Coming off anti depressants help!

[Sof]

So I've been on medication for only 5 months. My doctors convinced me that i needed it and I SO wish I hadn't started! Yes it helped the constant mood swings and crying for no GOOD reason but it's changed me so much it's scary. 

i had my baby 9 months ago and love him and love being a mum. I had a lot going on in my life before he was born and I had mild anxiety and depression but wasnt on meds. Basically my partner has 2 daughters and whilst being together their mother lost custody because of drugs. They are in care with family members and the eldest is hopefully coming to live with us. Whilst pregnant I think this is what set off my anxiety and depression. Also I have no family here so I feel completely alone. 

Whilst being on medication I have gained weigh and lost all interest in sex. I don't even feel comfortable with hugs! And that is so not me! 

I decided that I want to come off the drug so begun cutting my dose slowly. My doctor doesn't want me to come off but instead try another drug. I just don't want anything and know once it's all out of my system I will be back to normal. So I tapered down slowly and I've had nothing for 7 days. The first day I took nothing I felt great! Actually I felt really good for 5 days. Then yesterday I begun to feel spaced out and not normal. Like I wasn't really there but was 😕 it's hard to explain! Almost like I was really tipsy! Today I felt the same and crying uncontrollably. I meet my friends  and feel like I'm not there or just don't feel right. They don't know what I'm going through I just hope they'd understand and I don't push them away.

And my partner, I've been so up and down with him I feel so bad. I snap and dont even want a hug! I feel like I'm pushing him away and he doesn't get it. He doesn't know how to react or deal with me. He told me this last night. I don't know what to tell him coz it's new to me too. 

I also keep having bursts of emotional moments when I just want to run away and go home to England. But I know it's not going to happen 😟

Sorry for the long post I just don't know what to do or who to turn to. I honestly have no one here I can go to. 

if there's anyone else going through the same or been through it, how long does this last? Will it go away? 

Thanks for reading 😌

[white knight]

Hi Sof, welcome

As we people with issues ourselves and not professionals in the medicine world, advice in this area would be extremely limited.

In general I've had mood swings and sexual appetite loss but these issues can be worked through with your GP. working closely with your GP is really essential. Tell him/her what you have just told us. 

Apart from that welcome here and hope we can help with other factors of your illness.

Tony WK

[blondguy]

Hi Sof

Medication is a tough one....Taking them can be a pain......I also have lost the normal sexual desires I used to have...but...I noticed your GP wanted to keep you on (or change the brand) them.

I have been through the same circumstances as you Sof......and I hope this helps a 'little' for you...

A few years ago I was given the choice of 'maintaining and coping with mild anxiety & depression' OR..........

Taking the medication and having my life back......(and able to cope better with the anxiety etc)

Everyone's situation is different but that's just what worked for me 🙂

Your post is not long.....you are strong and thankyou for speaking from the 'heart'

Paul (yes...still on the medication and have lost the weight I put on after starting them)

Please let us know how you are going (if you wish of course)

Kindest Thoughts

Paul

[geoff]

dear Sof, hello, and it's always a difficult decision whether you want to start taking antidepressants (AD), but normally
we take the advice our doctor gives us, but it's no different than opening a door and not knowing what is behind it, it's
an unknown journey, because we don't now what side-effects are going to affect us, and whether or not it will cause us
to gain weight, but at first the weight issue may not be considered, it's only when it starts to happen.
The other concern is that we are sort of 'promised' that this AD will do wonders for us, so our expectations are high, so
we battle on, until finally we decide that we want to stop taking this particular AD.
The loss of any interest in wanting sex, can form because of medication, or just because we feel too depressed and don't
want to participate with our partner/spouse and can happen in both male and female, but what makes it a problem, if you
want to call it that, is that if one us denies having it with our partner/spouse then a barrier can form between the both
of you.
I remember my wife (ex)wanted to be intimate with me when I was depressed, and then saying 'that should make you feel
better', but no to the contrary, and never happened again before she divorced me, some 2 or 3 years later.
The problem when anyone stops taking their AD is that they do feel great for a day or two, probably because that's
psychological, but then our depression no matter what type it is comes back to haunt us, and this does happen the other
way around, where someone feels great by taking their AD, so they then decide to stop taking them, because they feel as
though they don't need them any more, but then bang the same happens with them, they become depressed once again.
Why don't you click onto 'Get Support' at the top of this page and scroll down to 'Information Resources' and order
'All the Printed Material', which is free from BB, and in it there is a great deal of indformation on depression, this
may help both you and your b/friend understand what you are trying to cope with. Geoff. x

[Sof]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts. Just thought I'd update. 

Of course like always I bottled it all up and it came to the point where we almost split up! But thankfully it was almost like a slap in the face and it really helped both of us see how much we love each other. We had a huge talk and we both understand each other so much more now. Talking really does help! 

 im feeling great I'm happier, the weight is creeping off slowly 🙂 could be psycogical but I'm so happy. I'm glad I didn't give up and go back on them. I just hope it gets better and I don't start getting depressed again. But to be honest I'm keeping busy and don't have time for it. 

I've started a veggie patch and I swear this is helping! I spend more time outside and love seeing my hard work turn into little seedlings 🙂

 hope it continues this way

 thank you all for your kind words 🙂 

[blondguy]

Good Morning Sof

Congrats on your excellent progress 🙂

Love the veggie patch idea....connecting with mother earth is a wonderful therapy and you have fresh veggies too....a huge bonus

Nice1 Sof....

and thankyou for saying hi too

Paul