18 Months
 

I knew I was improving as I increased the dose of Zoloft, but after I reached 150 mg./day, in late December, I seemed to break through: I started having dramatically increased streaks of days without problems getting to sleep. On such nights I had to increase my clonazepam dose. Spontaneous bouts of anxiety faded. I began feeling good about things. My sense of humor returned--at last the future looked bright. After February, each succeeding month was even better than the last, but I still had mild relapses from time to time. My wounded confidence demanded that I get back to 100 percent before I moved on.

Then my second doctor told me I needed to increase my daily dose of clonazepam. I understood his reasoning--I was still taking it, but a low dose, about .115 mg.--but I doubted it would work; but I figured, either he's got something or prove him wrong. So in April I ramped up to over a quarter mg. and held it for a month. Meanwhile the other doctor was ******--he wanted me to (eventually) get OFF the clonazepam.

But wouldn't you know it, near the end of the highest dose, I DID improve more; I put myself at 90+ percent. Slowly, I tapered the dose, but the weather got hot and I slowed it further, last summer's ordeal still fresh in memory. As of July 3rd (my 18 month 'anniversary') I was still at my old baseline dose.

The journey continues . .

2 Years
 

2017 was a good year. It's likely I recovered somewhere in the 13th, 14th, 15th month maybe. I took things slowly at first, using '17 mostly for observation. I'm now off the clonazepam, but still on Zoloft, and seeing just one doctor. I'm trying to get back to my life, only I find I'll have to start anew, as I've decided not to go back to my recycling business. I'd like to determine if I still need the Zoloft, but I'll be facing stressful situations--money,family--so I figure that experiment should be postponed.

Having a sense of humor makes life worth living. It's so important, it may even surpass love or money or family or fame. Those of you feeling down, let me tell you, our emotional state defines the world in which we live . . and, if you've had TBI and you're down or lacking confidence or even hope, question it with everything you've got, for it's well-documented that TBI tips emotions in the direction of anxiety, depression, or anger--and it's fake . . I see a lot of anxious-looking posts around here.

The first thing you might want to work on is what they call coping skills: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) are the two most widely used. These are only to get you through the day (or night), though . . not cures.

3 Years
 

I am now tapering the Zoloft. . . I am doing quite well. It won't be long before I'm down to zero . .

I hope I'm doing this right -- I forget how to add another entry . .