How long do you stay on an ineffective med?

Hey!
So around, a year and a half ago, I started on Lexapro. After discovering that was not going to work, we moved me onto Effexor. I spent 6 months on that bad boy, 225mg, then finally got taken off it as it was doing nothing! Well, it made me a bit of a space cadet, but that's it.. I decided instead of weaning off slowly, that I wanted it over and done with.. I spent 5 days in bed and do not recommend cold turkey for effexor!!! So so sick.

So i've now been on Nortiptyline since September. The Psychiatrist decided to sloooooowly increase my intake. We started with 10mg - 20mg - 30 - 40 - 50 - 62.5 - 75mg.. So now i've been on 75 for 4 weeks. And just like the effexor, no effect other than spacey.

So I tend to be ok with these things taking time and whatever, but I feel like this is just going to be another flop and i'm curious as to how long others keep on their ineffective medications before they're taken off, or they take themselves off..

I'd say, don't stop abruptly unless you are having troubling side effects.

There was something that I stopped suddenly without talking to my doc, I think it was Lexapro, because I couldn't see her within a few days and I could tell that it was causing some changes in mood (pre-bipolar diagnosis). I made the educated decision all on my own and she was happy that I did. Some doctors may be pleased with your intuition to stop things that aren't working or giving problems, while others like to be the deciding factor.
No matter what, follow your instict. If you take something that does buck ****, don't take it. Why put a chemical in your body that is just there with no purpose?

NOTE: Just make sure that you don't abruptly discontinue antidepressants, antipsychotics or benzodiazepines/barbiturates (not that people use barbs that much nowadays) and do your research before just stopping a medication.

By six weeks you should be able to tell if something is working or not. I too would suggest that you taper off any psych drug and with the approval of you psychiatrist.

I've given meds that turned out to be ineffective 6 months. Too long, really, but I was desperate. But I'd never go cold turkey, always come off a med slowly...even though that can be really frustrating when all the med is doing is causing me to be spacey.

Yeah, six months is way to long. By then any drug, short or fast acting, should be in your system and doing something for you.

Four to six weeks is usually a good amount of time before making a decision.

I couldn't agree more- do not go cold turkey on medication unless there is a side effect that causes pain or distress. Check online for what side effects to watch out for (the serious ones) and only stop a drug in those instances, or any time you are not feeling healthy.
Also, do call your doctor in those cases- leave a message if they cannot answer right away, and if you feel that it is necessary, go see a GP, as they are usually pretty accessible.

4~6 weeks.