apple1989 Posted June 2 Share Posted June 2 (edited) Why I am writing this? I think everybody writes when is in bad moments, so forum are full of bad stories. I just come back to say that I am quite great during last year. And med free. I don't know if this post respect rules of the forum or if I will come back to answer question. Anyway, I am sorry. But I am really busy living my life out of digital world hehe. Cheers! **Staff Note**: Here is apple1989's introduction thread Update: 1 year and 3 months med free. I have bad and good moments in my life. As a normal person. I work from 7 am to 3 pm; go to dance classes; and meeting a new girl, probably my future girlfriend if things goes well. On weekends sometimes I see my old friends and my family which live in other city. My mum passed away this January 2024. Maybe the most hard moments in my life. But still med free and coping the situation as I could. I also live in a different city. Nearer from my home town than the previous location, but it's a new city where is more difficult than previous place to make new friends. How I quit meds? In my case, I didn't trust it before. But it was psychological. So I solved different psychological problems. I strongly think that things like: allergies, tiredness, anhedonia, anxiety, depression... in my person have totally psychological roots. Maybe a mix of: - Not following my real desires and emotions : being with people I don't really like. And I have relation in my family that had changed a lot. One of my big success is discover I am really different from my siblings and my parents. I function in a different way. Not better or worst, but different. - Excess of worry: for working in a thing I have never studied for, for not finding a stable place to live, not having an stable girlfriend.... in fact, are little things. You can be very happy despite of that... - I believe in excess in medication. I am totally convinced that, for the good and the bad, pills have much less power than we think. The times I have taken a pill again, I discovered, for myself, that pills 'low' you a bit. Lorazepam calm a bit, Zyprexa calms more. But that's all: my avolition or anhedonia simply comes from activities or people that maybe I have to enjoy.... but I don't enjoy at all really. For example: I love my nieces, but I can only stand being with them 2 or 2 hours and a half. That's all. I don't enjoy kids more time. I am a bad uncle? Maybe, but is my limit. Things that helped: - Psychologist. I've been with 4. It's ok to change a psychologist. If you see you are in the same place after several session, a change is a good option I think.ç - Self help books and self investigation: there are some books I love. From authors like Rafael Santandreu, Daniel Gilbert, A philosoph called Byung Chun Han... And I remember I started with an app called WoeBot. Really useful also. - Psychiatrist: he liked the forum.... I discovered it for him. And he also thing that pdoc usually lower medications too fast. He was agree with the tapering and he monitored the process. - Lower medication gradually: this is totally necessary. What can I say about that which is not said in this forum. Edited June 3 by Erimus Added link to introduction thread 6 32 years old. Male. Schizophrenia: postive sympthoms at 21 and 23 years old. Then coping with negative sympthoms (anhedonia, apathy). Nowadays working and with nice social support. 2012 - 2020: Risperdal 10mg to Abilify 7.5mg then Switching to Abilify 2.5mg, other times 5mg/2.5mg alternating days... ; 2018: Started lamotrigine 50mg. 5mg/2.5mg Abilify alternating 2021 - March: I discovered SurvivingAntidepressants, thanks to Altostrata and the website's community. Started with 3.6mg Abilify, hold Lamotrigine(50mg) 2021 April: 3.2mg Abilify, Lamotrigine 50mg; 2021 May: 2.9 mg Abilify, Lamotrigine 50mg; 2021 June: tried hold 2.9mg Abilify, finally return to 3.2mg. Lamotrigine 50mg; 2022 July: 2mg Abilify, Cymbalta 30mg. 2022 August: 1.5mg Abilify, Cymbalta only 10 beads. 2022 September: 1mg Abilify, 150mg Wellbutrin. At this moment, I honestly think that I need some meds to live in good conditions. 2023 February: 0mg Abilify, 0mg Cymbalta. I'm quite fine at this moment. I hope in the future also. 35 years old, at 02nd of June 2024: med free from February 2023: Just really occasional Lorazepam to sleep, maybe a Zyprexa if I am really energetic (kind of high bipolar, not diagnosed). No more than 3 lorazepam this whole year. 1 Zyprexa of 5mg on one year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Erimus Posted June 3 Moderator Share Posted June 3 Thanks for returning to write your success story. It will benefit the community massively to see another tale of recovery from psychiatric medication. Best wishes for your life going forward, and again many thanks from myself and the team here at SurvivingAntidepressants. Active Monday-Friday UK time Taper calculator spreadsheet MEDICATION: 1) Sertraline: 50mg - Oct 2020, 100mg - Dec 2020, 50mg - Apr 2021, 75mg - May 2021, 50mg - Sep 2021, 2 year 5 month hold, 55mg - 23 Feb 2024, 60mg - 20 Mar 2024, Start tapering - 24 Apr 2024, reached 52.5mg before crashing hard 13 Aug 2024 - reinstate back to 58mg and hold - tapered too fast. Current dose: 58mg (1 Sep 2024) 2) Mirtazapine: 15mg - Nov 2020 SUPPLEMENTS: Vitamin C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farm24 Posted June 3 Share Posted June 3 On 6/2/2024 at 5:43 PM, apple1989 said: Why I am writing this? I think everybody writes when is in bad moments, so forum are full of bad stories. I just come back to say that I am quite great during last year. And med free. I don't know if this post respect rules of the forum or if I will come back to answer question. Anyway, I am sorry. But I am really busy living my life out of digital world hehe. Cheers! **Staff Note**: Here is apple1989's introduction thread Update: 1 year and 3 months med free. I have bad and good moments in my life. As a normal person. I work from 7 am to 3 pm; go to dance classes; and meeting a new girl, probably my future girlfriend if things goes well. On weekends sometimes I see my old friends and my family which live in other city. My mum passed away this January 2024. Maybe the most hard moments in my life. But still med free and coping the situation as I could. I also live in a different city. Nearer from my home town than the previous location, but it's a new city where is more difficult than previous place to make new friends. How I quit meds? In my case, I didn't trust it before. But it was psychological. So I solved different psychological problems. I strongly think that things like: allergies, tiredness, anhedonia, anxiety, depression... in my person have totally psychological roots. Maybe a mix of: - Not following my real desires and emotions : being with people I don't really like. And I have relation in my family that had changed a lot. One of my big success is discover I am really different from my siblings and my parents. I function in a different way. Not better or worst, but different. - Excess of worry: for working in a thing I have never studied for, for not finding a stable place to live, not having an stable girlfriend.... in fact, are little things. You can be very happy despite of that... - I believe in excess in medication. I am totally convinced that, for the good and the bad, pills have much less power than we think. The times I have taken a pill again, I discovered, for myself, that pills 'low' you a bit. Lorazepam calm a bit, Zyprexa calms more. But that's all: my avolition or anhedonia simply comes from activities or people that maybe I have to enjoy.... but I don't enjoy at all really. For example: I love my nieces, but I can only stand being with them 2 or 2 hours and a half. That's all. I don't enjoy kids more time. I am a bad uncle? Maybe, but is my limit. Things that helped: - Psychologist. I've been with 4. It's ok to change a psychologist. If you see you are in the same place after several session, a change is a good option I think.ç - Self help books and self investigation: there are some books I love. From authors like Rafael Santandreu, Daniel Gilbert, A philosoph called Byung Chun Han... And I remember I started with an app called WoeBot. Really useful also. - Psychiatrist: he liked the forum.... I discovered it for him. And he also thing that pdoc usually lower medications too fast. He was agree with the tapering and he monitored the process. - Lower medication gradually: this is totally necessary. What can I say about that which is not said in this forum. Did you have any physical symptoms? Sertaline- tried 50 mg beginning of June 2023. Caused hyperreflexia. So stopped after one dose. Tried several smaller doses that month. Had burning and twitching so just stopped. Lexapro June of 2023' 2.5 mg for two weeks July of 2023 5 mg for two weeks July of 2023 7.5 mg for 2 weeks August to mid September 10 mg Mid September reduced to 7.5 October to October 15 reduced to 5 October 15 to October 30 reduced to 2.5 October 30-off Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Emeritus manymoretodays Posted June 4 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted June 4 Good going apple1989! Congratulations and thanks for writing up your success. Sounds like you have a really full, and nice life beyond medications now. Excellent! I love your thoughts and coping. L, P, H, and G. mmt Late 2023- gone to emeritus status, inactive, don't @ me, I can check who I've posted on, and I'm not really here like I used to be......thanks. Started with psycho meds/psychiatric care circa 1988. In retrospect, and on contemplation, situational overwhelm. Rounding up to 30 years of medications(30 medication trials, poly-pharmacy maximum was 3 at one time). 5/28/2015-off Adderal salts 2.5mg. (I had been on that since hospital 10/2014) 12/2015---just holding, holding, holding, with trileptal/oxcarb at 75 mg. 1/2 tab at hs. My last psycho med ever! Tapered @ 10% every 4 weeks, sometimes 2 weeks to 2016 Dec 16, medication free!! Longer signature post here, with current supplements. Herb and alcohol free since 5/15/2016. And.....I quit smoking 11/2021. Lapsed. Redo of quit smoking 9/28/2022, and again finally 5/25/24. Can you say Hallelujah?(took me long enough)💜 None of my posts are intended as medical advice. Please discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical provider. My success story: Blue skies ahead, clear sailing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennings Posted June 4 Share Posted June 4 I'm happy for you. Live your life. Med History - 2014 - 2020 - Zoloft, Effexor, Klonopin, Lexapro, Buspar (No longer on any of these) Went to my doctor for an annual and mentioned I was stressed, gave me Zoloft, stopped it after 3 months because it didn't do anything, ended up in withdrawal and was told I had a mental illness. I've been diagnosed Bipolar and Clinically Depressed. Current Med Taper Lamotrigine - 25mg (May 21') -> 24mg (May 23') -> 23mg (July 23') -> 22mg (Aug 23') -> 21mg (Oct 23') -> 20mg (Dec 23') --> 19mg (5/24) --> 18mg (6/24) -> 17mg (7/24) -> 16mg (8/24) Supplement: Magnesium, Fish Oil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator KenA Posted June 12 Administrator Share Posted June 12 Congrats on making it to the other side and for sharing to help give others hope!! 1 2010-2011 - Tramadol - Can't remember dosage 2011 - CT Quit Tramadol 2011-2019 - St Johns Wart - Started out at 3 Pills a day (300 MG) and increased to 6 per day over the years August 2019 - CT Quit St Johns (Told by Hospital Dr to Stop Taking due to increased BP) September 2019 - Citalopram 10mg - Approx 2 weeks - CT Quit September 2019 - October 2019 - Clonazepam .5mg - Approx 3 weeks - CT Quit Drug Free Since October 5th 2019 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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