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Anyone gone off antidepressants and felt better?

Posted , 6 users are following.

JaseInSpace
JaseInSpace

Has anyone stopped taking antidepressants and found they felt better?

I had been taking Citalopram for a long time but did it totally wrong by forgetting/skipping some days and going off it cold turkey for short periods of time without consulting my psych. I didn't like the side-effects of Citalopram. It sort of made me emotionally blunt and dull, I had no sex drive, i think it gave me digestion problems, I put on weight and felt hungry a lot. In larger doses it made my concentration poor and my memory poor as well as blurred vision. It would make me feel agitated too on ocassion. On the days I didn't take it I'd feel quite depressed. I learnt my lesson not to underestimate the effects medication like this can have and to be more responsible about taking it.

I'm currently on Lexapro and whilst the side effects are less severe, I'm not sure just how much the medication is helping me. My sex drive is still  low and my concentration and memory still poor. I still feel emotionally blunted and putting on weight. There's a slight improvement in my mood, but it's been so long since I've been off meds (excluding my old bad habbit of missing days) that I wonder if my mood would improve more without them. Of course I'd ween off them slowly under the guidance of my psych if I were to do it.

Can anyone tell me their story with attempting to come off meds? Would you say your mental state improved or worsened? Were you able to cope?

1 like, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • aamna36995
    aamna36995 JaseInSpace

    Posted

    Hi,

    I was on escitalopram 10mg since may 2015 and went cold turkey in Jan 2016. For a month I was fine but after that I started feeling anxious. At times regretting my decision of going cold turkey. However, I have not gone back to it and I am fine by God's grace. Being dependant on something like AD is not a good thing so you keep telling yourself that you have to come off it. Your mind should be strong enough to accept the change though. I would advice tapering it. Never go off cold turkey. Consult a doc regarding ur tapering schedule. Also, my ssris helped me at a time I felt I would not survive so I will not say get off it right away. Weigh the scenario and decide.

    I hope this helps.

    Hugs.

    Take care.

  • elizabeth20203
    elizabeth20203 JaseInSpace

    Posted

    I have been depressed on and off throughout my adult life. I have taken AD on and off. I was on Citalopram the last time not too long back. At first they helped me as i had started having panic and attacks and anxiety. The side effects were awful. I put on a lot of weight which in its self made me feel worse. I decided after 18 mths to wean myself off them. I have felt fine since, not depressed since. My panic attacks stopped and have less anxiety. I haven't regretted coming off them. I really hope i can manage without AD again. I am currently doing a mindfulness course which i find really helpful. The course is online and free to everybody. The course is on the futurelearn website. I think if people can manage without AD and have counselling or CBT it's got to be better. Only problem is the long waiting lists. I have had counselling and group therapy in the past and this helped me more than AD.  
  • Tryingagain
    Tryingagain JaseInSpace

    Posted

    I've been struggling coming off Duloxetine ....it's the worst drug that I've ever had to reduce and it's tough! I'm down to 30mg a day for about a month now and almost everyday it's a struggle. I get this strange feeling that I'm losing my mind and it scares the hell out of me...and I feel totally alone yet I have people around me. Is this my depression or the meds! I don't feel I have control over my emotions..I'm always snappy, then regret feeling this way and I have a constant thought that I'm not good enough. Not only do I have to fight depression but also the drug??? Have you had these experiences albeit yours is a different drug. To answer your question...I don't know yet if I feel better without meds a sits so hard to come off it. I also notice my memory is extremely poor and I can't concentrate and having a good enough job it's stressing me further.
  • elizabeth20203
    elizabeth20203 JaseInSpace

    Posted

    I meant to add that a lot of AD can decrease someones libido. I feel that my memory is better since i came off AD. 
    • stevo1975
      stevo1975 elizabeth20203

      Posted

      Thats because the serotonin inorder to apreciate sexual functionity the body and mid needs to be in a state of calm whereby uptakes are processing faster reducing the calm......... I think some cases of depression or GAD can be managed without Anti Depressants however some can not as the chemical inbalancement is too great to over come by positive or lateral thinking.
    • elizabeth20203
      elizabeth20203 stevo1975

      Posted

      I agree. I may have come across as meaning we can all manage without AD, this is not the case and i have taken AD myself when the depression becomes deep. I was just talking about my own experience. I would advise  anybody to see their GP for advice and options. My sister is psychotic and cannot be without medication so i understand that some people do need meds.
    • stevo1975
      stevo1975 elizabeth20203

      Posted

      Its very sad when our loved ones have severe mental illness sorry to hear about your sister hope you are well wink
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