Success with stopping antidepressants after surgery???
I have been on four medicines for at least ten years. I would like to eventually stop all of them. I am on Seroquel, Trazedone, Lamicatal and Lexapro. I know it has to be done with the advice of my psychiatrist. I wondering if anyone has been able to decrease their dosage or come off of antidepressants eventually after surgery? Thanks!
on 6/25/15 6:14 pm
I had the opposite happen. In the first few weeks after surgery, I started having some depressive symptoms that I hadn't felt in years. The NP at my clinic thought I wasn't absorbing it as well anymore, so she switched me from a capsule to a tablet form of fluoxetine, and I've felt better since. You're mileage may vary, though. I've been depressed since I was a kindergartner and have been on meds since I was 15.
on 6/26/15 2:21 pm
No problem! I hope you're able to get off them (I'd like that for myself too), but I'm resigned to be on them life-long if needed, and I'm just glad they work. I had my RNY on May 4th. I'm still not sure if I improved after switching to the tablet form of Prozac because I absorbed it better or if I just happened to be getting over the post-surgical emotions at the same time. I can't speak for everyone, but for me, I'm sure I had some kind of neurotransmitter imbalance even as a very young child. I had no trauma in my life that offers any other explanation. I'm just thankful to have eventually found a workable treatment.
I am two years out and I've taken Wellbutrin for seven years. The only change I made was switching from XL to SR. I will only stop taking it if it stops working, so I can find something that does. I am HAPPILY medicated and honestly don't ever want to relive how I was before.
I think it really depends on why you're on those particular meds to begin with.
I woke up in between a memory and a dream...
Tom Petty
Thank you so much for this question! I've been wondering the same thing lately. I've been on venlafaxine for over a year, switched to two smaller doses after surgery. But my depression seems to be worsening. One of my goals was to discontinue anti-depressants at some point after weight stabilization too. Can some of our beloved veterans shed some light on this subject? Thank you!