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KimmieK Looking to start an in person support group - RI/SE Mass

KimmieK

By KimmieK
in Introductions and updates

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KimmieK Newbie

KimmieK

Posted
Posted

Hi I'm not sure if I ever introduced myself so here goes. I found this site over a year after I c/t off of 4 psych drugs. Why did I c/t? For several reasons-one being the absolute ignorance of psychiatry about safely stopping. I was not told anything. A second was that years of 12 step recovery led me to think that this withdrawal would be similar to what I went through over 10 years ago. And that I would have support from people who knew me for a long time. Also, I didn't know about tapering and by the time I heard about it I thought I was past the worst of it and just held on.

 

My experience: I was told by psychiatry that I would not last off the drugs and that I would either be back on them or hospitalized within 6 months. Neither happened.

 

The 12 step folks in this area have all bought into the "dual diagnosis" medical model and most take psych drugs so when I said withdrawal they said relapse of symptoms. Even when I pointed out I helped them through their withdrawal and for some it took years my choice was seen as "non compliance" when I was really trying to save my life and get truly clean. So rejection from them too.

 

Family had long bought the "chemical imbalance" story and would not be open to information that said different. I had a chemical imbalance, needed the drugs like a diabetic, and that was that. So no support there.

 

I truly believe that this site is hugely important and helpful. I am glad it is here.

 

For me, if I had face to face support I believe my withdrawal wouldn't have been so hard, certainly not as isolating. I just don't get the same feeling from online as I ever did in face to face meetings.

 

So, I am hoping to find a few people near Rhode Island or Southeastern Mass that would like to join me in staring this. A combination informational, educational, supportive group. I have ideas and am open to other peoples. Thank you.

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  • Moderator Emeritus
apace41 Contributor

apace41

Posted
  • Moderator Emeritus
Posted

Kimmie,

 

Welcome back to SA.

 

Here is a link to your intro thread. http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/4111-kimmiek-intro-life-with-a-label/#entry48899

 

So you DID do an intro.  How about you bring us current with how you've been doing, your drug history, etc.  Are you healed?  In process?

 

Love the idea of starting a meetup in your area.  Face to face support can be such a huge help.

 

Please fill in some of the blanks so we can learn from what you've done and not done.

 

Best,

 

Andy

Sertraline 50mg and Clonazapam .375mg from 2000 -- symptoms of dizziness Spring 2012

increased to .5 Clonazapam and 100mg Sertraline -- no improvement

Benzo microtaper from November 2012 to November 2014 (followed benzo sites "taper benzo first")

Started Sertraline taper in December 2014 cut by 25mg to 75mg; 62.5mg 1/1/15 and 50mg on 2/1/15

Held at 50mg through April 5 to use liquid 
Reduced dosage in 10% or less drops from 50mg to 25mg -- at single tablet of 25mg on 10/5/15

Transitioned to all liquid for accuracy while tapering -- Horrible insomnia -- back to 25mg liquid and held until October 1, 2016

10/16 -- 11/18 tapered very slowly to 10.6mg.  No real improvement and never really stable so updosed to 12.5mg (1/2 a pill) for convenience and long hold.

After 8+ months of holding with no noticeable improvement decided to add .4ml of liquid Prozac (about 1.5mg) to see if that improves the situation

Supplements, Magnesium, D3, Omega 3, curcumin, Valerian, 81mg Aspirin, L-Theanine, Vit. C,

 

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savinggrace Contributor

savinggrace

Posted
Posted

Sounds like a great idea Kimmie...I would sign up right now but I think IN to Rhode Island is too long of a commute! The whole "dual diagnosis, chemical imbalance, same problem re-surfacing" is definitely hard to get past. If all those believers would spend an hour on this site, they may change their minds. I have considered asking my family to read this forum to understand what I am going through, and I will, if I ever get the courage to actually tell them. As it is they all think I am "just depressed", "just sick", or a hypochondriac so I don't trust them to tell them the truth. So shame and secrets contribute to my lack of well-being.

 

I hope you are successful in getting even just a couple of people together to support each other. When is this psych drug mess ever going to be exposed for what it is? Sadly, I often wish I had gotten physically/mentally dependent on narcotics or alcohol, because I know many who recover from that.

 

Good luck with this.

 

Grace

  • amitriptyline from 1980-2002,
  • intermittent  use of benzos over 2 decades prior to 2002
  • 2002-2010 Klonopin 1-2 mg., ambien 10--20, mg, remeron 4 mg. and  trileptal 300 mg
  • 2011 Stopped ambien and crossed over to valium 17.5 mg. (updosing 2.5 mg. to cover ambien C/T )
  • tapered valium w/ long holds to 12.74 mg. from a high of approximately 20-30 mg/day
  • 2015-2023 tapered trileptal to 98 mg.  had to completely stop tapering due to multiple chronic, serious health issues
  • currently 2024 still on 98 mg. trileptal and 4 mg. remeron
  •   Currently on benzo hold as I have to cross-over from brand-name valium to generic diazepam.   The diazepam is way weaker and brought on severe acute w/d
  • Current dose of diazepam is 7.9 and valium is 6.6.  I had to up-dose the total valium/diazepam from 12.74 to 14.5 where I have stayed since June 2023.  I am crossing over to generic at a somewhat tolerable rate of .3mg/month after about 2 months of trial/error w/ updosing.  I am not currently tapering; will continue to cross over. 

 

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KimmieK Newbie

KimmieK

Posted
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Posted

Hi thanks for the link to my intro, I wrote more than I thought. As far as am I healed, well physically for the most part I am. Sometimes I have trouble sleeping but it goes away. Sometimes I have pain but I'm getting older (lol). It's really the loss of my social life and connecting with other folks that get where I have been and want to also move forward that I miss.

 

In one respect time has been a bit of a help.

 

I really hope we can get a few of us together. I really don't enjoy writing as much as speaking and listening. I am no expert on withdrawal - except for mine - so I think others opinions and experiences are invaluable. I do have experience as a peer and in 12 step, so taking the best from that could be a start. Together we could really create something positive!

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  • Administrator
Altostrata Grand Master

Altostrata

Posted
  • Administrator
Posted

Welcome, KimmieK.
 
You may wish to start a new topic in the Relationships forum, which is where people are make local connections.
 
See
 
Peer support groups?

"Check in" topics: SurvivingAntidepressant.org members near you

Boston Area Check in Topic

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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