I was taking imipramine (a trycyclic anti d) for 10 years following a serious clinical depression following the sudden death of my sister. I was actually better within 6 months but was afraid to stop the meds in fear that the depression would return. The GPs were useless, just willing to let me keep taking them.
I tried several times to reduce the dose myself but each time it ended in the symptoms returning and I mistakenly thought this was the depression returning and in fact the GPs confirmed this. They encouraged me to go back on the full dose and I was Ok again. It took a good counsellor to explain to me that I had become dependent on the meds after so long and when I tried to reduce the dose I was getting classic withdrawal symptoms. At NO time did any GP tell me that I may be suffering withdrawal symptoms rather than a return of the depression. She had a particular expertise in coming off prescription drugs and I followed her advice and over a period of about 10 months finally stopped in June last year.
This is what she advised:
- I must be in control of the way the meds were to be reduced as only I knew how I felt.
- No GP (or anyone else) must give me a schedule of how/when to reduce (as in the examples given here half pill for a month and then stop or whatever)
- The reason that schedules don't work is because the GP (or anyone else) doesn't know how you will feel when you start reducing -only you will know that.
- Most GPs don't understand about withdrawing from meds - they know it has to be done slowly but just take a guess at how slowly and in what precise way.
- She told me that the only thing she would stop me doing was reducing too quickly.
SO what to do:
- She told me I could safely reduce 20mg a day for 2 weeks BUT I needed to decide if I felt comfortable with that. The important thing was to monitor how I felt after 2 weeks of this reduction and if I had any withdrawal symptoms I must not reduce any further until I felt on an even keel.
- I was too worried about reducing 20mg every day for 2 weeks and wanted a slower reduction, which she supported as she said it was of the utmost importance that I was in control of the reductions.
- I therefore reduced 10mg every day for 1 month and monitored how I felt. I was Ok with this and continued to reduce 10mg per day every month until I came off them.
She warned me that I might get some mild withdrawal symptoms but this would not overwhelm me and I must not reduce any further until the symptoms subsided. I did have a few vague symptoms but nothing to reallyworry me and I continued with the 10 mg per day reduction every month.
The thing was whereas the GP had been happy tfor me to be on repeat prescription when I was on the full dose, when I needed fewer tablets as I reduced I had to go back every month so that they could "monitor" me. This was a nonsense really as alll that happened was I told them how many tablets I needed and they asked if I was OK and I said Yes!
I am absolutely convinced the the counsellor told me the best way to come off these meds. A helpful GP had tried to give me a schedule of reduction before which was much too quick and ended in horrible withdrawl symptoms, which she said was a return of the depression, when it was no such thing. I really found it incredible that GPs don't even understand about withdrawal symptoms. When i said to one GP that I had become dependent on the meds he said "well it's not so much that, it's more that your body has just got used to taking them and can't do without them" ...............How barmy is that?
Sorry this is a long post but if I have not been clear please post again and I will try to be more clear.