[This message has been edited by pippy (edited 21 July 2005).]
Some people (my daughter included experience some pretty weird neurological stuff getting off SSRI's too fast..such as electric "zap" sensations in your head. People also feel fluish.
Take your time getting off. And getting off the last 5-10mg can be the worst. You can get a liquid form if it helps you taper off. You can cushion the bad part of withdrawal with a low dose of another SSRI, temproarily, then get off that one immediately.
You can use time increments to taper as well as gradually reducing the dose. Reduce a very small amount , wait a few days, and observe your reaction. I you are okay, proceed to cut some more. If you are not okay, wait unti you are before cutting more. If you are really doing badly, add back some of your dose and try again in smaller increments.
If you have been mixing zoloft with biaxin, you may have had a higher concenteration fo zoloft that you thought. Auntybiotic has let us all know about some of the dangerous interactions between zoloft and antibiotics.
It took my daughter about two months to get fully off zoloft, and she still has zaps, mood swings and fluishness. On the other hand, geting off Paxil, which is supposed to be worse, she was just fine and got off quickly. It's kind of individual.
Long story short, it took me about 5 months to slowly nurse myself off of those evil horrible drugs.
I even got it down to opening up the capsule and taking out one little dot at a time.
Whatever the SSRI you have to be careful and take it slow. Ducks should warn people ahead of time how hard the are to get off and how bad you feel.
Just google "I hate effexor" or "SSRI withdrawal" and you'll get a lot of tips/stories about symptoms etc.
Good luck but really do take it slow, especially if you have been on them a long time.
In some people their risk of suicide goes UP with taking this medication.
It also has a high risk of seizure and should never be taken with St. John's Wort.
You also need to periodically check sodium levels and liver function.
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I personally think that some of these problems come from people being told they have a saratonin problem when they dont (many times no medical testing is done at all).
The drug tries to correct a saratonin problem. If there is not a saratonin problem, it can cause more harm than good.
But I am sure it works for some people. Other people it just gives them a headache.
My daughter had to be stepped down very cautiously (lowering dose slowly) off of her Celexa last summer.
She took it for headaches and was so improved we needed to take her off.
It can be risky to go cold turkey. If you have a really good llmd, I would probably ask them what to do next.
Hope all goes well for you. Take care!
[This message has been edited by cigi (edited 03 July 2005).]
http://www.Breggin.com or org or net? http://www.GaryNull.com
I went off Prozac twice. Took my daily dose every other day for two weeks and then stopped. Didn't have a reaction.
BUT I should never have gone off. Bone crushing depression returned.
I don't think these drugs are evil and horrible as they have saved my life. I am on Effexor now and if I have to be for the rest of my life to be able to get out of bed in the morning, than so be it.
I hope you are feeling better soon.
I went off Prozac twice. Took my daily dose every other day for two weeks and then stopped. Didn't have a reaction.
BUT I should never have gone off. Bone crushing depression returned.
I don't think these drugs are evil and horrible as they have saved my life. I am on Effexor now and if I have to be for the rest of my life to be able to get out of bed in the morning, than so be it.
I hope you are feeling better soon.
What you are going thru is withdrawal from your SSRI. So many people make the mistake of thinking that "they really needed the medication" and go back on SSRI's for life.
If you get thru the withdrawal, your symptoms will go away in time. The symptoms of withdrawal begin about 6 days after stopping a SSRI, about 30 days after stopping Prazac due to its lonh half life.
The symptoms are depression, anxiety, sleeplessness, horrible rage, increased cravings for carbs, weight gain, crying easily, brain zaps, stomach cramping,mania, obsessive compulsive disorder, flu like symptoms and depersonalization............these are withdrawal symptoms from SSRI's................not relapse.
Many fall into the trap "I really needed the SSRI, look at what happens when I stop!!!" This is what the drug companies want.....what better then to have a consumer hooked for life.
SSRI's blunt your emotions, cause one not to care about life, often times the person is not even aware of their apathy. It takes loved ones to notice this change.
Lack of sex drive, weight gain, agitation, nervousness....just some of the side effects of the SSRI;s.
Miss a dose for a day or two and you will see how addicting ALL of the SSRI's are. Prozac takes about 30 days to notice the withdrawal effects so many think they had NO withdrawals. It actually takes 27 to 32 days for Prozac to leave the system......thus the withdrawals are often not attributed to the withdrawal from Prozac.
aunt y
I am really concerned about the opinions you have expressed here. Unless you're Tom Cruise, in which case I understand.
Understanding fully that pharmaceutical companies are in business to make money, I don't regard them as benevolent; however, for those of us who have clinical depression their medications have been a blessing.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and especially so on the 4th of July.
However, I find some of your statements to be irresponsible.
Please take care of yourself and have a loved one monitor you. That is not to say anything really bad will happen. It is just best to be safe.
My daughter was put on Lexapro for teeth clenching by her family doctor. I had no opinions or any knowledge on SSRI at the time.
Now after seeing the harm that they have done not only to my daughter but to countless others in their inability to stop taking them and terrible side effects. What other drugs except SSRI and Benzo's cause such severe withdrawals when one tries to stop.
Even just tapering off of SSRI's causes withdrawals for many during each taper.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion............. not just on July 4th but any day........... and this is mine.
I have watched may daughter trying to wean off of lexapro. I have spoken to many others who also had serious problems stopping the SSRI's. Many were not taking the SSRI for depression but for anxiety, pain etc.
Google "SSRI Withdrawal" and you will be able to see there are thousands that hold my opinion. I am only relating my experiences in hopes to help others. Those that are taking SSRI's without problems........can disregard my opinion.
By all means if the SSRI's are helping you, continue to take them.............but at the same time there are many that are trying to get off of SSRI's due to drug interactions or bad side effects or for what ever reasons and those may need help in understanding the side effects.
Many drug makers of SSRI's have settled million dollar court cases for failing to inform the public of the addiction of these medication and side effects. This is not my opinion but hard facts that can be found easily by researching on the internet.
I did not mean for my post to offend you, I have enough on my plate and my only reason for posting is to help others to learn thru my experiences.
For those that may be interested. www.drugawareness.org www.antidepressantfacts.com
aunt y
[This message has been edited by auntybiotic1499 (edited 04 July 2005).]
[This message has been edited by pippy (edited 21 July 2005).]
All I am going to do, is give you a wonderful link to a site I found two years after I was put through hell W/ these meds. www.prozactruth.com
check this out, there's info on getting off of this crap.
They are a trade-off, just as antibiotics are a trade off to those of us with Lyme.
Pain is pain. It may be physical, emotional or spiritual, it remains pain. Sometimes we have to take a med that will help, but has neg side affects=trade-off.
Just as Lyme treatment is individual, so is treatment for depression.
Some respond well and have problems decreasing or discontinuing. Others have a difficult time.
Just don't listen to Tom Cruise!!!!!!!!!!
Peace,
BJG
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