AVOID SSRI MEDICATIONS

[EL_LOCO]

Avoid SSRI at all costs.
I got off Prozac Cold Turkey after using them for 15 years which meant 3 months of Horrendouse Withdrwals: Inosomnia Irritability Involuntary Body Movements Diareah Panic Attacks Lump in the Throat Sensation Jitters Trembling Body Temperteure going up & down Heart Pumping at faster pace.
Thankgod for Calms Forte & 5 HTP. I take 2 Calms a Day ans one - 25 MG Tablet of 5 HTP ant night as well as strict anxiety diet. I avoid Coffee Soda Pop & Sugary Foods.
I no longer have Anxiety Panic Attacks but it has been a war and now I am slowly getting better I do lots of exercises listen to peaceful relaxing Music courtesy of YouTube and I do lots of slow breathing exercises than help you always keep a calm positive state of mind. Look up breathing exercises for relaxation  on the internet  .
Hope this helps. I cannot give out medical advice I am not a Doctor. This is for information purposes only.
Phillip

[Paxiled]

No, it wouldn't be safe to take GABA if you're on klonopin.  Klonopin works on GABA receptors and you could overdo it.  Besides which, GABA is not well absorbed as a supplement.  The best way to get GABA into the system is using L-Taurine, which along with B6 manufactures GABA.  However, to do this, you'd have to be careful since you're taking Klonopin.  On the other hand, you're taking klonopin in an unusual way, just for sleep -- I think it's usually dosed twice every day since it lasts a long time in the body.  You have to know a lot about how these things interact to use more than one substance that affects the same systems.  Calm's Forte, on the other hand, can be taken safely since homeopathy has no active ingredients.  They act on energetics, not macro amounts of anything, so you can try that one.  Anything else that works on GABA while you're on benzos must be done in coordination with your physician and a naturopath.

[michelle54991]

Hi,

I take Klonopin at night when I am under a lot of stress and when I have insomnia the night before to prevent panic attacks. Lately, I am under a lot of anxiety from going thru perimenpause. I was thinking of using Calm Forte during day time and may be for sleep. Do you know whether it's safe to take Cam Forte with Klonopin ?
Thanks.
Michelle  

[michelle54991]

forgot to ask you what do you gragle with?

[michelle54991]

Hi,
I wonder why you still have dry throat after discontinuing Prozac? What does 5-HTP help you with?

To Paxiled- Do you know if it's safe to take Gaba (supposedly to help calm and sleep) if I take Klonopin? The brand Is Thorne Pharmagaba-pro.

Thanks.
Michelle  

[lynn57]

You shouldn't tell people to avoid SSRI's at all costs.  Apparently one worked for you for fifteen years.  You should tell people to avoid quitting SSRI's cold turkey.  I have tried Calms forte.  You can get it at any pharmacy.  It's OTC at Rite -Aid, Walgreens etc.  Gotta say it really had no effect on me.  I would not say it does not work for some people.  Obviously it works for you.  Glad you are feeling better and good luck.

[Paxiled]

Neither Calms Forte nor 5-HTP are drugs.  Calms Forte is a homeopathic formula.  It should not be taken with meals, but at least an hour apart.  It is used both as a sleep remedy taking three pills a half hour before bedtime, or as an anxiety remedy, taken as needed one or two pills.  5-HTP is a metabolite of tryptophan, which manufactures serotonin in the body.  This should not be taken if you're on any serotonin affecting medication.  Calm's Forte is okay to take any time.  As for Prozac, it actually has the least amount of withdrawal problems of any antidepressant.  This is because it has a long half life in the body, giving the body some time to get used to being without it.  But being on any brain altering medication for that long a time would be very difficult to terminate, especially abruptly.

[EL_LOCO]

I live in Canada and buy Calms Forte at Nutrition House. I also buy my 5HTP at Natures  Care Health Shop.
You can buy both 5 HTP & Calms Forte at any Health Shop Worldwide. I dont know where you are.
But 5 HTP & Calms Forte is also available via Amazon.com
And yes I use them both together.

I take 1 Tablet of Calms Forte in the Morning & 1 at Lunchtime.
I also take 1 Tablet of 5 HTP at about 7pm every Evening.

And if I feel any anxiety I can take two Calms instead of one.
However it has stopped my panic attacks .
All I have now is dry throat but least no more lump in the throat sensation. I find I wash my teeth up to 5 times a day and gargle 2 to 3 times a day. this aleivates all throat symtems.
I also drink one cup of camomile tea every day and follow a very strict anxziety diet which means very little sugary foods. No caffine no soda pop no hot sauce no foods that dry throat.
I eat tons of salad spinach vegetables brocoli fish mushrooms whole meal bread whole meal pasta frozen yogurt fruit apples bannas cranberries strawberries probiotic yogurt  .

I also take 1 multi vitamin,  1 vitamin b 6,  1 vitamin c , 1 korean ginseng, 1 calcium & magnesuim tablet, 1 pottasium tablet.

Yes its a lot of work but worth the effort.
I also workout 3 times a  week
And also do loads of walking.  As well as listen to relaxing music.
And read positive books keeping a postive mental attitude helps a lot.
I also do relaxing breathing exercises.
Look up breathing exercises for relaxation on the internet.
And look up Anxiety Diet on the internet.
Hope all this helps.
Feel free to ask more questions if you wish to.
I went through a nightmare comming off prozac and I hope my personal experience may help you get better.
All the best.

[michelle54991]

forgot to ask you does CalmsForte help you with anxiety? Thanks. Michelle

[michelle54991]

Hi Philip,

I would like to find out where can you get Calm Forte? Do you use both Calm Forte and 5HTP everyday or on a as needed basis? Are these meds. addictive?
Thanks.

p/.s. I think you are very courageous in quitting cold turkey on the Prozac.
It takes a lot of will power to go though this method (instead of tapering slowly) although you went through a lot of miseries I'm sure.

[MrGreen]

You no longer have anxiety. But you did everything the way you are not meant to do things. People wouldn't have the same trouble you did on the same medication. They would not be stupid enough to stop cold turkey. You brought on your own problems. So don't blame the medication and tell others not to use it. Tell them the truth. It was you who done the wrong thing. Just stopped. No weaning off the medication. Gave you nothing but worse problems. That you are now over some months later. Those bad months could have been avoided if you had of done things the correct way. So it is nothing got to do with any type of medication at all.

[cj29]

I would have to agree with the above posts.  You said that you stopped 'cold turkey.'  Of COURSE you are going to get horrible withdrawals.  Not only was that an ill advised move on your part, it was not very smart either.  It is down right dangerous to do this.  Did your doctor advise this?  I assume he/she did not; and why are you doing this on your own.

ANY prescription medication needs to be taken according to the directions.  And they explicitly state not to stop 'cold turkey.'  I am sorry that you had a problem coming off of this.  

[Julie359]

You never should of stopped cold turkey, it's a dangerous thing to of done.  For 15years your body had this drug and then you took it away in one fail swoop, what did you expect? Taking any drug you should always taper down slowly over the course of months to allow your body that change.

Also you really shouldn't state that SSRI's should be avoided at all costs as someone who is in a life or death situation if they read your post it could sway them in their decsion and stop them from taking it, an ultimately stop them from getting well.  Would you really want that on your consious.

Hope that things do get better for you though and remember NEVER go cold turkey, You learnt a harsh lesson......

[mammo]

To stop this medication cold turkey after 15 years, you were just setting yourself up for severe withdrawal.  You should have weaned off this very slowly with the help of you doctor, to avoid this.