Connect
← Return to Patients are teaching doctors online about antidepressants
Discussion
Patients are teaching doctors online about antidepressants
Depression & Anxiety | Last Active: Sep 28, 2020 | Replies (8)Comment receiving replies
Hi, @merpreb - thanks for bringing this New York Times article to the attention of members in the Connect Depression & Anxiety group.
The article covers a study published in the medical journal The Lancet, "Tapering of SSRI treatment to mitigate withdrawal symptoms." This research looks at this concept, "Tapers over a period of months and down to doses much lower than minimum therapeutic doses have shown greater success in reducing withdrawal symptoms."
I think many of our members will have thoughts about this idea of a slower tapering schedule and to a dose even lower than what would generally be prescribed for a patient with depression.
@grandmar @sandij @notaround @farmboy @falon @babydoll - any thoughts on this style of tapering off an antidepressant? If you are still tapering, do you find your doctor amenable to this kind of taper?
Replies to "Hi, @merpreb - thanks for bringing this New York Times article to the attention of members..."
Connect
Good Morning!
I did not read the article, so I can only respond to what you have written in this post.
I am currently tapering my dosage of Effexor. I am not looking to come off, just to get to a lower dosage. I am not sure what that will be, just yet.
I am tapering off from 300 mg daily (2-75mg in the morning and evening). I have chosen to do it VERY, VERY, VERY slowly based on what some of our members have mentioned and my son's own experience trying to come off of HIS anxiety meds (different from Effexor, but I don't know what). I stay on each reduction for 3 weeks (I will stay longer, if necessary). I started with my evening dose. I figured that if I had issues, I'd just be able to go to sleep. I'm reducing my dosage by 1/4 of one pill every 6 weeks. I start by reducing 1/4 of 1 pill every other day for 3 weeks, then every night for 3 weeks. I have to say that many people have suggested that every other day is not the best idea. For me, so far, it has worked.
Hope this helps...…
Ronnie (GRANDMAr)