Posted by Greenhornet on October 6, 2006, at 11:08:04
In reply to Re: Long Term Antidepressant Use » Philip N., posted by Jost on September 29, 2006, at 22:59:30
Philip.
My heart goes out to you. I have been away from this board for sometime, but would like to share my own experience with you in the hope that it can help. It might be best if you know a bit about me. I a retired Nurse, Clinical Specialist/Nurse Practitioner in Adult mental health. I am in my mid sixties, have raised a large family and am married to a retired physician.
Adult Mental Health/psychiatry became my field after my own struggles with depression began approximatly thirty years ago. I was basically on one antidepressant or another for most of that time. Today the only medication I take is for my arthritis. I struggled and watched others struggle with discontinuation syndrom frequently.
Of course I understand the individuality of each person and their biochemical makeup, so I try and keep that in mind as I share my experience.
It took me nearly four years to become medication free without withdrawal or discontinuation problems. Absolutly the only way that "worked" was - of course one med at at time with sometimes as much as three to six months before beginning to stop the next one. The ONLY thing that worked, and it truly did when getting down to less that one pill/tablet/capsule, was liquid form and a very finely incremented syringe. At the end I was taking as little a one or two milligrams of the liquid daily..
There are also "Compounding Pharmacies" that you can deal with especially if the medication does not come in a liquid form. You might want to check out this link.http://www.rxlist.com/rxboard/effexor.pl?noframes;read=5863
Do not look at every symptom as a relapse of your depression!! Find a psychiatrist or other physician who does not put such emphasis on "pharmacological psychiatry"
I have been forced to rethink my entire mindset concerning mental health due to this experience. If I knew what I know now when all of this began those many years ago I would NEVER touch another pschoactive drug! I know that these are harsh words and that there are many who feel that they have benefited greatly from antidepressants. One must do ones own research and decide, but there are too many questions and unknowns with these drugs.
I wish you success and I will pray for you.
poster:Greenhornet
thread:689687
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20061003/msgs/692390.html