Some people can take everything...but I can't even handle vitamins. The reality of living without a medical safety net.

"When other people tell me what they take I am jealous! I met a lady the other day who is crushing it with her career, the same age as me. We started talking about ADHD and she told me what she is on. 30mg dexamfetamine, Amitriptyline and Trazadone, along with 4 coffees a day....." — @Lost summer

It's hard not to compare ourselves with others, but when we do it can cause a lot of negative emotions. Your journey is yours and yours alone. Just because that woman is able to do a lot doesn't mean it's good or healthy for her to be putting all of that into her body.

"I cut down my Tapentadol from 500mg-200, mirtazapine from 3mg-15, paroxetine from 20mg-0.8ml, stopped all vitamins except, magnesium, and I still have to take cyproheptadine 4 times a week just to keep my serotonin levels low." — @Lost summer

You're doing a wonderful job, really! The only vitamin I seem to tolerate is chewable Vitamin C. Most other ones activate my CNS, especially Vitamin D.

"When I go through a wave of helplessness and feel like I can't do this anymore, the sheer terror of knowing that there is no medication, no Dr, no more inpatient stays, feels like I am looking into a deep cavern with no way out." — @Lost summer

I hear that from a lot of people, so you're not alone in feeling this way. But you ARE finding your way out ever so slowly. Every reduction you make is one small step closer! Keep going, even when you feel like you can't. Your body and brain know how to heal....and will. 🩷

Yes it‘s unfair but don‘t overestimate: Some people living the kind of life you yearn for do get those problems later in life. I can only sign everything Catina said. And i‘m rooting for you ❤️‍🩹🌺

Steve... did getting off stimulants help or harm? I have bad ADHD and really need them. I just don't think they will work with paroxetine. Its the CYP2D6 enzyme that I keep carrying on about in all my support groups, but nobody knows as much as I do. I have a 4 year degree in psychology and have studied medication, paroxetine, stims, vitamins, benzos and every interaction for a solid 4 years. I know more than any psych or GP, so nobody will listen. My psychiatrist doesn't believe in chronic high serotonin, or the disabling of CYP2D6 has anything to do with why I am so unwell. I am banging my head against a wall here in Australia... I will do a thread and see if anyone can help.

So, i had no other choice then stopping them. After my crash into depression/mitochondrial dysfunction/whatever it was, i was so sick, the amphetamine was just too much and they felt worsening me in that condition so i automatically couldn‘t take them anymore. I also think the combination of Fluoxetine(Sideeffects) + Amphetamine was a big problem in my journey and drained my brain, leading to that crash. Sadly i had to stop studying medicine myself as i wasn‘t able to learn or even walk properly anymore and did also not get deep into biochemistry and physiology of cytochromes anymore, sure you have more knowledge there and i would like to read your conclusions. Now 10 years later i don‘t have the symptoms from back then anymore and sometimes catch myself wanting amphetamine back. But i’m still on Venlafaxine so i hesitate. I do have good days where i feel like i don‘t need them. On the other hand, i always had a full schedule morning to evening/night back then, i don‘t have that now and i‘m not sure how i‘d perform at average, sadly i don‘t know such a life without stimulants. Also the antidepressant withdrawl is exhausting and destabilizing. I‘m not sure if amphetamine wouldn‘t be an extra stressor. Be assured i understand you and getting the same endurance and performance without amphetamines again is harsh. You need more pauses and it might feel like it doesn‘t work as your brain has propably never been challenged to do and want that without stims, so fast exhaustion happens. On the other hand, i don’t want to downplay ADHD symptoms, i am a little between the fences regarding this topic. At least reducing the dose should be good for your antidep. withdrawl. At the moment you are on uppers, downers and antidep, thats a problematic combination, draining the brain mid and longterm and i do really get that you feel awful and believe me, this all together does play a role in ADHD symptoms! I am using Vitamin B1 TTFD (also increases Dopamine in prefrontal cortex), B3 aswell as Coenzyme Q10, ALCAR (both possibly good for mitochondria) to help with Energy and Focus and hope they help restore neural and mitochondrial function. But, everyone in our situation needs to slowly updose those to find out how they react. Sometimes, it‘s better to do nothing and wait to stabilize first. And i get you, talking to docs is humiliating sometimes and they don‘t have time, can‘t or don‘t want to explain and discuss these topics with patients. Sadly discussion about the physiology is also not really part of their job, don‘t get discouraged by it! This text has gotten long 😅 have a good night and stay strong! 💪