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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by KaraS on September 28, 2005, at 5:32:45
I have read several posts here from people who have stopped stimulants suddenly and experienced severe depressions. If stopping them cold turkey has such a debilitating effect, then why don't most people do a slow taper off of them like they do from antidepressants or benzos?
Posted by med_empowered on September 28, 2005, at 5:32:45
In reply to Why do people stop stimulants cold turkey?, posted by KaraS on September 26, 2005, at 14:12:34
I dunno. I think standard practice is to do a taper, but since stimulant withdrawal doesn't result in, say, seizures like benzos, and since docs tend to have this double-edged view of them as Effective but also addictive (good/bad; helpful/harmful), I think there's a tendency to rush through the taper, resulting in some needless suffering. I did a stimulant taper as an in-patient in a psychiatric hospital. IT WAS AWFUL. Get this: the doc who designed the taper, made it go REALLY fast, so my pre-existing depression got that much worse. So, what did he do? He kept me in longer b/c my "condition was deteriorating". Crazy world.
Posted by Phillipa on September 28, 2005, at 5:32:45
In reply to Re: Why do people stop stimulants cold turkey?, posted by med_empowered on September 26, 2005, at 16:35:00
You were lucky or had incredible insurance. Most of the time if you're not suicidal it's out the door! Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by med_empowered on September 28, 2005, at 5:32:45
In reply to Re: Why do people stop stimulants cold turkey? » med_empowered, posted by Phillipa on September 26, 2005, at 18:43:26
I have good insurance, but I don't know how lucky I was. I didn't want to be there, the other doc who saw me there (we had a "try a different doctor!" day) pretty much told me that the other doc had a pretty low opinion of me, which was part of the reason I was staying so long. Besides, my visit seemed to magically end right about the time my insurance would have required more paperwork (proof of REALLY severe illness, that kind of thing) to be there. I felt scammed..I just wanted to go home.
Posted by KaraS on September 28, 2005, at 5:33:33
In reply to Re: Why do people stop stimulants cold turkey?, posted by med_empowered on September 26, 2005, at 16:35:00
> I dunno. I think standard practice is to do a taper, but since stimulant withdrawal doesn't result in, say, seizures like benzos, and since docs tend to have this double-edged view of them as Effective but also addictive (good/bad; helpful/harmful), I think there's a tendency to rush through the taper, resulting in some needless suffering. I did a stimulant taper as an in-patient in a psychiatric hospital. IT WAS AWFUL. Get this: the doc who designed the taper, made it go REALLY fast, so my pre-existing depression got that much worse. So, what did he do? He kept me in longer b/c my "condition was deteriorating". Crazy world.
Do you remember how quickly the taper went?
Posted by med_empowered on September 28, 2005, at 5:33:33
In reply to Re: Why do people stop stimulants cold turkey? » med_empowered, posted by KaraS on September 27, 2005, at 8:49:50
its was like 4 days...for 60mgs of adderall/day.
Posted by KaraS on September 28, 2005, at 5:33:33
In reply to Re: Why do people stop stimulants cold turkey?, posted by med_empowered on September 27, 2005, at 18:13:43
> its was like 4 days...for 60mgs of adderall/day.
Geez, why bother tapering at all! No wonder you were so depressed.
Posted by Festus on November 26, 2005, at 23:48:09
In reply to Re: Why do people stop stimulants cold turkey? » med_empowered, posted by KaraS on September 27, 2005, at 19:11:13
I just caught this thread,and I,too,think you might have been over it faster by just going CT.I think that a few things, planned in advance,would have got you through OK,off 60mg of Adderrall.Factors such as any other Medical conditions or meds you're taking,how long did you say you were on it,things like that are helpful to know.What I learned to do ,when my Stims were gonna be gone soon,and I had been on them for a while,I'd try to make em last till the weekend,that got me a full weeks pay and 2 days off to stay in my room on the bed,TV,a few CD's,and some snacks.Try it like that (if it is feasible) and you will not suffer,so much of the worst Stim WD symptoms come in the form of Depression/Anxiety-mix with a heaping cup full of Fatigue,mostly mental.If you can "prepare" ahead,in a manner which you are surrounded by everything that is a positive for you, that counter-acts most of those 3 negative components that add nearly all the momentum to the WD"s of Stimulants.Good-Luck, Festus
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