Going off Zoloft and Effexor

[Cindy629]

I have been taking Zoloft and Effexor for about 7 years and would really like to try to go off of them to see if they are still medically necessary.  I took Prozac years ago for depression and went off of it about 10 years ago because my husband and I wanted to have a child.  Anyways when our first child was about one year old I went on a combination of Zoloft/Effexor for anxiety/ mood.  They helped me immediately.

I now have three children under the age of 7 (we aren't having any more!) and have a wonderful but crazy life.  I exercise and eat very well and would like to find out if I need this medication.  I will say that these medications have made my quality of life and my overall life easier.  They balance me out and give me a lot of patience.  

I have recently for insurance reasons stopped taking Zoloft and am doing pretty well.  My mood is down a little but not too bad.

I feel trapped.  My doctor that prescribes the medication tells me that there is no reason to go off of the medications if they are working for me.  Another doctor tells me that the average person is on them for about 6 months and that I should try to go off or even change medications.

I would appreciate any input that you have.  I just want to be in the best health possible.

Sincerely,
Cindy

[lbev]

I definitely think that taking medication shouldn't be a permanent part of your life, and if you are living healthy and have learned other stress and depression coping skills, aside from taking medication, then maybe you are ready to start weening off. But I have had a friend who used Effexor for about a year and she said coming off of it was one of the hardest things she's ever had to do.
For some reason, effexor differs from other depression medication and the withdrawal symptoms are much worse. I would maybe consult another doctor (aside from the first two) and try to find a group online who has specifically taken Effexor and do a little more research before attempting to come off of it. If you consult another doctor and he/she advises you not to, or if you are still unsure about wether or not you should, maybe you should stay on rather than risk worsening your past symptoms or relapsing. Whatever you do, don't try to quit cold turkey, get advise on tapering off.