General Chat

I have been on effexor an antidepresant for 2 yrs 2 weeks ago i told my doc i would like to come off them .He said take 1 every other day for a fortnite which i did.I was only on a low dose today i felt weird my stomach was in knots so i took half and seemed to be ok can anyone advice me please

Sandra, i would go back to your doctor and tell him how you were and see what he suggests. take care, chris.

Hi Sandra most antidepressants now are technically non-addictive, but you still have to come off them fairly slowly. Sometimes its easier to take half a tablet daily before cutting down to every other day. I used to get really awful shakes, and a wierd feeling, like bubbles running up and down me, when I was coming off mine. If in any doubt speak to your doctor again - chances are the odd feeling is just part and parcel of the drug leaving your system, but your doc will be able to advise you best. Sarah

thanks girls i forgot to say they made me feel happy but boy did they make me nervose doc could not make that out as the tablets should have stopped that even if phone went i was a bag of nearves(my spelling is off the wall ) haha

A friend of mine took a variety of vitamins whilst weaning herself off mogadon years ago. I think the B complex or B 6 may be good. I'm no expert, so ask in the health store.

Di I've just been put on Fluoxetine. Crista says they are Prozac under another name. Do you know anything about Prozac?

Don't rush. It took you a long time to get to the point to need to take them. It took you a long time once you started taking them for them you have a full effect. Take your time there is no deadline. Also, this is my one too and I have been on it for 18 months. I get the shakes if I think about coming off it at the moment and another nightmare is when I imagine they might stop making it! To boost their effect: 1. Regular exercise - eg, swimming 20 mins every morning, or cycling or walking. Something regular and that gets you to the point where you can still talk but cannot sing. 2. Cut out caffeine 3. Cut out alcohol 4. Load up your vitamin B Finally, try to think of it this way, now the help is available - If you were diabetic would you be in a rush to come off insulin? Regards Abigail

my friend would shave off a little bit of her tablets every week until she totally came off them. it took a long time. i think it also depends what sort of depression you have. reactive depression does not always need tablets. have you tried st johns wort. i was told by my doctor that it works in the same way as prozac would. except it is herbal and non addictive. i would discuss this with your doctor. i sometimes think that pills get handed out like sweets. good luck whatever you do

Hiya thanks to you all as my effexor took about 4 weeks to kick i had only been on it i week and my uncle died , di i to was put on diazapan so it kicked in straight away my doc said as you have lost a close relative i but i feel for you di will put you on these for 4 weeks only.Well i did not have a care in the world but they relaxed too much one nite i got up out of the chair and fell on the floor banged my ribs so i came of them slowly did have no side efects i feel for you di thanks again to you all sandra

hi sandra,sorry to come in late on this,but ive been offline for a few days...i wished i had a pound everytime a doctor gave this advice,they are too quick to put patients on a/ds,and when its time to come off,the advice that is often given is woeful. the withdrawal syptoms,when coming off a/ds,can be very harsh,so its only common sense,to come off gradually...youve been on them 2yrs,so they have got a good grip on the brain chemicals..a/ds are mood altering drugs..personally,i would wean yourself off,over a period of eight weeks. but not by missing a day....cut down the strength week by week,if your on 20mg a day...take 16mg for a week..then 14mg for a week..then 12mg daily for a week etc etc. youve had great advice from everyone,lower caffeine intake,lower alcohol intake...take vitaminB complex...take bach rescue daily in mineral water...read up on yogic breathing,its so good for calming the nerves...finally,have a look at...www(.)emofree(.)com its the emotional freedom technique (acupuncture,without needles) they give a free tutoral,so you can treat yourself. best wishes....bryan.

many thanks to you all i feel better from reading your replies but dont you feel for di what a nightmare for her.everyone that knows me will tell you i am always laughing but when this hit me 2 yrs ago well (you know what i mean).I clean for an old lady 95 and she lives in warden controlled flats and i was having a laugh with some of them and one woman walked by and said to me "oh you are loud" well it upset me i thought is it the tablets My doc said sandra you have always been like that you are back to your old self besides he said i stopped worrying what people thought about me years ago .when that woman said that to me a few weeks ago thats what made me want to come off them but i feel fine at tha mo cheers all xx

Sandra - you must be very proud of yourself well done,its not easy. l've just come off mine,took the last one a week today and woke this morning feeling more positive. Here's big hugs to you all {{{{'V'}}}},take care:o) Jude s wales x

sandra,i have been on prozac three times over the past fifteen years and even though they did work i was not happy about being on them.even though they are not addictive i came to depend on them too much when things went wrong in my life which was quite alot of things.will not go back to them .have been referred to a counciller to talk about past and present problems which were the underlying cause to my unhappiness and am pleased to say do not need pills anymore just communication with a person who doesn't know me is not biased and can help me to get back on track.if you need to talk email me i'm always here.x

hi sandra i was on lophepramine,diazepam and half -inderal(beta blocker) i had to be weened off them gradually i havent taken any for 2 years now,but this last 2 weeks ive been bad again i havent slept for a week i get physical pain when im not well,i dont know if you do? at the moment it feels as if ive got a tight band around my chest and i shake alot depression and anxiety is a terrible illness but im trying not to let it get me like it did last time. i was off work for a year. i have been going to work this week but how ive done it i dont know.ive just foned my boss and told her i wont be in tomorrow,i cant face it i do hope your feeling better. we all need support at times like this,so perhaps we can help each other take care susie

i agree susie if we all support each other no matter what if we have a problem we can't share with others or we just need someone to talk to.we are all here on this thread due to stress anxiety and loneleness in which we have all had some experience with antideppresent .it's good to talk take care everyonex

di i agree as soon as i felt a panic attack coming on i took a diazepam,they are wonderful my dad has just been round and he is going to take me to the drs tomorrow. i know i will be signed off work again,its getting quite a habit lol but i have been so good for the last 2 years .i was told that it is something that i will have to live with. i could feel myself getting lower and lower but tried to shrug it off,it hasnt worked.so now is the time to do something about it before it gets out of hand like you di,i get irrational fears and start to shake. i feel as if im going mad.lol last time i was like this i couldnt bear to go out,panic over came me. i ended up going to a psychiatrist every week ,she was great there were 8 other sufferers there as well as me,and we were all experiencing the same things.(and i thought i was all alone) susie

Thanks everyone for your replies mine had been coming for a long time before it took a hold of me.Between 1998-2000 i went to 6 funerals my two aunties my hubbys auntie my best friends hubby my cousin and cousins baby daughter.I fought with my mind best i could and then i lost my fave uncle ( like brother and sister ) then i lost it.I am on half a day now did not take one on tuesday felt rough and when i got up on weds(when i dragged myself out of bed) i felt s--t so i took half.I went in town and when i was in a shop i started to cry so i rushed out as day went on i felt a bit better so i will keep on half for a while cheers sandra

ive just got back from the drs he gave me an m.o.t. when he checked my pulse he said it was racing! my heart and lungs were fine,thank goodness! hes put me on diazepam and half-inderal again and ive got to go for a blood test to check my liver,kidneys,thyroid and cholestral! apparently its just routine hes told me to do a self certificate for time off work for a week as he doesnt feel that im fit enough to work i feel more relaxed now that ive seen him but have started to worry incase the blood tests show anything nasty lol but then thats me! susie

Hi Susie - l have just been reading this thread and catching up. l am so sorry you're not feeling well hun - and so hope you feel better soon. Just relax and try not to worry, easy to say l know - but its best the dr is having the tests done. You know where l am ok - hugs to you and everyone else who is feeling down. Jude s wales xx

hi jude ((huggggg)thankyou so much jude i know youve been through the same thing and im so glad that youve finally come off your medication:) please take care love susie