Page 2 | SSRI Withdrawal

Nocd39 · 2025-01-09T17:24:36+00:00

I’ve had problems with 2 different SSRIs and am currently tapering down my dose with a view to coming off my current SSRI completely. Had an awful time getting off the last one, and this time I’ve been having awful headaches and nausea with a lot of tapering off still to go. Anyone else had similar issues? Feeling a bit awful and could do with a handhold. Onto my AIBU… for this SSRI I was very lucky to have a consultant to discuss it all with so was aware there could be issues if I did come off it, and I’m being supported with a liquid version so can taper slowly. (Only went back on an SSRI as I have severe OCD and there don’t seem to be other good treatments.) However I understand this level of support is unusual and often a liquid isn’t offered leading to people having to divide up tablets to taper off (which I’ve been advised is bad because the medicine isn’t always evenly distributed in the tablets.) Luckily not for everyone but withdrawal from SSRIs is a known serious issue for a significant number of people and anecdotally I know a few people who have given up on coming off them because the withdrawal was so bad. Especially as so many people take SSRIs, I feel GPs should be warning people of the potential for withdrawal effects, and letting people know the risks and likelihood of this happening. Also, as part of their contracts with the NHS, drugs companies who make huge profits from these drugs should do more research into withdrawal/helping people come off the drugs when no longer needed, and should make liquid products more available and affordable (they can be super expensive.) Am I being reasonable or unreasonable?! Would especially be interested in views from HCPs and those taking/who have taken SSRIs.

bellsend · 09/01/2025 20:44

Nollybolly6 · 09/01/2025 20:08

This thread is a really interesting read.

my husband has been taking 50 of citrolopram for 3 ish years. In this time he has gone cold turkey at least 4 times that I know of. First time I realised he was a completely different person and he denied not taking his medication but later admitted he couldn’t be bothered to get another prescription so just stopped taking it one day all together. He vowed never to repeat but a year later I noticed he was irritable and angry again and he was trying to lose weight. I put 2+2 ans realised he had cut the pills as an attempt to lose weight as he blamed them for overeating.

now another year later and he’s awful again and I’ve looked for the pills everywhere none in the house. He was definitely taking them pre Christmas as he had packets in his drawer.

can anyone help confirm I’m not imagining things and it would be likely he would be moody etc if going cold turkey? I can never ask him about it as he gets very defensive and angry

When I was on my high dose citalopram, if I’d stopped cold turkey I would have been a nightmare. The withdrawal effects are horrible which in turn would have made me angry, ratty, no patience etc.

Original poster

Nocd39 · 09/01/2025 20:44

bellsend · 09/01/2025 20:42

I’ve spoken to both the gp and pharmacist. Both give different and very vague answers. The gp actually googled it 🤣

im basically down to taking nothing, maybe I’ll try just licking the damn tablet

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I’m sorry you’re also having such hard with this too x

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bellsend · 09/01/2025 20:42

Nocd39 · 09/01/2025 20:04

I think the problem is there’s very little research, so it’s anything from zero withdrawal effects, to months. I’d be very interested if any HCPs are aware of research into this.

@bellsend I’m sorry you’re suffering with this too. Perhaps as a first port of call you could speak to your pharmacist? See if they have ideas about tapering?

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I’ve spoken to both the gp and pharmacist. Both give different and very vague answers. The gp actually googled it 🤣

im basically down to taking nothing, maybe I’ll try just licking the damn tablet

tellitonthemountains · 09/01/2025 20:42

You’re being very reasonable

Sadcafe · 09/01/2025 20:39

Nocd39 · 09/01/2025 19:56

This is interesting. Were you able to prescribe liquids for tapering?

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If required yes but genuinely cannot remember a single occasion when it was, always managed with tablets, usually dropping dose to every other day, then every third towards end, we used a well published algorithm ( maudsley)to help with dose reduction and stopping

Original poster

Nocd39 · 09/01/2025 20:26

Evenmoretired44 · 09/01/2025 20:21

This is a useful resource for healthcare professionals tapering people’s antidepressants. I think we knew about it but the importance of an incremental taper at the bottom end is relatively new.

blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/The-Maudsley-Deprescribing-Guidelines-by-Mark-Horowitz-David-Taylor/9781119822981

This is helpful thanks. I wonder if this knowledge on tapering is better understood and explained by HcPs working in specific mental healthcare settings. Whereas I imagine many if not most people are prescribed them by GPs/would go to their GP for help coming off SSRIs

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Evenmoretired44 · 09/01/2025 20:21

This is a useful resource for healthcare professionals tapering people’s antidepressants. I think we knew about it but the importance of an incremental taper at the bottom end is relatively new.

blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/The-Maudsley-Deprescribing-Guidelines-by-Mark-Horowitz-David-Taylor/9781119822981

Nollybolly6 · 09/01/2025 20:14

Nocd39 · 09/01/2025 20:11

Gosh that sounds hard. I’m not a medic but if he was like this twice before when you know he stopped taking them it does sound likely. From what I understand going cold turkey is really unadvisable and can even be dangerous. Is there a way you can safely and calmly discuss this with him? If he doesn’t like the side-effects then his GP might be able to prescribe him something else and then he can taper off this one?

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He doesn’t like being ‘blamed’ so denies or lies sometimes, it’s a thing from his childhood as his parents were strict so his default is to lie.

i don’t think he realises how powerful ssri can be - he doesn’t take it seriously in my books eg still drinks a lot on occasion and I can see the alcohol and AD don’t work well together. He also drinks a lot of red bull a lot and I think this messes with his anxiety and depression and energy levels (big crashes). He’s just not serious that he is not okay a lot of the time.

i wonder what health dangers there are apart from just the unpleasant moods? Might do some googling

canipetthatdawggg · 09/01/2025 20:12

@Nollybolly6 when I started coming off Sertraline I was extremely moody, it improved though.

Original poster

Nocd39 · 09/01/2025 20:11

Nollybolly6 · 09/01/2025 20:08

This thread is a really interesting read.

my husband has been taking 50 of citrolopram for 3 ish years. In this time he has gone cold turkey at least 4 times that I know of. First time I realised he was a completely different person and he denied not taking his medication but later admitted he couldn’t be bothered to get another prescription so just stopped taking it one day all together. He vowed never to repeat but a year later I noticed he was irritable and angry again and he was trying to lose weight. I put 2+2 ans realised he had cut the pills as an attempt to lose weight as he blamed them for overeating.

now another year later and he’s awful again and I’ve looked for the pills everywhere none in the house. He was definitely taking them pre Christmas as he had packets in his drawer.

can anyone help confirm I’m not imagining things and it would be likely he would be moody etc if going cold turkey? I can never ask him about it as he gets very defensive and angry

Gosh that sounds hard. I’m not a medic but if he was like this twice before when you know he stopped taking them it does sound likely. From what I understand going cold turkey is really unadvisable and can even be dangerous. Is there a way you can safely and calmly discuss this with him? If he doesn’t like the side-effects then his GP might be able to prescribe him something else and then he can taper off this one?

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canipetthatdawggg · 09/01/2025 20:10

I feel slightly relieved to know it's not just me that struggled with paroxetene/seroxat withdrawal! There was a point where I felt like bugs were crawling all over me.

I actually had to come off it because I was taking it with amitriptyline and they wanted to increase the dose of that. That might not have helped the withdrawal.

Nollybolly6 · 09/01/2025 20:08

This thread is a really interesting read.

my husband has been taking 50 of citrolopram for 3 ish years. In this time he has gone cold turkey at least 4 times that I know of. First time I realised he was a completely different person and he denied not taking his medication but later admitted he couldn’t be bothered to get another prescription so just stopped taking it one day all together. He vowed never to repeat but a year later I noticed he was irritable and angry again and he was trying to lose weight. I put 2+2 ans realised he had cut the pills as an attempt to lose weight as he blamed them for overeating.

now another year later and he’s awful again and I’ve looked for the pills everywhere none in the house. He was definitely taking them pre Christmas as he had packets in his drawer.

can anyone help confirm I’m not imagining things and it would be likely he would be moody etc if going cold turkey? I can never ask him about it as he gets very defensive and angry

Original poster

Nocd39 · 09/01/2025 20:04

bellsend · 09/01/2025 19:59

does anyone know how long the withdrawal effects usually last for?

I think the problem is there’s very little research, so it’s anything from zero withdrawal effects, to months. I’d be very interested if any HCPs are aware of research into this.

@bellsend I’m sorry you’re suffering with this too. Perhaps as a first port of call you could speak to your pharmacist? See if they have ideas about tapering?

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Blarn · 09/01/2025 20:03

Yes, I had this with fluoxetine, tapered off over about two months but it took another couple of months before the arm jerking and stuff fully stopped. It wasn't pleasant but the ADs absolutely helped me.

Original poster

Nocd39 · 09/01/2025 20:01

Watermelonsregularly · 09/01/2025 18:36

Hmm, people who are prescribed SSRI's should have, imo, exhausted other holistic treatment options. In this respect such medication can save lives. The issue of coming off if them is then definitely the lesser of two evils.

Definitely agree with you in principle, and certainly for some people they can literally be life saving. But, like most medication, it’s not without its risks. I think part of the issue is 1. lack of mental health support through the NHS so people may end up on medication just to get by whilst waiting, even if maybe SSRIs might not be needed if talking therapy is available more quickly and 2. for some illnesses there are few alternatives to SSRIs e.g. in my case I have severe OCD and the recommended treatment is ERP therapy plus SSRIs. If they don’t work, there’s nothing else that has been researched as an alternative

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bellsend · 09/01/2025 19:59

does anyone know how long the withdrawal effects usually last for?

Original poster

Nocd39 · 09/01/2025 19:56

Sadcafe · 09/01/2025 18:34

I’ve never taken antidepressants so can’t comment from that point, but did prescribe and monitor their effects and help with stopping for many years, paroxetine definitely the worst, to such an extent that, certainly where I worked, it just wasn’t prescribed, the others varied, some people stopped them easily, others struggled and had to taper them slowly, which does seem to be the best option

This is interesting. Were you able to prescribe liquids for tapering?

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Rainbow450 · 09/01/2025 19:17

Years ago I was on seroxat and by the end of tapering off I was cutting up pills and having crumbs only. It made me feel like a drug addict and I kind of was. It was horrific and just couldn't get off of them.

My psychiatrist then had a lightbulb moment and switched me to a very low dose of mirtazapine and that was so easy to come off in comparison. It saved my life and will always be grateful to it.

Fast forward 20 years and developed anxiety in peri and my GP looked at me like I was crazy saying no to an SSRI. I will never take those again. Ever.

CaptainBeanThief · 09/01/2025 19:15

Also withdrawals all depends on the half life of that particular antidepressant,
When I came off fluoxetine it wasn't bad as that has a long half life, paroxtine was the worst thing in existence.
I'm now on duloxetine and if I take it later in the day rather than the morning I feel withdrawal effects. It's awful.
I take SSRIs in conjunction with other mental health medication for severe mental health conditions.

Zippidydoodah · 09/01/2025 19:11

I feel absolutely horrendous if I miss a pill- sertraline, 100mg. I hate being dependent on them and would dearly love to stop, but I am terrified of the withdrawal. I didn’t realise liquid was an option. I’m planning on making an appointment with my GP who previously has discouraged me from coming off them. Yanbu!

JustFrustrated · 09/01/2025 19:02

Catza · 09/01/2025 17:49

Erm... the withdrawal symptoms are actually widely known and publicised. It's been a while since I was on them but I would be majorly surprised if they are not outlined in the patient information leaflet which comes in the packet. Your GP surgery probably has it's own PIL with the same information. We certainly did in the CMHT I was working in. So it's not a secret at all.

Well my GP surgery told me I was wrong and withdrawal didn't exist.

The mental health nurse told me I was wrong and that it was all in my head.

Many, many people have similar stories.

Watermelonsregularly · 09/01/2025 18:36

Hmm, people who are prescribed SSRI's should have, imo, exhausted other holistic treatment options. In this respect such medication can save lives. The issue of coming off if them is then definitely the lesser of two evils.

Sadcafe · 09/01/2025 18:34

I’ve never taken antidepressants so can’t comment from that point, but did prescribe and monitor their effects and help with stopping for many years, paroxetine definitely the worst, to such an extent that, certainly where I worked, it just wasn’t prescribed, the others varied, some people stopped them easily, others struggled and had to taper them slowly, which does seem to be the best option

Original poster

Nocd39 · 09/01/2025 18:31

CornishPorsche · 09/01/2025 18:24

The withdrawal effects are very well and clearly publicised IMO. I was warned by both the GP and pharmacists.

When I somehow managed to miss a week (I make up a dosset box for myself) it was awful so when I did finally come off them I came down very slowly.

I think most people know they can't just stop.

I’m glad you were pre-warned, I definitely wasn’t the first time. I think part of the issue is that withdrawal is either not specifically mentioned or downplayed but for sine people symptoms can go on for months

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Original poster

Nocd39 · 09/01/2025 18:29

Catza · 09/01/2025 17:57

That's probably more of a GP problem than the "big pharma" problem. When I was working in CMHT, the standard practice was to give information about medication, including tapering off, provide the patient with the leaflet to read and give them another appointment in a few days once they had a chance to make an informed decision. Only then, it would be prescribed.

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Sounds like your team were very good about this-was this child mental health services? I think you’re right there may be a problem with how people are warned/supported by GPs. I think there is an issue with a lot of people, including PPs being fobbed off with cutting pills when liquids should be made available. GPs may be reluctant to provide these due to cost

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