New Initiative: The Withdrawal and Recovery Meeting (WARM) Network of Groups By Jennifer Bryant and Laurie Oakley This is a new initiative to give anyone who would like to start an in-person withdrawal group in their community a way to get started. We have created a free "toolkit" that contains a Guide for Facilitators, Suggested Group Format, Suggested Readings, List of … [Read more...] about The WARM Network: Withdrawal and Recovery Meetings
Withdrawal
The Woman Who Was: Looking back from Prescription Cascade
Editorial Note: This is M's story. She outlines a Prescribing Cascade. In an email she also asks a question: does anyone have any evidence of SSRI withdrawal causing Vit D deficiency? HRT HRT started it all. Peri menopausal at 45, my GP did a FSH test and prescribed Climagest – oral oestrogen and progesterone. Hot flushes disappeared and I felt myself … [Read more...] about The Woman Who Was: Looking back from Prescription Cascade
Antidepressant Withdrawal: What’s in a Name
Editorial: a recent email to RxISK on the topic of antidepressant withdrawal brings out the fact that bupropion withdrawal is very different from SSRI withdrawal and both are very different to mirtazapine withdrawal. For all RxISK posts on withdrawal see Here Email from Edge My name is A. I'm 28. I was prescribed to Wellbutrin 3 years ago, and took it for 18 months. I … [Read more...] about Antidepressant Withdrawal: What’s in a Name
Dependence on Antidepressants and The New York Times
Editorial note - for all RxISK posts on withdrawal see Here A feature article in the New York Times recently by Ben Carey covered dependence on and withdrawal from antidepressants. Here. It led to over a thousand comments within 48 hours including a predictable set of comments from doctors claiming that antidepressants don’t cause dependence and that any problems they do … [Read more...] about Dependence on Antidepressants and The New York Times
PSSD, Withdrawal & Small Fiber Neuropathy?
The picture here shows the before and after feet of a person who has erythromelalgia. After exercise or in response to other triggers, sometimes just lying in bed, the feet or other body parts can become hot and burning, possibly painfully so. The condition is linked to sodium channels. Those who get it may have a genetic variation predisposing them to it. Those who get it have … [Read more...] about PSSD, Withdrawal & Small Fiber Neuropathy?
Five Minutes to Midnight
See Taper MD In 2016 life expectancy in the United States fell for a second year in a row. This was the first time anything like this had happened apart from a brief flatlining for men around 1962 we now know was linked to tobacco use. In 1962 the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) put in place a set of regulations that are the single greatest influence on healthcare … [Read more...] about Five Minutes to Midnight
Introducing Taper MD
Do you think you or someone you love are on too many meds? Did you know that reducing your medication burden may be the single best thing you can do to improve your quality of life? Adverse drug events are now a leading cause of hospitalization, disability, and death, all at great human and financial cost. Seniors are particularly vulnerable, as aging affects our ability … [Read more...] about Introducing Taper MD
Psychotropic Drug Dependence in Scotland: Petition PE01651
Email from Marion Brown PE01651 – Prescribed drug dependence and withdrawal I wanted to let you know that our Scottish petition seems to be gathering a very remarkable and powerful collection of published ‘evidence’ of patient experiences especially – and from all over the world! The petitions clerks are being kept busy with ‘processing’ these and uploading to the petition … [Read more...] about Psychotropic Drug Dependence in Scotland: Petition PE01651
Bladder and Bowel Problems After Antidepressants
In addition to sexual problems such as post-SSRI sexual dysfunction (PSSD) and persistent genital arousal disorder (PGAD), a range of other urological problems linked to antidepressants are increasingly coming into view, and can sometimes be long-lasting after the drugs are stopped. They are likely to be significantly more common than is generally thought, and it's definitely … [Read more...] about Bladder and Bowel Problems After Antidepressants
PGAD: Clitoridectomy or ECT?
Editorial Note: Following on from The Princess and the Frozen Pea, this is a second post in a PGAD series. There will be one more on the range of conditions mentioned here that are often linked to PGAD - interstitial cystitis, pelvic floor dysnergia, prostatitis and others. See also PGAD Video Persistent Genital Arousal Disorder (PGAD) has been associated with SSRI use … [Read more...] about PGAD: Clitoridectomy or ECT?