SSRI discontinuation syndrome, for anyone taking them...
Cross posted from The Lounge.
The net is rather full of a lot of paranoid hate against SSRIs in general. There are a LOT of horror stories out there about people trying to come off them. A lot of this stems from them being horribly over prescribed for the wrong reasons. Like antibiotics, they should be used sparingly and for the right reason. And even then they often don't work. Though they save the lives of many for whom they do. People who had a normal breakup with their GF should not be put on prozac. Many of those who have in these cases found that going off them proved difficult and had a lot of negative side effects. Thus they have a rather undeserved horrible reputation. But the discontinuation side effects are real. You are recommended to taper slowly.
The psych I'm seeing now sort of suggested I might better off not being on them. I've been on SSRIs of one form or another for years and they never did much for me. Instead he does talk therapy and I think we may be making some small progress though I'm still in a pretty dark place. Anyway he didn't mention anything about the discontinuation, and infact seems rather ignorant of anything to do with meds. But that's neither here nor there. I knew myself that coming off them you are supposed to taper. However in the past I'd gone off them very rapidly with little consequence. This time I tapered off them in 1 1/2 weeks, far faster than normally recommended, because of my previous experience of having no issues. Now I'm feeling the effects.
In the literature it's called SSRI discontinuation syndrome, and while not usually serious can be very uncomfortable. Last week or more I've felt like I have a bad flu. Hot body, freezing hands and feet, I shiver and shudder a lot, I get night sweats and generally sweat a lot more. I feel generally ill and sick, very very much like a bad flu. I also have slightly numb finger tips. There are other odd feelings that are hard to categorize. My moods are also all over the map, I seem to cry at the drop of a hat for many things. One common withdrawl effect I don't have are the famous "brain zaps", feeling like electric shocks in your brain . But I'm very obviously not as flat as when I was on them. In fact I feel slightly more motivated and happy at times, though pretty desperate at others. All of these symptoms DO fall under the syndrome, but they also could be a sing of something else. I went to a clinic and the DR seems to think it's not likely something else which is good. I'll have to make a more formal appointment with my GP to make sure. So far I can handle this, just barely, if things don't get worse I'll just tough it out. If they do I'll have to go back on a small dose.
Just a warning to anyone who IS on an SSRI or thinking of going on one. If you want to go off them make sure to taper slowly. Slower than I did. Don't be afraid to go on them for major emotional issues either, they CAN save lives. Just be aware of the side effects and how to properly taper.
= new reply since forum marked as read
Not one of my more brilliant accomplishments... 
No, really. Don't ever do that...
No, just don't. Discontinuation syndrome is a very real thing....
Great public service announcement, Locut0s. Thanks!
It's so frustrating there's no "magic pill" for these things, no lab test, no x-ray. There's often a lot of hunting around for something that works and it's not always meds.
Searching for the answer is a better path than not searching. I'm certain your posts here are helpful to other people on similar quests, maybe people who'd never post here in this group.
As a side note, anti-depressants are sometimes the way bipolar disorders are discovered, after they've set off a manic phase.
These are not drugs to use incautiously, or without some kind of social safety net when you begin to take them or when you stop taking them.
The reason there is no magic pill is that psychiatrists are working largely blind. They know that for some reason a certain percentage of people respond very well to one SSRI or another. But they have no idea which ones will work for which patient or indeed if any will. They have very little understanding of how they work either. The good psychiatrists will come clean with you about this. They will tell you "this is going to be a long road. We are going to have to try a number of different meds and I can't promise you which one will work, but in time I hope we will discover one that will". The best ones will also suggest other therapies to go along with the meds. I myself have never met a really good one. In my experience most psychs are of the type who like to fool themselves into thinking they understand what is going on and why. If pill X didn't work they will come up with some excuse as to why pill Y might instead. "Well pill Y does more for the cognitive side of things, it will put your mind to ease faster than pill X, it's more sedative" etc etc... They don't want to come out and admit they have no real idea. And may will never mention other therapies you should be looking into. Many will never mention about CBT, diet, exercise, talk therapy etc. They just give you your 15 mins and spin the med wheel until they hope they land on something that works.
