Is it safe to come off my ADs after a 25 year stint?

[TPML]

I have suffered from bouts of anxiety and depression all my life. I have been on ADs on and off for the last 25 years. About 10 year ago I just decided to stick with them and have been on them without a break ever since (have had some bouts of low despite this.) However 4 years ago I went onto HRT and it was like a light being switched back on - I felt normal for the first time in years. I have been feeling pretty ok ever since despite divorce and lockdown. I now suspect my depression was hormonal, linked to PMT cycles, so given I am no longer having periods I am wondering about coming off the ADs. But it has been a long time on them! I will taper etc, I've done cold turkey years ago and won't ever do that again, but are there any other issues given how long I have taken them? Thanks for any advice (yes, I will check in with gp about it too.)

I am so glad to hear you are feeling well now after such a long struggle.

In don't really have much advice to offer, although I would be very cautious about coming off them, more just in an if it aint broke don't fix it kind of way.

I completely understand how important coming off them could feel to you though.

Definitely consult the doctor and go super slow with the tapering.

I am interested if you could tell me any more about your experiences. I have struggled with bouts anxiety and depression over many years. It really came to a head for me post natally and the most recent bout started off like the worst PMT ever. I am beginning to think hormones could be involved, although I am only 40 so maybe a bit too early for that.

I am now absolutely terrified of what is in store for me over the years ahead.

I also still get bouts even though I have been constantly on ADs for years. (Currently trying an increased dose with this bad spell, but I am beginning to think that is actually just prolonging the bout as I feel worse initially as I deal with the change of meds.)

@Snowshower Thanks for your reply. I guess if it did all go TA then I can at least go back on them, but I would like to give it a go. For one thing, I'm on sertraline and it definitely makes me hot and sweaty, and this current heatwave is pushing me over the edge!!

Happy to share my experiences. My mental health history is of big emotional ups and downs, phases of severe anxiety that would morph into depression. Being on an emotional roller coaster affected my life and relationships negatively, I was a relationship disaster for a long time, which didn't help the depression. Anyway, I eventually came to suspect I'd been suffering from PMDD because of my perimenopausal symptoms. I developed PMT from hell, it was truly awful, and I was becoming suicidal. Out of body stuff, scary mood swings, outbursts, paranoia (convinced at one point that my DH was a paedophile) and weird physical body feelings I still cant' describe well. But happy ending - HRT is amazing!!! I felt normal again after only a week or so on it, and have stayed that way (4 years.) It has been utterly transformational, even life saving for me. Which made me wonder if it had always been my hormones that were the issue. It then occurred to me that I had been sane when pregnant and breast feeding, but issues returned not long after stopping breast feeding ie when periods came back. I wish the internet had been around when I was young, maybe the penny would have dropped sooner, but still, better stable late than never!

So don't be scared of the menopause, just hit the HRT at the first sign of trouble!

Feel free to PM me if there's anything else you want to know x

Thank you so much for the detailed reply. My head is a bit fuzzy just now but I will read it again later. I think I will look into the hormone connection a bit more. I originally blamed my PND on going back onto hormonal contraception a few months after the birth, but maybe I had it completely the wrong way round!

Good luck if you do go ahead with coming off of the meds. I can see why you would want to try. I would too I think in your situation, it's just my current situation of being unwell that makes it sound too scary!