Meds withdrawal

I ran out of my anti-depressant 6 days ago, and decided I wouldn't renew the request for more as I've done almost a week without them.  The withdrawal symptoms are absolutely dreadful, there are pages and pages on google about the very subject.

I'm not convinced the anti depressant was helping anyway as I'm often having mixed episodes even with a mood stabiliser added in, which is Tegretol.  So I decided to just carry on with the mood stabiliser alone as I know that anti depressants are renowned for causing rapid cycling.

Every time I see my pdoc she is reluctant to decrease or change my meds and I think this is because they all know about the withdrawal of Cymbalta being so bad! So I've taken responsibility for myself and stopped the Cymbalta alone.

My question is;  does anyone have experience or can give me advice on quitting an anti-depressant and have been better for it on a Mood Stabiliser alone?  Is anti depressant really necessary in BP if the major depression symptoms went away 2 years ago? Is it ok JUST to take a Mood Stabilizer?  I know I should speak to my pdoc but I know she'll only say 'Don't change a thing'.

[Narnia41]

When I say withdrawal is bad, I'm referring only to Cymbalta not other AD's!

[Venora Moonwind]

A mood stabilzer without an antidepressant will tip you over into depression.You really need to be on both.
Love Venora

[Narnia41]

Thanks Venora, I think you may be right x

[christine66]

I have previously stopped anti depressants and suffered withdrawals. To be honest at one point I thought I was going to die. It was like having seziures. These gradually reduced and as you can imagine when I spoke to the doctor I was in a load of bother. I now only take medication when I need it. I refuse to take a mood stablizer as I do not like the feeling of not feeling anything. I have a really good GP and now only take medication when I need to. I am currently on Venlaflaxine as I had a depressive phase at the begining of the year. If I remain stable I will withdraw from this gradually in about six months. I take Olanzapine when I am high as that has really good effect for me. I think we are the experts on our condition as have to live with the symptoms. It has taken about ten years but I am now happy with my medication regime. Do not be afraid of disagreeing with the professionals as long as you maintain an honest relationship, Good luck for the future take care.
Love Christine66

[adel_ezz]

As you said AD's in general cause rapid cycling and mixed episodes all sites on BP agree on that. Why depressed people though take them because they prefer short gain than long stability. Anyone i suppose taking AD will eventually quit it unless one is under a strong MS. Olanzapine (zyprexa) is a strong MS though an AP with many shortcomings. I was on cipralex for 2 months but didn't succeed in maintaining stability and kept fluctuating like hell until I accepted lamictal. Upon asking my pdoc whether I can change cipralex/lexapro into something weaker or its cousin celexa/cipram he said no matter what SSRI you will be using you will experience rapid cycling and mixed episodes unless under a strong MS. A friend of mine has autism i.e. not BP he is taking zyprexa+straterra+cipram but never fluctuating for 2 years , perhaps because not BP.

the reason why your pdoc doesn't like changing meds is that once any pdoc finds something working he grabs the opportunity not wanting to change because not knowing will it stabilize again.

As to your MS tegretol, is the classical commonwealth routine and good for mania along with lithium and valporate (depakine) but you have to check for depression. Meanwhile since you are OK for 6 days who knows it may continue like this.

In my modest view one can regret not taking an MS or an AP but never an AD because this is something which you will feel its impact right away. Sure the half-life of what you are taking must have elapsed already by now.
good luck  

[Narnia41]

Thank you all for your comments I appreciate your input.  

Just found an old post in the Archive section about Cymbalta withdrawal, the subject has been raised before and people are suffering brutal withdrawals from this poison....it is so difficult to stop that docs often prescribe Prozac to help with the withdrawal symptoms!!!  It has been compared to Heroin withdrawal.

I will continue cold turkey I never want to take Cymbalta again.  I just hope the pain goes away soon but I'm taking it a day at a time and just not going out of the house.  I will see my pdoc soon to ask to start a new regime, I see lots of good reports about Lamictal.

Thanks all again
I