[jbug]

I am thinking about asking my doctor about taking a drug holiday. I won't do it unless medically supervised. I think I need to give my body a rest. I have been on meds for 10 years and think that it needs a rest. I have trouble sleeping, get constipated, get headaches, have trouble thinking sometimes and think that it could be related to all the medicine I take. I talked with my therapist about it today and she thinks its a bad idea. She says that the meds are working and that we have worked so hard to get me stable that she fears that if we take me off my meds that I am playing with fire.

What do you think?

Jan

[Slothrop]

Which meds are you taking?

I am told that drug holidays can be a really good idea with fast-acting and potentially addictive drugs, like amphetamines and benzodiazepines. Taking some time off occasionally keeps them effective.

Getting off other psych drugs, however, can be a longer process that you have to take more carefully.

I can understand why you want to take a break. I sometimes want to ease off my meds, do without them for a while, and re-establish my drug-free baseline.

The trouble is, I am doing sort-of-okay right now, and I have been a lot worse than that in the past! If I went off my meds and my symptoms flared up again, it could take weeks to bring certain meds back up to therapeutic levels and get my functioning back. So I definitely see your therapist's point on that.

I am concerned that meds are hard on my body. I already take a nasty drug for inflammatory bowel disease, and I am piling psych drugs on top of that. But poor mental health is a long-term health liability too! Around and around I go!

Just some thoughts.

[Phoenix1985]

i've heard that going off your meds can make them less effective when you go back on??

[Slothrop]

Originally Posted by Phoenix1985

i've heard that going off your meds can make them less effective when you go back on??

Hmm...I wonder if it depends on the type of drug. I'm pretty certain that a break from amphetamines can "renew" their effectiveness, but it may be a whole different story with certain antidepressants, etc.

[sunrise]

Originally Posted by Phoenix1985

i've heard that going off your meds can make them less effective when you go back on??

I've heard the opposite. Probably depends on the drug.

[tarabug922]

I took a less than two week break from my abilify (anti psychotic) and my symptoms started coming back. I wouldn't recommend a drug holiday, you're therapist has a good point, why mess with a good thing, you're mental health is in a good place it sounds like so don't rock the boat.

Love and Hugs,
Tara

[jbug]

I'm still weighting the pros and cons and I have an appointment with the person taking the place of my pdoc while he is in Iraq. I will make my decision to mention it to her or not. I do know that I am on some meds that I don't need think I need to be on anymore and my T agrees. So I will be talking with her about it then. I'm still wanting to be on less meds for sure.

Jan