How do you know when it's time to come off anti-depressants?

[dragonbutter]

I've been taking 20mg citalopram for about 7 months. They've been great. Since then i've managed to get back to work and my self-esteem has been restored.

I don't feel depressed and wonder if it's time to come off them. i'm sleeping much better, worrying less, and feel happy.

i feel i have a plan for the rest of the year of things i need to do to make life much better and am feeling very positive.

But what if the only reason i don't feel depressed is because of the medication?

How do i know if the changes i've made are enough?

The reason i want to come off them is because i still suffer from side effects of sleepiness and loss of libido. And quite frankly i've had enough of that.

Any advice welcome.

You could try to come off them very gradually and monitor how you're doing. The trick is to reduce your dose very gradually over a period of time (maybe a couple of months).

I got the liquid form of my anti-depressant to do this, you'll have to speak to your GP for advice on the best way to do it. It's important to inform your GP of your intention to come off your tablets anyway. A gradual withdrawal will reduce any withdrawal symtoms you may get. These withdrawal symtoms can be similar to depression / anxiety so can make you feel unwell again.
IF you really do feel you're getting depressed again you must start to take the full dose again asap. Therefore it's very important to monitor your mood while you do this.
Good luck

I shall watch this thread with interest, i have been on 40mg cit for nearly two years and i want out. I still am very up and down, but im in counselling, i have no libido and im knackered. My counsellor suggested it will take me a year to get off them

I do feel better and i think its genuine, i dont think i'll ever be a non anxious person and will have to address that. I think while the tablets are great, they actually are suppressing the bubbly side of my personality and i dont like it. I was thinking of going to 30mg every other day for a bit, see how it goes, be very interested to see how people have got on. I feel in my gut its time for me to stop taking the pills.

IME (Gp) the trick is to start weaning off slowly when you feel ready. The clever doctors (psychiatrists) suggest that as a rule of thumb this should be about however long it takes for you to feel better + 6 months. As every person is so different this is truly only a very approximate guesstimate.
I have no evidence for this, however over the years it seems to me that people find it easier to come off AD in the spring, rather than say November. Also, chose a time in your life when things are running as smoothly as can be exptected.

When you feel the time is right, reduce by 5 or 10mg from your usual daily dose and give it at least 2 weeks to see how you are feeling. Reduce further as and when you feel the time is right.
Lucy, I think it is important to recognise like you have what meds can and what they cannot achieve for you: you may always be an anxious kind of person, however you have identified that as something you want to work on - and obviously you have come up against some of the downsides of ADs. Good luck with coming off them. If you are currently taking 40mg/day I would only reduce to 30mg/day in the first instance, or is that what you ment?
Liquid preparations are v useful for those who wish to reducse v v gradually, ie 1mg at a time.
Well worthwhile discussing options with doctor, but then I would say that, wouldn't I ?

Thankyou.
I'll make an appointment with my GP and get his opinion.
I just hope i'm not being stupid in wanting to come off them. I really don't want to go back to how i was feeling 6 months ago.

A little bump for the late nighters.
Anybody got any advice?

Of course you're not being silly for wanting to come off them Dragon. I don't think anti-depressants are intended for long term use anyway (unless you have more severe mental health problems). I don't like taking medication unless I really need it.

I'm coming off my anti-depressant mirtazapine for the second time now (I take it for insomnia).

I came off it for the first time in 2006 - it took about a year to do it as I cut down my dose very gradually as I had been on it for quite a while, but I was determined to do it.

I chose to go back on mirtazapine again last year as my insomnia came back after having DD. I'm now cutting down the dose gradually again. I'm on 3mg now - down from the original dose of 15 mg and it's took me a couple of months to get this far.

I hope your appointment with your GP goes well.