Hi dave123,
I have taken antidepressents all 19 years of my recovery and too may be having a problem with Serotonin Syndrome. I have Chronic Depression and have been diagnosed with depression since a teen.
I decided to quit my meds to drink, using alcohol to self-medicate my depression.
I finally hit my bottom from within myself and asked for help. I had counseling for my depression and alcoholism at the same time different counselors for each.
I attended AA for my alcoholism and still work the AA program in my life today. I continue to see doc for my depression/meds & see a PsycDoc about once a year for med monitoring...or sooner if I am having a problem.
My last doc left my clinic and moved away and I just found out last week that he hadn't followed through on what my PsycDoc had suggested when I saw her to get off of Lithium. Then she also recomended that I use Lexapro and reduce my Effexor but she didn't tell me this and my doc didn't tell me either.
I had a break-through of depression last week and this is what I learned so my doc is going to talk with my PsycDoc on Wednesday and I will see him on Friday to see what she suggests.
My doc felt that my medication plan is too complicated for him to change without the PsycDoc's input which made me feel good. Some docs just blindly put a person on or take them off a med without any consideration for what may happen.
I have gone to a new clinic which is at the Behavioral Health Center, which is why the uncertainy about my medications...I usually see a female doc but she was off the day they had me come in as an emergency for my depression.