I was misdiagnosed as bipolar in 1996 (I have ADD) at age 34, and put on a regimen of drugs, including high levels of Lithium. In 2012, I quit working and went on disability due to the development of Parkinson’s Disease. In 2015, following an exam by a leading neurologist, I was told that the cause of the Parkinson’s was long-term exposure to high levels of Lithium.
I titrated off all drugs over a 10-month period (I had been on a cocktail of literally 10 drugs at one point, including drugs to deal with the side effects of the psychiatric drugs, and Parkinson’s drugs). Coming off the drugs was a slow, hellish withdrawal. I titrated off Lithium from November, 2014 - April 2015. I titrated off Seroquel and experienced hellish withdrawal symptoms. I had been on 1000 mg of Seroquel for 6 years, and was hallucinating from the drug itself. It took about 5 months to titrate off Seqoquel. I stayed on Tegretol as a precautionary dose until July 23, 2015.
On that day, while on our honeymoon, my wife and I climbed to a mountain shrine of the Virgin Mary on the island of Rhodes in Greece, and I literally threw the drugs off the mountain into the Aegean. It was my independence day. I have never taken drugs since then, and I will never take them again. I was able to stop taking the Parkinson’s drugs after April, 2015, when the Lithium was gone.
At 53, I was reborn, in every way possible. I found love again and married - it was the support and encouragement of my wife to get off these drugs that gave me the strength that I lacked myself. In the end, love saved my life. Drugs nearly ruined it.
I had a brain scan in February 2015 that was positive for Parkinson’s, and it was repeated in December 2015 following 5 months of being off all drugs. This time, it was negative, and I was asymptomatic for Parkinson’s. I was cleared to work again and was correctly diagnosed as having ADD, for which I take no drugs. At age 54, I finally have my life back, and a brain that is clear. I spent nearly 20 years drugged beyond belief, hallucinating from the effects of the drugs, finally unable to work and function.
I thank God every day that I recovered from this illness, and for the doctors who questioned the status quo and saved my life. And I look at the millions, including my own adult children, who take these toxic drugs and shake my head in disbelief. There is hope and recovery after these drugs, believe me. I am a living miracle.