Posted by gen on April 2, 2001, at 14:30:43
In reply to Re: My decision...*Christina, posted by Miss Amy on April 2, 2001, at 12:08:10
I think this is fascinating. After taking anti-depressants (various kinds) for 10 years, I one day realized that I was numb, flat. It was an epiphany! It's very interesting to hear others describe the same thing.
The ADs never really helped much; I was still depressed. And the side-effects had started to become more and more troubling.
So I weaned myself. Very, very slowly. Took about 2.5 months to get off both Remeron and Effexor. Withdrawal was awful, but it DOES go away!
Now I'm about 8 months off all ADs, and I feel
better than I've felt in years. Yes, I still get depressed, but frankly, it's about the same as it was when I was on drugs. And I'm much more optimistic because I immediately lost all the weight I'd put on, and I'm no longer constipated, and all my "allergies" disappeared,
and I just feel---I don't know, more like me.
My doctor didn't want me to go off the ADs, said I should take them all my life, etc. And I think that's probably true for many people. But to tell you the truth, that doctor didn't really know much about me. I only saw him once a year the last couple years I was on ADs, and had only seen him 15 minutes a month before that. Fact is, I know myself better than he did, and I think I made the decision that was right for me.
Of course this path is not right for everyone, but it's not an irrational alternative, and it can be successful.
poster:gen
thread:58166
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010327/msgs/58462.html