Coming off Cipralex...

[LLH]

Hi,


I've been on 20mg of Cirpalex for about the last year and last month decided to wean myself off them. I spoke to my Dr and he advised that I should take 10mg a day for two weeks and then 5mg a day for two weeks I did this but by the third week I just started to feel really ill and within a week it got so bad that I've just gone back on them. It was awful I was constantly sobbing, I felt sick, had panic attacks, couldn't sleep, lost my appetite and didn't want to be around anybody (not even my husband which is not like me at all). When I went back to the Drs he told me that the drugs aren't addictive and they only have minimal side effects??? This has completely confused me and ultimately resulted in me taking the tablets again because I thought that I just couldn't cope without them... as I certainly couldn't go on the way I was.

Has anybody else had any experience of trying to come off them? Did you manage it? How long did it take? Did you have any 'side effects'?

I'm very confused and would be grateful for any help or advice...

[Sunkid]

I have been on Cipralex for the last four years (10mg daily). I also weaned myself off them with all the terrible side effects - I felt sick and shaky and my mind was racing so much that I could not sleep.
My doc wanted to know why I was coming off them. I told him that I was feeling a lot better. He showed me a graph that is typical of people who take Cipralex for a year or two. The serotonin in the brain stabilzes, but falls again once you come off it. He advised me to stay on them for another three years and then to wean myself off them. He is a personal friend of mine and I know that he will give me the best advise possible. He also warned me against repeatedly deciding to come off them and going back on when the withdrawal symptoms hit. Your system can build up resistance against anti-depressants with repeated dosage tampering which could make future treatment (if needed) a problem.
My advice would be to talk to your dr about it and to hear what he/she has to say about this. I know physicians the world over have totally different ideas about many things, but one thing is for sure, they all have our best interests at heart. Good luck