Posted by Jay on September 3, 2006, at 15:35:21
In reply to Terrified to stop taking my antidepressants, posted by Djenane on September 2, 2006, at 19:24:22
> I'm very scared. Here's why: I'm currently taking 3 different antidepressants: Trazodone at 50 mgs, Lexapro at 30 mgs and Desipramine at 25mgs. I want to get off of them all, but I'm terrified.
>
> I've seen several different psychiatrists, hoping to find one who would help me come off. The reaction has pretty much been the same every time... they say they don't recommend coming off (even if they'd only met me a few minutes before), as if I'm destined to stay on these drugs for the rest of my life.
>
> I've tried a fairly slow taper before and had bad withdrawal effects. And that was with only one drug and now I have three!
>
> I wish I could prevent these symptoms. Does >anyone know how?Hello....I would say, No. 1, don't be afraid of the medication. I go on really weird "cocktails" of pills, and have learned what takes away the bad symptoms...the terrifying anxiety, the nightmares, sleepless nights, sleeping all day, the bottomless pit of despair, etc. Some docs like to think you just take say drug A and MAYBE a bit of drug B, and say that is "all you need". I've experimented, over 15 years, with doses, micro-doses, using two-three antidepressants, anti-anxiety drugs of all sorts at a time. My pills looked like a rainbow of colours in my hands, but every single pill was accounted for in some way. Our brains and bodies use many, many chemical "messengers"...but in the 1990's, sadly, the drug industry tried to make it like serotonin was the only neurochemical that needed to be affected to treat symptoms of depression. Mucking around with a few other of these neurochemicals, though, seems to work much better, for different people, at diminishing the symptoms of depression and anxiety. And, the thing is, *focus* on the symptoms. The anxiety..the tension...the sleeplessness or sleepiness. I was told this by one of the leading psychiatric clinicians at McMaster University, that if you target your symptoms like say you target a headache, you can "check off" each symptom as you go along.
So if it takes this "weird" combo of pills (and I don't just mean taking pills for their own sake), then so be it. I have found that through trial and error, over the years, which meds help me and which don't, so I go back to say taking a few of the same kind of antidepressants that worked "a bit", combine them with some anti-anxiety meds that seemed to work (but didn't do much for depression), use of some of the atypical antipsychotics and/or anticonvulsants, (which helped with keeping a "stable" mood), and they together have worked the best. I get back to enjoying life everyday way better then I did before meds.
So, anyhow, there are a few things maybe to think about. You may have to change a med here or there, but you *really* get to know your body, your moods, and life will be just as enjoyable as ever. Of course you will still have bad days...that is only being *human*. But, as part of your learning, it's almost like self-taught CBT talk therapy, things become much smoother over time.
Best wishes..
Jay
poster:Jay
thread:682428
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060901/msgs/682751.html