If you are taking an SSRI or SNRI antidepressant such as Prozac, Zoloft, Lexapro, Pristiq, Effexor, Viibryd or others, and you were not prescribed by a psychiatrist or for a diagnosis of clinical depression, you may be able to wean off you your SSRI/SNRI medication.
Some side effects of these medications can make you feel tired, have weight gain or difficulty achieving an orgasm (to name few) and often work against the efforts of restoring hormone balance.
If you and your practitioner have collaborated to trial a wean protocol, this process should be taken very slowly, especially if you have been taking the medication(s) for a long while. While taking an SSRI or SNRI your brain relies on these medications to get serotonin (the calming, feel good hormone) and doesn't make it's own. If you stop abruptly, you can go through withdrawal.
Symptoms of abrupt cessation may include headache, GI distress, faintness, body aches, chills, and strange sensations of vision or touch. You may also experience depression or anxiety symptoms returning. When you wean slowly, your brain has time to catch up, wake up, and start making its own serotonin again.
We recommend the following protocol:
- Take your pill every other day for 2 weeks.
- Then every 3 days for 2 weeks.
- Then every 4 days for 2 weeks and so on until you are down to one a week, then STOP.
If at any point during the wean process you feel bad or "off" go back to the lowest dose you felt good on and notify the clinic of this change.
I attest I have been explained the possible benefits and risks of weaning off of my antidepressant medications and understand and agree to the recommended wean protocol. I understand if at anytime I begin to feel poorly or my symptoms of depression are returning I am to call the clinic immediately and schedule an appointment with my practitioner for further evaluation of my symptoms.