Withdrawal from antidepressants

Posted by njoys @njoys, Dec 8, 2023

I have been researching the work of Dr. Mark Horowitz, an antidepressant patient/doctor, who is focused on helping patients withdraw from antidepressant medication and educating their physicians about the same. This is worth sharing, from The International Institute for Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal: "Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management," available on YouTube:

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zrose0001 | @zrose0001 | Dec 14, 2023

Great you’re getting information. Give this process time. Do not hurry. Discuss with your shrink, substituting out with a different medication and possible time and dosage tables.
I’m still in the process of my medication change. Orgasms: my shrink said, “focus and you’ll have them”- though I learned to wait hours from dose time to sexual activity. And I think “O” success is based on certain necessary contributing factors too.

celia16 | @celia16 | Dec 15, 2023

In reply to @zrose0001 "Great you’re getting information. Give this process time. Do not hurry. Discuss with your shrink, substituting..." + (show)

As I begin a new relationship, I don’t want to struggle with sexual issues and have to explain it to a new boyfriend. It’s just one more thing. Looking at the cost/benefit analysis……

sears | @sears | Dec 15, 2023

In reply to @celia16 "Really? Omg….who would take it knowing that?" + (show)

It’s rare but it can happen. Doctors never tell us ALL the side effects of these physchiatric drugs. It’s imperative to do our own research.

njoys | @njoys | Dec 15, 2023

In reply to @celia16 "Really? Omg….who would take it knowing that?" + (show)

People who need it, despite the side effects. Of course, when I read the list of side effects, I didn't imagine so many would apply to me. They do. Which is the main reason I want off Effexor. I can tell you that the side effects do not remain once weaned off the drug, as I have been free from it twice, but unable to stay off of it. I am now planning a gradual withdrawal which will likely take two to three years. Knowing what I know now, I would never have agreed to take the stuff for hot flashes.

dahliarose | @dahliarose | Aug 19 6:39pm

Thank you for this post. It is so hard to find information on this topic.

Have you had success with your gradual withdrawal or tapering off? The best
method i have seen so far is to reduce the dosage by 10% each month.

njoys | @njoys | Aug 19 7:46pm

In reply to @dahliarose "Thank you for this post. It is so hard to find information on this topic. Have..." + (show)

I am holding steady (more or less) at 25mg tablets twice per day for now. Because I have tried twice to stop Effexor, and succeeded for 2-3 months, only to "crash" and have to resume the drug, I am hesitant to start tapering again. When ready, I plan to reduce by 5% over as much time as I need to adjust without withdrawal symptoms, before tapering another 5%, etc. I need to look into obtaining titrating strips--or go back to the 37.5mg capsule so that I can count and remove 5% of the contents over time. Actually, I am hoping for a miracle in the meantime.... that pharmaceutical companies will be required to provide the drug in lower doses!

con123 | @con123 | Aug 20 7:34am

In reply to @njoys "I am holding steady (more or less) at 25mg tablets twice per day for now. Because..." + (show)

There are some antidepressants that are harder to taper than others. I took Pristiq, for example, and it is very hard to get off because of the problems you mention with Effexor - they don't have low dose pills, and Pristiq is also time-released, so you can't cut tablets. My psychiatrist slowly traded out Pristiq for Prozac, and it was easy to taper off.

dahliarose | @dahliarose | Aug 21 2:20pm

In reply to @njoys "I am holding steady (more or less) at 25mg tablets twice per day for now. Because..." + (show)

The pharma companies doing lower doses! Can only hope they think this is as good an idea as I do. Keep trying. Is Dr. Mark Horowitz in the U.S.?
I would like to ask if you can describe what you mean by a crash (when you stopped Effexor)?
I believe I would need admission to a residential program to accomplish this weaning my psych drugs.

njoys | @njoys | Aug 21 4:58pm

In reply to @con123 "There are some antidepressants that are harder to taper than others. I took Pristiq, for example,..." + (show)

I researched that option some time ago (on this site), and recall that persons have tried it with mixed results. Can you describe the process that worked for you?

con123 | @con123 | Aug 21 5:43pm

Having a psychiatrist assist with the taper - he was very knowledgeable about drugs. Switching to an easier to taper drug was very helpful and made the process easy.