I have had severe and long lasting withdrawal symptoms after stopping an SSRI which I was on for 13 years. I tried numerous times over those years to stop, not knowing about withdrawal. My GP told me to just stop, because I was on a low dose and I shouldn't notice any difference. But each time I stopped, within 2 days I was in absolute agony, so I started taking them again, that's why I was on them so long. Eventually I learned about tapering, so I came off them over about 2 months, still not slow enough. I started having a long list of new and strange symptoms. Over the next 2 years I received several new mental health diagnoses and was put on various other drugs, along with different antidepressants. I was getting sicker and sicker. Thankfully I stumbled onto information about withdrawal and learned that it was the drugs which were making me sick. So I stopped all of them. It took 2 years before I started feeling better. Nine years later, I'm still not completely recovered, my brain and nervous system is still trying to adjust after all those years of being chemically altered, but I'm much better than I was. Initially, I was prescribed antidepressants for mild anxiety. Going through withdrawal has caused the most extreme terror and panic, lasting years. My original anxiety is like a walk in the park now. The extremes of psychological and physical symptoms I've experienced through withdrawal have raised my tolerance for discomfort. I also had akathisia on and off for 2 years, the only thing which kept me from ending my life was the belief that one day my suffering would end if I stayed alive long enough. In my opinion it should be a criminal offence to prescribe these drugs, coming off them is a kind of torture no person should have to endure.
Sorry to hear of your ordeal. Moved by and relate to your journey of staying alive long enough for this suffering to end. It’s empowering to hear of another’s such will to save themselves from such an unfathomably painful and debilitating experience.
Jesus Christ. I'm suffering crippling nerve pain that appeared as a side effect of the drugs. I took them for 2 years and have been now 18 months off, but everything's just as bad as day one. If I have to endure another 10 years of this I won't make it alive, the pain has already destroyed everything in my life. Fully disabled, bedridden, osteoporosis from not being able to move, sarcopenia, cuts every now and then to keep the leg nerve pain at bay... The worst thing is that I took the drug for an intractable IBS pain (suicidal pain). What am I gonna do when the pain comes back and I can't use anything to treat it? I apologize for stealing you the spotlight, your case is definitely very severe. It's just that I see myself in you, and my preexisting condition was already absolutely awful, so I dunno how I'm gonna cope with it. I wish you well and thank you for sharing your experience.
@@stephendendy8376 It is factual. I checked Dr. Horowitz out, he's the real deal. I stopped Sertraline (Zoloft) a few months ago, after tapering down to 25mg. Am now experiencing periods of anxiety & depression, extreme nervousness, anger, & crying at everything. Thank God someone led me to Dr. Horowitz, & to Dr. Alice W. Lee -- both of whom withdraw people from antidepressants. Dr. Lee preps first, using supporting therapeutics while withdrawal occurs. Wish I'd known that prior to. I'm hoping that maybe I can go back on the 25mg, then slowly reduce from there.
25 Years on Paxil. Try every year to get off this drug. Cannot handle the illness that always follows. Thank you for understanding. I don’t feel unheard anymore. ❤
I think the most unfortunate thing I uncovered was how uneducated GP’s are regarding withdrawals past two weeks. I’m a survivor of proTracted Acute Withdrawal syndrome (PAWS). And yes GP’s can cause suicide due to the lack of education. Sad but true.
@Farhad Ahmadi it’s a very long healing journey however a very rewarding one. It’s been four years for me and my nervous system is still finding its way back to balance. On the 3rd year my heart returned back to normal after having pulpitations etc. I couldn’t sleep on my left side for years. These drugs are seriously dangerous when mismanaged. I’m doing great and have improved every day and every year that goes by. I’ve been using a balance of medical grade cbd and thc Oils daily for improved sleep to help the healing process. Daily Exercise has increased as I’ve improved. No alcohol etc etc. it’s a long healing journey keep going my friend 🙏🏻
@Farhad Ahmadi I’m sorry to hear of your heartache over the years🙏🏻 It’s the same in every country sadly. Most Doctors are very uneducated about these meds and withdrawals. It’s a very sad situation. To recover from your situation is, TIME, healthy food, lots of water, work on some small daily exercise you can do. Good sleep is very important (use magnesium night supplements). Be good to yourself and reduce stress where possible. Good luck to you and your family from Australia.
@Farhad Ahmadi sorry however I don’t talk to people on the phone or in the position to help sorry. I do have some advice though. Education is key, educated yourself on your problem. I have a you tube station called “the lovely grind” these videos helped me through my healing time. You should watch and read as much information as possible. Good luck to you sir 🙏🏻
I'm glad the truth is now being told about the terrible side effects of withdrawal. I didn't have any resources when I went through this back in 2009. I went through withdrawal hell for 3 years after discontinuing Paxil, even though I slowly tapered for 2 years. I took the drug for anxiety for nearly a decade. My nightmare began 6 months after full discontinuation back in March 2009. I thought at first I had a case of intestinal flu, but the terrible withdrawal symptoms just got worse after the first few days of what I thought was the flu. Intestinal problems, crippling fatigue, dizziness, insomnia, chronic pain, brain fog, migraines, leg cramping, and numbness and tingling in my extremities. I had to quit my job and after 3 years, finally saw slow improvement over time. However, I have never really been the same after the Paxil nightmare. I'm 1000 times better, but I still have lingering issues with insomnia and mysterious pain that moves around my body. Thankfully I can live a relatively normal life, but prior to this nightmare, I was an energetic athlete who enjoyed rock climbing, backpacking, mountain biking, hiking, yoga...you name it. I manage to stay fairly active nowadays, but I'm still not the same. Something permanent happened to my nervous system. I am so thankful to have recovered as much as I have since 2009, but if I had to do it over again, I'd never take an SSRI or any other drug to manage anxiety. In my case, even though my panic attacks were pretty bad, I'd gladly deal with that than the withdrawal hell. The cure was much worse than the disease in my experience.
80% of the serotonin in a human comes from exogenous production in the gut by friendly microbes. It's very interesting that you had intestinal problems during your withdrawal.
I experienced very similar, after many years gradually recovering,l still came to a point where I could clearly recognise the initial illness Depression and have had to return to help from Antidepressants..but a lot wiser than when first dispensed 30 years ago.lucky to have survived the last withdrawal.lucky to have better updated knowledge on- line these days.
thank you so much for trying to bring this to the attention of government and the NHS... as someone who is struggling with withdrawls and has been for sometime, with no where to turn (I'm fed up of having to "teach" my gp about withdrawls and how their tapering methods are very dangerous). we really need better education of withdrawls as these doctors are meant to be the people who support us in our times of need, it shouldn't be down to the patient to teach doctors this stuff.
@asnail9539 ,I too have this trouble with my GP, they get really argumentative when I am trying to explain what information I have found about withdrawing too fast as they want me to ,they are willing to put you on these drugs but have no education on how to get off these drugs and refuse to listen,I even been subtley threatened that If I don't come off these drugs their way,they will refuse to work with me. This in my book is called gaslighting .
Thank you Mark Horowitz. I have experienced these horrible withdrawal symptoms for the past five months before I managed, after a lot od disagreement, to be put on prozac instead of quetiapine for my symptoms. The psychiatrist thought I had develped an anxiety disorder in addition to my depression. Luckily I had done a lot of research beforehand. I feel much more confident about coming off the prozac knowing about this research.
What an incredibly informative yet concise video for a topic that has felt so complex to, not only experience but, try and research and explain to those around me in a severe state of withdrawal. Thank you for the work you’re doing, I look forward to being well enough in my journey to join the cause in my own way. I will be sharing this video!
I have been on an SSI over 15 years and have tried to taper off two times and was bed ridden. My doctor told me there was no withdrawal from SSIs. I am a year out from cancer surgery so with my various issues being dealt with so I am not in a place and may never be able to come off this crap. Good to see withdrawal has been identified instead of the garbage BigPharma pedal.
Thank you so very much for this video!!!! Im from the Midwestern United States. My GP prescribed Paroxetine for over 20 years. At age 66 , it became apparent Paroxetine was working against me. (shortness of breath, tremendous weight gain) My GP gave the advice to cut down , no problem -Id be off it 4-6 wks! I ended up having anxiety attacks , worse trouble breathing couldn't sleep , horrible depression.....mega doses of magnesium citrate, and a strong probiotic did help, but still struggling. The good news is the struggle is manageable. Knowing what is happening with my body and mind (withdrawal from SSRI) is helpful in managing the symptoms. I tried listening to this podcast previously but couldn't focus because of withdrawals. Im close to 5 months free of SSRI control, and my focus is returning. I find there are bad days /good days coming off of Paroxetine. The bad days I eat comfort food and sleep.
Same thing. My GP prescribed zoloft for 13 years. Went with various symptoms in recent years that were misinterpreted as stress. I was numb and had pain in my body, could hardly walk, vision. Dr said it seems strange if you get side effects now that you've been taking it for so long. Ignorant. It was because I took it too long, idiot. When I wanted to reduce, no info about WD and I didn't know what it was. Was advised to go back on in dose. I would should endured WD instead. Got a reaction. Then I was tapered off too quickly in hospital and now I am bedridden and severe. Brain injury. Doctors need to learn about this. GP’s shouldnt prescribe SSRIs at all. It has ruined my life.
Because I had a benchmark I knew that my withdrawal and updosing were related to the drug (see below for details). Thanks to Surviving Antidepressants I was able to get off my Pristiq successfully with a 6 year taper after being on an AD for 25+ years. I've now been off with no noticeable issues for the last 6 months. I found SA (the site's nickname) 2 weeks after I had reduced my drug by 50%. This is what happened. I was taking 100mg Pristiq and reduced my dose to 50mg. (Australian government drug authority has not authorised 25mg dose.) During the 2 weeks I was on the lower dose I suffered extreme cog fog where even walking took my full concentration. It was like my head was full of mud. At the end of the 2 weeks I couldn't type. Being a professional typist I immediately realised that something was terribly wrong. I had joined SA a few days before I couldn't type and they had suggested taking more of my drug but I didn't straight away because I was doing a lot of reading trying to understand what was happening. When I couldn't type I decided to take extra Pristiq and after only about 4 HOURS (not days) I was able to type again and the brain fog was lifting. Because I had a benchmark I knew that it was the drug which had caused it.
I've been on 50mg Pristiq for a few years and am looking to get off it. Is there a recommended route for hyperbolic tapering? I've seen the numbers for a an example lexapro taper but I'm not sure if Pristiq would work differently.
This should be shared with EVERY doctor who prescribes / treats a patient on “antidepressants”. One other topic not discussed was the newest studies showing that “antidepressants” are actually NOT effective for depression as depression is not the lack of serotonin (according to the latest studies in Germany).
Lol I asked my GP for liquid Citalorpam because I’m going through hell and he said low doses are negligible and said I should just take a diazepam for withdrawal. I’m going through intense withdrawal and my nervous system is so sensitive..even to coffee or sugar. I can’t bear this. I 100% blame gps for their lack of understanding around this subject and arrogance.
It's vile isn't it? They gave me dizapam too. I know someone who just ended their life coming of dizapam. My nerves hurt all day and the anxiety I'd horrific. I'm so sorry you are going through this ❤️
A compounding pharmacy will be able to make a suspension for you, they do need a script though. You can supply them the active pharmaceutical ingredient or they can supply themselves.
Mention needs to be made of sticking to the same brand throughout and/or that the effects of changing can have surprisingly nasty consequences. Also the different dosing regime when the method of tapering requires moving from extended release to immediate release and the problems it can cause. I’ve been amazed how often people are having difficulty due to IR prescriptions being written for once daily instead of half the dose at 12 hrly intervals.
I agree. And this needs to be taken into account when getting doses compounded, even with extended release formula added (in my case Pristiq, which the pure drug has a 11-12 hour half life). I did not start dose splitting until I got down to a lower dose. In hindsight I should have been doing it for almost all of my taper. It wasn't until later that I realised that each morning my anxiety was increased which was probably due to the interdose withdrawal.
Absolutely very important. Generics are allowed by law to differ by a certain percentage of the active ingredient. (20% either way, though it's more complicated in official law). I've gotten the official brand when available, but it can be very expensive. The next bast thing is to stick with the same manufacturer of a generic, which can be difficult to find because pharmacies purchase whatever is best price.
Very good documentary!! Well done. I missed some information about post acute withdrawal. A lot of people are very ill after stopping, even with tapering. Sometimes years. Hope you will add another video about that! Thank you so much!!
Such valuable information, thank you! It's great to hear from someone who's been through it. I have been on an SSRI for too many years to recollect. I've tried many times unsuccessfully to taper off, but this information is helpful, amd gives me hope, I'm going to try again to tapper, no matter how long it takes. Thanks again
I have taken it for almost 10 years. I have no idea how I would stop. I get withdrawals when. Forget a day and realize what was wrong. Nausea bloating if i eat , digestive pain and have to throw up . A high fiber digestive supplement ivwas trying by a doctor was sucking out my antidepressant and i felt like not being alive, but I wasn’t sure why. Definitely crazy dreams if i forget
I've been on venlafaxine for years. Tried stopping last year with GP's advice. Worst 4 days of my life! I had to start up again because I couldn't handle the withdrawal.
I wrote a 'book' under another comment. Bullet points: taper slowly to genetically downregulate the receptors. Replenish the gut bugs that make serotonin for you. Address factors like hypoglycemia, hiatal hernia that might have led to condition in the first place.
I've been saying this for well over 10 years trying to come off paroxetine and doctors acted like I was crazy and insisted it was a relapse. I'm glad British doctors are finally coming around, but it's still nearly impossible to find a doctor in the US who is aware of this.
Thank you for including the explanation of the "dose occupancy"; it makes is much easier to understand. This is something that many SA members don't realise, thinking that because they are taking a small dose that they can go faster. I have included a link to the video clip for this in SA's topic about those graphs and hope that it will help members to understand why they might need to go slower when they get to lower doses. I am also encouraging members to watch the entire video.
Exactly! There's actually been a couple of studies made that shows that the lowest dose of SSRI's gives 80-90% of the effect. I've been on 20 mg Citalopram för 14 years and started tapering of it 17 months ago. Today i'm at 5 mg, but i feel that i could have gone from 20 to 10 mg right away, because it's when i went below 10 mg the hell started.
@@uninamed2292 That's great news. Remember to listen to your body/symptoms and not taper unless you are stable. It is not worth trying to go faster than you body and brain will allow. You will get there in the end. Better to do it with minimal discomfort. Yes, there is information about that on Surviving Antidepressants - SERT dose occupancy. Many SA members find that the lower their dose gets the slower they need to go, reducing less and/or holding for longer. People taking Lexapro / escitalopram need to be very cautious because it is a very strong drug. 5mg is equivalent to about 10-20mg paroxetine (Paxil) or citalopram.
*The aim of tapering is to NOT get withdrawal symptoms or at least keep them to a minimum* . It is better to taper slowly (sneak the drug away) than to experience withdrawal symptoms and possibly have to updose a tiny amount. Surviving Antidepressants suggests a harm reduction taper rate of no more than 10% of the current dose followed by a hold of at least 4 weeks to allow the brain to adapt to not getting as much of the drug. The aim is to keep withdrawal symptoms to a minimum so that you can live your life as normally as possible.
Thank you. The drugs caused genetic upregulation of receptor sites, so the slow taper gives time for genes to downregulate ONLY if there is sufficient exogenous serotonin by healthy gut flora.
And that is why there’s no point going to your doctors to ask for help with the withdrawal of these drugs. They haven’t got a clue about how to taper! Your better off listening to your own body and doing a slow taper yourself!
@@ruthie2222 Well, I'm trying to educate my doctor (so far through the email portal, am going to meet with him in a few days, hopefully), & have him prescribe reducing doses to a compounding pharmacy here. Have already spoken to the pharmacist. If my doc gets angry that I withdrew on my own, or that I'm "trying to tell him what to do" then I'll have to do it myself. Dr. Alice Lee said that some people use a clean nail file & file off bits of tablets, for decreasing. Dr. Horowitz said in another video that sometimes people will mash the tablet into powder, weigh on a jewelry scale, then decrease by grams.
@@ruthie2222 Amen to that! Doctors are not smarter than the people they treat. Sometimes they’re more educated and sometimes they’re less. In this matter they are as ignorant as the rest of society.
16 years on zoloft. Too Rapid taper. Chemical torture WD, electricity and pain in head, nerves, achy body, panic. Dont know if reinstate but trying to fight it.
@@marilyndotson872 Unfortunately not. 1 year off. Tried to reinstate 5 months off but it got worse in my case. I'm starting to get a little better than when it was most acute. But it is still bad with brain sensations pressure and pain. Still can't live normal.
@@Snowflake1374I hear you! What are your symptoms now? I am 18 months out- symptoms continuously changing. . .most of my physical symptoms are gone. Now dealing with mental/psychological issues ( anhedonia , emptiness , very dark thoughts , terror ) BUT , the good news is - these issues recycle quickly at this point . This reassures me that they are not permanent. ❤
@@susanmorgan4151 Thanks ❤️ Im 13 months off. Almost cold turkey. Did you take it long term? My worst symptom is brain pressure and brain pain. Vibration buzzing. Still cant walk for long it makes it worse. And achy upper body neck spine. It’s also mental, irritation agitation depression and feeling flat and empty. Good that yours recycle quickly and some good news. I hope mine is not permanent but Im sure its neurological injury.
thank you for this good information. can you tell me if you would recommend the use of supplements such as Magnesium, L-Tryptophan & Vitamin B Complex, fish oil and the use of food as medicine and avoiding inflammatory food to aid the withdrawal symptoms. can you tell me what you think please
@dancingisis ,magnesium is definitely helping me. I have a bottle in my car and house. (Magnesium citrate capsules )when anxiety hits-I chew 3 250 mg capsules with a bottled water. Within 20 minutes, I can feel anxiety subside. It does cause temporary diarrhea, but it's a side effect I'm willing to accept to stop anxiety. At night I take 3 magnesium glycinate. Best wishes.
Wonderful presentation. I live in the US. Are there any deprescribing resources that you know of anywhere in the world? What do you know about tapering strips? I wish there was a program to attend …Thanks so much for his presentation.
If you go to your online search engine, type in the name of your antidepressant or other med, and the words 'withdrawal support group' and you will probably find options for information and related support.
My GP just yesterday denied my symptoms are in any way withdrawal, since it’s now been 9 months since being off. She said it’s anxiety and depression come back and that I need to get back on them. So frustrating…am I crazy, or could this be my brain just trying to regulate again? Was on them on and off the last 28 years…hard to believe it couldn’t have more long term effects.
I think it is important to recognise that this is life long. I know we can heal. However, 22 years on these drugs has taught me to be optimistic and cautious and not to expect too much.
Sadly i think the brain never go back to its original chemical balance that why a lot of people get whitdrawals symptoms years after they stopped their medication...
That’s is a very good question. It hasn’t been researched properly. But there is plenty of anecdotal evidence that given enough time, the brain and body will heal.
@@Snowflake1374 how would you know if it’s permanent? After how many years would you consider to that to be the case? If they have been going through protracted withdrawal for 20 years? 30? 40? 50? If they are grey-haired in a senior home and still going through it? Please quantify your statement. Maybe give an example if you have one.
@@Mike_Iz_ Sorry. I dont know. But Im a severe case, non-functional. Many seem to get better after very long time. And most within normal WD. But there are a some severe cases for sure, those with neuro toxicity.
What’s happens at the point of paxil tolerance! I took Paxil for 30 years!!! always under medical supervision. My experience was horrible and frightening! I was misdiagnosed hospitalized. TReated for other things. No medical professional recognized that I had reached a Paxil tolerance level. That was nine months ago and am still under bad scary effects. I self diagnosed and have been informing the professionals who agree with me and my prescriber is now tapering me off Paxil. I have a hell of a story!
I'm glad this info is available but i feel like what's being missed sometimes is that clinical depression is not "sadness" or just a normal reaction to an adverse situation - it is a different animal and "exercise" is not a solution nor is "wait and see" - not when you're acutely suicidal. Frankly, when i was there i would have taken ANYTHING to not feel what i was feeling. Please don't confuse these things! I think it's very importan to learn about withdrawal effects but that doesn't mean that antidepressants of some kind - perhaps of a kind not yet known, like ketamine was, are not critically important in cases of severe clinical depression. You trivialize that illness by confusing it with sadness and prescribing exercise as a solution. It is life-threatening and extremely serious. Immediate steps are necessary to prevent suicide or attempts. It's not a bad mood!
I went into full protracted withdrawal a year after discontinuing sertraline. I was water fasting for detox. Three days in and full PAWS. I had no idea what was happening
Earlier today I posted about my experience with Pristiq and also replied to another poster. My 2 posts and the other person's post are no longer visible. Is it because I mentioned the Surviving Antidepressants website for peer support and tapering information about how to get non standard doses?
This could be me talking here .. GP gaslighting etc .. I’m still tapering off Escitalopram now .. managed to get the liquid after requesting another dr when my GP point blank refused me the liquid and told me I was only ever on 5mg … down to 1mg liquid now
With this information to hand does this mean GPs will prescribe liquid forms rather than 10mg every other day?? Having spoken with a pharmacist he confided that liquid form was more expensive to produce...
It's really bad to take it every other day. If your doctors told you to do that he doesn't know what he's doing. Really messes your brain up. Doctors aren't suddenly going to become knowledgable. Swapping to liquid isn't as straightforward as you'd imagine. Look on surviving antidepressants for information and advice. This is not medical advice. Good luck
Akathisia can be induced by antidepressants as well as antidepressant withdrawal. It is a sensation indescribable to anyone who has never felt it, and I wouldn't wish it on anybody. It is not a pain, but is worse than any pain I have ever experienced.
well what happens if you been off the drug for a year ? and not have any relief. how do you get better? i havent seen any improvements with my symptoms after all this time and its crippling ... there must be some treatment like cbd oil or somthing
I don’t regret my anti depressant its been making me much more functional for at least ten years. I was so tired of feeling depressed. I wasn’t eating enough it seems to be my problem often but I do have problems digesting certain fats even when i was young. When do people know when to go off. I am afraid to ever go off considering i have issues since teenagehood . If the source stops to get my meds because of this world conditions i am going to be in bad trouble when my meds run out.
It is a scary thought if the supply chain will be shut. Many people will be in big trouble. Not just us, everyone on prescription medication, heart, kidney, diabetes, lungs etc...
Yes if supply was ever cut im in big trouble. Wish i could have an emergency pak of liquid lower doses. The nausea ugh. From when I skipped a dose on accident. I used to try different ones in college and either just stopped . I remember one where I was doing ballet and couldn’t think straight. I could only imagine what my teacher was thinking. Amazing i made it through. Nobody really watching if someone just stops it and discontinues visiting doctors . In college back then.
Salve! Vorrei sapere dove recuperare informazioni, o se può rispondere il dottore, sul passaggio da un antidepressivo ad un altro,visto che menziona l' argomento nel video. Si passa direttamente da un antidepressivo ad un altro, oppure l' antidepressivo in uso va prima scalato e poi si inserisce l' altro, oppure si inserisce l' altro e nel frattempo si scala quello già in uso!? Grazie a chi risponderà!
Hi Melissa I have managed to taper down after being on this drug for twenty years. I'm surrounded by a family of doctors but from my experience they know very little about the effects of withdrawal. It must be done extremely slowly if you have been on it a long time. I've done it over two years x
Very interesting. Can withdrawal problems occur after a relatively short time on an antidepressant - say two or three months? I begin to think that how I feel now, having decided to stop taking Sertraline after not very long, is very different from the feelings I had when I started. Then, I was very anxious and possibly depressed, since I stopped I am desperately anxious and bordering on suicidal, and extremely frightened. Is this withdrawal? Or should I have carried on (side effects terrifying) because I am worse, but felt unable to “stick it out” and get through side effect period? Just don’t know where to go or what to do now.
Yes they can. There is individual variability the speed of habituation. But generally tolerance and withdrawal start to set in - in as little as one month. That said, longer duration of use, the shortness of half life of the drug, and previous withdrawal experiences, predict more difficulty coming off.
Taper the one which is giving you the most side effects, however try and taper the one which helps with sleep last, as preserving you sleep will help you get off the other two. Also taper the ones with shorter half lives first.
The advice is no different. Taper the same way. The observation period (in which you hold the current dose) after each reduction should be a bit longer because a longer half life means it will take a little longer to see the effects.
Would this type of taper be useful for other drugs? Methadone in particular? My friend goes to a clinic where patients can control taper for the most part. He is on 90 mg. Many patients say they have not had difficulty tapering until hitting 30mg. I understand a response would not be medical advice- just a discussion about possible applications of your technique which could be tested in the future.
Yes the same technique applies to opioids because it has the same hyperbolic relationship between dose and effect on mu-opioid receptors. Interesting that there is a difference between 30mg and 90mg. We will publish a paper on tapering opioids next year.
I no what you mean but stop. Thinking is all in the mind. Get. B vitamin s and magnesium tablets. Grab it will help you. I'm finishind myself of the tablets. Good luck to you with love ❤️
I've had the same problem with antispyhcotic drugs,the doctors news the withdrawal affects to say I'm mentally ill, this has been going on for two long,I've had akathisia for 20 years ,extremely painful ,very distressing condition, they should of done something about it 20 years ago,doctors are two far behind the times
Salve! Vorrei sapere dove recuperare informazioni, o se può rispondere il dottore, sul passaggio da un antidepressivo ad un altro,visto che menziona l' argomento nel video. Si passa direttamente da un antidepressivo ad un altro, oppure l' antidepressivo in uso va prima scalato e poi si inserisce l' altro, oppure si inserisce l' altro e nel frattempo si scala quello già in uso!? Grazie a chi risponderà!
I have had severe and long lasting withdrawal symptoms after stopping an SSRI which I was on for 13 years. I tried numerous times over those years to stop, not knowing about withdrawal. My GP told me to just stop, because I was on a low dose and I shouldn't notice any difference. But each time I stopped, within 2 days I was in absolute agony, so I started taking them again, that's why I was on them so long. Eventually I learned about tapering, so I came off them over about 2 months, still not slow enough. I started having a long list of new and strange symptoms. Over the next 2 years I received several new mental health diagnoses and was put on various other drugs, along with different antidepressants. I was getting sicker and sicker. Thankfully I stumbled onto information about withdrawal and learned that it was the drugs which were making me sick. So I stopped all of them. It took 2 years before I started feeling better. Nine years later, I'm still not completely recovered, my brain and nervous system is still trying to adjust after all those years of being chemically altered, but I'm much better than I was. Initially, I was prescribed antidepressants for mild anxiety. Going through withdrawal has caused the most extreme terror and panic, lasting years. My original anxiety is like a walk in the park now. The extremes of psychological and physical symptoms I've experienced through withdrawal have raised my tolerance for discomfort. I also had akathisia on and off for 2 years, the only thing which kept me from ending my life was the belief that one day my suffering would end if I stayed alive long enough. In my opinion it should be a criminal offence to prescribe these drugs, coming off them is a kind of torture no person should have to endure.
Sorry to hear of your ordeal. Moved by and relate to your journey of staying alive long enough for this suffering to end. It’s empowering to hear of another’s such will to save themselves from such an unfathomably painful and debilitating experience.
@@Cstoth Thank you.
Oh thank you! You have the same story and opinion as me. They’ve ruined my life . I hope you’re feeling better x
Jesus Christ. I'm suffering crippling nerve pain that appeared as a side effect of the drugs. I took them for 2 years and have been now 18 months off, but everything's just as bad as day one. If I have to endure another 10 years of this I won't make it alive, the pain has already destroyed everything in my life. Fully disabled, bedridden, osteoporosis from not being able to move, sarcopenia, cuts every now and then to keep the leg nerve pain at bay...
The worst thing is that I took the drug for an intractable IBS pain (suicidal pain). What am I gonna do when the pain comes back and I can't use anything to treat it?
I apologize for stealing you the spotlight, your case is definitely very severe. It's just that I see myself in you, and my preexisting condition was already absolutely awful, so I dunno how I'm gonna cope with it. I wish you well and thank you for sharing your experience.
@@delriver77 Have you looked into or tried cannabis oil? I'm so sorry you're going through this. Absolute nightmare! I'm sending you so much love ❤️
This video needs to be watched by all doctors and patients. It's a gold mine of information.
Yes , I hope it’s factual information and not you tube bs 👍
@@stephendendy8376 If you look up Mark Horowitz’s research papers I think you’ll find it’s not just UA-cam BS.
@@stephendendy8376 It is factual. I checked Dr. Horowitz out, he's the real deal. I stopped Sertraline (Zoloft) a few months ago, after tapering down to 25mg. Am now experiencing periods of anxiety & depression, extreme nervousness, anger, & crying at everything. Thank God someone led me to Dr. Horowitz, & to Dr. Alice W. Lee -- both of whom withdraw people from antidepressants. Dr. Lee preps first, using supporting therapeutics while withdrawal occurs. Wish I'd known that prior to. I'm hoping that maybe I can go back on the 25mg, then slowly reduce from there.
25 Years on Paxil. Try every year to get off this drug. Cannot handle the illness that always follows. Thank you for understanding. I don’t feel unheard anymore. ❤
I feel ya, am in the exact same boat. Unfortunately
Patients and GP's should read this before starting on an 'antidepressants'
Agree 100%
I think the most unfortunate thing I uncovered was how uneducated GP’s are regarding withdrawals past two weeks. I’m a survivor of proTracted Acute Withdrawal syndrome (PAWS). And yes GP’s can cause suicide due to the lack of education. Sad but true.
@Farhad Ahmadi it’s a very long healing journey however a very rewarding one. It’s been four years for me and my nervous system is still finding its way back to balance.
On the 3rd year my heart returned back to normal after having pulpitations etc. I couldn’t sleep on my left side for years. These drugs are seriously dangerous when mismanaged. I’m doing great and have improved every day and every year that goes by. I’ve been using a balance of medical grade cbd and thc Oils daily for improved sleep to help the healing process. Daily Exercise has increased as I’ve improved. No alcohol etc etc. it’s a long healing journey keep going my friend 🙏🏻
@Farhad Ahmadi I’m sorry to hear of your heartache over the years🙏🏻 It’s the same in every country sadly. Most Doctors are very uneducated about these meds and withdrawals. It’s a very sad situation. To recover from your situation is, TIME, healthy food, lots of water, work on some small daily exercise you can do. Good sleep is very important (use magnesium night supplements). Be good to yourself and reduce stress where possible. Good luck to you and your family from Australia.
@Farhad Ahmadi sorry however I don’t talk to people on the phone or in the position to help sorry. I do have some advice though. Education is key, educated yourself on your problem. I have a you tube station called “the lovely grind” these videos helped me through my healing time. You should watch and read as much information as possible. Good luck to you sir 🙏🏻
I'm glad the truth is now being told about the terrible side effects of withdrawal. I didn't have any resources when I went through this back in 2009. I went through withdrawal hell for 3 years after discontinuing Paxil, even though I slowly tapered for 2 years. I took the drug for anxiety for nearly a decade. My nightmare began 6 months after full discontinuation back in March 2009. I thought at first I had a case of intestinal flu, but the terrible withdrawal symptoms just got worse after the first few days of what I thought was the flu. Intestinal problems, crippling fatigue, dizziness, insomnia, chronic pain, brain fog, migraines, leg cramping, and numbness and tingling in my extremities. I had to quit my job and after 3 years, finally saw slow improvement over time. However, I have never really been the same after the Paxil nightmare. I'm 1000 times better, but I still have lingering issues with insomnia and mysterious pain that moves around my body. Thankfully I can live a relatively normal life, but prior to this nightmare, I was an energetic athlete who enjoyed rock climbing, backpacking, mountain biking, hiking, yoga...you name it. I manage to stay fairly active nowadays, but I'm still not the same. Something permanent happened to my nervous system. I am so thankful to have recovered as much as I have since 2009, but if I had to do it over again, I'd never take an SSRI or any other drug to manage anxiety. In my case, even though my panic attacks were pretty bad, I'd gladly deal with that than the withdrawal hell. The cure was much worse than the disease in my experience.
80% of the serotonin in a human comes from exogenous production in the gut by friendly microbes. It's very interesting that you had intestinal problems during your withdrawal.
I experienced very similar, after many years gradually recovering,l still came to a point where I could clearly recognise the initial illness Depression and have had to return to help from Antidepressants..but a lot wiser than when first dispensed 30 years ago.lucky to have survived the last withdrawal.lucky to have better updated knowledge on- line these days.
thank you so much for trying to bring this to the attention of government and the NHS... as someone who is struggling with withdrawls and has been for sometime, with no where to turn (I'm fed up of having to "teach" my gp about withdrawls and how their tapering methods are very dangerous). we really need better education of withdrawls as these doctors are meant to be the people who support us in our times of need, it shouldn't be down to the patient to teach doctors this stuff.
@asnail9539 ,I too have this trouble with my GP, they get really argumentative when I am trying to explain what information I have found about withdrawing too fast as they want me to ,they are willing to put you on these drugs but have no education on how to get off these drugs and refuse to listen,I even been subtley threatened that If I don't come off these drugs their way,they will refuse to work with me. This in my book is called gaslighting .
Really great video. Hopefully more people will become aware of how bad withdrawal can be.
Wonderful overview of how to safely and effectively get off antidepressants. Thank you.
Thank you Mark Horowitz. I have experienced these horrible withdrawal symptoms for the past five months before I managed, after a lot od disagreement, to be put on prozac instead of quetiapine for my symptoms. The psychiatrist thought I had develped an anxiety disorder in addition to my depression. Luckily I had done a lot of research beforehand.
I feel much more confident about coming off the prozac knowing about this research.
What an incredibly informative yet concise video for a topic that has felt so complex to, not only experience but, try and research and explain to those around me in a severe state of withdrawal. Thank you for the work you’re doing, I look forward to being well enough in my journey to join the cause in my own way. I will be sharing this video!
I have been on an SSI over 15 years and have tried to taper off two times and was bed ridden. My doctor told me there was no withdrawal from SSIs. I am a year out from cancer surgery so with my various issues being dealt with so I am not in a place and may never be able to come off this crap. Good to see withdrawal has been identified instead of the garbage BigPharma pedal.
Thank you so very much for this video!!!! Im from the Midwestern United States. My GP prescribed Paroxetine for over 20 years. At age 66 , it became apparent Paroxetine was working against me. (shortness of breath, tremendous weight gain) My GP gave the advice to cut down , no problem -Id be off it 4-6 wks! I ended up having anxiety attacks , worse trouble breathing couldn't sleep , horrible depression.....mega doses of magnesium citrate, and a strong probiotic did help, but still struggling. The good news is the struggle is manageable. Knowing what is happening with my body and mind (withdrawal from SSRI) is helpful in managing the symptoms.
I tried listening to this podcast previously but couldn't focus because of withdrawals. Im close to 5 months free of SSRI control, and my focus is returning. I find there are bad days /good days coming off of Paroxetine. The bad days I eat comfort food and sleep.
Same thing. My GP prescribed zoloft for 13 years. Went with various symptoms in recent years that were misinterpreted as stress. I was numb and had pain in my body, could hardly walk, vision. Dr said it seems strange if you get side effects now that you've been taking it for so long. Ignorant. It was because I took it too long, idiot. When I wanted to reduce, no info about WD and I didn't know what it was. Was advised to go back on in dose. I would should endured WD instead. Got a reaction. Then I was tapered off too quickly in hospital and now I am bedridden and severe. Brain injury. Doctors need to learn about this. GP’s shouldnt prescribe SSRIs at all. It has ruined my life.
How are you know? Did you make a fast taper?
Because I had a benchmark I knew that my withdrawal and updosing were related to the drug (see below for details). Thanks to Surviving Antidepressants I was able to get off my Pristiq successfully with a 6 year taper after being on an AD for 25+ years. I've now been off with no noticeable issues for the last 6 months. I found SA (the site's nickname) 2 weeks after I had reduced my drug by 50%. This is what happened.
I was taking 100mg Pristiq and reduced my dose to 50mg. (Australian government drug authority has not authorised 25mg dose.) During the 2 weeks I was on the lower dose I suffered extreme cog fog where even walking took my full concentration. It was like my head was full of mud. At the end of the 2 weeks I couldn't type. Being a professional typist I immediately realised that something was terribly wrong. I had joined SA a few days before I couldn't type and they had suggested taking more of my drug but I didn't straight away because I was doing a lot of reading trying to understand what was happening.
When I couldn't type I decided to take extra Pristiq and after only about 4 HOURS (not days) I was able to type again and the brain fog was lifting. Because I had a benchmark I knew that it was the drug which had caused it.
I've been on 50mg Pristiq for a few years and am looking to get off it. Is there a recommended route for hyperbolic tapering? I've seen the numbers for a an example lexapro taper but I'm not sure if Pristiq would work differently.
This should be shared with EVERY doctor who prescribes / treats a patient on “antidepressants”. One other topic not discussed was the newest studies showing that “antidepressants” are actually NOT effective for depression as depression is not the lack of serotonin (according to the latest studies in Germany).
AGREE!!!!😮
Lol I asked my GP for liquid Citalorpam because I’m going through hell and he said low doses are negligible and said I should just take a diazepam for withdrawal. I’m going through intense withdrawal and my nervous system is so sensitive..even to coffee or sugar. I can’t bear this. I 100% blame gps for their lack of understanding around this subject and arrogance.
It's vile isn't it? They gave me dizapam too. I know someone who just ended their life coming of dizapam. My nerves hurt all day and the anxiety I'd horrific. I'm so sorry you are going through this ❤️
A compounding pharmacy will be able to make a suspension for you, they do need a script though. You can supply them the active pharmaceutical ingredient or they can supply themselves.
Yep .. same here
I was given diazepam a few times alongside the Escitalopram!!
Mention needs to be made of sticking to the same brand throughout and/or that the effects of changing can have surprisingly nasty consequences.
Also the different dosing regime when the method of tapering requires moving from extended release to immediate release and the problems it can cause. I’ve been amazed how often people are having difficulty due to IR prescriptions being written for once daily instead of half the dose at 12 hrly intervals.
I agree. And this needs to be taken into account when getting doses compounded, even with extended release formula added (in my case Pristiq, which the pure drug has a 11-12 hour half life). I did not start dose splitting until I got down to a lower dose. In hindsight I should have been doing it for almost all of my taper. It wasn't until later that I realised that each morning my anxiety was increased which was probably due to the interdose withdrawal.
Absolutely very important. Generics are allowed by law to differ by a certain percentage of the active ingredient. (20% either way, though it's more complicated in official law). I've gotten the official brand when available, but it can be very expensive. The next bast thing is to stick with the same manufacturer of a generic, which can be difficult to find because pharmacies purchase whatever is best price.
I wish my friends would have known this before they killed themselves. I'll help spread the word. Thank you.
Very good documentary!! Well done. I missed some information about post acute withdrawal. A lot of people are very ill after stopping, even with tapering. Sometimes years. Hope you will add another video about that! Thank you so much!!
Such valuable information, thank you! It's great to hear from someone who's been through it. I have been on an SSRI for too many years to recollect. I've tried many times unsuccessfully to taper off, but this information is helpful, amd gives me hope, I'm going to try again to tapper, no matter how long it takes. Thanks again
I sufferd from tapering Venlafaxine it’s hell to come of 🙏
I have taken it for almost 10 years. I have no idea how I would stop. I get withdrawals when. Forget a day and realize what was wrong. Nausea bloating if i eat , digestive pain and have to throw up . A high fiber digestive supplement ivwas trying by a doctor was sucking out my antidepressant and i felt like not being alive, but I wasn’t sure why. Definitely crazy dreams if i forget
P
Taper 5% from the last taken dose . Getting Lower 2% .stabilize 4-6 weeks 🙏🍀
I've been on venlafaxine for years. Tried stopping last year with GP's advice. Worst 4 days of my life! I had to start up again because I couldn't handle the withdrawal.
I wrote a 'book' under another comment. Bullet points: taper slowly to genetically downregulate the receptors. Replenish the gut bugs that make serotonin for you. Address factors like hypoglycemia, hiatal hernia that might have led to condition in the first place.
I've been saying this for well over 10 years trying to come off paroxetine and doctors acted like I was crazy and insisted it was a relapse. I'm glad British doctors are finally coming around, but it's still nearly impossible to find a doctor in the US who is aware of this.
Dr. Josef Witt-Doering
Excellent video. Very true and very real
thank you x
IMPORTANT info.
Thank you for including the explanation of the "dose occupancy"; it makes is much easier to understand. This is something that many SA members don't realise, thinking that because they are taking a small dose that they can go faster. I have included a link to the video clip for this in SA's topic about those graphs and hope that it will help members to understand why they might need to go slower when they get to lower doses. I am also encouraging members to watch the entire video.
Exactly! There's actually been a couple of studies made that shows that the lowest dose of SSRI's gives 80-90% of the effect. I've been on 20 mg Citalopram för 14 years and started tapering of it 17 months ago. Today i'm at 5 mg, but i feel that i could have gone from 20 to 10 mg right away, because it's when i went below 10 mg the hell started.
@@uninamed2292 That's great news. Remember to listen to your body/symptoms and not taper unless you are stable. It is not worth trying to go faster than you body and brain will allow. You will get there in the end. Better to do it with minimal discomfort. Yes, there is information about that on Surviving Antidepressants - SERT dose occupancy. Many SA members find that the lower their dose gets the slower they need to go, reducing less and/or holding for longer. People taking Lexapro / escitalopram need to be very cautious because it is a very strong drug. 5mg is equivalent to about 10-20mg paroxetine (Paxil) or citalopram.
*The aim of tapering is to NOT get withdrawal symptoms or at least keep them to a minimum* . It is better to taper slowly (sneak the drug away) than to experience withdrawal symptoms and possibly have to updose a tiny amount. Surviving Antidepressants suggests a harm reduction taper rate of no more than 10% of the current dose followed by a hold of at least 4 weeks to allow the brain to adapt to not getting as much of the drug. The aim is to keep withdrawal symptoms to a minimum so that you can live your life as normally as possible.
Thank you. The drugs caused genetic upregulation of receptor sites, so the slow taper gives time for genes to downregulate ONLY if there is sufficient exogenous serotonin by healthy gut flora.
And that is why there’s no point going to your doctors to ask for help with the withdrawal of these drugs. They haven’t got a clue about how to taper! Your better off listening to your own body and doing a slow taper yourself!
So what can be done to prep your gut/body before a taper? Probiotics? Any particular strains that help?@@vaccinefraud5570
@@ruthie2222 Well, I'm trying to educate my doctor (so far through the email portal, am going to meet with him in a few days, hopefully), & have him prescribe reducing doses to a compounding pharmacy here. Have already spoken to the pharmacist. If my doc gets angry that I withdrew on my own, or that I'm "trying to tell him what to do" then I'll have to do it myself. Dr. Alice Lee said that some people use a clean nail file & file off bits of tablets, for decreasing. Dr. Horowitz said in another video that sometimes people will mash the tablet into powder, weigh on a jewelry scale, then decrease by grams.
@@ruthie2222
Amen to that! Doctors are not smarter than the people they treat. Sometimes they’re more educated and sometimes they’re less. In this matter they are as ignorant as the rest of society.
16 years on zoloft. Too Rapid taper. Chemical torture WD, electricity and pain in head, nerves, achy body, panic. Dont know if reinstate but trying to fight it.
@@marnimuddle7037 Thank you. I bit scared its too late after now 4 months. Feel injured. But will check it out.
Are u ok now?
@@marilyndotson872 Unfortunately not. 1 year off. Tried to reinstate 5 months off but it got worse in my case. I'm starting to get a little better than when it was most acute. But it is still bad with brain sensations pressure and pain. Still can't live normal.
@@Snowflake1374I hear you! What are your symptoms now? I am 18 months out- symptoms continuously changing. . .most of my physical symptoms are gone. Now dealing with mental/psychological issues ( anhedonia , emptiness , very dark thoughts , terror ) BUT , the good news is - these issues recycle quickly at this point . This reassures me that they are not permanent. ❤
@@susanmorgan4151 Thanks ❤️ Im 13 months off. Almost cold turkey. Did you take it long term? My worst symptom is brain pressure and brain pain. Vibration buzzing. Still cant walk for long it makes it worse. And achy upper body neck spine. It’s also mental, irritation agitation depression and feeling flat and empty. Good that yours recycle quickly and some good news. I hope mine is not permanent but Im sure its neurological injury.
There is no advice about if you are in PAWS what to do. Do you have to suffer or how can it be ameliorated to prevent suicide/ruined lives?
thank you for this good information. can you tell me if you would recommend the use of supplements such as Magnesium, L-Tryptophan & Vitamin B Complex, fish oil and the use of food as medicine and avoiding inflammatory food to aid the withdrawal symptoms. can you tell me what you think please
@dancingisis ,magnesium is definitely helping me. I have a bottle in my car and house. (Magnesium citrate capsules )when anxiety hits-I chew 3 250 mg capsules with a bottled water. Within 20 minutes, I can feel anxiety subside. It does cause temporary diarrhea, but it's a side effect I'm willing to accept to stop anxiety. At night I take 3 magnesium glycinate. Best wishes.
very useful, MANY THANKS
Wonderful presentation. I live in the US. Are there any deprescribing resources that you know of anywhere in the world? What do you know about tapering strips? I wish there was a program to attend …Thanks so much for his presentation.
If you go to your online search engine, type in the name of your antidepressant or other med, and the words 'withdrawal support group' and you will probably find options for information and related support.
From Saudi Arabia
Thank you very much
I am so glad I found this. My arm pain and head zaps have been debilitating. Imma start slowing down my taper.
Thank you for this information.
Thank you so mutch 🙏
Wonder if the W’s at NICE are watching
My GP just yesterday denied my symptoms are in any way withdrawal, since it’s now been 9 months since being off. She said it’s anxiety and depression come back and that I need to get back on them.
So frustrating…am I crazy, or could this be my brain just trying to regulate again? Was on them on and off the last 28 years…hard to believe it couldn’t have more long term effects.
Can still be withdrawel.
If its worse than before taking pills its more obvious.
It is likely withdrawal after such long duration of use. It may take a long time, but you are likely to heal.
A big TY ❤
I think it is important to recognise that this is life long. I know we can heal. However, 22 years on these drugs has taught me to be optimistic and cautious and not to expect too much.
80% of human serotonin is made in the gut by friendly bugs. Unless that is addressed then people are working with only part of the story.
You got keep trying control your mind it will help you ❤
Thank you so much. So clearly and sensitively explained.
But, does the brain ever go back to its original chemical balance before these drugs altered them, or do these drugs actually cause permanent damage?
Sadly i think the brain never go back to its original chemical balance that why a lot of people get whitdrawals symptoms years after they stopped their medication...
That’s is a very good question. It hasn’t been researched properly. But there is plenty of anecdotal evidence that given enough time, the brain and body will heal.
Some are protracted for many years.
@@Snowflake1374 how would you know if it’s permanent? After how many years would you consider to that to be the case? If they have been going through protracted withdrawal for 20 years? 30? 40? 50? If they are grey-haired in a senior home and still going through it? Please quantify your statement. Maybe give an example if you have one.
@@Mike_Iz_ Sorry. I dont know. But Im a severe case, non-functional. Many seem to get better after very long time. And most within normal WD. But there are a some severe cases for sure, those with neuro toxicity.
So wish I had known this before tapering, would gladly have taken years to do it without the withdrawal symptoms I now suffer with 😢😢😢
Same. How are you now?
I am going through this and had no idea I’m glad I no now but I need help
Thank you so much for this information
What’s happens at the point of paxil tolerance! I took Paxil for 30 years!!! always under medical supervision. My experience was horrible and frightening! I was misdiagnosed hospitalized. TReated for other things. No medical professional recognized that I had reached a Paxil tolerance level. That was nine months ago and am still under bad scary effects. I self diagnosed and have been informing the professionals who agree with me and my prescriber is now tapering me off Paxil. I have a hell of a story!
I'm glad this info is available but i feel like what's being missed sometimes is that clinical depression is not "sadness" or just a normal reaction to an adverse situation - it is a different animal and "exercise" is not a solution nor is "wait and see" - not when you're acutely suicidal. Frankly, when i was there i would have taken ANYTHING to not feel what i was feeling. Please don't confuse these things! I think it's very importan to learn about withdrawal effects but that doesn't mean that antidepressants of some kind - perhaps of a kind not yet known, like ketamine was, are not critically important in cases of severe clinical depression. You trivialize that illness by confusing it with sadness and prescribing exercise as a solution. It is life-threatening and extremely serious. Immediate steps are necessary to prevent suicide or attempts. It's not a bad mood!
The question I want to ask is this. Should gps be giving out these medications if they have little or no knowledge on them?
They should not be giving them out without informed consent.
I went into full protracted withdrawal a year after discontinuing sertraline. I was water fasting for detox. Three days in and full PAWS. I had no idea what was happening
Oh my gosh. Did you taper off? Do you think the stress from the fasting caused it to come out? I'm so sorry!
How are you now?
Is withdrawal worse for teenagers due to brain plasticity to the ssri?
It’s not researched but I would think the outcome would be better. Old age and long duration of use certainly don’t predict favorable outcomes.
Earlier today I posted about my experience with Pristiq and also replied to another poster. My 2 posts and the other person's post are no longer visible. Is it because I mentioned the Surviving Antidepressants website for peer support and tapering information about how to get non standard doses?
Hi Jo, we didn't remove your post so I'm not sure why they're not showing up. Could you try again?
@@Institute_PDW Thank you for responding. I have posted again as a new comment.
New subscriber! Amazing videos thanks for all the info ❤
Valium❤❤
Stevie: could you please share the method you followed to successfully withdraw? I am taking escitalopram 10 mg/day. Thanks.
What is emotional support?
This could be me talking here .. GP gaslighting etc .. I’m still tapering off Escitalopram now .. managed to get the liquid after requesting another dr when my GP point blank refused me the liquid and told me I was only ever on 5mg … down to 1mg liquid now
With this information to hand does this mean GPs will prescribe liquid forms rather than 10mg every other day?? Having spoken with a pharmacist he confided that liquid form was more expensive to produce...
It's really bad to take it every other day. If your doctors told you to do that he doesn't know what he's doing. Really messes your brain up. Doctors aren't suddenly going to become knowledgable. Swapping to liquid isn't as straightforward as you'd imagine. Look on surviving antidepressants for information and advice. This is not medical advice. Good luck
For now it will still cost more. In Canada it’s not even readily available and must be compounded. It will take time for things to change.
Akathisia can be induced by antidepressants as well as antidepressant withdrawal. It is a sensation indescribable to anyone who has never felt it, and I wouldn't wish it on anybody. It is not a pain, but is worse than any pain I have ever experienced.
well what happens if you been off the drug for a year ? and not have any relief. how do you get better? i havent seen any improvements with my symptoms after all this time and its crippling ... there must be some treatment like cbd oil or somthing
So looking for that too!!!
Same.
I don’t regret my anti depressant its been making me much more functional for at least ten years. I was so tired of feeling depressed. I wasn’t eating enough it seems to be my problem often but I do have problems digesting certain fats even when i was young. When do people know when to go off. I am afraid to ever go off considering i have issues since teenagehood . If the source stops to get my meds because of this world conditions i am going to be in bad trouble when my meds run out.
It is a scary thought if the supply chain will be shut.
Many people will be in big trouble. Not just us, everyone on prescription medication, heart, kidney, diabetes, lungs etc...
Yes if supply was ever cut im in big trouble. Wish i could have an emergency pak of liquid lower doses. The nausea ugh. From when I skipped a dose on accident. I used to try different ones in college and either just stopped . I remember one where I was doing ballet and couldn’t think straight. I could only imagine what my teacher was thinking. Amazing i made it through. Nobody really watching if someone just stops it and discontinues visiting doctors . In college back then.
Did you recover Stevie?
Coming off citalopram. It’s literally disabling
How are you tapering?
Salve! Vorrei sapere dove recuperare informazioni, o se può rispondere il dottore, sul passaggio da un antidepressivo ad un altro,visto che menziona l' argomento nel video. Si passa direttamente da un antidepressivo ad un altro, oppure l' antidepressivo in uso va prima scalato e poi si inserisce l' altro, oppure si inserisce l' altro e nel frattempo si scala quello già in uso!? Grazie a chi risponderà!
Can someone help me with tapering off Cymbalta?
Go to survivingantidepressants dot org
Hi Melissa I have managed to taper down after being on this drug for twenty years. I'm surrounded by a family of doctors but from my experience they know very little about the effects of withdrawal. It must be done extremely slowly if you have been on it a long time. I've done it over two years x
Very interesting. Can withdrawal problems occur after a relatively short time on an antidepressant - say two or three months? I begin to think that how I feel now, having decided to stop taking Sertraline after not very long, is very different from the feelings I had when I started. Then, I was very anxious and possibly depressed, since I stopped I am desperately anxious and bordering on suicidal, and extremely frightened. Is this withdrawal? Or should I have carried on (side effects terrifying) because I am worse, but felt unable to “stick it out” and get through side effect period? Just don’t know where to go or what to do now.
If you feel worse than before the meds then it’s withdrawal
Yes they can. There is individual variability the speed of habituation. But generally tolerance and withdrawal start to set in - in as little as one month. That said, longer duration of use, the shortness of half life of the drug, and previous withdrawal experiences, predict more difficulty coming off.
How to taper when they have u on THREE antidepressants?
Taper the one which is giving you the most side effects, however try and taper the one which helps with sleep last, as preserving you sleep will help you get off the other two. Also taper the ones with shorter half lives first.
What is the advice for Trintellix which has a half life of 66 hrs which is pretty long?
The advice is no different. Taper the same way. The observation period (in which you hold the current dose) after each reduction should be a bit longer because a longer half life means it will take a little longer to see the effects.
Would this type of taper be useful for other drugs? Methadone in particular? My friend goes to a clinic where patients can control taper for the most part. He is on 90 mg. Many patients say they have not had difficulty tapering until hitting 30mg. I understand a response would not be medical advice- just a discussion about possible applications of your technique which could be tested in the future.
Yes the same technique applies to opioids because it has the same hyperbolic relationship between dose and effect on mu-opioid receptors. Interesting that there is a difference between 30mg and 90mg. We will publish a paper on tapering opioids next year.
How do we taper Remeron after using it for 4 weeks
a mi hijo de 16 años le diagnosticaron esquizofrenia y le medicaron con aripiprazol 15 mg desde hace 11 meses
muchas gracias desde Peru
Dirty little secret
Dirty BIG secret. Its serious.
So these are very dangerous drugs
Has anyone else ever felt like their literal brain hurt when coming off venlafaxine?
I no what you mean but stop. Thinking is all in the mind. Get. B vitamin s and magnesium tablets. Grab it will help you. I'm finishind myself of the tablets. Good luck to you with love ❤️
Relapse ua-cam.com/video/MOo_XZOzs3I/v-deo.html
SAME, I HAVE BEEN SIX MONTHS OFF ZOLOFT AND STILL LIVING IN HELL!
How are you
Does anyone knows a doctor that can help with tapering in Dallas TX . Thank you in advance 🤍
I've had the same problem with antispyhcotic drugs,the doctors news the withdrawal affects to say I'm mentally ill, this has been going on for two long,I've had akathisia for 20 years ,extremely painful ,very distressing condition, they should of done something about it 20 years ago,doctors are two far behind the times
Thank you so much. Excellent information.
Salve! Vorrei sapere dove recuperare informazioni, o se può rispondere il dottore, sul passaggio da un antidepressivo ad un altro,visto che menziona l' argomento nel video. Si passa direttamente da un antidepressivo ad un altro, oppure l' antidepressivo in uso va prima scalato e poi si inserisce l' altro, oppure si inserisce l' altro e nel frattempo si scala quello già in uso!? Grazie a chi risponderà!