Withdrawal of medicines

[rksn]

Is anyone going through withdrawal of medicines, as advised by my psychiatrist, as they're not helping for both anxiety and depression?

[Chris72FibroBipolar]

What have they stopped you from taking?

[rksn in reply to Chris72FibroBipolar]

My psychiatrist has taken a conscious decision to gradually taper and withdraw all medicines. This is because none of them are helping me either for anxiety or depression.. So he wants to wean out all medicines, and see how i fare without medicines, for as long a period as possible.

[Chris72FibroBipolar in reply to rksn]

It sounds to me like you need something as you aren't coping without meds. Go back to your GP and explain how you feel. May I ask what meds you were taking

[rksn in reply to Chris72FibroBipolar]

Meds have not had any significant impact on me for decades. But as we know, the trial & error method of finding the right combination continues. I've changed psychiatrists who have all been doing the same thing. Fortunately, I'm currently under the guidance of a straight forward psychiatrist who has gone through my entire case records and then taken this decision. I'm ok with this, as i myself know that meds have not worked for me. I'm not saying that my earlier psychiatrists were not good or straight forward. All of them tried their level best.

[Chris72FibroBipolar in reply to rksn]

CBT may be the answer for you hopefully 🙏. It didn't work for me I've tried it 3 times

[rksn in reply to Chris72FibroBipolar]

I also tried CBT 2 times and it didn't help. Currently, I've just started a different kind of psychotherapy called 'Recovery oriented services with a strength based approach' Hopefully this may start helping me, after i get over the withdrawal symptoms of meds. 🙏 In your case i think the meds are your your life line, and so you must continue with them. May be you can think of reduction, only after your condition stabilizes and you become episode free.

[Chris72FibroBipolar in reply to rksn]

Good luck with that keep me updated please. We're all friends on here and to try and help each other 🙏💖 Chris 🫂

[rksn in reply to Chris72FibroBipolar]

Sure! ❤❤🙏

[SameTimeTomorrow7]

Last year I tried to stop my regimen with sertraline and it was a disaster. I resumed the dosage and things have generally been better. I have now come to realize that I will be on this drug (or one like it) for the rest of my life.

I'm surprised by your psychiatrist's decision. Usually, in my experience, a recommendation is made to switch to another drug. One of them, or a combination of drugs, may address the problem. You may want to ask him or her why this wasn't tried.

[rksn in reply to SameTimeTomorrow7]

Doesn't matter. If the meds are helping you, there's nothing wrong in taking it throughout your life. Any change in the regimen should be attempted only if there is a valid reason to do so and with the concurrence and guidance of your psychiatrist. In my case all possible combinations of meds have been tried in the last 35 years with no success. Starting from Imipramine right upto Vortioxetine.

[SameTimeTomorrow7]

I'm sorry to hear that. Do you know the reason why? Maybe some kind of metabolic disorder?

[rksn in reply to SameTimeTomorrow7]

Depression is a metabolic disorder in all cases of endogenous depression/severe MDD.

[Beevee]

Very sorry to learn of your suffering and know how it feels.I wrote a post a couple of years ago about treatment resistant anxiety and depression and think the decision to taper off all medication could be a really good thing.

I recovered without medication... anyone can.

Anxiety and depression is only "treatment resistant" because you cannot recover if you continue to struggle against the symptoms. This includes avoidance, suppression of deliberate distraction, to stop those feelings.

If you fully surrender yourself to them and feel all symptoms willingly, come what may, peace of mind and body will return. This is the right way to cope with the symptoms.

Anxiety, and the depression that develops is resistant to all methods and techniques designed to stop those negative thoughts and feelings, to feel better. It is also resistant to any form of struggle. All that does is add more stress and tension to an already stressed and tense person so nothing changes.

It is not resistant to having a genuine attitude of acceptance. By accepting or allowing the symptoms to be present and waving the white flag of surrender, the sufferer no longer adds more stress and strain to the symptoms of stress and strain and creates the space for recovery to happen.

Best wishes ❤️

[rksn in reply to Beevee]

Thank you so much for your post. 🙏🙏🙏 He took this decision to withdraw all medicines only after going through all my case records. He's a man of great detail and has advised me to maintain a log book. So i just sent him a long message on the terrible withdrawal symptoms that I'm going through. Now he wants to know what thoughts and feelings I'm going through. I just drafted a long message and was hesitating whether to send it to him or not. This is because i was very scared that might later on suggest Ketamine, ECT, rTMS.... which i cannot withstand, as my physical body condition is very poor due to severe somatic symptoms.

Tradazone (taken for 6 months) and Flupentixol + Melitracen (taken for 1 month) already tapered and stopped. Currently tapering Clonazepam. Then the last to stop will be Quetiapine.

[Beevee in reply to rksn]

If you have no other ongoing problem other than struggling to cope with the symptoms of anxiety and depression [depletion is a more accurate description] look up Dr Claire Weekes and practice her teachings in full.

[rksn in reply to Beevee]

Thanks 🙏No other ongoing problem. Going through psychotherapy - "Recovery oriented services with a strength based approach"

[Beevee in reply to rksn]

No idea what that is 🙂 but if it involves accepting all emotions and allowing yourself to fall into any emotional state with zero resistance, fully embrace it.

Bend like a willow tree in the face of a storm. Nothing will break.

❤️