Coming off antidepressants

[dillydally1]

I have been on antidepressants since I was 26 years of age. I am now 66 years of age.I have tried many antidepressants over the years and never felt great.

I have just come off fluoxetine 40mg, it made me feel worse.

Doctor started me on vensir xl 75mg. I have only taken for 3 days.

I am thinking of not taking them and I'm going to try without any antidepressants.

Has anyone else done this and did you feel better not taking anything.

Lot's of advice needed, and stories of how it affected you.

I see my GP again in a week's time. I know I should probably wait to see her but I've read that vensir xl 75 can be hard to come off, so rather than carry on with it, I thought I'd stop now.

Many thanks for reading and hope I get some replies.

I have it in my head that coming off antidepressants might give me myself back and clear my mind.

[Hidden]

Hi, I'm your age; same story - started at age 40. Nothing works, ever. I feel worse on these drugs than off of them. Side effects are truly horrendous. I took one the other day, to start off - never again. I just need something for sleep...how about you? ANxiety stuff used to work, not now. Getting older makes it worse & hard to bounce back;..... to what? See ya....

[dillydally1 in reply to Hidden]

Hi, yes it's really hard. My sleep is terrible, has been for years. Think I'll give it a go without antidepressants and see what happens. They are always there if I feel the need to go back on them. Hope you go on ok x

[Hidden]

I agree with your thoughts on antidepressants. I have taken several different ones for years and not 100% convinced that they are the solution. at least for me anyway. I have weaned off them only to be put back on them again to quickly because that’s the docs go-to solution. Would like to try giving them up again. It seems like patience it the key when adjusting to stopping any medications. Like you, I don’t feel clear minded and often numb on them and concerned about the chemical changes they make in the brain, and are those changes reversible? I’m hoping so. Discuss with your doctor first but the decision about meds needs to be something we believe works in the long run. I’m in the same boat with you on this and wishing you the best!

[dillydally1 in reply to Hidden]

Hi wildflower, it's so tough knowing what to do for the best. I think I'll give it a try without them. I'll have them here if I feel the need to go back on them. I know it's not going to be an easy ride because my brain has had antidepressants for many many years. Let me know how you go on and I also wish you the best xx

[Hidden in reply to dillydally1]

Thank you, you too. 🙏

[Cookie2217]

Hi there I've been on for Pristiq for 18 years now and it's time for me to wean myself off safely. I'm going a more holistic approach with change and diet, exercise, sunlight, yoga and meditation maybe even acupuncture who knows but these meds haven't worked for me for a long time. I looked up the long-term effects of Pristiq and it can actually make you have suicide ideation, have liver and kidney problems and also lung disease no way I'm giving them up and starting over with a new plan. I'm not going to go through with the back and forth of changing up my medications lowering doses then hiring doses changing medications over and over again to get the right mixture no thank you. I often wonder what my brain looks like after all this mind altering medication you know what I mean.