RDdevotee: Prozac stopped after 30 years, Is this withdrawal?

[RDdevotee]

I'm reaching out to see if these symtoms are familiar to anyone and if so, will how long before the go away?Prozac 60 mg a day for 30 years. A psychiatrist gave started my on Prozac for anxiety after I experienced my first panic attack explaining that anxiety was a form of depression. My life has gone quite well given the typical ups and downs it can bring.My primary care doc retired and I was having problems getting an appointment with my new one so I decided that maybe I should just wean myself of of Prozac which I did taking 60mg every other day, then 40mg every other day and finally 20mg every other day and when it ran out, I was done. This was about 3 months ago. Today I am living in my own private hell wondering if I am going through the change of if this is Prozac withdrawl. I wake up feeling fine but then getting ready for work the fog rolls into my head, I feel dizzy , like I'm looking out of someone else's eyes and I cry. I cry in the shower and focus on my breath until I can finish getting ready and can go on to work. Work is such a fog. I can not think to answer any complex questions and it is a struggle to get through the day trying to appear "normal". Thoughts of unworthiness course through my head and I cry and I cry. It seems like all I do is cry. Because I am trying to cover this up by going in the bathroom to focus on breathing or finding somewhere else to get it together, by the time I get home, i am exhausted....and by the way I have never been someone to cry at the drop of the hat...I am going to make an appointment to see my new doc next week..sometimes I feel like I might have a brain tumor or something... could this be Prozac withdrawl??

[scallywag]

Hi RD -- Welcome to Surviving Antidepressants (SA)

 

I hope you'll find the information in the SA forums enlightening and helpful for your taper.  I'm sorry that you are in the position that you need the information, but am glad that you found us.

 

It's unlikely that you're dealing with a brain tumour. The symptoms you've described are common after discontinuing an SSRI like Prozac.

 

Introduction to antidepressant withdrawal syndrome

 

For more detail and links to other topics, check out What is withdrawal syndrome

 

Tips for tapering off Prozac (fluoxetine)

 

At 3 months after your last dose, you're toward the end of optimal period where reinstatement is most likely to be effective in reducing w/d symptoms. There are members here at SA who were helped by a reinstatement 6 and 10 months after their last dose. Please read the topic on reinstatement and come back to this topic to post your questions about your situation:

 

About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms

 

A request: Would you summarize your history in a signature -- drugs, doses, dates, and discontinuations & reinstatements, in the last 12-18 months particularly? Any drugs prior to that can just be listed with start and stop years. Please put your withdrawal history in signature

 

You may way want to follow this topic so that you get notifications when someone posts in your thread. Click the gray "Follow this topic" button. A dialog box appears: select one of the notify options, then click follow this topic in the dialog box.

 

This is YOUR introduction topic -- the place for you to ask questions, record symptoms, share your progress, and connect with other members of the SA community.

[Shep]

Hi, RD. Welcome to the forum from me, too. 

 

The symptoms you describe sound very much like withdrawal. Coming off at 20 mg every other day was a high dose to come off of, and as Scallywag mentioned, reinstating at a small dose is something you may wish to consider. 

 

You may also find helpful information in the non-drug coping section to aid in your recovery:

 

Non-drug techniques to cope with emotional symptoms

 

Many of us become very sensitive to supplements during withdrawal and recovery, but many members do report good results from fish oil and magnesium. Please research all supplements thoroughly and start out with only one at a time and at very low doses. These links will get you started:

 

 King of Supplements: Omega 3 Fatty Acids (Fish Oil)

 

Magnesium, Nature's Calcium Channel Blocker

 

Epsom Salts - Another Way to Relax with Magnesium

 

While 30 years is a long time to be on Prozac, I was on many psych drugs for 30 years and was able to come off and am slowly healing. There are quite a few long time users on this forum, so you're in good company here. 

[JanCarol]

Hey RD, believe it or not, those sound like "middle of the road" withdrawal symptoms.

 

Every other day (as recommended by many doctors) is a very destabilizing way to taper.  

 

Here's a list of "common symptoms" - you can use it to check your own symptoms, and if you make copies, you can use it to track your progress as your symptoms change.

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2390-dr-joseph-glenmullens-withdrawal-symptom-checklist/

 

 

You were on the drug for 30 years, expecting the changes to go away after a few months is unrealistic.  Because you were on the drug for so long, I think a tiny reinstatement wouldn't hurt.  W

 

When you've filled out your signature, and we know exact dates of your dose changes and last dose, then we will be able to consider a reinstatement.  It will likely be tiny - like 1-5 mg.  Just enough to ease your symptoms, but not enough to overstimulate you, either.H

 

How do you take a tiny dose like 1 mg?  Well, you are lucky, Prozac comes in a liquid.  That is the easiest possible way to get tiny doses.  If you look around the site, you will see many people on very tiny amounts.  (doctors often scoff at these tiny amounts, but if it eases your symptoms, then it does.)

 

Any doctor can prescribe, too.  It doesn't have to be any special doctor.  GP's hand this stuff out all the time.

 

Welcome to SA, I hope we can help!

[Iamfine]

Did these symptoms just start three months after you quit?

[O2bhappy]

Hi RD -

 

When I went off Prozac my withdrawal symptoms took a turn for the worse at 3 months. I also constantly cried everyday. It has only been recently that I can make it through the day without crying. I used to never cry, but now the smallest thing can make me cry. I also have suffered from brain fog, lack of concentration and memory problems. I now have to write things down so I don't forget them. I used to pride myself on my memory, but not anymore.

[osotough]

Hi RD

 

I feel for you. I was on 20 mg for over 12 years and am going through the same thing. The crying spells are pretty intense, like you I was one to never cry.