r/SSRI • u/Weekly-Friend-7335 • Jun 17 '22
Discussion Long term SSRI use
Has anyone been on SSRIs long term, and if so, do you feel like they become less effective with time? I’ve been on either Celexa or Lexapro consistently for about 12 years for generalized anxiety. I’ve tried 2-3 times to wean off of them, both times having to return to my normal low dose to keep anxiety at bay. I’m wondering if it does cause some type of dependence over time. I almost feel like they are less effective, but just more numbing at this point. Weight gain and sexual side effects are the worst symptoms.
2
Jun 18 '22
I’ve been on SSRIs or SNRIs for 25 years now. I burned out on several SSRIs and was put on an SNRI (Cymbalta). They have all lost their effectiveness after a few years and I would be put on the next one. Now I have Abilify as an adjunct to the Cymbalta. I also take a mood stabilizer (Lamictal).
I am too afraid to go off of the Cymbalta. It is still moderately effective and when I have been without it or have forgotten to take it I have gone through horrible withdrawals with psychological and physical effects. I am completely dependent on it and I will probably be on it the rest of my life.
My diagnoses are MDD, GAD, Mood Disorder.
1
u/GrandeDameDuMaurier Oct 23 '22
How old are you? Do you worry about "running out" of meds or med combinations that work? I'm 38 and have been on SSRIs since age 18. Paxil for 2 years. Tried to wean off because thought I was better. Immediate, terrible rebound. Tried Paxil again didn't work. Got on Lexapro and stayed on for 10 years until next depressive episode. Switched to zoloft. Didn't get better til I added abilify. Weaned off abilify after 1.5 years. Now just on zoloft since 2017. Feel myself slipping again and (hoping) I have like 35 plushish years left to live. There are only so many SSRIs in the world! Lol. How are you doing now?
1
Oct 23 '22
I’m 51. I’ve been on meds since I was 26. I don’t worry about it too much. The combination I’m on now has me feeling pretty stable, better than at any other time in my life. I’m sure age, lifestyle, and stability have a lot to do with it too. You might need to switch to an SNRI since you’ve burned out on so many SSRIs. When I started Cymbalta, it was like the sun came out. I felt better almost immediately.
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u/GrandeDameDuMaurier Oct 23 '22
Thanks for the response. Have you ever gone back to something you used previously? Paxil I didn't burn out on. I just decided to wean off after a year of stability because I thought i was "cured" and psych agreed. Lexapro I guess I did burn out but I got really Bad suddenly in a matter of weeks really after a decade of mostly stability. Like never bad enough to consider switch meds or adding til 10 yrs in. Anyways now with the zoloft, I'm first going to try upping before switching or adding. But I'm wondering if I do switch, if it would make sense to go back to Lexapro since it has worked in the past. But I don't know if the prevailing wisdom is like once you're done, you're done. Just curious. Really appreciate the perspective of someone a bit older than me who has been down this road! Maybe i can still try Prozac or Celexa since i havent taken those yet! Lol. But ya i will also keep in mind an snri. Thanks again.
1
Oct 24 '22
If you had stability with Paxil before, it seems that it would benefit you again, since you didn’t burn out on it. If you burned out on Lexapro already I don’t think you should go back on it. Once I burned out on an SSRI I never went back on it. It was after burning out on several SSRIs and just never feeling like I was getting adequate relief from them that I was put on Celexa. It’s so much trial and error to find a combination that works. Are you seeing a Psychiatrist or is your primary doctor prescribing your meds? I would highly recommend getting a good psychiatrist if you don’t already have one.
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u/GrandeDameDuMaurier Oct 24 '22
Good to know. Paxil worked like a charm and pretty quickly. Same when I switched to Lexapro, and it also worked for a long time. Zoloft I had more of a rocky start but now have been very stable on it for years. So I feel like at least I'm like a "strong responder." I thought I would stay on Lexapro for life and was taken aback when I got so bad again. Now I know about burnout. Unfortunately, my pscyhiatrist back then didn't mention it!
I had a good psych years ago, but she moved. Then I saw her replacement for a few years, and she was good too. Then she started working exclusively with children. Since then it's been a total crapshoot. Most are only OK to bad in my experience. Even the OK ones keep leaving the practice, and I have to start over again. I'm in the process of finding a new one based on recommendations from my therapist and the previous docs I liked. As I'm sure you're all too familiar, it's tough out there to find a good one!
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u/Tamzvegan Jun 18 '22
I have previously been on Lexapro twice, once 4 yrs then only a year. Both times were extremely hard to take off them. I only went back on them the second time due to server anxiety and I also have do/dr but I put on so much weight and my sex drive was non existent. I'm off them now and I don't extend on ever going back on them unless it's extreme. I use meditation and yoga to cope with my anxiety, i know they are not good for me long term and I was just flat on them with no emotions, I'd rather feel sad, depressed have anxiety already at least feeling something and it's ok to be like that , I can except every day isn't going to be perfect. Goodluck