Help! Antidepressant Withdrawal and Changeover

[StrugglingStudent]

Hello Beyond Blue community,

I have my second appointment with my new psychiatrist tomorrow and i don't know what to do.

I am 25 years old and have been on antidepressants (mainly SSRI's) since I was 15. They didn't seem to be doing much good but at least i wasn't getting any horrible side effects from them (severe side effect from the one SNRI that i tried). 5 weeks ago i started seeing a psychiatrist who advised me to taper off my meds over the 4 weeks until my second appointment, and then he would start me on a new class of antidepressants (MAOI's). I voiced my concern about withdrawal symptoms because in the past if i forgot just one dose i got pretty sick. He said if it was a problem then just taper a bit slower. I wouldn't be able to contact him as he was going away on holidays. Well i have rarely been so sick in my life! I couldn't wean off as fast as he wanted me to so i postponed my appointment  to give myself an extra week to wean. Still couldn't do it. Someone once compared coming off this antidepressant to trying to kick heroine and I believe them! A quick search on the internet revealed that this is VERY common. Why don't the doctors warn us? In fact it seems like they are completely clueless! 

How have other people tapered off their antidepressants?

Is anyone else out there taking MAOI class meds? I've read some pretty bad press about them and am really scared about going on them.

Somebody please, please help me. I feel like i'm losing the plot.

[AGrace]

Hi PS,

Firstly I'd say don't wean off medication while your Dr is away. S/he needs to be contacable in case you have any difficulties. I always prefer to make any changes whilst in hospital. Is this an option for you?

Have you thought of making a list of questions for your Dr before your next appointment so that you can find out everything you want to know about your medication?

I guess because we all experience changes to our medications differently, it's difficult for the Drs to prewarn us what we should expect.

I have changed ADs a number of times and never had any side effects. Have you asked if it's an option to change directly from one to another, rather than coming off completely before starting the new variety.

I haven't been prescribed MAOIs before, but it appears they are an older variety of AD usually prescribed to people who have had complications with the more modern versions of ADs.

I hope some of this is helpful, will you let us know how you get on?

AGrace

P.S I wouldn't suggest delaying your appointment because you haven't been able to wean off as quickly as expected. I think your Psychiatrist needs to know this information.

[geoff]

dear PS, I have to agree with Amber and wouldn't try and wean yourself off any AD while they are away, it's easy for them to say do this, but they don't seem to understand that you are suffering from depression, so really they need to show some consideration and have a heart.

Your not just a number, you are a human being suffering badly from this illness.

When I had my last relapse I asked my doctor if I could increase my AD, but he was concerned because I'm on the max dosage, and said that he didn't want to wean off them and then try another drug, because it may not work, so he wanted to see if I pulled myself out of this relapse.

It's not like stopping the chocolate that you eat, it's about a drug that is trying to rectify your mood, so it's powerful medication and not to be fiddled with.

What I would have done is leave the weaning off until he gets back from his holiday, so that any problems you can then contact him/her.

Psychiatrist always seem to have their favoured type of medication which they want their patients to use, and as Amber has said MAOI AD 's are an old type of AD's, but reading them on the net they seem to very indifferent to other medications. Hope that you can get back to us. Geoff.