When is it right for you to start coming off medication

I was told by my gp to stop taking my tablets after 6 months, I tried this but all my symptoms came back after a few weeks. I had to go back onto them. Now I been told by my gp I can stay on them as they help with my panic attacks and anxiety. I had the dose changed so I'm on the lowest one now.

I wouldn't try coming off your medications without talking to your gp first. If your gp agrees you should stop taking them then they'll be able to help you.

Thanks for that..I am making an appointment with the doc for next week..I am assuming they will start to taper the dose to bring me off slowly..I done a of research and it would seem you do go on a low after coming off them as your body and brain adjusts to the seretonin again..but it is only temporary...so they say :) 

I have been on and off Fluoxetine over the years, and each time I was tapered off over a period of time, the trick is to keep a log, to see how you feel, and if you find your symptoms start to return, go back to your GP rather than waiting to see how low you go.

For me, I have just always know, when it was time to come off them, I tended to get this I need to get my life back thing going on.

Best of luck with it all

Hi

I had my last dose of Sertraline just over 5 weeks ago now. I am doing fine! I was actually terrified of stopping, because of all the horror stories I'd read online, and of course incase I'd still be depressed afterwards! I'd been on antidepressants for 3 years, and I was very ready to come off them, so my head was in the right place, and I had braced myself for any outcome.

By all means try the method the Dr suggests, but also have a read of the book 'coming off antidepressants'.

Thanks for the feedback guys, I suppose its gonna be different for everyone, I am just gonna go with it and do as he says..I will keep the diary, thats a great idea. :)

Hi guys.  I have been on Fluexitone for over 3 years and tried over Xmas to come off.  Within 2 weeks I felt crap so had to go back on them.  I have also put on 3 stone in weight over about 10 months.  That doesn't help how I feel either

With many a/d's, you really need to taper your dose very slowly. It took me about 7 months, so effects not nice, but were bearable....headaches, insomnia, stomach ache, visual disturbances and dizziness , irritability etc....

When I missed a dose out as per GPs instructions I felt like I'd been hit by a bus the following day. In pain from head to toe with nausea. And I have a high pain tolerance, since I suffer with chronic pain anyway (Ankylosing Spondylitis). I did try it more than once, but I couldn't work like this, so stuck at reducing my dose, braving the side effects, letting them pass, leaving it for a few weeks, then make another reduction....

If things got too much, I just increased the dose to the previous one I'd been fine at, for a day, then continued at the next lower dose...

coming off too fast and too soon only lead to problems, and the possibility of going back on the medication.

Persevere. You can do it. When you start to feel the old you coming back, and you start experiencing real emotions, it will give you that little nudge to keep at it.

For me personally, I started noticing my reactions to things were different, but in a good way. Also, I'm suddenly doing things I used to enjoy, like baking for instance. The pills were a huge help to me, but they do keep you 'on the level' so you don't tend to feel emotions one way or the other.... 

good luck x

You have also got to remember if you have other issues on top of depression AD's can ease some of the symptoms of them, so it may not be a side effect of coming off the meds, but that they were masking symptoms you didn't know you had, I was on them and I learned to cope with all my other issues, more so because I didn't care what other meds I had to take to live, I came off them and found out I was in a lot more physical pain than I had realised, as I was more conscious of the other medications I was taking to cope with the Pain.

Also when we are stressed , we tense up and everything hurts more, so the meds relax us, and ease the pain.

I have been on and off for 25 years and I have come off them slowly and abruptly it is about how you personally tolerate it. It can be scary time no matter how many times you have done it.

just follow your gut and you can not fail x