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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 12 of 12. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Walfredo on December 24, 2009, at 4:11:57
I was just writing to see if anyone else has experienced this phenomenon. I have all the major SSRI's and none had any positive effect for me (with the exception of Paxil till it pooped out) but I consistently experienced a positive effect when I would stop taking them (abruptly). A day or two days usually after stopping them, I would get a complete or near complete remission of depression symptoms that would last for a day or maybe two and then the depression returned. I am trying to make some sort of sense out of it and have never heard or read anything similar, and my doctor seems puzzled but I feel like it could be a major clue for me.
Anyone?
Posted by mtdewcmu on December 24, 2009, at 12:34:57
In reply to Feel well coming OFF of SSRI's???, posted by Walfredo on December 24, 2009, at 4:11:57
> I was just writing to see if anyone else has experienced this phenomenon. I have all the major SSRI's and none had any positive effect for me (with the exception of Paxil till it pooped out) but I consistently experienced a positive effect when I would stop taking them (abruptly). A day or two days usually after stopping them, I would get a complete or near complete remission of depression symptoms that would last for a day or maybe two and then the depression returned. I am trying to make some sort of sense out of it and have never heard or read anything similar, and my doctor seems puzzled but I feel like it could be a major clue for me.
>
> Anyone?
>
>I don't think your experience is that strange. I had the same experience while coming off of Prozac after my first, aborted, attempt at taking it. I also felt great for a short interval after stopping Paxil. I think when you stop a drug due to side effects, there will be a period during which the side effects subside, but the benefits persist for a short time. So you get the best of both worlds for that interval. If only there was a way to consistently get that optimum effect...
Posted by mtdewcmu on December 24, 2009, at 12:56:59
In reply to Feel well coming OFF of SSRI's???, posted by Walfredo on December 24, 2009, at 4:11:57
By the by, I've wondered if you can get the same sort of effect every week by taking Prozac Weekly...
Posted by Walfredo on December 27, 2009, at 22:43:37
In reply to Re: Feel well coming OFF of SSRI's???, posted by mtdewcmu on December 24, 2009, at 12:34:57
"I think when you stop a drug due to side effects, there will be a period during which the side effects subside, but the benefits persist for a short time."
Well, my experience has been more that SSRI's do nothing for me benefit-wise while I'm on them, I get off them and feel better for a day or so, then back to how I felt before....
Posted by mtdewcmu on December 28, 2009, at 14:04:35
In reply to Re: Feel well coming OFF of SSRI's???, posted by Walfredo on December 27, 2009, at 22:43:37
> "I think when you stop a drug due to side effects, there will be a period during which the side effects subside, but the benefits persist for a short time."
>
> Well, my experience has been more that SSRI's do nothing for me benefit-wise while I'm on them, I get off them and feel better for a day or so, then back to how I felt before....Question: Do they do nothing at all, or do they change how you feel, but not in a positive way?
It's also possible that somehow the declining amounts of serotonin in your brain helps with depression. Maybe there is a tianeptine-like dopamine effect while your brain is adapting to lower levels of serotonin.
Posted by Walfredo on December 28, 2009, at 14:08:08
In reply to Re: Feel well coming OFF of SSRI's???, posted by mtdewcmu on December 28, 2009, at 14:04:35
I'd say it's closer to "they do nothing at all" (aside from maybe some non-mood related side effects) and then when I get off them for a day or so, I feel better but only for a short time.
Posted by janejane on December 28, 2009, at 17:40:58
In reply to Feel well coming OFF of SSRI's???, posted by Walfredo on December 24, 2009, at 4:11:57
Maybe the regular dosages were too high and the ideal dose for you was the small amount in your system that was there as they were tapering off?
Posted by Phillipa on December 29, 2009, at 12:34:16
In reply to Re: Feel well coming OFF of SSRI's???, posted by Walfredo on December 27, 2009, at 22:43:37
That always happened to me high anxiety on them and off and felt better but it lasted. So assuming the ad's weren't needed? With prozac since so long acting could take every few days might work? Phillipa
Posted by ralphrost2 on January 2, 2010, at 18:02:38
In reply to Re: Feel well coming OFF of SSRI's???, posted by Phillipa on December 29, 2009, at 12:34:16
I consistently had the same kind of experience. My guess is that stopping abruptly an SSRI causes a short term dopamine/norepinephrine rush due to the suspension of serotonin's inhibitory effects. After a while our brain adjusts this artificially created imbalance and we are back to feeling bad.
Have you tried any dopaminergic/noradrenergic drugs?
Ralph
Posted by TriedEveryDrug on January 11, 2010, at 17:13:11
In reply to Feel well coming OFF of SSRI's???, posted by Walfredo on December 24, 2009, at 4:11:57
> I was just writing to see if anyone else has experienced this phenomenon. I have all the major SSRI's and none had any positive effect for me (with the exception of Paxil till it pooped out) but I consistently experienced a positive effect when I would stop taking them (abruptly). A day or two days usually after stopping them, I would get a complete or near complete remission of depression symptoms that would last for a day or maybe two and then the depression returned. I am trying to make some sort of sense out of it and have never heard or read anything similar, and my doctor seems puzzled but I feel like it could be a major clue for me.
>
> Anyone?
>
>That's me on TCAs. I feel GREAT when I stop desipramine. woot!
Posted by ralphrost2 on January 21, 2010, at 8:15:30
In reply to Feel well coming OFF of SSRI's???, posted by Walfredo on December 24, 2009, at 4:11:57
Walfredo,
Take a look at this thread. I think it relates to the issue you are experiencing:
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20100113/msgs/934462.html
Ralph
Posted by Walfredo on February 1, 2010, at 14:08:50
In reply to Re: Feel well coming OFF of SSRI's??? » Walfredo, posted by ralphrost2 on January 21, 2010, at 8:15:30
No, I don't think this is really what I am getting at, with all due respect, Ralph.
What happens with me is when I stop taking an SSRI, I feel WELL (ie. no depression/get an antidepressant effect) for day or so before the depression returns after a pleasant day of no depression. I didn't see anything like that in the thread you linked, though thanks for trying.
It's not saying SSRI's make me apathetic, rather, they have no effect on my depression, when I stop them I feel better for a day, then the depression returns.
This is the end of the thread.
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