sertraline for life?
April 11, 2015 3:33 PM Subscribe
is it ok to be on antidepressants long term, and can anyone share their experiences if they have?
my wife has been on antidepressants on and off for about half of her life, this latest stretch has been about two years. prior to that she had recently stopped, then after mom passed from a prolonged battle with cancer she went into a deep funk and nothing else seemed to work, so she went back on.
i recently read about how the whole chemical imbalance theory is actually questioned now, and that there is not any definitive proof, etc. she takes 50 mg of sertraline daily and it definitely does its job for her, but we worry about if she will ever not need it or is it something that she will need to do forever, and is that safe and ok? she recently tried to wean off by going to every other day, and after a few weeks we both noticed a change in her, kind of slipping into that old familiar depression.
anyone with medical knowledge or personal experience, please share..
thanks.
my wife has been on antidepressants on and off for about half of her life, this latest stretch has been about two years. prior to that she had recently stopped, then after mom passed from a prolonged battle with cancer she went into a deep funk and nothing else seemed to work, so she went back on.
i recently read about how the whole chemical imbalance theory is actually questioned now, and that there is not any definitive proof, etc. she takes 50 mg of sertraline daily and it definitely does its job for her, but we worry about if she will ever not need it or is it something that she will need to do forever, and is that safe and ok? she recently tried to wean off by going to every other day, and after a few weeks we both noticed a change in her, kind of slipping into that old familiar depression.
anyone with medical knowledge or personal experience, please share..
thanks.
she recently tried to wean off by going to every other day, and after a few weeks we both noticed a change in her, kind of slipping into that old familiar depression.
Only ever do this with under a doctor's supervision. Tapering off a medication can't just be done in a way that seems "logical" (e.g. every other day) but has to be done in a way that maximally safe for withdrawal of a medication built up in the bloodstream. Please do not experiment on your own with dosages; for many reasons, it is an unsafe thing to do.
posted by griphus at 4:20 PM on April 11, 2015 [25 favorites]
Only ever do this with under a doctor's supervision. Tapering off a medication can't just be done in a way that seems "logical" (e.g. every other day) but has to be done in a way that maximally safe for withdrawal of a medication built up in the bloodstream. Please do not experiment on your own with dosages; for many reasons, it is an unsafe thing to do.
posted by griphus at 4:20 PM on April 11, 2015 [25 favorites]
I've been on it for several years now. At one point I had the same ambivalence about it, and my doctor also expressed reservations about keeping me on it, but the funk was too much. So far no problems, and my doctor also mentioned something about people who are on it having a lower risk of Alzheimer's.
posted by alusru at 4:20 PM on April 11, 2015
posted by alusru at 4:20 PM on April 11, 2015
I've been on Sertraline for several years (going on seven) and have gone off (with medical supervision) once for several months, with disastrous results. If I have to take this for the rest of my life and be who I am while I'm on it (someone who can handle daily life, enjoy her children, not be crippled by anxiety) then so be it.
My doctor will keep evaluating me every six months, and so should your wife's doctor (with whatever timetable he or she decides).
posted by cooker girl at 4:39 PM on April 11, 2015 [6 favorites]
My doctor will keep evaluating me every six months, and so should your wife's doctor (with whatever timetable he or she decides).
posted by cooker girl at 4:39 PM on April 11, 2015 [6 favorites]
Response by poster: thanks for your concern. unfortunately we feel the doc didn't give us a clear answer. if any additional responses could lean to your personal experiences that'd be more helpful I guess.
posted by fumbducker at 4:42 PM on April 11, 2015
posted by fumbducker at 4:42 PM on April 11, 2015
As a teenager I went off a prescription anti-depressant (not Setraline) without a doctor's supervision and suffered greately for it. I did some research afterward and what I had experienced -- which was really, really bad -- was maybe the best case scenario for what I had done: no permanent side-effects or lasting damage, and no behavior which would have had lasting consequences.
If you don't like how your doctor is treating this, please get a second opinion. If it's a GP she is seeing for psychiatric medication, please see an actual psychiatrist.
posted by griphus at 4:48 PM on April 11, 2015 [4 favorites]
If you don't like how your doctor is treating this, please get a second opinion. If it's a GP she is seeing for psychiatric medication, please see an actual psychiatrist.
posted by griphus at 4:48 PM on April 11, 2015 [4 favorites]
I've been on Wellbutrin for, like, five years now. For at least three of those five years I've wondered if I really need to continue taking it. But depression fucking blows, so I'd rather stay on a medication I tolerate - even if it isn't doing anything right now - than go off it and risk the depression coming back. I am totally cool with taking it forever if it means I can have a healthy mind.
Prior to that, I took Cymbalta on and off for a few years, hopping off if the summer was coming or I lost my insurance or I figured I no longer needed it. After a while, it just stopped working, and although I don't know whether stopping and starting contributed to that, I'm not sure it was a good idea.
This is all anecdotal, IANAD, etc.
Don't do this without the supervision of a mental health professional whom you trust and feel comfortable with. Even if she's able to taper off with no ill effects, it's best to have a doctor keep an eye on her to help head off any relapse. Depression tends to sneak in and settle before you realize it's there.
posted by Metroid Baby at 5:17 PM on April 11, 2015 [3 favorites]
Prior to that, I took Cymbalta on and off for a few years, hopping off if the summer was coming or I lost my insurance or I figured I no longer needed it. After a while, it just stopped working, and although I don't know whether stopping and starting contributed to that, I'm not sure it was a good idea.
This is all anecdotal, IANAD, etc.
Don't do this without the supervision of a mental health professional whom you trust and feel comfortable with. Even if she's able to taper off with no ill effects, it's best to have a doctor keep an eye on her to help head off any relapse. Depression tends to sneak in and settle before you realize it's there.
posted by Metroid Baby at 5:17 PM on April 11, 2015 [3 favorites]
Best answer: Here's an anecdote: I've been on antidepressants for half my life, and I've been productive, healthy as an ox, and not suicidal or a shut-in. Totally worth the risks and minor adverse effects I've experienced.
But I'm not your wife. I don't know what her symptoms are, and I am not even an armchair psychiatrist. It's possible to take antidepressants for almost 20 years and not become an affectless shell of a person. But I cannot advise consulting an actual psychiatrist/psychopharmacologist strongly enough. This is not a dumb question for your wife to have, and it might be more than a GP can handle.
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 5:18 PM on April 11, 2015 [5 favorites]
But I'm not your wife. I don't know what her symptoms are, and I am not even an armchair psychiatrist. It's possible to take antidepressants for almost 20 years and not become an affectless shell of a person. But I cannot advise consulting an actual psychiatrist/psychopharmacologist strongly enough. This is not a dumb question for your wife to have, and it might be more than a GP can handle.
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 5:18 PM on April 11, 2015 [5 favorites]
I was on an antidepressant (Prozac) for most of my adult life; was prescribed when I was 19, went off it under dr's. supervision when I was 23, then (very low hormone dose) birth control pills threw me way out of wack and I went back on the Prozac for about 20 more years. My psychiatrists through the years suggested that I would probably need it my entire life based on family history and the bad hormone reaction, but for the past 5-10 years or so I'd been wondering if it was really doing anything. I was also really getting frustrated with a side effect that had recently started to really ramp up. I finally decided with my current doctor to wean off it, and I've been completely off since December. Haven't noticed a difference in affect/functioning so far.
I'm grateful for the help it provided me, I really feel like it did save me from a very troubled life, but I wish I had tried to go off it earlier. Fear kept me on it. During the wean-off, I was very worried that I would fall into my old sleepwalk/empty shell thing, but my partner and I and my doctor paid close attention throughout.
If you are both questioning the need for it, I would say revisit the issue in six months with a doctor's advisement. I'm recommending this because I feel like I now have another health issue that was brought on by Prozac, and now I'm still needing medication for that even though I'm off Prozac. This issue presented itself very mildly at first but really ramped up quickly to an intolerable state a few years ago.
posted by queensissy at 5:46 PM on April 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
I'm grateful for the help it provided me, I really feel like it did save me from a very troubled life, but I wish I had tried to go off it earlier. Fear kept me on it. During the wean-off, I was very worried that I would fall into my old sleepwalk/empty shell thing, but my partner and I and my doctor paid close attention throughout.
If you are both questioning the need for it, I would say revisit the issue in six months with a doctor's advisement. I'm recommending this because I feel like I now have another health issue that was brought on by Prozac, and now I'm still needing medication for that even though I'm off Prozac. This issue presented itself very mildly at first but really ramped up quickly to an intolerable state a few years ago.
posted by queensissy at 5:46 PM on April 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
One data point: I started taking SSRI antidepressants nearly 20 years ago when I was around age 40, and have continued with only some recent breaks described below. For at least the last fifteen years I have taken Paxil/paroxetine. My doctors have always said if it's working for you, just keep taking it. So I have.
A few years ago my primary care physician suggested that I try getting off of it. So I tapered off the dosage very slowly, even more slowly than he recommended, and noticed no problems with discontinuation syndrome. I can't say my depression returned, but I was seeing some drawbacks: easily agitated, unpleasant to be around at times, unhappy, wanting (unreasonably) to quit my job, unpleasant to my wife... so I started taking the drug again. And again thought it was effective for me. Three times now I have tapered off slowly over a period of weeks, only to decide to resume the medication. The most recent time was at the urging of my wife.
I tend to be skeptical about medications in general. But this antidepressant seem to help me, and that help continues after nearly 20 years.
posted by spockmuppet at 6:16 PM on April 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
A few years ago my primary care physician suggested that I try getting off of it. So I tapered off the dosage very slowly, even more slowly than he recommended, and noticed no problems with discontinuation syndrome. I can't say my depression returned, but I was seeing some drawbacks: easily agitated, unpleasant to be around at times, unhappy, wanting (unreasonably) to quit my job, unpleasant to my wife... so I started taking the drug again. And again thought it was effective for me. Three times now I have tapered off slowly over a period of weeks, only to decide to resume the medication. The most recent time was at the urging of my wife.
I tend to be skeptical about medications in general. But this antidepressant seem to help me, and that help continues after nearly 20 years.
posted by spockmuppet at 6:16 PM on April 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: thank you all for the tremendous responses.
posted by fumbducker at 6:47 PM on April 11, 2015
posted by fumbducker at 6:47 PM on April 11, 2015
i recently read about how the whole chemical imbalance theory is actually questioned now, and that there is not any definitive proof, etc.
To speak to this angle really quick, I agree the "chemical imbalance" theory is not favored these days, as in, nobody believes it's literally a serotonin deficiency anymore -- but that doesn't mean that depression has no physical basis, and/or that SSRIs can't treat depression better than a placebo*. It just means we don't understand a lot about the mechanism of either depression or SSRIs (and both of those things are active areas of research).
* (some people have argued something similar to that second claim but it is controversial. I don't know how I feel about all of his claims, but the money quote is here: "Even the most critical study – Kirsch 2008 – finds antidepressants to outperform placebo with p < .0001 significance." So the question isn't really whether they work as much as "how" and "how well".)
posted by en forme de poire at 7:42 PM on April 11, 2015 [10 favorites]
To speak to this angle really quick, I agree the "chemical imbalance" theory is not favored these days, as in, nobody believes it's literally a serotonin deficiency anymore -- but that doesn't mean that depression has no physical basis, and/or that SSRIs can't treat depression better than a placebo*. It just means we don't understand a lot about the mechanism of either depression or SSRIs (and both of those things are active areas of research).
* (some people have argued something similar to that second claim but it is controversial. I don't know how I feel about all of his claims, but the money quote is here: "Even the most critical study – Kirsch 2008 – finds antidepressants to outperform placebo with p < .0001 significance." So the question isn't really whether they work as much as "how" and "how well".)
posted by en forme de poire at 7:42 PM on April 11, 2015 [10 favorites]
(The above isn't at all my area of research btw; someone who's actually in psych would probably have more up-to-date information.)
posted by en forme de poire at 7:43 PM on April 11, 2015
posted by en forme de poire at 7:43 PM on April 11, 2015
Please don't mess around with trying to "wean" off sertaline without any medical guidance. For one thing, I know I noticed a difference in my mood from unintentionally missing a day's dose, so skipping every other day doesn't sound like such a great idea to me.
The doctor may have given an ambiguous answer because it's really not a clear issue. Some people stay on a long time, years, and others don't. Meds work great for some people and not as well for others. Some people have side effects, others don't.
The best situation is to have the underlying situation resolved, perhaps through therapy, allowing for monitored discontinuation. If you don't trust the doctor, get a second opinion.
posted by zennie at 8:35 PM on April 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
The doctor may have given an ambiguous answer because it's really not a clear issue. Some people stay on a long time, years, and others don't. Meds work great for some people and not as well for others. Some people have side effects, others don't.
The best situation is to have the underlying situation resolved, perhaps through therapy, allowing for monitored discontinuation. If you don't trust the doctor, get a second opinion.
posted by zennie at 8:35 PM on April 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
Yes, please see a doctor. While some people might say you just taper down the dose, a doctor can help with this so much more. Through use of compounding, they can taper down the daily dose and prevent the effects of skipping a day or two. I had a horribly stupid psychologist (they can't prescribe in Canada) talk me into cutting down my dose just by halving the pills and skipping days and so on. She was an idiot, but I did okay. My then boyfriend did the same thing, but it caused him to become unstable and he should have been under supervision - he ended up with a mental health crisis that was very dangerous and he wasn't in therapy or seeing his doctor. I think I probably did okay because I was on a tiny dosage and I was more cautious and in therapy. But I don't think it was a good idea to do it that way and I wish I'd worked with my doctor, instead of being manipulated by my then psychologist.
posted by Chaussette and the Pussy Cats at 9:09 PM on April 11, 2015
posted by Chaussette and the Pussy Cats at 9:09 PM on April 11, 2015
Response by poster: again, amazing responses. just for everyone urging to not taper off without guidance, she's gone back on the regular dose after we noticed a change within the first few weeks. we would seek another opinion if ever considering it again.
posted by fumbducker at 9:38 PM on April 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by fumbducker at 9:38 PM on April 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
It sounds like you don't trust your wife's prescribing doctor, and maybe aren't getting clear information from them.
If your wife feels the same way about her doctor, then that is a problem. Having a doctor you can trust, and who listens well and communicates clearly, is incredibly important. That's true for any chronic medical condition, but it's especially true for psychiatric conditions, since 99% of mental health diagnosis and treatment is about listening and communicating — there's no blood tests for this shit, after all, so a doctor who has loads of technical expertise but doesn't know how to communicate with other humans is not going to be terribly useful.
(Also, as others have said upthread, if she's getting her prescription from a GP right now, it's worth switching to a specialist. Most family doctors just aren't well-enough versed in this stuff.)
A really excellent psychiatrist can be hard to find, but it is worth going way out of your way to find one, especially since — to get back to your original question — yeah, your wife really will probably be taking this antidepressant (or others like it) for the rest of her life unless someone makes a massive, world-altering medical breakthrough sometime soon.
posted by nebulawindphone at 1:12 AM on April 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
If your wife feels the same way about her doctor, then that is a problem. Having a doctor you can trust, and who listens well and communicates clearly, is incredibly important. That's true for any chronic medical condition, but it's especially true for psychiatric conditions, since 99% of mental health diagnosis and treatment is about listening and communicating — there's no blood tests for this shit, after all, so a doctor who has loads of technical expertise but doesn't know how to communicate with other humans is not going to be terribly useful.
(Also, as others have said upthread, if she's getting her prescription from a GP right now, it's worth switching to a specialist. Most family doctors just aren't well-enough versed in this stuff.)
A really excellent psychiatrist can be hard to find, but it is worth going way out of your way to find one, especially since — to get back to your original question — yeah, your wife really will probably be taking this antidepressant (or others like it) for the rest of her life unless someone makes a massive, world-altering medical breakthrough sometime soon.
posted by nebulawindphone at 1:12 AM on April 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
I've been on SSRIs of one sort or another for 20 years. I'll never come off them. I'm productive and 'normal' on them.
posted by persona au gratin at 2:02 AM on April 12, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by persona au gratin at 2:02 AM on April 12, 2015 [2 favorites]
I'm a psychiatric nurse. I'm not part of your wife's healthcare team, but I have seen many patients taking long-term antidepressants.
For some people, depression is a chronic illness. A long-term issue that needs appropriate treatment. Your wife might need to take medication for a long, long time. I've worked with geriatric patients. Often the medications people are taking might change, as new ones come out and old ones are discontinued/go out of style as it were.
Are you both okay with thinking of this as a chronic condition? Why did she decide to wean herself down?
posted by RainyJay at 4:07 AM on April 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
For some people, depression is a chronic illness. A long-term issue that needs appropriate treatment. Your wife might need to take medication for a long, long time. I've worked with geriatric patients. Often the medications people are taking might change, as new ones come out and old ones are discontinued/go out of style as it were.
Are you both okay with thinking of this as a chronic condition? Why did she decide to wean herself down?
posted by RainyJay at 4:07 AM on April 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: responding to a few questions; yes it was a GP that prescribed it, that and xanax for acute anxiety episodes. she hasnt taken any xanax in about 4 months, hasnt even refilled her prescription for it. prior to that she hadnt needed the xanax regularly either, a 30 day refill would frequent last her between 60-90 days - when she first went on it was daily just to get through the day.
she did see a counselor for a while before getting on the medication, but though it helped a bit it wasnt until she started the medication that she started to feel "normal". she continued to see the counselor for a bit after but ultimately decided it was not needed.
why did she want to taper off? i guess she just questioned whether she still needed to take it, as many have said here it seems like you can get to a point where you just feel as if you dont want to take something if you dont need it. dealing with some of the side affects like weight gain, feeling loopy if having one glass of wine, while minor in comparison to depression, can get weary if you *think* youre ok..
it sounds like there are quite a few of you that have been on medication long term, which is encouraging. while i agreed that if she didnt need it she shouldnt take it, i am certainly ok with if it is needed then staying on it for life. this latest attempt to taper off does make it seem like a chronic condition for her, and i think we correctly decided to go back to the regular dose in time before it really began to get bad for her again.
posted by fumbducker at 5:29 AM on April 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
she did see a counselor for a while before getting on the medication, but though it helped a bit it wasnt until she started the medication that she started to feel "normal". she continued to see the counselor for a bit after but ultimately decided it was not needed.
why did she want to taper off? i guess she just questioned whether she still needed to take it, as many have said here it seems like you can get to a point where you just feel as if you dont want to take something if you dont need it. dealing with some of the side affects like weight gain, feeling loopy if having one glass of wine, while minor in comparison to depression, can get weary if you *think* youre ok..
it sounds like there are quite a few of you that have been on medication long term, which is encouraging. while i agreed that if she didnt need it she shouldnt take it, i am certainly ok with if it is needed then staying on it for life. this latest attempt to taper off does make it seem like a chronic condition for her, and i think we correctly decided to go back to the regular dose in time before it really began to get bad for her again.
posted by fumbducker at 5:29 AM on April 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
I think it's worth considering that everything in life has trade offs. Medications have side effects, both short and long term, and especially with relatively new meds like SSRIs, we just can't know all the potential risks. But you know what definitely has long term consequences? Depression and other mental illness.
Although I don't take SSRIs, I am on several psych meds. I have concerns about the fact that I've started on these meds in my early twenties, and that I probably will continue to be on them for many more years, but even if you told me that these meds might shorten my life span by some significant amount of time, I wouldn't stop taking them. My life used to suck, and I did a lot of things that were far worse for my health than any thing these meds could do for me. I'm very much in favor of not taking meds if they don't help, but it sounds like an SSRI makes a notable difference to your wife's quality of life.
I also suspect that the reason you didn't get a satisfying answer from your doctor is that there isn't one. I'm pretty sure that SSRIs have only been around for a few decades, which may seem like a long time, but it isn't really in the scheme of things. Aside from that, it's very challenging both logistically and financially to conduct long term studies that extend beyond a couple years. I'm not well versed in the current SSRI literature, but I imagine there aren't definitive answers to the question you're asking. Of course, if your wife feels like her concerns aren't being heard by her doctor, by all means seek a second opinion.
Although only tangentially related to this issue, your wife may be interested in reading this New York times article. I think it does a decent job of summarizing more recent advances in our understanding of how meds like SSRI's work. It might be of interest to you and your wife.
posted by litera scripta manet at 8:32 AM on April 12, 2015 [3 favorites]
Although I don't take SSRIs, I am on several psych meds. I have concerns about the fact that I've started on these meds in my early twenties, and that I probably will continue to be on them for many more years, but even if you told me that these meds might shorten my life span by some significant amount of time, I wouldn't stop taking them. My life used to suck, and I did a lot of things that were far worse for my health than any thing these meds could do for me. I'm very much in favor of not taking meds if they don't help, but it sounds like an SSRI makes a notable difference to your wife's quality of life.
I also suspect that the reason you didn't get a satisfying answer from your doctor is that there isn't one. I'm pretty sure that SSRIs have only been around for a few decades, which may seem like a long time, but it isn't really in the scheme of things. Aside from that, it's very challenging both logistically and financially to conduct long term studies that extend beyond a couple years. I'm not well versed in the current SSRI literature, but I imagine there aren't definitive answers to the question you're asking. Of course, if your wife feels like her concerns aren't being heard by her doctor, by all means seek a second opinion.
Although only tangentially related to this issue, your wife may be interested in reading this New York times article. I think it does a decent job of summarizing more recent advances in our understanding of how meds like SSRI's work. It might be of interest to you and your wife.
posted by litera scripta manet at 8:32 AM on April 12, 2015 [3 favorites]
I'm glad you understand this is truly a YMMV question. I asked this last summer. My son had been on Celexa for 7 years, he tapered off under a doctor's supervision and after a few no-medication days he got FLOODED with bad thoughts and became suicidal. It took him several months to get back to his "normal" and not a day goes by that I don't feel incredible remorse about putting him through that torture.
posted by kinetic at 8:36 AM on April 12, 2015
posted by kinetic at 8:36 AM on April 12, 2015
I've been on a SSNRI for a few years. I happily take it because of the profound change that occurred when I started. I became me again. I don't know why it worked but it did.
Now I've made some lifestyle changes that seem to be having a positive effect on my overall health both physical and mental. I ended up cutting my dose (with Docs go ahead) with no change. My doc suggested that since it's now such a low dose that I may want to try going off them altogether. He was okay with whatever my decisions was.
I'm okay with giving it a shot not because I don't think they're good but that it would be cool not to have to be concerned about taking a pill every day so I don't get withdrawl symptoms. Also saving 30 bucks a month would be cool.
My doctor is awesome. He wants to do it in June, when the weather is better and not so gloomy. He says he just has found that people find it easier at this time. I will be on a schedule and monitored. He said there will be no issue if I find that I still need it after all.
I feel pretty good about it because regardless of what happens I feel like I have the total support of my doctor. I think that part is key.
posted by Jalliah at 9:19 AM on April 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
Now I've made some lifestyle changes that seem to be having a positive effect on my overall health both physical and mental. I ended up cutting my dose (with Docs go ahead) with no change. My doc suggested that since it's now such a low dose that I may want to try going off them altogether. He was okay with whatever my decisions was.
I'm okay with giving it a shot not because I don't think they're good but that it would be cool not to have to be concerned about taking a pill every day so I don't get withdrawl symptoms. Also saving 30 bucks a month would be cool.
My doctor is awesome. He wants to do it in June, when the weather is better and not so gloomy. He says he just has found that people find it easier at this time. I will be on a schedule and monitored. He said there will be no issue if I find that I still need it after all.
I feel pretty good about it because regardless of what happens I feel like I have the total support of my doctor. I think that part is key.
posted by Jalliah at 9:19 AM on April 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
As another datapoint, I was on Prozac for nine years. Took some ill-advised, unapproved 'breaks' that screwed up its efficacy in 2004, and almost immediately started sinking back into the quicksand. Switched to Effexor, and will probably be on it for life. It does its work well (knock on wood!) with no noticeable side effects.
I had the same concern about long-term effects, and have talked to several docs and done some research. So far, no huge red flags have popped up regarding long-term use of SSRIs or SSNRIs. At this point, even if they did, I'm with litera scripta manet. The risks are worth having a life again.
posted by Lycaon_pictus at 11:41 AM on April 12, 2015
I had the same concern about long-term effects, and have talked to several docs and done some research. So far, no huge red flags have popped up regarding long-term use of SSRIs or SSNRIs. At this point, even if they did, I'm with litera scripta manet. The risks are worth having a life again.
posted by Lycaon_pictus at 11:41 AM on April 12, 2015
I've been on antidepressants for most of my life, and anticipate being on them for the rest of my life. I've tried weaning myself off them (under my doctor's supervision). It has never worked. It's true that the chemical imbalance theory has come under a lot of fire recently. It's clear to me, however, that something is going wrong in my brain, and the meds I take are effective at remedying the situation.
I agree with everyone upthread who has emphasized the importance of having a doctor you trust and who supports you.
posted by oozy rat in a sanitary zoo at 11:41 AM on April 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
I agree with everyone upthread who has emphasized the importance of having a doctor you trust and who supports you.
posted by oozy rat in a sanitary zoo at 11:41 AM on April 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
If she wants to stop, she will likely have to taper extremely slowly, like over many months. And should probably be in some kind of therapy.
There is a "respectable minority" of psychiatrists and physicians who have a very different take on what antidepressants do and their advisability. I would recommend reading up if she's interested in stopping.
Anatomy of an Epidemic
Medication Madness
The Emperor's New Drugs
anything by David Healy
this page
here
posted by kevinsp8 at 6:17 PM on April 12, 2015
There is a "respectable minority" of psychiatrists and physicians who have a very different take on what antidepressants do and their advisability. I would recommend reading up if she's interested in stopping.
Anatomy of an Epidemic
Medication Madness
The Emperor's New Drugs
anything by David Healy
this page
here
posted by kevinsp8 at 6:17 PM on April 12, 2015
Best answer: I think it's generally worth trying, at some point, to come off antidepressants. That's the only way to know if you need to be on them long term. In my own case, it is very clear to me that I need to be on them long-term. I can't function without them. I haven't a clue what the biological explanation for fact is. But it's a fact, regardless of what Peter Breggin et al. have to say.
posted by persona au gratin at 12:53 AM on April 13, 2015
posted by persona au gratin at 12:53 AM on April 13, 2015
Response by poster: that's what we thought and I think we were lucky enough to realize it wasn't going swell fairly quickly- though at at about 10-12 days in it seemed like it was going good. thanks all for your responses, really helpful.
posted by fumbducker at 3:35 PM on April 13, 2015
posted by fumbducker at 3:35 PM on April 13, 2015
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Does your wife have a doctor? Because your wife's doctor would be the person your wife should ask about this.
posted by DarlingBri at 3:45 PM on April 11, 2015 [10 favorites]