How to reduce the dosage of antidepressants?

Question

Hello doctor.

I have been using certain medicines for the past 20 years. However, I want to quit some of them to heal my body from chemical abuse. I use tablet Valproate EG 500, tablet Wellbutrin XR 150 mg, tablet Escitalopram 15 mg, tablet Emconcor 2.5 mg, tablet Xanax Retard 0.5 mg, tablet Pantoprazole 20 mg, tablet Questran 4 grams, and tablet Diazepam 5 mg. Kindly suggest a revised schedule.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern. It is advised to taper the dosage only when you feel completely fine. Also, the medicines that were started last should be tapered off first and over four to six weeks for each reduced dosage. Initially, I suggest you continue with the tablets Valproate, Wellbutrin, Escitalopram, and Diazepam. You can reduce the dosages in the following order: Stop the tablet Xanax 0.5 mg, take 0.25 mg, or take half of 0.25 mg for four weeks, then take it on alternate days for two weeks, and then stop. Then reduce Escitalopram to 10 mg for four weeks. Then reduce the tablet Diazepam 5 mg to half for four weeks. Then take the tablet Wellbutrin for four weeks and stop. Then tablet Valproate 500 mg, to 400 mg, to 300 mg, to 200 mg, by reducing the doses every three weeks. Then tablet Escitalopram 5 mg for four weeks. Then tablet Diazepam 2.5 mg half for four weeks. Then stop the tablet Valproate. Then stop the tablet Diazepam. Lastly, stop the tablet Escitalopram. In addition, try to take a healthy diet, exercise regularly, and take multivitamin supplements.

I hope this helps.

Thank you.