Ruwoldt: hi from Ruwoldt

[Ruwoldt]

I have had a pretty breezy life. No real financial problems. Meet my wonderful hubby when I was 19. Owned horses that I loved.

All that fell in a big heap when with no warning my hubby of 44 years died. I became suicidally depressed and was put on Valdoxan. I have found it very helpful but don't want to be on it for ever. So how do you know when to even think about coming for an AD? I know the answer is talk to your doctor but how do they know when you should think about coming off your AD? How do you learn to live without and AD? 

[Songbird]

Hi Ruwoldt, welcome to SA.  So sorry about your husband, I can't imagine how hard that must have been.
 

I don't think doctors really know when their patients are ready to come off ADs.  Most of them also have no clue about how to taper off them gently, which is why this site is needed.  Some doctors tell patients they will need ADs for life, or that they need them like a diabetic needs insulin, which is just not true.  There is one school of thought that about six months is effective (which certainly sounds better than life!).

 

What I have found is that ADs suppress symptoms, or basically sweep your problems under the rug.  They don't cure problems or really help you deal with anything.  It's hard to work on your issues with therapy, for example, when your negative thoughts and emotions are being suppressed by the drug and you feel fine.  On the other hand if you do nothing to work on the issues that brought you to ADs, then when you come off the AD they may still be there ready to cause problems again.

 

I think the answer may be to do a very slow taper, and as your dose gradually gets lower, feelings may come back and you can learn the skills necessary to deal with them as they arise.  This is how it has worked for me, anyway.

 

If/when you feel ready to try tapering off, we can help you with lots of information about the options for tapering successfully (not the way doctors recommend which is almost always way too fast), and support throughout the process.

 

How long have you been taking the Valdoxan now?  What dose are you taking?  It would be helpful if you could put your med info (including start/stop dates and doses) in your signature so that it appears at the bottom of your posts.  You can edit your signature under your Account Settings. 

 

See this topic for more info: Please put your withdrawal history in your signature

 

You can post any further questions or updates here in your introduction topic.

[Ruwoldt]

I think I have added my history but not very good with computers so can't be sure

[Altostrata]

Hello, Ruwoldt, how are you doing?

[Ruwoldt]

Good days bad days

 

Tried coming off and it was a disaster

Probably too fast cut dose from 2 25mg tablets to 1 3/4 tablets did that for a month and then went to 1 1/2 that was when things fell in a big heap. How do you do smaller reductions? I had a pill cutter

[Ruwoldt]

Been reading your "how to taper by dissolving pills in water" so my question is will Valdoxan dissolve in water?

[ChessieCat]

  Tips for tapering off Valdoxan (agomelatine)

 

You need to use some drinking alcohol.  See this post.