Getting off meds

[masa2333]

Hello everyone. So, I made a deal with my therapist to stop taking Seroxat. I took 20mg from the end of January to the beggining of August, and then I had half a tablet (10mg) untill some days ago. Now I have half a tablet every other day. Can I experience withdrawal symptoms with this? I have a consant headache and I’m crying a lot out of blue. Is this connected? I would love to hear your experience. I’m so worried. Thank you

[lillyofthevalley37]

Maybe have 5mg one day then 10mg the next for a few weeks taper it very gradually

Or 5mg every day?

If you put seroxat withdrawal symptoms in the search engine it will come up with a list headache is on the list

[masa2333 in reply to lillyofthevalley37]

Thanks for the advice, I just did what my therapist advised me to do. I will try and talk to her, it’s just that I don’t know if these symptoms could be associated with meds, I am really scared if it is not and I don’t know what this really painful headache is

[Kkimm]

Hi Masa

Thanks for your lovely message. I will reply to it fully when time.

You are doing so well at present but as I said, or tried to say quite a few months back, I am a bit worried about you taking the decision to come off your meds so early. You have had such alot to deal with. However if it feels right for you and your doctor has advised it, I think Lily is right, tapering more slowly is probably a good idea for you as well as being prepared to go back on again if you need to.

You have a challenging year ahead of you with your Masters so no one would think less of you for continuing the support of antidepressants for longer. In the UK alot of doctors recommend being symptom free for 18 months at least before you come off antidepressants if you have anxiety.

I guess you have some side effects you are not happy with. I have GAD and may need to remain on mine for life if I do not want to risk the return of my anxiety and depression.

I have been so busy and had internet problems, so sorry if you covered this decision in your message. I only had chance to skim read it before loosing it through bad connection the other day. I will read it properly before I answer it in a day or two.

Very best wishes.

Kim

[masa2333 in reply to Kkimm]

Hi Kim

It is okay, I also have to apologise for not reading your post about relationship problems, but these days I just don’t know what is happening to me, I can’t concentrate and my headaches are so bad. I am so sorry, I hope you will understand, but I promise that I will fully read it and comment on it when I am a bit better.

I don’t really know a lot about it Kim and I am just listening what my therapist is saying. I am deadly scared to do anything besides her words, because I then think something bad will happen. My mother also is not really supportive about me taking meds, I think because she takes them really really long and will probably need to take them for a lifetime because of her depression. And maybe she doesn’t want that for me, but hey, neither do I, I didn’t want this to happen, it’s not my fault...

I hope to hear from you soon. Lots of love and thank you ❤️

[Kkimm in reply to masa2333]

Hi Masa

You will have seen my long reply to your other reply with all our news.

So sorry to hear how you are feeling at present.

I do understand your mum's and your feelings about medication. You are not alone in thinking like this. I remember an amazing link someone on this website sent me with a professor who was also a top psychiatrist I think. One of his main points was that if you have depression or an anxiety disorder you are over producing cortisol and adrenaline and under producing feel good chemicals and in that way are just as ill in the physical sense as someone with diabetes. It is in no way your fault, you are not weak and cannot be expected to be able to cure yourself. Of course therapy, positive thinking and keeping busy and not fearing symptoms helps, but it is no more possible for you to manage without the drug that helps control the effects of your over production of stress chemicals, than someone who has diabetes can help not being able to produce insulin. This is particularly true of people who were generally non anxious before becoming ill as a result of a trauma, as in my case, but is also true to a certain extent for all anxiety sufferers. As you will know you cannot help under or over producing thyroxin with thyroid problems.

I have read such alot from others and about anxiety and MH problems since becoming ill that I feel I and have changed and developed my views quite a bit. Therapy and/or Positive thinking and setting yourself new challenges daily is so important but many people also need antidepressants, and for a couple of years often if they are to avoid the anxiety returning. I certainly do and have no negative feelings about needing them for life if necessary, but ofcourse it is very different to say that when you are older than when you are in your 20s.

We all know that they are not a quick and easy fix, they can be horrendous to start and even more horrendous to stop. They produce unpleasant side effects such as lack of libido, weight gain etc but often changing the antidepressant can help that somewhat.

We say they are not a cure and just mask symptoms but we do not say that about insulin for someone with diabetes which if you think of it is also not a cure and just masks symptoms. Insulin just supplies something you need, it does not cure you by making your body produce insulin again does it?

We all know that psychiatrists can be too heavy handed with drugs and that no antidepressants work well unless you work with them. It is great to try to be drug free and I am sure you will get there given long enough but a life on them where you do not keep stopping and starting or feeling guilty about taking them can be just as rewarding and fulfilling or even more so than a life where you never needed them in the first place. In my view the main problems come with lots of guilt about taking them leading to stopping and starting and all the suffering that involves. It is very hard for people with anxiety to overcome their fears enough to take them long enough for them to be effective. When they start to take them then keep stopping over and over again they believe it is the antidepressants which have caused this difficult period in their lives and caused all this suffering not realising how they would also have suffered without them because it is being ill that caused their suffering and misusing antidepressants just added to this.

I believe that it is really important that young or vulnerable people who cannot cope with them are not prescribed them unless absolutely necessary and only then with 24 hour support which is a pipedream with the state of public spending here at present. Infact they should never be prescribed to anyone unless necessary and sadly often are with serious consequences.

In the case of my drug Venlafaxine, many people have been on it and done very well leading full productive lives for twenty years plus. At present there are no proven long term bad effects although with more research that may change . However when and if it does that will be no different to say blood pressure medication known to increase risk of damage to kidneys or statins which can damage muscle etc.

Sorry I am on my soap box more for others who read this than you dear Masa. I just want you to be well. In my case I really feel that I have gained insight into myself and others through Venlafaxine, I am also more sociable and more able to take on challenges without fear. Read my second post ever, anyone who is interested to know more on how I feel I have benefited.

I understand that you must have faith in your therapist and do continue to follow what she says. It may be when she hears how you are struggling now she may well say start to increase your dose again.

I am on a nation committee which produces guidelines into medical procedures so I am very familiar with health research and know that General Practitioners often do not prescribe antidepressants long enough to be properly effective. Like patients, they too are susceptible to media hype and mis information about them.

Think about having a talk with your therapist who I assume is also your prescriber as soon as possible. I am sure she would understand if you wanted to raise any of the points I made in this and my other reply to this post sent yesterday.

It is all really difficult and if you want to battle on still reducing them I am sure you will be able to recover and it will be the right thing for you, everyone must do it their way.

I will support you whatever you decide, you are very brave and everyone has to deal with their anxiety and depression in whatever way feels right for them.

I will be thinking of you and hoping you start to feel better soon.

Love

Kim