Weaning off antidepressants

[MaryMak07]

So, I'm still working with doctors about what to take and figuring out meds.

 

I don't know if I will or won't be on meds long term, but was wondering if people knew what meds are especially hard to come off of. I might want to avoid those....

 

Has anyone come off Cymbalta or Effexor? I've heard those are miserable. Others?

 

Success stories would be great (but truthful stories are also helpful!)

[Terabith]

Effexor is miserable to come off of, but I did it.  Really, as a rule, the SNRIs are harder to come off of than SSRIs, because they effect more chemicals.

[Pawz4me]

I've been on Lexspro twice. I had no issues at all weaning off it.

[wonderchica]

I think the key to any of them is truly "weaning". Don't just stop taking it, or take wean for a little bit and then drop it. Your body is losing something important you've been giving it, so it's always gonna be a little rough at first. If you really don't need the Med anymore, you will bounce back after a bit.

[gardenmom5]

I've heard many horror stories for paxil - but I had no problem.  I honestly think it depends if the diagnosis is correct or not.

 

I started having heart palps as side effects - so I'd lower my dose. then they'd go away.  but I was also getting better.   I was completely off it within 18 months.

 

quite a few years later. . . .Now I do 5htp because I do have a genetic predisposition towards depression.  5htp is something naturally made in body, but I don't make enough.

 

eta: a friend's dd would break apart the capsules - and count out the grains so she could wean off of it. 

Edited June 1, 2017 by gardenmom5

[PinkyandtheBrains.]

 

 

Most are horrible of you stop cold turkey.

 

 

Effexor was especially bad, I did it the wrong way.

[luuknam]

I've heard many horror stories for paxil - but I had no problem.  I honestly think it depends if the diagnosis is correct or not.

 

I started having heart palps as side effects - so I'd lower my dose. then they'd go away.  but I was also getting better.   I was completely off it within 18 months.

 

 

I haven't been on Cymbalta or Effexor, so I can't comment on those, but out of the several different antidepressants I have been on, Paxil was the only one that I had withdrawal issues with. For one, I was on it for only 2 weeks because I started having suicidal thoughts that weren't mine (and I had a long history of OCD-ish suicidal thoughts... these were *different*). So, despite being on it for only 2 weeks, I had some withdrawal issues. That said, my standard method for getting off an antidepressant is to take half the dose for 3 or so days, and then take that half-dose every other day for a few days, so that I'm off it in a week. Not a year and a half - that's crazy. I know a week is considered fast for antidepressant withdrawal, so it may not be realistic for everyone... but my point is that Paxil was the only thing that did not get along with a week. I've even gone off 1 or 2 antidepressants completely cold turkey, and I think I maybe felt the tiniest bit weird, but it was basically nothing. So, as always, YMMV, but I don't think saying "oh, I got off it in 18 months, so it's no big deal" is a great argument.

[gardenmom5]

I haven't been on Cymbalta or Effexor, so I can't comment on those, but out of the several different antidepressants I have been on, Paxil was the only one that I had withdrawal issues with. For one, I was on it for only 2 weeks because I started having suicidal thoughts that weren't mine (and I had a long history of OCD-ish suicidal thoughts... these were *different*). So, despite being on it for only 2 weeks, I had some withdrawal issues. That said, my standard method for getting off an antidepressant is to take half the dose for 3 or so days, and then take that half-dose every other day for a few days, so that I'm off it in a week. Not a year and a half - that's crazy. I know a week is considered fast for antidepressant withdrawal, so it may not be realistic for everyone... but my point is that Paxil was the only thing that did not get along with a week. I've even gone off 1 or 2 antidepressants completely cold turkey, and I think I maybe felt the tiniest bit weird, but it was basically nothing. So, as always, YMMV, but I don't think saying "oh, I got off it in 18 months, so it's no big deal" is a great argument.

 

you misunderstood me.  I don't think it's right for everyone.   Everything I've read - what I was dealing with 24 MONTHS is the normal duration of rx treatment​ with least incident of recurrence.  so yeah - 18 months course of treatment was doing well. I'm grateful.   my dose was cut - because I didn't need as high a dose for effective rx support.  not because I was trying to get off of it.    I did have concerns I might relapse because I wasn't on it for 24 months.

I could feel the effects within 24 hours of starting it.  again - I'm grateful. incredibly grateful.   it was a very scary time.

 

I do think it is not approrpiate for most people, I think it was very over prescribed - my point was, because so many received it for the wrong (biochemical match) reasons - they had issues.  some were pretty bad.

 

I was one of those for whom it was appropriate.   and if cutting down by 1/2 a tablet every three days worked for you - you had it way easier than some I know.  I irl know one young woman who was on capsules - and had to break them open - and count granules.  she reduced them by a maximum of three every three days.  out of 100+ granules per capsule - it took her a long time to get it out of her system. and that was trying to get off of it.  I wasn't.

[Spryte]

I took Cymbalta for years for peripheral neuropathy.

 

Weaning off of it was a nightmare. I went extremely slowly, and still had withdrawal.

 

I opened capsules and counted granules, like someone said above. :(

 

If you have other med options, try those first.

[Mergath]

Paxil is a nightmare to come off of for most people, but it also tends to work very well for harder-to-treat cases, so you have to balance that when you decide what med to try.

[luuknam]

you misunderstood me.  I don't think it's right for everyone.   Everything I've read - what I was dealing with 24 MONTHS is the normal duration of rx treatment​ with least incident of recurrence.  so yeah - 18 months course of treatment was doing well. I'm grateful. 

 

 

Yeah, I was wondering if I misunderstood... the OP's question was about antidepressants that are hard to come off of... and it read as if it took you 18 months to wean off of it. So, how long *did* it take you to wean off of it once it was decided that you were done? 

 

And yes, I've heard from other people that a week is fast - my point was that I've withdrawn from Wellbutrin, some SSRIs and some TCAs in that amount of time without issue, with the exception of Paxil, which means that ime, Paxil is tough to withdraw from compared to other antidepressants. Going off Celexa cold turkey was significantly better than weaning off Paxil in a week (and, again, I was on Paxil for only 2 weeks - who knows what hell it might've been if I'd been on it for a couple of years). 

Edited June 11, 2017 by luuknam

[gardenmom5]

I took Cymbalta for years for peripheral neuropathy.

 

Weaning off of it was a nightmare. I went extremely slowly, and still had withdrawal.

 

I opened capsules and counted granules, like someone said above. :(

 

If you have other med options, try those first.

 

for peripheral neuropathy?  really?  I've never heard of that.  though I know there are many off-label rx. which can be a big problem for some things.

[gardenmom5]

Yeah, I was wondering if I misunderstood... the OP's question was about antidepressants that are hard to come off of... and it read as if it took you 18 months to wean off of it. So, how long *did* it take you to wean off of it once it was decided that you were done? 

 

And yes, I've heard from other people that a week is fast - my point was that I've withdrawn from Wellbutrin, some SSRIs and some TCAs in that amount of time without issue, with the exception of Paxil, which means that ime, Paxil is tough to withdraw from compared to other antidepressants. Going off Celexa cold turkey was significantly better than weaning off Paxil in a week (and, again, I was on Paxil for only 2 weeks - who knows what hell it might've been if I'd been on it for a couple of years). 

 

when I decided I was done - i was done.  that's it. I stopped taking it  - no side effects.  I was on a fairly low dose by that time- so it wasn't that much of a decrease.   to me - side effects meant you are getting too much of something - so, lower the dose.  and continue on my merry way - until the next time.  (which would be several months) that's why when I'd start having side effects, I'd lower the dose and be fine.

what I took from that episode was I as an "ideal candidate" for the rx.

 

but I tend to drive my drs (multiple) nuts becasue I don't react normally to things.  my ND is suggested genetic testing to see if she can figure out what is going on.  I think it's partially related to the homozygous mthf - and combined with other factors why I'd had such a nightmare of a response to anesthesia for what should have been a simple procedure.  the anesthesiologist I spoke with afterwards was scratching his head - as he'd never heard of such a thing and it made no sense to him.  but from what i've since learned can happen in certain circumstances with mthf - it makes sense.

[Heathermomster]

My mom took cymbalta for years to handle pain. When initially prescribed, her doctor had her taking the SSRI once per day. My eldest sibling died almost 5 years ago, and then the med became too expensive. Unbeknownst to everyone, my mom started taking the med every other day. The family was confused because she was acting erratic and talking crazy. C.R.A.Z.Y...We thought she was mourning or had dementia. She was dementia tested twice.

 

DH and I decided to keep the kids away as she was so unpredictable with her language. We have since learned that you cannot skip a dosage of cymbalta without side effects, and that the med has a half life of 12 hours. I'm not convinced she ever took the med properly. Anyhoo..My mom slowly turned into crazy town.

 

18 months ago, my mom quit cymbalta cold turkey. My sister and I could not reason with her or convince her to take the meds. For the first 6 months, she was suicidal and suffered anxiety. Her entire body hurt, and she had brain zaps. It took about a year, but her long term memory has kinda returned. She cannot recall many convos she had with the grandkids, and she is still apologizing to DH and me. I am personally shell shocked by the experience and do not recommend cymbalta to anyone. My mom had since changed doctors. Basically, it took a year to get off the med, and it was difficult.

Edited June 11, 2017 by Heathermomster

[Desert Strawberry]

I've been on Lexspro twice. I had no issues at all weaning off it.

Me, too. The only difference I felt at all was increased mental acuity. 

[Spryte]

My mom took cymbalta for years to handle pain. When initially prescribed, her doctor had her taking the SSRI once per day. My eldest sibling died almost 5 years ago, and then the med became too expensive. Unbeknownst to everyone, my mom started taking the med every other day. The family was confused because she was acting erratic and talking crazy. C.R.A.Z.Y...We thought she was mourning or had dementia. She was dementia tested twice.

 

DH and I decided to keep the kids away as she was so unpredictable with her language. We have since learned that you cannot skip a dosage of cymbalta without side effects, and that the med has a half life of 12 hours. I'm not convinced she ever took the med properly. Anyhoo..My mom slowly turned into crazy town.

 

18 months ago, my mom quit cymbalta cold turkey. My sister and I could not reason with her or convince her to take the meds. For the first 6 months, she was suicidal and suffered anxiety. Her entire body hurt, and she had brain zaps. It took about a year, but her long term memory has kinda returned. She cannot recall many convos she had with the grandkids, and she is still apologizing to DH and me. I am personally shell shocked by the experience and do not recommend cymbalta to anyone. My mom had since changed doctors. Basically, it took a year to get off the med, and it was difficult.

I'm glad she is getting better. That's horrible.

 

I took it for ten years for pain. It's not an off label use, I don't think, at least they listed it as a use in their TV commercials back in '05 or '06. My FIL took it for neuropathy, too, as did another friend with a similar condition to mine.

 

But all that aside, getting off was pure agony. It took me years to get off. I was on a high dose and managed to get to the lowest usually rx'd dose, and stayed there for a few more years. It was just too hard.

 

I finally weaned off the rest of the way (by counting granules, literally) last May. Agony. And then depression hit hard over the summer. I got through that with serious effort. I will never go back on that med. Never.

 

I don't recommend it if there are any other options.

Edited June 11, 2017 by Spryte

[Spryte]

for peripheral neuropathy? really? I've never heard of that. though I know there are many off-label rx. which can be a big problem for some things.

I don't think it is/was off label, but I could be wrong. They had TV commercials about using it for peripheral neuropathy from diabetes and other causes. And I remember them saying "depression hurts" on the commercial, too. (We mocked it quite a bit here!) And my FIL was the prescribed it for that use as well. I knew another girl in my health support group whose pain management doc rx'd it. Neither of those people stayed on it long term though, like I did. Ugh.

 

It did wonders for my pain, though. I had tried every med they could throw at me, and nothing helped. So even though I had a horrible time weaning off, I can't say I regret taking it. Nothing else had worked, and it gave me some quality of life while we dealt with the cause of my pain. So it wasn't all bad.

 

Still, always try other options first - I'd say it's a drug of last resort, for withdrawal reasons.

[goldberry]

I actually am on Effexor permanently due to what the doctors called "severe discontinuation syndrome". Two different doctors, two years of misery, and a final decision that I will just be on it forever.  Unless maybe later in life I have several years I'm willing to lose to the effort with no guarantee of success. 

 

My worst fear is the apocalypse coming and being without my medication.  

Edited June 11, 2017 by goldberry

[goldberry]

Paxil is a nightmare to come off of for most people, but it also tends to work very well for harder-to-treat cases, so you have to balance that when you decide what med to try.

 

And this is very true.  At the time, I was in a very bad place and Effexor was what worked.  I tried Prozac, Lexapro, Paxil, Wellbutrin.  So although I am now stuck on it, I can't say that I wouldn't take it again in the same place.  

[summerreading]

Hi, I am currently weaning off zoloft 50 mg. I will be tapering over 6 months and I am 3 months into it. I even wish I had done it more slowly, but it hasn't been too bad. I did enjoy rebound dopamine when first cutting my dose in a quarter, but it was a little too much at times. I think older ADs are SSRIs, newer like Effexor are SNRIs and this might make a difference on how hard they are to come off of. 

 

No matter what you choose, go slow getting off and if you don't, start exercising now, even a daily walk. It really makes a huge difference. 

[ktgrok]

I've been on Lexspro twice. I had no issues at all weaning off it.

 

Hubby came off Lexapro as well, no issues.

[Pegs]

I was taken off an SSRI cold turkey (due to an adverse reaction) nearly a week ago and it has been harsh.