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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 14 of 14. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by dragonfly25 on January 15, 2004, at 5:55:58
just wondered if anyone has had success completely discontinuing the use of medication. how was the withdrawal?
and do all drugs stop working? i have seen a few posts about poop-out and i wondered if this is something i should be prepared for.
thanks
Posted by Ame Sans Vie on January 15, 2004, at 7:36:23
In reply to anyone had success going off medications? and...., posted by dragonfly25 on January 15, 2004, at 5:55:58
> just wondered if anyone has had success completely discontinuing the use of medication. how was the withdrawal?
I've D/C'd tons of psychiatric drugs in the past few years. The only ones that ever posed withdrawal problems were, in decreasing order of severity, Ultram, Luvox, Paxil, Celexa, Lexapro, and Xanax. I've withdrawn from Effexor without problems, though I hear that's rather unusual, and also Serzone, Remeron, trazodone, Wellbutrin, amitriptyline, doxepin, imipramine, Nardil, Risperdal, Zyprexa, Seroquel, thioridazine, Neurontin, Gabitril, lithium, Lamictal, Depakote, Trileptal, propranolol, phenobarbital, secobarbital, amobarbital, pentobarbital, meprobamate, carisoprodol, Klonopin, Ativan, Valium, Tranxene, Serax, Halcion, Restoril, ProSom, Ambien, Sonata, Imovane, Adderall, Dexedrine, Desoxyn, methylphenidate, and Provigil. I'm sure I've left some out. Obviously, I seem to be very highly sensitive to SSRI withdrawal effects, but the fact that I've quit 375mg Effexor XR, 120mg Nardil, all the barbiturates, benzodiazepines, meprobamate, carisoprodol, and stimulants without experiencing withdrawal of any type is somewhat bewildering.
> and do all drugs stop working? i have seen a few posts about poop-out and i wondered if this is something i should be prepared for.
You can never tell whether a drug will continue to work indefinitely -- some people, for example, find Prozac poops out after a couple months while there are many people who have benefited from it ever since its inception. My advice: don't worry about poop-out. If it happens, it happens, and more often than not the drug will continue to work.
Posted by dragonfly25 on January 15, 2004, at 7:46:18
In reply to Re: anyone had success going off medications? and.... » dragonfly25, posted by Ame Sans Vie on January 15, 2004, at 7:36:23
thanks:)
i also meant to ask if anyone experienced a rebound depression...if so, did it go away eventually if you didn't return to medication?
Posted by Bill LL on January 15, 2004, at 9:21:58
In reply to anyone had success going off medications? and...., posted by dragonfly25 on January 15, 2004, at 5:55:58
Poop out is normal but it is easily dealt with by increasing the dose. You may need to up the dose of any antidepressant 2 or 3 times.
As for your other question, if you have always been depressed for no apparent reason, then there is a good chance that you have a chemical imbalance. In that case, which is probably the most common case with depressed people, you will probably need antidepressants your entire life.
However, if your depression is due to trauma, you may be able to eventually discontinue antidepressants.
Posted by Angielala on January 15, 2004, at 12:29:40
In reply to anyone had success going off medications? and...., posted by dragonfly25 on January 15, 2004, at 5:55:58
I recently was weened off Depakote. Weening is a good idea if you are afraid of withdrawl symptoms. I had headache and some stomach upset for a few days, but then I was ok. Mayke sure to discuss getting off the meds with a doc- just in case there is a certain drug that needs weening or maybe the drug doesn't need any weening.
I was on Zoloft, and that stopped working for me. I also lost a lot of my hair and couldn't sleep- so i think I may be one of the sensitive ones.
I'll tell you one thing- now being off Depakote, the withdrawl was worth it- I feel al ot more "With it" than I did before.
> just wondered if anyone has had success completely discontinuing the use of medication. how was the withdrawal?
> and do all drugs stop working? i have seen a few posts about poop-out and i wondered if this is something i should be prepared for.
> thanks
Posted by sarita0001 on January 16, 2004, at 18:27:28
In reply to anyone had success going off medications? and...., posted by dragonfly25 on January 15, 2004, at 5:55:58
Hi,
I was on lithium for 7 years and tried to go off slowly in April 2003, but then went back on. Then I went off in 6 days in October, I was surpised the doctor told me to go down every 3 days, but I think it wasn't the drug for me anyway. Way back in November 2002, I was diagnosed with OCD and given Luvox but it sedated me so bad I stopped after 5 days and I had gained 25 lbs from lithium and was afraid of weight gain.
The problem really was that anxiety was the main symptom and with BP, doctors treat the BP first then the anxiety. After I went off lithium in Oct 2003, I went on Prozac until mid- December to deal with the withdrawal and OCD. I was also on Topamax from Jan-May 2004.
To answer your question, I've been ok since being off meds. I have Lorazepam if I need it, but have only had to take it twice (.5 mg). But the only problem is all the physical side effects I am getting after all the withdrawal. I think my body took it very hard. Since stopping meds my hair is thin (b/c Prozac)but should get thicker in a few months, mild acne (never had it before) and a bit of hair growth on body. I've heard that side effects can happen with discontinuation but I'm just crossing my fingers that all this will stop soon.
The BP diagnosis was questionable because I only had one manic episode that was probably substance induced. Some people can have them 20,30,40 years apart or never have another one and hopefully I am the latter. Definitely have anxiety, social phobia still but therapy 2x week is helping with this.
Sara
Posted by dragonfly25 on January 16, 2004, at 20:50:10
In reply to Re: anyone had success going off medications? and...., posted by sarita0001 on January 16, 2004, at 18:27:28
thanks,
that gives me hope, my situation resembles yours a bit, so i am praying i will have success when i am completely weaned. i know it won't be easy though, but i hates these meds!
Posted by dragonfly25 on January 16, 2004, at 20:51:57
In reply to Re: anyone had success going off medications? and...., posted by Bill LL on January 15, 2004, at 9:21:58
that chemical imbalance thing is my biggest fear, i really hate the dependence on drugs. hopefully i will manage. thanks for your input
Posted by dragonfly25 on January 16, 2004, at 20:56:47
In reply to Re: anyone had success going off medications? and...., posted by Angielala on January 15, 2004, at 12:29:40
i can't wait for that feeling of being drug-free. it will be so refreshing i think. i am miserable with all the side effects. i can't remeber the feeling of no pills. thanks
Posted by SDA on January 17, 2004, at 0:42:15
In reply to Re: anyone had success going off medications? and...., posted by dragonfly25 on January 16, 2004, at 20:56:47
Good Jeebus "Ame Sans Vie", that's ALOT of medications!
I started taking medication at age 11 (I am 19 now) for OCD. These included Prozac (terrible - caused ticking at low doses), Tenex, Wellbutrin, and Zoloft. I think my psychiatrist prescribed Busbar and Klonopin at some point, but for some reason I don't recall ever taking them. My longest stint was with 150mg Wellbutrin and 200mg Zoloft, for a couple years. I don't remember any significant side effects while on them. After 12th grade I began to notice that their ability to control my OCD was waning, so I discontinued them. I stopped them abruptly without tapering them off. I don't remember any immediate withdrawal symptoms, but during college in the following year my OCD began to resurface along with muscle jerking. It?s difficult to say whether the jerking was due to the absence of the medications since I also went through a period of extreme sleep deprivation. If I am in a low stress situation and have had adequate rest, the jerking disappears.
I am currently going through a bad period of depression, and tried going back on the Zoloft. I started at 100mg (probably way too high), and experienced bad agitation. I have some Celexa in my dorm room, but based on the numerous negative comments about it floating around here, I might hold off for now. Perhaps I should give the Zoloft another go at a more reasonable starting dose.
I'll keep you posted.
Posted by coral on January 17, 2004, at 4:28:43
In reply to anyone had success going off medications? and...., posted by dragonfly25 on January 15, 2004, at 5:55:58
After a 3 year failure of multiple drugs, Zoloft began working for me. I titrated up to maximum dosages and stayed there for another year to stabilize. In the past ten years, I've only had one brief relapse which was corrected w/Zoloft, and am now drug-free.
Posted by sarita0001 on January 17, 2004, at 11:00:46
In reply to Re: anyone had success going off medications? and...., posted by dragonfly25 on January 16, 2004, at 20:51:57
Hi dragonfly,
What meds are you going to go off of? I do feel so much better now that I am off meds. A few weeks ago I posted all the side effects I don't have anymore and they far outnumber the after effects I am dealing with now. I don't feel so tired anymore and am dealing with the feelings I get instead of drowning them in lithium. The meds did help when I needed them and honestly in the back of my mind I still worry sometimes but I think it will be ok since I know what to look out for now.
Best of luck and I know you can do it! Let us know what happens.
Sara
Posted by Aubrey13 on January 18, 2004, at 2:33:16
In reply to anyone had success going off medications? and...., posted by dragonfly25 on January 15, 2004, at 5:55:58
It's only been two weeks but I feel better than ever. I tapperred myself off of Effexor. The side effects were so bad that i am just thankful to feel like myself again. I still have some trouble sleeping but thats also due to the fact I'm not working and I like to stay up late. This doesn't help me funtion in the real world though.
I went off this medication without talking to my doctor. I like my doc. It the system that only allow her to spend 10 mins with me that feels wrong. I could say anything get what ever drug i want. Instend i truely want to be well. I feel as though I have to be extremely proactive and in tune with myself to get my needs meet. This is saying alot. It bothers me how much power other people give away to doctors. My father would be horrified to know i went of meds without the concent of my doc. I tell my doctor what i need and she assist me, that's how it should be. The doctor aren't the ones going though this crap going on and off meds.
Posted by JohnFromCalifornia on January 18, 2004, at 20:09:40
In reply to Re: anyone had success going off medications? and.... » dragonfly25, posted by SDA on January 17, 2004, at 0:42:15
From my experience, keep the drugs to a minimum! Remeron is a good short-term solution for depression. Knock yourself out for a couple of days, then you'll feel better. SSRIs, on the other hand, create long-term habituation and have unpleasant side effects, and should be used only as a last resort, in my experience. (Most MDs don't know this.) Good luck!
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