Eleven10: 30 months off Prozac

[baroquep]

Hi Eleven10, it might take a while for you to start feeling a little better as it looks like you haven't been taking a consistent dose.  When we alternate doses or days of this medication it is like playing ping pong with your brain ... a consistent dose and the same time of day can keep a steady stream of the drug in your system so that the central nervous system has a chance to settle back to homeostasis.  Did you decided to take 1.5mg as ChessieCat suggested or are you now taking 3mg per day.

 

Because I used to find my doctor quite intimidating at times and would get flustered and forget what I wanted to say, I started writing down what I needed to speak with her about.  Maybe you might want to give that a try and see if it helps.

Also thought you might find a few of these links helpful when you are feeling particularly overwhelmed by your symptoms.  It can oftentimes help to incorporate a technique into your daily life to help calm and centre your mind away from what is troubling you at the moment.  There are numerous links in the Symptoms & Self-Care Forum that may be able to give you a few ideas but found the links below especially helpful.  

Claire Weekes' Method of Recovering from a Sensitized Nervous System
Non-drug techniques to cope with emotional symptoms

Acceptance

 

As well, the links below helped me to understand what was happening while my central nervous system was healing and helped me to find a little more compassion myself and how important it was for me to be patient while it healed.

 

Brain Remodelling
Video:  Healing From Antidepressants - Patterns of Recovery 

[Eleven10]

Hi, Please can someone give me some advice. I have been consistently taking 3mg of prozac for several weeks, I don't feel any better in fact i feel consistently worse. I have been sleeping better but its not good sleep, I fall asleep quickly and wake around 4-5am with the worst panic and brain boil i can imagine. I squirm around in bed looking for some kind of peace in brain but cannot find it. Im very depressed to the point of panic and my body hurts all over but the pain was there before and also the vision and vertigo issue are probably the same. 

I have been under more personal stress than normal and having a very difficult time financially, I dont know if this is making things worse.

I need to know what to do. Do i try and go up on the dose? Im worried about kindling but do not fully understand it.

I have been living with this for well over 4 years, Im on the edge of not being able to take anymore. Im really fearing for my safety if things continue. 

I have to say my dr will not prescribe anything other than antidepressants, I cannot find a new dr as some people suggest, this is the NHS, it's a 3-6 month waiting list just to be seen, she is actually a nice lady but believes dr healy was wrong to put all this withdrawal syndrome in my head (big sigh)

I would appreciate any advice. Thank you 

[coldturkmama]

I wish I had some. 

Honestly, I would say that if the Prozac isn't helping and you think you feel worse, than maybe it IS making things worse.

im certainly no expert but I'd think if it's getting worse, you're probably better off without it unless it takes time to stabilize.

[Eleven10]

I just can't take the hopelessness anymore. Iv been living in the dark too long, 4 years is too long for this torment I just don't know what to go or where to turn 

[joy2730]

Why don't you have a telephone consultation with your GP and then take her advice, whatever it is and then try not to question  the advice, just follow it.  One of the disadvantages of knowing a lot of things is that it can make you more anxious.  Doctors have the advantage of seeing large numbers of people take and stop these drugs,  whereas on forums we tend to see only those who are having problems. 

 

You may need more Prozac or none, but your doctor needs to help you decide what is best for you right now.

 

Joy

[baroquep]

Eleven10, 3mg of Prozac might be too high a dose for your central nervous system to manage.  In order to get a better idea of what has been going on with you since August, how often/long were you skipping doses after you reinstated 3.0 mg?  As I mentioned in my post above (as well as a couple of other moderators), it is never a good idea to skip doses and this will just make things worse.  You mention that you have been taking 3.0mg consistently everyday for three weeks now?  Is this correct?  

 

What is your current symptom pattern?

Edited October 31, 2017 by baroquep

[William]

i havent read your thread from the start, but you may have "kindled" and all substances will have a negative effect on the central nervous system

Its your call, but i dont think at this stage the prozac will help

people recover even after 5, 6, 7 years. dont lose hope

I wsh you well

Will

[Eleven10]

2 hours ago, baroquep said:

Eleven10, 3mg of Prozac might be too high a dose for your central nervous system to manage.  In order to get a better idea of what has been going on with you since August, how often/long were you skipping doses after you reinstated 3.0 mg?  As I mentioned in my post above (as well as a couple of other moderators), it is never a good idea to skip doses and this will just make things worse.  You mention that you have been taking 3.0mg consistently everyday for three weeks now?  Is this correct?  

 

What is your current symptom pattern?

Yes 3weeks I have been taking 3mg previously I tried to take varying doses but panicked and would stop and take nothing for a few days. 

I can take all the physical but not the mental torture, the depression is horrific it's like a black tar is sucking me in and I can't stand to not feel any joy 

[Eleven10]

2 hours ago, baroquep said:

Eleven10, 3mg of Prozac might be too high a dose for your central nervous system to manage.  In order to get a better idea of what has been going on with you since August, how often/long were you skipping doses after you reinstated 3.0 mg?  As I mentioned in my post above (as well as a couple of other moderators), it is never a good idea to skip doses and this will just make things worse.  You mention that you have been taking 3.0mg consistently everyday for three weeks now?  Is this correct?  

 

What is your current symptom pattern?

Yes 3weeks I have been taking 3mg previously I tried to take varying doses but panicked and would stop and take nothing for a few days. 

I can take all the physical but not the mental torture, the depression is horrific it's like a black tar is sucking me in and I can't stand to not feel any joy 

[Eleven10]

3 hours ago, FSL said:

Hi Eleven 10

Firstly let me tell you that I’m deeply sorry you are in this situation. Several opinions were given to you in your thread and I’ll give you mine, just my two cents about it.

Whereas every opinion is valid I strongly disagree with people here telling you to calm down and just bear your pain because it will eventually go away. Some even say it can take 6, 7 years. That's rich! No human being in your state is capable of coping with that. Your statements are from someone that is trying to no drown in quicksand, not knowing what to do with medication, etc.

 

In your state my dear you can spend your entire day doing meditation (sometimes makes things even worse), doing yoga, breathing, taking herbal baths… it won’t change the fact that your brain in the (now trendy theory) called amygdala hijack. You prefrontal córtex is not capable of overruling the amygdala so you are 24/7 stressed, agitated, panicking, etc.

 

I have one painful question for your (is up to you if you want to answer here or privately).
Are you feeling suicidal? Do you have suicidal thoughts? Suicidal ideation??

If yes you need to seek help immediately. And it doesn’t matter if they are going to put you on 2 or 3 medication, you will feel prostrated, you will feel zombish but at least you won’t be feeling that horrendous WD symptoms and drug reaction.

 

Then in the future, more stable, you can reassess your life, cultivate other changes.

 

Bottom line is: you need help. Seek it.

 

https://www.samaritans.org/

 

I’ll pray for you to get better my dear. We will all.

 

FSL

Thank you FSL

i do often feel suicidal, my mind wanders thinking about ways to end this pain, but I genuinely think I want to live I just want to end the suffering and keep the good part of me. 

Im scared to go to the hospital as I'm afraid the meds will make me worse, i live directly accross from a A&E if I knew they had peace for me over there I would go now. 

Thank you for you kind words. I know they are only trying to help but when people say hang on it may take another 4 years it's like saying to a blind person to 'just open your eyes and see"

[ChessieCat]

 

On 12/10/2017 at 5:22 AM, Eleven10 said:

Do you think I Should stay on 3mg or move up. Iv not been taking it everyday because I get so terrified of reactions and getting worse

 

This was my suggestion in response to you mentioning you were taking 3mg but skipping days.

 

On 12/10/2017 at 6:48 AM, ChessieCat said:

 

Even though Prozac has a longer half life than many ADs it is better to take the same dose at about the same time on a daily basis.

 

My suggestion would be to take 1.5mg every day.  See Skipping Days vs Every Day Dosing Graph

 

Please update your signature to show the date range when you were taking 3mg and skipping days.  Please also include how you were skipping, eg 3mg alternate days (ie every 2nd day), 3mg every 3rd day, or 3mg twice a week.  We need accurate information in your signature so we can see it at a glance.  If we have to read back through posts (and the moderators sometimes suffer from cog fog) we can overlook important information.

[baroquep]

Eleven, based on your history, I will have to agree with ChessieCat, that 1.5mg every day would have probably been a better place to start, particularly because you were skipping doses.  Because you have been at 3mg for about three weeks now, it would be best if you decrease towards that dose very slowly.  I would recommend that you reduce to either 2.5 or 2.75 mg, keep notes on paper and wait a couple of weeks and see how you are feeling.  If you are still not feeling any benefit, you can reassess then and reduce a little further.  It's best to go slowly so as not to upset your CNS further.   Let us know if you have any questions.  Hoping things start to settle as you reduce the dose.  

[William]

Just be very careful taking the prozac
Reinstatement only works for some people and you only have a small window for it to be successful. Dr Healy states that recovery can take 4 years and you could be round the corner, why jepoardise that by throwing prozac into a wounded body? (This is backed up in multiple success stories)
The best analogy i found was that think of the damaged CNS as an open wound/cut on your hand. Best way for it to heal is to leave it alone and not to pick it, poke it or put vinegar on it. Think of the prozac as the vinegar. Heal naturally with zero interference. The brain knows how to recover and you will be be whole again one day

I wish you well
Take care

Will

[Eleven10]

20 hours ago, William said:

Just be very careful taking the prozac
Reinstatement only works for some people and you only have a small window for it to be successful. Dr Healy states that recovery can take 4 years and you could be round the corner, why jepoardise that by throwing prozac into a wounded body? (This is backed up in multiple success stories)
The best analogy i found was that think of the damaged CNS as an open wound/cut on your hand. Best way for it to heal is to leave it alone and not to pick it, poke it or put vinegar on it. Think of the prozac as the vinegar. Heal naturally with zero interference. The brain knows how to recover and you will be be whole again one day

I wish you well
Take care

Will

Thank you will 

please don't take this wrong but after four years to me that is not right. 

Im sure for many that waiting there symptoms out will bring relief but for others that is simply not the case. Analogies of wounds healing mean nothing to me anymore, I took them as gospel for over three years and waited patiently for my healing but it didn't happen, I was having the same cortisol rushes at 3 years that I had at 1. 

people say that insomnia is not dangerous and maybe for weeks or months it isn't but years of poor and little sleep destroys you, increases the risk of dementia and heart disease and other serious conditions. 

I have serious depression, I'm seriously suicidal and I have very little quality of life. at this point it doesn't matter what caused it because knowing what caused it won't make it go away.

i think I'm a intelligent woman and four years has given it enough time to see some improvement. I want to live and as a good friend of mine on here says. " If your going to go down, go down fighting "

 

[Eleven10]

Hi,

My therapist says that liquid prozac is absorbed alot faster than tablets, is there any truth in that and i never took liquid before it was only tablet could that be making a difference?

[O2bhappy]

Eleven10 -

 

I wanted to offer my support to you. I am so sorry that you are still struggling. I have been off Prozac for 26 months and I still have withdrawal symptoms and I am even getting new ones. It is very frustrating. I have days where I get so upset because I am getting new symptoms. I have a pitty party for myself. I will cry and think why me. Then I realize that isn’t very helpful and I try to move on. 

 

I have worked hard on “allowing” my symptoms but some days that seems impossible to do. 

 

I will add you to my prayers. Hang in there. 

[RachelSusan]

2 hours ago, Eleven10 said:

Hi,

My therapist says that liquid prozac is absorbed alot faster than tablets, is there any truth in that and i never took liquid before it was only tablet could that be making a difference?

Hi Eleven10,

In answer to your question,

I switched from hard pill to liquid Zoloft and I experienced about two to three weeks of increased symptoms.  Now that I am getting to the lower numbers of tapering I am so very pleased I am on the liquid, it is much easier than cutting pills, however it was indeed difficult for me to make that transition to liquid.  I know you are struggling and I wish you good luck in whatever you decide to do. The moderators here are wonderful and I know they will continue to advise and help.

[MollyN]

 

Hey Eleven10, some people do have trouble switching from tablets to liquid, or brand-name to generics, because of very small differences in formulation and absorbability. A liquid may be absorbed faster. But many people don't have difficulty with these switches or the impact passes quickly.

 

Personally, I had the same experience as RachelSusan (when I changed brands and when I changed tablet to liquid) about 3 weeks of upset, then settled. I too loved the ease in tapering with the liquid

 

 

[William]

Hi

I agree its not right, but its the cards being dealt and there is no easy way to the finsh line
the success stories all confirm recovery can take 3,4,5,6 years and yours could be round the corner, read them for inspiration.
reinstatement doesnt work for a lot of people and the longer you leave it, the less likely it is to work meaning more than likely, it could make things worse
i wish you well,

Wil

 

Edited November 2, 2017 by ChessieCat
extracted response

[Altostrata]

The liquid form gets into your system faster, but it lasts just as long.

 

How are you feeling now, eleven10? What is your daily symptom pattern, when do you take your drugs, and at what dosages? Please keep notes on paper.

[Eleven10]

WD has totally destroyed my brains ability to handle stress, I'm in the capability stage for my pt job and it's destroying me. I'm back to being filled with cortisol all night, it washes over me like hot larva and I'm totally non functioning during the day.  I have a theory and I may be way off but for me I think withdrawal going on for so long has changed my brain, the amydgla and the hippocampus can change in extreme stress situations. So maybe this whole protracted withdrawal is not just about waiting for the seratonin receptors to refurnish but maybe in some cases waiting it out is actually making things in other regions of the brain worse. Lots of people recover in time and are so happy they have but for other 5,6,7 or more years of extreme trauma is not just going to leave them fully functional. It's like an abuse victims suffering years of abuse and the whole time not only are not only  not believed by professionals but they are also made to think that there own vulnerabilitys are the reason for their suffering. For some people who were vulnerable to start with that is going to be seriously damaging 

My dr says the longer depression goes on the harder it is to recover and treat and that is the only thing that has ever come out of his mouth that makes sense. 

Lots of people despite being harmed by psychiatriic drugs are strong people and can take the cards that have been dealt to them and wait it out, but some more vulnerable people will sink lower and lower into the pit. 

I wish my dr would prescribe something to settle my CNS, like altro maybe the lamitical or something, I really feel if I could calm the over activity and crazy stress response I would see my brain attempting to heal its self and my body would follow suit. All this physical pain and fatigue is just a response to what's happening in my brain 

Unfortunetly I'm stuck with Prozac or mirtazapine and mirt had a horrible stimulation effect 2 years ago even at a very low dose so not touching that again 

15 hours ago, FSL said:

Oh and let me point out that I 100% agree with you on the fact that 4 years without recovering is way too much. People need to realise that although being on drugs is awful, being in a prolonged state of despair due to WD symptoms is way worse. Heart, the brain itself, limbic system is being damaged by forcing on holding off the drug.

Thank you FSL you really understand and it genuinely makes me feel a little less alone in the world thank you 

I have a lovely family and I'm extremely lucky to have them but I dont like to talk too honestly to them, I don't like to upset them. 

[joy2730]

Have you discussed taking an anticonvulsant like lamotrigine with your GP?  Or something similar as there are quite a few.

[Eleven10]

I think your mum has the right idea, if I had a time machine I would go back 4 years and stay on the Prozac or attempt to slowly taper. I think I would be very happy if I could get back on the Prozac but my brain is not happy at all with it. 

I'm the the psychiatrist on Tuesday I'm thinking of asking for lamotrigene, I'm not going to mention withdrawal again as she shuts me down but just say I would like to try it for depression. 

I just crave a bit of the energy I had when I was on Prozac or at least to feel human again 

 

 

[joy2730]

Hi Eleven10

 

I agree with the above post, it would be great if you could feel well again, even if it is on a drug of some sorts.  Life goes by incredibly quickly and you mustn't spend years of it being ill if it can be avoided, if there is a way out.  In a perfect world no one would take psychiatric meds but we do not live in an ideal world, or people would be able to hop on an off these drugs easily, but that is not the case and we have to accept that at this present time and work with where we are.

 

I think doctors get cross because they suspect that they are seeing illness rather than withdrawal and that the individual may be in denial.  No-one has an easy test to determine if it is illness or withdrawal.  But for now perhaps the only goal is that you feel better, so it doesn't matter whether it is illness or withdrawal.

 

My own doctor's attitude is that it is a waste of time even talking about the issue.

 

All the best for Tuesday

[Eleven10]

So I saw the psychiatrist yesterday. She will not give me lamotrigene, in fact she said she was quite close to refusing any medication because I'm not taking it properly or giving it a proper chance. She agrees I have had a bad experience with medication and she agrees they can cause severe withdrawal issues but cuts short of agreeing that they are still causing me issues. 

Despite this I quite like her, she has referred me to see a psychologist to help with my fear of medication.

she wants me to keep trying with the Prozac and I will try but I suspect it will be far too stimulating for my brain now. 

I have been sleeping a bit better but it's not nice sleep, it's dreamy and I sleep with my mouth open which only started in withdrawal. When I sleep like this I wake up anxious full of adrenaline, stiff and in pain and feel very very exhausted like my body is full of wet sand. I sit on the edge of the bed for hrs picking my fingers and trying the summon the energy to make a cup of tea and dress, the depression deepens through the day. I feel much better when I only sleep for 4 hrs, I'm tired but don't feel as depressed and exhausted. Prozac seemed to stop me dreaming when I used to take it and this is what made me less depressed. 

 

[Eleven10]

Thank you. 

Think I will stop the Prozac and try the clonidine again,  It dropped my bp but did reduce the agitation and light sensitivity and ear pain  a lot. 

I woke this morning very early and tried to go back to sleep, I was on the edge of it when next doors dog started barking and my brain flipped to survival mode and my body filled with Cortisol and adrenaline and obsessive thoughts filled my thinking . Depression and Withdrawal is tough but when it's relentless for years on end it destroys you. It's 2pm

here and I still can't muster the energy to dress yet even tho Iv been awake since 4.40am, I ran the bath at 7 but couldn't seem to find the strength to get in and need my mum to wash my hair because of the pain in my neck and spine. Can't even stomach a cup of tea lack of sleep makes me so queasy.

hoping the psychologist can help 

[William]

Glad to hear you have stopped the Prozac. 

Your answers lie in abstinence from ALL medications and treating your sensitive CNS with love, care and patience. You will recover one day. 

 

I wish you well

 

Will

[Eleven10]

1 hour ago, William said:

Glad to hear you have stopped the Prozac. 

Your answers lie in abstinence from ALL medications and treating your sensitive CNS with love, care and patience. You will recover one day. 

 

I wish you well

 

Will

Thanks but you really have no idea. I don't mean that in a rude way at all but you have no idea where my answers are, not really. I have been like this 4 years with no windows, I agree my cns is sensitive but I have to try for me and my family 

[baroquep]

Hi there, I am a little concerned that you are already considering stopping Prozac to start Clonidine ... these drugs should not be taken in the same way you would take an aspirin.  As psychotropic drugs change the way the central nervous system functions it is never a good idea to stop and start these medications abruptly.  My concern is that you are going to cause further disruption to your central nervous system and likely add additional time to your recovery.  In my opinion, it would be better for you to commit to a plan long-term to see if there is a way for you to alleviate your suffering and get securely onto the path of healing.  With respect to Prozac or any other antidepressant, once your central nervous system has been destabilized, it can sometimes take many months to stabilize and see a benefit but if you give up after three weeks, you will never have the opportunity to see whether this plan would have helped.  Reinstatement has helped many people get on the path to healing and hoping that you will reconsider discontinuing Prozac and at least try and settle on a lower dose. as suggested above, that would provide you with some benefit.  Respectfully, BaroqueP

Edited November 12, 2017 by baroquep

[gloworm]

Hi Eleven, I feel a lot like you.  Was reading a previous post as you get more rage after you slept more ?  This is what is happening to me ....I barely sleep now but its extremely toxic sleep .....do you have any idea as to why we feel worse ?  This is nothing short of a nightmare, I'm sorry for your suffering.  I have been wanting to retart the Prozac but fear is in my way, I am paralyzed by this paranoid agitated terror.  My head feels swishy inside too....I cant quit ruminating, obsessing ...I cant be alone ...

[Altostrata]

Eleven10, very few physicians of any sort understand how severe withdrawal syndrome can be, or how long it can last. It is entirely feasible that you are still suffering from it after 4 years.

 

If this psychiatrist has no constructive recommendations, why continue to see her? Any doctor can prescribe these drugs, perhaps your GP will do it without the pre-judgment.

 

A very low dose of lamotrigine could settle your nervous system. Please see One theory of antidepressant withdrawal syndrome

 

Lamictal to calm post-discontinuation withdrawal symptoms

[Eleven10]

3 hours ago, Altostrata said:

Eleven10, very few physicians of any sort understand how severe withdrawal syndrome can be, or how long it can last. It is entirely feasible that you are still suffering from it after 4 years.

 

If this psychiatrist has no constructive recommendations, why continue to see her? Any doctor can prescribe these drugs, perhaps your GP will do it without the pre-judgment.

 

A very low dose of lamotrigine could settle your nervous system. Please see One theory of antidepressant withdrawal syndrome

 

Lamictal to calm post-discontinuation withdrawal symptoms

I wish it was that easy to see another dr but the NHS doesn't work like that especially in  a poverty stricken city like mine. I wait 5 weeks to see my gp who is the most sympathetic to my issues in the practice, she will not prescribe anything off label without the psychiatrists approval who has already written to her saying I have an obsession with medication and I can have Prozac or mirtazapine. The psychiatrist covers 1000s of patents there is no option for me to see another one because there isn't one unless I pay private which is still no guarantee they will prescribe as I need a referral from my gp. 

I could buy it online i suppose but will worry about about the quality and source. 

It was dr Healy who suggested clonidine and it did help somewhat .i have asked him for lamotrigene but he doesn't prescribe to his withdrawal patents at all only recommends. 

Im not being negative I actually really want to be positive and try lamotrigene but it is very difficult to describe how hard it is to get a dr to prescribe off label here. 

[Eleven10]

11 hours ago, baroquep said:

Hi there, I am a little concerned that you are already considering stopping Prozac to start Clonidine ... these drugs should not be taken in the same way you would take an aspirin.  As psychotropic drugs change the way the central nervous system functions it is never a good idea to stop and start these medications abruptly.  My concern is that you are going to cause further disruption to your central nervous system and likely add additional time to your recovery.  In my opinion, it would be better for you to commit to a plan long-term to see if there is a way for you to alleviate your suffering and get securely onto the path of healing.  With respect to Prozac or any other antidepressant, once your central nervous system has been destabilized, it can sometimes take many months to stabilize and see a benefit but if you give up after three weeks, you will never have the opportunity to see whether this plan would have helped.  Reinstatement has helped many people get on the path to healing and hoping that you will reconsider discontinuing Prozac and at least try and settle on a lower dose. as suggested above, that would provide you with some benefit.  Respectfully, BaroqueP

That makes sense, it's just so hard when you so afraid of getting any worse. 

My brain really struggles with the sleep to wake for a few seconds there is severe panic in my body when I wake from dreamy sleep. I'm a naturally curious person and I wonder what mechanism causes that. It's horrible but it still interests me. 

I haven't started the clonidine yet so I'll hang off I know they don't work like aspirin I just get scared especially when people talk about kindling which I don't fully understand but I know it's bad:( 

thanks again 

[Eleven10]

11 hours ago, gloworm said:

Hi Eleven, I feel a lot like you.  Was reading a previous post as you get more rage after you slept more ?  This is what is happening to me ....I barely sleep now but its extremely toxic sleep .....do you have any idea as to why we feel worse ?  This is nothing short of a nightmare, I'm sorry for your suffering.  I have been wanting to retart the Prozac but fear is in my way, I am paralyzed by this paranoid agitated terror.  My head feels swishy inside too....I cant quit ruminating, obsessing ...I cant be alone ...

I'm so sorry gloworm it makes me sad to know you have experienced that too. I don't really know but I suspect it is something to do with the quality of the sleep and when we sleep more it's very  poor quality dreamy sleep. Prozac as many other ssris do stops or reduces dreaming and we overdream after we come off it. I suspect there are other things going on, I know sleep deprivation causes a temporary reduction in depresssive symptoms in people with severe depression it is thought to temporarily raise seratonin so it makes sense that more dreamy sleep may lower it. 

I'm no expert just things I have read but I know that it's very real and very severe and if you think a resin statement may help you should try it at a very low dose. I totally understand the fear though so zero judgement from me. 

Take care x

[Terry4949]

17 hours ago, baroquep said:

Hi there, I am a little concerned that you are already considering stopping Prozac to start Clonidine ... these drugs should not be taken in the same way you would take an aspirin.  As psychotropic drugs change the way the central nervous system functions it is never a good idea to stop and start these medications abruptly.  My concern is that you are going to cause further disruption to your central nervous system and likely add additional time to your recovery.  In my opinion, it would be better for you to commit to a plan long-term to see if there is a way for you to alleviate your suffering and get securely onto the path of healing.  With respect to Prozac or any other antidepressant, once your central nervous system has been destabilized, it can sometimes take many months to stabilize and see a benefit but if you give up after three weeks, you will never have the opportunity to see whether this plan would have helped.  Reinstatement has helped many people get on the path to healing and hoping that you will reconsider discontinuing Prozac and at least try and settle on a lower dose. as suggested above, that would provide you with some benefit.  Respectfully, BaroqueP

Sorry baroquep I find your post to eleven10 a bit undermining, you say you are concerned about her just stopping the Prozac to start clonidine , considering she stopped it 4 years ago and has been in hell since , eleven10 has only just gone back on a small amount of Prozac currently 3 mg we are led to believe on here that reinstating after 4 months is a crap shoot well eleven10 has been advised to reinstate by moderators on here after 4 years off , which I find bizarre, you say reinstatement has help many people get on the path to healing well I havnt seen many people on here that have reinstated after four years of and had much success . You say it can take many months for your nervous system to recover well eleven10 has had four years for hers to recover but she has found none no windows just endless suffering , I think before you give her advice maybe you should read her history , I think after four years eleven10 has at some point committed to a long term plan that you suggest that could alleviate her suffering , maybe she has lost the faith of her recovery as it can be ok for people who experience windows and can  live some sort of life but some people who hold on for years and see no improvement then maybe recovery is not always possible , 

 

[baroquep]

2 hours ago, Terry4949 said:

maybe recovery is not always possible

 

I'm not quite sure why you have taken such offence to my post to Eleven10 as it was written with much respect and concern for her well-being, particularly because she has been suffering for so long.  In case you are not aware, reinstatement of a very small dose is the only known way to alleviate withdrawal symptoms, and why this was recommended.    

 

It is my honest belief that each and everyone of us does eventually recover, but unfortunately recovery for some presents more of a challenge as is the case with Eleven10.  Because there are far too many unknowns about how the central nervous system actually functions and/or heals, in my opinion we need to explore all avenues to find the end result that is successful and that unfortunately that may require another long-term commitment to see it through.

You are welcome to follow whatever advice you find helps you personally, but will reiterate that my message to Eleven10 was in no way meant to be disrespectful nor undermining and I stand by the recommendations made to her personally as well as all of the well-researched information provided on this site.  

Edited November 12, 2017 by baroquep