Anyone Discontinue Antidepressant?

I would like to hear from anyone who used an antidepressant, began xPAP therapy, and then weaned off the medication.

Specifically, I’d like to know:

• At what point did you consider weaning off the medication?

• How did you arrive at your decision?

• What kind of input did your doc provide?

• Are you still medication-free or did you encounter problems and need to resume meds?

I am considering a trial of weaning off one of my meds. I have already discussed it with my psychiatrist, and would like some input from others who may have blazed the trail (successful or not)

PM me if you would prefer.

Thanks,
Linda

Are you kiddin'? With this mug?

Tired Linda wrote:I would like to hear from anyone who used an antidepressant, began xPAP therapy, and then weaned off the medication. Specifically, I’d like to know:

• At what point did you consider weaning off the medication?

• How did you arrive at your decision

• What kind of input did your doc provide?

• Are you still medication-free or did you encounter problems and need to resume meds?

I am considering a trial of weaning off one of my meds. I have already discussed it with my psychiatrist, and would like some input from others who may have blazed the trail (successful or not) PM me if you would prefer.Thanks,Linda

Hi Linda,

I attempted several times to discontinue Effexor XR (SNRI - Selective Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitor) that I had been on for several years. The reason for my attempts to discontinue Effexor were because I did not feel like it was helping my mood. I also felt resentment at the fact that I was never informed that Effexor is notorious for causing serious withdrawal symptoms even when the tapering schedule is conservative. After discussion with my doctor, I was given an Rx for Effexor XR 37.5 mg. capsules and advised to decrease my dose every week by 37.5 mg. I was able to successfully reduce my dose from 225 mg. to 75 mg. daily, but any further attempts to decrease my dose caused serious withdrawals - electrical "brain zap" sensations, vertigo, nausea, extreme fatigue, and terrible mood swings. All of these symptoms are well-known SSRI/SNRI "discontinuation syndrome" effects and the only SSRI that does not cause these symptoms is Prozac because it has an extremely long half-life (several weeks).

My doctor crossed me over to Cymbalta (also an SNRI) and this worked for a while and then "pooped out". My doctor lowered my dose without side effects and started me on Lexapro (SSRI) and this worked for a while and then pooped out as well. I then had a serious depressive episode after the untimely death of my husband and was started on Pristiq (SNRI). I honestly think that my current sense of well-being is due to the fact that I am practicing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) with an excellent therapist and has nothing to do with taking Pristiq. If I am off-schedule in taking my morning dose by 5 hours, I feel horribly depressed and cannot stop crying. This is a well-documented withdrawal symptom and is completely caused by sudden withdrawal of Pristiq - the cure for the withdrawal? Just take a pill. You can see the Catch-22.

Anti-depressants have their place in severe depression, however for mild to moderate depression research has shown that CBT is more effective. Bottom line: I feel good NOT because of a pill, but because I am learning that my automatic negative thoughts (a CBT premise) cause my mood to plummet. Once I change the automatic negative thought into a believable, truthful statement, I can change my mood. It works every time.

My plan in conjunction with my doctor is to reduce my Pristiq and then cross over to Prozac for maybe a week and then discontinue altogether. The temporary use of Prozac in conjunction with a slow taper has been very helpful to many people. Other strategies include the use of Benedry (diphenhydramine) to control withdrawal symptoms. I advise you to mosey on over to Psychobabble.org for many options for avoiding the unpleasant side effects of withdrawing from commonly prescribed anti-depressants. Best wishes to you. You may feel free to PM me if you have any questions. Hugs, Laurie

I had been on Celexa for a few years when I started Cpap in September. My sleep Dr. said to keep taking it but I decided on my own that I wanted to stop. I weaned myself. I was on only 20 mg. , I reduced that to 15 mg. for about 2 weeks, then 10 for another 2 weeks, then 5mg for a week and that's it. I had very minimal withdrawal effects, mostly a kind of vertigo type feeling but not intolerable. I now take lots of healthy supplements, like fish oil, B vitamins and a couple of antioxidants. I have replaced Ambien for sleeping with 5HTP along with my Calcium and a high dose of magnesium. (they are said to be calming when taken at bedtime). I think most doctors take much longer in the weaning process but this worked for me. Good Luck. Let us know what you decide.

Hi, I haven't registered yet but have been lurking and wanted to chime in. I have been off work on disability since early September due to extreme anxiety and moderate depression. While I was seeing the work-mandated therapist, I felt slightly better since being out on leave but didn't feel I was getting too much help just talking to someone who couldn't actually change any of the circumstances that were causing such stress and anxiety. She referred me to an MD who placed me on Lexapro, felt around in my neck and actually listened to me, and sent me for a sleep study. In the study they said it was just a baseline night and they wouldn't put the mask on me unless it was an emergency. Well, an hour after I fell asleep the tech came in and masked me up, and I slept better than I had in probably 12 years. Three days later I had my own machine, and continued taking the Lexapro. After a couple of weeks on CPAP, I found I got so involved in working (painting and fixing up house a bit to sell it) that I had forgotten to take the Lexapro for several days. It has been ten days since I inadvertantly stopped cold turkey and I am debating if I should start up again, as I am going back to work next week. I have never needed antidepressants before and hope to never need them again. I strongly urge you to seriously consider it before you decide to wean off of any medication, as I am one of the lucky few who had little to no side effects from the Lexapro and didn't really feel much of an effect from it before I was placed on CPAP--and I was only on 10mg, when standard doses are 10-20mg. However, it can be done. Good luck! -Bess

I am in the first stage of weaning, having reduced Lexapro from 20 to 15 (breaking tabs). My shrink gave me the green light to reduce to 10. We'll see how that goes before reducing any further. The bottom line is that you need to work with your doctor and go slowly. Be careful and prudent. Remember that depression can appear or get worse during winter because of the reduced sun light. I'm not going to try less than 10 until the days are significantly longer.

Nothing wrong with taking antidepressants if you need them and they work. Screw the ignorant who think otherwise.

I have taken antidepressants continuously for over 15 years. Most recently, I was taking Wellbutrin XL for about 3 years. During my workup that preceded my OSA diagnosis, the PA mentioned that antidepressants were known for delaying REM sleep. For some reason that resonated with me and I decided a few days later that I would wean off the drugs. It took me a couple of months altogether of gradually cutting down the dose, then widening the intervals, first to every other day, then to twice a week, and I eventually just forgot to take them.

I did feel that I slept deeper and better after I was off the antidepressants. I have weaned off them in the past, but it never lasted long. I've now been off the drugs for over 3 months and have no anxiety whatsoever. I've come to the realization that my anxiety was probably driven by sleep deprivation. I simply feel better able to deal with the stress of everyday life because I'm getting more restful sleep with new best friend, my cpap machine.

I would definetly not play around with the dosage without your MD in the picture. Yes there can be withdrawal symptoms from tapering but they vary. I am a nurse and have been on Effexor for 6 yrs. I know for me that it takes about 5 days to adjust to a lower dose. Since I know what is happening I can get thru it, This time of year is not the greatest time to decrease. Depending where you live lack of sunshine and daylight can affect you. I decreased my dose in July and dont plan on decreasing again until the Spring. Cognitive therapy also helps to keep things in prepective. The trick is to go really slow when adjusting dosage.

Good luck

My MD prescribed Effexor for me after the death of my husband. I agree that Effexor withdrawal has terrible side effects, the brain zaps being the worse. I also resented my doctor for not warning me about the side effects of that particular drug....she acted like she had no idea what brain zaps were. She did switch me to Paxil and I took it for about 8 years. I finally decided I wanted to try life again without antidepressants and weaned myself off over a few months time. I have been off of Paxil for about 4 months now and did not have a lot of problems, a little vertigo was about it. My mood has been stable and I'm sleeping well. I agree, though, that you need to discuss it with your doctor and have him/her set you up on a schedule for dosage reduction.
Good luck with whatever you decide.

Thank you, everyone, for your responses. My psychiatrist is definitely in the loop, as I discussed this extensively with him before I posted. He's given me a couple of websites to review also, and I'm just trying to gather as much information as I can before I decide whether or not to proceed.

Linda

Tired Linda wrote:I would like to hear from anyone who used an antidepressant, began xPAP therapy, and then weaned off the medication.

Specifically, I’d like to know:

• At what point did you consider weaning off the medication?

• How did you arrive at your decision?

• What kind of input did your doc provide?

• Are you still medication-free or did you encounter problems and need to resume meds?

I am considering a trial of weaning off one of my meds. I have already discussed it with my psychiatrist, and would like some input from others who may have blazed the trail (successful or not)

PM me if you would prefer.

Thanks,
Linda

Since I'm feeling dead tired since CPAP, considering involving someone - perhaps increasing Buproprion or adding Provigil, or something like that.
I take thatit I'm the opposite of you - I've taken a nose dive after starting CPAP therapy where as you are actually feeling better. I do understand that some people feel better with the therapy.

Thanks for starting this thread. I hope you will keep posting your results.
Does anyone have experience with Cymbalta & Remeron? My Dad takes them and I am hoping to get him a sleep study.