Question 1

sense quitting antidepressant ive had no energy,tired all day-so doc prescribed me focalin (dexmethylphenidate) 10mg 1x a day- will it help w energy?safe 2take long term??

Accepted Answer

If your lack of : energy is a symptom of recurrence of your depression, off-label use of a low dose of a stimulant may not address the issue as well as Cognitive-Behavoioral Therapy &amp; a trial of a different antidepressant. Discuss with your psychiatrist. However, long-term use of Focalin (dexmethylphenidate) s usually safe. It may increase anxiety, if that is also an issue for you.

Question 2

what specialist to see for muscle twitching and extreme 24/7 fatigue w pressure headaches over 6 months sense quitting antidepressants?

Accepted Answer

Neurological eval: Neurologists specialist in peripheral and central nervous system diseases. Even though you say that cessation of anti depressants could have triggered the events, a full eval is needed for something this long lasting

Question 3

why is it so that when people try to quit taking antidepressant ( quit, under the observation with doctor) that you get a lot of anxiety symptoms?

Accepted Answer

Discontinuation: Stopping antidepressants may lead to discontinuation symptoms, including anxiety -- even when done gradually under doctor's supervision.   In that case, the tapering process needs to slow down.  Another possibility is recurrence of the symptoms for which the medication was originally prescribed.  It can be hard to tell these apart sometimes.  I'm glad you're working with your doctor on this.

Question 4

experiencing random leg twiching, 'shocks' months after quitting safely various antidepressants-endep, effexor (venlafaxine) etc. why is it happening at night?

Accepted Answer

See below: This is one of those problems where a visit to your doctor is necessary to figure out what's going on.  Only after a thorough evaluation, including examination and possibly labs and other tests, can your doctor correctly diagnose you and treat you effectively.

Question 5

if i am on a antidepressant to quit smoking can i just stop taking them?

Accepted Answer

Taper is best : Bupropion is the antidepressant used to aid in smoke cessation. If you've accomplished your goal (hooray!) and you are otherwise healthy, then you can try just stopping it. But bupropion can have discontinuation side effects that are like having the flu. It's best just to cut down on the dose slowly over a week to avoid the nuisance of discontinuation symptoms. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti.

Question 6

i sweat heavily at night, this has been going on for several years. i thought it was my antidepressants but i quit them about 7 months ago!

Accepted Answer

Night sweats: Any other symptoms like weight loss or cough or fever or loss of menstrual period or growth of abnormal hair

Question 7

can any antidepressants help you quit smoking?

Accepted Answer

Zyban (bupropion): Zyban whic is actually rebranded wellbutrin, (bupropion) an atypical antidepressant has fda approval to help quit smoking.  It does reduce seizure threshold and of course should only be prescribed in the context of a proper medical evalaution and review of other medications.  Most people who quite smoking make multiple tries at it - so the rule is try, try, try again - never give up the effort.

Question 8

i'm 27 and have been having nights sweats for years. i always thought it was my antidepressants  but i quit taking them about 3 months ago. help!

Accepted Answer

Medical exam: multiple medical causes: get a complete physical exam and comprehensive metabolic blood tests.

Question 9

i have been on antidepressant cipralex for 10 years and unfortunately quit abruptly. now i have vertigo. what can i do and when will it go away?

Accepted Answer

Go back to your: prescribing physician right away.   Quitting antidepressants abruptly, especially with your use history, is NOT advised.   Symptoms such as yours are common when using a handful of SSRI's.   Some are less prone to produce this problem.   Why did you suddenly stop?   Why have you taken the meds so long?   Have you tried other meds?   Talk to your doc.

Question 10

may i use an antidepressant drug like amitryptiline for a short period and then just quit?

Accepted Answer

Won't help: Antidepressants take 2 or more weeks to start working.  We then recommend continuing the med for at least 6 months (more if you have repeat episodes of depression), to decrease the risk of relapse upon stopping.  So "short period" use probably won't help depression, and even if it did, the depression would likely come right back.  Amitriptyline can be a short-term sleep aid, though.

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Doctor answers about:

Quiting antidepressant

A member asked:

Sense quitting antidepressant ive had no energy,tired all day-so doc prescribed me focalin (dexmethylphenidate) 10mg 1x a day- will it help w energy?safe 2take long term??

A member asked:

What specialist to see for muscle twitching and extreme 24/7 fatigue w pressure headaches over 6 months sense quitting antidepressants?

A member asked:

Why is it so that when people try to quit taking antidepressant ( quit, under the observation with doctor) that you get a lot of anxiety symptoms?

A member asked:

Experiencing random leg twiching, 'shocks' months after quitting safely various antidepressants-endep, effexor (venlafaxine) etc. why is it happening at night?

A member asked:

If i am on a antidepressant to quit smoking can i just stop taking them?

A member asked:

I sweat heavily at night, this has been going on for several years. i thought it was my antidepressants but i quit them about 7 months ago!

A member asked:

Can any antidepressants help you quit smoking?

A member asked:

I'm 27 and have been having nights sweats for years. i always thought it was my antidepressants but i quit taking them about 3 months ago. help!

A member asked:

I have been on antidepressant cipralex for 10 years and unfortunately quit abruptly. now i have vertigo. what can i do and when will it go away?

A member asked:

May i use an antidepressant drug like amitryptiline for a short period and then just quit?

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