I want to come off my anti depressants can you help?

Question

I have been taking anti depressants for 10 years now and would dearly love to come off them.I have attempted withdrawal several times unsusscessfully.Has anyone taken antidepressants for as long as me or longer and manaaged to withdraw sucsessfully. If so what drug were you taking ( I am taking prozac), what method of withdrawal did you use and how long did it take to finally come off.? I am working with my doctor on this but I would love to hear other peoples experiences. I need some hope and inspiration Thanks

Answer 1

stopping any prescription drug that has been consumed for so long needs to be done under medical supervision. the best thing is to consult your doctor or the nearest detox center.

Answer 2

I've taken many differnt antidepressants over the last 20 years. I started on Prozac, and it worked for a while, then it didnt anymore....have been on Celexa, Paxil, Zoloft, Effexor (thats the WORST to stop cold turkey), Wellbutrin, and now on Cymbalta.
I would like to get off of these too, and have looked into alternative means of relieving depression.
Here's what I learned:
Caffeine and sugar can aggravate your depression.
Get more exercise - it raises feel good endorphins in your brain.
get omega-3 fatty acids in your diet (Mackerel, anchovies, salmon) or take fish oil pills.
Get sunlight.....it causes an absorption of vitamin D which you may be lacking, even if you take vitamins. I've read that you need to get sunlight on the backs of your knees, since they dont get much sun exposure. (weird I know)
Take a multivitamin. take extra B vitamins, especially B6 and B12
You may also try St Johns wort, but it is not for everyone.

These are all the physical things you can do to aleviate your depression. I assume you have a therapist as well as doctor, so be sure you are dealing with underlying issues that can be causing your depression.
Stay positive!!!

Answer 3

Sounds familiar because I took prozac for almost as long as you did. If you are having side effects from the med, I can see that as a reason to get off them. If it truly helps you, I'd question why you want to. I found that I just started feeling better in general. So at that point I thought it was a good time to try to get off them. But before that, when I tried to stop, I felt worse, so I figured it wasn't time. I also found out I had ADHD, and the meds I started taking for that were even more effective. I'd say that prozac made my mood about a 7 out of 10; my ADHD meds made it 9 out of 10. That's not saying you have ADHD. Everyone is different. A bunch of new age types told me to get off these meds and try all sorts of homeopathic remedies and I just got worse. Also, do you take name brand or generic prozac. Some people don't tolerate the generic stuff. Body chemistry is a very idiosyncratic thing.

Answer 4

I was put on a slew of anti-depressants for years before we found out the true culprit: A sensitivity to SUGAR of all things!

I fully agree that IF you are depressed, you should be taking SOMETHING...either medicines that work, or vitamins that work, or homeopathic remedies that work. The important thing is to find what actually works for YOU. Human beings are not replicas, they have fiendishly intricate systems and yours might not respond well to someone else's cure.

I definitely think withdrawal from ANY prescription drug should be done with a doctor's care and monitoring.

I've found a lot of useful information at Safe Harbor, here:
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/safeharbor2/

Most of the people there are either medical doctors, or prescription drug survivors.

Also of possible interest:
http://www.drugawareness.org/Archives/3rdQtr_2002/record0002.html

I wish you all the best!
--Julia <><

Answer 5

Is your doctor recommending you to go off your medication? Or, is he abiding by your request to go off of them? If you have been on an antidepressant this long, there must be a reason for it.

Remember that depression is a physical and mental disease. You are treating the symptoms of depression, but the physical imbalance remains. It maybe stable for a little while, but it will most definitely come back. Do you really want to go through med adjustments and titrations, etc? Why try to fix something that isn't broken? You haven't mentioned why you want to go off of them.

I think you need to have a serious discussion with your psychiatrist and therapist before you go off of them. I think you need to be prepared and informed before you make this decision.

Answer 6

Hi there,

I was only on prozac for about a month and a half but am currently being weened off them. Unfortunately it is a drug you cannot stop straight away as i am sure your doctor has informed you. Because you have been on them so long the best way to ween off them is going to be a slow process which could take 6 months to a year but dont try to rush it, remember its all whats best for you
best of luck
xxx

Answer 7

I've never been on anti-depressants before, but I've have had family members and friends go through them before.
I think it's great that you want to come off them. I suggest that while you are off, you see a therapist. That way, you get your feelings out in case you still feel depressed after you've stopped taking the drugs. You're on the right track by working with your doctor. I've had a family member stop taking them independently and that is very dangerous. Be sure that you ask your doctor the safest way to do this.
Again, I think it's wonderful that you've decided to come off, and I hope you live a life that is beauiful.

Answer 8

To make this short.
I Know someone close to me that has been on anti-dep drugs for a LONG TIME.
There are a few things 1st of all.
Why are you on them
Can you deal with life without them
The Dr thats helping you is he the one who put you on them.
Why do you want to get off them.
These ?'s you to ask yourself not aswer me.
As with most drugs you need to wing yourself off them as Im sure your DR has told you.
And Be PREPAIRED to be off them. Just because you get off them does not mean your mind and the habbit of taken them every day for 10yrs wont play a part in it.
As for what drugs to take. I would no feel right saying take this or that or what you can take since I dont know your History.
But What I can say is My friend called around and found a place 1000 miles away he went there for 3weeks and he is no longer on them. But he says its like smokeing he dont need them but since he was on them for so long its like 2nd nature to him.
Everyone is different I have know people in the past to use drugs for 5yrs plus and just quit and other that could not quit for the love of god.
But we all know the stories with prozac ( Good and Bad) so get a few opinions call around. Even if you have to drive 500 miles it might be worth it.
Goodluck

Answer 9

very very slowly..first 2 weeks 3/4 of your normal dose..then next 2 weeks half of your normal dose..and next 2 weeks 1/4 of your normal dose..see how that feels..if your withdrawls are too much to handle then you make the adjustments that you feel will work..you could try 3 or 4 weeks inbetween or even try months..like 3 months on 3/4 then in 3 months try 1/2 your normal dose...changing your dosage.you will feel some withdrawls..if you get depressed again..without your normal dose i recommend you keep close contact with your doctor..from experiance do it as slowly and safely as you can even if it take a year or more..weaning slowly off...goodluck

Answer 10

when and if u suceed let me know, i too wanna get off, i have come off others no problem, i find i cut them down to every other day for week, then every 2 days a week, every 3 etc. So far i been ok so i have to try with thes, although i think sometimes it is if your life is so good at the time, and u can fulfill yr spare time without thinking of things this is the time. b4 u know it voila. Although sometimes as we been on them so long it is so easy to get down again and we are petrified of gettting emotionally unbalanced we go straight back on them thro fear.

Answer 11

Look for a good homeopath, homeopathic medicine can be very effective in cases like yours. Please don't get off your meds without the help of a good conscientious physician who may be open to alternatives of a more natural nature. I also realize that the mind is very important, I have learned through my Buddhist faith that the mind makes everything, you can really beat it, you have to really want it. I did. Is there a way you could send me your private e-mail, so I can tell you more. I really would like to help.