# Have you come off anti-depressants? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 28, 2005, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-come-off-anti-depressants/314617 "2005-07-28T18:17:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2005, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-come-off-anti-depressants/314617/21 "2005-08-03T07:14:43Z")
> [@Othersider](#): > > My psychologist told me Wellbutrin (which is not an SSRI like Zoloft, Paxil, et. al.) is about as effective, and they market it with the proclamation of no sexual side effects. Has anyone here taken it, and if so, what experiences have you had with it? Well, without getting into detail, I had said side effects, though they are described as atypical (general anecdotal evidence argues that Wellbutrin increases libedo and function); then again, I didn’t find that Wellbutrin did anything whatsoever about depression. As will all psychoactive drugs, YMMV. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Othersider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/cab0a1/32.png) [@Othersider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Othersider)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2005, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-come-off-anti-depressants/314617/22 "2005-08-03T13:09:56Z")
> [@Stranger On A Train](#): > > Well, without getting into detail, I had said side effects, though they are described as atypical (general anecdotal evidence argues that Wellbutrin increases libedo and function); then again, I didn’t find that Wellbutrin did anything whatsoever about depression. As will all psychoactive drugs, YMMV. > > Stranger Wait, you had said side effects with an SSRI, or with Wellbutrin? And that’s interesting that it didn’t do anything for depression…hmm… ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2005, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-come-off-anti-depressants/314617/23 "2005-08-03T14:05:18Z")
> [@Othersider](#): > > Wait, you had said side effects with an SSRI, or with Wellbutrin? Wellbutrin. But that is (at least according to the literature) atypical. [/quote=Othersider] And that’s interesting that it didn’t do anything for depression…hmm… [/QUOTE] Well, no anti-depressant did much of anything for me. For others, they’re a godsend. YMMV. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2005, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-come-off-anti-depressants/314617/24 "2005-08-03T16:03:44Z")
I was on 40 mg Paxil for about 5 years. After the first year, my Rx ran out and I didn’t refill it. I also didn’t read the directions to _not_ go off cold turkey. My symptoms were awful after about a week. Emotional, depression, severe electric shocks, especially at night, lack of concentration. It was horrible. I went back to the doc for a new Rx and never looked back. When my husband was in Afghanistan last year, I was on the verge of being fired from my job. I ended up in a psych hospital for a few days and a change of meds to 150 mg of Effexor plus Xanax as needed. I’m pleased to report that I rarely need the Xanax. After the experience with Paxil, I will never go off of a drug without being under a docs supervision. I had not ever heard of the side effects and it scared the crap out of me. ---
**Author:** ![Q.N.Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/3da27b/32.png) [@Q.N.Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.N.Jones)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2005, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-come-off-anti-depressants/314617/25 "2005-08-03T21:58:53Z")
> [@Ruby](#): > > When my husband was in Afghanistan last year, I was on the verge of being fired from my job. I ended up in a psych hospital for a few days and a change of meds to 150 mg of Effexor plus Xanax as needed. > > I’m pleased to report that I rarely need the Xanax. I’ve thought about you from time-to-time and wondered how you were doing. I hope this means things are at least somewhat better. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2005, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-come-off-anti-depressants/314617/26 "2005-08-03T22:16:18Z")
I’ve done practically the entire anti-depressant sampler platter (but oddly, I’ve never taken Zoloft… ). I’ve always tapered down as you are supposed to, as directed by my doctor, and I’ve never had withdrawal problems. And I’ve been on at least 6 or 7 different meds over the years. ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-come-off-anti-depressants/314617/27 "2005-08-04T01:52:44Z")
> [@Q.N. Jones](#): > > I’ve thought about you from time-to-time and wondered how you were doing. I hope this means things are at least somewhat better. 🙂 I’m happy to say that he (and 150 of his soldiers) all returned home in May safe and sound with all their limbs and most of their senses of humor. Work (and life in general) are much, much better. My boss is still an ass but I’m not giving him any ammunition at the moment so he’s leaving me alone. ---
**Author:** ![Q.N.Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/3da27b/32.png) [@Q.N.Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.N.Jones)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-come-off-anti-depressants/314617/28 "2005-08-04T02:06:35Z")
> [@Ruby](#): > > I’m happy to say that he (and 150 of his soldiers) all returned home in May safe and sound with all their limbs and most of their senses of humor. Work (and life in general) are much, much better. My boss is still an ass but I’m not giving him any ammunition at the moment so he’s leaving me alone. Thanks for the update. Glad to hear your husband is back safe. My sister just got back from the Persian Gulf (she’s in the Navy), and it’s a huge relief. I imagine that has to alleviate a significant amount of the stress you were feeling. ---
**Author:** ![kiz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7feea3/32.png) [@kiz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiz)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-come-off-anti-depressants/314617/29 "2005-08-04T02:09:52Z")
I had no problems coming off Zoloft (100 mg) after taking it for 5+ years. I wasn’t in treatment at the time, so what I did was gradually cut down the dose by 25mg every two weeks. I even went so far as to buy one of those pill cutters so I could evenly divide each pill. Effexor, OTOH…they’re not kidding when they say it’s one of the most difficult meds to stop taking. Somewhere toward the beginning of this thread somebody mentioned what happens when you miss a dose :o It’s true. I’ve gone through it a couple of times :o :o Anyway, to get back to the subject…slow and steady is the way to wean one’s self off psychotropic meds. You have no idea how your system’s going to react to the withdrawl. Better be safe than sorry 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![kiz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7feea3/32.png) [@kiz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiz)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-come-off-anti-depressants/314617/30 "2005-08-04T02:12:23Z")
> [@kiz](#): > > I had no problems coming off Zoloft (100 mg) after taking it for 5+ years. I wasn’t in treatment at the time, so what I did was gradually cut down the dose by 25mg every two weeks. I even went so far as to buy one of those pill cutters so I could evenly divide each pill. > > Effexor, OTOH…they’re not kidding when they say it’s one of the most difficult meds to stop taking. Somewhere toward the beginning of this thread somebody mentioned what happens when you miss a dose :o It’s true. I’ve gone through it a couple of times :o :o > > Anyway, to get back to the subject…slow and steady is the way to wean one’s self off psychotropic meds. You have no idea how your system’s going to react to the withdrawl. Better be safe than sorry 🙂 :smack: I _hate_ it when I can’t remember the right smiley code when I’m doing a quick reply! Substitute :eek: for the :o We return you to your local programming 😃 ---
**Author:** ![CBCD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@CBCD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBCD)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-come-off-anti-depressants/314617/31 "2005-08-04T02:42:33Z")
A long post, but one with a different perspective. I take anti-depressants, and don’t plan to ever stop taking them. I’m an optimistic, active woman who sees possibilities and solutions in almost every situation. I’m strong, tough, and capable. Nonetheless, I take 10 mg of Lexapro a day. I come from a long line of manic depressive alcoholics, some of who kill themselves, and some of who try to kill themselves several times and fail. That’s not the future I want for myself. A few years ago I started being ‘visited’ by depression. I went to my doctor, and talked to him about my family history of depression and suicides. I was starting to see dark clouds form on the edge of my mind, and I was worried that I was being dragged by my genes down a dark road that I did not want to travel. It was like static somewhere in a corner of my mind. My doctor was of great help. He’s known me for years, and is my daughter’s godfather. He said in 30 years, you’ll be able to take a blood test for depression, for cases like mine which are probably genetic. He prescribed Lexapro. The initial side effects were bad, but I got through it after about a week. Then the medication started working. The dark clouds that were forming on the edge of my mind dispelled. What a relief! The Lexapro worked so well after a year I forgot what made me need it. I stopped taking it. I thought “I don’t get those crazy depressed images any more - I’m fine. I’ll stop taking it” **What a mistake.** I had no problem with the withdrawal side effects. What I DID have a problem with was that six months later, there I was feeling depressed again, for no damn reason. Lexapro worked so well I forgot why I started taking it in the first place. The point of my story is that I am a person who should not, and will not, stop taking anti-depressants. Lexapro works really well for me. It would be like a diabetic who takes insulin shots thinking ‘I don’t need insulin, my blood sugar is now fine!’ Your mileage and experience may vary. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-come-off-anti-depressants/314617/32 "2005-08-04T04:56:13Z")
I was on Zoloft for a year or so. At first it seemed to help a little, then didn’t. We upped the dose. Not sure if it helped much or not, so I eventually went off it. Man! Those head rushes, and full-body “zingers” were not pleasant. They lasted at least six months after, too. Zoloft is perhaps a life-saver for some people, but I really didn’t like what it did to me, or my brain. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-come-off-anti-depressants/314617.md?page=1)