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Alternative medicine

Posted , 5 users are following.

michael_37726
michael_37726

Hi everyone

Have been on antidepressants for 32 years and nothing ever helped so after all this time I decided to stop taking them. The last one was venalfaxine and so hard to stop so I done a 8 month taper and took my last dose 2 weeks ago. It's been hell with withdrawal symptoms but feel they are going away now. I went to see a herbalist a few weeks back and she made me up a bottle of tincture to take. Like everything it don't work straight away but am starting to feel some benifits now, I'm also taking vitamin B and omega3 also started taking 5 htp which is a natural antidepressant and no nasty side effects. The last 2 weeks have been hell I felt suicidal to be honest but I guess that because my brain was trying to adjust after 32 years taking them drugs. I'm starting to feel better now not wonderfully but there is a definate change I still feel it hard to function as feel so tired and not motivated to do anything but I'm starting to feel a bit more calm and not panicky or anxious so this is all good and hoping that as each day passes I will get better. Ps I'm not posting this to tell people not to take there meds as that would be very wrong and dangerous, I just thought it would be good to share this so people are aware that there are other ways to deal with this awful illness. For some people the meds work well and that great keep on taking them as we have to keep doing what works for us. But for me the antidepressants are no longer for me and I'm going to keep trying what I'm doing now and see how it goes 

1 like, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • nicki16559
    nicki16559 michael_37726

    Posted

    I'm also med free since may...the withdrawal was horrendous. I also take b complex and fish oil. The anxiety comes and goes and today has been really bad...x
    • abella
      abella nicki16559

      Posted

      Hi Nicki

      Sorry you are having a bad day. Do you think its withdrawal symptoms still? Have you tried 5htp or SAMe?

      All the very very best and I hope your day tomorrow will be a lot better.

      Hugs xxx

  • abella
    abella michael_37726

    Posted

    Hi Michael

    I am doing just what you are doing now so it will be good to compare notes. I have been on antidepressants for 30 years and they worked well for me, but I started to get some strange side effects which I think may have been caused by long term drug use. Tremor and nightmares and restlessness and creeping crawling feelings under my skin ringing ears and irregular heartbeats. Just to name a few. LOL.

    Anyway I am taking 5htp, magnesium,B12 and I have juggled the dosage to make me feel good. I was taking way too much and felt tired and wierd a bit like I think you are describing. I am now down to 100mg a day taken in 3 doses and so far so good. Really really happy with my decision so far and hoping I can stay off the meds.

    Keep in touch and good luck too.

    • michael_37726
      michael_37726 abella

      Posted

      Hi abella 

      Nice to hear from someone that is doing the same as me. The prescription meds have done me more harm than good to be honest and that was confirmed today by my GP. I'm having an op soon so had to go for a  pre op two weeks ago and they took blood samples from me anyway to cut a long story short I had a letter from the hospital to say I must get a doc appointment due to my blood test results. I had the appointment today and my test show that I have a problem with my adrenal glands and my liver. I don't drink alcohol so asked my GP why this could of happened and he said it may well be from years off taking antidepressants as there is no other explanation for it. Just goes to prove what these drugs can do if taken for so long. I hope we can keep in touch about how we both progress with the alternative meds x

    • loxie
      loxie michael_37726

      Posted

      Good luck to you Michael, I really wish you well in your fight against this horrible disease and I hope that you find real benefits by going the natural route.  I was on Citalopram but only for a year or two and I had a really nasty allergic reaction to it and begged my doctor to understand it wasn't just side effects and to let me stop.  I decided not to take other drugs but to try to get through it with self help and natural remedies too.  Vitamin D3 is very good at lifting your mood, have a read about it.  I too had issues with my adrenal gland and an excess of Cortisol which was threatening my heart health.  I have suggested adrenal issues many times to my doctors as a possible cause of some of the symptoms I've had and to be honest, they've ignored it or shaken their heads to suggest I'm talking nonsence.  I finally got one to listen and yes I had abnormally high cortisol readings - my GP stated it was as a result of stress and that taking yet more anti-depressants would help it, I refused yet again.  My liver function was damaged due to statins, which I also now refuse to take any longer.  I've got to the point where I don't trust any pharmaceuticals any more, they all seem to have such toxic side effects.  I struggle at times and do get easily upset but at least I'm functioning and without poisoning my brain and my body.  Stay strong and I send you a big hug to get better soon. xx
    • michael_37726
      michael_37726 loxie

      Posted

      Thanks loxie

      I will beat this I do feel weak at the moment but this will pass. Although I feel weak I know I'm strong really as I have beaten a lot of things in my life through pure determination, I beat alcoholism and smoking in the last 6 years so I know I do have inner strength although it don't feel like it at the moment. Thanks for your kind words and good luck to you too xx

    • anne240
      anne240 abella

      Posted

      Hi Abella I was on anti depressants for 20 years, and like you want to try without.  I tried 5HTP and St John's Wort, but did not make any difference.  However I find any tablets with valerian, passion flower and hops helps, like Kalms or Quiet Life.  I also take vitamin D, Vitamin B complex, Omega3, Multi vitamins and minerals, and Cod Liver Oil.  It is 16 months since I came off anti depressants and am doing pretty well, just mild anxiety.  I have not rriued magnesium. 

      Like you, happy with my decision.  Hoping we do well after all those depression years on meds. 

      Take care.

      Anne

    • anne240
      anne240 loxie

      Posted

      Hey Loxie, I am so with you on this.  Let us hope we can manage without prescribed medication.  As you will see from my other posts here, I take supplements which I feel are helping. 

      Take care and keep in touch.  Lovely to have others who are doing as I am and trying to do without medication.

    • abella
      abella anne240

      Posted

      Hi Anne

      Thanks for your support. Its good to hear from all of you who have taken the step towards freedom from antidepressant medications. My 5htp has valerian and hops and passionflower added so just might be ok for me. So far

      so good. Im a worrier too, but dont need the extra worry of the long term side effects of antidepressants! I thought I might have parkinsons disease which lead me to research prozac and discovered long term use can cause parkinsonism. Pretty serious side effect really.

      Heres to all of us. May we live without prescriptions!

  • susan5353
    susan5353 michael_37726

    Posted

    Great Job Michael, I have been antidepressant free for about 2 months after about 25 years on them.  I withdrew from 225 mg of effexor but probably did it to quickly.  I tapered off in less then 2 months like you said the side effects were horrific but that told me just how bad the drug really is.  I am afraid to take anything other then clonazpam for sleep.  I was doing really good until I went back to my stressful job and now I am right back where I started depressed, anxiety and feeling like I am going to lose my fricking mind...  This illness really sucks.  
    • michael_37726
      michael_37726 susan5353

      Posted

      Yes it sucks that's for sure but all we can do is keep battling on and hope we find a way to beat it x
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