Going back on medication after 3 weeks of awfulness

[J_M_]

Hi all: I reluctantly came off my medication 3 weeks ago on a psychiatrist's advice. All this time I have been feeling worse and worse and worse, and finally I reluctantly went back on the medication yesterday.

On my medication I was doing OK, not great, but was capable of enjoying things. These last 3 weeks I have felt nothing but hideous nausea, misery and disconnectedness from my loved ones. I wake up every morning so tense my bowels turn to water, and I can't eat properly until late afternoon/evening. Every day is crawling past, minute by minute, joyless and miserable. Coming off the medication was the worst mistake I have ever made, and if I had a time machine I would go back and physically force myself not to make any changes.

Can anyone reassure me that going back on the medication is likely to get me back to where I used to be, and quite soon? It didn't seem that brilliant at the time, but from here it seems like paradise.

[Mathy]

Hi JM and welome to the BB forums 🙂

You certainly are having a rough time, by the sound of it.

When your psychiatrist said to go off your medication, was it because he/she planned on changing it? Just that 3 weeks is roughly the time taken “off” medication in order to switch to something different. Was that the plan?

Have you just stopped taking medication - as in, went from taking it, to taking zero in a 24 hour period? Perhaps there’s been a misunderstanding, because one would normally slowly reduce.

If I was in your position, I would ring the psychiatist ASAP and get clear instruction as what the purpose of stopping your medication was. Followed by a description of how you are feeling. Perhaps there’s been a misunderstanding about what exactly is going on?

In the meantime, as you felt ok taking your medication, and you feel rubbish not taking it, probably best to continue what you are doing, pending some sensible conversation with your Psych person.

Hope you feel better soon, cheers M 🙂

[geoff]

hi J_M_, Mathy makes a great point in her comment, and what should have happened was tell you why to eventually stop the medication and in doing so what would happen when you are withdrawing, because this is never pleasant, one day this will be overcome but certainly not at the moment.
I also can't understand why this happened if the medication was making some sort of effort, maybe you can let us know, but it shouldn't be too long before it brings you back to where you were, and it also depends on what dosage you are taking.
Can I ask how long have you been seeing this psychiatrist and whether or not you are happy with them. Geoff.

[J_M_]

Thank you both. The idea was to get me onto new anti depressants, which would possibly work better, but it didn't really pan out that way. On the psych's advice I came off one type over 3 days (which seemed bizarrely fast to me, but he said it should be fine if i then took a different kind), then had 8 days of that, and then 2 weeks of the other. All the while I felt worse and worse and worse.

Not that thrilled with the psychiatrist. He blithely talks about how I should probably go to a provate mental hospital so he could see me every day and adjust my medication, which would certainly be more convenient for HIM, but I would probably lose my job, not see my family very much (which is all I have to hold onto at the moment), and have nothing to do to fill up the time (and how many weeks would it take?!?)

Any way, thank you for your responses. Just hoping the new one starts kicking in again as soon as possible.

[J_M_]

Ah, I just saw that my initial post had been edited to remove all talk of medications, dosages, which I hadn't realised; and which means that my 2nd post probably will be too. Not sure how much sense it will make in that case. Oh well.

[geoff]

hi J_M_, it still makes sense, I know my doctor who was also my psychologist didn't want to dry out when changing AD's, I think that decision depends on your doctor because when I stopped one she put me onto another one straight away.
Going into a private hospital is going to be expensive and although it might help while you're in there, it's when you are released and how you can cope. Geoff.

[Mathy]

Hi J_M_, how are doing? Sorry, it’s taken me a few days to get back to you.

You know, just because you have a mental health issue doesn’t mean that you should stop trusting your instincts. I suspect your feelings about the Psychiatrist are correct. To suggest that someone who has a family AND who is working, should just flit off to a hospital, in order to sort out meds, is ignorant (I’m being polite).

I changed my meds whilst studying a PhD (Mathematics) - I’m not going to say it was easy, but it certainly didn’t require a hospital. That thought is based on your post, of course.

Guess that leaves you in a bit of a tricky place. I know it’s not easy, but my thoughts would be, if the new meds are working, that gives you time to find a new Psych.

And for some lightheartedness - it would seem that the small dog brigade is responding to you, hi Geoff! Lol 🙂