Want to get off meds but struggling

[Luc]

Sounds like a good plan, Michele. If you felt better, there's always an option of tapering it faster, but it's always better to start slowly. You will simply need to listen to your body and adjust accordingly. With time, you will be able to learn very well how your system reacts to each drop.

[shel]

Thanks Iggy and Luc,

I will try the 1 mg for now. i would try more if I was feeling better but am not stabilizing from the switch from Zoloft to Celexa and am having what i believe is an adverse reaction to the Celexa with this constant headache.

[stan]

tolerance or adverse reaction is the same, you have to taper, i never stabilize and continue to taper, wanted no more the celexa in my body, i was switched from paxil (in tolerance since years i think)to celexa, being bad, i tapered celexa about 11 months with a syringue

[shel]

tolerance or adverse reaction is the same, you have to taper, i never stabilize and continue to taper, wanted no more the celexa in my body, i was switched from paxil (in tolerance since years i think)to celexa, being bad, i tapered celexa about 11 months with a syringue

Thank you for your post and for sharing your experience, Stan. I have not had a chance to read your story/journal yet and will as soon as I can as it sounds like we have similarities.

[Sheila]

Stan makes a good point.

OK, so your headaches sound like they’re hormonal or sort of directly chemical, as opposed to w/d-induced muscle tension or sinus congestion.

I’m so glad you’re open to the idea that this is happening for a reason and that you already have it in mind to do something with your ordeal in terms of using it to help others coming down the road after you!

I feel that many of us are being called to take up some aspect of this mission – perhaps especially the members of this “boutique” forum. :) Who knows what you will be called to do. It might be something obviously related to w/d, or it might be something less obviously related, but that still utilizes what you’ve learned and that helps people.

This has been the single most helpful thing to my coping – coming to believe that this was happening for a good reason. And I was an atheist (although interested in psi) before this.

You might find the Vanguard essay helpful for making your suffering meaningful in the context of an historic moment of which you are part --

http://antidepressantwithdrawal.info...e-The-Vanguard

[shel]

Stan makes a good point.

OK, so your headaches sound like they’re hormonal or sort of directly chemical, as opposed to w/d-induced muscle tension or sinus congestion.

I’m so glad you’re open to the idea that this is happening for a reason and that you already have it in mind to do something with your ordeal in terms of using it to help others coming down the road after you!

I feel that many of us are being called to take up some aspect of this mission – perhaps especially the members of this “boutique” forum. :) Who knows what you will be called to do. It might be something obviously related to w/d, or it might be something less obviously related, but that still utilizes what you’ve learned and that helps people.

This has been the single most helpful thing to my coping – coming to believe that this was happening for a good reason. And I was an atheist (although interested in psi) before this.

You might find the Vanguard essay helpful for making your suffering meaningful in the context of an historic moment of which you are part --

http://antidepressantwithdrawal.info...e-The-Vanguard

Thank you for sharing that link, Sheila. I suspect I will need to be reading that over and over as I go through this process so that I can remind myself of the "bigger picture" around all of this and my goal to help others.

[biscotaki]

Hi Shel,
I am saddened that you are having troubles ..But as Luc says, and by all accounts., tapering safely is doable...I am getting ready to taper Ativan, and I am frightened because it is a benzo with a short half life, and difficult to taper ..
Right now I am trying to get myself stable and functional before attempting a taper. Please hang in there.
I am thinking of you .. sending you healing thoughts ..
xx biscotaki

[shel]

Hi Biscotaki,

Thanks very much for your kind message and for the healing thoughts. It makes sense that you wait to start your Ativan taper until you feel more stable. I am glad we have one another as support through this process.

[stan]

Parox, i think there is no rule to taper, the only rules i see is to taper slowly, and that for some, it is very difficult and for other not so much(if i would not be switched i think my taper would be easier, but switch brutally complicates)

[shel]

I am not really sure why I am posting as things are pretty much the same. Last couple of days have been rough. Feeling very fatigued, no desire to do anything. Have had bouts of nausea, dry heaving this morning. Appetite still bad - I force myself to eat but don't have any desire to do so and the thought of food makes me feel ill. Stlll having the longest ever period - now going on 4 weeks (have an appointment later this week to start making sure nothing serious going on but I am sure it is just that my hormones are "out of whack"). Because of all of the above and just in general, have been struggling with depression, suicidal thoughts. Strangely the headache has been better the last couple of days and this has been nice to have a reprieve from(still there but not as bad). Still wondering if a lot of this is Zoloft withdrawal and not the Celexa. I haven't attempted a decrease again in Celexa as worried will just make the above worse. So basically still in limbo.