Getting off of anti-depressants

Hi all,

I'm on cymbalta, 60 mg daily.

I really want to get off the meds gradually and try to live a drug-free life. But the thing is I've been taking anti-meds since 2005-ish.

Would like to hear your stories on how you got off of them completely effectively!

Quoting C410:" Hi all, I'm on cymbalta, 60 mg daily. I really want to get off the meds gradually and try to live a ... [snip!] ... I've been taking anti-meds since 2005-ish. Would like to hear your stories on how you got off of them completely effectively! "

I was on anti depressants and anti phycotics from the age of 12 till 21. I took myself off them without consulting a doctor. It was hard and I was pretty sick from it. I don't recommend it. lol

Quoting Dexter's Mummy!:" I was on anti depressants and anti phycotics from the age of 12 till 21. I took myself off them without consulting a doctor. It was hard and I was pretty sick from it. I don't recommend it. lol"

How are you now?

I agree, getting off of it like cold turkey HURTS (literally).

Eh, I am on Cymbalta, and take Xanax for anxiety attacks. Was told to gradually wean myself off due to being pregnant.

I don't think you can really just "quit" and expect to be better. You're on most meds because of a chemical/hormone imbalance.

Quoting C410:" How are you now? I agree, getting off of it like cold turkey HURTS (literally). "

I was seeing double and couldn't walk straight, my head was constantly spinning. i was like a majorly hungover feeling for about a month. I just new i didn't want to rely on them anymore so i refused to take them no matter how awfull it was. So hard though.

I'm alright now, i'd say 80% better. I still have bad days but not nearly as bad. I actually get out of bed now on a bad day, where as before i'd stew in my pit.! lol. I'd never go bad on medication though. x

This is going to be long, but it's definitely a success story.
I need to start by saying stopping cold turkey is extremely unhealthy. Please please wean slowly and gently, ideally under the care of a naturopath or similar health professional.
I was on antidepressants for eight years, starting when I was 17 (my depression started with puberty, and went undiagnosed until then). I started at 20mg of celexa. By the time I decided there had to be a better way, I was on 60mg celexa and 300mg Wellbutrin XL. I was still depressed and lethargic, and I wanted to get off antidepressants before getting pregnant.
I went to a naturopath and got a full hormone panel. Testosterone and progesterone were low, estrogen was high, cortisol peaked at the wrong time of day. Dr. Cobi told me the high estrogen was likely synthetic estrogen from birth control. So she put me on Estro Detox to cleanse the estrogen, Tribulus Synergy for testosterone, and ProgestaCare plus for progesterone and natural estrogen.
In the meantime, I was gradually weaning off the drugs. I took four months in total to wean. After I finished getting my hormones straightened out, and was partially weaned off the drugs, Dr. Cobi started me on Brain Mood (a combo of St. John's Wort, 5-htp, and B vitamins) and Excita Plus (helps with cortisol levels and energy). By the time I was fully weaned from the antidepressants, I felt better than I have ever felt in my entire life.
The following month I got pregnant with my son. I had to stop taking both supplements. For the first 19 weeks, I was too sick to notice if I was depressed or not. After I was feeling better, I came to realize I was depressed again, although not as bad as I had been when I was still on antidepressants. So I looked into what I could take safely while pregnant, and came up with omega 3's and b vitamins (in addition to my regular multivitamin). I started taking fish oil (1200mg EPA & 600 mg DHA) and stress b complex (three of these) and started feeling better almost immediately. I later added B12 and D.
Almost two years post partum, I am still taking just the vitamins and oil and I am well! I did not get PPD. I have been happily drug free since June of 2010. It's fantastic. Well, now that I'm pregnant again I'm super moody, but that's normal, lol.
Sorry for the book, but it was not a simple process and you should know that.