Help : anyone taken AD's for long time / or managed to stop after long time?

[kizzie]

Hi (apologies - bit of this is a repeat from other thread.)

I took seroxat for 4 1/2 yrs (2 1/2 trying in vain to come off it) after anxiety based PND then finally switched to prozac 6 months ago. The switch was so horrific that I ended up having to take valium.

Finally stopped the prozac 3 weeks ago but struggling. Feeling very low and anxious (expected the anxious because that was my original symptom but Ive only had 'depression' sicne trying to come off).

I really really want to avoid AD's again because they have caused me so many problems but I know I cant carry on like this.

This seems to have taken over my life for the last 5 years and I really wish I could find a way out.

Maybe I just need to take medication and accept it.....

Or maybe its the medication thats done this to me....

Any thoughts / advice really appreciated.
Kizziex

From my experience the first three months without are the hardest because a: you are with out a crutch and start feelingthings properly again b: people are quick to tell you to go back on them.
I managed by trying to avoid aniexty causing people and places or if not worked through all potential scenarios so I just went on auto pilot also used Bach flower remedies amd breathing exercises. good luck be strong life is better with out them but if you feel desperate always go and talk to someone

Oh Kizzie (((hugs))) I'm sorry you're having a hard time. You know I have no advice as I am struggling with it myself and have upped my dose again. Out of the last 7 years I have been on anti-d's for around 5 of them. I don't know what the answer is, I just wanted you to know I'm thinking of you xx

Thankyou for replying so quickly. Im sat here so upset and I was really hoping someone would have replied.
I know you know how it feels marthamoo.
Thanks for your kind words.
gothicmama - what did you take and how lon did u take it for? Hope you dont mind me asking.

kizzie so sorry you are feeling so low looks like from gothicmamas post you should give it the 3 months and see how thing are before going back on them. Hopefully things will get better week by week for you, I really admire what you are doing it takes a lot of guts. I find yoga (if you have even 20 mins to spare)and rescue remedy (if you don't)really help me when anxiety strikes.

huge hug

midden xxx

Kizzie I was on Prozac and then Prozac and somethingelse can t remebr small and red to make me less anxious and to sleep better (side effect from Prozac)took them on and off for 4 years - everytime I managed to wean off something happenned and I'd end up on them even if I did not really need to be . Have you thought about counselling or similar to help Keep posting hopefully you can get through this time and then it is just a matter of recognising danger signs of an attack and being nice to your self. It is hard I have been off them for 5 years now and still sometimes feel low but it is manageable

Ive just done a search and cant believe that I found a whole thread from 2001 where I was talking about feeling that I (and my dr) thought that I was 100% over the PND but finding it impossible to get off seroxat.

Its now 2004

Kizziex

That was meant to be a not a smile (obviously)

When you say you stopped the Prozac 3 weeks ago, did you stop cold turkey or have you slowly been lowering your dose?

I was on Prozac for over a year, but I gradually lowered my dose, so that when I finally stopped altogether I didn't notice any problems.

Maybe it depends on your type of depression. I didn't have PND (although I was postnatal). Mine was due to traumatic stress shock syndrome. Basically the shock and numbness had finally worn off after the death of my husband in the World Trade Center, and I found myself alone with a 2 year old and new baby. After a year of Prozac I had managed to get myself together somewhat, and didn't feel in need of it anymore.

Good luck.

Kateandthegirls, I had no idea you had lost your husband on September 11th - I am so very sorry xx

Oh, Kate&girls, I had no idea either - I know you mentioned when you first posted that he had died a couple of years ago but I didn't make the connection. You must miss him so much. I'm very sorry too.

KateandtheGirls, I'm dreadfully sorry to hear you lost your dh on September 11th. I had seen you were widowed too, and it did cross my mind, given you were a British widow living in the States. My sympathies to you all.

Kizzie - I know how you're feeling, having had to go back onto my ADs after trying to lower the dose Sorry you're feeling cr*p.

Hope you are ok Kizzie

Kateandthe girls. I'm so very sorry about your husband.

Re. the AD's I swapped to prozac 7 months ago after 2 yrs of trying (and failing) to get off seroxat. I was on the seroxat for approx 4 yrs.

I reduced the prozac slowly from 20mg over the last 6 months using liquid prozac.

Although prozac withdrawal is meant to be easier i think mine has been complicated by all the problems with seroxat.

Thanks for the support Chinchilla.

Had a terrible day today. DH has been working all weekend and Ive just been incapable of looking after the boys. So exhausted/impatient etc etc etc.

DH isnt very sympathetic about it - thinks ive wasted enough of our lives on it. Think Ill have to go back on something just to get through and cope day to day.

I think if I had 6 months break then could maybe do it - but noones life is like that is it.... I really wanted to do it this time and was so determined.

Anyway sorry for going on.
Kizziex

Kizzie have you thought about going on retreat there was a thread on here awhile back maybe it would help

Gothicmama - Id LOVE to go on a retreat. Chance would be a fine thing.
I think the problem with me trying to get through this withdrawal is that DH doesnt understand and I dont have any family nearby so its impossible to get a break / try and rest my way through it.

Im just terrified at the moment of going even further downhill and TBH I havent felt well on AD's for at least the last year so fell like Im trapped really.

Ok I'l trying to think of different things but it is hard if your partner does not understand - would he read any leaflets on the subject. If you have not felt wellon them for a year then something must be done does your GP know about this could you print this off and show him - would counselling help do you think , you like use contact another user any time if you feel you need to talk

Soembody on another thread replaced ads with sepia, don't know anyhting about it but do know that it helped someone a lot, perhaps worth a try

link here

Thanks kibby and gothicmama for looking up that link for me!
I wonder if toothache still logs on. Think Ill set up a new thread because she prob wont see this.

I think the prob with the AD's over the last yr was that I was constantly going through withdrawal. Side effects jsut horrible.

Sorry feeling very sorry for myself today. Had anxiety based PND - fair enough. Bloody awful but got over that - then managed to get addicted to non addictive AD's.
Kizziex

Never mind if you recognise the problem you have started the journey to solving it