Currently taking Paxil - considering getting off - help!?!
Question: At first i was diagnosed with anxiety, sleep apnea and mild insomnia. i became severely depressed over some life changing events.. this was a little over a year ago.. i have a much better outlook on life, work has gotten better, i got the psychopath who ruined my life-out for good- and have been steadily dating . i am SO much happier than i was when i began taking meds (first was prescribed Celexa,switched to Lexapro and now on Paxil) along with the occasional Xanax. How do i go about getting OFF of anti depressants!! i do not want them running my life and being dependant on them. I feel i am mentally stable enough to get off.. but i'm scared to see my doctor about it and have him take the prescription away and what if it turns into a mess......
anyone been in the same situation ? suggestions ?
Answers: At first i was diagnosed with anxiety, sleep apnea and mild insomnia. i became severely depressed over some life changing events.. this was a little over a year ago.. i have a much better outlook on life, work has gotten better, i got the psychopath who ruined my life-out for good- and have been steadily dating . i am SO much happier than i was when i began taking meds (first was prescribed Celexa,switched to Lexapro and now on Paxil) along with the occasional Xanax. How do i go about getting OFF of anti depressants!! i do not want them running my life and being dependant on them. I feel i am mentally stable enough to get off.. but i'm scared to see my doctor about it and have him take the prescription away and what if it turns into a mess......
anyone been in the same situation ? suggestions ?
Consider this: Are the anti-depressant running your life, or are they a tool allowing you to run your life better and more easily? Sometimes I feel like taking that medicine every morning is like submitting myself to some force outside of my control. I have to remind myself that it's just a little a little pill and not a big pro wrestler dropping me to the floor. It's a tool just like a hammer you use when building. You don't want to slam that nail in with your bare hand. We use tools every day to help us have a fulfilling life. A car to get to work, a computer to make things go faster, a vacuum so you don't have to be on your hands and knees picking up crumbs, and sometimes medicine to improve mood. Don't feel ruled by the medication. Let yourself feel powerful that you decide to take it everyday, utilizing the tools available to give you the best possible day and ultimately life. I feel pretty smart and responsible because me being at my happiness is what's best for me and my family.
We all feel the way you do. You finally find a medication that promotes your recovery and things slowly start to chug into place. You have the confidence and self respect to toss aside that looser bringing you down. You decide you are someone people like to be around and deserve to date and meet someone amazing. You feel good about yourself and the life you are living. Things feel great. And then you want to shed anything in your life that separates you from the "normal" people. You want to ditch that medicine so YOU can feel equal to everyone else and not dependent on anything but your good old self reliance. No one hands out a prize for a happy life without medication. You are not in the running for most normal woman alive. I would think the people in your life would respect you more for continuing to do the things that make your life great instead of feeling happy and then deciding to mess around with the formula to see what happens. You want your body to be running more efficiently. If I keep coming in late to work I don't decide to walk instead of drive. I want to give myself the best possible chance to be on time right? If you are feeling good, then continue to give yourself the best chance to continue feeling good.
I know that there comes a time to be off medicine because you've passed the hard times and it's not something medically nessicary for the rest of your life in some cases. That is the reason to go off medicine and not because you feel controlled by it or that it is going to screw you up somehow after it has helped you. Be cautious about trying to feel "normal" again. It is just an achievement you feel you need instead of what you actually need.
If you really feel past the point of needing it then usually a doctor will say continue taking it for another 6 months to a year. Your doctor wants you to stay happy and healthy and usually feel this is the best way. Talk to your doctor and come up with a game plan for the future. Try to remember how it was when your mood was really bad. Be honest and try to find a very realistic memory. Understand that there is a chance that you could go back to that place fairly quickly and then it might take 2 or more months to get back to where you are now. Decide to go off the medicine for the right reasons and work with your doctor and you will be successful. Make a plan and remember how important it is to you to keep progressing from where you are now. Life can be more fulfilling when we use the tools that make things great. Good luck and I really hope you continue feeling great and eventually become medication free!
First of all, you shouldn't stop taking medications without talking to your doctor. Many medications should be tapered off and can cause problems if you stop "cold turkey."
That said, antidepressants are not habit forming. You cannot become dependent on them. You say that you are feeling much better, not depressed, maybe it is because in part, that the medications are working! Stopping them may cause your symptoms to reoccur.
Please, please talk to your doctor about this! You won't be the first person who has asked this.
take it from me dont just up and stop it ur feeling better cuase of the pill and u cant just up and stop there will be major side effects u need to talk to who ever put u on it frist
You are honestly on one of the few anti-depressants that you can have withdrawal symptoms when quitting suddenly. You have to talk to your Doctor and say that you want to "taper down" and try to discontinue it, to see how you do. It will be fine, but for goodness sake, don't just stop! kjl
Well, the fact that you are scared and anxious about getting off the medicine illustrates the fact that you aren't ready to get off the medications. I would have the doctor reduce your dosage to see how you react to that. If things go well,, continue reducing your dosage. If you start feeling depressing and anxiety again during any of these phases, I would go back to your regular dosage. Also, you need to be working on what caused you to be depressed in the first place and deal with this. Medications should be prescribed along with counseling as well.
Paxil will make you feel crappy for about 4-5 days when you stop taking it. I did this. Feels like a bad case of the flu and you may have trouble sleeping for a few nights. Don't know much about the others but I'd check with your doctor before any changes. Hope this helped.