Weaning Off Anti-depressants And Anti Anxiety Medications. How To Deal With Arising Feelings?

[The Albatross]

Anxiety is unpleasant, but it is not fatal. Chronically uncomfortable is what I termed the feeling. It takes a while to normalize things that were previously avoided. It is the way though of growth. It takes (to use an analogy) A goodly degree of effort and some uncomfortableness for a seed to break through the husk and rise through the ground to the sunlight.

 

[maddog]

I'm really hearing you Ms Spock, hearing the exhaustion and effort of merely existing. I know this place, and it hurts, deeply, and can feel very lonely and as though it will never ever end. As I keep telling myself every day, whenever I am able, it will end, because feelings and feeling states always do. Your mind and body are going through revolutionary change and are understandably struggling to keep all of the balls of past and present in the air. But small steady steps are still steps, and you are pushing yourself forward each day with what sounds like a very healthy mix of goals and self care, even though the latter is probably even harder and more uncomfortable than the former.

You're doing great, it's easier for someone on the outside to look in and see that objectively, so try to take to heart that we here are really recognizing the value of the fact that you are getting out, keeping your head above water, and pushing forward through each of those slow steady steps.

It will get easier. We don't ever quite know when or how, but it will. I think maybe this is the most important mantra of all, and it's true!

Maddog

 

[ms spock]

The anxiety this morning was rugged. I still meditated this morning.

 

[ms spock]

Going back on the medication for a week to see how I go. On half a tablet from tonight.

Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread.

I will be back but for now this is what I need to do.

 

[The Albatross]

There is usually a therapeutic "load" dose for most medications. I do hope you are doing this on the advice of your therapist and under supervision?

 

[ms spock]

There is usually a therapeutic "load" dose for most medications. I do hope you are doing this on the advice of your therapist and under supervision?

Yes The Albatross, my psychiatrist suggested this today. We are going to see what the minimum amount is that works for me, for a period of time.

 

[The Albatross]

Good enough. As you get some relief, perhaps you and your therapist could draw some conclusions about your experiences and how you were coping without the med. Chalk it up to experience, learn and grow.

 

[ms spock]

I am not exactly pleased but I am not going to stress over it either.

Quite a bit has come up whilst I was off the meds so that is stuff I can work on.

I have experienced a bit and I will learn and grow.

 

[Jacob's Journey]

I found this thread while looking to see how long withdrawal symptoms can last and what they might be. I am amazed and distressed by all I have read.

My son is 18 and multiply disabled. when he hit 15 1/2, he started having some aggression and was given xanax, which he didn't like. Then we tried Klonipin, which he again didn't like. No one told us not to just stop the meds, but with his refusing to take them that's what he did. He then suffered 2 seizures from withdrawal. At this time, they put him on Depakote and Risperdal. The next couple years were hell with severe self-injury, several stays in a behavioral center, increasing meds, etc.

In Nov. 2012 I finally requested he be removed from Depakote. This helped some of his more extreme self injury, but not all. So again, they increase his Risperdal but things still don't stop. In July 2013, I requested they try something else so they put him on Abilify and Klonopin. Now he crying and having major emotional swings.

Then I request that we stop everything to get a ad on his baseline behavior. We wean off the Klonopin and Abilify. We have Ativan .5 in case of emergency. On a day that he is doing well, he does not get his Ativan and that night suffers a seizure. The ER doc says to be sure he gets an Ativan each day while he is coming off the other meds to avoid future seizures.

Some days he has a wonderful day, happy, laughing, calm. Other days, like today, he seems to want to rip his skin off and the Ativan does nothing. I see those of you coming off meds can verbalize what you feel but he can't. I can see him trying to stay in control but the feelings overwelm him and he scratches at his face, eyes, hands, kicks out at furniture and hurts himself. I feel so bad nd don't know how to help him through this. He is attending school and has a tough time there.

It seems better at home, because we can better control the environment? Loud noises can set him off, he isn't eating, his sleep is so screwed up. Is this normal and how long will he suffer from this?

 

[mamachick]

I had no money for my anti depressant and 5 days without, I called my adult daughter, (sleep talking I guess). My head buzzes and feels like when I turn my head, my brain and vision is 3 seconds behind. Today while stuck in a drive thru line for coffee and car in front and behind, I had to open my door and hurl several times. I kept thinking of the poor person behind me, Im sure they did not want their order anymore. LOL

Adjusting medication is no easy task. Stopping cold turkey is dangerous to say the least.
Jacob I am really sorry for what you are going through. It is much different as a parent than those of us who can self report.
My heart goes out to you.

 

[cherryblossom]

Welcome to the forum Jacob's Journey. Does your son have PTSD? I only ask because you haven't mentioned it all and I am wondering if you are on the right forum to seek advice?

 

[Jacob's Journey]

He has not been diagnosed with that issue, probably due to his disabilities. He has had multiple surgeries, hospital stays, and shows much fear regarding possible re-hospitialization and doctors. I was following this thread mainly due to the withdrawal process from the same medications.