Anyone off Antidepressants? Suggestions?

Hi All! I found out on Friday that I was approved -- yea!! I am very excited. However, I do have a concern. I have been taking Celexa, and antidepressant, for a few years now. I never wanted to be on it and I want off!! I talk to my nutritionist about it and she is concerned that one, I wont be able to swallow them after surgery. Two, that crushing them might change the complexity of the pills, and three that having Gastric Bypass may make it so I dont absorb the pills well anyway. So, as off about 4 days ago I have started to wean off the meds. I was taking 30mg of Celexa everyday, and I am down to 20mg. I am not doing this with my doctor, as the last time I talked to him about it he told me it was best to stay on them for the rest of my life!! I hate them and want off and dont feel like they are working. I have been having some withdrawals, but today they are more bearable. I have heard that Benadryl can help with symptoms, and that Charcoal can help get it out of your system faster. I am just curious if anyone else has gone thru this and how they are doing and how they did it and if anyone has any good ideas. I am super excited about the surgery, and think that loseing weight will help me be a happier person -- something that I really dont think these meds are doing!

I WAS NOT ON ANTI DEPRESSMENT UNTIL I LOSS THE WEIGHT AND MY HORMONES WENT CRAZY , MOST PEOPLE WHO LOOSE THE WEIGHT TAKE ANTI DEPRESSMENT PILLS,I TRIED TO STOP THEM AND ALMOST LOST MY MIND

Well, here's my story. I was put oon antidepressants in my early 30s---Prozac. Worked great, for a while. Upped the dosage. Worked great, for a while. Changed to Zoloft. Worked great, for a while. Upped my dosage... Seeing a pattern here? Eventually, I just decided that spending $100 a month for drugs that weren't working as depressing in and of itself, and I just stopped taking them. Decided I could cope as well without them as with. When I went to my psych eval for WLS, the psych and I discussed the fact that many people BECOME depressed as early post-ops, and I said that, if he thought I should, I'd go back on the meds pre-op. He adopted a 'wait and see' attitude. Within DAYS after my DS, my depression was GONE! Completely, utterly GONE! That was almost 20 months ago. I feel better than I can ever remember feeling as an adult, and NO MORE MEDS!

I was on Cymbalta (60 mg) and I have pretty much weaned myself off them without my dr's approval. I've been on some form of anti-depressant for so long I don't know what it feel like to not be on anything. And with my WLS revision coming up on Monday I didn't want to have to take anymore pills then absolutely necessary. If in 6-8 weeks I'm having problems then I will try them again but I want to detox of them for awhile and hopefully forever.

Hi Jessica, I was taking Celexa 30MG after loosing my baby Dale in 2003. I have been off of them for about 8 months now. I weaned my self off of them. But I don't recomend that. You should work with you doctor on the weaning process. I feel that I am doing fine now. The only time that things get to me a little is around that time of the month. I hope that works out for you. I think it was the best for me. But it may not be for you. You know your self and how you feel so take it a day at a time. Thanks! Melissa

It's not a good idea to stop taking your Celexa. I also thought the same as you before surgery but ALL my doctors said it was a bad idea as you will be going thru so many changes so quickly you will need it. I was able to take it 3 days post op in pill form, no problems. I would think twice before stopping.

Hi Guys, Thanks so much for all of your responses. Im happy to say that I AM finally off my meds!!! My last dose was like 3 or 4 days before surgery or something crazy like that, but I was not wanting to be taking them after. I was VERY dizzy for a few days and pretty darn sick to my stomach, but overall it went ok. Today I am a little over two weeks post-op and in the last week or so the withdrawal effects seem to have gone away! I am so happy to be off of those things, it is such a relief!!! I do not recommend them to ANYONE. Jessica