Anyone else remember during the Obama administration when they were closing hundreds of mental health facilities? I thought at that time, where are these people going to go? I guess we got the reason, huge homeless population, mass murder rise and drug overdoses. CUI BONO?!!!
My wife has recently started a travel contract. As a result, she ran out of her Rx for an SSRI and went totally without for a week.
The withdrawal was horrific. I didn't know about it until she'd been off the SSRI cold-turkey for about 5 days. Massive depression, suicidal ideation for a lady who is normally happy-go-lucky and cheerful.
Yet another crime by Big Pharma and the Modical-Pharma Complex. And yet another reason why I take ZERO meds.
Oh, I am sorry, Fred. I used to take Paxil and did so for about 3 years. I wanted to be done with it as I felt my situational stressors had improved. I knew enough to know that going "cold turkey" was inadvisable so I did a long taper - as in 6 months - to discontinue it. Fortunately, this very gradual reduction worked for me but I can't imagine what your wife suffered. I hope she is feeling better now.
The vast majority of docs have no clue how to properly taper off SSRIs. Please look into FB group "Cymbalta Hurts Worse" for insight into proper weaning off SSRI. Members can take a few years to wean off the drug/s utilizing very small, incremental reductions. Sometimes a compounding pharmacy is required. Again, it is a rare doc who will recognize the importance of a slow taper. Best wishes to your wife!
Yes, Dr. Peter Breggin, Peter Gotzsche, Robert Whitaker, and others have written about the withdrawals people experience from stopping psychotropic drugs abruptly(ADHD meds are also psychotropic meds ).People are NOT INFORMED about the WITHDRAWALS! Psychiatrists will tell a person it is their “illness” returning and they need to stay on their meds. The longer a person is on psych meds the worse the withdrawals can be. The psych meds have to be very slowly tapered down with the help of an knowledgeable doctor. Although many have tapered on their own as it can be difficult to find a doctor to assist them. A person should educate themselves first before attempting tapering so they will know what difficulties to expect.
I can attest to this from personal experience. The insidious thing about many psychotropic drugs is that as your body adjusts to the dosage you’re on, you’ll start having withdrawal symptoms because it wants more! They are self feeding monstrosities. The side effects and withdrawals were horrible, but the one which convinced me that the drug was playing havoc with my brain was a nasty thing called brain zaps…hard to describe but they’re like a pause or lapse of brain activity. I had to retire early due to the 3 year use of that terrible drug. And when I ask my doctor about help tapering off he said, “oh just go from 30 to 20 mg”, which was the lowest dose available. I found an online forum which helped me to taper off myself. One thing that I believe saved my sanity during those days when I was so anxious and depressed that I couldn’t stand myself, I would go outside and soak up the sun…God given vitamin D. That was 15 years ago and whenever I have the opportunity to tell someone about that experience, I say NEVER let a doctor put you on one of those drugs! What will truly help you is prayer, taking a walk and sunshine. And if it’s winter and hard to get sunshine, it’s important to take a vitamin D supplement, along with vitamin K for absorption. The dosage that works for me is 5000 IU daily.
I spent close to 4 months going very slowly off ssri’s I started in 2008 after the death of my best friend. I had tried several times throughout the years to go off and can attest to the horrible withdrawal effects. I feel so free. They have side effects I never realized. Always read the side effects
Same year I went off mine Susan, and I also spent 4-5 months getting off. A commenter on the forum from which I got immense help, said that he got off cocaine easier than Cymbalta.
Decades of evidence !!
https://amidwesterndoctor.substack.com/p/the-decades-of-evidence-that-antidepressants
Anyone else remember during the Obama administration when they were closing hundreds of mental health facilities? I thought at that time, where are these people going to go? I guess we got the reason, huge homeless population, mass murder rise and drug overdoses. CUI BONO?!!!
My wife has recently started a travel contract. As a result, she ran out of her Rx for an SSRI and went totally without for a week.
The withdrawal was horrific. I didn't know about it until she'd been off the SSRI cold-turkey for about 5 days. Massive depression, suicidal ideation for a lady who is normally happy-go-lucky and cheerful.
Yet another crime by Big Pharma and the Modical-Pharma Complex. And yet another reason why I take ZERO meds.
Oh, I am sorry, Fred. I used to take Paxil and did so for about 3 years. I wanted to be done with it as I felt my situational stressors had improved. I knew enough to know that going "cold turkey" was inadvisable so I did a long taper - as in 6 months - to discontinue it. Fortunately, this very gradual reduction worked for me but I can't imagine what your wife suffered. I hope she is feeling better now.
Thanks, NAB. She is better now. She was home and able to refill her 'scrip, and now back to normal.
I've actually wanted her to try to get off these things, but this incident was super scary. Need to find a doctor who can help her taper off.
It burns me up to realize the 100's of 1000's of women who are on these dangerous drugs.
The vast majority of docs have no clue how to properly taper off SSRIs. Please look into FB group "Cymbalta Hurts Worse" for insight into proper weaning off SSRI. Members can take a few years to wean off the drug/s utilizing very small, incremental reductions. Sometimes a compounding pharmacy is required. Again, it is a rare doc who will recognize the importance of a slow taper. Best wishes to your wife!
It amazes me how many doctors advocate a 2 week wean off these powerful medications - even for people who have taken them for years!
Yes, Dr. Peter Breggin, Peter Gotzsche, Robert Whitaker, and others have written about the withdrawals people experience from stopping psychotropic drugs abruptly(ADHD meds are also psychotropic meds ).People are NOT INFORMED about the WITHDRAWALS! Psychiatrists will tell a person it is their “illness” returning and they need to stay on their meds. The longer a person is on psych meds the worse the withdrawals can be. The psych meds have to be very slowly tapered down with the help of an knowledgeable doctor. Although many have tapered on their own as it can be difficult to find a doctor to assist them. A person should educate themselves first before attempting tapering so they will know what difficulties to expect.
I can attest to this from personal experience. The insidious thing about many psychotropic drugs is that as your body adjusts to the dosage you’re on, you’ll start having withdrawal symptoms because it wants more! They are self feeding monstrosities. The side effects and withdrawals were horrible, but the one which convinced me that the drug was playing havoc with my brain was a nasty thing called brain zaps…hard to describe but they’re like a pause or lapse of brain activity. I had to retire early due to the 3 year use of that terrible drug. And when I ask my doctor about help tapering off he said, “oh just go from 30 to 20 mg”, which was the lowest dose available. I found an online forum which helped me to taper off myself. One thing that I believe saved my sanity during those days when I was so anxious and depressed that I couldn’t stand myself, I would go outside and soak up the sun…God given vitamin D. That was 15 years ago and whenever I have the opportunity to tell someone about that experience, I say NEVER let a doctor put you on one of those drugs! What will truly help you is prayer, taking a walk and sunshine. And if it’s winter and hard to get sunshine, it’s important to take a vitamin D supplement, along with vitamin K for absorption. The dosage that works for me is 5000 IU daily.
So glad you figured it out early.
If only people knew before starting any of psych med, most would say “No Thank You!” Same for childhood shots.
I spent close to 4 months going very slowly off ssri’s I started in 2008 after the death of my best friend. I had tried several times throughout the years to go off and can attest to the horrible withdrawal effects. I feel so free. They have side effects I never realized. Always read the side effects
Same year I went off mine Susan, and I also spent 4-5 months getting off. A commenter on the forum from which I got immense help, said that he got off cocaine easier than Cymbalta.
Big Pharma is addicted to big buck$ so they can buy toys inside the Beltway.
Agree, my husband, son and 1 daughter all have had similar experiences and why I am so happy to take zero meds as well!
Very sorry to hear about this, Fred. I'm with you, as is hubs -- ZERO meds.
Excellent article, everyone should read it!
Yes. I endorse this recommendation. Midwestern Doctor is a worthwhile Substack subscription. He does amazing work.
Indeed.