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do your anti-depressants stop working for you?

chris-tina
Community Member
do your anti-depressants stop working for you?
2 Replies 2

Kazzl
Blue Voices Member
Blue Voices Member

Hi Chris-tina, welcome to the forum! Yes, it is possible for anti-depressants to stop working, especially if you've been on them for a long time. I've had to change drugs twice because they lost their efficacy. It's best you talk with your doctor about it.

If you have to change drugs you will probably have to wean off the one you're on (reducing the dosage slowly) before you start on the new one. This is not fun. And it takes some time (a few weeks) before the new one kicks in, so it's not plesant to go through, but it is better in the long run than putting up with ineffective medication.

If you do have to do this, please follow your doc's instructions to the letter. Don't try to go off the current drug too quickly and certainly don't just stop taking it. That's dangerous.

Sorry to hear your drugs aren't working, I know how that feels. See you doctor as soon as you can - and if you are starting to sink really low, see them as a matter of urgency. If you start to feel suicidal or like harming yourself please go to hospital.

If you'd like to talk more about how you're feeling and what's going on for you, or even just chat, please feel free to post some more or join in anywhere you'd like on the forum. You are amongst friends and fellow travellers.

Best wishes

Kaz

Starwolf
Blue Voices Member
Blue Voices Member

Hi Chris-tina,

Welcome to the forums.

We are all different so medication affects us all differently. It often takes several attempts to find the one best suited to us or to get the balance right. When medication stops being effective, the best thing to do is inform the GP or therapist who prescribed it. They have no other way of knowing whether some change is needed. When ADs stop working for you, it is a nuisance to say the least but a switch to a different kind or dosage alteration can generally fix the problem.

Meanwhile, I suggest you visit the "Treatment" section of these forums as it is a much debated topic.You will also find some helpful tips in "Recovery and staying well", a good complement to medication.

Wishing you all the best.