Captain.Heroin
Bluelight Crew
- Joined
- Nov 3, 2008
- Messages
- 94,868
seven weeks today. closing in on two months.
awesome!!
seven weeks today. closing in on two months.
I had an awful withdrawal from sertraline (zoloft), so I'm probably never taking SSRI's again. I can relate.
I have 2 years, 1 month.
Kind of off topic, but CH, do you have any advice for someone hoping to come of ssris soon?
edit - CH, would you be able to tell us what the worst symptom was for you? Or what symptoms you had? Thanks for anything you can tell me.
Are you coming off SSRIs soon, Sim? I am, at the end of December. I'm going to start tapering down tomorrow actually. CH - did you taper off the Zoloft? How long did the awfulness last? I'm super nervous. I'm 3 weeks off of the tabacco and only two months off the opiates. So many changes so quickly...it's exhausting. Any advice would be awesome.
- VE
edit - CH, would you be able to tell us what the worst symptom was for you? Or what symptoms you had? Thanks for anything you can tell me.
I think so. My doctor talked about it. But to be honest, some of the desire is just mine. I've been on zoloft since 1998. At first they were TREMENDOUSLY helpful for me. But over the years, I believe that their benefit for me has run it's course. When I was in the psych hospital recently, they lowered my dose, and I've felt good since that. So, I'm lowering my dose a little more to see how I feel.
Like you, I'm just off of opiates (50 days), so am a little concerned about too many moving parts. We'll see...I figure I can bounce back up if I need to.
Good luck, VE! I might shoot you a PM.
CH: That taper was awful and way too fast. Sorry you had to endure it.
About SSRIs: There's a growing body of evidence (as in cohorts on ADs observed over time) that meds that affect serotonin only are not the silver bullet and that meds that affect multiple neurotransmitters can have equal or more benefit.
Effexor has been around awhile (a good thing to me) and it affects serotonin and norepinephrine.
Wellbutrin has been around forever and it affects dopamine.
There are so many options available but I picked two tried and true examples.
CH- Just so we are clear, neither of those meds I mentioned fall into the MAOIs or TCAs.
You're talking about classes of ADs that were developed quite early on with higher side effect profiles and that target receptors far less specifically. Older physicians and researchers call them "dirty drugs" because of their non-specific mechanisms.
They are still around as a last resort.
I wouldn't recommend MAOIs (the first antidepressants developed) due to diet restrictions including but not complete: certain alcoholic beverages, cured meat, pickled food and aged cheeses. These restrictions are necessary and dire outcomes due to high blood pressure can result if violated from hypertensive crisis to a brain hemorrhage. They also effect the brain and digestive system, causing side effects. They regulate serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine in the. brain, among other things.
TCAs have some effects that are systematic and not well understood, although they do regulate serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain.
These are regarded as what is left after everything falls.
Just something to consider.
I am well aware. Bupropion is a DRI, though it also hits on interesting receptors as well such as its antagonism at nicotinic acetylcholine alpha7 subunit receptor; which makes it a poor medication choice for cigarette smokers/tobacco users.
I had no problem going from 150mg bupropion to nothing instantly, and I had no withdrawal symptoms and frankly didn't notice the difference.