Tips/What to expect when coming off AD's?

[BernieBear]

Hello Girls - I was wondering if anyone can part with some tips/or what to expect when I give up the ads. I have been on them since July after suffering with PND for 13 months. I am about to move (the final hurdle after getting through all the others) before giving up the ads (under doctor's instructions). I am so worried that I will have a relapse, but have started making arrangements to counteract any problems - i.e. joined a gym at work and going 3 x week at lunchtimes and will begin to see councellor. What are other peoples experiences of this? Can you relapse easily? Is there anything else I can do to make sure I don't relapse. My relationship with my ds is so incredibly wonderful and natural now in comparison to the way it was I really cannot afford to have that affected. Anybody?

Just come off them slowly.
I was on ADs for 11 mths. Like you I waited until various hurdles (Christmas, etc) were over, then went down to one every other day. Kept it like that for maybe a month. Felt fine. Then one every 3 days. Still fine. Stayed like that for another few weeks. Then stopped. No probs (though I do miss the deep sleeps I got on ADs).
Do bear in mind that you will somewhere down the line have bad days, maybe a bad few days -- not because of coming off the drugs, but because of real life. It's scary because you know what it's like to get stuck there, but these blips are normal. They'll pass. I just had a bad day or two due to something stressful happening and got anxious, but took some Nytol, got some proper sleep, and now the fear has gone away again.
Fantastic idea to do gym and conselling btw.

My doc prescribed me some half strength ones to take for the first month, then one every other day etc etc as Bakedpotato says. Coming off them too quickly can give you horrible fluey symptoms and dizziness.
She is right in that you need to expect bad days, but it sounds like you're going about reducing them in the right way. I have been treated for depression on and off all my adult life so I am now making sure I don't backslide again by exercising, socialising and trying new hobbies. Make sure you don't get too tired (if that's possible!!) and I have cut down on the amount I drink.

What I would add is once you've started to omit tablets, give yourself plenty of time on the new reduced dosage to get used to it before you cut more out. I think I took them for 2 days & omitted the third day. Then took them on alternate days, then cut out the morning one then halved the remaining tablet. Take as long as you need, there's no right or wrong method, as long as you don't come off them too quickly. If you need to stay on the reduced dose for a month, then so be it. As long as you listen to your body & you feel you'll be okay to reduce further. I agree that there will be days where "real" emotions come to the fore, just go with the flow & don't assume it's a relapse. Good luck.

When you wean off the ads, DO as the instructions say or you are given. I know too many people who made the mistake of thinking they would be ok and just went cold turkey, big mistake!
I think you have the right attitude. I was on ads for a year after PND. I decided to take up exercise through regular dance sessions and opted to visit a hypnotherapist (which for me was the right thing to do.) I also paid a good deal of attention to my diet, which I had let slip, chucked more water down my neck and omitted crappy sugar foods!
I have my moments I will say but somehow it feels different, I can see the light to the end of the tunnel quicker than I could when depressed - but there has been a HUGE improvement since 6 mths ago when I finished the meds.
Be easy on yourself, take your recovery at a pace you feel comfortable with.
Take care

Listen to what everyone else has said - come off them SLOWLY. I came off ad at christmas (feeling absolutely fine) and I thought I was doing it slowly, reduced dosage got down to 10mg, then took for alternate days, them 3 times a week etc. But looking back it that was only over a 3 or 4 week period. Within 2 months I was right back were I started (feeling absolutely crap)and am now back on them - but at an even higher dose!

Go slow

Many thanks for all your help. Am pretty nervous, but will definately take it slowly! I am moving next Tuesday so once that is over with, the dosage is decreased.

Thanks again - and good luck to you all x