Jaywill Posted February 25, 2018 Share Posted February 25, 2018 I believe I am a success story. I took Paxil for 12 years. I weaned down but have been off medication since Aug 2012, so it was 5 years on Aug 15 2017. I was SEVERELY sick for a long time , but I refused to go back on the meds,I have the majority of my life back. I continue to teach full time, I play hockey, I hike daily. I am on a very restrictive diet,( Paleo with no grains and I really restrict sugar) I do have a chemical sensitivity but I live a very clean life. I did 1 full year of the Dynamic Neural Retraining System which has helped me big time. I have had an MRI and I have developed a small lesion in my right hemisphere. I am not able to eat things like everyone else but I look at it as though I am going to be healthier in the long run and it keeps me trim. I do yoga, i see a naturopath every month, I see a massage therapist every month. I eat well, exercise, drink alot of water, do brain retraining 20 min a day. The way I look at it there is no quick fix to withdrawal. It is an absolute hell that I wouldn't wish on anyone. Everyday it is something else but I do WHATEVER it takes and I am living a great life. So there is no quick fix. It takes time and alot of hard work. I also had my faith and knew that I was going to be well one day. I hope this shows that there is life after meds. 12 year on Paxil 20mg. Dropped to 5mg a few years before weaning, Was on 5mg weaned over a few months and then went off Aug 15, 2012. Severe withdrawal started Nov 2012 and have been slowly recovering. Have had all physical symptoms especially muscle, immune and food sensitivities! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Help777 Posted February 25, 2018 Share Posted February 25, 2018 Hi, Congrats on your recovery! What is the brain retraining you do each day? I am 2 years post effexor and still withdrawing from lithium, one of the meds to bridge. I am struggling with depression, low tolerance for stress, insomnia at times, burning hands and feet. I cry a lot. Hoping I continue to heal. help May 12th 2016 took last bead of effexor. 8 month taper. Bridge = prozac 5mg, 300mg Lithium May 31st took last of prozac. Lithium 300 mg, estrogen patch 150, magnesium. June 14th reinstated 1mg Prozac due to intolerable emotional distress. Cont with lithium 300mg, 150 magnesium, re added omega 3, cont estrogen patch. June 15-july 5th had marked improvement of emotional wd symptoms, likely due to the reinstatement. July 5th intense emotional symptoms returned. July 15 decreased 50 mg of lithium to see if it improved low heart rate. July 19th - increased prozac to 1.5mg. July 22 marked improvement of emotional symptoms...again, likely due to increase of prozac. However sudden agitation developed so decreased back down to 1.25mg prozac. Realizing increasing dose is dangerous because of these adverse effects and also seeing that wave is inevitable regardless of reinstatement. Continuing 250 lithium, 1.25mg prozac, estrogen. Oct 31st - continued 250 lithium, 1 mg prozac, estrogen patch. Jan 2018 - off of prozac (bridge) as of Dec 2017. Starting to taper Lithium 250 mg. Will do 10% per month. May 2018 - lithium 115mg. Still having waves but they aren’t as bad. However, I really struggle with emotional symptoms about 1 week after a cut. dec 2018- 80mg lithium. Tapering 1 mg per week since last June. Symptoms improving overall but still very sensitive to light, sound, social stimulation and I cry a lot. March 2019 - 65 mg lithium. Still tapering 1mg per week. Jan 2021- down to 4 mg lithium (get it compounded). Reinstated 5 mg Prozac. Jan 2023- withdraw 5mg prozac over one month Feb 20th 2023- reinstated 1mg Prozac. Still taking 4 mg lithium. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottenter Posted February 26, 2018 Share Posted February 26, 2018 Thanks for your success story. Is the dynamic neural retraining system the same thing or similar to neurofeedback? - 12 1/2 years on Zoloft 150mg from Spring 2005 to Dec 2017. - For every year for the first 6 years, from 2005 to 2011, tried to come off the drug each year, and each time was a horrible failure, whether I tapered or not... - Which lead me to get back on the drug and stay on it continuously for 6 years from 2011-2017 until I tapered off the last and final time from Nov 2016 till my last dose on Dec 1 2017. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Itzakadoozee Posted February 26, 2018 Share Posted February 26, 2018 Thanks for the hope I really appreciate it. 2005-2015 sertaline, 2015 to November 2018 escatalopram. Used liquid titration to drop doses. By 0.5mg at first then drops as small as 0.01mg at end of taper. Jumped of at 0.02mg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tootsieroll Posted February 26, 2018 Share Posted February 26, 2018 Woo hoo keeping the survival stories alive!! Congrats!! I was starting to get discouraged because of the lack of newer stories of people who have crossed the finish line. It appears it takes quite a while for some, 5 years in your case. Thank you for instilling renewed hope in me and I wish you the best in everything! <p>10 years of ssri and finally tapered off in 2 years. Off Celexa by jan/28/2014 and off benzos by March/6th/2014 after only two months use and still experiencing withdrawal symptoms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waltjie Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 Thank you for your post! Gives the rest of us here HOPE! xx (2002 - 2007) Arapax, Cipramil, Effexor, Prozac (2008 - June 2017) Escitalopram, 15mg daily (Started tapering July 1st 2017, 10% pm) July 13.5mg August 12mg September 11mg October - 12March 10mg 12-14 March 9mg 15 March - present 10mg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeanK Posted March 13, 2018 Share Posted March 13, 2018 thanks for your post. I can hardly wait to be drug free. lexapro: October 2003: prozac May 2006: celexa July 2010. tapering celexa from 40mgs to 20mgs January 1, 2018 klonopin: May 2006. cold turkey November 1, 2017 lamictal: 300mgs August 2010 till now gabapentin: 900mgs 2015 till now buspur: 20mgs 2016 till now I can't i can't ican't ican't i can't ican't i can't think of anymore to say Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeanK Posted March 13, 2018 Share Posted March 13, 2018 hey i'm withdrawing fom Celexa. And I just got over a bacterial infection and a broken foot. I've dealt with anxiety mood swings an depression. Hope you make friends soon. I go to AA to. lexapro: October 2003: prozac May 2006: celexa July 2010. tapering celexa from 40mgs to 20mgs January 1, 2018 klonopin: May 2006. cold turkey November 1, 2017 lamictal: 300mgs August 2010 till now gabapentin: 900mgs 2015 till now buspur: 20mgs 2016 till now I can't i can't ican't ican't i can't ican't i can't think of anymore to say Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peachy Posted July 24, 2018 Share Posted July 24, 2018 Thanks for the update Jaywill! What sort of symptoms did you have in WD, and when did they start to get better? Do you feel joy and happiness again, without constant hoplesness and depression? Thanks! med history: 17 years total Concerta: 2 yrs - cold turkey, brought on first "depression" Short trials of Zoloft and Effexor: 1-3 years - multiple cold turkey's brought on OCD intrusive thoughts for the first time Lexapro 15-20 mg (16 yrs) - tried to quit once, cold turkey, worst WD ever, had to go on to 20mg to stop WD Welbutrin 150mg (8-ish yrs) NO w/d symptoms from CT Adderall 5-7.5mg (8-10-ish yrs) quit CT, brought on many WD symptoms, but manageable. Begin taper March 2018 : Currently on 4.4 mg lexapro - down from 20mg Symptoms : depression, horrible intrusive thoughts and urges, new onset PMS/PMDD, constant extreme irritation and anger, visual hallucinations, irrational thinking patterns, panic, nausea, dizzy, intolerance to working out, chemical sensitivities, noise sensitivities, memory issues, heart palps, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Emeritus ChessieCat Posted January 6, 2019 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted January 6, 2019 Hi there, The staff at SA are wondering how you are. We'd love to hear how you are doing now. Would you mind dropping by and giving an update? Thanks. CC * NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA * MISSION ACCOMPLISHED: (6 year taper) 0mg Pristiq on 13th November 2021 ADs since ~1992: 25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq: 50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity) Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021 LAST DOSE 0.0025mg Post 0 updates start here My tapering program My Intro (goes to tapering graph) VIDEO: Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Experiment1996 Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 Can you give an update ? At which month were you 100 % healed ? August 2012 - February 2018 = 5.5 years. Thanks and congratulations ! 26, male.Consumption from age 13 - 22. Month 40 currently.Reductions in symptoms at month 4, 6, 18 and 32.Month 1 - 18 -> TERRORMonth 18 - 32 -> PAINFULMonth 32 - now -> UnpleasantCurrent symptoms: Social anxiety, brain fog, anhedonia, fatigue, low energy, low motivation, low libido, no morning wood, weak bladder and urine stream. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GGGG Posted May 25, 2023 Share Posted May 25, 2023 On 1/31/2023 at 8:20 PM, Experiment1996 said: Can you give an update ? At which month were you 100 % healed ? August 2012 - February 2018 = 5.5 years. Thanks and congratulations ! Are you completely healed? Year 2010 to 2020 remeron, Buspar, atenelol, Ativan as needed (once a week) remeron stopped working (pooped out) oct 2020 started amitryptyline took it 3 months Dec started wellbutrin, Stopped it 3 months later Started Paxil again for 3 months took vibryd for 1 month, Stopped it in 5 days Started sam e 100mgs 3x a day, Tyrosine 1000mgs 3 x a dayfor 6 months August 2020 - Off all antidepressants 16 th of Feb, 2023 started taperingsam e the 100mg 2 x a day of sam e. I stopped taking the afternoon one. And started every other day then every r day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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