Ran Out of Antidepressants While Travelling in London? What to Do Today and Why Not to Stop Suddenly
If you have run out of, lost or forgotten your antidepressant while visiting London, the most important thing is not to stop suddenly and to get a UK prescription within a day or two. Stopping an antidepressant abruptly can cause discontinuation symptoms, such as dizziness, nausea, headache, irritability, sleep disturbance, flu-like feelings and brief electric shock sensations. The largest review to date, published in The Lancet Psychiatry in 2024 and covering 79 studies and 21,002 people, found that around 31% of people who stopped an antidepressant reported at least one such symptom, about 15% had symptoms caused directly by stopping, and about 3% had severe symptoms. Medicines that leave the body quickly, such as paroxetine and venlafaxine, tend to cause symptoms sooner, often within a few days. A London pharmacy cannot dispense a prescription written in most countries outside the UK, so a UK doctor is the reliable route. Antidepressants are not controlled drugs, so a doctor who has reviewed your medication and history can usually prescribe at the first appointment. At The Wellness you can be seen the same day, 7 days a week, by video from £150, in person from £220 or at your hotel from £495, in confidence, with the prescription sent to a pharmacy near you. Fees appear further down this page.
Reviewed by the medical team at The Wellness. Last updated 9 October 2026.
Get your antidepressant prescribed today on WhatsApp or email team@thewellnesslondon.com or call 020 3951 3429.
Key facts if you have run out of your antidepressant
Try not to miss more than a day or two of doses, particularly with paroxetine, venlafaxine or duloxetine.
Around 1 in 7 people who stop an antidepressant have symptoms caused by stopping, and about 1 in 35 have severe symptoms.
A UK pharmacy cannot dispense most prescriptions from outside the UK, so book a UK doctor.
Antidepressants are not controlled drugs, so they can usually be prescribed at a first appointment after a proper review.
If you have thoughts of harming yourself, call 999 or Samaritans free on 116 123, at any time.
What happens if you stop an antidepressant suddenly
Discontinuation symptoms usually begin within a few days of the last dose. They include dizziness, nausea, headaches, tiredness, irritability, anxiety, vivid dreams, broken sleep, flu-like symptoms and brief shock-like sensations, sometimes called brain zaps.
For most people the symptoms are mild and settle once the medicine is restarted. For some they are severe or long-lasting, and NICE guideline NG222 recognises that stopping should normally be planned and gradual rather than sudden.
Stopping suddenly can also allow the original depression or anxiety to return, which is the bigger risk for many people, especially away from home and routine.
Which antidepressants are most affected by missed doses
Medicines with a short half-life leave the body quickly, so missed doses are felt sooner. Paroxetine, venlafaxine, desvenlafaxine and duloxetine are the commonest examples, and the 2024 review linked paroxetine, imipramine and desvenlafaxine with higher rates of severe symptoms.
Fluoxetine stays in the body for weeks, so a few missed days usually cause fewer problems.
Sertraline, citalopram, escitalopram and mirtazapine sit in between. Whatever you take, replacing it within a day or two is the safest course.
Send your medication details on WhatsApp or email team@thewellnesslondon.com.
How do you get a UK prescription as a visitor
UK pharmacists may only dispense prescriptions from prescribers registered in the UK, or at their discretion from prescribers in the European Economic Area and Switzerland, excluding controlled drugs. Prescriptions from the United States, the Gulf, Asia and most other countries cannot be dispensed.
A UK doctor reviews your medicine, dose, how long you have taken it, how you are feeling and any other medicines, then issues a UK private prescription. A video consultation can be done from your hotel, and the prescription is sent to a pharmacy near you that stocks your medicine.
Bring the packet or a photo of the label, or your pharmacy app showing the medicine and dose. Brand names differ between countries, so the doctor checks the active ingredient and strength rather than the brand.
Which mental health medicines need extra care
Lithium needs a blood level to make sure the dose is safe, so a blood test is arranged alongside the prescription. Some antipsychotics and mood stabilisers also need monitoring.
Controlled medicines, including stimulants for ADHD, benzodiazepines and some sleeping tablets, cannot appropriately be issued at a first consultation without established records. If you take one of these, bring enough for your whole trip and check the rules for bringing it into the UK.
Where a medication history is complex, a consultant psychiatrist appointment can be arranged.
When do you need help urgently
Call 999 or go to A&E if you have thoughts of ending your life or harming yourself and feel you may act on them. You can also call NHS 111 and choose the mental health option, or Samaritans free on 116 123, at any time of day or night.
Seek a same-day appointment if your mood has dropped sharply, you feel agitated or unlike yourself, you are not sleeping at all, or discontinuation symptoms are making it hard to function.
What does it cost to see a doctor about your medication in London
Membership practices in central London charge annual retainers running into thousands and then £400 to £600 or more per visit, Harley Street GP consultations sit at £250 to £350, and consultant psychiatry first appointments commonly cost more.
At The Wellness each appointment is a single fee, with the prescription included. The medicine itself is paid for at the pharmacy. All figures are from prices.
Psychiatrist consultation for complex medication reviews and mental health assessment, from £950.
Signature Membership for frequent visitors to London, from £6,950 a year or £610 a month.
Hotel, apartment or residence visit, evenings and weekends from £695 and daytime from £495.
In-person consultation, 30 minutes with examination, from £220.
Same-day video consultation, from £150. Travel medication letter for your onward journey, from £150.
Appointments are available the same day, 7 days a week, at our London clinics, including Marylebone and Belgravia, by video, or at your hotel. You need no NHS registration, referral or UK address.
Why visitors choose The Wellness when they run out of medication
Because you can be seen today, usually within hours, by video or in person.
Because the doctor matches the active ingredient and dose exactly, so your treatment continues without a gap.
Because there is time to ask how you are, not just what you take.
Because a consultant psychiatrist is available when a medication history is complex.
And because it is confidential, with nothing shared without your consent and no NHS record created.
Related reading
Forgotten or lost medication in London covers every same-day option, lost luggage with your medication covers what to do at the airport, can you fill a US prescription in London covers American visitors, and private mental health care covers anxiety and depression.
Book a same-day appointment on WhatsApp or call 020 3951 3429.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if I miss my antidepressant for a few days
Some people notice dizziness, nausea, headache, irritability, broken sleep or brief shock-like sensations, usually starting within a few days. Symptoms often settle once the medicine is restarted. Replace it within a day or two if you can.
Can I get antidepressants prescribed in London as a tourist
Yes. Antidepressants are not controlled drugs, so a UK doctor who has reviewed your medication and history can usually issue a UK private prescription at the first appointment.
Can a UK pharmacy dispense my foreign antidepressant prescription
Not from most countries. UK pharmacies can dispense prescriptions from UK prescribers and, at the pharmacist’s discretion, from the EEA and Switzerland. Prescriptions from the US and most other countries cannot be dispensed.
Which antidepressants cause the worst withdrawal symptoms
Short-acting medicines such as paroxetine, venlafaxine and desvenlafaxine tend to cause symptoms sooner, and a 2024 review linked paroxetine, imipramine and desvenlafaxine with higher rates of severe symptoms. Fluoxetine usually causes fewer problems.
Should I take a double dose when I restart
No. Restart at your usual dose unless a doctor advises otherwise.
How much does it cost to see a doctor for a prescription in London
At The Wellness a same-day video consultation is from £150, a 30-minute in-person consultation from £220 and a hotel visit from £495, with the prescription included.
The Wellness is a doctor-led private healthcare group providing medical care from our London clinics, including Marylebone and Belgravia. All doctors are GMC-registered. Prescriptions are issued only following a consultation and clinical assessment, and controlled medicines are not issued at a first consultation. In an emergency call 999. This article is general information and not a substitute for medical advice about your own health.
Enquire now on WhatsApp or email team@thewellnesslondon.com or call 020 3951 3429.
References
EurekAlert, summary of the Lancet Psychiatry discontinuation study, June 2024
NICE guideline NG222, depression in adults, treatment and management
GOV.UK, prescriptions issued in the EEA and Switzerland, guidance for pharmacists
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