SSRI titration support

[rogueRN]

Hi, I am looking for information/help regarding the sensation of SSRI use. My husband has been on an SSRI for over twenty-years. He played semi-pro football until he was 45-years-old and was in excellent health, with the only issues being chronic depression, occasional low level mania and sexual addiction when we was young. Five-years ago, his health began to rapidly decline, it felt like almost overnight. It manifested with new onset panic attacks, hypertension, and all the hallmarks of low testosterone. We got him into a HRT clinic and immediately addressed his hormone deficiencies. Fast forward to Covid and my spouse was strong-armed into the vaccination. He actually works for a German based pharmaceutical company as a contract negotiator and works from home. Since the covid vaccine (no boosters as they “allowed” some autonomy over that decision) my spouse has had ever increasing cardiac issues, including new onset A-fib which required cardioverson. He’s on a small pharmacy worth of daily medications.

For years, I am been against his antidepressant use. As a nurse a lot of people have viewed me as “crazy” because I believe that most meds are a bandaid at best, and at worst cause other disease processes. I think this view has stemmed from watching my best friend since childhood slowly deteriorate in front of me while trying to manage her bipolar diagnosis. She is mentally impaired now to the point where she will soon need to be on disability. She looks like a shell of her former self. It never made sense to me that those drugs are prescribed with basically no clinical evidence to support their “neurotransmitter” mediated theories. I’ve dug through data and research only to discover old metabolic theories that pharma has purposely tried to obscure. I am furious.

All this to say, I need help. Ray Peat finally gave me the clarity I needed to believe that my gut about SSRI use has been right this whole time. Interestingly enough, my nephew was recently diagnosed with autism and my sister was a chronic SSRI user as well… I highly doubt thats coincidental.

Here are my questions:
1.) what do you suggest I do from a nutritional/supplemental standpoint to help support my husbands body as we are slowly weaning him off of his SSRI?
2.) they gave him Ketamine before they cardioverted him in the ER. He told me it’s the first time he’s felt genuine happiness in years, and for several days following his blood pressure was normal and his mood remained stable and elevated. Has anyone used ketamine therapy to help with SSRI withdrawal? I want to make sure it’s a safe avenue to explore.

I would genuinely appreciate any advice you have. Craig is an amazing father and provider, I so desperately want him to be able to feel happiness and enjoy this season of his life.

One more thing: He has had insomnia since he was a child, and the SSRI has made it even worse. We’ve flushed the Benzos his physician prescribed him, and he’s been using Benadryl to help with sleep. It seems to be helping some. I also have him on daily aspirin. If you got this far reading- I really appreciate it.

 

[geusterman]

I noticed recently that Elon musk uses ketamine occasionally for depression. I’ve been very interested in that drug and have followed up for a number of years and believe it’s a much better way to handle depression than SSRI. There’s a lot of information out there on reducing serotonin and you might check with Georgie Dinkov’s site.

 

[rogueRN]

I noticed recently that Elon musk uses ketamine occasionally for depression. I’ve been very interested in that drug and have followed up for a number of years and believe it’s a much better way to handle depression than SSRI. There’s a lot of information out there on reducing serotonin and you might check with Georgie Dinkov’s site.

Thank you, I’m actually looking into Ketamine for him- appreciate the recommendation.