erinm Posted October 17, 2012 Share Posted October 17, 2012 Hi Guys, I'm new here. My name is Erin. I'm a 34 year old working professional (and creative type) in Toronto. I'm committed to slowly tapering off of Prozac this year while continuing to improve my diet and exercise level (primal/whole foods + Bar Method). I've managed to get down to 4/7ths of my regular dose, and have decided to keep it there to see if I can make it through the long dark Canadian winter without going completely squirrel-y. I'm scared. Although I'm highly-functional, have an excellent job, a graduate degree and a good group of friends, I am terrified of experiencing those overwhelming feelings of "doom" again. I began Prozac arbitrarily about 8 years ago. At the time I was attempting to cope with a heart wrenching break-up that raised a series of deeply-rooted issues related to my dysfunctional upbringing. I would have to repeatedly sneak into the bathroom at work in the middle of the day -- just to weep. One day a friend offered me some of her Prozac. I took it and felt a manic high within days. From there I was able to obtain a prescription just by visiting a walk-in clinic and I've been taking Prozac ever since. My life is much much different from when I first started on Prozac. I don't feel those terrifying lows. But then I've realized that I've become used to NOT FEELING MUCH AT ALL. I don't want to live in an emotional flat line for the rest of my life. Part of me feels that I've managed to avoid any serious romantic entanglements for the past 8 years - in large part - because I've remained numbed. In almost every sense. Anyways too much information. I just want off, and I want to speak to others who've been through this. Part of me is truly terrified. Reading Nora Gedgaudas' book "Primal Body, Primal Mind" was the final kick in the ass I needed. After following her diet for weeks and completely removing sugar and starch from my diet, I'm experiencing a clarity of mind and energy that I haven't felt it years. Including my pre-meds years. I'm beginning to seriously believe that my own chronic depressive state may be comprised of one part trauma (i.e. sh*tty Family History) and one part debilitating food sensitivities that have gone undetected. The latter possibility seems TOO SIMPLE an answer but ... I'm feeling better than I have in a long time. So I'm here. And I'm trying to wean off slowly slowly slowly this calendar year + diet + exercise + some kind of undetermined stress-reduction technique + B Complex and major Omega 3 supplementation. Let's see what happens... Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus dalsaan Posted October 17, 2012 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted October 17, 2012 Hi Erin, Welcome to the site. You will find people helpful and friendly. I know its scary but sounds like you are in a good place and doing all the right things. We recommend that you taper off by dropping a maximum of 10% with each dose reduction. There is a lot of info on tapering in the tapering forum. You might start with the frequently asked questions. How much prozac are you currently taking and have you started to reduce, if so by how much? Dalsaan Please note - I am not a medical practitioner and I do not give medical advice. I offer an opinion based on my own experiences, reading and discussion with others.On Effexor for 2 months at the start of 2005. Had extreme insomnia as an adverse reaction. Changed to mirtazapine. Have been trying to get off since mid 2008 with numerous failures including CTs and slow (but not slow enough tapers)Have slow tapered at 10 per cent or less for years. I have liquid mirtazapine made at a compounding chemist. Was on 1.6 ml as at 19 March 2014. Dropped to 1.5 ml 7 June 2014. Dropped to 1.4 in about September. Dropped to 1.3 on 20 December 2014. Dropped to 1.2 in mid Jan 2015. Dropped to 1 ml in late Feb 2015. I think my old medication had run out of puff so I tried 1ml when I got the new stuff and it seems to be going ok. Sleep has been good over the last week (as of 13/3/15). Dropped to 1/2 ml 14/11/15 Fatigue still there as are memory and cognition problems. Sleep is patchy but liveable compared to what it has been in the past. DRUG FREE - as at 1st May 2017 >My intro post is here - http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2250-dalsaan Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted October 17, 2012 Administrator Share Posted October 17, 2012 Welcome, Erin! How are you reducing your Prozac dosage? Do you have the liquid? You might bhttp://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/759-tips-for-tapering-off-prozac-fluoxetine/ and the other topics pinned to the top of the Tapering forum. This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein All postings © copyrighted. Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus strawberry17 Posted October 17, 2012 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted October 17, 2012 Hi Erinm I'm a liquid Prozac taperer, what dose are you on? welcome to the site! *** Please note this is not medical advice,discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner***http://prozacwithdrawal.blogspot.com/ Original drug was sertraline/Zoloft, switched to Prozac in 2007. Tapering from 5mls liquid prozac since Feb 2008, got down to 0.85ml 23/09/2012, reinstated back to 1ml(4mg) 07/11/2012, didn't appear to work, upped to 1.05ml 17/11/2012, back down to 1ml 12/12/2012 didn't work, up to 1.30ml 16/3/2013 didn't work, bumped up to 2ml (8mg) 4/4/2013 didn't work, in July 2013 I reinstated Sertraline (Zoloft) 50mg, feeling better now. A few months down the line I switched to 5ml liquid Prozac and tapered down to a compromise dose of 3ml liquid Prozac and have stayed there ever since, no withdrawals and no emotional blunting/loss of libido. Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus peggy Posted October 17, 2012 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted October 17, 2012 welcome Erinm, It is always good to hear from people who are being proactive and responsible with their withdrawal. I know the fear of feeling the 'doom' only too well, but i am now believing that with appropriate care and taper i will not have to visit that place again. Holding through a long cold Canadian winter sounds very responsible to me. Started in 2000 - On 150mg most of the time, (but up to 225mg at highest dose for 6 months in the beginning)Reduced off easily first time - but got depressed (not too much anxiety) 6 months laterBack on effexor for another 9 months.Reduced off again with no immediate w/d - suddenly got depressed and anxious ++ again 3 or 4 months later.Back on effexor - this time for 3 yearsReduced off over a month - 6 weeks later terrible anxiety - back on.Rinse and repeat 4 more times - each time the period before the anxiety comes back got shorter and shorterJan - July 2012 75mg down to 37.5mg;, 8/3/12 - 35mg. 8/25/12 - 32mg. 9/11- 28mg, 10/2 - 25mg, 10/29 - 22mg, 11/19 - 19.8mg; 12/11 - 17m,1/1- 15.5mg; 1/22 -14mg, 2/7 14.9mg, 2/18 - 17.8mg - crashed big time: back to 75mg where i sat for 2 years.... 4th March 2015 - 67.5mg; 31st March - 60mg; 24th April - 53mg; 13th May - 48mg; 26th May - 45mg; 9th June - 41mg; 1 July- 37.5mg; 20 July - 34mg; 11 August - 31mg; 1st Sept - 28mg; 1st Dec - 25.8mg; 28th Dec - 23.2mg; 23rd Jan-21.9mg; Feb 7th- 21mg; March 1st - 20.1mg, March 30th - 18mg Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now