Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[CLKD]

If you have supervised withdrawal you will be fine.  I had to realise that the bounce back anxiety and nausea went after 36 hours and did not get worse.  GPs have access to smaller doses of some ADs for withdrawal - some ADs don't require it: as well as using the 'alternate day' procedure.  Then nothing for 3 days, 5 days etc..  It took 9 weeks to stop and I was fine!

For me when the bounce back anxiety started I feared that I would never get off the AD and that I would never feel good again, but that didn't happen ……. I did get off the medication and once the next AD kicked in I have been generally OK.

[Briony]

CLKD, sadly Cymbalta is the exception. There is no dose lower than 20mg. Both the neurologist who prescribed it and my GP confirmed this. It is so notorious that it even has its own withdrawal website!   Many GPs switch patients over to Prozac when they come off Cymbalta. I can't totally remember why but it was something to do with it having a shorter half life ?

[CLKD]

Obviously the Manufacturers weren't expecting patients to have problems then? so no smaller doses were made  .  It is well known that Prozac - apparently with no side effects according to my GP - is causing problems with withdrawal.  I found side effects with Prozac which alsmot floored me, I felt like I had 7" heels on my wellies  …… after 3 days I didn't dare take any more.  I was 1 of the first patients to be prescribed it ……… 

[Clovie]

this morning my therapist questioned why my GP's first choice was an SSRI as they can cause many problems.  He said there are other types of AD which are better but he didn't say what and I didn't ask.  I suggested cost was a deciding factor but he said the SSRIs are not much different in cost, it is more to do with backhanders from the drug companies in some cases!

I'm sure that must be the case (back handers) in a lot cases.

Interesting that your therapist said that though. Food for thought for sure..

[coldethyl]

I think that some of the side effects of the older ADs mean that GPs more likely to prescribe newer SSRI style drugs- a lot of the tricyclics cause weight gain amongst other things so guessing they aren't popular.  Also it's a bit like getting the latest Iphone handset.. People think newest means best. That said, I'm sure the backhanders come into play too. You only have to look at the whole prescribing of statins - as a diabetic I have to fight to stay off them, yet they are known to raise BS so cause more problems than they solve.

[CLKD]

I'm not sure that backhanders come into it.  It may be that the older medications are more available because the NHS won't pay for the newer ones, which can be sold to mainland Europe so that Manufacturers get proper money for them!  Ovestin is supposedly going that way 

Also, the older types of anti-depressant/sedative medications can be addictive! which is less likely with the more modern drugs. 

Strange thing for a Therapist to say though, not professional at all!  He should keep his thoughts to himself!!!! because someone vulnerable might think that taking them is 'wrong' and stop: therefore undoing weeks/months of helpful therapy! 

ALL medications can call problems  but not all patients experience problems  .  Therapists are not GPs nor are they allowed to prescribe.  Unless it's a Psychiatrist who is likely to be dealing with pharmaceuticals all the while.

[babyjane]

I'm sorry, I didn't want to cause a storm. I know this guy well and he wasn't being unprofessional, it was said very tongue in cheek which he would not do with a regular client but I know it was tongue in cheek. I should not have repeated it here, I am sorry and I think I will delete the post to avoid further misunderstanding  .

[CLKD]

  ……….. medication along with various therapies should work side-by-side.