I DO worry about a time when I would want to get off the SSRI, because it may be troubling and take a while, but I will deal with that issue when it comes up. From what I have heard, if you very slowly lower the dose over a long time, your chances of bad side effects are minimal.
Bryan
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That's exactly what my friend reported. He was much further into the cycle of one pill curing the side effects of another. He took at one time or another just about everything Rx'd for depression-anxiety I heard of. I won't go into the details. Anyway, one day he told me he had discovered a Chinese guy who was an herbal traditional medicine specialist, had a degree in acupuncture, and had a PhD in pharmacology. The issue was getting off all the pharma which included some anti-seizure meds. He was most afraid getting off the anti-seizure meds, since he had seizures after a brain injury eight years before.
In winter 2009 his doc helped him set up a withdrawal schedule from everything. He reported his progress to me to encourage me to get off alcohol and go back to the gym. Trouble was I had just enough money to drink, but not go to the gym. I no longer have that excuse.
Anyway, it took him three or four months, then a slow waiting period of nearly nine months to know he was both drug free and seizure free.
So don't worry. Well worry, but don't. The side effects on a slow withdrawal are minimal and you have to expect a certain intermitten back and forth period. But it does work. One neat trick B told me about was using acupuncture to minimize the threatened relapses.
It's good to hear about your family and friends. And thanks for sharing too.
Chuck