Mentor Happy2Heal Posted May 9, 2018 Mentor Share Posted May 9, 2018 (edited) I got this message from Laura Delano from the Inner Compass Initiative: "I'm a reporter working on an article for the AARP about antidepressant use/withdrawal in adults over 50 years old. It's based on this recent reporting in the NY Times and other outlets: https://nyti.ms/2IysV99. I'm looking for people in this age range (50+) to share their own stories re: antidepressants and antidepressant withdrawal. If you would be willing to talk about your experience, please email me at [send a pm to Happy2Heal] and we can set up a time to chat." I emailed the reporter and got a message back that she's getting so many responses she's doing an email survey instead of interviews She sent a list of questions for me to answer, which I did. I will copy and paste those questions below I think it's great that the word is getting out, so if you'd like to share your WD story with her, to be part of her article that hopefully will be published in AARPs' magazine, I'm guessing, then feel free to email her at the above address. here are the questions she asked: 1) How long ago did you begin taking antidepressnats/how long have you been taking the medication? 2) Were there specific circumstances that led to your doctor prescribing the drugs (for example, depression or anxiety after a job loss, the death of a spouse, during perimenopause, etc)? 3) Did your doctor discuss the potential for withdrawal symptoms when the medication was initially prescribed? Or were you unaware that you could become dependent on the drug? 4) What made you decide that it was time to stop taking the medication? 5) When you told your doctor you wanted to stop taking the drug, did he/she discuss withdrawal symptoms then? 6) What sort/s of withdrawal symptoms have you experienced after you stopped taking the drug? 7) Has tapering off the medication helped ease the withdrawal? 😎 How long do you anticipate that it will take you to finish tapering off the medication? Edited May 9, 2018 by Altostrata masked e-mail address PLEASE DO NOT SEND ME PRIVATE MESSAGES, thank you. pysch med history: 1974 @ age 18 to Oct 2017 (approx 43 yrs total) Drug list: stelazine, haldol, elavil, lithium, zoloft, celexa, lexapro(doses as high as 40mgs), klonopin, ambien, seroquel(high doses), depakote, zyprexa, lamictal- plus brief trials of dozens of other psych meds over the years started lexapro 2002, dose varied from 20mgs to 40mgs. First attempt to get off it was 2007- WD symptoms were mistaken for "relapse". 2013 too fast taper down to 5mg but WD forced me back to 20mgs June of 2105, tapered again too rapidly to 2.5mgs by Dec 2015. Found SA, held at 2.5 mgs til May 2016 when I foolishly "jumped off". felt ok until Sept, then acute WD hit!! reinstated at 0.3mgs in Oct. 2106 Tapered off to zero by Oct. 2017 Doing very well. Nov. 2018 feel 95% healed, age 63 Jan. 2020 feel 100% healed, peaceful and content Dec 2023 Loving life! ❤️ with all it's ups and downs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator Altostrata Posted May 9, 2018 Administrator Share Posted May 9, 2018 Hi, Happy2Heal. I masked the reporter's e-mail address so she doesn't get spammed by every robot on the Web. Did Laura Delano contact you directly? Are you a member of her site? 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentor Happy2Heal Posted May 9, 2018 Author Mentor Share Posted May 9, 2018 36 minutes ago, Altostrata said: Hi, Happy2Heal. I masked the reporter's e-mail address so she doesn't get spammed by every robot on the Web. Did Laura Delano contact you directly? Are you a member of her site? oh thanks I forgot about 'bots Laura posted this on public FB page. this is the full post: Outreach to FB friends out there who are over 50 and on/coming off antidepressants! This is from an AARP reporter. Have a read, share with others, and get in touch with her if you meet the criteria! "I'm a reporter working on an article for the AARP about antidepressant use/withdrawal in adults over 50 years old. It's based on this recent reporting in the NY Times and other outlets: https://nyti.ms/2IysV99. I'm looking for people in this age range (50+) to share their own stories re: antidepressants and antidepressant withdrawal. If you would be willing to talk about your experience, please email me at jenrrain AT gmail DOT com and we can set up a time to chat." I am a member of ICI but I find the site hard to navigate so I don't go there much. PLEASE DO NOT SEND ME PRIVATE MESSAGES, thank you. pysch med history: 1974 @ age 18 to Oct 2017 (approx 43 yrs total) Drug list: stelazine, haldol, elavil, lithium, zoloft, celexa, lexapro(doses as high as 40mgs), klonopin, ambien, seroquel(high doses), depakote, zyprexa, lamictal- plus brief trials of dozens of other psych meds over the years started lexapro 2002, dose varied from 20mgs to 40mgs. First attempt to get off it was 2007- WD symptoms were mistaken for "relapse". 2013 too fast taper down to 5mg but WD forced me back to 20mgs June of 2105, tapered again too rapidly to 2.5mgs by Dec 2015. Found SA, held at 2.5 mgs til May 2016 when I foolishly "jumped off". felt ok until Sept, then acute WD hit!! reinstated at 0.3mgs in Oct. 2106 Tapered off to zero by Oct. 2017 Doing very well. Nov. 2018 feel 95% healed, age 63 Jan. 2020 feel 100% healed, peaceful and content Dec 2023 Loving life! ❤️ with all it's ups and downs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator Altostrata Posted May 9, 2018 Administrator Share Posted May 9, 2018 Okay, if people on SA want to participate, they'll send you a pm for the reporter's address, I hope that's okay with you. 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentor Happy2Heal Posted May 9, 2018 Author Mentor Share Posted May 9, 2018 ok 👍 PLEASE DO NOT SEND ME PRIVATE MESSAGES, thank you. pysch med history: 1974 @ age 18 to Oct 2017 (approx 43 yrs total) Drug list: stelazine, haldol, elavil, lithium, zoloft, celexa, lexapro(doses as high as 40mgs), klonopin, ambien, seroquel(high doses), depakote, zyprexa, lamictal- plus brief trials of dozens of other psych meds over the years started lexapro 2002, dose varied from 20mgs to 40mgs. First attempt to get off it was 2007- WD symptoms were mistaken for "relapse". 2013 too fast taper down to 5mg but WD forced me back to 20mgs June of 2105, tapered again too rapidly to 2.5mgs by Dec 2015. Found SA, held at 2.5 mgs til May 2016 when I foolishly "jumped off". felt ok until Sept, then acute WD hit!! reinstated at 0.3mgs in Oct. 2106 Tapered off to zero by Oct. 2017 Doing very well. Nov. 2018 feel 95% healed, age 63 Jan. 2020 feel 100% healed, peaceful and content Dec 2023 Loving life! ❤️ with all it's ups and downs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Emeritus Gridley Posted May 10, 2018 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted May 10, 2018 Because she's gotten so much response, she's now sending out a email questionnaire, which I answered. Gridley Introduction Lexapro 20 mg since 2004. Begin Brassmonkey Slide Taper Jan. 2017. End 2017 year 1 of taper at 9.25mg End 2018 year 2 of taper at 4.1mg End 2019 year 3 of taper at 1.0mg Oct. 30, 2020 Jump to zero from 0.025mg. Current dose: 0.000mg 3 year, 10 month taper is 100% complete. Ativan 1 mg to 1.875mg 1986-2020, two CT's and reinstatements Nov. 2020, 7-week Ativan-Valium crossover to 18.75mg Valium Feb. 2021, begin 10%/4 week taper of 18.75mg Valium End 2021 year 1 of Valium taper at 6mg End 2022 year 2 of Valium taper at 2.75mg End 2023 year 3 of Valium taper at 1mg Jan. 24, 2024: Hold at 1mg and shift to Imipramine taper. Taper is 95% complete. Imipramine 75 mg daily since 1986. Jan.-Sept. 2016 tapered to 14.4mg March 22, 2022: Begin 10%/4 week taper Aug. 5, 2022: hold at 9.5mg and shift to Valium taper Jan. 24, 2024: Resume Imipramine taper. Current dose as of April 1: 6.8mg Taper is 91% complete. Supplements: multiple, quercetin, omega-3, vitamins C, E and D3, magnesium glycinate, probiotics, zinc, melatonin .3mg, iron, serrapeptase, nattokinase I am not a medical professional and this is not medical advice but simply information based on my own experience, as well as other members who have survived these drugs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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