OT - SSRIs

[M&Ms]

Like I said, the sertraline didn't seem to do much for me at all. Might not work for everyone? Usually they say to give it a couple of weeks before you see any improvements - but if you have been on them for 4 months, it looks like they might not be working for you. Have a chat with your doc and see what they suggest.

 

[Sammystar]

thanks ladies

I saw my therapist on Tuesday, and told her I want to try stopping. I said I didn't think they were working, and she quite rightly pointed out that they are not a 'cure-all' and sadly, the tablets can't change my current circumstances. I'm not clinically depressed. I'm just going through a tough time, and she prescribed them to 'help' me get through it. She had hoped that my mood swings might be more balanced on them, but really they haven't changed much. I'm still a crabby old mare!

Well, I'll give it a go to come off, and if I feel myself slipping I'll try again.

I've been here before with Fluoxetine, and had no side affects coming off that.

Good luck ladies. We should keep this thread going for anybody else who is about to come off AD's for whatever reason.......

 

[xxKateBxx]

absolutely agree, i'll keep you guys updated on how I'm feeling, and it'd be interesting to know how you get on with yours.

I hope its a smooth ride for you hun

katexx

 

[M&Ms]

Yes, I think this thread should be kept near the top so other ladies can see it. Maybe one of the moderators can help?

 

[Sammystar]

I'm starting to feel it now

Feel quite detached, and I keep going dizzy.

Luckily I know what it is so I'm just gritting my teeth for now.

I certainly wouldn't get behind the wheel of a car or on my bike right now though.........

How are you getting on Kate?

 

[suzie1011]

i am so glad i found this thread. i have been cutting down my citalopram which i am on 40mg. and have also been getting these "brain zaps" its awful because you have no sense of control. i am very glad i found this thread because to be honest i didnt link the two together. my gp advised me to carry on taking one every 3 days until i actually fall pregnant because he doesnt feel i can cope without them ( ad neither do i )
when i get them i just go for a lie down and after around half and hour i feel ok.

hope you feel better soon

 

[xxKateBxx]

Hi ladies,

thanks for asking after me. Am still off work with this as am on my feet all day with my job and couldn't face it until i'm better.

The symptoms are definately easing now, thank goodness. Last weds, thurs and fri were the absolute one of the worst things I've ever gone through. I felt like I was being tortured from the inside out (I know this sounds dramatic but thats how it felt). I was all over the place, crying, just wanting to go to sleep until it was over. Since Sat, the symtoms have gradually been easing day by day, a little at a time. Don't worry ladies, it does go eventually.

I came to the conclusion that I probably didn't wean off slowly enough - from 10mg escitaprolam (it s a concentrated drug hence the low dosage), I did 10mg-5mg alternate days for a week, then did 5mg-5mg, then 5mg-0mg, then nothing. the symtoms begain seriously 4 days after not taking anything.

I am so angry about being given this drug with no warning of the withdrawal effects, I will be writing to my local health service as people need to be told about this. I'm just glad I'm off it, I had no idea how strong it was. Don't get me wrong I needed it badly when I started to take it but I will seriously think twice about ever going on them again.

Sammy, you are doing the right thing, grit your teeth hun and get off them if you can. Suzie, I think if you have time to taper very, very gradually before you conceive, then it would be miuch better to do it before and not when you are pg. Only my opinion of course but I wouldn't want to do this whilst pg. The other thing is, you may not get any physical withdrawal symptoms at all - over half of people don't.

kate

 

[JPS]

Hello everyone. I am so sorry to hear from the people that are going through a rough time coming off them. I definitely think slower is better. I am lucky as I haven't had any physical withdrawels. Now that it has been a week of nothing I am starting to feel much more sensitive in the evenings and cry/get emotional/feel down in the dumps a lot more. The weekend was really tough as I was worrying so much about everything. What if I can never conceive? What if we don't have enough money for the future? Worrying about everything. At least I know it to do with the medication I am going off as I feel so much happier and positive in the morning.

I believe strongly it is worth coming off them IF YOU CAN. My doctor once explained in NZ not to feel guilty about taking them and compared it to having diabetes; some people just have lower serotonin levels like some people have low/high blood sugar. Some people are born with it, some people are slightly on the low side and after a dramatic event the brains chemical balance destabalises. I think you need to be reasonably happy/stable to come off them. Sorry I am rambling, it helps just writing my thoughts down.

Can people explain to me why you are coming off them? I asked my doc in London and she said it is not that there is evidence of effects on a developing baby, it's just that there hasn't been enough research done to say that there won't be an effect. So that is why I am going off them, I don't want to risk it.

I just want to say well done girls so far for putting up with the withdrawels. I am sure they ease with time. Do something special for yourself; go for a walk, book a massage, buy a nice book to read.

I also want to say it helped a lot in the weekend when I was feeling low to know that I am not the only one in this situation.

Thank you

 

[xxKateBxx]

HI Jps,

I have come off them for the same reasons as you really - I didn't want them posing any risk to a baby. And being in the middle of the withdrawal hell at the moment I couldn't imagine putting a newborn through this.

Saying that I know some people need these sorts of meds more than I did and will go through pregnancy on them - fair play to them it is all down to personal choice.

I will say that I don't think ad's are the super drugs we think they are - I think people who have suffered with depression and anxiety should give themselves a bit more credit - the reason we are coping with these horrible, debilitating illnesses may be partly due to the meds, but it is mostly due to ourselves and we need to remember that.

Like you, knowing that others are going through this is a real comfort so thanks to everyone for sharing, and please continue to do so!

Kate

 

[JPS]

Yes I think you need to weigh it all up. I also suffer terrible migraines and the medication I take has had no research to say it wouldn't effect the unborn baby. I couldn't imagine putting a baby through a migraine though so do worry about not taking something when I get them. I believe with SSRI's there are definitely people who need to stay on them and that's there choice.

When in the midst of depression I have noticed a marked difference after about 2 weeks of taking citalopram (And Aropax when I was 18, but had to go off as I felt really dizzy). They gave me the boost to get out of that dark hole and now that I have got out of that place and carried on with life it doesn't seem at all like I have to go through that to get off them. I also went to a clinical psychologist and would feel really really good after a session with him.

 

[xxKateBxx]

I have had CBT therapy on the nhs which was good but to be honest, you need to be in a certain frame of mind for it to be effective.

Today has been a much better day (thank goodness). Brain zaps were more infrequent today and i've felt generally more positive.

Here's fingers crossed thats its finally starting to go now

how are you guys getting on?

kxx

 

[Sammystar]

I'm feeling really rough. Very bad headaches and dizziness. Also, I'm sooooooooooooo tired! Is that normal??

 

[xxKateBxx]

yes, very normal - how many days since your last tablet?? are you working?

katexx

 

[Sammystar]

Last Thursday was my last tablet.

No, I don't work, but I do have three LO's to take care of, so I don't get much of a chance to take it easy

I know I shouldn't have come straight off, but I've started now so I may as well continue xx

 

[JPS]

When I was really bad I saw a counsellor which was not enough and did nothing. I was then referred to a clinical psychologist in the midst of my depression and it was so amazing as I went in in a bad way and would come out on a 'high'. My mum said I was a different person afterwards, although the high would only last till I woke up the next morning but the accumulative effect of sessions was good.

Today I am actually feeling really good as I have been extremely busy at work and love my work (Nannying a 16-month-old). I have been feeling very very tired though and was starting to think it's a pg symptom! But it prob is the withdrawals.

Take care of yourselves girls, thinking of you.

 

[xxKateBxx]

Thanks Jps, glad you've had a good day. ooh fingers crossed it is pg symptoms, how exciting!

Sue, I was exactly like you the symptoms came and I thought that if i could just grit my teeth and get through them it would be worth it. However if I had known about these withdrawals I would of come off them a hell of a lot more slowly.

My symptoms - head zaps, dizziness, cold hands and feet and flushes - definately get worse at night, do yours Sue?

It must be hard looking after your LO's going through this, when I said do you work, I definately count that as work!!! I have been signed off for the week from my 'job' - no chance of that with yours

katexx

 

[Sammystar]

Hi Kate and everybody else.

I'm finding my dizziness is worst first thing in the morning, and the headaches and fatigue by the end of the day. I was only on the AD's for five months so I'm hoping it shouldn't be too long before I'm over the worst of it.

Feel very crabby today though. I yelled at my daughter earlier and she cried

Sadly, I get no time off in my job Kate! You have all this to come lol! One of the reasons I wanted to come off quickly is because I'm a single mum and I just don't want to have to rely on anything, not least some medication.

It helped me over a bad patch, so I would never criticise AD's. If I fall into a black hole I'll go back on them.