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Doodles: withdrawal from Fluoxetine


Doodles

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I've gone from 40mg to 30mg then to 20mg of fluoxetine over a few months after taking antidepressants  (citalopram then fluoxetine) for 4 years.

 

Since being on 20mg I've started to feel evening dread in my stomach, lethargy and lack of appetite in the evenings. This is exactly how I was about 6 years ago before depression became bad.

Citalopram 20mg July 2013 - September 2014 or 2015

Fluoxetine 20mg September 2014 or 2015 - October 2014 or 2015

Fluoxetine 40mg October 2014 or 2015 - March (I think) 2017.

Fluoxetine 30mg March (I think) 2017 - May 2017

Fluoxetine 20mg May 2017 - present

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Hi Doodles, welcome to SA. You have tapered too fast and are now experiencing withdrawal symptoms. You are not alone, most of us found SA when in withdrawal after tapering too fast or quitting cold turkey! Many of us followed doctors recommended tapers which are very fast, and others, myself included, tapered for many months but it was still too fast and end up with withdrawal. You might want to updose a little, you could try 25mg which should help. You could sit it out and wait to stabilise but it could take some time, your brain is trying to adjust to the lower dose. We recommend tapering 10% of the current dose with 4 weeks between drops, this sneaks the drug away stealthily so that the brain doesn't struggle to function at the lower dose. The brain has grown and worked with the drug and taking it away causes chaos with the brain trying to work normally, when it has worked along with a drug for years. If you increase the dose you should hold it until you have been stable for at least 4 weeks before restarting the taper. If you decide not to updose you should hold the dose you are at until you feel stable, which could take some time. Again, you should wait until you have been stable for at least 4 weeks before restarting the taper.   Here are a couple of links for you to help you understand. 

About reinstating ( also applies to updosing)

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/7562-about-reinstating-and-stabilizing-to-reduce-withdrawal-symptoms/

 

Tapering prozac (fluoxetine) 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/759-tips-for-tapering-off-prozac-fluoxetine/

 

Many of us find fish oil and magnesium beneficial.

 http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/36-king-of-supplements-omega-3-fatty-acids-fish-oil/?view=findpost&p=100596&hl=magnesium

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1300-magnesium-natures-calcium-channel-blocker/

 

**I am not a medical professional, if in doubt please consult a doctor with withdrawal knowledge.

 

 

Different drugs occasionally (mostly benzos) 1976 - 1981 (no problem)

1993 - 2002 in and out of hospital. every type of drug + ECT. Staring with seroxat

2002  effexor. 

Tapered  March 2012 to March 2013, ending with 5 beads.

Withdrawal April 2013 . Reinstated 5 beads reduced to 4 beads May 2013

Restarted taper  Nov 2013  

OFF EFFEXOR Feb 2015    :D 

Tapered atenolol and omeprazole Dec 2013 - May 2014

 

Tapering tramadol, Feb 2015 100mg , March 2015 50mg  

 July 2017 30mg.  May 15 2018 25mg

Taking fish oil, magnesium, B12, folic acid, bilberry eyebright for eye pressure. 

 

My story http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/4199-hello-mammap-checking-in/page-33

 

Lesson learned, slow down taper at lower doses. Taper no more than 10% of CURRENT dose if possible

 

 

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Thank you. I will read through these links tonight.

 

After reading a lot of posts here last night I think I understand that I can make a solution with soluble tablets to reduce the dose more gradually.

 

I don't get a say in what I am given as it's NHS BUT AT the moment they're giving me soluble tablets (it was capsules until recently).

 

I presume I mix it with water and keep in the fridge but this won't be very precise.

 

Am I understanding this correctly?

Citalopram 20mg July 2013 - September 2014 or 2015

Fluoxetine 20mg September 2014 or 2015 - October 2014 or 2015

Fluoxetine 40mg October 2014 or 2015 - March (I think) 2017.

Fluoxetine 30mg March (I think) 2017 - May 2017

Fluoxetine 20mg May 2017 - present

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  • Moderator Emeritus

The liquid will keep for a few days in the fridge, up to 5 days, when made from tablets. Not sure about the soluble tablets, I didn't know prozac came in a soluble form I will have to look it up. I will get a topic for you on making a liquid, it covers the dilutions and how to get accurate doses. It is much more accurate than cutting tablets which is a pain! 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2693-how-to-make-a-liquid-from-tablets-or-capsules/

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/235-tapering-techniques/

 

**I am not a medical professional, if in doubt please consult a doctor with withdrawal knowledge.

 

 

Different drugs occasionally (mostly benzos) 1976 - 1981 (no problem)

1993 - 2002 in and out of hospital. every type of drug + ECT. Staring with seroxat

2002  effexor. 

Tapered  March 2012 to March 2013, ending with 5 beads.

Withdrawal April 2013 . Reinstated 5 beads reduced to 4 beads May 2013

Restarted taper  Nov 2013  

OFF EFFEXOR Feb 2015    :D 

Tapered atenolol and omeprazole Dec 2013 - May 2014

 

Tapering tramadol, Feb 2015 100mg , March 2015 50mg  

 July 2017 30mg.  May 15 2018 25mg

Taking fish oil, magnesium, B12, folic acid, bilberry eyebright for eye pressure. 

 

My story http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/4199-hello-mammap-checking-in/page-33

 

Lesson learned, slow down taper at lower doses. Taper no more than 10% of CURRENT dose if possible

 

 

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Thank you :)

 

The soluble ones are by Olena. 

Citalopram 20mg July 2013 - September 2014 or 2015

Fluoxetine 20mg September 2014 or 2015 - October 2014 or 2015

Fluoxetine 40mg October 2014 or 2015 - March (I think) 2017.

Fluoxetine 30mg March (I think) 2017 - May 2017

Fluoxetine 20mg May 2017 - present

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  • 1 year later...

I've just re-found this after gettibg an email so I'll ads a quick update.

 

After reading advice on here I increased my dose back up to 25mg then tapered much more slowly. I finally stopped taking fluoxetine in February 2018. 

 

I had withdrawal symptoms for 6-8 weeks. They included brain zaps (the worst symptom), increased anxiety, nausea, dissasociation.

 

But the panic of what damage the pills were doing was gone and the birunung in my throat was gone.

 

It has been 8 months approximately since I was worrying about withdrawal symptoms and I feel much healthier. 

 

I still have a lot of anxiety but I think I will have to live with that. I'm autistic so anxiety is my normal.

 

I worry about depression returning and so I'm very careful with all actions and interactions, avoiding alcohol, unpleasant people etc but this may be causing isolation which could cause depression to return.

 

I feel much better physically, much less nausea and headaches, less palpitations, less digestive problems. I had become frightened of what damage the pills might be doing so they were then causing adverse effect.

Citalopram 20mg July 2013 - September 2014 or 2015

Fluoxetine 20mg September 2014 or 2015 - October 2014 or 2015

Fluoxetine 40mg October 2014 or 2015 - March (I think) 2017.

Fluoxetine 30mg March (I think) 2017 - May 2017

Fluoxetine 20mg May 2017 - present

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Hi Doodles,

 

Thank you for coming back and updating us on your recovery.  You've done really well to be able to get off the fluoxetine. 

 

Q:  What was the last dose you took?

 

Could you please update your drug signature with the date and dose you last took the drug?  Other members taking fluoxetine will be interested in knowing the dose you jumped off the drug.  Thank you.  Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature

 

You might find this topic helpful:  are-we-there-yet-how-long-is-withdrawal-going-to-take

 

 

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

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