Weaning Off Anti-Depressants?

[DanityChai 30]

Anyone ever wean off anti-depressants? I have been on them for about 4-5 years now and would love to stop taking them eventually. I don't know why. I guess I just want to try and make myself feel better without medicine. I have tried a few times but then I slowly feel the anxiety and "snappiness" of my attitude come back after about a week. Then I start back again. I am hoping about a year after surgery I can try and successfully get off the meds. I wanted to try and do it before surgery but I read a lot about how learning to eat again can be a very emotional event so I don't even want to mess with that situation. lol Anyhow, if any of you have ever done this i would love to hear from you. Please share anything, the good and the bad. Thank you.

[101driver 46]

I weaned off Paxil after taking it for almost 10 years. I researched it as much as I could and tapered the dosage over a period of approximately 8 weeks. IT WAS AN AWFUL EXPERIENCE. I went through horrible physical withdrawl symptoms ranging from brain snaps (as I like to call them - serotonin issues), to shakes, to extreme nausea and dizziness. I hadn't thought it was going to be that big a deal and I was frightened by what I went through. I told my prim. doc about it after the fact and she was horrified that I'd done that on my own. She said there are other meds that I could have used to ease the transition. I strongly encourage you to seek advice from your doc before doing this. Best wishes to you.

[300PoundsDown 101]

I used to be on prozac and I weaned off of it. But I did it through my doctor so I woudl highly advise doing it that way by slowly lowering the dosage. It's true that everyone has different experiences. Try not to worry about it since you can't anticipate how it will affect you. All you can do is slowly go down in dosage with your doctor and see how it goes from there. I will be honest and say that if I were currently on them prior to surgery I would not try weaning off of them after for awhile. I went through a pretty serious depression the first 3 months after surgery b/c I was mourning the loss of my cupcakes and junk food!!! I'm dead serious. It was like I was getting divorced all over again lol. So if it was me that would not be the time to do it. But you know you best!!!

[DanityChai 30]

Thank you to both of you. I will definitely use the advice of my doctor. For some reason, I assumed I could do it on my own. Wow. I didn't realize it would be that difficult. Also, I will be mourning my 1-2 glasses of wine most nights of the week as I am going to be giving that up as well.

I didn't realize that you could use other meds to help wean off anti-depressants?

[ProudGrammy 8,322]

i have taken Cymbolta for the past 2 yrs. i was trying to wean myself off it. Just didn't want to take the meds anymore. I became very dizzy, and even fell a couple of times. I then put myself back on the meds.

I then told my dr. about what i did, and we both decided i should go back on the Cymolata. I just felt a little bit of a stigma to take the med, of course i know i shouldn't feel any stigma.

Plus i now know that you shouldn't do anything without medical assistance.

After a similar discussion as up above, my therapist said: Half the world sees a therapist, the other half should

kathy

[IowaAndy 95]

I was taking Lexapro and Wellbutrin XL. Since my surgery on Dec 11, 2011 I have stopped taking the Wellbutrin and seem to be doing just fine. I am not sure that I will ever get off them totally but if I just have to take 1 a day that is a great step for me. Now if I can just get down a little more and get off my last blood pressure med. I was taking 2 different ones also before surgery and now just down to 1...........

[piper 13]

I have been on welburtrin for several years. I am scheduled for VSG in a couple months. My thoughts were to remain on Welburtin for a year or so and then see if I can get off. I do not think that the first year after WLS is a great time to get of this type of medicine to all the transitions. Perhaps exercising patience and taking it one day at a time. One more thought, one can get off welbutrin cold turkey, however, more traditional SSRI's like prozac, Zoloft one must wean off perhaps your doc can talk to you about weaning off. I think you will know within a week if getting off the med. feels right at this time.

[sallynew 18]

is antidepreesant really works with you?

my doctor prescribe an anti depreesion for me

i used it for a month but ifeel no improvement

it change my depression to sadnesd

[IowaAndy 95]

Sounds like you need to go back to your doctor. I have been on several different ones over the years and some did nothing or very little to change my depression.

[DanityChai 30]

When I am on my meds I feel like they aren't helping me. It is when I stop taking them that I really notice a difference in my attitude. I turn into a really moody ass. lol

[ProudGrammy 8,322]

is antidepreesant really works with you?

my doctor prescribe an anti depreesion for me

i used it for a month but ifeel no improvement

it change my depression to sadnesd

I am very sorry you are so sad/depressed. call your dr. and have him try a new antidepressant, try that one, give it time - then if tjat doesnt help try a different one. you will solve this problem and feel better soon I hope

best

kathy

[Paula Spurlock Butts 20]

If you are not seeing a psychiatrist for your antidepressants, you should probably see one before trying to wean off of ANY antidepressants. Messing around with your brain chemistry can just cause some really nasty side effects. Don't even think of doing it without the advice and guidance of your doc. Also, the one problem with an antidepressant working is that you don't feel sad anymore so you think you don't need the antidepressant anymore. (This is particularly true for anyone in the bipolar spectrum, as most "beepers" hate the "dampening" effect the drugs have, and as soon as they think they are well, they will try to quit the meds. Like I said, do this under the guidance of your psych.

[Rootman 1,101]

I too was on the Paxil and Xanax bandwagon, those years are a complete blur to me - and the time when I gained the most weight. Yeah I was easier to get along with but pretty much useless beyond that.

I weened myself off over a period of several months. I alternated taking them every other day for a few weeks, then every 3 days then every 4 then once a week then off completely. It all took maybe 2 months and YES it IS HELL ON EARTH. I never thought I'd get "hooked" on any medications but I certainly was on these.

I now take 5-HTP which is supposed to be a serotonin precursor. It takes the edge off and seems to make me mentally sharper - which is opposite of what Paxil did. I was dull witted on it.

Whatever you do make sure your love ones know what's going on and check in with the doctor before starting. Be prepared as it may take a few tries to come off it.

We all wish you the best.

[urbandecayno5 40]

I take lexapro, seroquel, and lamictal. I remember I had the idea of trying to wean myself off one by one. Well seroquel wasn't a problem but I was on it for insomnia and it came back after 2 weeks. I then started on lexapro and it was such a mistake because I started getting panic attacks while driving again. At that point I surrendered to the fact that I actually need it. I didn't even attempt lamictal

[Paula Spurlock Butts 20]

I take lexapro, seroquel, and lamictal. I remember I had the idea of trying to wean myself off one by one. Well seroquel wasn't a problem but I was on it for insomnia and it came back after 2 weeks. I then started on lexapro and it was such a mistake because I started getting panic attacks while driving again. At that point I surrendered to the fact that I actually need it. I didn't even attempt lamictal

Exactly the same here, Urband.... same experience.... some things you just need. If you were a diabetic taking insulin, you wouldn't try to wean off of it because you need it. Chronic depression is a disease and the meds can't be stopped.