Safe Antidepressant Switching: Understanding Cross Tapering

Certain antidepressant medications cause difficult-to-tolerate side effects. If this happens, your doctor may decide to switch you to a different medication. Many doctors utilize a technique called cross tapering to change from one antidepressant medication to another. Cross tapering antidepressant medications involves gradually decreasing the medication you're currently taking while gradually increasing the new medication. This may not be necessary if you're changing from one selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor -- more commonly known as an SSRI -- to another, according to GP Notebook.

Things You'll Need

• Prescribed antidepressants
• Doctor's guidance

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Instructions

• 1

  Discuss your cross tapering plan with your doctor, so you'll fully understand what to do. Ask your doctor to put the plan in writing, if she hasn't done so already. Make sure you have both medications on hand to start the cross tapering.

• 2

  Start the new antidepressant at the dose your doctor recommends, while gradually decreasing the dose of the medication you're already taking. A complete transition from one medication to another can take two weeks or longer, psychiatrist Dr. Michael Hirsch of Harvard Medical University states in UpToDate.

• 3

  Watch for signs of depression as you make the change. Ask significant others in your life to report signs of possible depression that you might not recognize yourself. These might include sleeping more than usual or having trouble sleeping, a lack of interest in normally pleasurable activities, a change in appetite, a disinterest in sex, fatigue, anxiety, or feelings of guilt or worthlessness. Difficulty thinking or concentrating, trouble remembering things, crying for no reason or agitation may also occur.

• 4

  Report any increase in depressive symptoms to your doctor immediately. Depression can lead to a risk of self-injury, so do not ignore warning signs. Do not alter your medication schedule to treat symptoms unless your doctor tells you to.