Coming off Anti Depressants

My advice would be to go to your GP, tell him/her what you have done and take the advice given. You should NEVER go off an anti-D suddenly, especially if you have been on it for that long.

I speak from experience - I had been on a very tiny dose of anti-D as migraine prevention for many years. I too stopped it when I went into hospital for surgery - several weeks later I became very ill indeed.
This is not the right place for advice - no-one here can help you or prevent you getting ill - only your doctor can. Please go tomorrow.

I was weaned off long term antideps but a few weeks later had to go back to GP as symptoms returned. Speak to GP ASAP.

Hving tried to come of anti d's a couple of times on my own and failed miserably, GO SEE YOUR DR. only he can advise you correctly.

Thankyou Lucky, quite right no one can prevent me from getting ill, just wanted to hear others experiences, although I will add I don't feel as bad as I thought I would, and of course I would never advocate anyone doing what I have done. I will see how it goes. Thanks for taking the time to reply. I will of course get advice from the Doctor should I feel worse.

After a cancer diagnosis and treatment with very little support I was prescribed anti depressants 16 years ago. I must admit I can't remember what. I think it it was Valium. It suited me fine and I weaned myself very slowly off it. I think this is the answer.
Now with my H with Alzheimer's I have been prescribed 20mgs of Citalopram and I intend to stay on this forever if that is what it takes, with the approval of my GP.
If I didn't need it any more I would do what I did before and cut down very gradually over a period of time.

ann Valium isn`t an AD it is for anxiety type illnesses . The gP would recommend cutting down on AD`s gradually though or at least that's what my GP suggested . Unfortunately I had to go back on them after several months because I felt very low .

Well that would make sense as I did suffer from anxiety I suppose. I also took small doses to enable me to fly which I hate, although the chance now would be wonderful. Now of course I do get depressed over my H's condition. Thank you for clarifying.

rafichagran as I understand it, some people when they come off anti-depressants experience a "rebound" effect of the very symptoms that they were prescribed for in the first place. You need an understanding, informed and supportive GP to help you slowly reduce.

I read an interesting article recently about how anti-depressant medication was never intended to be prescribed long-term (but now that seems to be almost the norm).

You could ask to go on fluoxetine for a few weeks. It's very similar to Citalopram but it has a longer half life and so is easier to get off of.

Or it could just be that you are someone who is better off on anti-ds full time. Like me

Rafichagran You should see a doctor as soon as possible, even if you are feeling well now. No one should come off anti depressants in that way, you could relapse seriously.

i was precribed antidepressants this time last year--but they made me feel worse--plus giving me horrendous nightmares-i would wake up screaming. So I stopped taking them, and turned to natural remedies instead--which worked--at the time !
I know that is not ideal for everyone--it just worked for me--at that time.

I came off antidepressants cold turkey about twelve years ago. I was in the middle of an intercontinental move, and thought 'I'm Ok now, I don't ned these any more.' It was unimaginably awful. I had to back onto them, with a new doctor, and then, several months later, I came off by gently reducing the dose under the doc's supervision. I swore never tomtake them again.

I have been on and come off many anti depressants over my lifetime,including citalopram.I can only suggest that you visit your GP straight away and not "wait and see" if you get any worse.You need to be monitored with regular visits for the effects on your mental health and to let him/her know so that they have the full picture of your medication.

Agree with all of the above. I've been on fluoxetine for 4 years, a very low dose. My GP said there's no reason why I couldn't take it for the rest of my life - not sure about that, but I'm on it for now. He also said that if I want to come off it, as I'm on the lowest dose, I could try every other day. I'm not ready to do this, yet, but that's how I will do it, if and when. As everyone else has said, you really need to talk to your GP - or maybe a practice nurse. Sometimes they have more time and can phone you to see how you're getting on, without the hassle of sorting an appointment. Good luck. I shall be interested to see how you're getting on.

Fluoxetine is very difficult to come off....at least it was for me......I was told to come off it due to low sodium, I had been on them for 6 years ...taken off by Gp's over about two weeks....left with nothing.....because the gps were more worried about the low sodium than my mental state. For two years I have been left depressed to the point of contemplating suicide, the GP gave me a number in case things went that far.......all I have had is talking therapies , which last for about six weeks of counselling. All antidepressants can give low blood sodium.

I am resigned to the idea that coming of my AD (which is a very small dose) is not an option - frankly after what happened last time, I would be terrified to do that. If I have to take it for life, then so be it.

For those thinking of coming off anti-depressant her is a useful leaflet published by the Royal College of Psychiatrists...and it looks at several different 'brands' and their reported profiles. Of course, consult with your GP too, but it can help if you go with some reliable information too.

www.rcpsych.ac.uk/healthadvice/treatmentswellbeing/antidepressants/comingoffantidepressants.aspx?theme=mobile

With the agreement of my GP, I reduced my dose - I took 1 one day and 2 the next for three months and felt all the better for it although it is not without problems, the good outweighs the dodgy. May try one on alternate days after a year. Agree with all the sound advice, see your GP asap and good luck.

I cannot understand why anyone with Clinical Depression (i.e. a chemical imbalance in the brain) would consider stopping their ADs - a short term course of ADs for Reactive Depression e.g. following a trauma or bereavement)is a different matter and Doctors are right to wean their patients off, under supervision, after a time.

I have been through the on/off process three times as my GP was a 'short term only' devotee and agree that it can be horrendous with horrific nightmares etc. Now I have a different GP who has agreed that I will have low dose Citalopram for the rest of my life with Annual Check-ups. This has allowed me to cope with life - without it I believe I would be long gone.

I've been on Citalopram for about 10 years now.
My GP occasionally suggests that I should start trying to come off them, but when I do, I go into a downward spiral every time.
I'm now down to 10mg per day, and am more or less okay at that. Some days are still awful, but they pass, and I really don't want to increase my dose again.
rafichagran
You really must get your Dr to help you, going cold turkey is far too dangerous!

I was on Zoloft for over 15 years, I came off it slowly while under the care of my Dr, and I had horrible withdrawal symptoms. After six months of increasingly bad depressive thoughts, I reluctantly had to go back on another medication. I realise that for me, I need this support.

Thre is NHS advice on how to come off anti depressants.

www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/869.aspx?CategoryID=73&SubCategoryID=104

How should antidepressants be discontinued?

As advised by grannetters this is with the support and advice of your GP.

What is citalopram and what is it used for?

Citalopram is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), a type of antidepressant drug commonly used to treat people with major depressive disorder, anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder. It is more commonly known by its brand name in the UK, Cipramil, and is manufactured by the pharmaceutical company Lundbeck.
A variation of citalopram (escitalopram – brand name Cipralex), also made by Lundbeck, was included in the drug safety update. It is used to treat major depressive episodes, panic disorder with or without agoraphobia, anxiety disorders and obsessive compulsive disorder.

Apparently it can affect the heart rhythm of patients.

www.nhs.uk/news/2012/07July/Pages/antidepressant-citalopram-qt-heart-rhythm-safety-warning.aspx

It would be very reasonable to discuss your concerns with your GP. Good Luck.

Thankful everyone for taking the time to reply. I realise I am getting less tolerant and more agitated, so I have a GP appointment booked for later this month. I realise now I may need some help.

Later this month us a bit far away - I can only say that when I went off my tiny dose, the plummet in my health and well-being was pretty dramatic.