Ginevra Posted December 28, 2014 Share Posted December 28, 2014 I'm considering self-weaning. Is this a really, really bad idea? Or not such a big deal, as long as I cut it down over a few weeks? My dose is only 25mg; I think that is the smallest dose. I am grateful for having had it, but I don't think I need it anymore and I am sick of the features that I experience which may be side effects (could also be peri menopause, so I don't know for sure). My original prescriber was by OBGYN, but they have said I cannot get a new Rx through them; I have to go to primary care dr. to be re-prescribed. I do not want to do this. Frankly, I just do not want to go through all the work-up to "prove" I should have this damn medication. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Strawberry Posted December 28, 2014 Share Posted December 28, 2014 I did. I was only on it for a month when my symptoms resolved (ppd). I started forgetting to take it every day, only remembered every other day. I was doing fine, so I continued that way for two weeks, total, then stopped altogether. I never had any side effects either way. I've never had a recurrence in 8 years-after battling depression all my life. I want on it very long, and never planned to stay on it long term. I only needed to get through a very dark time. Anyway, for me it went fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppy Posted December 28, 2014 Share Posted December 28, 2014 25 mg is a very low dose. Do a week of half pills, a week of every-other-day half pills, done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppy Posted December 28, 2014 Share Posted December 28, 2014 I did. I was only on it for a month when my symptoms resolved (ppd). I started forgetting to take it every day, only remembered every other day. I was doing fine, so I continued that way for two weeks, total, then stopped altogether. I never had any side effects either way. I've never had a recurrence in 8 years-after battling depression all my life. I want on it very long, and never planned to stay on it long term. I only needed to get through a very dark time. Anyway, for me it went fine. It takes 4 weeks for Zoloft to take affect at all, for many. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppy Posted December 28, 2014 Share Posted December 28, 2014 I'm considering self-weaning. Is this a really, really bad idea? Or not such a big deal, as long as I cut it down over a few weeks? My dose is only 25mg; I think that is the smallest dose. I am grateful for having had it, but I don't think I need it anymore and I am sick of the features that I experience which may be side effects (could also be peri menopause, so I don't know for sure). My original prescriber was by OBGYN, but they have said I cannot get a new Rx through them; I have to go to primary care dr. to be re-prescribed. I do not want to do this. Frankly, I just do not want to go through all the work-up to "prove" I should have this damn medication. If you want off it, that is fine. But if you feel you still need it, please know, it's really easy. Tell your new doc you've been on it and like it and wish to continue. That should be it. I've been on SSRIs for a decade now, through a few different doctors, and I've never once had someone make it difficult. It is a very commonly prescribed medication and it's not one you will have to go through extensive questioning (or any testing at all) to prove that you need it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted December 28, 2014 Share Posted December 28, 2014 I've weaned off Lexapro (generic) twice w/o a doctor's assistance. In both cases I was told to wean off whenever I felt like I was ready, and so that's what I did. No big deal at all. As well as I recall I did what Poppy said -- cut down to half a pill a day, and then half a pill every other day and then stoped. Or it's possible I went to one pill every other day and then one pill every third day and then stopped. I can't remember exactly, but I do remember if wasn't a big deal either time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UncleEJ Posted December 28, 2014 Share Posted December 28, 2014 I weaned off Zoloft about a year ago. I was at 75mg. I went down to 50 for a while. Maybe a month. Then, I cut those in half for a while. Then, in half again. At that point, I got a tonsillectomy and was done. The only side effect I noticed was fatigue after each lowering of dose. If there was any effect from stopping for good, it was masked by the horror of the tonsillectomy. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joanne Posted December 28, 2014 Share Posted December 28, 2014 There is a good site that has "34 symptoms of menopause" that will give you some good info. Many, many people's brain chemistry changes after a course of ad's - especially if being on them enables the person to make and suatain brain changing activity but, like other illnesses, some depression is more aggressive than others and some find they continue to need to treat it with an Rx. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 28, 2014 Share Posted December 28, 2014 There is a good site that has "34 symptoms of menopause" that will give you some good info. Many, many people's brain chemistry changes after a course of ad's - especially if being on them enables the person to make and suatain brain changing activity but, like other illnesses, some depression is more aggressive than others and some find they continue to need to treat it with an Rx. Thanks. I will look at the site. I am assuming there would be no harm in resuming it if the self-weaning does not go well. Is my assumption faulty? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted December 28, 2014 Share Posted December 28, 2014 I've done it several times. I don't have any problems going off SSRIs. It's starting them that's a bitch for me. Everyone has different symptoms, though. If you try to stop and then go back on them, no, it won't hurt you any, assuming you don't have withdrawal effects so bad that they compromise your mental state. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted December 28, 2014 Share Posted December 28, 2014 I've gone off cold turkey in the past without a problem. Not that I am recommending that. I just didn't feel like I needed it anymore and stopped taking it. I haven't taken it since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeaConquest Posted December 28, 2014 Share Posted December 28, 2014 Just do it slowly. I've never tried to wean off Lexapro, but I have self weaned off other meds, and you should go slower than you think you need to. I agree. I've had terrible withdrawal symptoms coming off SNRIs like Cymbalta and Effexor. Even when I weaned super slowly (for pregnancies), it was very tough going for me. I would proceed with caution and not hesitate to see a doctor if your symptoms relapse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 Have an agreement in place with someone close to you (a spouse is good) who can monitor the effects of weaning off from the outside. Many people are able to wean off without trouble. Dh has been on Zoloft for over a decade, though, and every time he has tried to wean off his depression eventually comes back full force--the trouble is that by the time it is obvious that weaning off is not going well he is too irrational to realize what is going on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 Have an agreement in place with someone close to you (a spouse is good) who can monitor the effects of weaning off from the outside. Many people are able to wean off without trouble. Dh has been on Zoloft for over a decade, though, and every time he has tried to wean off his depression eventually comes back full force--the trouble is that by the time it is obvious that weaning off is not going well he is too irrational to realize what is going on. I was thinking of that possibility. I was planning to tell DH to bring me back to reality if I get irrational. I know very solidly that I only recognize my anxiety and/or depression in retrospect; I virtually do not see it in the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Inna* Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 25 mg is a very low dose. Do a week of half pills, a week of every-other-day half pills, done. That's what I did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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