gene

gene

Audioholics Master Chief
Administrator
So after many years of being prescribed sertraline for anxiety, depression and ocd I've decided to start weaning off, with the support of my doctor. I've been taking 200 MG daily for about a decade? I'm about 4 weeks in now, down to 100 MG and starting to feel some withdrawal symptoms. Sensory disturbances, "brain zaps", mild headache, a sense of uneasiness and mild confusion. It sucks, but ima power through it. I hate being dependant on something like this and want to be done with it. I went damn near cold turkey under instruction from a therapist (who I will never go to again) a while back and it was pretty bad. All the same symptoms with the dial turned up to 11. I made up my mind I don't want to depend on something like that anymore.

SO... if I seem to be a li'l more confrontational it's because I'm coming off my meds. It ain't fun, but I'll be glad when it's over. Feeling a little better today than I was on Wednesday, but come Monday I'll be halving my dose again. So far so good, but what a crappy dependance to have. Fook.
I'm right there with you. My doc prescribed me 30mg of Mirtazipine which helped with my depression and anxiety, and allowed me to sleep a bit better but it made me put on 10lbs. So now I'm trying to cut the dose in half and it's messed up my sleep as well as causing brain zap. They seem to want to add more drugs to your regimen which always cause interactions with me. Not fun trying to manage lifelong depression with meds that hurt you as much as they help you.

I'm also struggling with sleep apnea which seems to be getting worse lately. I tried those damn CPAP machines but didn't do well with them. Sucks getting old ;(
 
ryanosaur

ryanosaur

Audioholic Overlord
I'm right there with you. My doc prescribed me 30mg of Mirtazipine which helped with my depression and anxiety, and allowed me to sleep a bit better but it made me put on 10lbs. So now I'm trying to cut the dose in half and it's messed up my sleep as well as causing brain zap. They seem to want to add more drugs to your regimen which always cause interactions with me. Not fun trying to manage lifelong depression with meds that hurt you as much as they help you.

I'm also struggling with sleep apnea which seems to be getting worse lately. I tried those damn CPAP machines but didn't do well with them. Sucks getting old ;(
Western Medicine in a nutshell, right there. Sometimes the "fix" is worse than the condition.

I'm not saying all of Western Medicine is horrible, however the chemical solution aspect managed by the pharmaceutical industry is.
 
ryanosaur

ryanosaur

Audioholic Overlord
Western Medicine in a nutshell, right there. Sometimes the "fix" is worse than the condition.

I'm not saying all of Western Medicine is horrible, however the chemical solution aspect managed by the pharmaceutical industry is.
Some perspective: When I was in High School, I started showing symptoms of what was the beginning of a chronic digestive problem which I lived with for some 8-10 years. It wasn't until I was dating a Med Student in college, she had just come to town to do her residency at a local Hospital, that I was encouraged to get some treatment.
I brought it up with my doctor at the time and he set me up with somebody to do some "scopy" procedures starting with the infamous colonoscopy. When they found nothing there, they set me up for the upper-endoscopy. This is where they found some redness in my duodenum and they said this was the cause... that my body was dumping acid into my system and all the resulting painful aspects were due to that.
They put me on lomotil (an opioid) and prevacid (an acid blocker).
They did a great job of treating my symptoms, and as a college kid, I was stoked.
Years later after changing health insurance, the new company wouldn't cover the acid blocker and made me change up to something that didn't work as well.
Being new to CA, I decided to tell Kaiser to go F themselves and went to an acupuncturist who was also a RN. She was the first person who ever asked, "What do you eat? What's your diet like?"
That was the beginning of me actually healing. This is when I took myself completely off those Meds and the Paxil. Not specifically at her request, but at the preponderance of evidence that all the doctors were doing was managing my symptoms.
An interesting related note, the Paxil was prescribed by my GP after one of the school doctors originally put me on Zoloft. When I told my GP, he went apoplectic and asked if I told the shrink about my stomach problems. I had, and asked why he wanted to know. He said Zoloft was well known to cause digestive problems, and prescribing that on top of my already known issue was inexcusable.

It took a couple years to get over the digestive issues completely, and with that a good deal of the worst of my anxiety and resulting depression. Even going through a divorce without the meds was manageable because I knew the worst was behind me. The anxiety didn't fully go away, but I knew better than to let it make me it's b!tch, plus my newest doc (post-Kaiser) had put me on that Benzo and Flexeril combo I mentioned earlier, to take as needed. (usually a bottle of the lorazepam lasted me a few months with the flexeril much longer.)
I eventually got myself off those, too, and have been mostly-happily leading a prescription-drug-free life.
 
Pogre

Pogre

Audioholic Slumlord
I'm right there with you. My doc prescribed me 30mg of Mirtazipine which helped with my depression and anxiety, and allowed me to sleep a bit better but it made me put on 10lbs. So now I'm trying to cut the dose in half and it's messed up my sleep as well as causing brain zap. They seem to want to add more drugs to your regimen which always cause interactions with me. Not fun trying to manage lifelong depression with meds that hurt you as much as they help you.

I'm also struggling with sleep apnea which seems to be getting worse lately. I tried those damn CPAP machines but didn't do well with them. Sucks getting old ;(
Man, those brain zaps suck! I was taking 200 mg daily for years. As of last night I'm down from 100 mg to 50 mg. My withdrawal symptoms are pretty much nonexistent this morning, but I just halved my dose again last night so they might come back again in a few days.

The good news is, aside from the withdrawal symptoms my mood is pretty stable and anxiety is still being kept at bay. Sleep is broken up a little bit but I'm still getting some. Cannabis helps me quite a bit with that.
 
panteragstk

panteragstk

Audioholic Warlord
Man, those brain zaps suck! I was taking 200 mg daily for years. As of last night I'm down from 100 mg to 50 mg. My withdrawal symptoms are pretty much nonexistent this morning, but I just halved my dose again last night so they might come back again in a few days.

The good news is, aside from the withdrawal symptoms my mood is pretty stable and anxiety is still being kept at bay. Sleep is broken up a little bit but I'm still getting some. Cannabis helps me quite a bit with that.
Good to hear.
 
ryanosaur

ryanosaur

Audioholic Overlord
For some reason, this came to mind. I think I'll just set it down, here, let y'all do with it what you wish.

;)
 
panteragstk

panteragstk

Audioholic Warlord
For some reason, this came to mind. I think I'll just set it down, here, let y'all do with it what you wish.

;)
Well, all those things will help with any withdrawal.

One of my favorite bands BTW
 
D

Danzilla31

Audioholic Spartan
Man, those brain zaps suck! I was taking 200 mg daily for years. As of last night I'm down from 100 mg to 50 mg. My withdrawal symptoms are pretty much nonexistent this morning, but I just halved my dose again last night so they might come back again in a few days.

The good news is, aside from the withdrawal symptoms my mood is pretty stable and anxiety is still being kept at bay. Sleep is broken up a little bit but I'm still getting some. Cannabis helps me quite a bit with that.
As someone who has a mood disorder I can sure relate. I'm down to 2 meds now and both very small doses. Plan to be off one of them completely by next year. The other one may be lifelong I'm okay with that it's side-effects are minimal

I've learned a lot about titration. As I've been able to get off a lot of crap. First doc was not very good my current doctor is awesome had him for the last 10 years and he's been just amazing and a big part of why I'm off most of the crap and feeling so much better

Pm me if you have any stuff your still going through with the titration.

3 quick peices of advice

The lower the dose left the more your pulling from the brain. Taking 50 from a 100 is much more of a cut to the brain then say 50 from 200
Not surprising your feeling some zaps and stuff from that last jump. Those feelings are signs your brain was struggling with the jump and usually mean you should wait a bit before the next jump. Sounds like your doing better now and made it through PAWS (post acute withdrawal syndrome). And I'm glad to hear that PAWS can be a bit challenging

2: whatever the meds help you with you have to work extra hard to boost naturally through diet exercise coping skills and cognitive techniques. As the med leaves the brain it takes time for the receptors in the brain to turn back on to a 100% that managed those areas naturally. So the more you assist the brain with the right techniques the faster it rebuilds those receptors the quicker the withdrawal and the more stable you are after with less of a need to return to medication so if they helped with sleep work on improving your sleep hygiene naturally etc.

3: Stay on those natural remedies!!!! Too many get off the meds and then get back into bad habits and stop doing the coping skills exercise sleep hygiene etc etc that keeps the brain stable. And the brain slips back into its old habits. It's like doing ect treatments which do change the brains activity for up to a year even year and a half but the person doesn't take advantage of the change in the brain by implementing the right changes in there life to keep the brain heading in that direction. So boom!!!! the brain slips back. Remember the 4 most powerful drugs for neurotransmitters are cognitive, behavioral, diet, and exercise.

Don't forget grounding skills for anxiety they target the body not the mind! Which is the best way to treat anxiety as the amygdala responds very well to physical techniques not as much to mental ones. That's based on how the amygdala interacts with the brain and body and also based on its job it performs

Most importantly you got this!!! Your an awesome dude just a great person and human being period!!!! Been a pleasure to have gotten to know you a little on this site. You can do this!!!!

All of us here got your back bro
 
panteragstk

panteragstk

Audioholic Warlord
Don't forget grounding skills for anxiety they target the body not the mind! Which is the best way to treat anxiety as the amygdala responds very well to physical techniques not as much to mental ones. That's based on how the amygdala interacts with the brain and body and also based on its job it performs

Most importantly you got this!!! Your an awesome dude just a great person and human being period!!!! Been a pleasure to have gotten to know you a little on this site. You can do this!!!!

All of us here got your back bro
Can't agree more, and the same goes for everyone here.

I am interested in some of these grounding skills for anxiety. My wife and daughter have it pretty bad so I'll take anything that can help.
 
D

Danzilla31

Audioholic Spartan
Can't agree more, and the same goes for everyone here.

I am interested in some of these grounding skills for anxiety. My wife and daughter have it pretty bad so I'll take anything that can help.
I'd be happy to share some advice from someone whose been through it themselves.

Please take that advice as layman's advice only as this is not my area of expertise. Just a human beings journey. Please see if there open to a specialist in these fields if your in the San Antonio area I can refer you to 2 who are exceptional. And they can refer your family to others if necessary. Please remember some things that worked for me may not work for them hence the need for a specialist

PM me anytime and my best time to get back to u is late after work or on the weekends

If anything I've been through can be of any help to you and your family it made the whole journey worth it. I'd be glad to be helpful if I can
 
Pogre

Pogre

Audioholic Slumlord
Still doing pretty well. Waking up every morning is weird tho. I feel in a daze longer than usual and am experiencing mild sensory disturbances. It really kinda reminds me of an acid trip. Not the same, but somewhat similar in that everything is the same but just a little bit off. Sort of like sensing motion where there isn't any. Have you ever been at a light and felt your car drift only to realize it didn't, and it was the car beside you that was moving at the edge of your vision causing the illusion?
 
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ryanosaur

ryanosaur

Audioholic Overlord
Still doing pretty well. Waking up every morning is weird tho. I feel in a daze longer than usual and am experiencing mild sensory disturbances. It really kinda reminds me of an acid trip. Not the same, but somewhat similar in that everything is the same but just a little bit off. Sort of like sensing motion where there isn't any. Have you ever been at a light and felt your car drift only to realize it wasn't, and it was the car beside you that was moving at the edge of your vision causing the illusion?
 
panteragstk

panteragstk

Audioholic Warlord
Still doing pretty well. Waking up every morning is weird tho. I feel in a daze longer than usual and am experiencing mild sensory disturbances. It really kinda reminds me of an acid trip. Not the same, but somewhat similar in that everything is the same but just a little bit off. Sort of like sensing motion where there isn't any. Have you ever been at a light and felt your car drift only to realize it didn't, and it was the car beside you that was moving at the edge of your vision causing the illusion?
That my friend may just be an "uncluttered" mind experiencing reality in it's unaltered form for the first time in a long while. Every day you wake up is a lot more sensory input than you might normally been getting due to how the meds alter perception.

Or, I have no idea what I'm talking about and need to go to sleep.

Or neither of us is awake and this is all a dream. Here's Tom with the weather...
 
ryanosaur

ryanosaur

Audioholic Overlord
Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter. You must feel the Force flow around you. Here, between you, me, the tree, the rock, yes, even between the land and the ship.
 
Pogre

Pogre

Audioholic Slumlord
I feel pretty good today!

This is significant because I've had a rough couple of weeks. I'm down to 50 mg daily now and have leveled off at that because I just wasn't feeling very good. My appetite has waned and I just haven't been feeling right. No interest in anything- eating has turned into a chore, and I went almost a week without listening to any music outside of a day in the sub candy thread. Just feeling... blah, and depressed. Waking up in the middle of the night with anxiety and not able to get back to sleep, bouts of sadness and depression... it's been rough.

However, last night I had an actual appetite, enjoyed dinner for the first time in a while and woke up feeling... well, pretty okay this morning. I even shaved, lol. Right now I'd even have to say I'm in a good mood. I'm gonna stick with my current dosage for another week or so and see if this lasts more than a day before I try cutting back again. I wasn't feeling right at all and was considering upping my dose again but the way I feel now I still think I can pull this off. It's just gonna take a little longer than I anticipated.
 
panteragstk

panteragstk

Audioholic Warlord
I feel pretty good today!

This is significant because I've had a rough couple of weeks. I'm down to 50 mg daily now and have leveled off at that because I just wasn't feeling very good. My appetite has waned and I just haven't been feeling right. No interest in anything- eating has turned into a chore, and I went almost a week without listening to any music outside of a day in the sub candy thread. Just feeling... blah, and depressed. Waking up in the middle of the night with anxiety and not able to get back to sleep, bouts of sadness and depression... it's been rough.

However, last night I had an actual appetite, enjoyed dinner for the first time in a while and woke up feeling... well, pretty okay this morning. I even shaved, lol. Right now I'd even have to say I'm in a good mood. I'm gonna stick with my current dosage for another week or so and see if this lasts more than a day before I try cutting back again. I wasn't feeling right at all and was considering upping my dose again but the way I feel now I still think I can pull this off. It's just gonna take a little longer than I anticipated.
Great to hear you're doing better bud. Not listening to music isn't allowed so you'll need to cut that bit out.

If I have to make your setup randomly play calming (or angry) music I will. Don't ask me how...
 
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D

Danzilla31

Audioholic Spartan
I feel pretty good today!

This is significant because I've had a rough couple of weeks. I'm down to 50 mg daily now and have leveled off at that because I just wasn't feeling very good. My appetite has waned and I just haven't been feeling right. No interest in anything- eating has turned into a chore, and I went almost a week without listening to any music outside of a day in the sub candy thread. Just feeling... blah, and depressed. Waking up in the middle of the night with anxiety and not able to get back to sleep, bouts of sadness and depression... it's been rough.

However, last night I had an actual appetite, enjoyed dinner for the first time in a while and woke up feeling... well, pretty okay this morning. I even shaved, lol. Right now I'd even have to say I'm in a good mood. I'm gonna stick with my current dosage for another week or so and see if this lasts more than a day before I try cutting back again. I wasn't feeling right at all and was considering upping my dose again but the way I feel now I still think I can pull this off. It's just gonna take a little longer than I anticipated.
Your doing awesome. Yes hold off for awhile the last few cuts are the hardest. The brain has less of the drug to fall back on and is having to work harder at doing things by itself. You should take more time After each dose you cut especially towards the end.

This always confuses people they are like well shute I cut 200mg off and only have 100 left why is this last 2 cuts so hard? They think it should be easier as the cuts get towards the end but it's the opposite. Those are the hardest. And you should take more time between each cut. Do not cut again until you feel stable and like your normal self for at least 2 weeks maybe even 3.

You can do this bro!!!

Now go sit up against that beautiful RBH 1212NR sub let it rip and get yourself a nice therapeutic back massage :D
 
Pogre

Pogre

Audioholic Slumlord
This always confuses people they are like well shute I cut 200mg off and only have 100 left why is this last 2 cuts so hard? They think it should be easier as the cuts get towards the end but it's the opposite. Those are the hardest. And you should take more time between each cut. Do not cut again until you feel stable and like your normal self for at least 2 weeks maybe even 3.
I really appreciate the support man, thank you, and yes this makes sense and matches up with my experience. I'm not getting any of those brain zaps anymore, but my mood and general feeling of well being was in the toilet for the last couple of weeks. Feeling pretty good again this morning tho so 2 days in a row now.
 
highfigh

highfigh

Seriously, I have no life.
The downside is, everyone thinks I'm anal and demanding. :p
You know what? More people should have some of this because far too many are going through life being slackers and expecting to be well-compensated, so they just coast. If I heard "Don't be so picky" once, I heard it a million times but as you wrote, I got results. The problem is that sometimes, trying to fix one problem lets other slide when they may be more important and it can act like blinders on a horse.
 
panteragstk

panteragstk

Audioholic Warlord
If I heard "Don't be so picky" once, I heard it a million times but as you wrote, I got results. The problem is that sometimes, trying to fix one problem lets other slide when they may be more important and it can act like blinders on a horse.
Well if you're just going to attack me directly then say so....

/s
 

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