Tips On Weening Off Antidepressants

[Forseegood]

This is a good article I just read about this if anyone is interested....

[mingler]

I'm on tx week #5 and the day I began treatment I stopped a 25yr+ affair with Sexax-15 (oxazepam). Against all advice from doctors and some knowledgeable people on this site I drew a line in the sand and refused to ever cross it again. I went through 2 or 3 weeks of pure hellish shreadding pain in addition to the tx sides. I did this because I suspected that many of my neuro-muscular symptoms were the result of me limiting my intake of the drug instead of taking three times the dose as prescribed. Right now I feel better than I have in years. Tx side effects? What stinkin' side effects. I'm ready to kick ass or have sex.

[jmjm530]

Thanks for the info. How much Lexapro do you take? Could you describe how it makes you feel in more detail? What about weight gain or the sexual thing?  I am looking for something more "subtle" than Wellbutrin. Wellbutrin definitely had an amphatamine effect I really don't like. Don't have a clue why my shrink prescribed it based on what I told him I was looking for, although he does appear to doze off during sessions so maybe he actually does :)

Forsee,

Don't worry. The weight gain and sexual disinterest should work in a synergistic way. After gaining all the weight you won't have to worry about fighting off all those men :)

[jmjm530]

I read somewhere that getting of Efflexor is hell. My own little experiment with ADs only lasted three days. Besides coming down with my scientific self diagnos of the "jitters", I developed a sore throat with fever the next day. While the shink thinks it's a coincidence, "sore throat" is listed as a common initial side effect plus I haven't had a cold over a year and a half. I may try Lexapro next but not for awhile.

-- Jim

[Forseegood]

I'll tell ya one thing, I just started this Lexapro (granted, don't have much truck with antiD's) and I'm getting some real doozies of dreams...last night I dreamed I knocked off a bank, went down to the big safe and everything, ran out the place and went driving away in my gettaway car with some girlfriends and we were all so happy! speeding down the street with no one following us! Wow! never thought I had a streak of larceny but I guess I do in my heart of hearts....can't wait till tonight's dream...

[jmjm530]

Why did you decide to go on an AD? How long on Lexapro? What dosage? How long did it take to kick in? Do you feel better? Any sides? You take it with Aloe Vera juice I assume :)

[Forseegood]

Because, I wanna do something this year,  hopefully, I'll get into the next trial, she's pencilling me I guess, I want some kind of momentum going...I need to see if I can take these anti-Ds long term...the most I've ever given it is a month, and that's not long enough to really see what's up with them for my own chemistry, of course...

I am extremely drug sensitive so my shrink just game me 10mg to start out with, most people take 20- which is my understanding but some people titer up to 20...I've been on them about a week, they are pretty fast acting, not like some others, from my understanding...

Taking them for anxiety and periodic depression, things I've always dealt with in more natural ways, but I'm sure that won't due if I'm on treatment drugs...I guess a lot of people aren't on Lexapro here, I'm not sure...they are supposed to be less "addicting" - at least in terms of the above article, so I'll see how it goes...haven't wanted to jump off my balcony, so I guess that's something, ha ha!

[Forseegood]

Hey, I've come to believe that sex is highly overrated anyway, I'm with Andy Warhol on this..."you just get sweaty and smelly and it makes you feel tired"...just kidding of course, don't want to start an uproar lol...

One thing, I stopped them before cause I didn't like the feeling of being mentally "altered" - but I'm going to plunge on through this time, I'll let you know...like Avid said, I've heard they are really good for many people, they often give them to people who have had trouble with other antiDs...

[Forseegood]

guess you and your doc figure that's the amount you need...we're all little snowflakes!

[jmjm530]

Good ole' Andy.

Well good luck with Lexapro and I may end up being on your trial. Don't want to start sounding like Tom Lose, but they do alter your brain chemistry, so if you really don't need them, you may be better off without as many get through treatment by simply kicking the dog every once in a while :)

On the other hand, ADs do really seem to help a lot of folks who need them.

-- Jim

[Forseegood]

Jim, it might be kind of a tie breaker for me, I do have depression ever since I can remember, like 11 years old? If I can't get used to them, I might have some trouble with those meds, but I'm trying to be optomistic...if I don't get used to these, I'm trying some others...hopefully I'll find some that stick...

[sunspot]

That's what I was thinking. I'm a bit flakiery than most. LOL.

[jmjm530]

Lexapro is very popular and I was given some samples by my hepatologist. As you suggest, perhaps fewer sides than most and less of a withdrawal. I know taking ADs prophalactively has its fans as well as detractors. I never took them but if I were living with someone or had to work with others in an office situation, I probably would have needed them.

My research showed that the two major sides of SSRI's like Lexapro are weight gain and sexual disinterest. I wish I knew that during treatment because I could have used some more weight and wasnt in any condition to participate in any sexual olympics.  

Please keep us updated on how they make you feel. I may try Lexapro next.

-- Jim

[avidreader]

Hi Folks,

I've been on Lexapro for years and like it the best of all of the AD's I've tried. The effect is very subtle but enough to take the edge off my chronic issues with anxiety/depression/lack of focus. Jim--you are not the first person I know who had trouble with Wellbutrin. I've had lots of clients who didn't like the 'feelings' it gave them and I have one friend that took it as a 'stop smoking' aid and ended up doing a short-term crisis hospitalization due to the side effects.

[Forseegood]

aaaah man, weight gain? jeeezalmighty...if it ain't one thing, it's another huh?

[Forseegood]

Yikes! Sorry! ha ha!

http://tinyurl.com/pajcr

[sunspot]

I've been on Lexapro for more then 4 years. I take 20mg in the morning and 20 mg at night.

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[stangshelly]

sorry had to jump in here but hubbys been on lexapro for 5 years @20 mg daily...wellbutrin gave him the sex drive lol..told him not to worry get off the wellbutrin...i have been on effexor xl 25 mg low dose for sometime and no real bad effects except dry mouth...lexapro and effexor are in same group of ssri's...paxil makes you nervy,zoloft happy but hungry,prozac..well enough said for that wonder med. but if i had to choose it would be lexapro..my hubby is a closed head injury case and this helped him the best with least sides. i prefer the effexor at a low dose its easier to get off of. hang in..shelly...p.s. if you didn't see my recent post i am now on lithium...scares me.

[fresnoborn]

well, i was taking strattera (25mg) for 3 years, it's for adhd and i was taking seroquel in the evenings to help me sleep. i had been on these meds for 3 years then after tx, for some reason, my chemicals were altered and these meds were not working for me anymore. i had wanted to get off seroquel anyways because it is not safe for the liver. well as of 4 days ago, my doc put me on elavil. so far i'm feeling okay and sleeping well but then i just read up on elavil and one of the main side effects is weight gain. WELL THAT'S JUST !!!!! that's all i needed was to be a happy chunky hepper! damned if i do and damned if i don't. well let's see how it goes. take care.

[Forseegood]

Well, I know I'm in some kind of "period of adjustment" cause I just went to the park with my doggie to throw some frizbee, and low and behold, I'm walking back to my car and there's these two guys standing around it...they tell me, hey, you know you left your purse inside your car and yet left it unlocked? You should try to always lock your car and leave your purse in the trunk, they couldn't have been nicer...and they were hip hop type of guys....just goes to show you about stereotypes...

But I realize I just caught a break, imagine leaving my purse in the front seat with my car unlocked? This stuff is spacing me out, but the shrink said this might happen for the first few weeks...I'm going to keep a closer eye on myself till I adjust, hopefully...I just hope I'm not in that 10 to 20% percentile that can't adjust to AntiD's...but I gotta be positive...be well...

[susan400]

I never took antidepressants when I was on treatment and did okay.  I did take them many years ago before treatment and never adjusted with them well at all.  The psychi. tried 10 different types and finally I gave up.  After my hysterec. I went through a period of depression(15 yrs ago) and this was when they tried these anti-D's.  They all make me too hyper and can't sleep or, too sleepy and can't function, or too constipated, or make me have sweats, or just flat out make me feel too weirded out. So, that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Susan

[Forseegood]

Weird, I had a hysterectomy 15 years ago too, prob helped buy my doc his boat because, frankly, I wish I had done something else...well, at least you give me hope that youre one of the ones who were able to get though tx without the help of them...here's hoping that they can get you on a much better tx sooner then later...

[jmjm530]

Susan: So, that's my story and I'm sticking to it!
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LOL. That may become my story as well if Wellbutrin is any indications of ADs in general. I also didn't take them during tx but might experiment a little more.

-- Jim

[Forseegood]

you know, I'm so spaced out with this stuff, how long are you supposed to give it? I remember trying Celexa, and it was better then this stuff Lexapro, but I think Lexapro is taking the place of Celexa...plus, my insurance only covers Lexapro and not Celexa, hey, can you see how out there I am? maybe I just haven't given it enough time, though I don't know how much longer I can take this...

[jmjm530]

Forsee:  I don't know how much longer I can take this...
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Hey girl, I lasted a whole three days on Wellbutrin. Compared to me you're a real trooper :)

Seriously, are you taking the Lexipro under a doctor or a mental health care professional aka Shrink? I would imagine they might have the answers or maybe have something to help patch the rough spots.

I think steady state is about a week but may take anywhere from a few weeks to more than a month to "work".  You also might talk to your doctor about lowering the dose to ease into it. I believe you're taking 10mg? I read they can be broken in half. If I do decide to try Lexipro -- based on my Wellbutrin experience -- gonna ask doc if I can start with 5mg/day. Did I mention I needed some valium to come down from the Wellbutrin. LOL.

Hope you feel better soon.


-- Jim