Quitting anti depressants after benzos

[[Re...]]

Hi all,

I too am starting to taper off AD. I have Remeron and Prozac to get rid of. I’ve had some people tell me to taper both at the same time since my brain is used to having the 2 drugs. What do you think? I haven’t been off benzos very long but I want to be drug free!!

[[Re...]]

hi there

 

i will tell you i waited 7 months before i quite the anti depresint meds. it was alot easier then comming off the benzo's but its takes about 4 weeks to 5 to start feeling better. i think each person heals at a diffrant pace.

 

you need to listen to your body aswell. i also changed my diet cut on my suger intake starches limeted and i personaly felt after 3 to 4 days noticed a huge improvment in my symtoms but thats what i did. 

 

 

if you do decide to come off the anti depresents consault with your GP first.

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/Smileys/standard/thumbsup.gif

hope this helps you and good luck 

 

Jang what antidepressant were you taking?

[[53...]]

i been off my ad for three weeks zoloft 150 mg it has not been easy time at all my anger has increased dramatically and i basically feel like crap .

[[su...]]

531290dog did you taper at all? I don't know about the doses of Zoloft but that seems like a large amount to taper from.

[[53...]]

yes i did taper from the zoloft i went down .025 every two weeks till i reached .075 milligrams then i went 10 percent every two weeks .

[[su...]]

So an update I'm doing good considering. I took a ten mg pill every other day for three weeks. Now I'm on week 4 and taking .5 mg which I will be doing for several weeks. I can't say much has changed yet except I'm sweating more to the point I have to shower at least several times a day. I'm still in a bad place from benzo w/d but don't think the drop in the antidepressant is doing much. Except making me sweat more and a little more tired in the morning.

I kinda need to vent a bit. My mood has been positive to get off benzos and now anti depressants which is a hard feat in itself. I'm on a third and final medication Geodon I have to stay on this for an underlying condition. A side effect of it can be weight gain but it is known to be somewhat weight neutral. I was on it 5 years before I was put on Prozac and my weight stayed normal and low. 

When I got put on Prozac with benzos and Geodon my weight went up 40 pounds overnight.  For this reason I believe the weight gain was caused by the Prozac. I have found this website so supportive I went onto a quitting antidepressant forum online. Not on this website. An entirely different one. I found a ten page thread half of which were women who were on anti depressants and gained weight usually around 20 to 40 pounds like me on it and were having trouble getting it off even while getting off the medication. I also read a Psychology Today article where a 40 pound significant weight gain is common with anti depressants and even when getting off of them people have trouble losing the weight.

All that happened after I added anti depressants was I gained weight so even in the horrible throws of benzo w/d I decided to do this taper which is going to make my life harder to hopefully get some of my life back which includes getting my body back.

 

Since there were so many women on the a/d forum struggling to lose weight caused by their a/d's I decided to make a thread about diets which have worked for people. Well an administrator of the site. Again not this one. She got on and told me since I was on Geodon and took Prozac the Prozac activated the side effects of the Geodon and caused my weight gain and I should reconsider taking all of these medications. There is no way for a doctor to even know if that is the case and my doctor said they never heard of anything like that. I told her I have an underlying condition which I need the Geodon for and she responded again 'if you really have to take it go ahead but that is whats causing your weight gain'. Seriously how does she know for sure when all of these women have weight gain from their a/d and I started gaining weight on the a/d. I was on Geodon 5 years and thin. Now she is implying because I was polydrugged I'm just screwed if I don't go off all of my medication. It's so reckless to be on a psych forum as an admin claiming all of this stuff that doctors don't even know and telling people their bodies are screwed unless they go off all of their psych meds. I'm not taking Geodon for fun or anything. It has a slew of bad side effects and I would love not to have an underlying psych condition where I could therefore keep my body totally pure and totally med free. I at least had hope for my future and getting my body back to normal but this women is making me feel hopeless.

 

I was talking to a Mom on this website about her son who has an underlying disorder and was polydrugged. Its a terrible thing that these drugs are just thrown at people haphazardly without weighing the side effects and how much they are needed. She was worried about her son having a manic episode or something coming off of the benzos and said poor thing spent most of the past months dealing with the side effects of coming off of different medication. It's too much but to imply someone with a psychiatric who absolutely needs to be medicated for that condition is wrong for taking any medication is reckless.  I was prescribed benzos as a fluke and all they did for me is give me a slew of anxiety and a slew of other stuff and just got me addicted and now have been hell to come off of. I think benzos are made for short term use and need to be used only in hospitals for that if at all. I do think other psych drugs are overprescribed and I don't think I personally needed Prozac for any condition. I was put on it because I was feeling bad due to life  circumstances which anyone would be feeling bad over. I think Benzos are poison really but the fact people are jumping on the band wagon and saying oh yeah so are all psych drugs and then you have administrators of websites for a/d's saying this it really discredits any movement to point out to doctors that benzos are not just harsh on side effects but brain damaging and should not be prescribed at all. Again I also think doctors should be careful about overprescribing and polydrugging and there should be a movement to cut this out too but sometimes people to do have conditions where a medication is needed which is not a benzos and they are not all equivalently as bad as benzos if needed.

 

Sorry that is the end if my rant. I really just need support like everyone on here that I can get my life back even if I have to stay on one non benzo pysch med and my body is not now chemically screwed b/c I was poly drugged as this administrator on an entirely different website, not this one (this one is great) keeps trying to convince me. So coming off Prozac a month now great ,hanging in there. Getting support from a/d websites not so great. I don't know why I'm bothering to come off of Prozac at this point and torture myself more if its already to late and I've ruined my body unless I come off all my medications according to this lady. Ugh. I'm so frustrated but I'm gonna keep going.

[[Ma...]]

What do you mean with "underlying issue"? Could you name that? I was once polydrugged also and I do not believe at all that there is such a thing like an underlying issue on this planet any more:-) just out of my experience. Without meds - I do not have anyhthing underlying anymore :laugh:

[[Ho...]]

Hi guys,

 

Is it better to taper the AD first or Benzo for sleep as some say. I've Been trying to come off Clonazepam since January and im thinking now to come off my AD first.

 

Thanks,

Hoops.

[[go...]]

I successfully tapered off Zoloft (50mg daily) a few months ago after about 2 years off benzos.  I went down to 25mg for 2 weeks, then 12.5mg for two weeks, then off. 

[[Ho...]]

How do you feel now after coming off of Sertraline ?

 

Also, how did it feel afterwards coming off the Valium in 2017 ??

 

Hoops.

[[go...]]

Hoops,

 

I'm OK.  A few things I've noticed coming off Sertraline:

 

I get angry MUCH easier.  This was especially true as I was tapering down. When I was on Sertraline, I didn't care about anything.  You could have literally knocked out my front teeth and I would have been like: "meh, I've got more." Now, little things set me off. This is getting better, though, but was really hard when I first came off. 

 

I get sad MUCH easier.  I'm not a crier.  Like, literally haven't cried since I was eight years old.  Not gonna lie, I welled up watching Toy Story 4 with my kids (didn't cry, but almost)!  I guess this is a healthy thing, but it's definitely new. 

 

Sex/Weight.  These are tough ones with all SSRIs.  Sex--for a while after being on Sertraline, I was totally fine.  Then, sort of suddenly, I turned off completely (literally, like a light switch flicking off).  It's not that I wanted

sex and couldn't; it's that the thought of sex was REPULSIVE to me.  This has changed, happily.  Weight--my

biggest problem on Sertaline was the carb cravings.  I was always hungry for carbs, specifically.  I think it was

causing havoc with my blood sugar, but if I didn't constantly eat, I would feel hungry to the point of nausea. So,

I gained weight. Now it's coming off, but very slowly. I'm not sure if this is from Sertraline, or just getting older,

but thankfully, I'm able to lose weight (or at least not gain weight).

 

So, all in all, fine.

 

Now, I know there are MANY on this board who found that tapering the SSRI was just as hard, if not harder, than

tapering benzos.  Everyone's experience is different, but for me, tapering Sertaline was a cakewalk compared with

tapering the benzo.  Both in terms of the severity of the side effects and the length of time needed to taper.  Again,

everyone is different-this was just my experience.

 

 

[[bo...]]

My last med I tapered was a benzo (Ativan). I tapered one med after the other and did not really take a rest between the taper. With the knowledge of today I would have paused for 3 months between the tapers. Cause you do not recover fully while still being on a psycho med. But this is just my personal opinion out of my experience. Congrats for having finished the first taper!!!

Hi Marigod, why did you taper the AD first, im debating whether to taper the ad and hold the K taper as the AD was stimulating ans scared of sleep issues

[[Ma...]]

My last med I tapered was a benzo (Ativan). I tapered one med after the other and did not really take a rest between the taper. With the knowledge of today I would have paused for 3 months between the tapers. Cause you do not recover fully while still being on a psycho med. But this is just my personal opinion out of my experience. Congrats for having finished the first taper!!!

Hi Marigod, why did you taper the AD first, im debating whether to taper the ad and hold the K taper as the AD was stimulating ans scared of sleep issues

 

Well when I started my project "to get rid of all my meds" I did not know anything about how to do a proper taper and I did not know the ashton protocol. So I started to test out which med I was most addicted to. And that was Ativan. That was very clear after one day without it. This was not a good idea how to test it out, but the idea that I would start with the medication that felt the most lightest or "not so bad" worked.

Somewhere I have read that its the best to keep the Benzo and start with the ADs but I do not remember the source.

If you have any kind of profit left from a med, I would keep that and taper it at last. But the goal should be to get rid of all of them.

In my opinion..

[[bo...]]

My last med I tapered was a benzo (Ativan). I tapered one med after the other and did not really take a rest between the taper. With the knowledge of today I would have paused for 3 months between the tapers. Cause you do not recover fully while still being on a psycho med. But this is just my personal opinion out of my experience. Congrats for having finished the first taper!!!

[/quote

Hi Marigod, why did you taper the AD first, im debating whether to taper the ad and hold the K taper as the AD was stimulating ans scared of sleep issues

 

Well when I started my project "to get rid of all my meds" I did not know anything about how to do a proper taper and I did not know the ashton protocol. So I started to test out which med I was most addicted to. And that was Ativan. That was very clear after one day without it. This was not a good idea how to test it out, but the idea that I would start with the medication that felt the most lightest or "not so bad" worked.

Somewhere I have read that its the best to keep the Benzo and start with the ADs but I do not remember the source.

If you have any kind of profit left from a med, I would keep that and taper it at last. But the goal should be to get rid of all of them.

In my opinion..

I know but that means being longer with the benzo, which I only took it for 5 months  and had awful  wd reactions...  maybe will reduce some off it and resume the K taper

[[bo...]]

Hi guys,

 

Is it better to taper the AD first or Benzo for sleep as some say. I've Been trying to come off Clonazepam since January and im thinking now to come off my AD first.

 

Thanks,

Hoops.

Hi I'm in the same situation bc another website  suggest to come of the AD first as it was stimulating the 2nd time I took it ... but that means being on the K more time

[[Ma...]]

My last med I tapered was a benzo (Ativan). I tapered one med after the other and did not really take a rest between the taper. With the knowledge of today I would have paused for 3 months between the tapers. Cause you do not recover fully while still being on a psycho med. But this is just my personal opinion out of my experience. Congrats for having finished the first taper!!!

[/quote

Hi Marigod, why did you taper the AD first, im debating whether to taper the ad and hold the K taper as the AD was stimulating ans scared of sleep issues

 

Well when I started my project "to get rid of all my meds" I did not know anything about how to do a proper taper and I did not know the ashton protocol. So I started to test out which med I was most addicted to. And that was Ativan. That was very clear after one day without it. This was not a good idea how to test it out, but the idea that I would start with the medication that felt the most lightest or "not so bad" worked.

Somewhere I have read that its the best to keep the Benzo and start with the ADs but I do not remember the source.

If you have any kind of profit left from a med, I would keep that and taper it at last. But the goal should be to get rid of all of them.

In my opinion..

I know but that means being longer with the benzo, which I only took it for 5 months  and had awful  wd reactions...  maybe will reduce some off it and resume the K taper

 

As I said - this is a decision only you can make. If you feel better starting with the benzo, do it!! Trust your gut and start your taper! Best wishes!

[[Re...]]

Marigold, are you completely healed?

[[Cr...]]

Has anyone come off of anti depressants after benzo w/d? I'm just a little over 3 months off clorazapam. I was put on the lowest dose of prozac a year ago during a rough time. I could only tolerate a low dose. I gained a huge amount of weight though since being on it and now even with diet and more exercise (i still can't do too much) its really not coming off.  I don't think I need the medication really and if anything its making me miserable bc of the added weight. Normally I would def. just come off it but I'm sacred since I'm still in w/d. Has anyone come off of an anti depressant after benzo w/d?

No mate, I came off my AD well before my Valium. I'm slow-tapering my Valium now. I cold turkeyed my Paxil (Paroxetine) after 2 days, been off three weeks now with no ill effects. When I did take it, my word, I thought I was having a seizure. Literally. Had hallucinations, uncontrollable hand/finger tremors, blinding headaches, a real yucky, medicine-like taste, I dry wretched for about 30 minutes straight, I walked around like a zombie, I HATED Paxil! I was glad to throw my five repeats and 100 tablets in the garbage where they belong!!!

 

Nowadays, three weeks off the Paxil crap, I'm back at the gym, walking my disabled mum around, playing basketball and everything. My advice is to get off ANY anti-depressant before the benzo.

[[Cr...]]

What do you mean with "underlying issue"? Could you name that? I was once polydrugged also and I do not believe at all that there is such a thing like an underlying issue on this planet any more:-) just out of my experience. Without meds - I do not have anyhthing underlying anymore :laugh:

Oh dear. There is no such thing as an "underlying issue" with the distribution of SSRI's and benzos. It's the type of bulldung that doc's say to patients because Big Pharma tell them to.

[[Ma...]]

What do you mean with "underlying issue"? Could you name that? I was once polydrugged also and I do not believe at all that there is such a thing like an underlying issue on this planet any more:-) just out of my experience. Without meds - I do not have anyhthing underlying anymore :laugh:

Oh dear. There is no such thing as an "underlying issue" with the distribution of SSRI's and benzos. It's the type of bulldung that doc's say to patients because Big Pharma tell them to.

 

the original poster said he or she could not stop the last med because of an underlying issue. Thats why I asked.

[[Cr...]]

What do you mean with "underlying issue"? Could you name that? I was once polydrugged also and I do not believe at all that there is such a thing like an underlying issue on this planet any more:-) just out of my experience. Without meds - I do not have anyhthing underlying anymore :laugh:

Oh dear. There is no such thing as an "underlying issue" with the distribution of SSRI's and benzos. It's the type of bulldung that doc's say to patients because Big Pharma tell them to.

 

the original poster said he or she could not stop the last med because of an underlying issue. Thats why I asked.

Oh, I see. I agree with you though Marigold1. It's just the tripe that GP's feed their patient's to keep them coming back all the time. No such thing as an "underlying issue".

[[Su...]]

I agree with everyone that healing completely from the benzos before weaning slowly off the a/d is huge. It sounds like you had no help, basically, with the benzo withdrawal and I have been there. I had zero help with getting off high dose (pain clinic) methadone and did it in an erratic, very taxing way. Then, once off that I started having sxs from Lyrica, another very dangerous mind-altering drug I had been on for over 10 years. I found my own way to get off that or I think I would not have made it- my Dr was clueless. I was doing well and decided to just CT my Paxil which I had been on for 25 years. I don't think I ever really needed it. But dear me- they get you on something and getting off isn't mentioned and I had no clue, the times I tried to get off and had sxs that the sxs didn't mean I 'needed' it chemically. No help. But unfortunately I had an extreme reaction for months when I figured out it was from the paxil WD. I think my brain was not well from the lyrica at that time. I found similar stories and saw no light at the end of the tunnel. I had actually never had any problems with the Paxil. I just wanted off but I went back on and it was months later when xanax and morphine were added when I was having such a horrible time with chronic pain. I had no idea about benzos. When I decided I didn't want to get addicted to the xanax it was too late, quit CT and only when I had severe sxs and found BB did I get help. So that is my first thing to address and I am on a very slow taper off it. I will taper far longer it seems than I took it originally but I want my poor brain to heal properly. I know people on here have stories of sxs months and months and months after their last does of a benzo. So allowing time for good days and bad days and knowing you are having no more sxs from the benzo wd would be my best guess. I haven't studied how people taper off ADs but I would be tempted to do it as slowly as the benzo if I am ready to do that. The horrible dark place, tachycardia, insomnia, crazy thoughts, dizziness, severe nausea and anorexia, fainting, waking in a panic many times a night- it was worse than any of the other drugs I've stopped when I quit Paxil. I was just not at a place to see that it would ever get better. Prayers for your journey and having the help and support you need.

[[ma...]]

Hello 

Could anyone here answer this doubt I have http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=225653.0. I needed to know in order to plan the rest of my taper.

Thank you in advance!

[[Ma...]]

I think as long as you are on a medication the wish to feel stable just won't happen to come true. There is no stability under meds. Even if you feel stable enough to start the next taper, a little change can bring you into a feeling of "I cannot make it" in a minute.

For me, it was clear, that I had to do one after the other without feeling healed or stable after the taper before.. In the end, I am happy I did it like I felt I had to. Even if it was too fast.

[[Re...]]

Sunlit how are you doing? Are you completely off the Prozac now? And how is your weight? I’m attempting to start tapering off sertraline....