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Antidepressants
Started
by Vanna Lane
on July 15, 2010
I'm currently on antidepressants. Do you think that eventually I will be able to get off of them by eating correctly? Does anyone else have a story to share?!
They ruined 13 years of my life. I've been off for almost two years now and just starting to learn how to live. They cause many health problems your doctor probably didn't tell you about.
To get off of them you need to taper very slowly, if you've been on them for any length of time. For help getting off of them you could visit paxilprogress.org. It's a support forum for just that. They don't sell anything or allow any ads for drugs or supplements (or anything else).
I just bought The Kind Diet Book and signed up on this website today. I hope I'm not breaking any forum rules!
I'm trying to get off Lexapro. It's horrid. I was taking them for long-term pain relief but they did nothing and now I'm struggling to come off.
over 20 years ago I had major anxiety and other health problems - at the time, it wasn't so trendy to put everyone on anti-depressants, thank God - or they would have filled me up! I was lucky in that I found a doctor who diagnosed me with (among other things) systemic candida. He put me on a detox diet, took me off of anything processed, artificial, sugar, dairy, etc.....and it changed my LIFE! The anxiety - which at times kept me from leaving the house - went away.
So yes, I truly believe what we eat has a huge influence on our psychological state. There is more seratonin produced in our guts then our brains - how could it not? But just going vegan in my mind isn't the fix, its about the sugar and the artificial crap - focus on that- read every label and find out every alias for sugar and steer clear!
There have been other people on this site that have gone off antidepressants/anxiety medication after becoming vegan and living a healthier lifestyle. My husband was diagnosed bipolar (or just has biopolar tendencies) and has gone off of his medication recently. He is also weaning himself off of Prozac. He seems to be a lot better after being vegan for a few years. Hopefully it will stay that way! Good luck.
I have been on antidepressants twice in my life, Zoloft and Wellbutrin. My depression was a side effect of the solumedrol infusions (corticosteroids) I was given to fix the blindness my MS was causing. Very scary chapters in my life. Well, the side effect of the steroids was to leave me with paralyzing depression that took 6 months to subside, even with the antidepressants. I have been treated for the last 6 years by an integrative Medicine MD who checks my blood levels and prescribes supplements to fill the gaps. With her help I got off the antidepressants. I have been vegan since February and my MD approves. The other day I was folding clothes and smiling, and I realized in that moment I am more balanced and at peace than I have ever been. I believe the junk we put/allow others to put into our bodies is the cause of many of our health problems. That is only my experience, and I would caution that there may be folks who do need the prescription meds. Life is too precious, it is hard to trust doctors, but it is worth finding one you can trust, even if insurance doesn't cover it. My insurance doesn't cover the good MD -- she's not in the network. Still, she's so important to my well-being, so she is worth the out-of-pocket. Blessings . . .
cheryl - I am glad you mentioned that - the MD who I credit with saving my life through a more alternative is out of pocket too! And he is two hours away! I feel the same way - my health and sanity is worth the money and the effort it takes to get there and I can cut back in other areas! we spend more time shopping around for a new dvd player than for our doctors!
Ok let me see if I'm reading what you guys are writing correctly ~ If I stay vegan I MIGHT be able to get off of my bipolar meds?! If so this is very exciting news!!!! My dr told me I would be on them for the rest of my life.
It is also difficult with biopolar disorder because people with this are KNOWN to think that they don't need medication anymore, so it definitely needs to be done with a doctor's supervision and they need to be weaned off slowly. Many times I had to talk my husband out of just stopping all at once because he felt better. They have slowly weaned him off and will continue to watch. He also never had severe depressive episodes (they were slight), but mostly was in the manic stages.
i was on lexapro for 6 months and couldn't stand how i felt. I got off of them before i became vegan and honest to god, i had no idea how horrible they were making my life. I honestly felt more depressed on them then off of them!! I was always groggy and tired and everything just seemed so slow. For about a solid three weeks while my body was adjusting to me not taking them anymore it felt like i was getting shocked every 10 minutes. IT was horrible! About a year after I got off them I became an overnight vegan and have never felt better, happier or more fulfilled in my life. It's the best choice i've ever made. I will never take medicine again! I also used to get cramps to the point that I would have to call a day off work whenever I started my cycle. I am now heading into month two of veganism and I had no idea when my period started. I had not one single cramp. It's so amazing how great your body functions when you're treating it the way it deserves! Get off those meds and you'll never regret it! Best of luck to you!
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