to want to get off my antidepressants asap after this evening’s Panorama?

[GeraniumGirl]

Anyone else feel the same after watching the programme tonight?

Meh, I'll stick with the long term side effects of antidepressants over the impact of suicide on my family.

I came off citalopram cold turkey (I was feeling bloody minded). It wasn't too bad. Coming off Venlafaxine...now that was a different kettle of fish. It took me months and months. Fortunately I had a marvellous GP who enabled me to lower my dose very very gradually, even getting in a hard to find dose that allowed me to really taper down to a tiny, tiny amount.

TBH, I don't know if they helped. I was clinically depressed and needed to show I was engaging with the help offered (meds as well as other support). I am glad I'm off them now.

I've been on and off antidepressants for years. I'm not on them now, because I didn't really feel they were working this time round.

The placebo effect is definitely a thing. I actually feel stronger mentally knowing I don't need them, if that makes sense.

That said, any medication can cause problems if used long term and relied on too much.

I know what you mean about feeling stronger without them.

I feel that I need to get off them even though I will probably feel suicidal.

If you have diabetes nobody ever says you should try to wean yourself off insulin....,

There isn’t the same stigma attached to Diabetes as there is to mental illness though.

I didn't watch it but it wouldn't concern me. I've come off two now and both was absolutely fine. The first no symptoms as very gradual taper, the second cold turkey to swap meds. The withdrawal are usually no worse than the initial side effects. What does concern me is programmes like this scares mongering when for some these are life saving or life enhancing meds.

I have found ssris really helpful over the past 10 years or so. I tend to end up taking them for 18 months or so, then very slowly taper off - am fine for around 9 months to a year then start to 'sink' again. If they are a placebo they are a really effective one for me.

I taper by titrating my dose against withdrawal effects which for me are a kind of 'spinning brain' feeling. I bite off a bit of a tablet to make it a bit smaller than yesterday's. If my head starts to spin, or I start to dip mentally, I nibble a bit more or take more the next night. Might sound loopy but it works for me. Usually take about 3 months to reduce to nothing.

I am aware of the arguments against them, but my "mixed anxiety and depression" comes out of nowhere, it is not situational (it is closely related to time of day and time of year) but if I don't treat it, I become exhausted with the effort of reminding myself that there isn't actually anything the matter, every 5 minutes, all day long.

ADs make my life so much easier, I am grateful they are straightforwardly available to me.

And the reason I taper is because I am aware there are possible adverse affects so my reasoning is that if I can manage without them some of the time it might be a good idea to do so. Not based on particular science, its just what I think. But after amount of time I am not surprised or particularly dismayed when I find its time to go back in them. Im just glad they're there.

I’m on 10mg for anxiety. Started off on 20 and reduced the dose after two years without an issue.

I have really obvious inattentive ADHD symptoms so it's a disgrace that I was fobbed off with antidepressants for so long. Once I got on ADHD meds it was like night and day, I can function, pay attention, not make mistakes at work and I can get things done around the house. Without the meds I'm in a haze, exhausted all the time, make careless mistakes etc. I had really low self esteem that manifested as depression because I thought I was a useless idiot before my diagnosis.

Well yeah that’s a. because you’ll die and b. there is no doubt as to the efficacy of insulin.

Nope, mine make a massive difference to my life

How is this remotely the same as being on antidepressants?

I hope you can come off it. It will be hard for a while but so worth it.

Thanks @Fluffylittlepup - love your username btw

Slow tapering (way way slower than gps suggest - they are clueless about ADs) is the way to minimise side effects.

OP get a pill cutter and cut your 10mgs into quarters, then drop by a quarter for a week or two then a half etc. Then you are probably OK to drop by 5mg by quartering your 20s if you do the drop every other day. that's what I did and had zero side effects. When I tried to stop more quickly, as suggested by GP I had brain zaps and severe mood dips and swings.

Also, make sure you are taking magnesium and all the b vitamins as you come off, as magnesium, B6 and B12 deficiency are related to depression and anxiety.

OP it is a bit concerning that you feel you "deserve to suffer' and that you think you should stop taking your meds even though you might feel suicidal. Honestly feeling suicidal has to be worse than the possible increased risks of some adverse effects. It is not a crime to be mentally unwell and it is not a crime to take medicine that makes your serious illness better - even if that medicine might increase the risk of other problems (it is by no means certain that you would be affected anyway)

If the meds help you, pmease be grateful for that and keep taking them. 💐💐

(Apols in advance i won't be able to reply again this evening - its late for me!)

@Menodory that's interesting re your experience with HRT and one of the reasons why I'm scared to start it. I'm post menopausal and going through a horrible relapse of anxiety / panic / depression. Because I've had problems previously I'm worried that HRT could tip things over the edge for me (I know it's incredibly helpful for lots of people.) Which ad is helping?

For those concerned about withdrawal after watching panorama - it IS absolutely a thing and I have been affected by it. Basically ignore any suggestion by a GP to just withdraw over a few weeks if you've been on them for any length of time. If you Google there are lots of guidelines available but slow and steady is the way to go. Wait on each dose until you feel stable before reducing again - and the lower you get on the dose the lower percentage the drop should be.
The good thing about these programmes is that they are a useful thing to refer to when getting advice from Drs.

Thank you, that is really kind of you to say that. I am feeling quite self-destructive at the moment.

Same rate I did. GP said 2.5mg every 2 weeks but that was way too fast for escitalopram for me

This is great timing for me as my GP just today suggested I go on them as I've been struggling with a bereavement and my gut reaction was...Wouldn't it be a good idea to try something else first?

Too many people on medication these days, it's become overly normalised

I’ve never been an advocate of antidepressants. I think time in nature everyday can seriously help with depression. Sounds hippy like but if you make time every day or every evening, to go and walk in the woods or by the sea, take your shoes off, listen to the sounds around you and breath, it’s often enough. There was only one time when I found it necessary to take sertraline and that was when I was having an actual mental breakdown due to trauma of sudden death within my family and health issues with my youngest daughter as well as personal cancer scare. But a 2 week course was enough to lift me to a point where I was shaking all day with anxiety.

@GeraniumGirl I agree with @ValerieDoonican ... the only thing you deserve is to be well. Don't be pushed into withdrawing if it's not the right time for you. Just use the information on sensible withdrawal schedule IF you get to that point at some stage in the future.

Thank you @kizziee, that is really kind.