wanting to come off meds

[Guest han]

Hi everyone,

i was wondering if anyone could give me some advice-i want to come off my medication (antidepressant-cipralex) because recently i've been feeling a bit like a zombie- unable to feel sad/cry etc...which may be a good thing, except that i feel like i need to have some emotional release at the moment-these days when i feel down i can't cry because the antidepressants work so well, but it means that i've started self harming (again after not doing it for a few years) as my emotional release.

today i haven't taken my meds and i know that if i told my dr that i no longer wanted to take them she would be seriously concerned but if one of you guys thinks its a bad idea from experience etc... then i'd be more likely to listen i think.

thanks

H xxxxxx

[Northern Star]

Hi Han,

I have never taken meds so what I am saying is only my opinion going off what you have said and my own beliefs.

I am assuming from what you have said that the anti-depressants work well, yes? That is obviously very good . But at the same time you do need to be able to let out your negative emotions and to be able to express them. If you are unable to do so whilst on these meds then how about asking your dr to change them to a different one that maybe might suit you more? May I ask if you're having any other treatment, e.g. therapy, alongside the meds? It might be helpful to start some if you're not already. In my opinion meds can be very helpful for recovery. But I do feel that they will only make you feel better when you come off them if you have dealt with whatever it is that is making you feel so unhappy. This is why therapy can be so important.

It is obviously not good that you are self-harming again and I am genuinely sorry to hear that. Someone whom I respect immensely and who knows about my SH and the problems I have been having says to me that the SH is a symptom, not the actual root problem, but that it is another problem on top (if you get what I mean). Stopping SH is obviously important but whilst you could stop (even though it would probably be difficult), you need another release mechanism in place otherwise it will be straight back knocking on your door. I know that technically I could say to myself right now that I will never SH again, but as long as I feel like I am doing and as long as I have these problems and don't deal with them, I will never be able to go back to the happy person I want to be. By this I mean that the SH is a sign of how bad I feel and it is a coping mechanism but it is not a healthy one.

What I would suggest is to go to see your dr, tell her what you have told us, tell her about how you feel and that you're self-harming as an emotional release again, and see what she suggests.

Hope this helps :blushing:

[catherine]

Hi han

If you read through other threads about meds you will probably find the message is very much that you need to find the right solution for you. It 's a very individual decision, but under no cirmcumstances should you feel pressurised into taking them / or stopping them by your dr or anyone else. Speaking personally, I would advise against stopping and starting them as it is likely to just mess up your system. You need consistency

I once had your problem over not 'feeling' or being able to express emotion, but over time that eased, even though I have continued on large doses of antidepressant meds (Seroxat which is similar to Cipralex). But you have to weigh up the advantages against the drawbacks and it sounds to me as though you might actually be benefiting in some ways from taking the meds ? :blushing: . It doesn't sound as though self harming is a good alternative to taking meds and in the end this could actually make you more depressed!

Try to keep taking them as prescribed but also look at additional support to accompany this treatment. For example, are you being referred to a therapist as this might well help. Do you have a CPN you could talk to say on a weekly basis?

Stick to your treatment plan but when you are next at your dr's (or even make an apt to see her) explain how you feel and what your fears are. I personally find the benefits of my meds outweigh the downside and I really wouldn't like to think of you self harming as that's pretty serious stuff

Take care

Catherine

[catherine]

how about asking your dr to change them to a different one

Yeh, I'd endorse what NS says. I must admit I tried several antidepressant meds until I found the one that worked for me. Even though they may all be closely related as I mentioned, there are subtle differences in the way they impact upon your individual system.

(Good job you're on the ball NS, must be those young genes )

Let us know how things are going han :blushing:

Catherine

[Guest Hypnosinc]

Hi Han,

Just a note of caution to add to what the others have said. Do not be tempted to stop the medication at your own discretion. Several people have done that and have come unstuck, as the risks are very high that you will find yourself thrown back into your anxiety / depression, perhaps alarmingly so. Stopping medication, partcularly if you have been taking them for a prolonged period, should be gradual and under medical supervision.

I would agree that there is a very strong case for discussing the possibility of changing your medication, if the current one is causing you problems. Ultimately the aim must be to get you off the drugs altogether, but this is best done when you have been running some therapy like CBT alongside for a while.

[Guest Jimbo]

Hi Han,

I would certainly agree with Hynosinc about stopping the meds under your own steam.

I've been through 5 different Anti-ds over the last 5 years. 3 of them worked but just seemed to stop working almost overnight so I had to change. 1 didn't ever work and the other I've been on for over 18 months.

I had some really bad experiences coming off one of them and it totally changed my personality for nearly 2 months. The withdrawal effects were so bad and sickening that I went it alone against the GPs advice and went cold turkey just so I could start the next ones and get well again.

This culminated in me calling my boss some very rude things at my works xmas party in front of his wife and the company directors and their wives, falling out with my girlfriend almost beyond repair and smashing my flat to pieces.

My flat is repairable but my relationship and job were in other peoples hands to fix. I had no control over these and fortunately for me things came right in the end.

If you are self harming again go and see your GP and explain. They won't laugh at you, they are there to help and see things like this all the time. Maybe like me you just need to go through a few until you find one that allows you to find a happy medium between keeping you on the straight and narrow but allowing you more control of your emotions.

I think everyone has mentioned therapy. If you aren't going down this avenue then I hope you consider it.

Sorry for the long reply but I hope it shows you are not totally alone.

Jimbo.