Quit my antidepressants, getting lots of side effects

claus · 02-02-2009, 06:12 PM

Hey there,

About three days ago I stopped taking my antidepressants, which I had been taking for about 2 years straight.

These are:

lithium carbonate, 1000mg
ravotril
seretran

those are once a day, at night

for the past days I've felt worse than I can remember, I feel dizzy and my head hurts a lot, also, I feel weakness in my muscles and feel overall less energy than before.

I've been thinking about taking the drugs back, because I can barely get through the day with this things

What do you guys think?

fratboy11 · 02-02-2009, 06:14 PM

I wouldn't stop taking them unless directed to by a doctor, and even then you'd want to slowly wean yourself off of them instead of dropping them off the cliff. And even if you yourself are a doctor, talk to one of your doctor friends, because people tend to be bad at judging their own condition.

Good luck! I'm about to start on a mood stabilizer (maybe) so I too look forward to the day when I no longer have to take them.

dragon lady · 02-02-2009, 06:17 PM

Goodness, you can't just stop taking these drugs cold turkey! You need to ween yourself off them over a period of time. No wonder you feel terrible.

scorpio47 · 02-02-2009, 06:18 PM

That sounds like a lot to just stop all of a sudden. Did the doctor recommend that you just stop like that? When I was on my meds, the doctor backed me off slowly over time. Even at that, there still was some dizziness. Give us more info.

Day After Today · 02-02-2009, 06:19 PM

It's never a good idea to suddenly stop taking anti depressants...you should speak to your doc about lowering the dosage over time....I suddenly stopped a year or so ago and the side effects were pretty bad...

Ac143 · 02-02-2009, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dragon lady

Goodness, you can't just stop taking these drugs cold turkey! You need to ween yourself off them over a period of time. No wonder you feel terrible.

Yes! You will feel terrible quitting cold turkey like this. Did you speak to your doctor before doing this?

top bloke · 02-02-2009, 06:29 PM

I would recommend you ween yourself off as previously mentioned. If you are at the stage that you hate doctors then half the dosage and see how you go. Do this for a while if it works and the cut down say to 1/3 ..
Then stop.
If you are not coping talk to your doctor anyway..no need for you to suffer brother.

calidreamin0 · 02-02-2009, 06:46 PM

All the poster's are correct. You have to ween yourself off of them, and this is something you and your doctor should be doing together. These are strong drugs to just stop taking.

Right now, your pretty much going through withdrawals that can be very dangerous for your body. And your brain.

I would take them as soon as possible, then schedule an appt. with your doctor to set a plan to get off of the pills.

iLoveMyBabyCairo · 02-02-2009, 06:49 PM

Oh my... do NOT just suddenly stop taking these drugs, especially lithium. It's very important you ween yourself off. And you should not do so without talking to a doctor first!

chaosa · 02-02-2009, 07:44 PM

Call your doctor. I just recently weened myself off two anti-depressants under a doctors supervision. It was painful and I am STILL having slight withdrawal symptoms. You can have numerous problems going off cold turkey, including stroke and death. I don't want to scare you, but you need to know this is a real danger.

02-02-2009, 06:12 PM	#1
claus Offline Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 43	Quit my antidepressants, getting lots of side effects Hey there, About three days ago I stopped taking my antidepressants, which I had been taking for about 2 years straight. These are: lithium carbonate, 1000mg ravotril seretran those are once a day, at night for the past days I've felt worse than I can remember, I feel dizzy and my head hurts a lot, also, I feel weakness in my muscles and feel overall less energy than before. I've been thinking about taking the drugs back, because I can barely get through the day with this things What do you guys think?

02-02-2009, 06:19 PM	#5
Day After Today Offline Bronze Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Kawkab El Ard Gender: Male Posts: 136	It's never a good idea to suddenly stop taking anti depressants...you should speak to your doc about lowering the dosage over time....I suddenly stopped a year or so ago and the side effects were pretty bad... __________________ "ıu ɐ nuıʌǝɹsǝ snppǝuןʎ pıʌǝsʇǝp oɟ ıןןnsıou ɐup ןıƃɥʇs' ɯɐu ɟǝǝןs ɐu ɐןıǝu' ɐ sʇɹɐuƃǝɹ˙ ɥıs ǝxıןǝ ıs ʍıʇɥonʇ ɹǝɯǝpʎ sıuɔǝ ɥǝ ıs pǝdɹıʌǝp oɟ ʇɥǝ ɯǝɯoɹʎ oɟ ɐ ןosʇ ɥoɯǝ oɹ ʇɥǝ ɥodǝ oɟ ɐ dɹoɯısǝp ןɐup˙" ɐןqǝɹʇ ɔɐɯns 126144001 sǝɔoups 16/07/2009 مفقود 失った

02-02-2009, 06:29 PM	#7
top bloke Offline Platinum Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Australia Gender: Male Age: 41 Posts: 2,057	I would recommend you ween yourself off as previously mentioned. If you are at the stage that you hate doctors then half the dosage and see how you go. Do this for a while if it works and the cut down say to 1/3 .. Then stop. If you are not coping talk to your doctor anyway..no need for you to suffer brother. __________________ You have choices!

02-02-2009, 06:49 PM	#9
iLoveMyBabyCairo Offline Platinum Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Liverpool, where the sun never shines. Gender: Female Age: 22 Posts: 6,038	Oh my... do NOT just suddenly stop taking these drugs, especially lithium. It's very important you ween yourself off. And you should not do so without talking to a doctor first! __________________ JenSocietyOfSloreMaking!© --Lionel Hutz No that's not how you express love! You express your love by calling her a dirty little ***** and slapping her in the face with your penis! --hersmudders...always classy.

02-02-2009, 07:44 PM	#10
chaosa Offline Bronze Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Snow covered hell Gender: Female Age: 30 Posts: 245	Call your doctor. I just recently weened myself off two anti-depressants under a doctors supervision. It was painful and I am STILL having slight withdrawal symptoms. You can have numerous problems going off cold turkey, including stroke and death. I don't want to scare you, but you need to know this is a real danger. __________________ “Every one is a moon, and has a dark side which he never shows to anybody” --Mark Twain "Let the world know you as you are, not as you think you should be." --Fannie Brice

02-02-2009, 06:14 PM	#2
fratboy11 Offline Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 21	I wouldn't stop taking them unless directed to by a doctor, and even then you'd want to slowly wean yourself off of them instead of dropping them off the cliff. And even if you yourself are a doctor, talk to one of your doctor friends, because people tend to be bad at judging their own condition. Good luck! I'm about to start on a mood stabilizer (maybe) so I too look forward to the day when I no longer have to take them.

02-02-2009, 06:17 PM	#3
dragon lady Offline Platinum Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Gender: Female Age: 23 Posts: 2,615	Goodness, you can't just stop taking these drugs cold turkey! You need to ween yourself off them over a period of time. No wonder you feel terrible.

02-02-2009, 06:18 PM	#4
scorpio47 Offline Bronze Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 144	That sounds like a lot to just stop all of a sudden. Did the doctor recommend that you just stop like that? When I was on my meds, the doctor backed me off slowly over time. Even at that, there still was some dizziness. Give us more info.

02-02-2009, 06:46 PM	#8
calidreamin0 Offline Silver Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Northern California Gender: Female Age: 24 Posts: 419	All the poster's are correct. You have to ween yourself off of them, and this is something you and your doctor should be doing together. These are strong drugs to just stop taking. Right now, your pretty much going through withdrawals that can be very dangerous for your body. And your brain. I would take them as soon as possible, then schedule an appt. with your doctor to set a plan to get off of the pills.