Successful Withdrawal From Ambien, Ativan and Depakote while Recovering from Anxiety and Insomnia

Last Updated on December 20, 2023 by Carol Gillette

What Alternative to Meds Center does extremely well is help people come off their medications … This is not a talk therapy clinic, the protocols are based on science, and they explain well the science behind their process.

After 35 years of stressful business life, I suffered a major mental and emotional breakdown. I was hospitalized and started taking for the first time a variety of prescription medications such as Ativan and Ambien to control my anxiety and insomnia. Getting sleep was a horror show. At my worse, I was taking 2 mg of Ativan at 9 pm, 10 mg of Ambien at 1 am, and 1,000 mg of Tylenol PM at 3 am. Eventually I was put on 1,000 mg of Depakote ER, which successfully damped down my anxiety and helped me sleep. After three months of being on Depakote though, I starting experiencing some original symptoms such as severe headaches, pain in my chest, chest palpitations, blurred vision, memory loss, more insomnia, and inconsistent sexual function. I basically felt lousy. I was facing a choice of increasing my Depakote with Lithium added, or trying to go off of medications completely. I really wanted to be medication free as I had been med free my entire life. This was a clear fork in the road: more medication (possibly for life), or trying to find a more natural solution.

I found Alternative to Meds Center on the web and called in for an interview. I was impressed and three days later I was on a plane to Phoenix. After five weeks of doing the Alternative to Meds Center detox, diet, and supplement protocol, I am off of prescription medications completely, and my symptoms have reversed. In fact, I have none of the symptoms I entered Alternative to Meds Center with. My sleep is much better, everything is better, and I feel balanced and calmer than I have in years. The staff at Alternative to Meds Center is affirming, caring, and dedicated to helping you taper off your meds, and heal. I can’t say enough about the staff. The diet is strict, no gluten, caffeine, dairy, sugar, or soy, but the food was really terrific on a daily basis. At times I really wanted some pizza and a beer, but I stuck with the diet, lost 5 pounds, and am maintaining the diet after leaving Alternative to Meds Center. What Alternative to Meds Center does extremely well is help people come off their medications (either recreational drugs or psychiatric drugs). They are experts in understanding medication withdrawal, and how to minimize the side effects through their detox and supplementation protocols.

For instance, you chelate daily, and spend up to two hours per day in the sauna. Extreme? I don’t think so as there is terrific clinical and scientific justification for expelling toxic and drug burden through the chelation/sweating process. The use of amino acids, minerals, and vitamins to load the body through drug tapering and withdrawal also makes sense as it balances out brain chemistry. The art is in knowing which amino acids, minerals, and vitamins to give at what dosage for which drug withdrawal. This is where Alternative to Meds Center is at their best. The process works, if you work the process.

The Alternative to Meds Center team also does an amazing job of supporting each resident with one-to-ones, clinical meetings, and counseling. In short the staff was wonderful. Lyle Murphy and his team have created a diamond of a detox facility. It is not perfect though. The facility itself could be better. Some of adjunct therapies I found to be a little strange. There is some funky disorganization Sedona-style. But the strength of the staff outweighs these minor issues. If you want to understand your depression and or anxiety, or if you want a caring environment to detox off of recreational or psychiatric meds, this is the place. I would gladly recommend Alternative to Meds Center to friends and family if they had the need. I doubt if there is another facility like this in the country. Thank you Lyle and the Alternative to Meds Center team for your great work.

Rob
12/15

Successful Withdrawal From Ambien, Ativan and Depakote while Recovering from Anxiety and Insomnia
Medical Disclaimer:
Nothing on this Website is intended to be taken as medical advice. The information provided on the website is intended to encourage, not replace, direct patient-health professional relationships. Always consult with your doctor before altering your medications. Adding nutritional supplements may alter the effect of medication. Any medication changes should be done only after proper evaluation and under medical supervision.