How long have you been on the drug?

[steveo]

Hello everyone. Just wondering how long everyone has taken the drugs for. I have been on mine since i was 17 (im 24 now!) Im worried I have been taking them for too long! Hope everyone is well!
Steve-o
xx

[pinkpiglet]

Hi stevie-o, how ya doin?
I am merely an apprentice!
I have only been taking meds (20mg fluoxetine) for five week.
Not really qualified to give any advice in this field!

[Burnsey]

Hi there

Iv been on sertraline for 3 1/2 years
i have no intention of coming off it yet

hope u ok

[xxkatiebxx]

I took cipralex for 5 years and stopped 10 days ago, thank god. I am currently in withdrawal hell:wacko:

I will NEVER take this drug again and would advise anyone I know to stop and thinking seriously before beginning a course of SSRIs.

kate

[Blaise]

Kate, why would you not reccommend taking Cipralex ? coz the withdrawal is sooo bad? Ive been on them for 5 months as was a real mess and feeling good now?
Sam x

[xxkatiebxx]

Hi Sam,

sorry it took me so long to reply. Cipralex worked brilliantly for me - they got me out of a real black hole to be honest. The reason I don't want to take any type of SSRIs again was the withdrawal I went through. I was on 10mg. And it was utter hell, despite the fact that I weaned off it over 4 weeks.

I would never suggest that these drugs don't work, because they did for me but I would urge people to come off them sooo slowly (and to take them as a last resort). I was on them for 5 years, and since I have come off them have noticed little difference in my anxiety/panic disorder.

Hope that helps,:)
kxx

[bora20]

I'm just coming upto my 5th year on Cipralex (escitalopram) and thinking of coming off or changing coz it just doesnt work at this time of year. Always get hightened anxiety at the end of the year and it tends to ruin my christmas. In fact I think i might start a new thread on that subject. :yesyes:

[bab]

i would say 4 weeks is not long enoughto wean off an ssri - i been on and off for over 10 years and i would say you need a few months and try taking a magensium supplement = bora, is it just this time of year that they dont work for you?

[Dee01]

Hi, I was on 20mg lexapro for nearly 4 years and tried to come off it in 2/3 months. Disaster - I ended up back at square one. Once i'd become more stable I started weaning off it and am now on 5mg mon - sat with 10mg on sun. The slower you take it the easier it is.

I'll be cutting out the 10mg altogether after this week. Then I'll stay on 5mg for about 6/5 months and drop it down to every second day and so on.

I know it sounds totally long winded, but its working for me. I hope to be drug free by Christmas 2010.

Everyone is different, you just have to listen to your own body.
Good Luck xx

[Katie27jt]

Ive been on one thing or another since I was 13, now 24 and in order to be 'normal' the doctor at the moment recommends I stay on it for atleast another 6 years!
To be honest I dont care about taking it as it helps me to cope with life and somedays even enjoy life!!
x