I ground up tablets using a mortar and pestle then carefully measured each portion using a scale accurate to 0.001 grams. Put them in capsules and dropped the dosage 10% every two to four weeks. Such a gradual reduction I didn’t even notice!
What do you all think about 1% reductions every day or every few days? Would that make the taper imperceptible to the body, thus resulting in no or minimal side effects?
Thanks it helps me a lot...I am now withdrawing my anti depressants that I am using for more than 15years...reducing gradually...I have symtoms like insomnia...but I believe by the help of God I will overcome this....
Good luck to you and pray for me. I guess for a person of your age it should be rather easier to wean off these "medicines". I am 75 and I am doing it with my age downhill, but I put my entire trust in God and He blessed me with "determination". I am so confident of doing it successfully with His help.
Antidepressants are their own trap and if the so called medical professionals I have dealt with over the years had their way I'd be still on antidepressants 20 years later. Antidepressants help some people and destroy many others and the medical profession in my opinion could careless. People are looking for help with their problems not to create even more problems for themselves.
It's my experience that MDs are so highly trained, and have been hanging around only with other medical students and MDs, that they've developed an extreme arrogance. They believe their professors and the good looking sales rep before they will believe the patient. I've found I have to be very cautious with prescriptions and advice I receive from doctors.
@@billr8276 Well Karma is a bitch....As a health professional myself(massage therapy)....every client who comes through my door gets the best care I can give them and if I cant help them (which happens at times) I will find someone who can...its just common courtesy
@@hollydavidson501 How is that even relevant? He's talking about MDs. You're a massage therapist not a doctor prescribing drugs that could potentially wreck someone's life.
Thank you for this wonderful video Douglas. I was treated with anti-depressants for 20 years and they made me sicker and always pooped out. I started getting panic attacks, which I never had in my long life, from the way the doc switched me cold turkey from ad to ad and at one desperate point a benzo was added which nearly destroyed me. Please be careful and find safe prescribers. I was able to find a lovely nurse practitioner in Portland who helped me taper off all my medications and it took over 3 horrible years. But I did it and if I can, anyone can. I’m finding myself depressed again, but I’m not sick from the anti-depressants which made me develop worsening mental health.
Douglas Bloch I would be interested. I’m back in a depression. I did group in dbt and found it very helpful, but it was very well controlled for triggering. I worry a group might trigger my post traumatic stress. So maybe not the best for me right now until my pts is better managed.
@@garysimone4977 Just taper very slowly....I take Seroquel as well...225mg a night along with remeron(anti depressant) Librium( benzo) and Effexor...so I have 4 to come off of....But I had to come to the realization that it will take time....
@@hollydavidson501 thks yes i to have a few to come off I would do the. Saraquel first it just knocks me out all day How would you taper i am on100 mg been on it last 7 weeks Any thaughts when will you start the tapper
@@garysimone4977 I would work with a Dr to figure out a taper schedule that would work for you....I am doing Seroquel last with it basically being a sleeping pill, but I am tapering Effexor at 5% cut every week , so 5 months basically to come off ...I work with a program called Point of Return...check them out ...they can answer more questions than I could
You're the best Douglas. The world needs more people as beautiful as you. I hope you are recovering. I wasn't nothing more for you than a full recovery. You are a blessing.
Hey Doug, I started with some accupuncture treatment and it helped me a lot, among other positive life style changes. I then decided to get off 25mg of sertraline, cold turkey. Omg, in 24 hrs, I started with the strongest migrain and nausea. That's how quickly the withdrawal symptoms started for me. I knew right way what the problem was and got back on it. I couldn't even think straight due to the migrain pain and overall stomach upset and sickening feeling. I am now researching on how to taper off the meds and came across your video. A God send. Thank you. 10 months, here I go. This will not hold me back. Good luck to all of us.
There is a free book it by will Hall called how to come off psychiatric medications which is on the Internet.Of course, you should do this under the direction of your doctor
Had the same experiance. I forgot to take the Sertraline on 1 Day(100mg). The migrain i had was the strongest pain i've ever felt in my live. I will start my taper in the beginning of next month.
Just started feeling these insane "brain zaps" all over my body and have been researching why this is happening only after a few days of stopping my SSRI (Lexapro, Escitalopram). Never have had this issue. Im medically trained and educated and had no idea myself it would be SO bad. I will contact my doctor to work with him to stop these but I will NEVER go back on these due to how awful I feel on withdrawal. Thank you for making this video ive been doing extensive research and this seems to be the logical conclusion. Doctors should not be downplaying these side effects and should all be very well educated on it. Thank you.
Like a good displined boy I always took my meds, not missing a single dose in years. Years i said.little I knew that one day leaving them would be worse than problem itself.
I bought some scales that measure in milligrams, and a nail file. Each week i shave down the weight of the pill by 3%. Its gonna take 18 months but so far it's been okay
I have been tapering lexapro from 10 mg into small dosages since 7 months ago and Ive been happy with the results. You can feel the symptoms of tapering down but very low compared to doing it abruptly and last for short time. Right now Im in 3.75 mg and Will continue tapering off slowly.
I'm glad I found this video, my husband has. Even on 20mg, dr told him to drop to 10mg for a week then be done. Needless to say it's been horrible, back up to 15mg. We will be going alot slower on the tapering now
I’m trying to taper off lexapro 10mg right now as well. I just dropped to 5mg and I’m not sure if that’s a good thing, i just wanna get off of them./: but I’m scared
@@rina2803 Hi! I Recommend slower tapering off. From 10 to 5 is very much for me. My first step was from 10 to 9 mg you Will experience lighter withdrawal symptoms. And you Will adapt faster to the New dosage.
@ J P Please when you rich to 0 lexapro,,,tell me how you feel,,,,I stopped lexapro= cipralex it was he'll& nightmare...I'm happy for you and good luck
I was told with citlopram you go from 40-30, 30-20, 20-15 , 15-10 , 10-8 and down by 2 until 0. It takes around 6-8 months. The slower I went the better !!! You can get a pharmacy to liquid microdose it .
I agree! Tried many times tapering larger amounts for 4 yrs. Failed several times due to intense withdrawals. And some I didn’t realize were withdrawals. Finally did it this way for 6 months. Xanax too. I had to get it down to dust! I’m free from them since 2018. Have had 2 panic attacks due to severe life circumstances but I made it through them well!
@l8n975 No I tried this, went down to 10 from 20 then stayed on 10 for a bit then stopped. I had terrible withdrawal symptoms!! You need to go down by much smaller amounts than this. I'm currently on 5mg now (10mg tablets cut in half... Well as half as I can get them since they are so small and are not scored down the middle!) I'm currently waiting for an appointment with a private psychiatrist to get the liquid, since my GP will not prescribe it to me... they tell me there's no issues coming off 10mg and said if I have withdrawal then I need to stay on it not try to come of!!!!!!!!!
I have been on antidepressants for almost 7 years and I desperately want off. I take 25mg of Zoloft daily, I have tried to cut it in half and it was hell. I ended up going back on it and still feel so defeated. I want to feel and heal more spiritually and I feel like it’s holding me back. I want to face my demons head on and be more creative. Thank you for this so much.
Hey best of luck in getting to the roots of your depression etc. It'll take time and energy but it's worth it (am on same journey ) I found the "Holistic Psychologist" here on YT/insta to be a great help in uncovering some unconscious limiting beliefs. 🙂
Hey! I’m also trying to go off of antidepressant (Fluoxetine, in my case), and I found some very interesting stuff about microdosing mushrooms! Have you ever heard of it? I’m trying to go off of the medication so I can start the microdosing, cause it seems it’s not advised to take both at the same time
@@lucinancy I'm not the original poster but i have to say..I'm about to embark on shroom hunting myself, while coming off of antidepressants. Anything that come from the earth should absolutely be legal and seems like the best possible option to reset our minds. Best of luck to you (from Ireland) 💚
@@DouglasBloch Haha, not bad :) I'v almost finished Dialectic Behavioural Therapy which has been good for the most part. Some things I disagree with but thats ok, overall it's been a worthwhile experience.
I’m weaning off lexapro right now. I was on 20mg now I’m on 2.5mg. It has been a very long slow process. I easily went from 20mg to 15mg and then to 10mg. Once I got to 10mg I found it very difficult to go down. Then I had to switch to liquid and go down .5mg every 2-4weeks. Once I got to 5mg I stayed on it for 10 month. Once spring arrived I slowly went back to going down .5mg. I have been having luck with it so I easily got down to 2.5mg. Now I’m just going stay on this dose for a month and then once I feel ok about it. I’ll slowly go down .5mg until I’m finished.
@@michyrudywow congratulations. I think very slowly tapering off is the way to go. I just started after feeling anxious for a year and having panic attacks (back to back in a 6 week period). I hope I can get my life back eventually and be medication free.
I am so happy to see this issue addressed. I have had a terrible time trying to come off zoloft. It seems like all psychiatrists seem to just make me feel like my response to discontinuing the medication are very exaggerated. And yes, i feel very VERY intense mood swings, brain zaps, lack of energy, digestion problems, insomnia, etc etc even though im not thrown into any psychological crisis, i can obvere the very clear and intense symptoms. I will now to try to wean off of them very slowly and also check out the book you mention. thank you so much :)
The psychiatrist is frightened of going to jail. Next time they tell you that you are being exaggerated, tell them that their prison time will not be exaggerated.
Did you ever take antidepressants? I'm on citalopram, about 10 years, and I want to get off because I don't want to be on them forever, but 10 years isn't something you can safely stop that easily.
I weaned myself off of 50 mg of Sertraline over 4 weeks...I felt fine for about three months then had a "zap" one day...I had no clue what was happening at the time, but went into instant depression. The worst of my life, I could not eat, sleep, I had to force myself to drink water....I got down to 104 pounds (looked anorexic). I tried for 3 months to push through until I felt another "zap" and it scared me so bad I called the pharmacist and got my prescription refilled. I started seeing a therapist, now over a year later I am trying to wean off again but I am going way slower this time. It may take me years, but whatever it takes to never experience that again.
Please be careful. I weaned over 8 months. And after a week of being completely off I started feeling awful. Only to realise that my quality of life was actually amazing on the antidepressants. Wishing you wellness and health above all whichever way your journey takes you 🙏🏽
@@stratvar i am now down to a half a pill 5 days a week, and an entire pill two days a week. It has been a year since I started weaning off for the second time.
It is incredible that we have these drugs and absolutely no long term plan for an exit strategy. Says so much about our society. Take the meds and deal with it.
Dr. Kelly Brogan, psychiatrist in Manhatten, works hard with her patients to get them off psytropic meds whenever possible. She works with the total person, health issues, nutritional issues. She is remarkable
I’ve tried to come off Sertraline 150 mg about 3 to 4 times and it’s so hard I’ve tried to go down 25mg every two weeks and when I get to the 3rd week down to 100mg the brain zaps start to be more intense. I’m confused, disoriented and the days my dreams start to become a blur and its as far as I got I’m going to try again soon. This video has been great help 😊
I became allergic to mine and had to stop abruptly. I had hot flashes and high anxiety. Decided to try ashwagandha. It's not magic but it made things less bad.
Beautiful Video! I have left antidepressants after taking for more than 5 years. However I just have to kick them off abruptly for I became more suicidal and attempted thrice suicide by overdosing myself with them. I do not remember any withdrawal symptoms except I lost much weight and it has nearly damaged my immune system. I feel these antidepressants should not be used for more than a month or so. More than that is fatal to every part of your life!
well those antidpressants usually take 2 months to change things up.... so better never start anti depressant. go work out 3 hours a day, and surround you with friends until whatever you going through pass by...
I've noticed doctors don't take suicide seriously at all. They also don't care if people actually die. If they did, none of these quackers would put people on these drugs.
I’ve been successful reducing dosage through counting beads. Im reducing depending on and monitoring how I feel! Good luck! It does take time! I’m in no race the medication did help me! It’s just time - now that I have tools and have had some mental rest.
I feel like I'm trapped taking Effexor. I tried to do a slow taper and I literally could not function. I think the only way to get off would be to file for temporary disability, it's that bad. It feels like being drunk/hungover/flu. Worse than quitting cigarettes.
I took an edible for the first time and I had panic attacks for 2 months and then depression. Nobody believed me, doctors were almost amused by what I had told them and it made me feel upset and lonely. Eventually I was put on an antidepressant 2 months in. I scroll across youtube and there are other people who either took a medicine or drug that had the potential to cause a hormonal/chemical imbalance. I really think doctors should do more research and take patients seriously when necessary.
@@DouglasBloch thank you, I really appreciate it. I went months feeling like everybody thought I was crazy for crying all the time and being afraid to leave my home. I took a small gummie and sometimes I still do not understand how something like that can cause severe anxiety and depression..... a part of me is still upset for making that decision this year... I'm a great mother and person. Now i kinda feel like, man is this ever gonna go away ? Lol i miss my normal self 💜
This happened to me after taking one 10mg dose of metoclopromide aka reglan and now I am on an anti-depressant ! Suicidal thoughts, very severe depression and anxiety ! Smh ! This is very true, and reglan caused a huge chemical imbalance in my brain because it’s a dopAmine antagonist which I wish I knew before I took it !!!
Been on Lexapro for 17 years and have tried stopping 3 times, unsuccessful nightmare each time. Can't afford the downtime to handle the discontinuation symptoms as I have a demanding career. I'm taking a very small dose these days, too small to be therapeutic but too big to abruptly stop. Going to have to gradually cut doses over the course of a year probably. It's a terrible feeling knowing I am so hooked on this substance and would completely crumble without it. Drug companies know exactly what they're doing.
@@bushra7523 I was taking prozac 40mg, told my doc I would like to get off and he said take one dose(20mg) every other day five times. Then take 20mg every other 3 days. Three times
@@Spacepluscaptive that's too fast of a taper from my experience. I would do 10% reduction every 4-6 weeks to avoid discontinuation syndrome or protracted withdrawal. Most MDs that prescribe these drugs have no clue how they alter the brain and entire nervous system.
@@Spacepluscaptive Elizabeth is right...Im coming of Effexor now at 5% reduction every week and its done by a liquid reduction so ypu dont have to count beads....compounding pharmacy
Thank you for your videos Doug. Hope you know that you help a lot of people all over the world :) I will start tapering off Sertraline soon. Greets from Europe, Austria.
I would love to come off my antidepressants but i know from past experience its very uncomfortable, feels bad and takes a long time. Ive had anxiety, feelings of disasociation, paranoia and flu like symptoms. Impossible to do whilst working a full time job and the stress that comes with that too. Thsnks for your video. My dr's in the past told me there would be no side effects when even switching meds. How wrong they were!
@@DouglasBloch thanks, although i think it will be a while yet, i seem to be having a bit of a relapse of symptoms recently. Thanks very much for taking the time to reply. Best regards.
I am currently on 125mg of sertraline. I have gone down from 200mg. Ive been on sertraline for almost 4 - 6 years (2 being on and off) and it has been so difficult. Ive become more agitated and tired constantly. My psychiatrist almost refused to take me off even though my therapist and i both agreed it was time to do so. It hurts not being listened to or almost feeling forced to take my prescription medicine. Becoming free some times feel hopeless.
This is happening to me now, I got to 125 from 150, been on 200 for 10 years and my psychiatrist didn’t believe me when I said I had withdrawal feelings. Said I thought it so it happened. UM NO, I felt it first… so frustrating.
If you tell your psychiatrist he'll be going to jail for not helping you, he'll take you off the meds really quick. No doctor wants to spend time in jail, and if they do, they are a fucking scumbag.
Glorified drug dealers in white coats.. 🤷🏼♂️ Am determined to come off of lexapro, and have been reducing gradually for past few months. Also working to get to root of issues. Has been emotionally jarring but it's the only way to not need meds to sedate the pain anymore. Shedding light on it. Was thinking of trying CBD oil, just on days where feeling particularly anxious. Anyone got tips? Anyway best wishes in life to everyone who is watching this video. X 💜
@@sherylsandersdesignssander9164 Are you on Reddit by any chance? It’s easier to help you there but if you are not I can still give you some information that will help you.
@@joqiii3 Hi! I am not on Reddit ... I’m part of the FB Group ... “sertraline (Zoloft) should be illegal” This is where I was introduced to the slow tapering method
@@sherylsandersdesignssander9164 I see, do you need help with finding a compounding service? The reason I am asking is before you use a compounding service in the Netherlands, I can tell you from experience it’s much easier to use one closer to you in the US. I used one in the Netherlands only because, at that time, there was no compounding service near me. My doctor was pretty cool about writing a prescription for the Netherlands but I have been told some US doctors are not comfortable with that. The pharmacist in the Netherlands has done a great job but they are a bit difficult to deal with because of language, the time change, and the fact they want payment in euros. And the payment has to be wire transfer from your bank to theirs. I will only be using them for another month because I have found a compounding service 10 minutes from where I now live. So, to save you a lot of time and trouble I highly recommend using a US compounding service if one is in your area. There is a national association of compounding pharmacies if you just Google it. If that does not work for you, let me know and I can give you info on the Netherlands. If you want to do a slow taper just ask the compounding pharmacist if he works with the medication that you need customized doses for. If you need any additional info I will be happy to help.
I was CTed off of Paxil after 20 yrs and Ativan after 16 yrs last May and had critical withdrawal...ended up in the ER w a line to hydrate me because I couldnt hold down water or much food...lost 25 pounds in 2 months, had burning prickly skin feelings all over all the time, no sleep, had to stop working..lost my house and had to re home mu cats. Was put on Effexor, remeron, seroquel, and librium I guess to counter the others....I have since decided to become drug free and I am 30% down on Effexor ( taking 5% cut every week)....then the other 3...could take years.....I am working w a program called Point of Return...their os a forum to go to for support as well as specific supplements to ease the wd symptoms during the taper....there is no easy way around it and Drs are not trained to taper Anti depressants benzos sleeping pills ect....this needs to be brought put of the shadows so people can taper properly and safely....Thank you Doug for your videos and helping so many
Oh wow, what a story girl!! I wish you the best always!! Will pray for you! GBU. 👍👍👍👍❤❤ p.s. I would like to know about that program too!! RSVP me about it?? Is it like local?
Wow! You've really been through wringer, Holly, I'm so sorry for all you've lost. Thank you for sharing your experience, I agree with you that this information needs to brought out of the shadows. Doctors need to learn the truth about these meds, not just what the pharmaceutical companies tell them. My doctor had me "taper" off of Cymbalta in only two weeks. I got so sick, and also had a complete mental breakdown. I wanted to die, I felt so horrible. I spent 4 days in a mental hospital, picked up by the sheriff and committed for suicide watch. My doctor had the nerve to say that it had nothing to do with discontinuation syndrome! Of course it did! I didn't just suddenly go insane for no apparent reason.
@@LazyIRanch I am so sorry to hear about your stay in a hospital, not fun ( I was in 4- one where I got to see chairs flying across the room from patients towards the nurses station ). 2 weeks is WAAAAAy too short of time to taper... you need more like 5 or more months. And with a program like Point Of Return, you can "hold" during your taper if it gets tough. I finished my Effexor taper in August and I have to admit I am in a bit of a wave ( 2 months so far).....I could have gone a little slower since I had been on an AD (Paxil) for so long that my brain was so accustomed to getting its AD. I am continuing with the program and looking for more stability to start the next taper off of Librium (an old benzo). Benzos (Xanax, Ativan, Klonopin) can be just as tough to get off of as and AD.....slow and steady wins the race. Drs are just NOT educated on this....even my Dr ...but thank God he is open to working with me on tapering and even asked for extra literature from Point of return for one of his colleagues. The best way to taper is by compounding the med into a liquid so you can do small "cuts" more evenly instead of cutting pills or counting beads ect.... Sad how our police officers/sheriffs ect....dont understand any of this either....they think if you go to a hospital, then you are gonna be ok
Doug, I had an awful experience of coming off my medication just recently! I advised with the doctor that at 5 mg of Lexapro I would go from 2.5 mg to 1.25 mg to 0.625 mg and then drop off to 0 mg. The physician declined and said that 5 mg Lexapro > 2.5 mg > 0 mg should be sufficient. Dropping from 5 mg to 2.5 should be immediate and then after a week on 2.5 mg, I can stop. I thought this was crazy! I tried, because doctors have more experience and it FAILED. I didn’t think anything of the symptoms. I went from OK to increased anxiety, crying spells (sadness, even though I’m NOT depressed), slight panic attacks, horrible nausea, brain zaps, nightmares every night, insomnia, you name the rest. I wrote them down and emailed my doctor and she recommended I allow the symptoms to ride its course.....seriously? So, I’m going to be doctor Diaz and do my own course. 2.5 my for 4 weeks, 1.25 for 4 months weeks and so on. I have only been on the medication for a year. Like you said, patients aren’t being heard and it’s quite sad! Why did I get on them in the first place? 3-4 panic attacks a day, out of nowhere, always on edge and extreme health anxiety. Of course, I think the medication has helped, but I’m not in that stressful college stage anymore. I just want to come off of it safely and efficiently!
Sorry to hear of your ordeal. There's a man from Portland who was published a free online guide to coming off psychiatric medication. His name is Will Hall. Just Google his name and add the words how to come off medication, and you'll find him.
I tried Lexapro and it made me feel worse. Psych nurse said to go off of it. She said the same thing. 5 to 2.5 to zero. Should take a month. I was on it 8 weeks. I had been trying to get in with a PA to a psychiatrist.... finally got in and she said I could just quit it at 5mg. No taper😮😮😮😮😮I'm doing my own taper of 10%, might go to 5%....
I was taking 3/4 pill of Rexetin for two years. I started extending the days between taking the pill and then I started reducing the dose to 1/2 pill. My body and brain needs much more sleep to adjust and recover. I started taking cbd oil 3 days ago. I’m also taking spirulina, matcha tea, bioflavonoids. I noticed that both of my legs started horribly cramping at night that made it impossible for me to sleep, so I started taking magnesium and drinking more water. I get tense very easily now, yoga and meditation also helps.
I was taking 50 mg of sertraline for two months last summer and started tapering in August. I did a slow taper and was down to crumbs three weeks ago. My general doc who prescribed them told me i could just stop. Luckily i didn't listen to her.
@@oliviacadena2036She is quick to prescribe. Last year at this time she told me I had a possible stomach infection and gave me two different antibiotics before any testing was done. I am pretty sure that's what triggered my anxiety.
@@amyr556 Have you at all considered checking out another doc?? She sounds kinda strange. 🤔🤔🤔 Btw, I don't take antibiotics unless I really really need them°!!! They deplete out all your good gut bacteria! Can mean trouble. See you later girl. 🤗🤗🤓🤓🤓 tgc!!!
I successfully managed to come off Luvox after almost 30 years of daily 100mg doses ( prescribed to me for to help combat anorexia and depression), I did this by tapering very very slowly over a period of roughly 1.5 years (under my doctor's supervision), it was a fairly smooth process with the occasional bout of depersonalisation and tremendous itching at night but, thankfully, no brain zaps- which I had experienced in the past and, I can attest, are really debilitating and frightening. I feel relieved to have managed to discontinue use of the drug without any major problems- I still get the occasional bout of anxiety now, but have a lot more coping strategies than when I was younger and can get through them better than I used to.
ive done a taper where i cut down a half every week and i cant seem to do it , getting crazy anxious so gotta start it up again... hello dull but livable world
Its because they are neurotoxins , they damage our nervous system and can leave brain damage, or cause brain damage, the doctors all know very well by now what they are doing . TH-cam and social media has been around for along time..... they know !!!!!!
Thank you for your video. Thank you for caring. I appreciated how you’d have the views of you change. I have adhd and it helps to pay attention. Also it showed you care. ❤
I have been on zoloft for about 5/6 years. I was given the ok to start tapering off, however, i completely space d taking them for a few days (busy life) and today i am having the brain zaps, fatigue, anxiety, and wicked irritability. Tomorrow, i am going to start tapering off properly so i wont be so miserable
I made a very big mistake.I quit taking my medications all at once.I thought I was doing very very good,my wife said I was almost on a high.I started doing so many different projects and enjoying it.Well,4 months latter it was a very very scary night for me,I thank the lord for helping me to get help immediately in the morning.Very very scary night,I don’t want to ever experience that again.Its going to take time to get back I guess but I would love to get back where I was.I had a head injury many years ago,it has been a battle.I strongly suggest contacting your doctor and discuss going off a medication very very slowly and don’t stop immediately,it’s dangerous.
Great video, I took Paxil a few years ago. I had the brain zaps everyone talked about, I stepped down by 10 MG a week for 3 weeks. I eventually had to go back on them.
Im sorry you had to go back on Paxil....I was cold turkeyed off of Paxil (40 mg after 20 years) and it was a pure nightmare....Paxil is one of the harder ones to come off of...just know there is help out there if you decide to come off ....it is up to you
I’m planning to taper my AD. I expect it to take two years. I’m not taking any chances. Took me a year and a half to taper off of prescribed Xanax. And it was still difficult.
HORRIBLE withdrawal symptoms, mostly feeling like I had a severe flu as well as horrible anxiety that just wouldn't stop. Bead count method is the only way to go and all doctors need to get onboard with this. Sloooooow bead count method. May take a couple of years to get off (2-3 even) but its better to do it slowly than to suffer. LOVE your videos. So very helpful.
@@sangeetalambh6389 YES absolutely. I had to go back on antidepressants because i got off of them too quickly and had severe withdrawal symptoms like what you described. I know there are support groups on facebook that you can join with a lot of information on getting off of antidepressants and how you feel after.
I am on depression meds for 16 years and its making me so sick. Now my body is rejecting the depression meds. So I had to come of it very slowly. But I have withdrawal symptoms. Its not good to be depressed all the time. I go to government hospital to see my psychiatrist . But he can't even changed my meds . The psychiatrist don't care at all . I am from South Africa.
I suffered a lot of trauma as a child. So I’ve had lots of anxiety depression panic. I managed to stay clear of antidepressants in 2000 I had a SAH. Still stayed clear of them In 2014 took 2 years to go through court it was long and stressful my father went to prison for the abuse on me. Still I stayed of antidepressants then I had skin cancer Still I stayed of antidepressants. Last year 2019 I was told I had lung cancer I had my right lung removed. I fell for the antidepressants ended up on mirtazapine. What a nightmare. I have tried to stop taking them I think I done it to fast stopped them last Friday. Haven’t had a full night sleep all week I’m so tired. Haven’t had any support from any dr they say just stop them. Tonight I’m going back on them just so I can sleep. Then I’m going to give it another go at coming of them a lot slower.
For more than a year I suffer from a major depression. For months it was like a hell in my head and I was sure this hell would continue for the rest of my life. Since 4 weeks I'm on lithium and I think this medicine helps; I have hardly suicidal thoughts and my mood is a bit better. I'm not there yet but I can imagine a life without depression. Keep on doing the good work Doug!
I am trying to come off paroxetine. I have been on this for 24 years. I am having digestion problems. I get dizzy. I feel like I'm tingly inside my body. My legs have muscle spasms. I cry often. I get headaches. It's debilitating. The pharmacist told me that I need to go very slowly. It will probably take a year or so for me to get off of it. I just want to know if there is a way to lesson my withdrawal symptoms. 🙏 I have been on 10 mg the whole time and have been tapering now for the last 3 months. I am almost half way and I did have to get the oral suspension liquid and I measure it out in a little surenge. I'm going down one mark every 4 weeks. I hope and pray I can do this. My doctor told me I am very brave and he's proud of me... but this is VERY hard. I also think I suffer from chronic emotional fatigue.
Paige god bless you on your journey. I'm on the same path. Same goal. I've been researching "tapering strips" (fixed tapering doses) and will initiate that process with my doctor when spring comes. As Northern Minnesota winters are BRUTAL (-40°f) temps, short days and very little sunshine. Depressing in itself. It's crazy to see how many people share these overwhelming desires to rid themselves of these poisonous medications.
I tried to get off my antidepressant last year and it was a bust. I tried a couple times in different ways. I tried decreasing my dose by half for a few days and then continue on, but they didn’t work because I got awful side effects. I felt nauseous and had a migraine and I got brain zaps. Not only that, I felt so shakey. Then I also tried to do it cold turkey and I got the same symptoms. I’m on an SSRI, Lexapro, and I just feel like my brain is foggy. Like I just feel neutral and I feel no passion. I am also a spiritual person and I don’t feel a connection to my higher power, god aka the creator. Anyway, I am hoping to get off my anti depressant and I know I want to do it slowly as possible and my doctor is working with me to do that. I do not like being on this anymore and I feel like it did it’s job and now I’m over it lol. I hate feeling nauseous and sick, like flu like symptoms so I’ve been afraid to do it, but I’m university getting my bachelors in nursing, and I feel like I’m operating on a sub prime level and it sucks.
I tried talking myself off of Citalopram cold turkey. And it effected my emotions a lot. It made me very emotional over everything. So I went back on it. Now I'm going to try to Wing myself off, little by little.
Recommend a 2-10% taper every 2-4+ weeks. This is EXTREMELY important. Many times, withdrawal is delayed so you may be doing large cuts and feel great, actually better than ever but just be blindsided with severe, debilitating withdrawal weeks or months later and at that point it's often too late to reinstate so it's a waiting game. Please be aware most doctors (Clueless), follow old tapering guidelines and the majority in this group going through withdrawal did follow their doctors tapering advice.
@@javi.r.acosta When tapering off, taper off no more than 2-5% every 2- 4 week's. How Psychiatric Drugs Remodel Your Brain: "A lot of people, including healthcare practitioners; in fact, I guess, most people-- are operating from entirely the wrong paradigm, or way of thinking, about these meds. They're thinking of them like aspirin--as something that has an effect when it's in your system, and then when it gets out of your system the effect goes away." "That's not what happens with medications that alter neurotransmitter function, we are learning. What happens when you change the chemistry of the brain is, the brain adjusts its chemistry and structure to try to return to homeostasis, or biochemical and functional balance. It tries to restabilize the chemistry. For example: SSRI antidepressants work as "serotonin reuptake inhibitors." That is, they cause serotonin to remain in the space between neurons, rather than being taken back up into the cells to be re-used, like it would be in a normal healthy nondrugged brain. So the brain, which wants to re-establish normal signaling and function, adapts to the higher level of serotonin between neurons (in the "synapse", the space between neurons where signals get passed along)." "It does this by removing serotonin receptors, so that the signal is reduced and changed to something closer to normal. It also decreases the amount of serotonin it produces overall. To do that, genes have to be turned on and off; new proteins have to be made; whole cascades of chemical reactions have to be changed, which means turning on and off OTHER genes; cells are destroyed, new cells are made; in other words, a complex physiologic remodeling takes place. This takes place over time. The brain does not grow and change rapidly. This is a vast oversimplification of the amount of adaptation that takes place in the brain when we change its normal chemistry, but that's the principle." "When we stop taking the drug, we have a brain that has designed itself so that it works in the presence of the drug; now it can't work properly without the drug because it's designed itself so that the drug is part of its chemistry and structure. It's like a plant that has grown on a trellis; you can't just yank out the trellis and expect the plant to be okay. When the drug is removed, the remodeling process has to take place in reverse. SO--it's not a matter of just getting the drug out of your system and moving on. If it were that simple, none of us would be here. It's a matter of, as I describe it, having to grow a new brain. I believe this growing-a-new-brain happens throughout the taper process if the taper is slow enough. (If it's too fast, then there's not a lot of time for actually rebalancing things, and basically the brain is just pedaling fast trying to keep us alive.) It also continues to happen, probably for longer than the symptoms actually last, throughout the time of recovery after we are completely off the drug, which is why recovery takes so long."
Of course, during this years I went to therapy, different approaches from spoken one to body adressing one. I've read lots of books, made changes in my life. Nowadays, I try to help my body going to Craniosacral Therapy and it helps me, but I probably have to go more often and for a longer period of time to actually feel a bigger difference.
Good going man!!👍👍 My mother has been on trihexyphenidyl , oxcarbazepine, risperidone, and clonazapam since last 4 months.... She's feeling better now and is so much determined on tapering it off as she was feeling some sort of side effects... We informed this to our doctor but he's of no help.... Therefore we have decided to taper it off slowly...
Doug, I wanted to add. I have been on 20mg of Paxil for18 yrs and as Dr Peter Kramer wrote I felt better than goood, It totally removed Social Anxiety and reduced sympathetic nervousness. For the first time in my life I felt consistently happy. Unfortunately, 3 months ago depression and anxiety came out of the blue, A real shocker. The dose has been increased to 50 mg depression is less painful and anxiety is tolerably reduced. But Paxil is sedating and so I am significantly unproductive now. Hope that helps someone
Hey Robert- your comment resonated with me since I'm in the middle of tappering off Paxil after being put on it as a kid. I'm 33 now and am determined to get off this crap. But it's tough. How are you doing these days?
Hey there- I took paxil from about 17 to 25 years old totalling around 8 years. Last script was 40mg as well. It was mainly for anxiety and it did help but man I was a zombie, I could not even cry. Determined to get off I tried cold turkey and that gave me anger mood swing and brain zaps. Then decided to taper off instead for 6 months and the worst part of gastrointestinal withdrawal symptoms. Once I got off it completely I felt bad again and got onto Lexapro. I wish people would stop pushing drugs and be more holistic. I have been on 10mg Lexapro for 4 years and I am going to ween off... It is supposed to be much milder so the withdrawal symptoms shouldn't be half as bad as paxil was.. fingers crossed. Wish me luck.
I take 5mg nexito and it's been more than 4years(i am 21yrs old) it is doing great to me but i am worried,what if it will affect my mental health when i become older and older i mean in my 30s or even in my 20s .please help me. I tried to withdraw but i got withdraw symptoms which is sudden shock kind of movement and i started to take it again. Help me!!!
I’ve been taking lexapro for almost two years, the past 1.5 years 20 mg daily. My anxiety is better but my depression is becoming worse than it’s been in years and years. I am in my first week of cutting my meds in half and had a brain zap today. I’m not even really sure why I want to half it, I just hate relying on it. The benefits have begone to plateau or decrease.
I’m going through a bad time I’m trying to get of Venlafaxine. My doctor says I have to cold turkey of it ! She should try that . The withdrawals are horrendous I’m crying with brain zaps. Why don’t doctors know this ?
You should get a second opinion. Or talk to your Prescriber again. From what I have read slow taper is best, but do it under the supervision have a doctor or a nurse practitioner.
That’s insane. Get another doctor. The withdrawal symptoms are debilitating. I’m am off Effexor for 3 1/2 weeks now. I tapered over 15 months myself. 150 mg for 23 years. Doctors can’t help. I weaned 5-10 mg once a month based on withdrawal symptoms. It wasn’t easy. Never have to fill that prescription again. I am free.
@@georgiabessie Congratulations. I have been on Venlafaxine, then Venlafaxine ER for 24 years. I'm ready to be off of it. I reduced to 150 mg only 10 days ago but I'm determined to get off of it. You've given me some hope that I really can do it.
apx 30 yrs ago i came off Sertraline cold turkey - BAD mistake .... i had what can only be described as feeling like my brain was being wrung out . The pain made me think i was having an aneurysm. Never took them again Funny enough , i had a slight return of that sensation for no apparent reason about a year ago . I am now back on some ? stuff (hows that for casual indifference!) 3 weeks now - and the headaches and minor improvement make me wonder if it is worth it- and at this early stage i want to wean off before it takes too strong a hold- but remembering what happened last time has me scared. Great Vid - thnx - greetings from Australia !
Great video! After watching the video twice and reading the comments, I feel very naive. I thought it might take 4 or 5 months, but I see I'll need to extend my timeframe, especially since I've been on them over two decades. I take Venlafaxine ER and last year we added Welbutrin. Very naive indeed.
O got off antidepressants six years ago after forteen years of is. Cold turkey. It nearly killed me. Then i got brain zaps and brain fog halliconation. It damamged my equilibrium perrmanently
How do I quit Tramadol been on them for years 29 years. If I miss a dose by say an hour my body like pulsates and feels like my breath is going, each time like deeper and deeper feeling of doom. Doctor wanted me to stop them last Xmas, but I said would have to have me in hospital to come off them as this not like any withdrawal I know.
Hello Douglas, I would like to recommend a manual that helps people taper off benzodiazepines, not exactly an antidepressant but still worth to read. It is called The Ashton Manual by Professor Doctor Heather Ashton. Thank you so very much for your videos and just for you being you! Kind regards, Marianne Winia.
@@rebelbeaute1441 It took a while to find a combination of medications that worked for me, but I'm doing much better now. Definitely try the Ashton Manual. It may take some time, but it definitely works. Good luck!
My doctor recommended I took my vensir every other day . One night I woke up and you would have thought someone had thrown a bucket of water over me and the bed. I had to change the bed clothes. My daughter who is a nurse was not pleased. She said it was too soon and I had been advised the wrong way. Basically it was cutting the weekly dose by half. I am going to keep on them a year then decrease them very very slowly. Years ago I was on Atavan which I hated. My mum helped me to come of them in two weeks but I did experience what looked like spiders crawling up the bedroom wall. Thankfully my mum's knowledge was great on the subject and reassured me and I managed.
I tapered 75 mg of Effexor (venlafaxine) for 1,5 year to 11 mg and crashed badly. I updosed a little to 17 mg and stabilized slowly in the next 5 months. I just did my first cut of 1 bead of Venlafaxine after all this time and suffer from withdrawal.... still. And I have 65 beads to go. Symptoms: Diarrhea, bad broken sleep, waking up in the morning with terror and panic for no reason. Anxiety and acathisia. I have 65 beads to go and this is just daunting....
@@DouglasBloch thanks Doug. I just saw your encouragement. It's 3 weeks now, and still not 'good', but getting better. Is it too personal to share what AD you are on and if you really consider to taper?
@@azeminasuljic1558 I have not fully tapered it, unfortunately. Still in the process of researching why this is . Right now I am in a process with a Kinesiologist and treatment with a product called Joalis.
Ive been through two withdrawals in 5 years. The first time was getting off paxil after beingnon it for about 15 years and tapering after 5 months. The last time i cut meds cold turkey after being in Lexapro for 2 weeks and having a manic experience. I feel my brain is different after these two withdrawals. I am now one year on 100 Zoloft and I have no emotions or motivation and i haven't the courage to get off again. Im terrified of the constant feelings of panic every second of the day plus all the cognitive dysfunction that comes with it. Today, on my day today I feel no joy and suffer constant headaches from the last withdrawal. I feel totally alone in this.
Hey I’m wanting to come off citalopram! I’ve been on 20mg for almost 3 years. I’m actually having an “anxiety crisis” just thinking I’m going to have anxiety by stopping them lol
Actually I'm back to square one now. Every day I get myself ready to drive to the train station and kill myself but I never seem to do it. My excuse tends to be it's a long drive.
From 6 years i have been struggling from ocd ,from 5 years taking antidepressants,now free from all antidepressants clomipramine,clonazepam from the dosage of 10 mg where i can not remember a thing 275mg of clomipramine and and 600mg of valporic acid..now i am down to 10 mg of clomipramine only but my unhealthy routine had me bp now controlling it too..but all the side effects are gone living a quality life no memory isaues now no sleep problems..but past 6 months i have to go through hell..sucess happend because only of Daddiction centre
I titrated over 9 months from 15 mg of Mirtazapine. Using a liquid. Took all advice, am still ill after a year and now got peripheral neuropathy which started 3 days after stopping and parathesia started ( expected side effect of stopping) now full blown neuropathy ruined my life😊was only on 6 months
I stopped take my antidepressent ( I take Mirtazapine) a few days ago because of a side effect no doctor told me about here in France which is hyponatremia ( low sodium levels). I now hyponatremia & Mirtazapine caused it. It's written on the leaflet yet no doctor is aware of it. SO I've had to stop taking Mirtazapine for the next few weeks! But funnily enough, I feel better & I can even sleep without the Mirtazapine! Even though Mirtazapine is known to treat depression, anxiety & insomnia. I tthought I'd feel depressed, anxious & insomniac .But I'm sleeping better now without the Mirtazapine than when I'm on it! Also I don't feel depressed & anxious, if you can believe that paradox.
It scares me bc I’ve been on antidepressants for over 15 years now. I want get off but I’m scared and having a lot challenges getting good advice. My brain chemistry maybe messed up now :(
Im a female 38 years im on lexapro 10mg and the reason why I will see my doctor and stop them this week cause I'm losing alot hair and my hair start looking terrible thin . NOPE NO MORE ANTIDEPRESSANTS FOR ME
Same here after 5 years I got this side effect and it’s been on going for about a year ,,, even the tinyest amount of the tablet I was taking in the end and still hairloss ,,, I’m now of the drug for 4 weeks
Always disliked and distrusted pharmaceuticals. Had a couple things going on that led to some anxiety and found myself snapping at my son so doc told me I could try lexapro. I went on in late April of this year and really felt great. Unnaturally happy (not a bad thing) and in a great mood. But I had some pretty lame side effects. After a couple months I just felt normal so have no sex drive, wanting to sleep all the time and then finding out my liver function was abnormal was enough for me to want to quit. Dropped from 10 MG to 5. Did that for maybe a month and then 6 days ago completely stopped. Feeling a bit edgy, difficult to piece together a decent night's sleep and have this difficult to describe daze and a strange fluttery feeling. One cool withdrawal symptoms is I've been having really vivid but fun/interesting dreams. I think becuase I was only on them for about 4 months my process of coming off might be a bit less severe. But I can deal with a month of strange withdrawal symptoms in exchange for being my old self and I'll deal with my emotional issues on my own.
I ground up tablets using a mortar and pestle then carefully measured each portion using a scale accurate to 0.001 grams. Put them in capsules and dropped the dosage 10% every two to four weeks. Such a gradual reduction I didn’t even notice!
What do you all think about 1% reductions every day or every few days? Would that make the taper imperceptible to the body, thus resulting in no or minimal side effects?
Brilliant! Can you tell me where to find a scale like yours?
make sure they are not enteric coated tablets and are allowed to be crushed. you can Google if the meds can be crushed.
How many years did u take anti depressants
These drugs are absolutely no joke trying to stop. It is insane that psychiatrists are not educated in the tapering process.
😢agree ,
Exactly
The patient is always blamed.
I think by now, many psychiatrists must be aware of the problems but choose to lie.
Thanks it helps me a lot...I am now withdrawing my anti depressants that I am using for more than 15years...reducing gradually...I have symtoms like insomnia...but I believe by the help of God I will overcome this....
Yes, amen to that!! You will! GBU brother in the Lord!! 👍👍👍😄😄😄
Good for you Clifford..slow and steady wins the race
YES! with the help of God, that is so so true.
Please help me im 23 yr old and im still taking proxtine cr 25
Good luck to you and pray for me. I guess for a person of your age it should be rather easier to wean off these "medicines". I am 75 and I am doing it with my age downhill, but I put my entire trust in God and He blessed me with "determination". I am so confident of doing it successfully with His help.
Antidepressants are their own trap and if the so called medical professionals I have dealt with over the years had their way I'd be still on antidepressants 20 years later. Antidepressants help some people and destroy many others and the medical profession in my opinion could careless. People are looking for help with their problems not to create even more problems for themselves.
It's my experience that MDs are so highly trained, and have been hanging around only with other medical students and MDs, that they've developed an extreme arrogance. They believe their professors and the good looking sales rep before they will believe the patient. I've found I have to be very cautious with prescriptions and advice I receive from doctors.
Yes, I agree with you on that!! People are looking for help, not problems! So true. Thanks for saying this here. 🤗🤗🤗😣😣😣😣❤❤
@@billr8276 👍👍👍👍👍👍❤❤ Have to agree with you.
@@billr8276 Well Karma is a bitch....As a health professional myself(massage therapy)....every client who comes through my door gets the best care I can give them and if I cant help them (which happens at times) I will find someone who can...its just common courtesy
@@hollydavidson501 How is that even relevant? He's talking about MDs. You're a massage therapist not a doctor prescribing drugs that could potentially wreck someone's life.
Antidepressants or like the song hotel California anyone is welcome then but you can never leave
Thank you for this wonderful video Douglas. I was treated with anti-depressants for 20 years and they made me sicker and always pooped out. I started getting panic attacks, which I never had in my long life, from the way the doc switched me cold turkey from ad to ad and at one desperate point a benzo
was added which nearly destroyed me. Please be careful and find safe prescribers. I was able to find a lovely nurse practitioner in Portland who helped me taper off all my medications and it took over 3 horrible years. But I did it and if I can, anyone can.
I’m finding myself depressed again, but I’m not sick from the anti-depressants which made me develop worsening mental health.
Who is the nurse practitioner. I live in Portland and like to have good professionals to refer people to.
Douglas Bloch her name is Cathy Ahern and she let me taper and my rate which was key.
Thanks. I facilitate a peer support group in Portland in case you know anybody who might be interested
Douglas Bloch I would be interested. I’m back in a depression. I did group in dbt and found it very helpful, but it was very well controlled for triggering. I worry a group might trigger my post traumatic stress. So maybe not the best for me right now until my pts is better managed.
Did you still suffer withdrawals even after tapering in a period of three years?
Finally a video that puts a spot light on this issue
Time fir me to get off the meds. First the saraquel only been on 100 mg fir 7 week's but that is enough for me
Yes Douglas sure knows his stuff and truly wants to help others
@@garysimone4977 Just taper very slowly....I take Seroquel as well...225mg a night along with remeron(anti depressant) Librium( benzo) and Effexor...so I have 4 to come off of....But I had to come to the realization that it will take time....
@@hollydavidson501 thks yes i to have a few to come off I would do the. Saraquel first it just knocks me out all day How would you taper i am on100 mg been on it last 7 weeks Any thaughts when will you start the tapper
@@garysimone4977 I would work with a Dr to figure out a taper schedule that would work for you....I am doing Seroquel last with it basically being a sleeping pill, but I am tapering Effexor at 5% cut every week , so 5 months basically to come off ...I work with a program called Point of Return...check them out ...they can answer more questions than I could
You're the best Douglas. The world needs more people as beautiful as you. I hope you are recovering. I wasn't nothing more for you than a full recovery. You are a blessing.
Hey Doug, I started with some accupuncture treatment and it helped me a lot, among other positive life style changes. I then decided to get off 25mg of sertraline, cold turkey. Omg, in 24 hrs, I started with the strongest migrain and nausea. That's how quickly the withdrawal symptoms started for me. I knew right way what the problem was and got back on it. I couldn't even think straight due to the migrain pain and overall stomach upset and sickening feeling. I am now researching on how to taper off the meds and came across your video. A God send. Thank you. 10 months, here I go. This will not hold me back. Good luck to all of us.
There is a free book it by will Hall called how to come off psychiatric medications which is on the Internet.Of course, you should do this under the direction of your doctor
Had the same experiance. I forgot to take the Sertraline on 1 Day(100mg). The migrain i had was the strongest pain i've ever felt in my live. I will start my taper in the beginning of next month.
Eduarda did u feel fatigue like no spirit in body stomach cramps and feet sweating in ur withdrawals please ans I m 89 days sober
Thanks for sharing, I'm trying to get off 25mg Sertraline too.
Keep digging deeper on this topic You have creditbity in this field pls use it to help millions
Thanks for your feedback
@@DouglasBloch ir you can focus on resources to help educate all on weening off What was tge name of that book you mention
Yes please do Douglas!!!
@@hollydavidson501 were you from. How yoy feeling
@@garysimone4977 Atlanta....Im feeling up and down with exhaustion and tummy aches....nature of w/d
Just started feeling these insane "brain zaps" all over my body and have been researching why this is happening only after a few days of stopping my SSRI (Lexapro, Escitalopram). Never have had this issue. Im medically trained and educated and had no idea myself it would be SO bad. I will contact my doctor to work with him to stop these but I will NEVER go back on these due to how awful I feel on withdrawal. Thank you for making this video ive been doing extensive research and this seems to be the logical conclusion. Doctors should not be downplaying these side effects and should all be very well educated on it. Thank you.
Hope you are doing ok these days. They are a nightmare. I feel alot better cutting down mg to get off them.
Cuántos mg hay que reducir y por cuánto tiempo?
@@jake-in_yt80 what mg lexapro were you on
Did you taper off or stop suddenly?
I cant wait to be free
Like a good displined boy I always took my meds, not missing a single dose in years. Years i said.little I knew that one day leaving them would be worse than problem itself.
If u haven't started, don't!
trouble is they were a life saver for me at the time ,what do you do instead?
@@vincemarshall8550 I started now. On week 2.
I bought some scales that measure in milligrams, and a nail file. Each week i shave down the weight of the pill by 3%. Its gonna take 18 months but so far it's been okay
I have been tapering lexapro from 10 mg into small dosages since 7 months ago and Ive been happy with the results. You can feel the symptoms of tapering down but very low compared to doing it abruptly and last for short time. Right now Im in 3.75 mg and Will continue tapering off slowly.
I'm glad I found this video, my husband has. Even on 20mg, dr told him to drop to 10mg for a week then be done. Needless to say it's been horrible, back up to 15mg. We will be going alot slower on the tapering now
I’m trying to taper off lexapro 10mg right now as well. I just dropped to 5mg and I’m not sure if that’s a good thing, i just wanna get off of them./: but I’m scared
@@rina2803 Hi! I Recommend slower tapering off. From 10 to 5 is very much for me. My first step was from 10 to 9 mg you Will experience lighter withdrawal symptoms. And you Will adapt faster to the New dosage.
J P (: thanks so much for the reply! Will try doing that
@ J P Please when you rich to 0 lexapro,,,tell me how you feel,,,,I stopped lexapro= cipralex it was he'll& nightmare...I'm happy for you and good luck
I was told with citlopram you go from 40-30, 30-20, 20-15 , 15-10 , 10-8 and down by 2 until 0. It takes around 6-8 months. The slower I went the better !!! You can get a pharmacy to liquid microdose it .
I’m going to try gojng from 20mg to 10mg then done.
I agree! Tried many times tapering larger amounts for 4 yrs. Failed several times due to intense withdrawals. And some I didn’t realize were withdrawals. Finally did it this way for 6 months. Xanax too. I had to get it down to dust! I’m free from them since 2018. Have had 2 panic attacks due to severe life circumstances but I made it through them well!
@l8n975 No I tried this, went down to 10 from 20 then stayed on 10 for a bit then stopped. I had terrible withdrawal symptoms!! You need to go down by much smaller amounts than this. I'm currently on 5mg now (10mg tablets cut in half... Well as half as I can get them since they are so small and are not scored down the middle!) I'm currently waiting for an appointment with a private psychiatrist to get the liquid, since my GP will not prescribe it to me... they tell me there's no issues coming off 10mg and said if I have withdrawal then I need to stay on it not try to come of!!!!!!!!!
I have been on antidepressants for almost 7 years and I desperately want off. I take 25mg of Zoloft daily, I have tried to cut it in half and it was hell. I ended up going back on it and still feel so defeated.
I want to feel and heal more spiritually and I feel like it’s holding me back. I want to face my demons head on and be more creative.
Thank you for this so much.
Hey best of luck in getting to the roots of your depression etc. It'll take time and energy but it's worth it (am on same journey )
I found the "Holistic Psychologist" here on YT/insta to be a great help in uncovering some unconscious limiting beliefs. 🙂
Hey! I’m also trying to go off of antidepressant (Fluoxetine, in my case), and I found some very interesting stuff about microdosing mushrooms! Have you ever heard of it? I’m trying to go off of the medication so I can start the microdosing, cause it seems it’s not advised to take both at the same time
All the best in your journey!!
@@lucinancy I'm not the original poster but i have to say..I'm about to embark on shroom hunting myself, while coming off of antidepressants. Anything that come from the earth should absolutely be legal and seems like the best possible option to reset our minds. Best of luck to you (from Ireland) 💚
I took 25 mg for three days now but I dont like how I feel if I stop cold turkey will it give me withdrawals just took it for three days
Thanks so much for this video, I hope many people get to view it. I hope you are well Doug :)
Nice to hear from you again. How’s life in Australia
@@DouglasBloch Haha, not bad :) I'v almost finished Dialectic Behavioural Therapy which has been good for the most part. Some things I disagree with but thats ok, overall it's been a worthwhile experience.
Yes, I agree with you!! GBU 👍👍👍👍❤
Love having this help!
I’m weaning off lexapro right now. I was on 20mg now I’m on 2.5mg.
It has been a very long slow process. I easily went from 20mg to 15mg and then to 10mg. Once I got to 10mg I found it very difficult to go down.
Then I had to switch to liquid and go down .5mg every 2-4weeks. Once I got to 5mg I stayed on it for 10 month.
Once spring arrived I slowly went back to going down .5mg. I have been having luck with it so I easily got down to 2.5mg.
Now I’m just going stay on this dose for a month and then once I feel ok about it. I’ll slowly go down .5mg until I’m finished.
I'm glad that you have taken it very slowly
How are you now?
i’m currently trying to ween off 20 mg of lexapro it is causing me to have restless leg. im having insomnia it’s extremely difficult.
It’s been 8 months since I have been off my medication and I feel fine
@@michyrudywow congratulations. I think very slowly tapering off is the way to go. I just started after feeling anxious for a year and having panic attacks (back to back in a 6 week period). I hope I can get my life back eventually and be medication free.
Ahw this man is so sweet and kind, love your video’s they are really helpfull tankyou!☺️
I am so happy to see this issue addressed. I have had a terrible time trying to come off zoloft. It seems like all psychiatrists seem to just make me feel like my response to discontinuing the medication are very exaggerated. And yes, i feel very VERY intense mood swings, brain zaps, lack of energy, digestion problems, insomnia, etc etc even though im not thrown into any psychological crisis, i can obvere the very clear and intense symptoms. I will now to try to wean off of them very slowly and also check out the book you mention. thank you so much :)
Thanks. If you want more validation for your situation you can read the article in the New York Times which is the same as the title of this video
The psychiatrist is frightened of going to jail. Next time they tell you that you are being exaggerated, tell them that their prison time will not be exaggerated.
The only reason I'm ditching my medication cold turkey is because my insomnia is making me really really sick.
I take my combo of magnesium, vitamin D3, and b-complex!😃 When I have stress during the day, I use kava kava, and at night, I use valerian root!😃
Rock on Girl!!!!
Thank u
Did you ever take antidepressants? I'm on citalopram, about 10 years, and I want to get off because I don't want to be on them forever, but 10 years isn't something you can safely stop that easily.
Kava kava is a hepatotoxin (Liver toxin) wouldn't advise long term use. CBD is the way. Good luck
@@jamesbender1967 CBD is also a hepatoxin though. At least that's what I have read while thoroughly researching CBD.
I weaned myself off of 50 mg of Sertraline over 4 weeks...I felt fine for about three months then had a "zap" one day...I had no clue what was happening at the time, but went into instant depression. The worst of my life, I could not eat, sleep, I had to force myself to drink water....I got down to 104 pounds (looked anorexic). I tried for 3 months to push through until I felt another "zap" and it scared me so bad I called the pharmacist and got my prescription refilled. I started seeing a therapist, now over a year later I am trying to wean off again but I am going way slower this time. It may take me years, but whatever it takes to never experience that again.
Please be careful. I weaned over 8 months. And after a week of being completely off I started feeling awful. Only to realise that my quality of life was actually amazing on the antidepressants.
Wishing you wellness and health above all whichever way your journey takes you 🙏🏽
For how long have you been taking those pills before you stopped them?
@@stratvar I was on them for 2 years.
@@stratvar i am now down to a half a pill 5 days a week, and an entire pill two days a week. It has been a year since I started weaning off for the second time.
It is incredible that we have these drugs and absolutely no long term plan for an exit strategy. Says so much about our society. Take the meds and deal with it.
Dr. Kelly Brogan, psychiatrist in Manhatten, works hard with her patients to get them off psytropic meds whenever possible. She works with the total person, health issues, nutritional issues. She is remarkable
Roseann yes she is but wow expensive
Sure wish she was here to help me.
I’ve tried to come off Sertraline 150 mg about 3 to 4 times and it’s so hard I’ve tried to go down 25mg every two weeks and when I get to the 3rd week down to 100mg the brain zaps start to be more intense. I’m confused, disoriented and the days my dreams start to become a blur and its as far as I got I’m going to try again soon. This video has been great help 😊
Thank you.
Too fast still
I became allergic to mine and had to stop abruptly. I had hot flashes and high anxiety. Decided to try ashwagandha. It's not magic but it made things less bad.
Same! I passed out yesterday and sprained my shoulder.. and hit my head really hard
Thanks for drawing our attention to the Icarus PDF - most helpful.
Beautiful Video! I have left antidepressants after taking for more than 5 years. However I just have to kick them off abruptly for I became more suicidal and attempted thrice suicide by overdosing myself with them. I do not remember any withdrawal symptoms except I lost much weight and it has nearly damaged my immune system. I feel these antidepressants should not be used for more than a month or so. More than that is fatal to every part of your life!
well those antidpressants usually take 2 months to change things up.... so better never start anti depressant. go work out 3 hours a day, and surround you with friends until whatever you going through pass by...
I've noticed doctors don't take suicide seriously at all. They also don't care if people actually die. If they did, none of these quackers would put people on these drugs.
I’ve been successful reducing dosage through counting beads. Im reducing depending on and monitoring how I feel! Good luck! It does take time! I’m in no race the medication did help me! It’s just time - now that I have tools and have had some mental rest.
This was a refreshing video to come across thank you for sharing with us it is essential to have information and support.
I feel like I'm trapped taking Effexor. I tried to do a slow taper and I literally could not function. I think the only way to get off would be to file for temporary disability, it's that bad. It feels like being drunk/hungover/flu. Worse than quitting cigarettes.
Are you working with a prescriber about this
Douglas, I think you have opened a can of worms! These drugs give a new meaning to the term "addiction".
Yes, true. Thanks.
Yes he has and GOOD for HIm!!!!
@@hollydavidson501 😂😂 👍👍👍👍👍❤
(Dependance, not addiction.)
Sir I’m feeling so pain for quitting antidepressants
I took an edible for the first time and I had panic attacks for 2 months and then depression. Nobody believed me, doctors were almost amused by what I had told them and it made me feel upset and lonely. Eventually I was put on an antidepressant 2 months in. I scroll across youtube and there are other people who either took a medicine or drug that had the potential to cause a hormonal/chemical imbalance. I really think doctors should do more research and take patients seriously when necessary.
I'll take you seriously. I know many people of had major anxiety from taking Marijuana. It's a common reaction, which is why one should be wary
@@DouglasBloch thank you, I really appreciate it. I went months feeling like everybody thought I was crazy for crying all the time and being afraid to leave my home. I took a small gummie and sometimes I still do not understand how something like that can cause severe anxiety and depression..... a part of me is still upset for making that decision this year... I'm a great mother and person. Now i kinda feel like, man is this ever gonna go away ? Lol i miss my normal self 💜
Shay Vidz any updates? Feeling any better?
This happened to me after taking one 10mg dose of metoclopromide aka reglan and now I am on an anti-depressant ! Suicidal thoughts, very severe depression and anxiety ! Smh ! This is very true, and reglan caused a huge chemical imbalance in my brain because it’s a dopAmine antagonist which I wish I knew before I took it !!!
@@DTvidsx20 yes, I am still on medication. Still hoping that 1 day I'll feel completely normal again. I'm on effexor.
Been on Lexapro for 17 years and have tried stopping 3 times, unsuccessful nightmare each time. Can't afford the downtime to handle the discontinuation symptoms as I have a demanding career. I'm taking a very small dose these days, too small to be therapeutic but too big to abruptly stop. Going to have to gradually cut doses over the course of a year probably. It's a terrible feeling knowing I am so hooked on this substance and would completely crumble without it. Drug companies know exactly what they're doing.
Good luck on your discontinuation. Slow but steady wins the race
Yeah, what a fucking joke.
Im slowly leaving my medications so far so good
How slow you are leaving like how many mg per month
@@bushra7523 I was taking prozac 40mg, told my doc I would like to get off and he said take one dose(20mg) every other day five times. Then take 20mg every other 3 days. Three times
@@Spacepluscaptive that's too fast of a taper from my experience. I would do 10% reduction every 4-6 weeks to avoid discontinuation syndrome or protracted withdrawal. Most MDs that prescribe these drugs have no clue how they alter the brain and entire nervous system.
@@Spacepluscaptive Elizabeth is right...Im coming of Effexor now at 5% reduction every week and its done by a liquid reduction so ypu dont have to count beads....compounding pharmacy
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍 best wishes to you °!!!! GBU
Thank you for your videos Doug. Hope you know that you help a lot of people all over the world :) I will start tapering off Sertraline soon.
Greets from Europe, Austria.
Thanks for your comments
I would love to come off my antidepressants but i know from past experience its very uncomfortable, feels bad and takes a long time. Ive had anxiety, feelings of disasociation, paranoia and flu like symptoms. Impossible to do whilst working a full time job and the stress that comes with that too. Thsnks for your video. My dr's in the past told me there would be no side effects when even switching meds. How wrong they were!
Hopefully you will find a doctor who will work with to to taper down slowly
@@DouglasBloch thanks, although i think it will be a while yet, i seem to be having a bit of a relapse of symptoms recently. Thanks very much for taking the time to reply. Best regards.
Same to you. Keep moving forward.
I am currently on 125mg of sertraline. I have gone down from 200mg. Ive been on sertraline for almost 4 - 6 years (2 being on and off) and it has been so difficult. Ive become more agitated and tired constantly. My psychiatrist almost refused to take me off even though my therapist and i both agreed it was time to do so. It hurts not being listened to or almost feeling forced to take my prescription medicine. Becoming free some times feel hopeless.
Have you thought of getting a second opinion from a different prescriber?
This is happening to me now, I got to 125 from 150, been on 200 for 10 years and my psychiatrist didn’t believe me when I said I had withdrawal feelings. Said I thought it so it happened. UM NO, I felt it first… so frustrating.
If you tell your psychiatrist he'll be going to jail for not helping you, he'll take you off the meds really quick. No doctor wants to spend time in jail, and if they do, they are a fucking scumbag.
Thanks Douglas. Have a look at tapering strips -- they make very slow reductions.
Glorified drug dealers in white coats.. 🤷🏼♂️
Am determined to come off of lexapro, and have been reducing gradually for past few months. Also working to get to root of issues. Has been emotionally jarring but it's the only way to not need meds to sedate the pain anymore. Shedding light on it. Was thinking of trying CBD oil, just on days where feeling particularly anxious. Anyone got tips? Anyway best wishes in life to everyone who is watching this video. X 💜
BTW Douglas I appreciate the vid especially for talking about your personal experience. V helpful info. 🙂 Thanks from Ireland ☘ 🇮🇪
Thanks for the feedback
I’m using the cbd to help my kid get off lexapro it does seem to help her. Down from 10mg to 6mg.
@@starkbayltd3800 thank you i will get some cbd capsules I think , good to hear it is helping your daughter 🙂
The best way to stop them is to use tapering strips made in the Netherlands. You can have them made to your and your doctors’ specifications.
Hi! Would you happen to have some kind of link for this? Thank you ❤️❤️
@@sherylsandersdesignssander9164 Are you on Reddit by any chance? It’s easier to help you there but if you are not I can still give you some information that will help you.
@@joqiii3 Hi! I am not on Reddit ... I’m part of the FB Group ... “sertraline (Zoloft) should be illegal”
This is where I was introduced to the slow tapering method
@@sherylsandersdesignssander9164 I see, do you need help with finding a compounding service? The reason I am asking is before you use a compounding service in the Netherlands, I can tell you from experience it’s much easier to use one closer to you in the US. I used one in the Netherlands only because, at that time, there was no compounding service near me. My doctor was pretty cool about writing a prescription for the Netherlands but I have been told some US doctors are not comfortable with that.
The pharmacist in the Netherlands has done a great job but they are a bit difficult to deal with because of language, the time change, and the fact they want payment in euros. And the payment has to be wire transfer from your bank to theirs.
I will only be using them for another month because I have found a compounding service 10 minutes from where I now live. So, to save you a lot of time and trouble I highly recommend using a US compounding service if one is in your area. There is a national association of compounding pharmacies if you just Google it.
If that does not work for you, let me know and I can give you info on the Netherlands. If you want to do a slow taper just ask the compounding pharmacist if he works with the medication that you need customized doses for.
If you need any additional info I will be happy to help.
@@joqiii3 thank you so much! This is very helpful and I’m going to research for one in my area
I was CTed off of Paxil after 20 yrs and Ativan after 16 yrs last May and had critical withdrawal...ended up in the ER w a line to hydrate me because I couldnt hold down water or much food...lost 25 pounds in 2 months, had burning prickly skin feelings all over all the time, no sleep, had to stop working..lost my house and had to re home mu cats. Was put on Effexor, remeron, seroquel, and librium I guess to counter the others....I have since decided to become drug free and I am 30% down on Effexor ( taking 5% cut every week)....then the other 3...could take years.....I am working w a program called Point of Return...their os a forum to go to for support as well as specific supplements to ease the wd symptoms during the taper....there is no easy way around it and Drs are not trained to taper Anti depressants benzos sleeping pills ect....this needs to be brought put of the shadows so people can taper properly and safely....Thank you Doug for your videos and helping so many
I’m glad that you were getting some support on your taper. How do I find out about the program called point of return?
Oh wow, what a story girl!! I wish you the best always!! Will pray for you! GBU. 👍👍👍👍❤❤ p.s. I would like to know about that program too!! RSVP me about it?? Is it like local?
Wow! You've really been through wringer, Holly, I'm so sorry for all you've lost. Thank you for sharing your experience, I agree with you that this information needs to brought out of the shadows. Doctors need to learn the truth about these meds, not just what the pharmaceutical companies tell them. My doctor had me "taper" off of Cymbalta in only two weeks. I got so sick, and also had a complete mental breakdown. I wanted to die, I felt so horrible. I spent 4 days in a mental hospital, picked up by the sheriff and committed for suicide watch. My doctor had the nerve to say that it had nothing to do with discontinuation syndrome! Of course it did! I didn't just suddenly go insane for no apparent reason.
@@LazyIRanch I am so sorry to hear about your stay in a hospital, not fun ( I was in 4- one where I got to see chairs flying across the room from patients towards the nurses station ). 2 weeks is WAAAAAy too short of time to taper... you need more like 5 or more months. And with a program like Point Of Return, you can "hold" during your taper if it gets tough. I finished my Effexor taper in August and I have to admit I am in a bit of a wave ( 2 months so far).....I could have gone a little slower since I had been on an AD (Paxil) for so long that my brain was so accustomed to getting its AD. I am continuing with the program and looking for more stability to start the next taper off of Librium (an old benzo). Benzos (Xanax, Ativan, Klonopin) can be just as tough to get off of as and AD.....slow and steady wins the race. Drs are just NOT educated on this....even my Dr ...but thank God he is open to working with me on tapering and even asked for extra literature from Point of return for one of his colleagues. The best way to taper is by compounding the med into a liquid so you can do small "cuts" more evenly instead of cutting pills or counting beads ect....
Sad how our police officers/sheriffs ect....dont understand any of this either....they think if you go to a hospital, then you are gonna be ok
Doug, I had an awful experience of coming off my medication just recently! I advised with the doctor that at 5 mg of Lexapro I would go from 2.5 mg to 1.25 mg to 0.625 mg and then drop off to 0 mg. The physician declined and said that 5 mg Lexapro > 2.5 mg > 0 mg should be sufficient. Dropping from 5 mg to 2.5 should be immediate and then after a week on 2.5 mg, I can stop. I thought this was crazy! I tried, because doctors have more experience and it FAILED. I didn’t think anything of the symptoms. I went from OK to increased anxiety, crying spells (sadness, even though I’m NOT depressed), slight panic attacks, horrible nausea, brain zaps, nightmares every night, insomnia, you name the rest. I wrote them down and emailed my doctor and she recommended I allow the symptoms to ride its course.....seriously? So, I’m going to be doctor Diaz and do my own course. 2.5 my for 4 weeks, 1.25 for 4 months weeks and so on. I have only been on the medication for a year. Like you said, patients aren’t being heard and it’s quite sad! Why did I get on them in the first place? 3-4 panic attacks a day, out of nowhere, always on edge and extreme health anxiety. Of course, I think the medication has helped, but I’m not in that stressful college stage anymore. I just want to come off of it safely and efficiently!
Sorry to hear of your ordeal. There's a man from Portland who was published a free online guide to coming off psychiatric medication. His name is Will Hall. Just Google his name and add the words how to come off medication, and you'll find him.
Hey ,
I am sort of going to do the same. Do u mind giving me an update on whats going on?
I tried Lexapro and it made me feel worse. Psych nurse said to go off of it. She said the same thing. 5 to 2.5 to zero. Should take a month. I was on it 8 weeks. I had been trying to get in with a PA to a psychiatrist.... finally got in and she said I could just quit it at 5mg. No taper😮😮😮😮😮I'm doing my own taper of 10%, might go to 5%....
Cómo vas? Siempre tomaste 5mg? Se puede bajar a 1mg y luego hacer la retirada?
Same!!!!!!!!!!!! Omg same! Its like they are forcing me
I was taking 3/4 pill of Rexetin for two years. I started extending the days between taking the pill and then I started reducing the dose to 1/2 pill. My body and brain needs much more sleep to adjust and recover. I started taking cbd oil 3 days ago. I’m also taking spirulina, matcha tea, bioflavonoids. I noticed that both of my legs started horribly cramping at night that made it impossible for me to sleep, so I started taking magnesium and drinking more water. I get tense very easily now, yoga and meditation also helps.
Cómo te va con CBD? Estoy buscando información y experiencias sobre esto
I was taking 50 mg of sertraline for two months last summer and started tapering in August. I did a slow taper and was down to crumbs three weeks ago. My general doc who prescribed them told me i could just stop. Luckily i didn't listen to her.
Why in the world would she say that??? It's now common knowledge that one needs to be weened!!! Gosh! Best wishes to you always. 😥😥😥😥🤗🤗🤗
@@oliviacadena2036She is quick to prescribe. Last year at this time she told me I had a possible stomach infection and gave me two different antibiotics before any testing was done. I am pretty sure that's what triggered my anxiety.
Good for you Amy
@@amyr556 Have you at all considered checking out another doc?? She sounds kinda strange. 🤔🤔🤔 Btw, I don't take antibiotics unless I really really need them°!!! They deplete out all your good gut bacteria! Can mean trouble. See you later girl. 🤗🤗🤓🤓🤓 tgc!!!
Amy R how long was your taper ?
I successfully managed to come off Luvox after almost 30 years of daily 100mg doses ( prescribed to me for to help combat anorexia and depression), I did this by tapering very very slowly over a period of roughly 1.5 years (under my doctor's supervision), it was a fairly smooth process with the occasional bout of depersonalisation and tremendous itching at night but, thankfully, no brain zaps- which I had experienced in the past and, I can attest, are really debilitating and frightening.
I feel relieved to have managed to discontinue use of the drug without any major problems- I still get the occasional bout of anxiety now, but have a lot more coping strategies than when I was younger and can get through them better than I used to.
ive done a taper where i cut down a half every week and i cant seem to do it , getting crazy anxious so gotta start it up again... hello dull but livable world
Its because they are neurotoxins , they damage our nervous system and can leave brain damage, or cause brain damage, the doctors all know very well by now what they are doing . TH-cam and social media has been around for along time..... they know !!!!!!
Thank you for your video. Thank you for caring. I appreciated how you’d have the views of you change. I have adhd and it helps to pay attention. Also it showed you care. ❤
I have been on zoloft for about 5/6 years. I was given the ok to start tapering off, however, i completely space d taking them for a few days (busy life) and today i am having the brain zaps, fatigue, anxiety, and wicked irritability. Tomorrow, i am going to start tapering off properly so i wont be so miserable
I made a very big mistake.I quit taking my medications all at once.I thought I was doing very very good,my wife said I was almost on a high.I started doing so many different projects and enjoying it.Well,4 months latter it was a very very scary night for me,I thank the lord for helping me to get help immediately in the morning.Very very scary night,I don’t want to ever experience that again.Its going to take time to get back I guess but I would love to get back where I was.I had a head injury many years ago,it has been a battle.I strongly suggest contacting your doctor and discuss going off a medication very very slowly and don’t stop immediately,it’s dangerous.
Is it ever possible to get off of antidepressants after being on them for 29 years.
I honestly never found any benefit from antidepressants, very bad mistake.
Great video, I took Paxil a few years ago. I had the brain zaps everyone talked about, I stepped down by 10 MG a week for 3 weeks. I eventually had to go back on them.
Im sorry you had to go back on Paxil....I was cold turkeyed off of Paxil (40 mg after 20 years) and it was a pure nightmare....Paxil is one of the harder ones to come off of...just know there is help out there if you decide to come off ....it is up to you
I’m planning to taper my AD. I expect it to take two years. I’m not taking any chances.
Took me a year and a half to taper off of prescribed Xanax. And it was still difficult.
HORRIBLE withdrawal symptoms, mostly feeling like I had a severe flu as well as horrible anxiety that just wouldn't stop. Bead count method is the only way to go and all doctors need to get onboard with this. Sloooooow bead count method. May take a couple of years to get off (2-3 even) but its better to do it slowly than to suffer. LOVE your videos. So very helpful.
Thanks. I’m glad the videos are helpful.
Shasta did u feel fatigue like no spirit in body stomach cramps and feet sweating in ur withdrawal please ans I m 89 days sober
@@sangeetalambh6389 YES absolutely. I had to go back on antidepressants because i got off of them too quickly and had severe withdrawal symptoms like what you described. I know there are support groups on facebook that you can join with a lot of information on getting off of antidepressants and how you feel after.
You are so, so genuine!!Thank you so much.
You are welcome
I am on depression meds for 16 years and its making me so sick. Now my body is rejecting the depression meds. So I had to come of it very slowly. But I have withdrawal symptoms. Its not good to be depressed all the time. I go to government hospital to see my psychiatrist . But he can't even changed my meds . The psychiatrist don't care at all . I am from South Africa.
Is there anyone else with medical training that you can see?
I suffered a lot of trauma as a child. So I’ve had lots of anxiety depression panic. I managed to stay clear of antidepressants in 2000 I had a SAH. Still stayed clear of them In 2014 took 2 years to go through court it was long and stressful my father went to prison for the abuse on me. Still I stayed of antidepressants then I had skin cancer Still I stayed of antidepressants. Last year 2019 I was told I had lung cancer I had my right lung removed. I fell for the antidepressants ended up on mirtazapine. What a nightmare. I have tried to stop taking them I think I done it to fast stopped them last Friday. Haven’t had a full night sleep all week I’m so tired. Haven’t had any support from any dr they say just stop them. Tonight I’m going back on them just so I can sleep. Then I’m going to give it another go at coming of them a lot slower.
Good luck. I'm sorry for all of your travels. Keep persevering. You are a survivor
Thank you will be so good when I'm free of them.
@@kayakilo24you’re a fighter, God bless you
For more than a year I suffer from a major depression. For months it was like a hell in my head and I was sure this hell would continue for the rest of my life. Since 4 weeks I'm on lithium and I think this medicine helps; I have hardly suicidal thoughts and my mood is a bit better. I'm not there yet but I can imagine a life without depression. Keep on doing the good work Doug!
I am trying to come off paroxetine. I have been on this for 24 years. I am having digestion problems. I get dizzy. I feel like I'm tingly inside my body. My legs have muscle spasms. I cry often. I get headaches. It's debilitating. The pharmacist told me that I need to go very slowly. It will probably take a year or so for me to get off of it. I just want to know if there is a way to lesson my withdrawal symptoms. 🙏 I have been on 10 mg the whole time and have been tapering now for the last 3 months. I am almost half way and I did have to get the oral suspension liquid and I measure it out in a little surenge. I'm going down one mark every 4 weeks. I hope and pray I can do this. My doctor told me I am very brave and he's proud of me... but this is VERY hard. I also think I suffer from chronic emotional fatigue.
Sorry you are struggling. Paxil is one of the most difficult medication's to come off
Thank you for this video I want to come off my antidepressants by the end of 2020 and I appreciate the insight
You are welcome.
Paige god bless you on your journey. I'm on the same path. Same goal. I've been researching "tapering strips" (fixed tapering doses) and will initiate that process with my doctor when spring comes. As Northern Minnesota winters are BRUTAL (-40°f) temps, short days and very little sunshine. Depressing in itself. It's crazy to see how many people share these overwhelming desires to rid themselves of these poisonous medications.
Hey please help me too i want to leave it also 🙏
This would have helped 25 years ago. I’m still bouncing from these,
“ PLAY IN THE TRAFFIC MEDICATIONS”
Excellent advice and thank you so much for the video!
You’re welcome
I tried to get off my antidepressant last year and it was a bust. I tried a couple times in different ways. I tried decreasing my dose by half for a few days and then continue on, but they didn’t work because I got awful side effects. I felt nauseous and had a migraine and I got brain zaps. Not only that, I felt so shakey. Then I also tried to do it cold turkey and I got the same symptoms. I’m on an SSRI, Lexapro, and I just feel like my brain is foggy. Like I just feel neutral and I feel no passion. I am also a spiritual person and I don’t feel a connection to my higher power, god aka the creator. Anyway, I am hoping to get off my anti depressant and I know I want to do it slowly as possible and my doctor is working with me to do that. I do not like being on this anymore and I feel like it did it’s job and now I’m over it lol. I hate feeling nauseous and sick, like flu like symptoms so I’ve been afraid to do it, but I’m university getting my bachelors in nursing, and I feel like I’m operating on a sub prime level and it sucks.
Thanks for sharing. I hope you are working with your prescriber to make this transition
Thanks Douglas! I definitely experienced the brain zaps.
I tried talking myself off of Citalopram cold turkey.
And it effected my emotions a lot.
It made me very emotional over everything.
So I went back on it. Now I'm going to try to Wing myself off, little by little.
Good luck. It would be best if you could do it under a doctors supervision
@@DouglasBloch
Ok. Thank You For Sharing 🙂
Recommend a 2-10% taper every 2-4+ weeks. This is EXTREMELY important. Many times, withdrawal is delayed so you may be doing large cuts and feel great, actually better than ever but just be blindsided with severe, debilitating withdrawal weeks or months later and at that point it's often too late to reinstate so it's a waiting game. Please be aware most doctors (Clueless), follow old tapering guidelines and the majority in this group going through withdrawal did follow their doctors tapering advice.
that's what happened to me
2-5%?
@@javi.r.acosta
When tapering off, taper off no more than 2-5% every 2- 4 week's.
How Psychiatric Drugs Remodel Your Brain:
"A lot of people, including healthcare practitioners; in fact, I guess, most people-- are operating from entirely the wrong paradigm, or way of thinking, about these meds. They're thinking of them like aspirin--as something that has an effect when it's in your system, and then when it gets out of your system the effect goes away."
"That's not what happens with medications that alter neurotransmitter function, we are learning. What happens when you change the chemistry of the brain is, the brain adjusts its chemistry and structure to try to return to homeostasis, or biochemical and functional balance. It tries to restabilize the chemistry. For example: SSRI antidepressants work as "serotonin reuptake inhibitors." That is, they cause serotonin to remain in the space between neurons, rather than being taken back up into the cells to be re-used, like it would be in a normal healthy nondrugged brain. So the brain, which wants to re-establish normal signaling and function, adapts to the higher level of serotonin between neurons (in the "synapse", the space between neurons where signals get passed along)."
"It does this by removing serotonin receptors, so that the signal is reduced and changed to something closer to normal. It also decreases the amount of serotonin it produces overall. To do that, genes have to be turned on and off; new proteins have to be made; whole cascades of chemical reactions have to be changed, which means turning on and off OTHER genes; cells are destroyed, new cells are made; in other words, a complex physiologic remodeling takes place. This takes place over time. The brain does not grow and change rapidly. This is a vast oversimplification of the amount of adaptation that takes place in the brain when we change its normal chemistry, but that's the principle."
"When we stop taking the drug, we have a brain that has designed itself so that it works in the presence of the drug; now it can't work properly without the drug because it's designed itself so that the drug is part of its chemistry and structure. It's like a plant that has grown on a trellis; you can't just yank out the trellis and expect the plant to be okay. When the drug is removed, the remodeling process has to take place in reverse. SO--it's not a matter of just getting the drug out of your system and moving on. If it were that simple, none of us would be here. It's a matter of, as I describe it, having to grow a new brain. I believe this growing-a-new-brain happens throughout the taper process if the taper is slow enough. (If it's too fast, then there's not a lot of time for actually rebalancing things, and basically the brain is just pedaling fast trying to keep us alive.) It also continues to happen, probably for longer than the symptoms actually last, throughout the time of recovery after we are completely off the drug, which is why recovery takes so long."
@@OreElect1 thank you so so much 🙏🏻
So then how do I taper off?
Of course, during this years I went to therapy, different approaches from spoken one to body adressing one. I've read lots of books, made changes in my life. Nowadays, I try to help my body going to Craniosacral Therapy and it helps me, but I probably have to go more often and for a longer period of time to actually feel a bigger difference.
You have a great channel btw.
Good going man!!👍👍
My mother has been on trihexyphenidyl , oxcarbazepine, risperidone, and clonazapam since last 4 months....
She's feeling better now and is so much determined on tapering it off as she was feeling some sort of side effects...
We informed this to our doctor but he's of no help....
Therefore we have decided to taper it off slowly...
How's your mom now?
Hi how is your mom now will be helpful for me ..I just want to know side effects of risperidone
Do psychiatrist not think and apply "FIRST DO NO HARM" oath?
They should
Doug, I wanted to add. I have been on 20mg of Paxil for18 yrs and as Dr Peter Kramer wrote I felt better than goood, It totally removed Social Anxiety and reduced sympathetic nervousness. For the first time in my life I felt consistently happy. Unfortunately, 3 months ago depression and anxiety came out of the blue, A real shocker. The dose has been increased to 50 mg depression is less painful and anxiety is tolerably reduced. But Paxil is sedating and so I am significantly unproductive now. Hope that helps someone
Hey Robert- your comment resonated with me since I'm in the middle of tappering off Paxil after being put on it as a kid. I'm 33 now and am determined to get off this crap. But it's tough. How are you doing these days?
Hey there- I took paxil from about 17 to 25 years old totalling around 8 years. Last script was 40mg as well. It was mainly for anxiety and it did help but man I was a zombie, I could not even cry. Determined to get off I tried cold turkey and that gave me anger mood swing and brain zaps. Then decided to taper off instead for 6 months and the worst part of gastrointestinal withdrawal symptoms. Once I got off it completely I felt bad again and got onto Lexapro. I wish people would stop pushing drugs and be more holistic. I have been on 10mg Lexapro for 4 years and I am going to ween off... It is supposed to be much milder so the withdrawal symptoms shouldn't be half as bad as paxil was.. fingers crossed. Wish me luck.
I take 5mg nexito and it's been more than 4years(i am 21yrs old) it is doing great to me but i am worried,what if it will affect my mental health when i become older and older i mean in my 30s or even in my 20s .please help me.
I tried to withdraw but i got withdraw symptoms which is sudden shock kind of movement and i started to take it again. Help me!!!
Thanks Douglas
I’ve been taking lexapro for almost two years, the past 1.5 years 20 mg daily. My anxiety is better but my depression is becoming worse than it’s been in years and years. I am in my first week of cutting my meds in half and had a brain zap today. I’m not even really sure why I want to half it, I just hate relying on it. The benefits have begone to plateau or decrease.
Definitely talk to your prescriber about this
Cómo te fue?
I’m going through a bad time I’m trying to get of Venlafaxine. My doctor says I have to cold turkey of it !
She should try that . The withdrawals are horrendous I’m crying with brain zaps. Why don’t doctors know this ?
You should get a second opinion. Or talk to your Prescriber again. From what I have read slow taper is best, but do it under the supervision have a doctor or a nurse practitioner.
That’s insane. Get another doctor. The withdrawal symptoms are debilitating. I’m am off Effexor for 3 1/2 weeks now. I tapered over 15 months myself. 150 mg for 23 years. Doctors can’t help. I weaned 5-10 mg once a month based on withdrawal symptoms. It wasn’t easy. Never have to fill that prescription again. I am free.
@@georgiabessie Congratulations. I have been on Venlafaxine, then Venlafaxine ER for 24 years. I'm ready to be off of it. I reduced to 150 mg only 10 days ago but I'm determined to get off of it. You've given me some hope that I really can do it.
apx 30 yrs ago i came off Sertraline cold turkey - BAD mistake ....
i had what can only be described as feeling like my brain was being wrung out .
The pain made me think i was having an aneurysm. Never took them again
Funny enough , i had a slight return of that sensation for no apparent reason about a year ago .
I am now back on some ? stuff (hows that for casual indifference!)
3 weeks now - and the headaches and minor improvement make me wonder if it is worth it-
and at this early stage i want to wean off before it takes too strong a hold-
but remembering what happened last time has me scared.
Great Vid - thnx - greetings from Australia !
@@route-66barefoot16 i don t know exactly....but PLEASE dont stop it suddenly ...get professional help to stop
Great video! After watching the video twice and reading the comments, I feel very naive. I thought it might take 4 or 5 months, but I see I'll need to extend my timeframe, especially since I've been on them over two decades. I take Venlafaxine ER and last year we added Welbutrin.
Very naive indeed.
I am taking prozac for 5 years now, and I never had brainzaps. The only thing I had is when a leg or arm suddently twiches.
I hate that
I stopped paxil after three months cold turkey and felt nothing .
I’m glad you were successful
Im jealous
O got off antidepressants six years ago after forteen years of is. Cold turkey. It nearly killed me. Then i got brain zaps and brain fog halliconation. It damamged my equilibrium perrmanently
How do I quit Tramadol been on them for years 29 years. If I miss a dose by say an hour my body like pulsates and feels like my breath is going, each time like deeper and deeper feeling of doom. Doctor wanted me to stop them last Xmas, but I said would have to have me in hospital to come off them as this not like any withdrawal I know.
Hello Douglas, I would like to recommend a manual that helps people taper off benzodiazepines, not exactly an antidepressant but still worth to read.
It is called The Ashton Manual by Professor Doctor Heather Ashton.
Thank you so very much for your videos and just for you being you!
Kind regards, Marianne Winia.
I did this to get off of Clonazepam. Thank God it worked because Clonazepam turned into a complete nightmare.
@@jpmcfluffies9451 Do feel ok now. I’m trying to get off Clonazepam now.
@@rebelbeaute1441 It took a while to find a combination of medications that worked for me, but I'm doing much better now. Definitely try the Ashton Manual. It may take some time, but it definitely works. Good luck!
My doctor recommended I took my vensir every other day . One night I woke up and you would have thought someone had thrown a bucket of water over me and the bed. I had to change the bed clothes. My daughter who is a nurse was not pleased. She said it was too soon and I had been advised the wrong way. Basically it was cutting the weekly dose by half. I am going to keep on them a year then decrease them very very slowly. Years ago I was on Atavan which I hated. My mum helped me to come of them in two weeks but I did experience what looked like spiders crawling up the bedroom wall. Thankfully my mum's knowledge was great on the subject and reassured me and I managed.
I tapered 75 mg of Effexor (venlafaxine) for 1,5 year to 11 mg and crashed badly. I updosed a little to 17 mg and stabilized slowly in the next 5 months. I just did my first cut of 1 bead of Venlafaxine after all this time and suffer from withdrawal.... still. And I have 65 beads to go. Symptoms: Diarrhea, bad broken sleep, waking up in the morning with terror and panic for no reason. Anxiety and acathisia.
I have 65 beads to go and this is just daunting....
Keep persevering
@@DouglasBloch thanks Doug. I just saw your encouragement. It's 3 weeks now, and still not 'good', but getting better.
Is it too personal to share what AD you are on and if you really consider to taper?
@@TheTaperCoach
Hi Elisabeth
Did you successfully taper the drug, do you still experience anxiety and akathisia?
@@azeminasuljic1558 I have not fully tapered it, unfortunately. Still in the process of researching why this is . Right now I am in a process with a Kinesiologist and treatment with a product called Joalis.
@@TheTaperCoach
I just wonder do you still experience akathisia and anxiety while still on the drug?
Ive been through two withdrawals in 5 years. The first time was getting off paxil after beingnon it for about 15 years and tapering after 5 months. The last time i cut meds cold turkey after being in Lexapro for 2 weeks and having a manic experience. I feel my brain is different after these two withdrawals. I am now one year on 100 Zoloft and I have no emotions or motivation and i haven't the courage to get off again. Im terrified of the constant feelings of panic every second of the day plus all the cognitive dysfunction that comes with it. Today, on my day today I feel no joy and suffer constant headaches from the last withdrawal. I feel totally alone in this.
tapering off and I went through a body image/anxiety crisis after shaving -rolls eyes-. Dramatic brain.
Samuel Magnan 😂 sorry for laughing but it’s good to laugh at ourselves and I can relate to that brain thinking process . All the best
@@Simplesimple123 please laugh away! Looking back I do as well. its good not to take ourselves too seriously. 🤗
@@sirsirensong I think a lot of sane people could benefit from that advice 😉
Hey I’m wanting to come off citalopram! I’ve been on 20mg for almost 3 years. I’m actually having an “anxiety crisis” just thinking I’m going to have anxiety by stopping them lol
I was on Sertraline 100mg and havent taken it for a week now. I feel better.
Actually I'm back to square one now. Every day I get myself ready to drive to the train station and kill myself but I never seem to do it. My excuse tends to be it's a long drive.
Hi Doug! Amazing video! How about getting a psychologist? It's pricey and also it's like finding the right shoe to fit.
I had the same reaction to one 25mg pill of Zoloft. It was horrific.
From 6 years i have been struggling from ocd ,from 5 years taking antidepressants,now free from all antidepressants clomipramine,clonazepam from the dosage of 10 mg where i can not remember a thing 275mg of clomipramine and and 600mg of valporic acid..now i am down to 10 mg of clomipramine only but my unhealthy routine had me bp now controlling it too..but all the side effects are gone living a quality life no memory isaues now no sleep problems..but past 6 months i have to go through hell..sucess happend because only of Daddiction centre
Sharma did u feel fatigue like no spirit in body stomach cramps and muscle spasm in ur withdrawal please ans I m 89 days sober
I titrated over 9 months from 15 mg of Mirtazapine. Using a liquid. Took all advice, am still ill after a year and now got peripheral neuropathy which started 3 days after stopping and parathesia started ( expected side effect of stopping) now full blown neuropathy ruined my life😊was only on 6 months
I stopped take my antidepressent ( I take Mirtazapine) a few days ago because of a side effect no doctor told me about here in France which is hyponatremia ( low sodium levels). I now hyponatremia & Mirtazapine caused it. It's written on the leaflet yet no doctor is aware of it. SO I've had to stop taking Mirtazapine for the next few weeks! But funnily enough, I feel better & I can even sleep without the Mirtazapine! Even though Mirtazapine is known to treat depression, anxiety & insomnia. I tthought I'd feel depressed, anxious & insomniac .But I'm sleeping better now without the Mirtazapine than when I'm on it! Also I don't feel depressed & anxious, if you can believe that paradox.
Yes, I agree. That is very unusual
i have that also have to get up and pace when watching a show
It scares me bc I’ve been on antidepressants for over 15 years now. I want get off but I’m scared and having a lot challenges getting good advice. My brain chemistry maybe messed up now :(
I would talk with your prescriber about your next step.
Im a female 38 years im on lexapro 10mg and the reason why I will see my doctor and stop them this week cause I'm losing alot hair and my hair start looking terrible thin . NOPE NO MORE ANTIDEPRESSANTS FOR ME
Same here after 5 years I got this side effect and it’s been on going for about a year ,,, even the tinyest amount of the tablet I was taking in the end and still hairloss ,,, I’m now of the drug for 4 weeks
Lexapro caused severe hair loss for me,that's why I stopped it a year ago
Always disliked and distrusted pharmaceuticals. Had a couple things going on that led to some anxiety and found myself snapping at my son so doc told me I could try lexapro. I went on in late April of this year and really felt great. Unnaturally happy (not a bad thing) and in a great mood. But I had some pretty lame side effects. After a couple months I just felt normal so have no sex drive, wanting to sleep all the time and then finding out my liver function was abnormal was enough for me to want to quit. Dropped from 10 MG to 5. Did that for maybe a month and then 6 days ago completely stopped. Feeling a bit edgy, difficult to piece together a decent night's sleep and have this difficult to describe daze and a strange fluttery feeling. One cool withdrawal symptoms is I've been having really vivid but fun/interesting dreams. I think becuase I was only on them for about 4 months my process of coming off might be a bit less severe. But I can deal with a month of strange withdrawal symptoms in exchange for being my old self and I'll deal with my emotional issues on my own.
Thank you, good information.