You may be tempted to stop taking antidepressants as soon as your symptoms ease, but depression can return if you quit too soon. Clinicians generally recommend staying on the medication for six to nine months before considering going off antidepressants. If you’ve had three or more recurrences of depression, make that at least two years.
- Wellbutrin, on the other hand, is classified as an “aminoketone”.
- He shares considerations for going off your meds and what to be sure to communicate to your doctor.
- They may be able to switch you to a different antidepressant or to a generic version — one that’s covered by your health insurance or falls within your financial abilities if you’re paying out of pocket.
- Whether NDRI drugs were non-prescribed or prescribed, we strongly recommend seeking guidance to mitigate these risks.
The helpline at AddictionResource.net is available 24/7 to discuss the treatment needs of yourself or a loved one. This helpline is answered by Ark Behavioral Health, an addiction treatment provider with treatment facilities in Massachusetts and Ohio. Call us today to learn more about Wellbutrin detox and to find detox options at a treatment center that’s right for you.
If you experience discontinuation symptoms after a particular dose reduction, you may want to add back half the dose — or all of it — and continue from there with smaller dose reductions. There are no hard and fast rules for getting off antidepressants, other than that the approach should be individualized! Some people can taper off an antidepressant in a matter of weeks, while others may take months. Discontinuing this medication may lead to Wellbutrin withdrawal symptoms, including mood changes, fatigue, and irritability. Consult a healthcare professional for personalized guidance on tapering off the medication to ensure a smoother recovery. Your prescribing physician may be able to guide you on how to cut the dosage which may involve actually cutting the pills.
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Not every antidepressant works for every person, however, and many people try several before hitting the right drug or combination thereof. Wellbutrin-induced anxiety is usually transient and may last a few days to a couple of weeks after starting the medication. If anxiety persists or worsens, consult your healthcare provider for guidance on managing side effects or adjusting your treatment plan. If Wellbutrin doesn’t work, don’t despair and follow your doctor’s advice. Be patient, trust the recovery journey, and know that healing is a collaborative effort with dedicated professionals by your side. Gradual tapering, open communication with healthcare providers, and a robust support network are paramount.
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To be in a position where you feel ready to come off antidepressants is a good thing. Nancy Schimelpfening, MS is the administrator for the non-profit depression support can you overdose on kratom group Depression Sanctuary. By the time you stop taking the medication, your dose will be tiny. You may want to involve a relative or close friend in your planning.
How can I safely stop taking Wellbutrin?
When you’re in the midst of depression, it can feel like you’re completely alone — but statistics-wise, that couldn’t be further from the truth. The National Institute of Mental Health reports that depression is one of the most common mental health disorders in the United States, with an estimated 17.3 million adults living with depression in 2017. These symptoms, which are often referred to as withdrawal symptoms, usually begin within two to four days and can last for as long as one to two weeks.
Bupropion is the only approved antidepressant with this chemical capacity. While the therapeutic benefits of Wellbutrin are well-documented, the discontinuation https://soberhome.net/ of this medication may, for some individuals, result in Wellbutrin withdrawal symptoms. If you start to experience withdrawal symptoms, let your doctor know.
Information on Tapering from Wellbutrin
Working with your doctor, you can reduce your dose over the course of one or two weeks. Wellbutrin (bupropion) is a common antidepressant that’s also prescribed for many other conditions such as anxiety, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), bipolar disorder, and more. Drugs.com provides accurate and independent information on more than 24,000 prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines and natural products. This material is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Data sources include Micromedex (updated 1 Apr 2024), Cerner Multum™ (updated 2 Apr 2024), ASHP (updated 10 Apr 2024) and others. Together, you’ll probably discuss a backup plan in case your depression returns, including whether you’ll try medication again or seek alternate treatment.
This unique mechanism is thought to contribute to its efficacy and tolerability. The length of your tapering $will depend, in part, on what antidepressant you take (and its dosage), as various medications stay in the bloodstream for different lengths of time. The half-life of a drug refers to the time at which half of the medication is eliminated from your body and half remains. In general, drugs with short half-lives require a longer tapering period compared with drugs with long half-lives. The best way to avoid or reduce these withdrawal-like symptoms is to not stop antidepressants abruptly.
To compare effects, cocaine is a DRI, meaning it enhances the stimulating effects by Inhibiting the reuptake of dopamine. Besides easing the transition, tapering the dose decreases the risk that depression will recur. In a Harvard Medical School study, nearly 400 patients (two-thirds of them women) were followed for more than a year after they stopped taking antidepressants prescribed for mood and anxiety disorders. Participants who discontinued rapidly (over one to seven days) were more likely to relapse within a few months than those who reduced the dose gradually over two or more weeks. Discontinuation symptoms can be very similar to the anxiety or depression symptoms that prompted you to take the medication in the first place.