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How Can Depression Medication Be Discontinued By Managing Depression Through Other Methods?
Question: Hello ! I am a man of age 46.Before three months I was quite depressed .so I consulted a psychiatrist and he prescribed me combine dose of soltus,prodine,librium &rejumex plus @ two times each day.I took those medicine for three months and now I want to stop using them. However without intimating the doctor I did not take the dose for last three days. Result; i was feeling very depressed,feeling suicidal.
Luckily I was left with last dose of the medicine. I took it and got relaxed.
My question what is the best way to stop using these medicine. I do not want to take it any more. But the doctor is saying I have to take it for some more months.(say one year)
I am scared ; I may not find it easy to stop using these medicine in future if i use them for another six months or a year.
Luckily I was left with last dose of the medicine. I took it and got relaxed.
My question what is the best way to stop using these medicine. I do not want to take it any more. But the doctor is saying I have to take it for some more months.(say one year)
I am scared ; I may not find it easy to stop using these medicine in future if i use them for another six months or a year.
Brief Answer:
My suggestion.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
I can understand your concern regarding drugs.
However, as per the doctor's advice, it is advisable to take them at least for one year to prevent the relapse of symptoms.
It is not advisable to stop them abruptly, it is due to that reason, there was a relapse of symptoms in you.
There is nothing to worry if you continue this medication for a long time if we consider the risk benefit ratio.
Discuss these issues with your treating doctor and follow accordingly.
Hope this information would help you. Feel free to ask any further questions.
Regards,
Dr. Soujanya
Psychiatrist
My suggestion.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
I can understand your concern regarding drugs.
However, as per the doctor's advice, it is advisable to take them at least for one year to prevent the relapse of symptoms.
It is not advisable to stop them abruptly, it is due to that reason, there was a relapse of symptoms in you.
There is nothing to worry if you continue this medication for a long time if we consider the risk benefit ratio.
Discuss these issues with your treating doctor and follow accordingly.
Hope this information would help you. Feel free to ask any further questions.
Regards,
Dr. Soujanya
Psychiatrist
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
Dear Doctor !
What shall be the long time effect of taking all theses medicines,Because the concerned psychiatrist was saying I have to take those medicines for at least one year.
Why I can not sleep at night since last some days.
How a doctor comes to the conclusion that somebody needs medicine or not.In my case I think I was trapped by the medicine and medicine specialist.
What shall be the long time effect of taking all theses medicines,Because the concerned psychiatrist was saying I have to take those medicines for at least one year.
Why I can not sleep at night since last some days.
How a doctor comes to the conclusion that somebody needs medicine or not.In my case I think I was trapped by the medicine and medicine specialist.
Brief Answer:
My suggestion.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
I can certainly understand your concern towards the duration of treatment.
However, the duration of treatment depends on the type of disease and its pathology.
In psychiatric problems like depression, the usual duration of treatment is around 6-9 months to prevent its relapse and better one's quality of life.
Hence, it can be decided on the appearance of symptoms after discontinuation of drugs either immediately or after an indefinite period.
Even if it is better, you need to continue the medication for a prescribed duration for a better quality of life.
Hope this information would help you. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Thank you.
Regards,
Dr. Soujanya
Psychiatrist
My suggestion.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
I can certainly understand your concern towards the duration of treatment.
However, the duration of treatment depends on the type of disease and its pathology.
In psychiatric problems like depression, the usual duration of treatment is around 6-9 months to prevent its relapse and better one's quality of life.
Hence, it can be decided on the appearance of symptoms after discontinuation of drugs either immediately or after an indefinite period.
Even if it is better, you need to continue the medication for a prescribed duration for a better quality of life.
Hope this information would help you. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Thank you.
Regards,
Dr. Soujanya
Psychiatrist
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
Doctor !
Will there be some dangerous symptom when I will stop using the medicines. I mean
- will there be some mental stress after I stop using of the psychiatric medicines.(after the completion of the prescribed course) ?
If yes ; how long I shall be suffering with the withdrawal symptom ?
Can I use one or two cane of beer over a week/ fortnight during the course period of the psychiatric medicine ?
Will there be some dangerous symptom when I will stop using the medicines. I mean
- will there be some mental stress after I stop using of the psychiatric medicines.(after the completion of the prescribed course) ?
If yes ; how long I shall be suffering with the withdrawal symptom ?
Can I use one or two cane of beer over a week/ fortnight during the course period of the psychiatric medicine ?
Brief Answer:
My suggestion.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
I understand your concern towards the duration of treatment.
It is advisable to take these medications for prescribed period of duration mainly to prevent relapse of symptoms after some few months, but abrupt discontinuation of it may not cause any withdrawal symptoms immediately.
However, in the long term, you may have risk of relapse. And then minimal dosages of these drugs may not work and the severity of symptoms might be increased.
This is why it is needed to be taken for specific duration.
Yes, you can have little amount of beer. Nothing to worry about that.
Hope this information would help you. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Thank you.
Regards,
Dr. Soujanya
Psychiatrist
My suggestion.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
I understand your concern towards the duration of treatment.
It is advisable to take these medications for prescribed period of duration mainly to prevent relapse of symptoms after some few months, but abrupt discontinuation of it may not cause any withdrawal symptoms immediately.
However, in the long term, you may have risk of relapse. And then minimal dosages of these drugs may not work and the severity of symptoms might be increased.
This is why it is needed to be taken for specific duration.
Yes, you can have little amount of beer. Nothing to worry about that.
Hope this information would help you. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Thank you.
Regards,
Dr. Soujanya
Psychiatrist
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
Thank u Doctor :
A final query ; after completion of the prescribed duration, shall i feel some acute disturbance or pain in terms of quitting the medicines.
Say ;suppose doctor advised me to take medicine for one year and after one year naturally , I will stop taking the medicine .
will there be any mental trouble then ?
Shall there be some side effects @ after completion of the prescribed course @ after prescribed time period.
I was going through Net and I found people do suffer more or less as a side effect ;once their course gets completed.
A final query ; after completion of the prescribed duration, shall i feel some acute disturbance or pain in terms of quitting the medicines.
Say ;suppose doctor advised me to take medicine for one year and after one year naturally , I will stop taking the medicine .
will there be any mental trouble then ?
Shall there be some side effects @ after completion of the prescribed course @ after prescribed time period.
I was going through Net and I found people do suffer more or less as a side effect ;once their course gets completed.
Brief Answer:
My suggestion.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
I understand your concern regarding withdrawal symptoms upon abrupt discontinuation of treatment.
Yes, if the treatment is discontinued abruptly, there may be a possibility of an appearance of withdrawal symptoms.
That is the reason these medicines have to be started with low doses initially, titrated till they reach the adequate level, and maintained with certainly prescribed dose and then they have to be tapered down the dose and then stopped.
In this way, you can prevent both withdrawal symptoms and relapses.
Yes, people may suffer some side effects if they do not remain under the continuous supervision of a professional throughout the course of treatment.
This is what I can find with my practical experience.
Hope this information would help you.
Regards,
Dr. Soujanya
Psychiatrist
My suggestion.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
I understand your concern regarding withdrawal symptoms upon abrupt discontinuation of treatment.
Yes, if the treatment is discontinued abruptly, there may be a possibility of an appearance of withdrawal symptoms.
That is the reason these medicines have to be started with low doses initially, titrated till they reach the adequate level, and maintained with certainly prescribed dose and then they have to be tapered down the dose and then stopped.
In this way, you can prevent both withdrawal symptoms and relapses.
Yes, people may suffer some side effects if they do not remain under the continuous supervision of a professional throughout the course of treatment.
This is what I can find with my practical experience.
Hope this information would help you.
Regards,
Dr. Soujanya
Psychiatrist
Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Arnab Banerjee
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