Does Antidepressants help make taper easier?

Does Antidepressants help make taper easier?

AD meds then have to be tapered eventually so be careful with them. I was offered Trazadone to help sleep while i taper off Valium and I said no as i didn't want to be stuck on another pill - just my thoughts.

I've been on Celexa since 2011 and mirtazapine since 2015, before I started benzos in 2016. Tapering off the xanax now. And my taper has been pretty easy compared to most. I don't know if that's a recommendation for antidepressants or not. I have no plan to come off either of them soon.

There may be some that help but it’s up to you whether you want to live a life of being dependent on a drug(s) or not.  My personal preference is “not”.  Been there, done that, did not help.

Soberhope???, I am currently using trazedone to help me sleep during my taper n whenever I do jump. The Dr REASSURED me that it’s non addictive and you don’t have to be tapered or ween off them like Benzo or SSRIs. Do you think their addictive? Because I got bad addictive personality traits. Ughh

Hi Nick -

 

I really don't know much about Trazadone and was tempted to take it to help with sleep but then read it has to be tapered too.

 

If it is helping then I wouldn't get off of it until you are off the benzo.

 

Here is a link I found online:

 

https://www.greenhousetreatment.com/trazodone/withdrawal/

 

I am sure you will be fine - focus on getting free of the benzo before you do anything.

Also Nick, I wouldn't do too fast a taper - if you are able to go slow I think that is the best way to taper. I am doing a DLMT to go from 3mg of Valium to 0, cutting 5% to start every 2 weeks.

 

Is there a reason you have to go fast?

Says it causes Anxiety!  What's the use of taking that?

Did you read all the side effects of these AD?

Side Effects are bad from what I have read.

Because I’m forced too by ER doctor here in N.S Canada. I was lucky enough to get the last tapering prescription. So once these are done I’m jumping (whether it’s fast or not) don’t have the energy to keep fighting with the health care system saying it’s too soon, same system that put me on them to begin with plus my family says low doses just stop Doctors say low doses just stop. I know it’s too fast and only ones that truly understand are the ones who experienced it themselves (you guys) but many jumped too at higher doses so I’m just done fighting and going taper what I have left then think positive thoughts and try coping mechanisms while I fight for months to adjust back to normal production of GABA before I started these Benzo. Wish me luck. Ty

I'm so sorry you're stuck with that awful health care in Canada but the docs here aren't much better to be honest.  They are also forcing the same stuff on us as well.  My GP threatened to cut me off WHILE I am TAPERING!  I've only been on this a year!  It's ridiculous.

 

    If you have no other choices, I understand totally.  Even Heather Ashton suggests AD when you get close to the lower doses to help you get off.  And we don't get all those sxs from the ADs I heard.  So I not only wish you the best, I' will pray for your healing as well and I hope that does not offend.  So many who do not believe in GOD, so I do not wish to offend anyone.  But I will pray for you Nick. 

Deliver us all from this evil Lord, I pray in Jesus Name AMEN (SO BE IT).

Don't panic Nick - I am sure you will be fine when you jump and if the Trazadone is helping then don't worry about that either.

 

Wishing you the best. Always reach out if you want to talk, rant or need support!

I would not have made it this far without Lexapro. I was having out of control anxiety and was barely functional/ agoraphobic at about the halfway point of my taper. I was about to call it quits when my wife persuaded me to start the Lexapro my doc had prescribed a month earlier. ( I was resistant to adding a med). The first 5-7 days it actually made my anxiety much worse. And somewhere around the 10 day point I was able to go shopping and to the gym without fear. Within a month I was 90% of my old self. I was able to speed up my taper rate as well.

I was not previously on a SSRI/AD for 6 years prior. My previous one pooped out and I was relying on Klonopin for situational anxiety. Not a good choice in hindsight.

Getting off an SSRI (if I choose to)will be a cakewalk compared to what I went through so I have no worries.

I understand many members here are anti psych drug and many are choosing to withdraw from all meds which is absolutely fine. I felt that way as well at first. However, my thinking was clouded by the rumination, fear and negative thought processes that occur during withdrawal. My quality of life has greatly improved and my withdrawal has become tolerable.

In the end everyone is different and we must all find our own path. There are no blueprints for this process.

I tried every SSRI/AD in the book, they all didn’t work. I finally came to the light and realized that no matter what pills I take to try to hide my past mistakes stress worries and anxiety will never take it away just mask it so I’m just going learn to accept what I can’t control and put my trust in a greater power above. Plus music seems to be a relaxer at some stress filled lonely days. I love the song amazing by Aerosmith, I swear Steven Tyler wrote that song for Benzo withdrawal lol. It relates so much to the process we all feel and life we all want back. Not a big Aerosmith fan but now love that song

RadDad - I am glad Lexapro is working for you. I would take an AD to help with my tough taper but I don't know if I could take 5-10 days of feeling crappy at this point - that's the only thing that scares me.

 

Nick - Steven Tyler battled benzo addiction. I bet that song is about his overcoming benzos. I am going to google it now.

I have to say that LexPro has been a huge help but only after the adjustment period and increased anxiety subsided.  I don’t regret it and don’t mind if I have to stay on it for life.

https://www.mind-and-brain.institute/antidepressants/the-antidepressant-debate-in-the-new-york-times/

 

The above link discusses the emotional blunting that occurs with long term antidepressant use.  To me that is a very unhealthy way to live.  After 20 years on those drugs as well as benzo’s and more,  I am so thrilled to really feel how I feel and be processing those God given feelings as they arise. I am a real human being again thanks to succeeding at getting off all those drugs, with real human emotions.  It has taken a long time to get where I am today.  Never again.

 

I'm so sorry you're stuck with that awful health care in Canada but the docs here aren't much better to be honest.  They are also forcing the same stuff on us as well.  My GP threatened to cut me off WHILE I am TAPERING!  I've only been on this a year!  It's ridiculous.

 

    If you have no other choices, I understand totally.  Even Heather Ashton suggests AD when you get close to the lower doses to help you get off.  And we don't get all those sxs from the ADs I heard.  So I not only wish you the best, I' will pray for your healing as well and I hope that does not offend.  So many who do not believe in GOD, so I do not wish to offend anyone.  But I will pray for you Nick. 

Deliver us all from this evil Lord, I pray in Jesus Name AMEN (SO BE IT).

 

Please show a link to where Dr. Ashton suggests taking an AD at any stage of the withdrawal process.  My understanding is quite the opposite.  Thank you.

 

 

 

Monkeypig - how long was the adjustment period and what were the benefits you felt from Lexapro - did you start it while you were tapering?

Whoopsie -

 

I was wondering too re: Ashton. I read something about ADs that were very old school maybe helping but then read about those ADs and was like, ummmm...no.

There may be some that help but it’s up to you whether you want to live a life of being dependent on a drug(s) or not.  My personal preference is “not”.  Been there, done that, did not help.

Hi did you taper the other meds. before klonopin?

I feel I will have to get of celexa  at some point because was given to me with klonopin to lessen the celexa effects 

I was on Lexapro for a year and Klonopin for 4 months.  I tapered down the Klonopin first and did it in 1 month with 25% drops each week with absolutely no issues at all.  I think the Lexapro helped with that.  I would never go that quickly without the Lexapro.  This was five years ago when I was healthier and had a more stable nervous system.  Even now, I would not be that aggressive with a taper under those same circumstances today.  The Lexapro on the other hand took me 7 months to get off of comfortably after having only been on it for a year.  Mind you I had very minimal symptoms and when I did have them, I would either hold or go back up to the previous dose and hold there for awhile.

I choose to take ssri because of ocd which I have on top of anxiety. I have been on Zoloft then Prozac after Zoloft burnt out. This is 20 years now. I started Xanax roughly two years ago and am tapering it now. I have found my taper to be smooth so far and have no desire to come off Prozac. I'm on that for life. Just a little fyi. Zoloft and paxil have cleared my ocd completely and probably are helping my clonazepam taper as my symptoms aren't nearly as bad as some I hear on here.

There may be some that help but it’s up to you whether you want to live a life of being dependent on a drug(s) or not.  My personal preference is “not”.  Been there, done that, did not help.

Hi did you taper the other meds. before klonopin?

I feel I will have to get of celexa  at some point because was given to me with klonopin to lessen the celexa effects 

 

Hi Bonty ... I tapered all 4 drugs at once.  I was not online at the time and didn’t think about there being another way.  Are you on Surviving Antidepressants. .Org?  I wonder what order they recommend?  I just want to wish you strength and courage for your journey off meds.

I listened to this professor in CALI about our DNA and our Genes.  His studies revealed why we are all so different.  Apparently ppl who are OCD do well on ADs.  I am not OCD.  He also said that some of us have too much Methyl something and ADs don't work with us.  How do you know if you have too much?  You are not competitive (that's me), you do not try to prove yourself, you do not have OCD, you are not detailed.....you tend to be a little anxious at times.......all of that is me.  He said ADs don't work on this type of personality.  So I'm not going to bother.  It would only make me more anxious.  I've never been anxious before but since the Benzos, well, they do a job on us.

 

  He also recommended Nutrients.  There are more Methyl needed for OCD persons and ppl like me have too much.  In other words, Serotonin is bad for me.  I never feel depressed.  However, ppl who get depressed have too little serotonin......and need more.  This is why we have to get tested and checked out by ppl who know what you need and replace what we need for each individual.

 

  Their website is www.advancedresearchwellness.com and they are on YOUTUBE if you want to watch him.  Very interesting stuff. 

 

  They are not big into medicines and believe they only harm the body and neurotransmitters. 

 

  I called someone in our state who does this, but it is OUT OF POCKET.....and when I begin to feel a bit more stabilized on my taper, I think I'll go see them and see if their treatment can help me.