Hi,

I wondered how many people get off SSRI/SNRI/Trycyc medications, get well again and stay ok. I feel that Meds are a temporary solution, but each time I wean off I get depression again. Anyone doing anything different.



Jim Bow

The first time I used an antidepressant (Prozac) was in 1994 through 1996. It worked great for me. I was going through some serious relationship and carer difficulties, and was also Dysthymic from about 1985. Anyway, when the issues were resolved favourably, and I felt fine, I stopped taking Prozac, and felt good until May of 2000, when completely out of nowhere I started having huge anxiety. I eventually checked myself into hospital, and started a whole new complicated chapter in my medical history.

Bottom line is, yes, after about 3 years of using Prozac, I felt fine for almost four years after going off it. No CBT, no therapist, no medications, nothing. I bought a car, played soccer, and generally had a good time.

Some people get lucky and need meds only once, and feel fine after that for a long time. Myself, my depression keeps recurring, so I'll need them for the rest of my life. I think it depends on how many times and in how short a time you relapse. The general wisdom now is, if you go on a med and it works, stay on it for a good year. If you stay fine for years after, you might be one of the lucky ones. But if you relapse after a few years, you might need meds forever.

Personally, I'm perfectly comfortable with taking a pill once a day for the rest of my life IF IF IF it really WORKS and sends my depression into remission.

I think there is a good point to analyze here.

There's a couple different kinds of depression. One is usually treated by a short term use of therapy and meds and the other is more of a long term process.

I have the first kind of depression which is situational. My wife's medical condition caused it and it was sudden onset with a clear cut cause. In fact, I don't think I have depression at all in my case. My anxiety is what led to the depression and now that it's under control I think I'll be depression free as long as I can manage it. We're doing everything we can to get my wife's epilepsy under control so at some point I'm sure I'll be adjusted and should be able to be med, therapy, and anxiety free. I'm going to stay on the Zoloft for as long as I feel I need it, then likely talk to my doc about tapering.

The second kind of depression/anxiety is of the chronic form. Most people who have chronic MI will likely need meds and therapy for the long term future. Some are great with coping and can do it without meds, but most do need, and should be on meds even if it means for life. Chronic depression is an illness just like any other, such as diabetes, that requires much more diligence and management then situational MI.

In a way I feel guilty almost. I know my MI is of the situational kind. I know Trace had this same problem but she worked through it and is now med and MI free. In time, I feel I can achieve the same outcome. It makes me feel guilty because I know many of you have suffered for years and years through this. I have great reverence for any one who is able to fight through the relapses and emergence of chronic anxiety/depression. I feel in a way that my situation doesn't really give me a full picture because it was cheapened in some way due to it being situational. I will say that I understand that deep, dark, hopeless feeling though. I did get to that point, so I feel I can be a valuable member here still. I just don't think I would be strong enough to deal with this on a regular basis as many of you do though. I don't know, I guess it just makes me realize how weak I was and how strong many of the members here are. Does that make any sense?

I guess what I'm trying to say is that there is different circumstances and everyone is a bit different. If an individual needs meds and therapy for life, then I think they should continue them. If they can be fine without them, then that's a blessing. It doesn't make you any less of a person to need a little help from modern science.

Hi darcness - great response. I agree it is very individual how you cope with your depression, and what type of depression you have.

For instance say you get depressed because of rumination (my kind) and your happy neurotransmitters are not being produced. You take an SSRI/SNRI med and you are able to get some serotonin, dopamine etc into your receptors and your mood lifts. When you stop taking your meds and the SSRI/SNRI is out of your system, what happens to the Serotonin, Dopamine etc. Do the depleated cells start producing you own natural happy hormones again. Well I believe (so I read) that they take up to 2 years to regenerate sufficiently to start working again, and in other cases they remain damaged (don't heal)

So a year or less down the line you are still short of these happy hormones (neurotransmitters) what happens to your mood?

It seem to me like a bit of a vicious cycle > depression > meds> no depression> wean of meds>depression. Diet helps, exercise helps, but there appears to be no instant short cut to produce the right levels of happy hormones in a reasonable timerame?

This is just my opinion.

Always consult your Doctor for advice on depression and medication


Jim Bow

Again, I think it all depends on the individual and the circumstances.

In my case, before my MI, I was a really happy, content person. I had no issues with MI what so ever. I'm naturally a very rational person so I can deal with adversity pretty well and don't get stressed easily. Because of this, I feel that my long term outlook is very hopeful. When I come of the meds, yes, there will likely be rough times. However I feel like with my natural positive outlook, the tools I've learned to deal with anxiety, and my family and faith support base, I can overcome this. In time my brain will adjust, as it has now and will likely be able to even out the chemicals that I need to have a normal, positive mood again.

In some cases it's not going to be so clear cut or rational for said individual. That's why I think it's all up to the person who's affected and what they feel like they can, and should endure. If you try to get of meds and continue the cycle of depression then I think it's a good time to re-evaluate things and consider long term med therapy.

Does that make sense?

I have been lurking for quite some time now. I have been on Prozac for 4 months. I went cold turkey 2 months ago. Excessive exercise (running almost everyday) helped remove the withdrawal feeling and now I don't feel depressed. But I still have anxiety. Right now I'm looking at Trazodone, Venlafaxine, or Buspirone. I don't want to go on another ssri. Why I got off prozac? I felt I was getting too much rage over little stuff and it kind of hurt my head. It did remove my anxiety though.

Of course, it's best to come off SSRI's under a doctor's care, as it can be dangerous......

Talk to your doc about how Prozac made you feel - the side effects may help him/her choose a med that will be better for you. It definitely helped my doc home in on the next med to try for me a few years ago.

Take care,
Dewayne

i wonder about the damaging effect of antidepressants on the brain, but then again, the damaging effects of depression are probably even worse, so it is kind of what is worse? for me, i think i would rather be on the medication and be healthy, rather than struggle every day - that's what it is like for me without medication - i have to exercise for an hour and meditate and recite affirmations all day - it's too tiring.

I'd love to answer and well, I just don't know. Right now I feel fine and I always question what I would be like if I came off the meds.

The answer to that question is usually something I just DON'T want to know. I have come off meds before and anxiety overtook me. I hated the feeling. It was like my whole life had been consumed with a plague and everything became a threat, everything became misery. I can only equate the feeling to the lowest anyone can feel, where you are insignificant and belong to no one, are not part of anything, except dread.

I don't think I want to risk feeling that again, for anything. When you've been on the recovery path for so long, you question yourself constantly but I want to prevent relapsing at all costs.

This post has been edited by kirkwuk: Jun 22 2009, 06:07 PM