Have you tried other psychiatric meds for WD symptoms?

Please share what did and didn't work.

Haven't received any responses. If you've tried diff psychiatric drugs for WD symptoms such a depression, anxiety, DP/DR - please share your experience, publicly or privately.

Thank you.

I’ve received mixed reviews on this. I started a thread on this a few months back and didn’t know what to make of the responses. I’ve know plenty of folks back in the day that got put on ssri for life after kicking a drug a habit (benzo/opiates) and are fine and doing well. Most people here said to avoid like the plague.

 

Im at a point where I can’t take the depression anymore. 13 months off benzos now.

Who are those 'plenty of people'? I want to talk to one about this.

Hi Nony,

 

There are many threads on the subject of SSRI's, I'm assuming that's what you're asking about?  If you'll scroll down on this board you can join in the conversation if you don't get many replies.  I'd like to point out what Professor Ashton had to say about antidepressants. 

EXTRA MEDICATION DURING BENZODIAZEPINE WITHDRAWAL

 

"Is there any medication I can take to help me through withdrawal?" This question is sometimes asked by people embarking on a benzodiazepine tapering program. In contrast, others are so against drugs when they decide on withdrawal that they are loth to take anything, even the simplest pain killer. The answer to the first question is that there is no medication which will substitute for a benzodiazepine, unless it is another benzodiazepine, or a drug with benzodiazepine-like properties (such as barbiturates or zolpidem [Ambien]). All such drugs should be avoided as they only substitute one type of dependence for another. (There is a method, advocated by some US doctors, in which phenobarbitone, a long-acting barbiturate, is substituted for a benzodiazepine and then slowly withdrawn, but this method has no particular advantages over tapering directly from a long-acting benzodiazepine).

 

However, there are some drugs which may help to control particular symptoms in withdrawal and which deserve consideration in certain situations though not recommended for routine use. Usually they will only be required temporarily, but they can sometimes ease a difficult situation and enable the user to proceed with the withdrawal program.

 

Antidepressants. Antidepressants are the most important adjuvant drugs to consider in withdrawal. As mentioned before, depression can be a real problem in withdrawal and can sometimes be severe enough to pose a risk of suicide, though this is unusual with slow tapering. Like any other depression, the depression in withdrawal responds to antidepressant drugs and is probably caused by the same chemical changes in the brain. Both the "old fashioned" tricyclic antidepressants (doxepin [sinequan], amitriptyline [Elavil]) and the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs; fluoxetine [Prozac], paroxetine [Paxil]) can be effective and an antidepressant drug may be indicated if depression is severe. There is a school of thought, mainly amongst ex-tranquilliser users, that is opposed to the taking of any other drugs during withdrawal. But suicides have occurred in several reported clinical trials of benzodiazepine withdrawal. If depression is severe during benzodiazepine withdrawal as in any other situation, it seems foolhardy to leave it untreated.

 

There are, however, some disadvantages with antidepressants. One is that they take 2-3 weeks or more to become really effective. This means that the patient, and his/her mentor, must be on the look-out for depression so that treatment, if advised by the doctor, can start early. The second drawback is that anxiety may be temporarily worsened at the start of treatment either with tricyclics or SSRIs. This is a particular risk during benzodiazepine withdrawal when anxiety levels are usually high. To avoid aggravation of anxiety, it is important to start with the lowest possible dose of an antidepressant and then work up slowly, over two or three weeks. Do not be persuaded by your doctor to start immediately on the "therapeutic" dose for depression. There are also fears that antidepressants such as Prozac may in some patients induce an agitated, violent or suicidal state at the start of treatment; low initial dosage and careful monitoring may avoid this risk.

 

It is usually possible to continue with slow benzodiazepine tapering while starting on an antidepressant, although some may prefer to halt their programme for 2-3 weeks until the antidepressant has "taken hold" (but increasing the benzodiazepine dose should be strenuously avoided). Antidepressants not only alleviate depression but also, after 2-3 weeks, have anti-anxiety effects. They are in fact a better long-term treatment than benzodiazepines for anxiety, panic and phobic disorders, and may in some cases actively help the benzodiazepine withdrawal process.

 

Once started on an antidepressant for depression, the treatment should be continued for some months (usually about 6 months) to avoid recurrence of the depression. Benzodiazepine tapering can continue during this time, and the antidepressant will sometimes act as a welcome umbrella during the last stages of withdrawal. It is important to finish the benzodiazepine withdrawal before starting to withdraw the antidepressant. Quite often, people taking long-term benzodiazepines are already taking an antidepressant as well. In this case they should stay on the antidepressant until the benzodiazepine withdrawal is complete.

 

Another drawback of antidepressants is that they, too, cause withdrawal reactions if they are stopped suddenly, a fact which has not always been appreciated by doctors. Antidepressant withdrawal symptoms include increased anxiety, sleep difficulties, influenza-like symptoms, gastrointestinal symptoms, irritability and tearfulness - not much different, in fact, from benzodiazepine withdrawal symptoms. These reactions can be prevented by slow tapering of the antidepressant dosage over about 1-3 months (See Table 2). Most people who have withdrawn from benzodiazepines will be experts at tapering dosages when the time comes to stop the antidepressant and will be able to work out a rate of withdrawal that suits them.

 

Apart from their therapeutic effects in depression and anxiety, some antidepressants have a sedative effect which patients who are particularly plagued with insomnia have found helpful. Low doses (10-50mg) of amitriptyline (Elavil) or doxepin (Sinequan) are remarkably effective in promoting sleep if taken at bed-time. These can be taken for short periods of a few weeks and stopped by reducing the dosage stepwise or taking the drug every other night. Withdrawal is not a problem when small doses are taken for short periods or intermittently.

Thank you so much, Pamster. Would anyone here know what Baylissa's view of this topic is? Does she have an opinion re taking other drugs to treat WD symptoms? I wanted to contact her myself, but her fee's gone up too high for one simple question.

Who are those 'plenty of people'? I want to talk to one about this.

 

Hey Nony. The people I’m referring to are just about everyone in my life. Jesus Christ, every f-ing person I know is on antidepressants. All of my friends that made it out of addiction are on either gabapentin and/or ssri and are doing just fine. Major complaint is they feel some withdrawals in the morning but go away after dose.

 

Seems aggravating and people like us that been and are going through hell are hesitant to touch anything ever again because we know first hand the misery psych drugs cause when stopping.

 

Bb is an amazing source of info but sometimes favored in the direction of anti all drugs. I know a bunch of buds that went to detox decades ago for benzos, came out on ssri and been fine.

 

I’m so depressed and my anxiety is so crippling after being off now for 13 months I’m ready to go on something forever. I think in time it will get better but I’m exhausted. My family is exhausted.

 

When I asked for feedback here all I got was horror stories whine I know there probably thousands on here still on ssri and doing fine.

 

Being we just went through hell these horror stories are enough to sway me from trying it.

 

I can’t speak for what you should do or what will work. Everyone has their threshold and limit. I’m approaching mine and am desperate for accuracy and not just horror because although these drugs are strong and cause dependency they obviously help hundreds of millions of people.

I haven't been on psych pills, but I can say that with bp pills, they don't work anymore. And now I have the difficult task of having a slow taper off so that I won't upset my CNS.

 

Is it worth it to take extra pills during recovery? I thought earlier that the more pills, the better. But now they're having a paradoxical effect and backfiring. Many pills purport to help, but in the end they seem to cause the same problems they were originally prescribed for.

 

I would say, if you do decide to take psych drugs, take them at the lowest possible dose.

I haven't been on psych pills, but I can say that with bp pills, they don't work anymore. And now I have the difficult task of having a slow taper off so that I won't upset my CNS.

 

Is it worth it to take extra pills during recovery? I thought earlier that the more pills, the better. But now they're having a paradoxical effect and backfiring. Many pills purport to help, but in the end they seem to cause the same problems they were originally prescribed for.

 

I would say, if you do decide to take psych drugs, take them at the lowest possible dose.

 

That’s false and specific to you. As an example, my father has been on ssri since the early (90s. Same dose, same pill non stop and is also on bp meds. No issues.

Cymbalta, Remeron and beta blockers helped me a ton. Easy to get off of except for the Cymbalta.

BB itself is not and never has been anti-medication.

 

We do have a lot of members who are anti-medication, however. They’re entitled to express their opinions about their own experiences with medication but must not post broad-brush discouragement of any medication.

 

We can’t read every post on the forum but will step in when we receive reports about anti-medication posts.

 

Thanks,

Challis

BB itself is not and never has been anti-medication.

 

We do have a lot of members who are anti-medication, however. They’re entitled to express their opinions about their own experiences with medication but must not post broad-brush discouragement of any medication.

 

We can’t read every post on the forum but will step in when we receive reports about anti-medication posts.

 

Thanks,

Challis

 

Totally respect that and appreciate it. I’m scared to death of psych meds right now after this exp but I’m desperate for diverse info and exp. everything I’ve read is negative in regards to ssri. And I get that. But there has to be a very large community that they help (ssri)

 

I’m in a desperate state and want so badly to read positive stories and I know they exist. Everything I have found so far here has been negative mostly in regards to ssri and I understand why because this is a support group for people coming off this shit. And I’m saying this broadly because I have t scratched the surface yet of finding material here on BB

 

It would be encouraging to hear success stories.

 

Just about everyone in my life and I’m sure most people here are on some sort of ssri or similar and they seem to be doing fine. And when I go directly to the dozen or so relatives on ssri these last few weeks and ask them about interdose withdrawals or issues they all say the same thing: “no issues and I’ve been on it for 10-20-30 years)

 

Yet here it’s all negative.

Cymbalta, Remeron and beta blockers helped me a ton. Easy to get off of except for the Cymbalta.

 

My sister has a hellish time stopping cymbalta.

 

What are examples of beta blockers?

BB itself is not and never has been anti-medication.

 

We do have a lot of members who are anti-medication, however. They’re entitled to express their opinions about their own experiences with medication but must not post broad-brush discouragement of any medication.

 

We can’t read every post on the forum but will step in when we receive reports about anti-medication posts.

 

Thanks,

Challis

 

Totally respect that and appreciate it. I’m scared to death of psych meds right now after this exp but I’m desperate for diverse info and exp. everything I’ve read is negative in regards to ssri. And I get that. But there has to be a very large community that they help (ssri)

 

I’m in a desperate state and want so badly to read positive stories and I know they exist. Everything I have found so far here has been negative mostly in regards to ssri and I understand why because this is a support group for people coming off this shit. And I’m saying this broadly because I have t scratched the surface yet of finding material here on BB

 

It would be encouraging to hear success stories.

 

Just about everyone in my life and I’m sure most people here are on some sort of ssri or similar and they seem to be doing fine. And when I go directly to the dozen or so relatives on ssri these last few weeks and ask them about interdose withdrawals or issues they all say the same thing: “no issues and I’ve been on it for 10-20-30 years)

 

Yet here it’s all negative.

 

Unnecessarily so, in my opinion.  I understand feeling burned by benzodiazepines but this should not bleed over into a never-take-a-drug-unless-I’m-about-to-die mentality.  Quality of life is also important.

 

I would consult a doctor who specializes in psychiatric medication if I were considering taking something for depression. Your doc should be able to recommend one. There are a plethora of different meds available, some new and some that have been around for ages. 

 

Everyone will respond differently, it’s likely some trial and error is needed. Personally, I reacted immediately and negatively to Celexa and did fine with Lexapro.  However I took it when I was still on a benzodiazepine and had already tapered it before I started my benzodiazepine taper.

I haven't been on psych pills, but I can say that with bp pills, they don't work anymore. And now I have the difficult task of having a slow taper off so that I won't upset my CNS.

 

Is it worth it to take extra pills during recovery? I thought earlier that the more pills, the better. But now they're having a paradoxical effect and backfiring. Many pills purport to help, but in the end they seem to cause the same problems they were originally prescribed for.

 

I would say, if you do decide to take psych drugs, take them at the lowest possible dose.

 

That’s false and specific to you. As an example, my father has been on ssri since the early (90s. Same dose, same pill non stop and is also on bp meds. No issues.

 

I don't know if he's also on a benzo, but I was talking about bp drugs/benzos specifically. Earlier in wd I could handle bp drugs except that I felt I would pass out every time I stood up. Now, they've become paradoxical. In the ER recently, the nurse gave me both IV and in pill form the pills I usually take, and my bp either went UP or stayed the way it was. I tried Clonidine and the next day my bp went to 224! I've been on so many pills since a TIA (because I got off the pills way too fast) that I can no longer handle any of them. My only option is to taper very slowly off. I'm also eating a plant-based diet, and that's helping. I can no longer keep changing from pill to pill.

 

Cymbalta, Remeron and beta blockers helped me a ton. Easy to get off of except for the Cymbalta.

 

My sister has a hellish time stopping cymbalta.

 

What are examples of beta blockers?

 

Cymbalta is a bear for sure. You have to pull out the beads and taper slowly, but it is childs play compared to getting off benzos. Metoprolol is the betablocker that helped me. 12.5 mgs twice a day.

 

I haven't been on psych pills, but I can say that with bp pills, they don't work anymore. And now I have the difficult task of having a slow taper off so that I won't upset my CNS.

 

Is it worth it to take extra pills during recovery? I thought earlier that the more pills, the better. But now they're having a paradoxical effect and backfiring. Many pills purport to help, but in the end they seem to cause the same problems they were originally prescribed for.

 

I would say, if you do decide to take psych drugs, take them at the lowest possible dose.

 

That’s false and specific to you. As an example, my father has been on ssri since the early (90s. Same dose, same pill non stop and is also on bp meds. No issues.

 

I don't know if he's also on a benzo, but I was talking about bp drugs/benzos specifically. Earlier in wd I could handle bp drugs except that I felt I would pass out every time I stood up. Now, they've become paradoxical. In the ER recently, the nurse gave me both IV and in pill form the pills I usually take, and my bp either went UP or stayed the way it was. I tried Clonidine and the next day my bp went to 224! I've been on so many pills since a TIA (because I got off the pills way too fast) that I can no longer handle any of them. My only option is to taper very slowly off. I'm also eating a plant-based diet, and that's helping. I can no longer keep changing from pill to pill.

 

Oh ok. I’m sorry your going through this. Yeah I thought you meant ssri and bp meds.

 

BB itself is not and never has been anti-medication.

 

We do have a lot of members who are anti-medication, however. They’re entitled to express their opinions about their own experiences with medication but must not post broad-brush discouragement of any medication.

 

We can’t read every post on the forum but will step in when we receive reports about anti-medication posts.

 

Thanks,

Challis

 

Totally respect that and appreciate it. I’m scared to death of psych meds right now after this exp but I’m desperate for diverse info and exp. everything I’ve read is negative in regards to ssri. And I get that. But there has to be a very large community that they help (ssri)

 

I’m in a desperate state and want so badly to read positive stories and I know they exist. Everything I have found so far here has been negative mostly in regards to ssri and I understand why because this is a support group for people coming off this shit. And I’m saying this broadly because I have t scratched the surface yet of finding material here on BB

 

It would be encouraging to hear success stories.

 

Just about everyone in my life and I’m sure most people here are on some sort of ssri or similar and they seem to be doing fine. And when I go directly to the dozen or so relatives on ssri these last few weeks and ask them about interdose withdrawals or issues they all say the same thing: “no issues and I’ve been on it for 10-20-30 years)

 

Yet here it’s all negative.

 

Unnecessarily so, in my opinion.  I understand feeling burned by benzodiazepines but this should not bleed over into a never-take-a-drug-unless-I’m-about-to-die mentality.  Quality of life is also important.

 

I would consult a doctor who specializes in psychiatric medication if I were considering taking something for depression. Your doc should be able to recommend one. There are a plethora of different meds available, some new and some that have been around for ages. 

 

Everyone will respond differently, it’s likely some trial and error is needed. Personally, I reacted immediately and negatively to Celexa and did fine with Lexapro.  However I took it when I was still on a benzodiazepine and had already tapered it before I started my benzodiazepine taper.

 

That’s great advice because that’s exactly how I feel. The fear of my exp and everyone else stories has bled over in fear of taking other drugs. I’m scratching my head because everyone I know that went to rehab came out on ssri. lol. And doing fine.

 

This is a bitch if a process and in no way am I knocking BB, the members here or our/their exp. just saying how it seems everything regarding ssri here appears to be horror stories.

 

I wanted to give it until I’m 18 months off before making a decision.

I am going to my doctor monday to talk about adjunctive meds to come off xanax. The first time I tried I wasn't on anything but the xanax. Since then I was put on trazodone after citolapram made my anxiety worse (common when starting and I was in WD already).

 

After I speak to him about starting a taper and see if the trazodone has any affect on the anxiety. If I doesn't and he tries an SSRI again now that I'm stable, I can let you know how it goes.

I've been on celexa (citalopram) for a long time. I started when I quit a long methamphetamine habit cold turkey, and it was a lifesaver! My recommendation is to start at half the lowest dose, because it does amp you up a bit. I first started at like 20 mg a day (twice the lowest dose) and I felt like I was having a heart attack and couldn't sit still at all! A friend recommended to lower the dose to 5, and that worked. Eventually I worked up to 40 mg a day, and then a year later I tapered off it, with very few side effects (brain zaps mainly).

 

I stayed off of it for a year, and then another icky part of life appeared so I went back on it. I worked my way up to 40 mg a day and stayed on that for 8 years or so? Three years ago I lowered the dose to 20 mg.

 

And then... 4 years ago I was diagnosed with cancer. They put me on mirtazapine, starting at 7.5 mg a day, but I ramped up to 45 mg a day pretty quickly. I've been on it ever since.

 

So I'm on citalopram (20 mg) and mirtazapine (45 mg).

 

Long story short, antidepressants have worked very well for me.

Anafranil - Anti-OCD Med (Had OCD before Benzos) - Does help somewhat with depression for me. Would like to withdraw because it has given me a bad case of Periodic Limb Movement Disorder where my limbs move a lot during sleeping. Also I think it increases my tinnitus.

Gabapentin (Off-Label) - Doesn't do anything for me. Went up on it only because of headaches I get and still no luck really. Still on it and would like to withdraw.

Cymbalta - Got on because of neuralgia/migraines but didn't last more then a few days because it really increased my tinnitus.