Susan's Place Transgender Resources

So I was prescribed antidepressants to help me cope with my breakup, especially when my first HRT dosage was increased and I was getting extremely depressed. I don't think I need them anymore but they make me feel safe and also make me sleepy so I get a really good rest every night. Well the thing is, I've tried to stop them a couple of times, just to see how I feel and both times I've gone back to feeling sad, not super depressed but sad; I'm not sure if this is a normal effect when quitting or if it means I'm not ready to stop them, I must say that both times I had a reason to feel sad, it wasn't out of nowhere but I'm wondering if being off the antidepressants for a couple of days can make it worse while the body adjusts again. And yes I know I need to talk to my doctor but he tells me what to do based on what I say, so at the end I'm the one who should know if I'm ready.

I had that effect to when I came off my Anti depressants my doctor slowly reduced the dose I took till I was at zero.

It can be quite dangerous to just stop them, especially if you have been taking them for a while.  Best to see your doctor and talk about weening you off them.  They are deceptive though as when you are on them and everything is fine you feel ok and that you don't need them but it's just that they are doing their job.

I have been on and off them since christmas starting and stopping and it's messed me up a bit so I would not recommend it.

Vicky x

Quote from: Charlie Nicki on February 12, 2018, 09:49:07 AM
So I was prescribed antidepressants to help me cope with my breakup, especially when my first HRT dosage was increased and I was getting extremely depressed. I don't think I need them anymore but they make me feel safe and also make me sleepy so I get a really good rest every night. Well the thing is, I've tried to stop them a couple of times, just to see how I feel and both times I've gone back to feeling sad, not super depressed but sad; I'm not sure if this is a normal effect when quitting or if it means I'm not ready to stop them, I must say that both times I had a reason to feel sad, it wasn't out of nowhere but I'm wondering if being off the antidepressants for a couple of days can make it worse while the body adjusts again. And yes I know I need to talk to my doctor but he tells me what to do based on what I say, so at the end I'm the one who should know if I'm ready.

Hi sis!  You should get your doctors input for any weaning off of your antidepressants.  And if you are having issues that you can't cope with, you know to contact me for those hugs we give each other.

((Hug)) Jess

I wouldn't suggest stopping them if you have any highly stressful events coming up in your near future, like starting Full Time RLE, FFS, SRS or major transition related events.  That's when you REALLY need to be on them.

Thank you everyone for your input. Yes I guess it's a bad idea to stop them cold turkey.

And Jess, I know I can count on you <3

Yeah, I'd wait until you are well past any rough situations. Don't feel bad about using medical resources to help keep your mood balanced - especially if you aren't having any significant side effects. Every time I had been on them in the past, I think I was on them for at least a year or more and I am permanently on one for panic disorder now. It improves my quality of life and I don't care what anyone says about it.

Glad to know that you feel strong enough to consider quitting though - that is good!

How long have you been on HRT? One of the things I notice for me is that whenever I get a dosage change or spurts of change (face,skin,breasts) I get very tired for a bit. I think this is normal for HRT and since it sounds like you've been on the antidepressants the whole time you've had a decent dosage... could you possibly be getting the cause of the symptoms mixed up?

Quote from: gallinarosa on February 13, 2018, 08:38:21 AM
Yeah, I'd wait until you are well past any rough situations. Don't feel bad about using medical resources to help keep your mood balanced - especially if you aren't having any significant side effects. Every time I had been on them in the past, I think I was on them for at least a year or more and I am permanently on one for panic disorder now. It improves my quality of life and I don't care what anyone says about it.

Glad to know that you feel strong enough to consider quitting though - that is good!

You're right. The thing that makes me stop is thinking I might somehow depend on them forever and that scares me. But you're right, I don't have any bad side effects so if they're improving my quality of life, why stop now while I'm going through this crazy journey?

Quote from: esphoria on February 13, 2018, 09:30:09 AM
How long have you been on HRT? One of the things I notice for me is that whenever I get a dosage change or spurts of change (face,skin,breasts) I get very tired for a bit. I think this is normal for HRT and since it sounds like you've been on the antidepressants the whole time you've had a decent dosage... could you possibly be getting the cause of the symptoms mixed up?

I had another dosage increase last month and became super nostalgic and sad for like 2 weeks so I know that it was HRT causing it. Now I'm good again, I just like to try from time to time if I can leave the antidepressants but definitely not a good idea at this point.

I have been on cetalopram and bupropion for 10-15 years and my Doc has not told me to quit. I don't feel depressed like I used to since starting HRT. I would not stop on my own but there is nothing wrong with talking to your doctor.

I think talking to your doctor and slowly wean off of them again if you can is a good thing. Maybe you need a lower dose, or none at all. You could always restart them later if you feel you need to. But I think seeing how you cope with anxiety and trying to work on that through therapy might benefit you in the long run.

It's just something to talk to your doctor and/or therapist about.

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

Do NOT quit them cold-turkey.

I quit them without talking to my doctor for a number of reasons, the primary one being that I don't think my depression was helped by them, and my biggest problem symptoms were from something else anyways. Being on them actually made me anxious and miserable, because I had such a hard time getting my Rx filled on-time from the various pharmacies I tried. Got the runaround a lot, and wound up experiencing withdrawal symptoms on numerous occasions just from waiting for my refill, and my fear of being at risk of experiencing them again due to circumstances out of my control was worse than any benefit I gained from being on them.

So I took the few pills I had left one day, cut some of them into halves and others into quarters, and did a DIY weaning over the course of 2 weeks. This was WAY too short, and I experienced the full brunt of the withdrawals anyways for about a week. I dissociated almost to the point of feeling disembodied, I slept a lot, couldn't think straight due to brain fog, and was pretty much a walking zombie. I also experienced a symptom that doctors don't really recognize as real, but is still pretty widely reported: they're called "brain zaps", which is sort of like the sensation of a small, faint electrocution in every nerve ending in your body. It happened a dozen times a minute at first, usually in time with lateral eye movement, then once ever few minutes a week later, then less often over course of the next month or two.

They never went away completely, though, and some people report feeling them even years later. I get them once in a blue moon when I lay down to go to sleep sometimes.

In other words, don't quit SSRIs cold turkey if you can avoid it. You really don't want brain zaps for the rest of your life.

The only way is to trust and be honest with your provider and talk to him. Describe your feelings and he should be able to come up with the best option for you. For most part, antidepressants will need to be tapered off especially if you are on a higher end of the dose (or a rebound-depression may occur).

Well don't ask me girlfriend I'm new to these pills they are working now and I have fewer bad thoughts. they aren't gone completely but the pills are helping.

Hugs,
   Laurie