How many times does this have to happen before I realize that I cannot skip my medication? Last week I was running late to work, and I decided to skip my morning meds (Prozac and Effexor XR), thinking how– since CBT– I have been in control of obsessions.
Bad idea.
I was pretty depressed that evening, had ridden the rollercoaster down to the very bottom, had no idea what to do with the story I’m working on, felt pretty confident I will never be published, and had very little energy for anything. I fell asleep that night feeling like a failure at life.
I realized later that my lack of meds was probably the culprit for the low.
When will I learn?
How about you: do ever skip your meds? How long before it affects you?
JACKIE LEA SOMMERS 
When my son Dan was taking Effexor, missing even one dose sent him into a depression. And when he finally was weaned off of it, it tooks months of slowly decreasing the dosage for him not to have major withdrawal symptoms. That being said, it was the one med that I felt actually helped him when he was on it.
It is so scary to me just how much a tiny little pill can influence me. Does Dan not take any meds anymore?
Dan hasn’t taken any meds for three years. He had serious side effects from everything he was on (pericarditis, sky-high tryglycerides, and some other things) and he was weaned off of everything with the idea that new meds would be started. He was doing so well on nothing that the doctor agreed to take a “wait and see” attitude…….I’m happy to report we are still “waiting”!
Missing meds or decreasing them really can make a difference. I have a problem periodically with my insurance paying for the mg of Lexapro that I take–they don’t want to pay for 45 pills/month, just 30. I got so frustrated once that I just decided to go down to the 1 pill a day, without talking with my doctor. Mistake.
I am on Effexor XR. It really helps to take the edge off of the obsessions. After 3 years I went off because I felt so great I thought I had my OCD under control…WRONG. After weaning off, it took only 3 months before my OCD and anxiety came back with a vengence! I started back on Zoloft, but after two weeks asked to be put back on the Effexor. Within 2 days I noticed a difference and after two weeks I am starting to feel “normal” 🙂 I have not missed a dose , and hope I don’t because I like feeling balanced.
Me too! It makes me scared to even TRY to go off my meds … eeeeek!
been there done that missing meds are so not fun. I know if i miss a does that i will be paying for it for a few days.
Totally!!