Hi mummas. I have been on anti depressant medication since my daughter was a baby as I suffered from awful post natal depression. I probably should have been on them prior to this as I have always struggled with anxiety and depression but I have always (stubbornly) battled my way through. I have been on the meds for a couple of years and in that time they lifted the fog and helped me cope, through not only a difficult motherhood journey but a divorceand other stressful life events. However on the downside they also made me feel vague and dopey at times which made it difficult to focus at work. I also felt I wasnt dealing with my emotions and was ready to let it all out. I just wanted to 'feel' so I could move forward and stand on my own two feet. I thought I could handle it, I felt the depression was under control and thought I could manage my anxiety with some therapy and natural remedies. But 3 weeks off my medication and I am up and down like a yo yo. I did gradually reduce my dose but despite this my mood is very very low and I am crying non stop and am as anxioux as ever. There have been awful physical symptoms also. I am not coping at all and its awful as my little one needs me. Its so hard to know if these are simply normal withdrawal symptoms, since it can take 6 weeks to notice a diff when you start and when you stop taking them.. or if I have to admit that I a life long mental illness and will always need to be on meds if I want to feel human. I know you mummas wont know those answers as I dont even know how to understand my own feelings right now..but I would like to hear of anyones experiences in taking and tapering off/stopping anti depressants. Did you get through it, are there other non medicated ways to survive depression/anxiety? Has anyone gone off one and taken another with better results? I cant go on as I am but am scared to go back on medication. Thanks for your thoughts on this x
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Here is what I've been told by my psychiatrist and GP. You usually need to be on the medication for 3 times as long as you were depressed for. That can be hard to get your head around, but if I've been depressed for 12 months I need to be on meds for 3 years to get the best results and not nose dive when I come off the meds. My meds don't make me feel foggy, I feel vague and dopey when I'm depressed, have you ever had your meds adjusted? I would be getting myself back to my prescribing doctor and discussing all this. Also what sort of therapy have you undergone. I found things like mindfulness and cognitive behaviour therapy hugely beneficial (although it took a lot of work and I underwent this while on medication).
I have come off my meds but I took them for a long time (3 years) I worked really hard at it and went down to half a dose for a few months then took every second day etc. I keep a very close eye on myself and have been off over 12 months. I still work hard though at the techniques Ive been taught and don't allow myself to take too much on etc, understand my limitations better.
At one point I made my peace with being on medication for ever (and would not be against going back on them again if I needed them) I just don't see taking medication as an issue if it keeps me sane.
When i was on zoloft i felt like this i had enough and we were about to try for a bub so i went cold turkey no consulting with my gp which is a no no. I went crazy my emotions were a mess my life was a mess i quit my job couldnt handle it and cried and snapped at people constantly a month and a half later i felt like me again (until i got pregnant and hormones went crazy ) i still have ruts even now but every time i think of how almost empty i felt on them i couldnt go back. I deal through sewing and art distraction now