Going off SSRI's

Gotta Mexican buddy who calls weed the green virgin so I suppose Mary could be thanked for my rehabilitation the green virgin Mary Jane

Effective/cogent SSRI withdrawal protocols are essentially non existent. Have a look in a CPS, the big blue book in your doc's office. The literature recommends slow withdrawals yet go to a pharmacy, at least in northern Ontario, and ask about reduced dosage tablets/capsules of the SSRI you are presently taking. You get that "hey you got 3 heads" look....

Tbh

I never feel quite the same

Sometimes I get depersonalization episodes were I feel like im not real

And like I died a long time ago

And that was after I quit cold turkey on Zoloft

Now after a couple years I feel better

But still like I said get depersonalization episodes every now and then


Oh and I get dizzy sometimes


But not much unless im in a situation where my anxiety trys to kick my ass


And I have depression bad too

Still kinda do but I kept my mind off it by smoking weed and snorting zanax lol

Now im gonna say something that ik im gonna catch a bunch of shit for

But I smoked spice one time

Got it for free

Lit it up and it was the WORST trip I ever had

And after I smoked that spice it changed my life forever now

Minutes become seconds and its like im permanently in a weed hangover

Its not so bad now

Thats the real reason I hate getting stoned

Because every time I do its like spice

I've never talked about it till this vary post

I feel better now that I posted about the spice

Like I'm serious

I have never ever told anyone about it till now

I mean no one not friends or family or even my fucking dog

tytheguy111 said:

I feel better now that I posted about the spice

Like I'm serious

I have never ever told anyone about it till now

I mean no one not friends or family or even my fucking dog

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Yea, sure takes a load off from the self-loathing/shame and allows for the energy to be directed towards reflection and what was I attempting to do....

One thing I noticed about SSRI's they seemed to 'fool' the gatekeeper to the sub-conscious. If a support system/counsellor is not available to work with it's like hitting the pause button on feelings. Eventually they need to be dealt with. SSRI's allow for exploring the 'issues' but more than likely, at least I found, it was very difficult to truly feel the feelings that were suppressed.
That didn't happen until about 16-18 months after I was forced to quit the SSRI's and my brain began to heal. Then I played catch-up sorting through and re-defining the memories/feelings that led me to self-medicate initially.

Yessica... said:

Hello,

I have been dealing with depression since 1998. I have been on Citalopram (Celexa) for 2 years. I recently got food poisoning, and the changes in the bacteria in my stomach caused me to experience amplified side-effects.

I need to ween myself off, and start solely medicating with MMJ. I am afraid though.

If I go off the SSRI, aren't I likely to have another depressive episode?

What about overseas travel, if I have no pot and no SSRI's, won't I go insane?

I will discuss this with a doctor, clearly. But hearing from someone else that has experienced this would be amazing!

Thank You

Click to expand...

Hey yessica,

I was on anti-depressants for two years first they put me on mertazipine 20mg. Until over time my depression amplified I was going from sobbing episodes to extreme anger breaking glasses punching holes in walls etc.. So I switched to Cipralex 20mg. They worked but the thing with those meds is they do not ring you back to your normal self they just make everything grey.. not good not bad just meh.

I didn't want to take them no more because I started to feel soul less.. So I weaned off them. That was the best thing I could have done I went from sleeping 16 hours a day to sleeping only 9-10. I was not happy but I was not profoundly sad. I just kept reminding myself that deep down I am in control over my emotions. I believe depression is brought on by a change in your lifestyle that deep down does not sit well with yourself but you continue to ignore that feeling and go along with it. Find what it is in your life that needs change and do it! That's the hardest thing with depression is getting the energy and motivation to do anything. I was holding secrets to my family about smoking and I wanted to quit smoking cigarettes which I was hiding from them as well. Me and my girlfriend were going through hard times and I wanted to leave but couldn't. I also wanted to exercise more but never did was just to lazy that combined with alcohol and unhealthy diet made me depressed.

Once off the meds I immediately started doing things on my list "honest to myself list" each time I did something on my list that I have wanted to do but just put off was like a burden off my shoulders and made me happy inside something that I hadn't felt in a while. I just worked my list over and over until now its been about a year and I no longer have depression I am happy inside and thats because I learned that in order to be happy I have to live happy and respect my soul. Your conscience as cliche as this may be will guide you to a happy and fulfilling life but we are so caught up in societies image that we are afraid to do what we want deep down. Each time you do something you didn't want to do or said something you didn't want to say or didn't say anything at all you take a chunk out of your self respect once you damage that enough you will not be happy you have to rebuild.

Anyways, I know you didn't ask for that but I felt like sharing what I learned from my situation. The key thing to overcoming this wall of an obstacle is to break down all your problems into a list of small steps to fix them and MOTIVATE yourself to do them. Wither it be to spending more time with parents or grandparents, end a relationship that's been dragging out to long, standing up for your self/ beliefs, changing your diet, letting out what you have been burying. The feeling you get from doing something you have put off for so long that's been on your mind for so long.. That is better than any SSRI period!

Now ill answer your question, as for weed be careful like very careful. I love weed as much as any one else on RIU but I am very careful about what I smoke, when I smoke, and how much I smoke. Some strains will do wonders for your depression Jilly bean, strawberry cough, and CBD skunk haze to name a few. But some will send you into a two hour trip of intense over thinking and sadness..been there done that. It got to the point were I had to give weed a break for a couple months just to clear my head. Then I went back to it with a new approach I smoke light and very select. Meaning I only have like 3 pulls off a joint or one bong rip and it is using a strain that is proven to be an anti depressent/low anxiety. I no longer get wasted it makes me stress, I medicate and it is 180 degrees.

oh forgot to mention look into magnesium supplements (getting the right kind is key) It is estimated that 60-80 percent of the population is deficient in magnesium and it is responsible for more than 200 bodily functions. One of them is regulating serotonin and other brain hormones that control emotion alot of people who lack magnesium have depressive disorders/anxiety and high blood pressure and stress. People who drink alcohol, smoke weed, eat mostly meat and or processed *box foods* and this may apply to you but woman who use birth control tend to be deficient as all this substances inhibit magnesium to be absorbed through the intestines. Where as most box foods magnesium is non existent its usually calcium, vit A, Vit C, iron.. that aint shit to being enough to properly support health. In fact there are many researchers going toward the angle that most depressive/ anxiety states are brought on by malnourishment. We do not realize we are malnourished because the foods we consume contain high caloric intake. So we do not look starved. Our bodies are excellent at compensation and will compensate for a lack of certain nutrients for a long while but once our systems loose our equilibrium crazy things start to happen.

I challenge you to change your diet only eating things that do not come in boxes, bags or plastic wrap. Take chelated magnesium supplements and a multivitamin for one month after you have been off your meds. I bet you will notice the difference and if you don't at least it didnt do no harm.

last but not least when I went off my meds I dropped them like they were hot basically woke up and threw the whole thing down the toilet after the walk in doctor advised against it why.. cause im a hard headed think i can walk through walls neck deep in snow canadian thats why and no fucking little pills gonna take me down... I was wrong. That messed me up good for like 3 weeks I legit thought I was dying I remember spending like 4 days straight in bed or by the toilet and dropped 20lbs don't do what I did go to a walk in like im in toronto and they're are thousands off walk in's sure you gotta wait 2 hours but then the doc will give you a weaning chart/calender.

youngbuzz101 said:

last but not least when I went off my meds I dropped them like they were hot basically woke up and threw the whole thing down the toilet after the walk in doctor advised against it why.. cause im a hard headed think i can walk through walls neck deep in snow canadian thats why and no fucking little pills gonna take me down... I was wrong. That messed me up good for like 3 weeks I legit thought I was dying I remember spending like 4 days straight in bed or by the toilet and dropped 20lbs don't do what I did go to a walk in like im in toronto and they're are thousands off walk in's sure you gotta wait 2 hours but then the doc will give you a weaning chart/calender.

Click to expand...

Done! I weened off my 20mg over a period of a month. Haven't had any since July 15th or so!

I still feel fucked up over them though. I throw up, very easily now (like If I have wine but not a full dinner first). I have a hard time eating anything in the morning. My BP is down from 163/118 to 133/76 - but it's still higher than it was before the Celexa.

I really never smoke a full joint or anything. I use a one-hitter, or a small pipe.

Thanks for all that - I love hearing about how things work out for people! Self-Awareness is the most important thing.

I see a Psychologist now. I need to do that. With exercise, healthy eating, and being busy enough to feel like I am actually accomplishing something - I'll be great. I hope.

Oh, and MMJ, is really helping. I'm trying a bunch of new strains. Not one yet has made me freak out in my brain. But I do find the Sativa dominant ones make me feel like I have to run or punch dance.

I had White Russian last night. I thought it was great. A friend of mine was freakin out. hahah

The only way to know, I think - is trying a small amount in the kind of plant your looking for. Then you can find what works the best for you.

Again, thanks. Great to hear you're doing well!

Yessica... said:

Done! I weened off my 20mg over a period of a month. Haven't had any since July 15th or so!

I still feel fucked up over them though. I throw up, very easily now (like If I have wine but not a full dinner first). I have a hard time eating anything in the morning. My BP is down from 163/118 to 133/76 - but it's still higher than it was before the Celexa.

I really never smoke a full joint or anything. I use a one-hitter, or a small pipe.

Thanks for all that - I love hearing about how things work out for people! Self-Awareness is the most important thing.

I see a Psychologist now. I need to do that. With exercise, healthy eating, and being busy enough to feel like I am actually accomplishing something - I'll be great. I hope.

Oh, and MMJ, is really helping. I'm trying a bunch of new strains. Not one yet has made me freak out in my brain. But I do find the Sativa dominant ones make me feel like I have to run or punch dance.

I had White Russian last night. I thought it was great. A friend of mine was freakin out. hahah

The only way to know, I think - is trying a small amount in the kind of plant your looking for. Then you can find what works the best for you.

Again, thanks. Great to hear you're doing well!

Click to expand...

glad I can pass my experience along.. help someone gain something out of my misery. Sounds like you got a plan and your off running and thats good to hear. Good luck in the future just remember when things get rough life is spread out in days months and years some will suck but you will have many more better days just don't sit in a rut.

youngbuzz101 said:

oh forgot to mention look into magnesium supplements (getting the right kind is key) It is estimated that 60-80 percent of the population is deficient in magnesium and it is responsible for more than 200 bodily functions. One of them is regulating serotonin and other brain hormones that control emotion alot of people who lack magnesium have depressive disorders/anxiety and high blood pressure and stress. People who drink alcohol, smoke weed, eat mostly meat and or processed *box foods* and this may apply to you but woman who use birth control tend to be deficient as all this substances inhibit magnesium to be absorbed through the intestines. Where as most box foods magnesium is non existent its usually calcium, vit A, Vit C, iron.. that aint shit to being enough to properly support health. In fact there are many researchers going toward the angle that most depressive/ anxiety states are brought on by malnourishment. We do not realize we are malnourished because the foods we consume contain high caloric intake. So we do not look starved. Our bodies are excellent at compensation and will compensate for a lack of certain nutrients for a long while but once our systems loose our equilibrium crazy things start to happen.

I challenge you to change your diet only eating things that do not come in boxes, bags or plastic wrap. Take chelated magnesium supplements and a multivitamin for one month after you have been off your meds. I bet you will notice the difference and if you don't at least it didnt do no harm.

Click to expand...

Some info related to your post, I found using magnesium most beneficial.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/evolutionary-psychiatry/201106/magnesium-and-the-brain-the-original-chill-pill

http://george-eby-research.com/html/magnesium-for-depression.pdf

i appreciate you guys posting all your experience! i have recently started a similar regimen...weaning off ssri,taking magnesium,eating healthier,mild exercising,seeing counselor and looking for info on what kind of mmj would b helpful. i still have to wait for ct dispensary to get meds! they r open but empty,omg, wtf.but thanks you guys r awesome and i enjoy the RUI
community.

Diddnt read the thread but I have had suicidal
Idealation while rapidly changing ssris.
For example I bought some cheap shit from canada which is supposed to be the same. It was clearly not.
just watch for it and if you feel it tell someone smart right away.

okay, right, i get it...thanks for your input. i will b careful.

donnamarie said:

i appreciate you guys posting all your experience! i have recently started a similar regimen...weaning off ssri,taking magnesium,eating healthier,mild exercising,seeing counselor and looking for info on what kind of mmj would b helpful. i still have to wait for ct dispensary to get meds! they r open but empty,omg, wtf.but thanks you guys r awesome and i enjoy the RUI
community.

Click to expand...

I know I already posted this somewhere - but this helped me a lot:
http://www.theroadback.org

I actually did the ween following what a really good friend of mine had told me about their experience getting off SSRI's. It took me about a month to go down from 20mg to 0mg of Celexa. It's been 2 months, and I still have some side effects.

Crazy thing, I went and asked the pharmacist about this when I was just about to start the ween. She told me to go down to half a pill, and then just go completely off. I did NOT listen to her. Everything else I had read, and what my friend had told me - said to do it VERY slowly. Your body becomes so physically addicted. I didn't know.

Good luck with it! From personal experience - I feel A LOT better treating myself with MMJ than I ever did taking a mood-altering prescribed pharmaceutical drug.

I've been guinea pig to many docs and drugs since the 70's it was valium and for some bizarre reason dilantin, I'd never had a seizure so fuck if I can recall why. I was only 15-16 at the time......lol...how to manage a 'problem child' I guess. Now as I look back the only problem was that that 'kid' could not give voice to the emotional pain that was internalized. Then at 16-17 began to self medicate with alcohol and weed, work well until about 85 or so and in looking back I see the alcohol had taken control. The weed interfered with my drinking, couldn't drink as much. Then I was fucked, nothing worked, of course there were other drugs interspersed throughout the same period. In hindsight near bit it more than once... In 92 went into 'drydock',had a complete crash and burn. Then the pharma drugs came into the picture. In 92 Tofranil (Imipramine) for about 3-4 months until I got a 'grip' again. Then starting in about 95 I went to the doc and shared what I was feeling and believe it was Zoloft at that time, lasted maybe 1 month. Couldn't handle the headaches/side effects. Then in 96 it was Prozac, Again side effects led me to quit before it 'hijacked' my brain...lol.. Stayed off the ssri's for awhile, about 18 months. Then it was Celexa, not sure of the year probably 98, fuck me that was the worst I felt in a long time, jumped of that ship within 3-4 weeks. Told the doc there was no way I was going back to that. Then in 2000 the doc I was seeing said we'll try paxil along with a benzodiazepine clonazepam. Only took the benzo very sparingly as it left me a zombie and I had to be functional. In about 2003 I asked the doc if we could explore getting off the meds, I told him why and he suggested we try Effexor. Being naive I said sure. Found out the Effexor had a real short half-life and if I accidentally missed a dose while out on the road I'd be fucked. So it was back to the Paxil in 04, also all along this time with a prescription to clonazepam. I still only used it very sparingly a I did not like being zombified. the highest dose of Paxil I believe I got up to was 30 mg. a day in about 06. Then I began to realize just how these 'happy pills' were effecting me and became determined to come off. over the next couple years I got down to 10 mg. Paxil. I'd say that was 2011, I'd get to 5 mg. but the withdrawal symptoms forced me back to 10 mg. Then a well meaning doc suggested we switch to Prozac as it had a tremendously long half life when compared to the others. Only problem was my body could not take any more ssri's. My body/brain went into full revolt. I developed serotonin syndrome and had to stop all ssri's...The first year of cold turkey was a hell I would not wish on my 'worst enemy'. The only course of treatment then was a hefty dose of benzos, now it was clonazepam daily. I attempted to keep my dosage as low as possible. I was prescribed 0.5 mg, x2 a day. for about 6 months I used the full amount, then I went down to 3/4 of the dosage but when I got to 1/2 the RDD I'd get withdrawal symptoms and the effects of the serotonin syndrome would flare. I forgot to mention that in about 2011/12 I had found that burning a little herb had fantastic results in quelling the 'demons'. Had a fuck of a time trying to get off the clonazepam. Started researching and found I had to switch over to valium first, then reduce dosages over an extended period. Two 0.5 mg clonazepam are equal to 20 mg valium. I came across an old bottle from November 2013 for 20 mg. valium. Now I'm down to 10 mg. valium but find I've been taking it for too long and now it is losing it's efficacy. The symptoms of the 'syndrome' rears its ugly head occasionally. The only thing that works is herb so I went to my doc and we agreed that a prescription of herb was in order to stop this madness. So now that I Finally have a scrip for herb I believe I can finish my taper of the valium and let my brain heal to the best of its ability. Hopefully the damage is not permanent. I've read numerous articles and papers that essentially say it's a 'crap shoot' as to whether the healing will take place. I'm hoping that it will, with the help of the herb I'll not only get through with the psychotropics, but my brain will actually heal to pre-ssri/benzo condition...... Time will tell.

Yessica... said:

I know I already posted this somewhere - but this helped me a lot:
http://www.theroadback.org

I actually did the ween following what a really good friend of mine had told me about their experience getting off SSRI's. It took me about a month to go down from 20mg to 0mg of Celexa. It's been 2 months, and I still have some side effects.

Crazy thing, I went and asked the pharmacist about this when I was just about to start the ween. She told me to go down to half a pill, and then just go completely off. I did NOT listen to her. Everything else I had read, and what my friend had told me - said to do it VERY slowly. Your body becomes so physically addicted. I didn't know.

Good luck with it! From personal experience - I feel A LOT better treating myself with MMJ than I ever did taking a mood-altering prescribed pharmaceutical drug.

Click to expand...

PaxilProgress is also a great site, I'm a member there as well...lol

http://www.paxilprogress.org/forums/

The good people there talk about all ssri's.

I was on a pretty heavy level of SSRIs at one point and stopped taking them abruptly. I didn't have a choice really couldn't ween off and ran out of pills. Man that was a really tough time. The SSRIs dulled my emotions and made me feel disconnected. Now I stick to Cannabis and I feel better about it.

Used to take SSRI's myself. Yess, if you do go off, wean please. I had horrible side effects too. Just mostly feeling no peaks or valleys, just one long straight line of inert emotions.