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elpgal

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Suz

(website)

Veteran

Yes. I have done so multiple times.

I think each person and each situation is different, but here's what seems to help me, for what it is worth.

1. I stay on them a long enough in the first place. (For me, a year at minimum, for real healing to take place.)

2. I wait until the light starts returning to begin weaning myself off them. (I don't have true SAD but light is important to my mood.)

3. I withdraw slowly over a period of a couple of months. (Once I had to cut pills in two when I couldn't get them in a low enough dose.)

4. I ensure I'm getting enough exercise and fresh air. Super important for my mood. (I can get depressed even if I am "doing everything right" -- exercise, sleep, nutrition, etc. So doing the right things does not fully protect me from a serious depressive episode. At the same time, doing the right things does relieve mild depression and protects against relapse to some degree. If that makes sense.)

Anonymous

I have tried , several times , and decided several years ago that I’m likely to be on them for the rest of my life . You have your doctor’s support , so obviously she/he agrees you can manage without . I had my doctor’s support each time but I think she was agreeing to let me try living without, likely knowing any short term notion of “success” wouldn’t last . Weaning off was difficult , and slow , and I didn’t feel great physically during those 3 times ( I think ) I went off of medication . Dizziness , shock sensations and metallic taste in my mouth , and disrupted sleep . I’m clearly not one of those people who can go off and on medication , but if you are , more power to you . Hope it gives you what you are looking for .

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Lisa, you are not alone. Some of my loved ones will never go off, and with good reason. I support that decision 1000% per cent. The difference in quality of life is palpable.

Research suggests that many people relapse and get worse (i.e. develop more resistant depressive illness) if they try to come off meds. I'm not sure who funded those studies (was it drug companies?), but even so, I think it's pretty clear that some people do better on meds, full stop, whereas some people can manage in between episodes without meds.

I feel fortunate but also cautious for myself...I'm aware that there may come a time when it will be smarter for me to stay on than to try to go off.

In terms of genetics -- I had one parent who was seriously depressed the entire time I knew him, and another who suffered a few moderate depressions but who generally lived without depression. It's fascinating stuff --- I suspect it's all relevant to decisions about whether to try to go off or not.

Jane

Veteran

No experience to offer but wishing you well with this.

cindysmith

Veteran

I've done it a couple of times now, both without medical supervision. The first time was in the 90s, before I got clean and sober. I was on paxil and trazadone, and I weaned myself off the paxil very slowly. I actually leveled out as I cam off the paxil.
The second time was last year. I'm on zoloft, but felt like my dosage was too high (I had become a bit of a zombie). I took a few months to gradually decrease my dosage down to 1/6 of what they had me taking (150 down to 25). After a couple of weeks at 25mg, I realized that was too little and settled in at 50 mg with CBD capsules twice a day.

My suggestion is to just hang in there, and be hyper vigilant for any changes in mood that might signal that there's a problem. I also had a support group of friends and family that knew what I was doing and could help me notice things before I could see them myself. If you're comfortable letting your friends and family know, then I highly encourage it.

elpgal

Veteran

I am on a super low-dose dose and was prescribed these to take the edge off while I ramped up other supports (time to heal, diet, exercise) but feels like it worked too well.

Lisa: It is challenging and it looks like pharma did not invest much in the weaning process. Have you read this?
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/0.....balta.html

Suz and Cindy: that’s heartening to hear. Good point about daylight. I am keeping a taper journal and logging mood/diet/exercise etc.

Staysfit

Veteran

Elpgal, I am certainly sorry to hear about your situation. Many primary care providers have poor training in the use and discontinuation of antidepressants. Since your doctor did not give you detailed guidance, I urge you to re-contact your physician. I believe they should either give you a specific and detailed plan tailored to your individual situation or they should refer you to someone with the expertise to do so.

Cardiff girl

Veteran

I Have been fortunate not to have personal experience of this but I do have medical relatives and whilst they cannot offer personal advice l would reiterate all that Suz said especially the go slow bit.Dont be afraid to come off in stages,stopping if symptoms reoccur.Stayfit is also correct ,your physician should be able to guide you further.After all they know your individual medical history .Good luck.

Anonymous

I followed my doctor’s instructions - very specifically . Never attempt to do this on your own. It’s disconcerting enough without having someone keeping tabs on you . Thanks for the link .

elpgal

Veteran

So, I don’t know if I can blame the doctor. I was the one who asked her about eventually getting off the meds. Her stance was that ‘if my life was stable enough, I should cut the dose in half for a month and then stop. And come back to see her in two months’. Unfortunately my previous doc left town so this is a new to me doc. Primary care physician not a specialist.

I am concerned mostly because the first two weeks were *rough*.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Oh, jeepers. That sounds horrid and really poorly thought out on the doc's part. Although if you are already on a very low dose, she might have felt it was the only option.

Another way to do it (depending on the half life of the drug) is -- once you get down to the lowest dose you can in a single pill form, or after you've tried the cut in half method...go every two days for a while, taking it.

I don't know enough about any of this to say anything particularly useful, but I do know that low and slow to start and low and slow to withdraw is always best.

I had ZERO side effects from withdrawal with SSRIs, taking it low and slow. Back when I was on an older class of drug, I did get side-effects on withdrawal but they only lasted a few weeks.

Helena

Veteran

Hi, I've had a similar situation, where I've been on very low doses for anxiety. I did what Suz suggested - halving, and then when I couldn't half anymore, going every second day, third day, etc. I also agree with Suz' caution; everyone is so different and it's too bad your doctor was not more helpful Do you have a good pharmacist you trust? They are a treasure trove of good advice too.

One word of caution - I was on a low dose of Cipralex which worked really well; then I went off it , and about 2 years later, the symptoms started again, but it didn't work for me. I have a different medication now, but it's never worked as well. Apparently this can be an issue. Just something to be aware of (obviously depression is different than anxiety, and also the cause makes a difference).

Good luck with it xx

cindysmith

Veteran

I'm currently on the zoloft because I'm perimenopausal and it's made me bats!t crazy LOL
In all seriousness, though, depression and anxiety and mood swings are all happening with me for the last few years. At first, we dealt with it as anxiety and depression, but my mom kept telling me it was hormones and testing eventually proved mom right. The testing occurred when I had weaned myself off the zoloft, and my doctor and i discussed Hormone Replacement Therapy and the risks. As a former smoker, my cancer risk would be exponentially increased by HRT, which I would be willing to risk. However, my blood pressure is also a little high, and the risk of stroke is very real. We concluded that the zoloft was our best bet, since it was effective with the anxiety, depression, and mood swings.
I'm going to have to re-evaluate in the future, but I'm pretty sure we're not there yet. If I wind up having to stay on the zoloft for the rest of my life, I'm ok with that; but I still want the regular evaluations to help monitor the dosage. Being a zombie sucked.
Sending you (((hugs)))

Janet

(website)

Veteran

My only experience with this was a long time ago, when I took Prozac for a time, and I think I simply stopped taking it (I was on a very low dose to begin with -- I'm pretty sensitive to medication and respond quickly to low dosages in general), which is probably not the wisest choice. I think it's good to have a plan with your doctor. Most of all I just want to wish you well!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I have no guidance to offer, but wish you luck and strength, Elpgal.

Gigi

Veteran

A lot depends on the half life of the drug. If the drug has a short half life, withdrawal is difficult because it is hard to keep the drug levels in the blood on an even keel. Sometimes people who are on drugs with a short half life have their doctor switch them to a drug with a longer half life, which can then be tapered without as many ill effects.

I would suggest calling your pharmacist if your physician is not knowledgeable. The pharmacist can let you know things like whether you can split your pills or capsules (some pills and capsules should not be split because the drug is not evenly dispersed in them), and whether you can dissolve the drug in water or milk if you need to make more accurate cuts than is possible with a pill cutter.

I worked with a doctor to wean myself off of benzodiazepines. Another doctor had gotten me chemically dependent on them (I always followed the prescription; he kept me on them too long). My new doctor switched me to a longer-acting version of the drug I was on, and then I started cutting pills. When I got down to a low dose, he switched me to a liquid version of the drug, which allowed me to make extremely small cuts that were very precise. The withdrawal was still hell (took me nine months), but I got off.

Gigi

Veteran

Back to add: I would not recommend taking the drug every two days or three, etc., when you can't cut small enough, because that will give your body a rush of drug into your blood after you have cut way back. You want to keep the levels of drug in your blood as consistent as possible.

If the tablets can be crushed, you could crush the tablets and divide the particles into equal parts to make small cuts, or you could add some kind of extra "filler" (like rice flour) to get more bulk and then divide the mixture. Here is where you would want to consult with a pharmacist first. Pharmacists have way more knowledge than we give them credit for.

elpgal

Veteran

Gigi, I have an appointment with a specialist next week. You’ve given me a lot of useful things to bring up at the appointment.

On a related note, it looks like I have very low ferritin reserves. Explains why I am exhausted all the time.

I have been vegetarian for many years but this is the first time this has happened and there is a possibility that the anti-depressants may be to blame.

I may delete this post in a few days but want to thank you all for listening.

avicennia

Veteran

I do not know if medical doctor would recommend this, but have you thought about supplementing with Holy Basil or St John’s wort? I’ve used Holy Basil during times of stress and a friend used both when weaning off of Rx anti-depressant.

elpgal

Veteran

Avicennia, I have an appointment with a specialist who advertises an ‘integrative’ approach so I’ll ask when I see them. Thank you for that tip.

avicennia

Veteran

Elpgal, I’m so glad to hear about your appointment with an integrative doc. FYI St Johns makes one’s skin very sensitive to light.

Anonymous

The comment about St. John's Wort is alarming to me - my medical doctor AND naturopath are absolutely against taking it in when one is on any kind of SSRI's.

Scarlet

Veteran

Hey, this thread caught my attention because I did read that NYT article when it came out and was simultaneously not at all surprised and shocked. I am sorry I don‘t have helpful advice, but I just want to extend good wishes to you in your goal.

nuancedream

Veteran

Yes, I had been on antidepressants, mostly SSRIs,for approximately 25 years, from 1987 to 2012. The depressive episodes were less frequent with medication yet I also developed an inability to feel any emotion, positive or negative. I didn't want to live my life in a pharmaceutically numbed state and I made the decision to get off Celexa. It took 9 months for my physician to wean me off Celexa but it was the best decision ever for my health. Instead of antidepressants, my medicne includes long hikes, biking, kayaking, tennis, Pilates and yoga. They're essential to my self care. I've had some very difficult circumstances in the past few years, but I am resilient and can handle whatever comes my way.

elpgal

Veteran

Lisa, thanks for the warning. I do plan to check w/ the doctor before I take anything.

Scarlett, right? It is appalling but not at all surprising. That article is the reason I decided I had to at least attempt to stop taking these meds.

Nuancedream: That’s heartening to hear!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Gigi makes really good points and I should clarify -- when I cut the pills it was under doctor's supervision. I would not have done that on my own. And again, it depends on the half life of the drug -- if the half life is long enough you are not getting a rush of it in the same way. Also, I agree wholeheartedly with her that a good pharmacist might be very helpful if the doctor is not so helpful! Wishing you luck.

nemosmom

Veteran

I have done it successfully a couple of times, also under the guidance of my doctor. If your GP won't help, a good psychiatrist can be a valuable resource - particularly those who are willing to consider your labwork/blood levels in as you reduce what you are taking. Never be afraid to get second (or third) opinions until you get the help you need.

Anonymous

Elpgal , I wish you the best experience, but have no experience with this. Please understand that some others may not understand at all what you are experiencing.

elpgal

Veteran

A little update - After an initial few rough weeks, I settled nicely into a lowered dose which is half of the minimum therapeutic dose.

The doctor I saw initially recommended I discontinue taking the meds after I reached this point. I am so glad I posted here and took your suggestions to the new doctor I am seeing.

She heartily endorsed the slow approach like many of you did. Currently, I am on a dose that is half of my previous dose. And it is rough. So glad I can stay at home and freak out in a safe environment!

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