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b4iquit asked in HealthMental Health · 1 decade ago

Stopping Depression Meds cold turkey OK?

I agreed to this drug (deptran) a year ago, but don't see the point of it, is there any reason not to go cold turkey and cease taking it straight away. My intent is to stop taking it as of today. Should be alright, but eh, may as well check? I was going to say "I have this friend who..." but what the heck I couldn't do it. So is it ok?

Update:

I am not asking the doctor because he wants to up the dose, I looked it up and I am already on a higher end dose,(which I didn't know) so he is not amenable to a stoppage discussion. It will just be lecture and sure as not I will walk out with a higher dose, for lots of reasons I tend not to argue things. Better to stop and say "surprise...", well not quite like that, but you get the idea

Update 2:

Ringing a pharmacist is a good idea, not my local, I only go to the same one and they know all I am on, and that would be lecture time as well. They are really nice people, don't get me wrong.

I tend not to read the leaflets because I am on some serious stuff for the RA, heart and other problems (which I scored as a kid), thats the reason I have weekly or two weekly blood tests, cos the drugs do so many negatives as well. Hence I don't read them.

Sorry no shrink. Only tried once, I gave tmi, it was not pretty.

Update 3:

I found it here http://www.virtualpsychcentre.com/drugs.asp?drugid...

but does not say about stopping.

Still I will do it slowly over the next week, that seems to be the idea, thanks

Update 4:

OK, early experience, it will take longer than a week, probably two. Amazing the hold they have on you. But I will get there (I hope)

20 Answers

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  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago
    Favourite answer

    Its not usually advisable to stop drugs cold turkey. Especially if you have been on them for one year. You will need to be weaned off them. If you absolutely don't want to talk to a doctor then phone a pharmacy and ask them.

  • 5 years ago

    Getting Off Depression Meds

  • 6 years ago

    This Site Might Help You.

    RE:

    Stopping Depression Meds cold turkey OK?

    I agreed to this drug (deptran) a year ago, but don't see the point of it, is there any reason not to go cold turkey and cease taking it straight away. My intent is to stop taking it as of today. Should be alright, but eh, may as well check? I was going to say "I have this friend...

    Source(s): stopping depression meds cold turkey ok: https://tinyurl.im/flGgv
  • 1 decade ago

    b4,

    Yes there is a good reason. It can throw your mind/emotions into complete disorder-freak out if you abruptly stop your medicines. Pease don't do this to yourself. It will make your difficult feelings even more intense. Don't hurt yourself today, please.

    I'm speaking from experience. Once a doctor dropped me because I was too needy. He just stopped my prescription for anti-anxiety medicine cold turkey and I thought I would lose my mind. It could even have sent me into convulsions. It didn't and God got me through, but it was awful, really awful.

    LA

    I've never used deptran, so I don't know how it does. Why not look up a Physician's Desk Reference on line and see what will happen? Go slow and don't do something severe.

    I looked up the wikipedia PDR and I couldn't find a listing for deptran. Is that because you live overseas, do you think?

    I'd recommend looking up somewhere or call your local chemist and ask him/her before you discontinue. Later!

  • Anonymous
    5 years ago

    Well for one thing you should talk too the dr, first before stopping medicines exspecially if your suffing with depressions some of the side effects are worst than the problem ,to start with. and zololf very dangerous meds, to be gaven too a teenager, been proven it causes suidical thoughts and a lot of people even grow people have killed thereselfs. and depressions medications takes at least 2 weeks to start even helping sometimes longer depends on you body size and other factors,likeif your on other medications for anything else? some teenagers have different moods any how and there steal growing also ,Your hormones are not even balances in your brain yet. I wish you well take care. but best advice dont just stop taking any medications without talking with the doctor they gave them too you.Medications react differently on everyone.

  • 1 decade ago

    I attempted to do the same with Paxil. I felt that I was going crazy. I woke up in the middle of the night with something attempting to find its way out of my skin. (This is a figurative description) I could only work it off by walking around the block several times. The next day, i had to deliver an atv to a repair facility which required me to drive for 1 hour. This required two stops with the attendant walking so that the cooties could relax. The condition evolved to excessive crying and all of the symptoms of depression. I felt that the paxil had been used too long, and adjustments had to be made, but I learned that cold turkey is not the way to get off of the stuff. If you feel that you are free of the symptoms talk to your doctor about the proper method of getting off of this medication. If you feel that depression is still a problem, please talk to your doctor for proper methodology in withdrawing you from one and applying another more effective medication. Good luck with it.

  • 1 decade ago

    No its NOT ok, Keep taking the drug until you talk to your psychiatrist. Hopefully you are seeing a psychiatrist instead of a primary care physician (aka: family doctor). If you stop taking your medication you could end up in the hospital or even worse dead. I work in a psychiatric hospital and see patients all the time that stopped their depression meds and almost all of them i'd say around 97% of them attempted suicide. The first question we always ask is: Why did youstop taking your medications? and the response is always the same--i didn't think i needed it anymore or i didn't think it was working. So PLEASE do not stop taking your meds until a licensed psychiatrist tells you otherwise.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    do some research on the drug or read the pamphlet that comes with it from the pharmacy i had the same question about my meds but they were addictive and i have a tendency to get addicted to things very fast so it was no option for me i quit cold turkey after a year of meds i was a mess for quiet a while a emotional rollercoaster you could say but i don't recommend doing what i did you better talk to your dr. oh yeah i did'nt attempt suicide either

  • 1 decade ago

    I would advise not doing this. Your brain is relying upon deptran to create an amiable environment for serotonin. Once it is taken out of your system, your depression could be much worse than previously because you are no longer being balanced out. Since your brain has not had to deal with serotonin and adrenaline by itself in the past year, there is a chance it will take a lot of time for it to start working as it used to, and you are thus left with no serotonin.

    (This obviously isn't exactly how it works, but basically.)

    It's a better idea to talk to your doctor to see if you could slowly wean off of it, so your brain is being trained to work without the drug.

    I'd suggest talking with your pyschiatrist.

  • 1 decade ago

    Ok for one it is not alright to just quit taking you,r meds cold turkey. from what i know it can put you in such a deep depression that you will not be able to pull out of it . the only way you will pull out of it is after you are hospitalized and being watched for period of time.if you really like life while you are oln meds. i suggest you dont stop taking them then. plz think this threw before you do something you regret.

    Source(s): I am just concerned i live with manic depression and anxiety, and i did quit taking my meds once but ended up in the hospital untill they had me started on them for a few days because i was gonna kill myself... plz think this threw
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