#deprescribing

I listened to music this morning and actually got goosebumps.

I've been finding joy in things and actually laughing.

I can actually plan out more than one thing at a time.

The medication definitely had a purpose when I started but it was crazy to me that my doctor expected me to be on it indefinitely. Even when I told her I was having memory issues and concentration problems she actually told me the anxiety would be worse and those were not side effects of the medication (yes they are). And I have done enough work in therapy to be able to handle my anxiety and work through the backlog of trauma healing without being medicated.

I would have been off it by now but the withdrawal symptoms were bananas. I spent most of September and October in an almost constant migraine until I figured out the right taper speed.

Introduction Polypharmacy, commonly defined⁣ as the‌ concurrent use of five or⁣ more medications, has become an increasingly critically important issue in geriatric medicine. As lifespans extend and the global population ages, the‌ prevalence of chronic diseases—such as diabetes, hypertension, heart failure, and dementia—drives the necessity for complex,⁢ multimodal pharmaceutical regimens in…

🧠💊 Withdrawal isn't about drug half life — it's about neuroadaptation

We need to shift the narrative: It’s not how fast a medication leaves the body that determines withdrawal symptoms — it’s how long the brain takes to adapt to less of it.

⏳ Some people experience symptoms for months or even years as their brain recalibrates.

In my latest video, I break down why withdrawal persists long after a drug is "out of the system" — and what that means for tapering strategies and patient care.

📺 Watch now to rethink what you know about medication withdrawal.

Is your grandma on dangerous meds?

Many people can relate to this story: my grandma was suffering from chronic pain from arthritis, anxiety and insomnia. On top of her blood thinners, cholesterol drugs and other medications, her doctor prescribed Ativan (a benzodiazepine) as a sleeping aid and anti-anxiety medication, and OxyContin (an opioid), which is at the root of our current opioid crisis. This is a woman who had never had a…