Pins and needles down right side head and intense despair.

Reinstated 4 beads Effexor 28th Feb 15'

Side affects of withdrawal not manageable particularly

Depression/dispair.

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Indigo , the ignorance is criminal neglect. How can they prescribe, and give dangerous advice such as infrequent dosage, when they have zero knowledge of the catastrophic effects??

If a Naturopath prescribed a product that caused patients to experience such catastrophic symptoms, they would be exposed in the Media, some current affair program, as a Chartatan, an irresponsible 'low life '. In Australia we see this all the time, how Natural therapists are 'Lynched by Media', courtesy of Gov and Pharma.

Society, throughout history, had this very misplaced 'respect' for physicians.

The problem is,...as individuals, in isolated protest, we are powerless to affect change.

ANGER as an outlet of 'pain' and frustration, can be therapeutic, but if it internalised, will just further poison our system.

Unless members in their individual countries, are prepared to 'come together' to compile their individual experiences and either expose it in the Media, or a class action, we may as well go forward with our healing with a calm acceptance of our situation, using our stories to help others, and contacting those Brilliant Researchers, and forward thinking Medicos out there who are fighting a the battle on our behalf.

I'm damned if I am going to let these Pharma/Physician Charlatans cause more damage to my brain by flooding my body with Anger causing cortisol, and other toxic neurochemicals. The Pen is a mighty sword.

I started Lexapro 2013 30? mg

Changed to Effexor 75 mg Jan 2014

Started tapering. 1st Dec 2014 -

75mg down to 37.5 in 1st month.

18.7 mg to 9 mg between 1st jan- 1st feb.

Discontinued 1st Feb- 27th Feb

Have experienced, daily, vertigo, disassociation, chronic fatigue, insomnia,

Pins and needles down right side head and intense despair.

Reinstated 4 beads Effexor 28th Feb 15'

Side affects of withdrawal not manageable particularly

Depression/dispair.

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I can't think about much about Big Pharma while I'm recovering. Though I've done a lot of political activism in my time,

at the moment the most political thing I can do is get these drugs out of my system and support others doing the same.

I am deeply thankful to those who set up this website and staff it, and feel encouraged that people like Peter Goetze

and Will Hall are doing the political work to expose this "criminal neglect"

On 20 mg of Prozac for about ten years. Sept 2012 started reducing 10% a drop using gram scale, with average of one month holds.

When I'd reached the half way mark, taking 10 mg  powder out of the 20 mg capsules, I switched over to 10 mg capsules and cutting

down from those. Withdrawals got harder the lower I dropped.  May 2013 changed to 5% drops, holding until all withdrawal symptoms gone.

January 2015 changed to liquid prozac (concentration of 20MG per 5 mL) using a 1mL oral syringe.

Current dose of fluoxetine solution equivalent 3.4 mg. Any effort to drop below this has been disastrous so for the time being I'm staying at this level.
Adding 200 mg Tryptophan and 200 GABA a day has helped with anxiety.
Also take 1,300mg Omega- 3,  875mg  Magnesium, 1800mg Curcumin, 1000mg Vit C, 5000 Vit D.
 

 

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btdt, the punchline of One Flew Over the C's N is that Jack Nicholson ends up having a forced lobotomy.

 

I camE really close to consenting to ECT. Oddly, the doc wanted me to stop drinking first, and was worried I would have seizures if I quit beer cold turkey.

 

WHAT SO HE COULD WIRE ME UP AND INDUCE HIS "SPECIAL" SEIZURES?

 

No thanks. My ancestors survived beer drinking better than I survived psychiatry.

2009: Cancer hospital said I had adjustment disorder because I thought they were doing it wrong. Their headshrinker prescribed Effexor, and my life set on a new course. I didn't know what was ahead, like a passenger on Disneyland's Matterhorn, smiling and waving as it climbs...clink, clink, clink.

2010: Post surgical accidental Effexor discontinuation by nurses, masked by intravenous Dilaudid. (The car is balanced at the top of the track.) I get home, pop a Vicodin, and ...

Whooosh...down, down, down, down, down...goes the trajectory of my life, up goes my mood and tendency to think everything is a good idea.
2012: After the bipolar jig was up, now a walking bag of unrelated symptoms, I went crazy on Daytrana (the Ritalin skin patch by Noven), because ADHD was a perfect fit for a bag of unrelated symptoms. I was prescribed Effexor for the nervousness of it, and things got neurological. An EEG showed enough activity to warrant an epilepsy diagnosis rather than non-epileptic ("psychogenic") seizures.

:o 2013-2014: Quit everything and got worse. I probably went through DAWS: dopamine agonist withdrawal syndrome. I drank to not feel, but I felt a lot: dread, fear, regret, grief: an utter sense of total loss of everything worth breathing about, for almost two years.

I was not suicidal but I wanted to be dead, at least dead to the experience of my own brain and body.

2015: I  began to recover after adding virgin coconut oil and organic grass-fed fed butter to a cup of instant coffee in the morning.

I did it hoping for mental acuity and better memory. After ten days of that, I was much better, mood-wise. Approximately neutral.

And, I experienced drowsiness. I could sleep. Not exactly happy, I did 30 days on Wellbutrin, because it had done me no harm in the past. 

I don't have the DAWS mood or state of mind. It never feel like doing anything if it means standing up.

In fact, I don't especially like moving. I'm a brain with a beanbag body.   :unsure:

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