I experienced anxiety and anger on it (escitalopram / lexapro) for 10 years, and over the 12 months of slow taper and during the last 6 months completely clean from these hard narcotics. I feel like i have been abused by the medical fraternity
Dr. HOROWITZ , Thank you. I have experienced exactly what you are saying after titrating off Paxil per my subscriber instructions. I seriously thought I was losing my mind. I found myself in the fetal position sobbing - eventually blacked out. My gp said it was an anxiety attack , and prescribed anti-anxiety meds. That was a train wreck! I decided to stay off all psych meds....am still withdrawing after 11 months. It IS getting better though. A very SLOW process.
Hi @susanmorgan4151 good to hear that u have stopped theADs for 11 months but still facing withdrawlas. The thing is if u withdraw ADs cold turkey or too quicly it damage sthe brain and the brain goes in some kind of kindiling mode and the symptons dont go for years. As u have cold tukerred ur meds and if still facing delibelating wds, then my advice wld be to go back to 25% from which u have cold turkeyed and start reducing the dose by 10% of last dose there on every month. This way the damge caused to the brain will be reduced and will have bearable withdrawals/ hope this helps
@icydev , thank you. I did titrate as per my (then) doctors directives. Actually I went slower than he prescribed... it is now 14 months out for me. It's still very hard , but getting microscopically better. Yes , I believe my brain IS altered or wounded. I am now in a "windows and waves" cycle. Some days feel unbearable. Marijuana in very SMALL doses breaks the "wave " days up in manageable pieces. I don't recommend Marijuana, because we are all wired differently. For me , it helps.❤
Same thing happened to me. My doc took me off of Paxil after 24 years in 5 weeks while adding benzodiazepines and c/t’d after two weeks. Then started Prozac at its highest dose. My brain was shot. I’m still on benzodiazepine and Effexor.
I was able to quit sertraline with zero withdrawals thanks to exercising and drastically reducing sugar consumption. I had tried to quit sertraline at least 7 times over the course of 13 years, and had horrible withdrawals every time. When i finally succeeded, I was on my diet and exercise regimen and simply ran out of my medication because of procrastination. The withdrawals were completely gone. It was an unexpected result. I've been off the medication for four years now.
@@1111sage I would definitely recommend getting into the diet and exercise FIRST, while you're still taking the medication. And make sure you're working with a doctor! Don't do it alone!
Thank you so much for putting this information out to the world. I refer clients to this video so they can: a) learn about the withdrawal effects of coming off of psychotropics and b) how they can manage withdrawal very gradually to minimize these effects.
im lucky, i quit paxil 30mg after being on it over 20 years cold turkey about 2 months ago and had no withdrawal. whenever i attempted to before it was awful. after 7 days without it i was like "oh crap i didnt take my paxil for week! and i feel fine, im just going to quit" i feel so much better off that stuff. i have emotion now! and not just flat affect, its like i was living in black and white and the color is back now
Excellent presentation.Dr Horowitz may kindly also do presentations on tapering by elderly patients as their cases are different from other adults ie < 65 years.
I have to say after trying to stop one recently and then getting back on half after too many zaps and anxiety, I think we should remember that some anxiety and the depression may be associated the fact that we’ve realized we’ve been ‘screwed so to speak’ by no one telling us anything. Also, we’ve realized this isn’t gonna be easy. So I agree that exercise is good to help with that part. Great info !!! Not giving up 😊
I´ve been tapering down from 5mg Lexapro, 10% reductions every two months, and now currently on 2.95mg. This is not medical advice to anyone, but taking the following supplements daily has helped quite substantially in tackling withdrawal symptoms: Vitamin D with K2: 4000units (morning) Vitamin C: 1gram (liposomal) (morning) Omega 3: 800mg EPA + 400mg DHA (at night) Magnesium Glycinate: 120mg (at night) Magnesium Threonate: 122mg (morning) Chaga Powder: 2g serving (served with tea, afternoon) Symptoms are mild the first three weeks after each reduction, then relatively normal functioning the following five weeks (with 1 or 2 miserable days)
How are you reducing the dosage? I have 5 mg pills. Are you just shaving them down? I went cold turkey and it's been 3 months and I'm starting to feel really miserable. I think I need to start it over and wean down but I don't know the best way to do it when I have pills.
Thank you for sharing this. I am back up to 5 in readiness to reduce. I went too fast and although no ‘neuro’ symptoms I was impatient, irritable, with bursts of anger and easily startled. I’m thinking of trying 4.5 mg next ( I have the liquid formulation). I am also going to stop trying to do this in secret because it’s been just awful for my relationship. I am also interested to hear that you’re doing this every too months…
@@snowps1 I live in Chile, and we don´t have either liquid formulations available in the market, or compounding pharmacies that can prepare very small, specific doses of escitalopram. The only alternative I had was to buy the available 10mg Lexapro, which can be easily cut in half because of the notch on the reverse, and then shave each 5mg piece down with an always sharp scalpel to the desired doses. For this, I had to buy a 0.001mg precision scale. It is tedious as hell, and requires time and dedication to make sure you get constant doses. It´s the only way. I went cold turkey from 5mg to 0mg back in January 2011, and I was miserable for about a year and a half before going back to 10mg. I definitely would not recommend that!
@@arquipaje8441 thanks for the tips! I did pretty much stop cold turkey off 5mg and it's been a very rough couple of months, especially the wild mood swings!
brilliant video that gives me some hope ,been on 20mg citalopram for 11 years thinking i was permanently screwed by anxiety ,looks like i have a fight on my hands but at least theres a strategy i can follow ,thank you Dr Mark
Thanks Mark, doctors need to recognise this if they knew the damage they can and have done to patients they wouldnt be quick to prescribe.Opiates,benzos ,gabapentinoids and antidepressants can be really damaging.Informed consent thats all patients advocate for.Your a genius in your field of work.Theres people in psych wards that are ill cos these meds victims.
Psychedelics definitely have potential to deal with mental health symptoms like anxiety and depression, I would like to try them again but it's just so hard to source out here
I’ve been researching on psychedelics and it’s benefits to individuals dealing with Anxiety, Depression, ADHD and from my findings, they really work and I’ve been eager to get some for a while but its been difficult to get my hands on them.
The Trips I've been having really helped me a lot. I’m now able to meditate and I finally feel in control of my emotions and my future and things that used to be mundane to me now seem incredible and full of nuance on top of that I'm way less driven by my ego and I have alot more empathy as well
@@AlbertoTorres894I feel the same way too. I put too much on my plate and it definitely affects my stress and anxiety levels. I am also glad to be a part of this community.
Execelent presentation Mark. Especially the graphs ( VISUALS)......they are true for most taperings I imagine. How would a graph look for those who have successfully stopped the drugs? For younger people who have a fighting chance? What might success look like?
I’m on venlafaxine SSNRI for 2 months and I’m stopping. I don’t want to go any further and risk something like this happening. After stopping for a week I feel Nauseous, tired, dizzy, and headaches
Thank you for your interest in Dr. Horowitz's presentation. The transcript is viewable by clicking on the description of the presentation (just below the video recording on TH-cam). Dr. Horowitz may also be contacted through his website for more information: markhorowitz.org/contact/
I am off Citalopram after 16+ years. I am so short fused and swear readily. I have been off one month. Still have brain zaps, heightened emotions generally. I would say the anger/reactionary behaviours are tge worst symptoms. Worse than crying readily and zapping. From all I havecheard it could be a very long time before the withdrawal symptoms abate! There are not many success stories, if any, to help keep you going either which is almost ominous!.
I went off Citalopram 4 weeks ago, after 25 years. I'm still having withdrawals. My biggest physical distressing symptom is dizziness, and equilibrium issues....which cause nausea. Are you getting better? I am pretty much homebound.
I was on Lexapro for 16 years as well. Tapered for six weeks. It’s been 2 1/2 months and I feel moderately depressed. I can still function fairly well, but I know the way I feel is not normal. Has anyone else thought about going back on their medication’s and then tapering according to his recommendations? Or having been off for 2 1/2 months maybe it’s better just to see the withdrawals through to the end..
@@tchillism You say you are functioning… Was there a time within those 2 1/2 months that you were not functioning? Did you steadily feel better during those 2 1/2 months? I tapered really quick at the direction of my doctor, about 3 1/2 weeks, I was on citalopram for many years. Equilibrium is the hardest part for me as it keeps me pretty much homebound. I am at four weeks since my last dose. I can feel my anxiety creeping in, especially in the mornings. I have generalized anxiety disorder, no depression. However, all of this has caused me to feel a bit depressed. I'm just wondering if you can tell me how you felt through the 2 1/2 months. As far as going back on your medication, I wonder about that each day as well, however, at this point I just feel like maybe pushing through to see where my baseline is Would be the better choice. Since I don't have depression, my doctor would like to see me go on Buspar for my anxiety, however, I'm pretty gun shy now about taking anything. If I did decide to try that, I think I would still want to see where my baseline is. I just need to be able to get out of my house and function.
I have been trying to taper again off of Cymbalta for 2 years. I am going through hell with severe anxiety and panic sensations. It's a nightmare! Been using a compounding pharmacy and they haven't been using a hyperbolic taper. I really need help!
You sound like me. I'm so sorry. I'm 14 months off at this point. Expect to experience "windows and waves" . Getting enough sleep is imperative. For me , SMALL doses of Marijuana helps. But each person responds differently. ....so be careful with any medication. I found my body/brain responds differently to most meds , then before withdrawing from SSRI's. So again , be careful . You can do this.❤
Hi If u have tapered quicly, u will surely have nasty withdrawals and if u have tapered at 10% of last dose , the wds are quiet manageable and tapeeing shld continue to the ;ast of 0.01mg. if u are still having acute symptons means u havent withdrawaled prodperly. so my advice wild be start form the 25% of the dose from when u started tapering and start tapeing at the recommedned speed. hopefully u will have manageable wds. hope this helps
@@icydev I did a harm reduction taper over a long period of time so it has nothing to do with that. It has occurred because of long term use. It can take the brain a long time to heal and function without the meds!
I’m 9 months off zoloft 15 years use. Too fast taper by Dr. Severe WD. Feels like injury in my brain. Is there any hope? Will I be disabled for years. Cant work. Pain in my body. Feels like I lost myself and my life.
Hi @Snowflake1374 Sorry to hear that u are going through the worst of wirhdrawals, it has happened to me too several times as doctors used to rapidly taper me of Ads very quickly in a month and after 2-3 months used to suffer from sever withdrawals that i coludnt even get up from my bed and then again after 4 months of sufferings used to start on new drugs and the cycle repeated. In your case i wld recoomed that as u are already of the drug for 9 months, have seen in a video by Dr josef (he also makes very informative videos on withdrawals) that to reinstate the drug at 50%, so in your case restart at 25mg )hopefully ur symptons will decerse quicly and from there on start reuding the dosage by 10% of previous dose evey 1 month, so for 1st month it wld be 22.5mg, then 2nd month 20.5mg and so on , so it wld take around 30 months to get off the drug but it will surely take u out of the unimagianbele hell of withdrawal. hope it helps.
It's horrible. Yes , there IS hope. For me , having people in my life who "get it" is helpful. Talking about what you are going through helps. I would say be prepared mentally for a long withdrawal, but know it DOES get better. It does. A diet high in fat , low to no carbs or sugar seems to help me. Eat clean. Lots of water. Your brain is healing. ❤❤❤
Dr could you please help. My husband tried to go off Effexor and then went back on, but for a week took double his dose. He ended up in er because of suicidal ideation. They said to go back down to his regular dose and he would be fine. He’s not fine. Inthe hospital again and now they put him on remron? Spelling wrong. Now it’s been 3 weeks and he is still unable to work, he can barely eat, can’t do anything. What do i do? The dr wants to put him on more drugs. I’m so afraid, please please help.
@Theresa R I wish I had the knowledge to help I was on effor XL for years it has a horrible effect coming off it and on it . All I can say if this helps you, is. He is being monitored in hospital. Any bad happens he is where everything is near to help him . Try to get some rest knowing this ❤
I’m on venlafaxine SSNRI for 2 months and I’m stopping. I don’t want to go any further and risk something like this happening. After stopping for a week I feel Nauseous, tired, dizzy, and headaches , I don’t think 2 months is considered longterm
@@Jazzy0316 you're right. 2 months is enough to change brain chemistry. I am finishing a 4 year taper from 30 years of effexor. It messes with serotonin doesn't fix anything. So happy you are trusting your gut.
God only knows why the liquid form is the prescibed way to taper off. I had to beg my PCP to see a psychiatric pharmacist to get liquid... even then 1mg changes from 10-9-8 are drastic and painful. Those shit heads told me to keep going on just 5mg when alternating 10-5 put me in crisis 😭.
You have to schedule and wait for an appointment and then you have to have the skills to discuss things with a doctor: why wasn’t this info given when this med was prescribed? Had I known you need patience and diligence to quit, I would have been started it!!
Hi @rhianonallen2947 my advicew wld be go throgh the seminar again and the slides which u want u can take a sceenshot of it and use it for future refrence. hope this helps
I would also like to know this too, my GP has recently told me they are not licensed in the UK but they are, so an outright lie. They told me to go on Amazon but a pill cutter and cut my tablets in half, then half again and then stop them 😮 So Very Dangerous what they tell us to do, it's so wrong.
I want to know this too. Is it possible to get it from the UK if I live in Canada? A liquid formulation of venlafaxine is not available here. ??? I have very little trust in dose accuracy when counting or weighing beads/microspheres from the capsules of Effexor XR.
Please can you guide me how to taper successfully Closopine. The doctor initially put my nephew at 450 mg. He withdrew by himself reducing it by 100mg. i.e 350 mg. Thereafter 25mg every 8 weeks or more. He wants to completely ween off this medication. The psychologist is refusing to his tapering. Where can he get help, to overcome withdrawal symptoms ...esp. suicidal symptoms, as this has happened when earlier he was put on Risperidon , which actually causes suicides...PLEASE HELP !
That's the wrong takeaway: if you get sick, and there is good evidence behind using a medicine that has been preacribed to you, and the risks outweigh the benefits in your case, then you absolutely should take it. Otherwise you risk dying from a treatable disease, or living with a condition that can be vastly improved. I say this as someone who has tried and failed to taper off SSRIs. The problem is you have to follow the actual scientific evidence, which the guidelines don't always do. I will take a doctor who is extremely knowledgable about the latest state of the evidence every day of the week. I mostly get frustrated with doctors who (usually through no fault of their own) are not current with their knowledge of actual state of the evidence. The dream would be to have everyone treated by a combo clinician/researcher with a nonstressful work load who is able to think, read, and deeply analyze every case.
My doctor makes a distinction between physical and psychological dependence. The concept of psychological dependence seems invalid to me. The way it is described, it sounds like a reverse placebo effect, in which you experience adverse effects because you expect them. If so, then saying that withdrawal symptoms result from psychological dependence amounts to saying that it is all in your head. It is frustrating that my doctor does not take my symptoms seriously, but he is really just there to write the prescriptions, so I don't dwell on it.
Your doctor sounds very uninformed like countless prescribers. Please convince them to watch this webinar or read over the Maudsley Deprescribing Guidelines which Dr. Horowitz recently published. It could save many patients lives from being ruined by their ignorance. 🙏
Why aren't the Dr's following what you are saying as I have mentioned this to my Dr's and they refuse to follow your suggestions on how to come off peroxitine also been told they don't prescribe lower doses like drops ect.Can you give me answers to this.
It's something that is very common and what I'm going through as well. Because of the hyperbolic way that these drugs work, there is an increased effectiveness on lower doses. My last taper was 0.04mg, 2.44mg to 2.4mg. It was a lot more gentle than my previous taper of 0.08mg. I suggest to join a peer-support group or buy The Maudsley Deprescibing Guidelines. 😊
From what I’ve learned and am experiencing, you need to tapering much slower and longer. I’ve been tapering from 5mg lexapro for 18 months. I’m now tapering at 5%! I’m currently on .95mg. The withdrawal symptoms get harder the lower you go
I have only been taking mirtazapine for 2 months , and i want to stop ( as i can not tolerate the side effects anymore ) I tried to stop but i got to day 3 and the withdrawal was horrific , feel terrible taking them a d terrible trying to get off tgem ( was put on them becauses of anxiety ( they do not really help , not very good with medication)
thanks for this ,i finally found a word for the description of what im feeling when i try to withdraw from ssri,s .......akathisia ,its so insidious but at least i have a name for it
I commend you for sticking your neck out challenging these drug companies. Your videos are inspiring, thank you.
This gentleman is a hero. 😊
Dr. Mark Horowitz is a beacon of light in the darkness… 🙏🏻❤
Youre truly amazing. Thank you for this and for sticking up for all these people who are gas lit by their doctors. The world needs more of this.
This is one of the best presentations on the topic of Psych Drug withdrawal, that I have seen.
Thank you so much, Dr Mark and all involved. ❤
Yes it is really succinct and thorough for only being an hour long, I pray that more doctors can see this.
I DIDN’T start the antidepressants because of anger and irritability! But this is what I have when I stopped Lexapro.
Me too.❤
I experience it whilst reducing 😬
Me too! And depressive moods. I started it for panic attacks.
@@snowps1 my issue is that I now think that anger and irritability are good because somehow they are justified
I experienced anxiety and anger on it (escitalopram / lexapro) for 10 years, and over the 12 months of slow taper and during the last 6 months completely clean from these hard narcotics. I feel like i have been abused by the medical fraternity
Dr. HOROWITZ , Thank you. I have experienced exactly what you are saying after titrating off Paxil per my subscriber instructions. I seriously thought I was losing my mind. I found myself in the fetal position sobbing - eventually blacked out. My gp said it was an anxiety attack , and prescribed anti-anxiety meds. That was a train wreck! I decided to stay off all psych meds....am still withdrawing after 11 months. It IS getting better though. A very SLOW process.
Hi
@susanmorgan4151
good to hear that u have stopped theADs for 11 months but still facing withdrawlas.
The thing is if u withdraw ADs cold turkey or too quicly it damage sthe brain and the brain goes in some kind of kindiling mode and the symptons dont go for years.
As u have cold tukerred ur meds and if still facing delibelating wds, then my advice wld be to go back to 25% from which u have cold turkeyed and start reducing the dose by 10% of last dose there on every month.
This way the damge caused to the brain will be reduced and will have bearable withdrawals/
hope this helps
@icydev , thank you.
I did titrate as per my (then) doctors directives. Actually I went slower than he prescribed... it is now 14 months out for me. It's still very hard , but getting microscopically better. Yes , I believe my brain IS altered or wounded. I am now in a "windows and waves" cycle. Some days feel unbearable. Marijuana in very SMALL doses breaks the "wave " days up in manageable pieces.
I don't recommend Marijuana, because we are all wired differently. For me , it helps.❤
Same thing happened to me. My doc took me off of Paxil after 24 years in 5 weeks while adding benzodiazepines and c/t’d after two weeks. Then started Prozac at its highest dose. My brain was shot. I’m still on benzodiazepine and Effexor.
I was able to quit sertraline with zero withdrawals thanks to exercising and drastically reducing sugar consumption. I had tried to quit sertraline at least 7 times over the course of 13 years, and had horrible withdrawals every time. When i finally succeeded, I was on my diet and exercise regimen and simply ran out of my medication because of procrastination. The withdrawals were completely gone. It was an unexpected result. I've been off the medication for four years now.
You have been bless I've been on sertraline and other ssri 30+ years ...off sertiline 2 weeks Today was hell on earth. Anxiety Angery frustration
Also no suger weight loss more exercise last few days no Engery
@@1111sage I would definitely recommend getting into the diet and exercise FIRST, while you're still taking the medication. And make sure you're working with a doctor! Don't do it alone!
Thank you so much for putting this information out to the world. I refer clients to this video so they can: a) learn about the withdrawal effects of coming off of psychotropics and b) how they can manage withdrawal very gradually to minimize these effects.
im lucky, i quit paxil 30mg after being on it over 20 years cold turkey about 2 months ago and had no withdrawal. whenever i attempted to before it was awful. after 7 days without it i was like "oh crap i didnt take my paxil for week! and i feel fine, im just going to quit" i feel so much better off that stuff. i have emotion now! and not just flat affect, its like i was living in black and white and the color is back now
Excellent presentation.Dr Horowitz may kindly also do presentations on tapering by elderly patients as their cases are different from other adults ie < 65 years.
Wow - the second case study! It’s shocking. I’m so angry on behalf of that young woman. No one listened to her at all.
Bravo. Standing ovation. Very interesting and important information. 🌷 South Australia
I have to say after trying to stop one recently and then getting back on half after too many zaps and anxiety, I think we should remember that some anxiety and the depression may be associated the fact that we’ve realized we’ve been ‘screwed so to speak’ by no one telling us anything. Also, we’ve realized this isn’t gonna be easy. So I agree that exercise is good to help with that part. Great info !!! Not giving up 😊
I´ve been tapering down from 5mg Lexapro, 10% reductions every two months, and now currently on 2.95mg.
This is not medical advice to anyone, but taking the following supplements daily has helped quite substantially in tackling withdrawal symptoms:
Vitamin D with K2: 4000units (morning)
Vitamin C: 1gram (liposomal) (morning)
Omega 3: 800mg EPA + 400mg DHA (at night)
Magnesium Glycinate: 120mg (at night)
Magnesium Threonate: 122mg (morning)
Chaga Powder: 2g serving (served with tea, afternoon)
Symptoms are mild the first three weeks after each reduction, then relatively normal functioning the following five weeks (with 1 or 2 miserable days)
How are you reducing the dosage? I have 5 mg pills. Are you just shaving them down? I went cold turkey and it's been 3 months and I'm starting to feel really miserable. I think I need to start it over and wean down but I don't know the best way to do it when I have pills.
Thank you for sharing this. I am back up to 5 in readiness to reduce. I went too fast and although no ‘neuro’ symptoms I was impatient, irritable, with bursts of anger and easily startled. I’m thinking of trying 4.5 mg next ( I have the liquid formulation). I am also going to stop trying to do this in secret because it’s been just awful for my relationship. I am also interested to hear that you’re doing this every too months…
@@Liz-hc4um oh my, I've also been doing it in secret and should just fess up to my husband. I'm so grouchy and moody now.
@@snowps1 I live in Chile, and we don´t have either liquid formulations available in the market, or compounding pharmacies that can prepare very small, specific doses of escitalopram. The only alternative I had was to buy the available 10mg Lexapro, which can be easily cut in half because of the notch on the reverse, and then shave each 5mg piece down with an always sharp scalpel to the desired doses. For this, I had to buy a 0.001mg precision scale.
It is tedious as hell, and requires time and dedication to make sure you get constant doses. It´s the only way.
I went cold turkey from 5mg to 0mg back in January 2011, and I was miserable for about a year and a half before going back to 10mg. I definitely would not recommend that!
@@arquipaje8441 thanks for the tips! I did pretty much stop cold turkey off 5mg and it's been a very rough couple of months, especially the wild mood swings!
very informative. thank you Dr Horowitz!
brilliant video that gives me some hope ,been on 20mg citalopram for 11 years thinking i was permanently screwed by anxiety ,looks like i have a fight on my hands but at least theres a strategy i can follow ,thank you Dr Mark
Thanks Mark, doctors need to recognise this if they knew the damage they can and have done to patients they wouldnt be quick to prescribe.Opiates,benzos ,gabapentinoids and antidepressants can be really damaging.Informed consent thats all patients advocate for.Your a genius in your field of work.Theres people in psych wards that are ill cos these meds victims.
This is very informative Thank you
Thank you so much for your honest open approach ❤
Dr, you are the best. Thank you for your enlightment.
Please come back to Australia and set up a clinic here… Melbourne specifically… please 🙏
I would definitely see him if he was back here and would even travel from Sydney to Melbourne 100%
THANK YOU!❤
Psychedelics definitely have potential to deal with mental health symptoms like anxiety and depression, I would like to try them again but it's just so hard to source out here
I’ve been researching on psychedelics and it’s benefits to individuals dealing with Anxiety, Depression, ADHD and from my findings, they really work and I’ve been eager to get some for a while but its been difficult to get my hands on them.
The Trips I've been having really helped me a lot. I’m now able to meditate and I finally feel in control of my emotions and my future and things that used to be mundane to me now seem incredible and full of nuance on top of that I'm way less driven by my ego and I have alot more empathy as well
I was having this constant, unbearable anxiety due to work stress. Not until I came across a very intelligent mycologist. He saved my life honestly
@@AlbertoTorres894I feel the same way too. I put too much on my plate and it definitely affects my stress and anxiety levels. I am also glad to be a part of this community.
@@LucyFernandez628Does he deliver to various locations?
Execelent presentation Mark. Especially the graphs ( VISUALS)......they are true for most taperings I imagine. How would a graph look for those who have successfully stopped the drugs? For younger people who have a fighting chance? What might success look like?
I’m on venlafaxine SSNRI for 2 months and I’m stopping. I don’t want to go any further and risk something like this happening. After stopping for a week I feel
Nauseous, tired, dizzy, and headaches
Is this talk available to download and print out. I would really like to give it to my new doctor.
Thank you for your interest in Dr. Horowitz's presentation. The transcript is viewable by clicking on the description of the presentation (just below the video recording on TH-cam). Dr. Horowitz may also be contacted through his website for more information: markhorowitz.org/contact/
I am off Citalopram after 16+ years. I am so short fused and swear readily. I have been off one month. Still have brain zaps, heightened emotions generally. I would say the anger/reactionary behaviours are tge worst symptoms. Worse than crying readily and zapping. From all I havecheard it could be a very long time before the withdrawal symptoms abate! There are not many success stories, if any, to help keep you going either which is almost ominous!.
I went off Citalopram 4 weeks ago, after 25 years. I'm still having withdrawals. My biggest physical distressing symptom is dizziness, and equilibrium issues....which cause nausea. Are you getting better? I am pretty much homebound.
I am determined to keep going. I still have somewhat 'immediate emotions ', but certainly more clarity of thought!
I was on Lexapro for 16 years as well. Tapered for six weeks. It’s been 2 1/2 months and I feel moderately depressed. I can still function fairly well, but I know the way I feel is not normal. Has anyone else thought about going back on their medication’s and then tapering according to his recommendations? Or having been off for 2 1/2 months maybe it’s better just to see the withdrawals through to the end..
@@tchillism You say you are functioning… Was there a time within those 2 1/2 months that you were not functioning? Did you steadily feel better during those 2 1/2 months? I tapered really quick at the direction of my doctor, about 3 1/2 weeks, I was on citalopram for many years. Equilibrium is the hardest part for me as it keeps me pretty much homebound. I am at four weeks since my last dose. I can feel my anxiety creeping in, especially in the mornings. I have generalized anxiety disorder, no depression. However, all of this has caused me to feel a bit depressed. I'm just wondering if you can tell me how you felt through the 2 1/2 months. As far as going back on your medication, I wonder about that each day as well, however, at this point I just feel like maybe pushing through to see where my baseline is Would be the better choice. Since I don't have depression, my doctor would like to see me go on Buspar for my anxiety, however, I'm pretty gun shy now about taking anything. If I did decide to try that, I think I would still want to see where my baseline is. I just need to be able to get out of my house and function.
@@tchillism Only you know you...but for me at 67 i want to try and see it through. I actually am thinking for clearly. x
I have been trying to taper again off of Cymbalta for 2 years. I am going through hell with severe anxiety and panic sensations. It's a nightmare! Been using a compounding pharmacy and they haven't been using a hyperbolic taper. I really need help!
You sound like me. I'm so sorry. I'm 14 months off at this point. Expect to experience "windows and waves" .
Getting enough sleep is imperative. For me , SMALL doses of Marijuana helps. But each person responds differently. ....so be careful with any medication. I found my body/brain responds differently to most meds , then before withdrawing from SSRI's. So again , be careful . You can do this.❤
Damn psychiatrists.... they destroy lifes. I wish I have never met one of them
What length of time after your last dose is considered a protracted withdrawal?
I'm 19 months off and still experiencing acute withdrawal symptoms 😢
Hi
If u have tapered quicly, u will surely have nasty withdrawals
and if u have tapered at 10% of last dose , the wds are quiet manageable and tapeeing shld continue to the ;ast of 0.01mg.
if u are still having acute symptons means u havent withdrawaled prodperly.
so my advice wild be start form the 25% of the dose from when u started tapering and start tapeing at the recommedned speed. hopefully u will have manageable wds.
hope this helps
So terrible isn't it?
Thing is time heals. Biochemistry is different for everyone and changes can happen quickly too.
2 years to withdraw!
That is not too fast!@@icydev
@@icydev I did a harm reduction taper over a long period of time so it has nothing to do with that.
It has occurred because of long term use. It can take the brain a long time to heal and function without the meds!
I’m 9 months off zoloft 15 years use. Too fast taper by Dr. Severe WD. Feels like injury in my brain. Is there any hope? Will I be disabled for years. Cant work. Pain in my body. Feels like I lost myself and my life.
Hi
@Snowflake1374
Sorry to hear that u are going through the worst of wirhdrawals, it has happened to me too several times as doctors used to rapidly taper me of Ads very quickly in a month and after 2-3 months used to suffer from sever withdrawals that i coludnt even get up from my bed and then again after 4 months of sufferings used to start on new drugs and the cycle repeated.
In your case i wld recoomed that as u are already of the drug for 9 months,
have seen in a video by Dr josef (he also makes very informative videos on withdrawals) that to reinstate the drug at 50%, so in your case restart at 25mg )hopefully ur symptons will decerse quicly and from there on start reuding the dosage by 10% of previous dose evey 1 month, so for 1st month it wld be 22.5mg, then 2nd month 20.5mg and so on , so it wld take around 30 months to get off the drug but it will surely take u out of the unimagianbele hell of withdrawal.
hope it helps.
It's horrible. Yes , there IS hope. For me , having people in my life who "get it" is helpful. Talking about what you are going through helps. I would say be prepared mentally for a long withdrawal, but know it DOES get better. It does.
A diet high in fat , low to no carbs or sugar seems to help me. Eat clean. Lots of water. Your brain is healing. ❤❤❤
@@susanmorgan4151 ❤️Thanks. Unfortunately, I don't have anyone who "gets it". Did you take them long term?
Dr could you please help. My husband tried to go off Effexor and then went back on, but for a week took double his dose. He ended up in er because of suicidal ideation. They said to go back down to his regular dose and he would be fine. He’s not fine. Inthe hospital again and now they put him on remron? Spelling wrong. Now it’s been 3 weeks and he is still unable to work, he can barely eat, can’t do anything. What do i do? The dr wants to put him on more drugs. I’m so afraid, please please help.
@@TheresaR.Amen Jesus is King.
What dose of mitazapine are you on if you don't mind me asking
@Theresa R I wish I had the knowledge to help I was on effor XL for years it has a horrible effect coming off it and on it . All I can say if this helps you, is. He is being monitored in hospital. Any bad happens he is where everything is near to help him . Try to get some rest knowing this ❤
I’m on venlafaxine SSNRI for 2 months and I’m stopping. I don’t want to go any further and risk something like this happening. After stopping for a week I feel
Nauseous, tired, dizzy, and headaches , I don’t think 2 months is considered longterm
@@Jazzy0316 you're right. 2 months is enough to change brain chemistry. I am finishing a 4 year taper from 30 years of effexor. It messes with serotonin doesn't fix anything. So happy you are trusting your gut.
Can you suddenly lose muscle in Prozac withdrawal?
God only knows why the liquid form is the prescibed way to taper off. I had to beg my PCP to see a psychiatric pharmacist to get liquid... even then 1mg changes from 10-9-8 are drastic and painful. Those shit heads told me to keep going on just 5mg when alternating 10-5 put me in crisis 😭.
You have to schedule and wait for an appointment and then you have to have the skills to discuss things with a doctor: why wasn’t this info given when this med was prescribed? Had I known you need patience and diligence to quit, I would have been started it!!
Any chance that the original webinar participants can be emailed some of the data slides from the last half of the presentation?
Hi @rhianonallen2947
my advicew wld be go throgh the seminar again and the slides which u want u can take a sceenshot of it and use it for future refrence.
hope this helps
I was put on antidepressants and clonazapam for anxiety. What other treatments is there for someone like me ?
how do you access liquid forms of ssri so you can slowly come off
I would also like to know this too, my GP has recently told me they are not licensed in the UK but they are, so an outright lie.
They told me to go on Amazon but a pill cutter and cut my tablets in half, then half again and then stop them 😮 So Very Dangerous what they tell us to do, it's so wrong.
I want to know this too. Is it possible to get it from the UK if I live in Canada? A liquid formulation of venlafaxine is not available here. ??? I have very little trust in dose accuracy when counting or weighing beads/microspheres from the capsules of Effexor XR.
38 years paxil and xanax and one week hospital to get off. Swear truth. Last October. Now what ??.
Please can you guide me how to taper successfully Closopine.
The doctor initially put my nephew at 450 mg. He withdrew by himself reducing it by 100mg. i.e 350 mg.
Thereafter 25mg every 8 weeks or more.
He wants to completely ween off this medication.
The psychologist is refusing to his tapering.
Where can he get help, to overcome withdrawal symptoms ...esp. suicidal symptoms, as this has happened when earlier he was put on Risperidon , which actually causes suicides...PLEASE HELP !
How you are doing now pls go to website for help
This is why I NEVER take pharmaceuticals
That's the wrong takeaway: if you get sick, and there is good evidence behind using a medicine that has been preacribed to you, and the risks outweigh the benefits in your case, then you absolutely should take it. Otherwise you risk dying from a treatable disease, or living with a condition that can be vastly improved.
I say this as someone who has tried and failed to taper off SSRIs. The problem is you have to follow the actual scientific evidence, which the guidelines don't always do. I will take a doctor who is extremely knowledgable about the latest state of the evidence every day of the week. I mostly get frustrated with doctors who (usually through no fault of their own) are not current with their knowledge of actual state of the evidence. The dream would be to have everyone treated by a combo clinician/researcher with a nonstressful work load who is able to think, read, and deeply analyze every case.
My doctor makes a distinction between physical and psychological dependence. The concept of psychological dependence seems invalid to me. The way it is described, it sounds like a reverse placebo effect, in which you experience adverse effects because you expect them. If so, then saying that withdrawal symptoms result from psychological dependence amounts to saying that it is all in your head. It is frustrating that my doctor does not take my symptoms seriously, but he is really just there to write the prescriptions, so I don't dwell on it.
Your doctor sounds very uninformed like countless prescribers. Please convince them to watch this webinar or read over the Maudsley Deprescribing Guidelines which Dr. Horowitz recently published. It could save many patients lives from being ruined by their ignorance. 🙏
Do side effects go away after few weeks or they are permanent?my doc says they won t subside.
Why aren't the Dr's following what you are saying as I have mentioned this to my Dr's and they refuse to follow your suggestions on how to come off peroxitine also been told they don't prescribe lower doses like drops ect.Can you give me answers to this.
I dont understand i reduce slowly since 2020 and have many symptoms since 4mg
I reduce 0,1mg per month or 2month.
It's something that is very common and what I'm going through as well. Because of the hyperbolic way that these drugs work, there is an increased effectiveness on lower doses. My last taper was 0.04mg, 2.44mg to 2.4mg. It was a lot more gentle than my previous taper of 0.08mg. I suggest to join a peer-support group or buy The Maudsley Deprescibing Guidelines. 😊
From what I’ve learned and am experiencing, you need to tapering much slower and longer. I’ve been tapering from 5mg lexapro for 18 months. I’m now tapering at 5%! I’m currently on .95mg. The withdrawal symptoms get harder the lower you go
I have only been taking mirtazapine for 2 months , and i want to stop ( as i can not tolerate the side effects anymore )
I tried to stop but i got to day 3 and the withdrawal was horrific , feel terrible taking them a d terrible trying to get off tgem ( was put on them becauses of anxiety ( they do not really help , not very good with medication)
I'm thinking of restarting venlafaxine to try to come off of it once again following the guide.
Really bad idea! I got akathisia from Effexor it is truly horrible medication.
❤
Do Vyvanse!
Nice i have only 75 and 50 mg tablets of Effexor in my country, thats it. :D gues im fucked.
Dr are clueless. I was also told relapse. I was assaulted and hospital put me on AD
It's a spiritual battle. You are not your thoughts. Jesus saves.
thanks for this ,i finally found a word for the description of what im feeling when i try to withdraw from ssri,s .......akathisia ,its so insidious but at least i have a name for it