Kandis: Helping wean my daughter off antidepressants

[Kandis]

Hi everybody, my daughter has been an on SSRI antidepressants for over a year. She was on one and it didn’t really help and so four weeks ago they put her on another one at a half dose for now. But I am finding that the side effects she’s having seem to be worse than taking the antidepressants. She has a ringing in her ears she cannot sleep and she has cramping. I have a very good relationship with my daughter therefore I would like to help her get off of the medication and see if we can find a more natural solution. She is also going to therapy. Any advice for me?

[ChessieCat]

Hello Kandis and welcome to SA,

 

I am glad that you have found SA so that you daughter can get off her antidepressant safely.

 

Q:  How old is your daughter?

 

It very difficult for SA to work through a third party.  Please have your daughter join SA so that we can discuss her options with her directly.  Please either post here in this topic advising her member name or send me a PM (private message).

 

We have found that members who get involved directly with their drug tapering can feel more empowered because they feel that they have more control over what is happening to them.  And when they achieve small goals along the way it is very encouraging because they have achieved it by themselves.  And it can give them more strength and determination to get through the more difficult challenges that they face during their journey to get off their drug/s.

 

They can also get support from other members who understand what they are going through instead of feeling isolated.

 

When she joins, please have her create her drug signature by following these instructions (this is different to the information provided when joining):

 

Instructions:  Withdrawal History Signature

[Kandis]

She is 16, and it is much easier for me to get the info:) 

[ChessieCat]

Thank you for that information.  And yes, I agree.  We do have parents / siblings / friends trying to help somebody else in very different situations to yours.  Thank you for your understanding.

 

The first thing we need is the drug history. 

 

Please create her drug signature by following these instructions.  Please include all drugs, dates when started / dose changes / stopped and the dose:

 

Instructions:  Withdrawal History Signature

 

Q:  What was the reason your daughter was prescribed an antidepressant in the first place?

 

Q:  Can you remember what side effects she had when she first started an antidepressant?

 

Q:  You say she was on the first one for 1 year.  Was there any time during that year that it did seem to help?

 

Q:  How was the switch to the new drug made?

 

Q:  Does she ALWAYS take her dose at about the same time EVERY DAY?  Is it possible that there have been times whilst she has been taken EITHER drug that she has missed taking it?

 

Once we have more details about your daughter's drug history we will be better able to make suggestions and provide relevant information.

 

The more details you can provide (in a post) about what happened when she started the first drug, was taking, stopped, and started the new drug the better we will be able to assess her situation.

 

This is the Introduction topic for your daughter.  Each member has only ONE Introduction topic.  The Introduction topic is the best place to ask questions specific to your daughter's situation and where you can journal her progress.  This keeps her history in one place and means that you do not have to repeat her story.

[Kandis]

Hi again, thank you

About a year ago she was prescribed Escitalopram 10mg for depression. 
She was on that until Nov of this year. She found it helped for a few months and then she began to feel worse again.

This last November she was prescribed Paroxetine- she is on 5mg and a full dose is 10mg. She is not on a full dose yet because she doesn’t feel it is helping. We also have her on iron pills, probiotics, vitamin D, B, C.
She was also on birth control pills for extreme cramping, but removed herself from taking those 2 days ago.
We would like her to come off of the antidepressants  

[ChessieCat]

4 hours ago, Kandis said:

This last November she was prescribed Paroxetine- she is on 5mg and a full dose is 10mg. She is not on a full dose yet because she doesn’t feel it is helping.

 

The drug companies use the term "therapeutic dose" which is an arbitrary term.  SA prefers to use "lowest effective dose", meaning the lowest dose that works for an individual at whatever stage they are in their drug journey.

 

4 hours ago, Kandis said:

About a year ago she was prescribed Escitalopram 10mg for depression.

 

Q:  Was the depression caused by something external, eg the death of a relative/friend/pet, stress at school, relationship issues.  Sometimes (perhaps many times) doctors prescribe drugs when it would have been better for the person to see a counsellor and learn non drug coping skills.

 

On 12/6/2021 at 11:33 AM, ChessieCat said:

Q:  Does she ALWAYS take her dose at about the same time EVERY DAY?  Is it possible that there have been times whilst she has been taken EITHER drug that she has missed taking it?

 

Please answer this question.  It is VERY important.  Thank you.

 

On 12/6/2021 at 11:33 AM, ChessieCat said:

Q:  How was the switch to the new drug made?

 

Q:  Was it a direct switch (straight from old drug to new drug), or a cross taper (small reduction of old drug and small dose of new drug and then less of old, more of new)?  If a cross taper how was it done, ie state the dates and doses of each drug? 

 

Q:  Was there a "wash out period" where she was not taking any drugs at all?  If yes, how long was it for?

 

 

These questions are asked for very good reasons.  The more details we have of the situation the better we are able to assist a member. 

 

I will ask the other mods for their assistance.

[ChessieCat]

I think it would be better for your daughter not to increase the Paxil to 10mg.

[Kandis]

So it was a direct switch over when they switched over in November. And yes she had a traumatic event happened in her life for sure around the same time that this started and she has been going to therapy. We are trying to get her off any and all medication that she is on because the side effects of medication seems to be worse. There was no washout period at all. 
No she has never missed a dose and she takes it at the same time every day with in about a half hour window.

[Kandis]

Yes, we do not want to increase the dose at all. Our goal would be to get off of the antidepressant and we are wondering how to go about it?

[ChessieCat]

Okay, thank you for answering the questions.  That information is very helpful.

 

Please be patient.  The other mods have been notified that you need assistance and will respond as soon as they can.

[Altostrata]

Hello, @Kandis

 

On 12/7/2021 at 2:17 PM, Kandis said:

So it was a direct switch over when they switched over in November.

 

It sounds to me like your daughter has withdrawal symptoms from going off escitalopram even though she's taking another SSRI. This is quite common.

 

Has she skipped any doses of Paxil, or taken them off-schedule? What date in November did she start taking Paxil?

[Kandis]

Hey so she hasn’t missed a dose and takes it within an hour timeframe everyday. She started Paxil about Nov 10 or so. 

[Kandis]

The doctor today said she could take her dose every other day to come off of it. But I am scared of withdrawals and what could happen. That’s why I am asking advice here:) 

[Altostrata]

No, she absolutely should NOT skip doses of Paxil, that is a recipe for terrible withdrawal symptoms.

 

What I would do is get a prescription for liquid fluoxetine (Prozac) and reinstate 1mg (one milligram) along with the Paxil, then gradually reduce the Paxil to zero over a week. Her nervous system is likely sensitized right now and she might react badly to a higher dose of Prozac.

 

It may be a good idea for you and your daughter to focus on non-drug therapies for whatever was troubling her rather than pinning your hopes on antidepressants. Having a bad adverse drug event like this one often means the honeymoon with antidepressants is over. Doctors know too little about these drugs to use them safely.

 

To help us out, follow these instructions Please summarize your drug and withdrawal history in your signature You may need to use a computer to do this. Please let us know how you and your daughter are doing.

[Kandis]

So she will go to zero Paxil in a weeks time? 
Yes she has gone to therapy for the last 6 months and will continue to do so. 
it  might be hard to get in to see a doctor again soon but maybe a pharmacist will do this? 

[Altostrata]

Unless pharmacists can prescribe in your state, it will need to be a doctor who prescribes liquid fluoxetine. Any doctor can do this. You might be able to phone your GP and request it.