Your experience after quiting Antidepresants? Continue or Quit?

I am currently taking Vyvanse due to my diagnosed Binge Eating Disorder - it's not for depression.  I also have a prescription for Xanax to take as needed for some anxiety problems, but I take about 1-2 of those a year.  Again, not for depression.  

For me, non-pharmaceutical options for depression treatment work best right now.  I assume this won't always be the case in the future, as it hasn't always been the case in the past, but that's what's working.  

Thank you very much for the reply, I am trying to put things together for me.

I will NEVER go off of Lexapro!  

Lexapro was working ok I took it for 7 days only but my eyes had the worse pressure and was having vision problems, 

good luck to you,Thank you

I wish I could give more specific advice, but advice for what to do depends on things I, or anyone else, cannot assess on the internet.  It depends on your diagnosis and complete mental health history.  I mean, I won't even answer this question for people I know.  I will only even begin to consider it for clients I have. Why did you stop the antidepressants? If you have horrible side effects there are many others to try.

Here is some general advice:

You should never quit any psychotropic medication without titrating down.  This means you take a gradual dose until you discontinue the medications.  Effexor in particular is known for causing side effects.  If you still have withdrawal symptoms there may be more drug in your system - or it may be a confounding effect caused by something else.  Consult a psychiatrist ASAP even if you want to stay off medications. Drugs have what is called a "half life."  This is the period of time it takes for drugs to be reduced by 1/2 in the system.  Depending on how long you are on drugs it can take months, even years, to reduce them in your system.  The brain changes, sometimes structurally, in response to psychotropic drugs.  All of that takes time to change back and forth.

My #1 advice to clients is to always see a psychiatrist rather than a PCP whenever possible, for psychiatric medications.  I even see one myself and I am a counselor. :)

Thank you Donna,

I am so thorn because I am seeing a Phycologist already he has tried to put me on Paxil, Lexapro and Effexor all with bad reactions,

last Monday finally he said you have to go back on Zoloft since we know it works for you, I have not yet started them since I am hoping I can do without them but is been a challenge and a day by day; I am also going to start therapy  next week

I feel the worse from the withdrawal from Zoloft in June is over I tell you it was horrible!!! I am struggling still with some things hoping they go away but thorn between starting Zoloft again or not

I have been depressed most of my adult life but actually started Zoloft in 2006 because I had a horrible panic attack and since then I took it,

I stopped it because I was feeling awful with lots of anxiety and really depressed, heart palpitations and more, But I didn't know that my anemia was causing me some of these things and I taught it was the Zoloft that why I stopped it, Now that I feel that my anemia is getting better I am trying to figure things out whether to stay on it or since I took the worse of the ride from withdrawals stay away

Oh my!  It sounds like you have been through a lot!  It can be really hard.  I've had depression since I was 12 or so.  I understand.

Physical issues can cause depression, too.  Are your thyroid levels normal?  Thyroid stuff also can cause depression and palpitations.  When I diagnose depression, I always send clients to see their PCP and rule out other issues that might be depression without an environmental cause.

I always tell people to approach doctors with a curious tone.  When my psychiatrist (or any doctor really) wants me to take meds I ask:

• Why are you considering this medication over other medications?
• What will the plan be if this medication does not work?
• What other medications might work if this does not?
• What side effects should I expect?  What side effects mean I should call you? What side effects mean I should go to the ER?
• How long will this medication take to work?  If I do experience side effects, when will they wear off?
• Does this medication have the potential to cause permanent side effects even if the drug is discontinued?  If so, what are they?
• I take these medications (list medications, herbs, and vitamins) as well.  Will this new medication interfere with them?

I am a big believer in counseling.  Of course, I am biased - I'm a counselor!  So bear that in mind.  However, for some of us, me included, we need the antidepressants, too, because we have a biological illness in addition to a behavioral one.  There is no more shame in that than being diabetic or hypothyroid.

No matter what, good luck!  I hope it works out for you :)

Thank you for taking the time to reply, all my blood work came back good for Thyroid  since I had soooo many trips to the ER during these past months they did everything to rule out any major issues and all been discarded but they never mentioned withdrawal not even my regular doctor or phsycologist does,

Well, often we as counselors see side effects more than psychiatrists and doctors.  I see people weekly for an hour.  They see them for 15m tops in some cases.  I am very much an integrative health clinician - I work with doctors on a team-based approach rather than an individual "tra la la I'm doing my own thing in the corner" approach.  Not all counselors or doctors do this, but many of us will.

Many doctors do not think of it, like most nutritionists don't do low carb.  The field is changing and not all providers have caught up.  I assure you though that antidepressant withdrawal can very much be a thing, and you will get withdrawal effects, and the longer you are on a medication, in some cases it has built up in your system.  

Effexor is actually an SNRI and not an SSRI and it is legendary for causing withdrawal effects.  So is Cymbalta.  Zoloft and the others are SSRIs and so they only affect one neurotransmitter.  This means fewer body systems are effected, so (usually but not always) there are fewer side affects and less withdrawal.  However, being on zoloft for so long, there is a much higher likelihood for withdrawal.  That is why it is advised to titrate down rather than cold turkey.

I went poking, and this is a decent article about it that's easy to read :)

http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2013/02/13/withdrawal-from-psychiatric-meds-can-be-painful-lengthy/

Donna,

I thank you again this is a helpful article specially because I identified with some of the things there like getting myalgia and paresthesias,

doctors test me for Lupus and other auto immune diseases because I kept complaining of muscle pain, specially in my hands and feet,

it makes sense now,

Thank you,