Getting Off Antidepressants.. *need Help* Asap, Panic Disorder Options

[Pink Kiwi]

Hi you guys! Im slowly going crazy here. I suffer from panic disorder and Im trying to get off Wellbutrin. Ive been on it for only a month on the 150mg dosage. I went to the doctor's yesterday to tell her to get me off of them. She prescribed me 100mg, but she doesnt seem to know for how long is should take them. And after 100mg..what do I do? take it every other day?
The pharmacy told me they dont distribute 75mg tablets in Canada. Im stuck with this medication and I want to get off of it w/o experiencing any withdrawal symptoms.
Ive even gone to the emergency and asked other walkin-in clinic doctors for their advice but all they seem to tell me is to go to my family doctor.. PROBLEM IS SHE DOESNT KNOW MUCH ABOUT STOPPING ANTIDEPRESSANTS

HHEELLLLPPP

[sybilleruth]

Here the docs taper every three to four days. Since you have 100mg, cut in half to 50mg and then to 25mg - two weeks should be enough to taper. Hope this works.

[Dearest]

I strongly recommend you go to the Ask The Experts area, and connect with Stuart Shipko, M.D. -- psychiatrist and neurologist -- who's an expert in the area of SSRI's and can give you the best information about tapering off SSRI's and other anti-depressants.

You can also read his transcripts in the Library. They're listed alphabetically. Just look under "S" for Shipko.
His last transcript can be located by clicking here.

One of his many areas of expertise is "panic disorder," and he's an excellent psychopharmacologist with more information and knowledge about psythotropic drugs than any other psychiatrist or psychologist I've interviewed in 11 years and hundreds of guests of running Power Surge.

Dearest

[Pink Kiwi]

Thanks you guys for your help...

Sybilleruth...with the Wellbutrin...im not allowed to chew, crush or cut the pills...thats my biggest problem... so i dont know if i should go every other day....
i hate my family doc. for this

[sail978]

Since you've only been on it for a month, going off should not be too difficult. Since you can't split the pill, take one every other day for a week, even less if you're not getting withdrawal. I took Wellbrutrin a long time ago, hated it, and got off it in a couple of days without problem.

One thing that I do know about antidepressents is that no matter what the literature says, each one of us reacts differently. After about a month off the Wellbutrin, you may want to try something else. When I needed it about eight years ago, Paxil worked great for me but I wouldn't go back to SSRIs unless I was really desperate because I think the long term effects of these medicines are worse than we really know.

Good luck - and don't fret, you've only been on it a month ( there's not that much of build up in your system)

[sybilleruth]

The every other day advice and the fact that you weren't on it that long is very good advice. Don't anticipate problems - I find the proper breathing techniques keeps panic at bay and actually "relaxes" me - in addition to keeping blood pressure in check.

[Garnet]

Dear Sybilleruth:

What "breathing techniques" are you referring to???

Thanks.

Red

[Garnet]

Hi Ladies:

Have any of you been on Zoloft for a long period of time and tried to wean off of it. I have been on it for seven years and would like to wean off of it, but am very scared of the withdrawal I'm probably going to experience since I already experience some withdrawal symptoms when I forget to take it.

Thank you so much for any info.

Red

[Madge]

I was on Zoloft for about 1 1/2 years. When I tried to wean myself off, I followed my doctor's advice and tried halving the dose for two weeks. I had such awful withdrawal effects!
I was dizzy, very groggy, couldn't see well, ached all over. At about that time, I took part in one of Dr. Stuart Shipko's chats on Power Surge. He told me I needed to go much slower, and with his help I tapered off over a three month period. I had no problems at all doing it his way. So I think you should ask him for help (Ask the expert). He's very knowledgeable.

Madge

[Garnet]

Dear Madge:

Thank you for responding to my questions. How much Zoloft were you taking and why did you decide to wean yourself???? How slowly did you do it???

Thanks for your response, once again.

Red

[Madge]

Hi, Garnet...

It's been quite awhile since I tapered off Zoloft, maybe three years or so, so I really don't remember exactly how I tapered off (the amounts I cut back, and for how long at a time before reducing it more). But I do remember that I took 50 mg of Zoloft once a day (in the morning). And I know it took me 2 to 3 months to taper off. I remember shaving off little bits of the tablets and trying to shave off the same amount each day. Rather annoying, but it worked.

I still think you should email a short note to Dr. Shipko, at "Ask the Expert."

[Madge]

Red, I forgot to tell you why I tapered off Zoloft. I just had no interest in sex anymore, felt very jittery every day, had hand tremors. Zoloft didn't seem to be working for me anymore.

[Garnet]

Dear Madge:

Thank you for responding. How did Dr. Shipko help you wean off of Zoloft???
Did the tremors eventually go away and did your libido improve???

Red.

[Madge]

All I remember is that Dr. Shipko gave me some general directions for how much to reduce the dose of Zoloft, and how often. It depends upon how a person reacts to the reduction in the dose. Everyone is different. You need to be working with a doctor on this.

My hand tremors did go away, and my sense of libido returned a few months later.