I was on 450mg of Effexor/Venlafaxine for fifteen years. I was also on a host of other poisons, fourteen in all.

Three and a half months latter and all that’s left is 20mg of latuda. I will stop that on Thanksgiving.

20 mg of latuda is not therapeutic for any of the diagnoses if been given over the years. I could stop today, but Thanksgiving seemed like an appropriate day.

The elimination of my meds, not reduction mind you, has been accomplished with the begrudging support of my psych provider, my primary care doctor and my therapist.

Discontinuation effects have for the most part been nonexistent to mild.

The biggest issue has been sleep disruptions. I was on two meds to help me sleep that were so bad for me (I wouldn’t give the to an animal I didn’t like) that I insisted they be stopped immediately.

In the beginning I was lucky to sleep two hours at a shot. Last night I slept seven and a half.

All psych meds mess with sleep when taking them and when discontinuing them as well.

I probably could have titrated the Seroquel and Lorazepam a little slower and avoided some of the sleep problems but they made me groggy and suicidal.

Other than that I got the sniffles every time I dropped Venlafaxine along with some gastric distress. Both went away in a matter of days.

I feel the best mentally and physically I have in my entire sixty years on this weary planet.

I believe the solution to an overwhelming majority of mental illnesses is nutrition and exercise.

Unfortunately my experience has been that for a number of reasons no one, not the sick and suffering, nor those who profess to care for them, want to hear about.

I believe the pharmaceutical and insurance companies found their heard of cows many years ago and have been milking the sufferer and the providers a like ever since.

Increasingly the leading mental health institutions like Mayo are putting diet and exercise as the first two recommendations for dealing with metal illness.

There is going to be hell to pay for what has been done to those suffering with mental illness.

Perhaps then things will change. For now the best I can do is be my own best advocate.

I’ve written on this subject quite a bit. If I haven’t annoyed you enough yet click on my username and you can see previous post.

Last thought for this post.

From fourteen medications starting July first to zero by December first.

There is nothing special about me

I hope you find the peace you deserve.