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Which doctor got you started on psych meds?


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I am curious as to how many people on this forum were started on psych meds by psychiatrists vs. primary care or other doctors.   The reason I am asking is so many people think that psychiatry is evil which I don't blame them for.   But it just seems like many doctors besides psychiatrists are guilty of excessive prescribing and I fear it is only going to get worse.

 

Just so you know, I got started on psych meds thanks to psychiatry. 

 

CS

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

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

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

April 2017 - Increased to taking it full time for insomnia

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if GPs werent doling out SSRIs, at the very least, theyd lose a lot of their business.  some still refuse outright, for reasons of experience/knowledge or liability, and just refer you to people who will prescribe them more exclusively, but given the numbers on psychotropic prescriptions, a lot of doctors would take a significant hit to ignore the psych drug market (especially since they are off-label for pretty much every condition ever, be it pain or weight loss or weight gain or neurological issues, etc).

 

i got started on psych meds by a psychiatrist that shared the workspace with a team of non-MD counselors.

from 2005-2012, i spent 7 years taking 17 different psychotropic medications covering several classes.  i would be taking 3-7 medications at a time, and 6 out of the 17 medications listed below were maxed or overmaxed in clinical dosage before i moved on to trying the next unhelpful cocktail.
 
antidepressants (SSRIs, SNRIs, NDRIs, tetracyclics): zoloft, wellbutrin, effexor, lexapro, prozac, cymbalta, remeron
antipsychotics (atypical): abilify, zyprexa, risperdal, geodon
sleep aids (benzos, off-label antidepressants & antipsychotics, hypnotics): seroquel, temazepam, trazodone, ambien
anxiolytics: buspar
anticonvulsants: topamax
 
i tapered off all psychotropics from late 2011 through early 2013, one by one.  since quitting, ive been cycling through severe, disabling withdrawal symptoms spanning the gamut of the serious, less serious, and rather worrisome side effects of these assorted medications.  previous cross-tapering and medication or dosage changes had also caused undiagnosed withdrawal symptoms.
 
brainpan addlepation

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if GPs werent doling out SSRIs, at the very least, theyd lose a lot of their business.  some still refuse outright, for reasons of experience/knowledge or liability, and just refer you to people who will prescribe them more exclusively, but given the numbers on psychotropic prescriptions, a lot of doctors would take a significant hit to ignore the psych drug market (especially since they are off-label for pretty much every condition ever, be it pain or weight loss or weight gain or neurological issues, etc).

 

i got started on psych meds by a psychiatrist that shared the workspace with a team of non-MD counselors.

Good point, I hadn't thought of the financial angle.   Pretty sad.

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

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

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

April 2017 - Increased to taking it full time for insomnia

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I got started on Remeron from my family doctor. He believed this was a good drug for people who had been unable to tolerate other AD..which was the case for me. My current doc wanted me to see a psych at one point, because I had chronic pain and he believed it was depression. I refused the referral, when I read her reviews. Glad I did, or I might well have ended up on other meds.

Remeron for depression. Started at 7.5 mg. in 2005. Gradual increases over 8 years, up to 45 mg. in 2012.Began tapering in June 2013. Went from 45 to 30 mg in the first 3-4 months. Held for a couple of months.Started tapering by 3.75 mg every month or 2, with some longer holding periods. Eventually went down to 3.75 mg. about April 2014. Stopped taking Remeron August 2014. Developed issues with histamine a week after stopping--symptoms reduced through diet and a few supplements. Currently having issues with a few foods. Most of the histamine intolerance has resolved or is at least, in remission.

Current Medications:

Current Supplements: Cannabis (CBD and THC), Vitamin C, D, Quercetin, CoQ10, Tart Cherry, Probiotic, Phytoplankton oil, magnesium, Methyl B. What has helped me most: spending time in nature, qi gong, exercise, healthy diet, meditation, IV vitamins, homeopathy, massage, acupuncture, chiropractic, music, and cuddling my cats..

My introduction: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/8459-mirtazapine-withdrawal-freespirit/#entry144282

Please note: I am not a therapist or medical practitioner. Any suggestions offered come solely from my personal experience in recovering from childhood trauma, therapy, and AD use. Please seek appropriate care for yourself.

 

“After a cruel childhood, one must reinvent oneself. Then re-imagine the world.”
Mary Oliver
 

 

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House psychiatrist at a massive self-promoting cancer center I call City of Dopes.

 

I was not depressed. I had made it through the first 6 months of treatment elsewhere, 130 miles away, and had started off with the worst emotions I can imagine, because my case was pretty much hopeless. I can't even describe how I felt. I don't know how others deal with it. I didn't consider drugs, though. My doc found a small study of regular chemo for a different cancer that seemed to work better than  the FDA-approved one, in cases like mine, and the results were rapid and dramatic. (Too bad my chemo drugs are off patent; research  on them is therefore rare. That's another rant, though.)

 

For a geographic reason and my job (which I kept through the whole 17 months) I shifted my care to the big place for daily radiation on a stubborn original/local tumor remnant. They refused to continue the chemo I'd been on, which by then (6 months into it) appeared to have got rid of 90% of my metastatic liver tumors -- a jaw-dropper to any expert who heard about it.

 

Instead of finding a better hospital I tried to convince the doctors, but they said they had never heard of my chemo protocol and would only do the standard one. They suggested I see their psychiatrist and I started on Effexor.

 

On their chemo that last original/local tumor remnant GREW, and they now admit that I am alive because the first chemo I'd had had wiped my liver clean before I got to their pit. They didn't believe that, though, and did a long unnecessary liver exploration which proved I was disease-free (my liver anyway).

 

They were telling me the "remnant" still showing on my scans was a scar, but they finally tested it and it was cancer. I had to have a second horrendous and disabling surgery to get rid of that. It's a dreaded thing that people assume would ruin their lives but I had no choice.

 

They forgot to give me Effexor during recovery, and when I got home from ten days on Dilaudid, I was manic as a result of WD and probably an interaction with Vicodin I took for a few days. Absolutely off the charts. I didn't even remember Effexor and with a nice helping of anosognosia, I didn't know I was a 100% different person. Quit my EXCELLENT job and was so weird on FB that I won't show my face. It's part of why I found the auto-Tweeting of threads like one this so traumatic once I found out about it. (And what's with the share buttons down there? Cripes.)

 

And then the eventual BP DX and the whole drugging mess. I never once had a competent doctor and nothing in the media gave me a clue.

So...psychiatrist...Arse-clown oncologists. A miraculous recovery from hopeless stage 4 cancer not celebrated, but slammed into years of madness and financial destruction by ... [oops, triggered]

 

A psychiatrist.

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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BTW the horrible "I'm going to die. NCI says so" terror was very different from the eventual early morning/terror/dread a lot of withdrawers know well. Felt different, and it's hard to say which is worse. The cancer terror was based in reality, though, and could be assuaged by glimmers of hope. It was rich in a way; it was grief, too. The post WD terror/dread is brittle and meaningless, and unresponsive to any theoretically comforting information, as if it infused all my cells.

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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a psychiatrist

After being on (over 25) psychiatric meds continuously during a 16 year period, I began in July 2014 to taper off 1mg Klonopin. In September 2014, I came off Brintellix, Trazadone, Zoloft, Proprityline & Hydroxyzine in 2 weeks on my own without knowledge on how to taper properly. I've been off all psych "meds" since 10/2014 and am currently experiencing protracted withdrawal.

 

Medication history: Vibryd, Wellbutrin, Lithium, Prozac, Xanax, Celexa, Cymbalta, Trileptal, Lamictal, Abilify, Zoloft, Trazadone, Citalopram, Effexor, Seroquel, Klonopin, Paxil, Brintellix, Protriptyline, Lexapro, Pristiq, Buspar, Clonidine, Lorazepam, Notriptyline, Hydroxyzine, Serzone.

 

Introduction: http://bit.ly/1SIxWwl.

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A family practice physician, maybe 20 years ago. And all family practice or internal medicine docs since then. they all seem quite happy to write these prescriptions and send us on our way, don't they?

Anti-depressant free as of October 2015

therapy/counseling including EMDR January 2016-February 2017

---

Took Wellbutrin only after several years of Effexor plus Wellbutrin.
discontinued Effexor on 4/25/15 against doctor's orders.
Experienced brain zaps, dizziness, and insomnia. Super woman energy. Major grief and rages.
----
Started antidepressants about 20 years ago. Have been on celexa, Zoloft, Effexor, Wellbutrin.
Really want to get off meds but don't know if I can. Not much support for this goal from physician or family.

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I can't let that pass West Coast there needs to be a celebration for that miraculous recovery!  Postponed not forgotten! If I win the lottery maybe I will come for it :)

 

Orthopedic surgeon... it was a consult for an insurance company post car accident.  He sent no report to any of my doctors so they did not know I was on prozac that was btw not the name on the bottle... it was early in 89/90 I can't quite recall with my fuzzy brain.  He thought I was taking too much tylenol #3 for leg pain. I was functional and employed with T#3 without it I would not have been working.  He told me he was giving me a drug to treat inflammation like an NSAI but a newer version that worked very well.  Within 2 wks I was in emerg suicidal and I fought it like a hell hound as a crazy person had no chance in a child custody suit... and I knew my kid would be gone fast.  So I did not go for help till I knew I was beat... I kept taking the pills as I had no clue... I took them till I went to emerg by then I had much bigger problems than leg pain... emerg doc asked about drugs I told them an anti inflammatory was all and the T3 if I had any still not sure about that... 

That was the end of working I could not sleep was in pain all over was dx with fibromyalgia which I did not have post car accident and I did not have before prozac. 

 

I learned I had taken prozac all those years before when I was on a withdrawal site after cold turkeying off effexor... I seen the other name for prozac... I kept pills locked up in a tin box I still had the bottle sure enough that was it ... prozac made me crazy... 

 

I had 18 years of hell on and off antidepressants... wd back on quit back on.. side effect adverse reactions pain insanity mania you name it... Glad to have found out but I sure grieve those years... I also grieve insurance doctors handing out drugs without sending a note to the family doctor. 

 

I was told I may have dry mouth.. almost funny looking back... after a couple of years in wd post severe adverse reactions the next ad was a pain specialist it was after that I graduated to a shrink... after I was on a few ads. 

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

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

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

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

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I am curious as to how many people on this forum were started on psych meds by psychiatrists vs. primary care or other doctors.   The reason I am asking is so many people think that psychiatry is evil which I don't blame them for.   But it just seems like many doctors besides psychiatrists are guilty of excessive prescribing and I fear it is only going to get worse.

 

Just so you know, I got started on psych meds thanks to psychiatry. 

 

CS

 

That's a loaded question.  While many doctors may be "drug pushers," not all of them are, especially when it comes to ADs (due to their bad reputation).  Generally speaking, doctors only prescribe ADs to treat chronic or major depression. 

 

In Canada, most people know that the "magic words" to getting an AD prescription & a psychiatric referral from GPs are "suicidal and/or homicidal thoughts" (a cruel irony, given the amount of murder-suicides over SN/SSRI's 30 year history).

 

After suffering from depression, but not fully realiziing it for 38 years, I finally saw a GP & said the magic words:  "suicidal thoughts." He prescribed an AD & referred me to a shrink (you can't just call one on the phone & make an appointment in Canada due to queues & protocols to see specialists in our public healthcare system).

 

Prior to this, I "self-medicated" until stressed-induced burnout on the job forced me to see a GP for my depression.  Given its ineffectiveness at the prescribed dosage, I then sought the services of a psychiatrist--someone who has the experience and the skill (you hope) to adjust medications & dosages in order to receive a positive result.

 

For me, ADs & benzos put me on ice for 9 years, unable to work, & sleeping 14-16 hours a day.  I was also too wasted to care.

"Tapering" History

    My 1st experience with antidepressants (10 weeks) produced no positive results, so I just quit—no tapering.  There were no lingering withdrawal symptoms (except for 6 months of non-stop depression).

    My 2nd attempt to quit the same med at triple the original dosage occurred after 5 days without sleep. The symptoms of sudden withdrawal felt like textbook symptoms of the DTs & heroin withdrawal combined.  My body went into violent convulsions & I was hallucinating. Puke & blood were everywhere. My Dr. told me I was lucky to be alive.

    My final attempt to quit “cold turkey” lasted less than one day. It didn’t take long for withdrawal to bring me to my knees at the porcelain altar (Oh God, more puking). I was begging for death as my brain felt like it was melting from the inside out.  Relentless panic attacks & violent brain zaps of electricity shocked me into awareness that I was hooked—possibly for life. 

 

Finally, I kicked ADs for good by switching to 5-HTP. I still take 25mg HTP & 10mg St. John's Wort each morning as a maintenance dose to keep depression at bay.

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A psychiatrist.

2001-04 Polypharmacy to include Paxil,Celexa, Risperdal, Seroquel, Depakote, Ambien, Geodon, Valium, Ativan, Haldol

03/04-11/04 Abilify

11/04-05/07 CT Abilify Non symptomatic

6/07 took Valium, began to experience altered reality and physical symptoms of withdrawal from Valium.

07/08. Abilify 2 mg, 12/08 Abilify 1 mg, 03/09 Abilify 0 mg, 03/08-06/11Altered reality but fully functional

10/12 hospitalized, Invega Depot, 2 shots discontinued, severe insomnia

6/14-10/14 flexeril, discontinued, developed insomnia; 10/14 10 mg Doxepin I week, no help with insomnia; 10/14 Remeron for two days, paradoxical reaction

Present Risperdal 1mg, clonazepam 2 mg, Restoril 15 mg. Went from .5 to 1 to 1.5 to 2mg of clonazepam in 2014. Also in 2014, tapered from 2 mg risperdal to 1.5 (fairly slowly but still too fast) and had to up dose back to 2 mg. Got liquid risperdal and started from 2 mg again.

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 Generally speaking, doctors only prescribe ADs to treat chronic or major depression. 

 

 

Perhaps this is true for doctors you've seen...but then you haven't met all the people on this site who have been prescribed AD for everything from chronic pain to normal grief. And I'm certain this is true throughout general populations. Some people aren't even told that what they are being given is an AD...they are told it's "pain medication" or "for sleep".

 

I've seen numerous doctors who never asked me a question about my mood, sleep, appetite, thought patterns, concentration, decision-making or self-harm thoughts. Instead, they instantly determined because I was having pain or fatigue that I must be depressed and out came the prescription pad. And only once in the 10 years I was on the meds was a referral to a psych ever suggested. And yes, all of this has happened in Canada.

 

In my profession, I used to work with people who were grieving or had trauma. Nearly every one of them was suggested or prescribed antidepressants by their GP, with no referral or follow-up. Thankfully, not every client filled a prescription, but many did. The vast majority of these people were having normal responses to loss or trauma..and would in all likelihood have come through their situations with adequate support. I very often wonder about many of those people now and where they find themselves. I wonder how many are suffering through WD or have become ill from the side effects of the drugs, and how many became polydrugged. I worked in both the US and Canada...

Remeron for depression. Started at 7.5 mg. in 2005. Gradual increases over 8 years, up to 45 mg. in 2012.Began tapering in June 2013. Went from 45 to 30 mg in the first 3-4 months. Held for a couple of months.Started tapering by 3.75 mg every month or 2, with some longer holding periods. Eventually went down to 3.75 mg. about April 2014. Stopped taking Remeron August 2014. Developed issues with histamine a week after stopping--symptoms reduced through diet and a few supplements. Currently having issues with a few foods. Most of the histamine intolerance has resolved or is at least, in remission.

Current Medications:

Current Supplements: Cannabis (CBD and THC), Vitamin C, D, Quercetin, CoQ10, Tart Cherry, Probiotic, Phytoplankton oil, magnesium, Methyl B. What has helped me most: spending time in nature, qi gong, exercise, healthy diet, meditation, IV vitamins, homeopathy, massage, acupuncture, chiropractic, music, and cuddling my cats..

My introduction: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/8459-mirtazapine-withdrawal-freespirit/#entry144282

Please note: I am not a therapist or medical practitioner. Any suggestions offered come solely from my personal experience in recovering from childhood trauma, therapy, and AD use. Please seek appropriate care for yourself.

 

“After a cruel childhood, one must reinvent oneself. Then re-imagine the world.”
Mary Oliver
 

 

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It was a gp who changed my drug from zoloft and amitriptyline to paxil... that was a bad idea for me. She was filling in for my regular gp... who was on mat leave... my lipase was high she added progesterone.. which did not work out for me... goes a bit blurry after that... so ya I have had a gp mess with my ADs I stopped the paxil ct on my own went to an inpatient program after that given different drug by the shrink running the program.. out patient hosp .. every woman in that program was given one drug... 

 

we figured that out over lunch.. I wonder now if they were doing a drug study they forgot to mention.. sorry running on.

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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Free Spirit - Did your doctor try to solve the chronic pain issue or did he just throw up his hands and label you as having depression?   Stories like your make me so mad.

 

WC- Words fail me.  My god, psychiatry is everywhere.   HFS.

 

Gardenia - Welcome to the diagnosed by a psychiatrist club.

 

Cyrosop - Yup, that is what family physicians like to do.   Quick and easy psych med prescribing.

 

 

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

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

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

April 2017 - Increased to taking it full time for insomnia

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Free Spirit - Did your doctor try to solve the chronic pain issue or did he just throw up his hands and label you as having depression?   Stories like your make me so mad.

 

 

Nope, I had been suffering from pain since my car accident..but it suddenly got a lot worse. And consequently, my energy was also lower. In spite of those things and a lot of other stuff going on, my mood was actually quite good. There were things I really wanted to be doing, but couldn't physically.

 

I was already on remeron at that point, so he only saw me as a depressed person. That's when he wanted to send me to the psych and I refused. That's the place where I stopped having any trust in him and soon after, starting working with a naturopath. He has never asked me any of the depression-screening type of questions. He looks at me and tells me I'm depressed.

Remeron for depression. Started at 7.5 mg. in 2005. Gradual increases over 8 years, up to 45 mg. in 2012.Began tapering in June 2013. Went from 45 to 30 mg in the first 3-4 months. Held for a couple of months.Started tapering by 3.75 mg every month or 2, with some longer holding periods. Eventually went down to 3.75 mg. about April 2014. Stopped taking Remeron August 2014. Developed issues with histamine a week after stopping--symptoms reduced through diet and a few supplements. Currently having issues with a few foods. Most of the histamine intolerance has resolved or is at least, in remission.

Current Medications:

Current Supplements: Cannabis (CBD and THC), Vitamin C, D, Quercetin, CoQ10, Tart Cherry, Probiotic, Phytoplankton oil, magnesium, Methyl B. What has helped me most: spending time in nature, qi gong, exercise, healthy diet, meditation, IV vitamins, homeopathy, massage, acupuncture, chiropractic, music, and cuddling my cats..

My introduction: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/8459-mirtazapine-withdrawal-freespirit/#entry144282

Please note: I am not a therapist or medical practitioner. Any suggestions offered come solely from my personal experience in recovering from childhood trauma, therapy, and AD use. Please seek appropriate care for yourself.

 

“After a cruel childhood, one must reinvent oneself. Then re-imagine the world.”
Mary Oliver
 

 

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Free Spirit - Did your doctor try to solve the chronic pain issue or did he just throw up his hands and label you as having depression?   Stories like your make me so mad.

 

 

Nope, I had been suffering from pain since my car accident..but it suddenly got a lot worse. And consequently, my energy was also lower. In spite of those things and a lot of other stuff going on, my mood was actually quite good. There were things I really wanted to be doing, but couldn't physically.

 

I was already on remeron at that point, so he only saw me as a depressed person. That's when he wanted to send me to the psych and I refused. That's the place where I stopped having any trust in him and soon after, starting working with a naturopath. He has never asked me any of the depression-screening type of questions. He looks at me and tells me I'm depressed.

 

I am so sorry to hear that.   Sadly, your experience is why h-ll will freeze over before I ever disclose my past psych med history since everything is seen through the eyes of psychiatry if you have anything in your post records that is connected to that.

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

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

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

April 2017 - Increased to taking it full time for insomnia

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Good thinking is all I have to say... 

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

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

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

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

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I am so sorry to hear that.   Sadly, your experience is why h-ll will freeze over before I ever disclose my past psych med history since everything is seen through the eyes of psychiatry if you have anything in your post records that is connected to that.

 

 

 

Very wise...isn't any of that in your medical records? Here, if you are referred to a psych, I think meds are placed in your general medical history, though I don't know that for sure. I wish I could have a few things expunged from my medical records.

Remeron for depression. Started at 7.5 mg. in 2005. Gradual increases over 8 years, up to 45 mg. in 2012.Began tapering in June 2013. Went from 45 to 30 mg in the first 3-4 months. Held for a couple of months.Started tapering by 3.75 mg every month or 2, with some longer holding periods. Eventually went down to 3.75 mg. about April 2014. Stopped taking Remeron August 2014. Developed issues with histamine a week after stopping--symptoms reduced through diet and a few supplements. Currently having issues with a few foods. Most of the histamine intolerance has resolved or is at least, in remission.

Current Medications:

Current Supplements: Cannabis (CBD and THC), Vitamin C, D, Quercetin, CoQ10, Tart Cherry, Probiotic, Phytoplankton oil, magnesium, Methyl B. What has helped me most: spending time in nature, qi gong, exercise, healthy diet, meditation, IV vitamins, homeopathy, massage, acupuncture, chiropractic, music, and cuddling my cats..

My introduction: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/8459-mirtazapine-withdrawal-freespirit/#entry144282

Please note: I am not a therapist or medical practitioner. Any suggestions offered come solely from my personal experience in recovering from childhood trauma, therapy, and AD use. Please seek appropriate care for yourself.

 

“After a cruel childhood, one must reinvent oneself. Then re-imagine the world.”
Mary Oliver
 

 

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I gave up on medical records long ago.  When I tried to control them or at least get a look at them I found one report that simply was not about me tho it had all my ID on the pages hosp number ect.  

The person the report was about lived in a city I have only been to once for a football game years ago.. had 4 kids a husband and was in a great deal of distress taking a boatload of drugs and have been in care more then out for several years. With that hosp that was the only identifying information in my file... and it wasn't me. 

I got an apology ... I asked for a letter to explain to the doctors who had this information already .. that there had been a mistake made so I could if need be show I was not the person who needed all those med or that had been and may need to be in care again.  I have never been in care... I don't want to be either.  

Her dx was completely different than mine.. yet there it was in my file.  I went thru several people trying to get that letter over several years... the report had been taken from my file or so I was told... one of the directors in the revolving door of directors actually called me in distress the day before she was leaving and told me the letter was in the mail... it never came. 

So to date I can't say for sure the file is ok... I can say that before a letter admitting any mistake is ever made some body will be fired... or that is how it looks to me.  

 

Once I decided to avoid doctors ... as much as possible and the system I let it go.. kind of I could not get thru the wall anyway.. tried the gov't agencies supposedly in control of such matters they were assured the matter was being handled by one of the several people I have been thru... that was it. I caved. 

 

I got wind of the letter originally from a clinic I went to who mentioned something in the file.. I asked where did you get that information.. from my file of course... so I got a copy.. that is how it started.  

 

lol nope don't have a lot of faith in any of it at this point. 

It just occurred to me that some people here likely think I am making this all up along with the rest of my life cause nobody could have all this in one life time I assure you every word is true. 

It is possible for one person to have this much crap. Some days I still can't believe it myself. shakes head....

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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For me it was the GP after a 10 minute consultation. He gave me no indication about treatment alternatives, didn't tell me anything about the medication, didn't say for how long I have to take it, what side effects it can have.

 

I was too stressed to ask. Sad, sad world.

Feb 2015 Took venlafaxine for 5 days only... experienced withdrawal that made me completely non-functional

Mar 2015 took under 1mg of Sertraline for 10 days in an attempt to combat Venlafaxine withdrawal. Got adverse reactions. 

After stopping Sertraline, withdrawal got much worse. New, horrific symptoms. 

June 2015 Still non-functional but slowly getting better. Still brain zaps, migraines, sweating, heart racing, depression, crying spells

September 2015: 24/7 brain zaps, twitches in the face, no concentration, bad memory, language skills deteriorating. 

 

Profile feed: http://goo.gl/3g2GRn

 

Sign this petition for a blackbox warning on Prozac in Ireland:

https://www.change.org/p/leo-varadakar-hpra-the-lack-of-a-blackbox-warning-on-prozac-in-ireland-and-its-use-by-the-hse-in-under-18-s?recruiter=63289046&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=share_for_starters_page&utm_term=des-lg-no_src-no_msg

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I am so sorry to hear that.   Sadly, your experience is why h-ll will freeze over before I ever disclose my past psych med history since everything is seen through the eyes of psychiatry if you have anything in your post records that is connected to that.

 

 

 

Very wise...isn't any of that in your medical records? Here, if you are referred to a psych, I think meds are placed in your general medical history, though I don't know that for sure. I wish I could have a few things expunged from my medical records.

 

I got off of psych meds in 2010 before I started seeing other doctors and prior to electronic medical records becoming a big influence in my area.  I did stupidly disclose to one doctor at a specific hospital system so I have to avoid seeing any doctors connected there.   But I think I am safe going to any other doctor as long as I keep that information hidden.

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

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

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

April 2017 - Increased to taking it full time for insomnia

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For me it was the GP after a 10 minute consultation. He gave me no indication about treatment alternatives, didn't tell me anything about the medication, didn't say for how long I have to take it, what side effects it can have.

 

I was too stressed to ask. Sad, sad world.

If you don't mind my asking, was this for another medical condition or depression?   Understand if you don't want to respond.

 

Not surprised you received very little information on the med as that practice is quite common.

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

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

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

April 2017 - Increased to taking it full time for insomnia

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For me it was the GP after a 10 minute consultation. He gave me no indication about treatment alternatives, didn't tell me anything about the medication, didn't say for how long I have to take it, what side effects it can have.

 

I was too stressed to ask. Sad, sad world.

If you don't mind my asking, was this for another medical condition or depression?   Understand if you don't want to respond.

 

Not surprised you received very little information on the med as that practice is quite common.

 

It was for a burn out, which technically is a depression. I had several massive stressors in my life accumulated into a couple of months. Each of those would have been enough to cause a depression, but I had them all accumulated and jammed together in a couple of months. I noticed more and more Cortisol being released. At some stage I was just operating on Cortisol. It was almost a high. Then I crashed. 

Feb 2015 Took venlafaxine for 5 days only... experienced withdrawal that made me completely non-functional

Mar 2015 took under 1mg of Sertraline for 10 days in an attempt to combat Venlafaxine withdrawal. Got adverse reactions. 

After stopping Sertraline, withdrawal got much worse. New, horrific symptoms. 

June 2015 Still non-functional but slowly getting better. Still brain zaps, migraines, sweating, heart racing, depression, crying spells

September 2015: 24/7 brain zaps, twitches in the face, no concentration, bad memory, language skills deteriorating. 

 

Profile feed: http://goo.gl/3g2GRn

 

Sign this petition for a blackbox warning on Prozac in Ireland:

https://www.change.org/p/leo-varadakar-hpra-the-lack-of-a-blackbox-warning-on-prozac-in-ireland-and-its-use-by-the-hse-in-under-18-s?recruiter=63289046&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=share_for_starters_page&utm_term=des-lg-no_src-no_msg

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For me it was the GP after a 10 minute consultation. He gave me no indication about treatment alternatives, didn't tell me anything about the medication, didn't say for how long I have to take it, what side effects it can have.

 

I was too stressed to ask. Sad, sad world.

If you don't mind my asking, was this for another medical condition or depression?   Understand if you don't want to respond.

 

Not surprised you received very little information on the med as that practice is quite common.

 

It was for a burn out, which technically is a depression. I had several massive stressors in my life accumulated into a couple of months. Each of those would have been enough to cause a depression, but I had them all accumulated and jammed together in a couple of months. I noticed more and more Cortisol being released. At some stage I was just operating on Cortisol. It was almost a high. Then I crashed. 

 

So sorry to hear that.  Sadly, when you present to a PCP for depression, chances are a med is going to be offered because the discussion of alternatives would take way too much time.

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

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

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

April 2017 - Increased to taking it full time for insomnia

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Yeah, that's true. I learned a lot from this experience though:

 

  1. Doctors can't be trusted
  2. I'm not immortal. I better take care of my body
  3. Work is not everything
  4. Doctors can't be trusted
  5. Every medication you put in your body will have undesired side effects. The question is just how bad they are
  6. Doctors can't be trusted

Ah yes, and also: Doctors can't be trusted. 

Feb 2015 Took venlafaxine for 5 days only... experienced withdrawal that made me completely non-functional

Mar 2015 took under 1mg of Sertraline for 10 days in an attempt to combat Venlafaxine withdrawal. Got adverse reactions. 

After stopping Sertraline, withdrawal got much worse. New, horrific symptoms. 

June 2015 Still non-functional but slowly getting better. Still brain zaps, migraines, sweating, heart racing, depression, crying spells

September 2015: 24/7 brain zaps, twitches in the face, no concentration, bad memory, language skills deteriorating. 

 

Profile feed: http://goo.gl/3g2GRn

 

Sign this petition for a blackbox warning on Prozac in Ireland:

https://www.change.org/p/leo-varadakar-hpra-the-lack-of-a-blackbox-warning-on-prozac-in-ireland-and-its-use-by-the-hse-in-under-18-s?recruiter=63289046&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=share_for_starters_page&utm_term=des-lg-no_src-no_msg

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Yeah, that's true. I learned a lot from this experience though:

 

  1. Doctors can't be trusted
  2. I'm not immortal. I better take care of my body
  3. Work is not everything
  4. Doctors can't be trusted
  5. Every medication you put in your body will have undesired side effects. The question is just how bad they are
  6. Doctors can't be trusted

Ah yes, and also: Doctors can't be trusted. 

I have experienced a few good ones but what is sad is that my negative experiences with the bad doctors impact the ones with the good ones which isn't fair to them but unfortunately, it is very hard for me to be objective because I have been burned so badly.   You are so right about medication side effects which also applies to other meds besides psych ones.

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

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

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

April 2017 - Increased to taking it full time for insomnia

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  • Mentor

Hello Gordon Warren, can you start a  thread about yourself?    You sound very knowledgeable , but without your signature timeline, what drugs you are on and when, it makes it difficult for anyone to relate, ie what drugs you were on, etc, as you havent listed any,,  You can be very, very specific.   so many on this site can sympathise , as they have been on same drugs.... please, feel free to list your drug history.  We are here to help.

1992 Dothiepin 375mg 8 weeks, exhaustion/depression.  Serotonin syndrome, oh yes!  seizures . Fell pregnant, 3rd baby, Nitrous Oxide, 3 weeks mental hospital pp psychosis. zoloft tegretol.

Feb 1996 ct tegretol, tapered Zoloft 8 weeks. as (unexpectedly)  pregnant. Steven died after 3 days.(Zolft HLHS baby).  98 had run in with Paxil, 2 tablets, 3 weeks taper, survived.
2005..menopause? exhausted again. Zyprexa, mad in three days, fallout....  Seroquel, Effexor, tegretol,   and 8 years of self destruction. Failed taper.
Damn 1/4 valium... nuts again! .fallout, zoloft 100mg  seroquol 400mg mirtazapine 45 mg  tegretol 400mg.  Mid 14 3 month taper. Nov 14 CRASH.
Mid 15 ....   75mg  seroquel,  3 x 1800mg SJW  2 week window end of December followed by 6 week wave
5/2 68mg seroquel, 2.5 x 1800mg SJW::::20/2 61mg seroquel, 2.5 x  SJW::: 26/2 54mg seroquel, 2 x SJW::::21/3 43mg seroquel, 1 x 2700SJW :::: 23/4 36mg seroquel 1 x 1800 SJW
15/5 33mg seroquel, 1 x SJW::::   28/5 30mg seroquel, 1 x SJW::::;  18/6 25mg seroquel 1/2 SJW::::, 11/7 21mg seroquel 1/2 SJW::, 26/7 18mg seroquel 1/2 SJW:::, 9/8 12mg seroquel :::, 16/8 6mg seroquel ;;;;, 12/9 0 jump.

23/9  3mg.....,  27/9 0mg.  Reinstated, 6mg, then 12mg.............  LIGHTBULB MOMENT,  I have  MTHFR 2x mutations.  CFS and issues with MOULD in my home. So I left home, and working 150km away during week, loving it.

Oh was hard, panic attacks first week, gone now, along with the mould issues.

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  • 1 month later...

Now I prob know why it is called a drug, doctors can't be trusted, I feel like a robot durning the withdrawal from remeron,

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The first doctor who prescribed psych meds for me was still wet behind the ears, possibly a resident, definitely a GP and not a very good one.  I was having headaches and severe spells of irritability which he promptly diagnosed as a neurosis. When I questioned this, he got upset to the point of nearly hyperventilating and said, " Why won't you accept my diagnosis?  There's nothing wrong with having a neurosis! *I* have one!", at which point I told him that if he liked his neurosis so much, he could have mine too. He sent me off with a prescription for Valium.  I think it was 10 mg. four times a day, enough to get addicted fairly quickly, but I don't remember since this was back in the late seventies. I only took the Valium as needed and only half to one-quarter of a tab, but I believe, now that I know the symptoms of benzo withdrawal, that I had it--which aggravated the irritability and depression--and that it was instrumental in wrecking my second marriage.

 

Some months after this episode, I was shopping at a big Sears store when I came upon Sears Optical and it occurred to me that I hadn't had an eye exam for several years. The optometrist on duty was a much older man, highly experienced and quite sharp, who diagnosed a rare visual condition that causes--you guessed it--headaches and extreme irritability.  I followed his instructions for an eye exercise, which helped a lot, and experienced vast relief when I got the new prescription lenses a few weeks later.

 

So much for my "neurosis".  I had already been a psychotherapist at the time for roughly a decade and was very leery of psychiatrists, so my more recent experience, outside of a brief hospitalization, has been with my PCP, a family practice physician. When I told her I was depressed she recommended Lexapro, which she said would "take the edge off" and gave me a bunch of samples. The only thing I can say to her credit is that she didn't object when I told her I wanted to get off of it and that the psychiatrist who treated me in the hospital was even less knowledgable.

 

I'm with Laura.  I don't trust doctors or any kind of pills any more.

Psychotropic drug history: Pristiq 50 mg. (mid-September 2010 through February 2011), Remeron (mid-September 2010 through January 2011), Lexapro 10 mg. (mid-February 2011 through mid-December 2011), Lorazepam (Ativan) 1 mg. as needed mid-September 2010 through early March 2012

"Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity." -Hanlon's Razor


Introduction: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1588-introducing-jemima/

 

Success Story: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/6263-success-jemima-survives-lexapro-and-dr-dickhead-too/

Please note that I am not a medical professional and my advice is based on personal experience, reading, and anecdotal information posted by other sufferers.

 

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I'm resisting the urge to rename this thread 'witch doctor got you started on psych meds'

Please note - I am not a medical practitioner and I do not give medical advice. I offer an opinion based on my own experiences, reading and discussion with others.On Effexor for 2 months at the start of 2005. Had extreme insomnia as an adverse reaction. Changed to mirtazapine. Have been trying to get off since mid 2008 with numerous failures including CTs and slow (but not slow enough tapers)Have slow tapered at 10 per cent or less for years. I have liquid mirtazapine made at a compounding chemist.

Was on 1.6 ml as at 19 March 2014.

Dropped to 1.5 ml 7 June 2014. Dropped to 1.4 in about September.

Dropped to 1.3 on 20 December 2014. Dropped to 1.2 in mid Jan 2015.

Dropped to 1 ml in late Feb 2015. I think my old medication had run out of puff so I tried 1ml when I got the new stuff and it seems to be going ok. Sleep has been good over the last week (as of 13/3/15).

Dropped to 1/2 ml 14/11/15 Fatigue still there as are memory and cognition problems. Sleep is patchy but liveable compared to what it has been in the past.

 

DRUG FREE - as at 1st May 2017

 

>My intro post is here - http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2250-dalsaan

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Hahaha! That would fit perfectly! 

Feb 2015 Took venlafaxine for 5 days only... experienced withdrawal that made me completely non-functional

Mar 2015 took under 1mg of Sertraline for 10 days in an attempt to combat Venlafaxine withdrawal. Got adverse reactions. 

After stopping Sertraline, withdrawal got much worse. New, horrific symptoms. 

June 2015 Still non-functional but slowly getting better. Still brain zaps, migraines, sweating, heart racing, depression, crying spells

September 2015: 24/7 brain zaps, twitches in the face, no concentration, bad memory, language skills deteriorating. 

 

Profile feed: http://goo.gl/3g2GRn

 

Sign this petition for a blackbox warning on Prozac in Ireland:

https://www.change.org/p/leo-varadakar-hpra-the-lack-of-a-blackbox-warning-on-prozac-in-ireland-and-its-use-by-the-hse-in-under-18-s?recruiter=63289046&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=share_for_starters_page&utm_term=des-lg-no_src-no_msg

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The thing is...I believe I'd prefer seeing a witch doctor (some are shamans) to the jerk who calls himself a doctor. I think one day people will look on this time in medicine and consider in the dark ages. A lot of western medicine is really barbaric.

Remeron for depression. Started at 7.5 mg. in 2005. Gradual increases over 8 years, up to 45 mg. in 2012.Began tapering in June 2013. Went from 45 to 30 mg in the first 3-4 months. Held for a couple of months.Started tapering by 3.75 mg every month or 2, with some longer holding periods. Eventually went down to 3.75 mg. about April 2014. Stopped taking Remeron August 2014. Developed issues with histamine a week after stopping--symptoms reduced through diet and a few supplements. Currently having issues with a few foods. Most of the histamine intolerance has resolved or is at least, in remission.

Current Medications:

Current Supplements: Cannabis (CBD and THC), Vitamin C, D, Quercetin, CoQ10, Tart Cherry, Probiotic, Phytoplankton oil, magnesium, Methyl B. What has helped me most: spending time in nature, qi gong, exercise, healthy diet, meditation, IV vitamins, homeopathy, massage, acupuncture, chiropractic, music, and cuddling my cats..

My introduction: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/8459-mirtazapine-withdrawal-freespirit/#entry144282

Please note: I am not a therapist or medical practitioner. Any suggestions offered come solely from my personal experience in recovering from childhood trauma, therapy, and AD use. Please seek appropriate care for yourself.

 

“After a cruel childhood, one must reinvent oneself. Then re-imagine the world.”
Mary Oliver
 

 

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quite; ancient tribal healing is generally less damaging and more effective.

 

theres gotta be other people that remember this:

from 2005-2012, i spent 7 years taking 17 different psychotropic medications covering several classes.  i would be taking 3-7 medications at a time, and 6 out of the 17 medications listed below were maxed or overmaxed in clinical dosage before i moved on to trying the next unhelpful cocktail.
 
antidepressants (SSRIs, SNRIs, NDRIs, tetracyclics): zoloft, wellbutrin, effexor, lexapro, prozac, cymbalta, remeron
antipsychotics (atypical): abilify, zyprexa, risperdal, geodon
sleep aids (benzos, off-label antidepressants & antipsychotics, hypnotics): seroquel, temazepam, trazodone, ambien
anxiolytics: buspar
anticonvulsants: topamax
 
i tapered off all psychotropics from late 2011 through early 2013, one by one.  since quitting, ive been cycling through severe, disabling withdrawal symptoms spanning the gamut of the serious, less serious, and rather worrisome side effects of these assorted medications.  previous cross-tapering and medication or dosage changes had also caused undiagnosed withdrawal symptoms.
 
brainpan addlepation

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OMG...my neighbor was just telling me about this scene yesterday. Dark ages indeed.

 

And yes, I would choose ancient healing practices over western medicine for a lot of things.

Remeron for depression. Started at 7.5 mg. in 2005. Gradual increases over 8 years, up to 45 mg. in 2012.Began tapering in June 2013. Went from 45 to 30 mg in the first 3-4 months. Held for a couple of months.Started tapering by 3.75 mg every month or 2, with some longer holding periods. Eventually went down to 3.75 mg. about April 2014. Stopped taking Remeron August 2014. Developed issues with histamine a week after stopping--symptoms reduced through diet and a few supplements. Currently having issues with a few foods. Most of the histamine intolerance has resolved or is at least, in remission.

Current Medications:

Current Supplements: Cannabis (CBD and THC), Vitamin C, D, Quercetin, CoQ10, Tart Cherry, Probiotic, Phytoplankton oil, magnesium, Methyl B. What has helped me most: spending time in nature, qi gong, exercise, healthy diet, meditation, IV vitamins, homeopathy, massage, acupuncture, chiropractic, music, and cuddling my cats..

My introduction: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/8459-mirtazapine-withdrawal-freespirit/#entry144282

Please note: I am not a therapist or medical practitioner. Any suggestions offered come solely from my personal experience in recovering from childhood trauma, therapy, and AD use. Please seek appropriate care for yourself.

 

“After a cruel childhood, one must reinvent oneself. Then re-imagine the world.”
Mary Oliver
 

 

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Well the first doctor that percribed me psych meds was a psychiatrist when i was 12. I was diagnosed with ADD. I cant remember much about it because i cant remember much about my childhood. I told her the ADD med prevented me from having fun, so she took me off it.

 

Then i was hospitalized in a psych ward about a year later. diagnosed with psychosis(NOS) i think the med i was on was risperdal. And well i dont remember much i remember it felt like bug juice it nullified all my thoughts and gave things a very dull colour. and i felt it blunted my emotions.

I was on 20 mg of olanzapine for about two years.  For a month i took 10 mg then after a month of that I stopped taking it.

I'm currently on no medication and have been for about 2 months.

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  • 2 weeks later...

A psychiatrist who didn't even spend 10 minutes with me during my first visit. I left with a script and the rest is history.

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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