Moonstoneblue: just come off Prozac

[bubble]

Hello moonstone and sorry you are feeling upset.

 

Do you think you have to do what the doctor tells you? I thought you were making your own liquid. So you only need a doctor to get a prescription. We are all here because the vast majority of doctors don't know anything about tapering (and get very upset if patients try to teach them something).

 

It is normal that stabilisation after a successful reinstatement comes in windows and waves. So don't feel scared if you have periods where you symptoms pay a visit.

[moonstoneblue]

Hi Bubble, thank you for replying.

 

Hehe, I guess I don't have to do what they say

I guess I'll carry on with the self tapering then

 

Ok, I thought it was the stabalising happening. It's been a funny old day.

Tonight will be my fifth night of 5mg prozac. I can't wait to stop taking all together. When I was on prozac I noticed I'd have a lot of hand tremors, blurred vision, itchy eyes, blurred vision and poor memory, when I came off all together these all stopped, but the last two nights I've had itchy eyes again and headaches, I'll have to ride it out though. I don't know if prozac can cause itchy eyes, but I found it strange it stopped as soon as I stopped taking them.

[kyloren]

Hi moonstone. I'm also coming off Prozac (five years) like you. I just don't want to be on the stuff anymore. I haven't reinstated a small dose yet. For multiple and possibly foolish reasons. Don't want to go back to the doctor. Don't want the hassle of measuring. Don't want to take it ever again. That tune may change if I continue the WD symptoms. Up until now I've only really had symptoms that showed up for a day or so. These past two days they have hit hard (I'm approaching three months without a dose).

 

Like you I have experienced intense anger that is not like me. I've also experienced anxiety and depression, the latter in particularly strong waves that really bother me.

 

These last two days I've been able to fight it off by running. Whatever works.

 

Wishing you wellness and joy. We can do this!

[moonstoneblue]

Hi Getting Started

No, I was exactly like you about reinstating, I really wanted to stick to my guns and ride it out, but I started feeling a little odd so reinstated. It only took me a few days to feel a little odd but I'm not sure if that was from the sertraline in my system.

 

Running is something I think I'd like to do to help me, it's just I have no motivation or energy at the moment to get going (not sure if I'm anemic again). But I think running and exercise is a really good idea.

 

We can definitely do this, we can kick prozac's ass

[moonstoneblue]

Thought I'd mention this because I don't know if it could mean anything but every night when I take my 5mg Prozac about 2 hours of taking it I get anxious, such bad anxiety and nervousness I have to run for the loo. Not sure what's going on there.

[moonstoneblue]

So it's been a week since I've been on 5mg of Prozac. I feel pretty good most of the time, a bit tired at times. I had an anxiety attack last night though because I was meant to have a blood test today (the doctor thinks I'm anemic) I had such an attack I couldn't go in the end. I have cbt tomorrow, so I'm hoping that will help with things.

I've also started taking turmeric the last two days, I know it's probably naughty to add something at this stage but I couldn't help myself.

[AliG]

Hi Moon . Try , if you can to keep notes through this process. It will help you look back & possibly see any patterns emerging , particularly if you are trialing a few things at once. Personally , I would give the supplements a miss, for now while you are reinstating . It just confuses , the issue. 

 

Rate symptoms daily to track patterns and progress

[Fresh]

Hi Moonstone ,  it's very relevant that you've written about the effects the reinstatement is having - itchy eyes , blurred

vision etc.    I suspect the dose may be too high.  

Would you consider decreasing the dose to see if those symptoms resolve?

[Altostrata]

Thought I'd mention this because I don't know if it could mean anything but every night when I take my 5mg Prozac about 2 hours of taking it I get anxious, such bad anxiety and nervousness I have to run for the loo. Not sure what's going on there.

 

Is this still going on regularly? How about the itchy eyes and headaches?

 

So it's been a week since I've been on 5mg of Prozac. I feel pretty good most of the time, a bit tired at times. I had an anxiety attack last night though because I was meant to have a blood test today (the doctor thinks I'm anemic) I had such an attack I couldn't go in the end. I have cbt tomorrow, so I'm hoping that will help with things.

I've also started taking turmeric the last two days, I know it's probably naughty to add something at this stage but I couldn't help myself.

 

What time of day do you take Prozac?

 

Do you also have health anxiety?

[moonstoneblue]

Hi everyone, thank you for replying I do write a diary of my symptoms.

I take my Prozac at 10:30pm before bed.

I've not been sleeping at all most nights, I've become a bit of an insomniac, once I fall asleep though I sleep quite heavily.

 

 

The itchy eyes use to happen really badly on the full dose of 20mg Prozac, as did the blurred vision, since I'm on 5mg it's much better.

 

I do think I have health anxiety ???? I'm seeing a cbt therapist tomorrow for the first time so I'll be seeing if she can help me. I do really need a blood test but my fear is so strong I can't even move when I think about it. I've been anemic in the past and I'm very pale at the moment so I'm pretty certain I am anemic.

[Fresh]

"Posted 14 March 2016 - 02:30 PM

Been feeling tired but ok today, but tonight my anxiety feels high, it's even making me asthmatic"

Posted 15 March:

 "When I was on prozac I noticed I'd have a lot of hand tremors, blurred vision, itchy eyes, blurred vision and poor memory, when I came off all together these all stopped, but the last two nights I've had itchy eyes again and headaches, "

 

Did the breathing difficulties just come back since you reinstated?  Has it happened often / regularly? What asthma meds. do you use?   Did the episodes stop or lessen  when you were off prozac?

 

Lots of questions , I know , But I'm trying to tease out what symptoms were better while you were off prozac and are back / worse now.

 

[moonstoneblue]

I think I've always felt a bit asthmatic when I panic about something. I'm only on inhalers for asthma that I only take at night. I take sanutamol and beclometasone. I only feel that weird asthmatic feeling during an intense panic though.

 

I think I'm ok now. I'm looking forward to cbt to help control things a bit.

Feeling pretty good right now on the 5mg of Prozac. I'm going back to work next week too.

Still have insomnia though.

[Fresh]

From www.drugs.com , Interaction Checker

 

Interactions between your selected drugs

Moderate fluoxetine  albuterol

Applies to: Prozac (fluoxetine), albuterol

Using albuterol together with FLUoxetine can increase the risk of an irregular heart rhythm that may be serious and potentially life-threatening, although it is a rare side effect. You may be more susceptible if you have a heart condition called congenital long QT syndrome, other cardiac diseases, conduction abnormalities, or electrolyte disturbances (for example, magnesium or potassium loss due to severe or prolonged diarrhea or vomiting). 

 

[moonstoneblue]

Oh wow fresh, that is pretty damn scary :/ you'd think doctors wouldn't give both of those together. I'm speechless.

[Fresh]

Yup ,  the other thing is that if breathing difficulties are a side-effect of meds. , that's not asthma.  A broncho-dilator may or may not help - it often doesn't.

Try to keep those meds. to a minimum.

 

Hopefully your insomnia will settle down soon.   You might try taking the prozac a couple of hours earlier ,

or even switching it to a morning dose.   

My gut feeling is that 5mg is too high , and I'd take it down to 3mg if I were you.

[moonstoneblue]

The breathing thing only happens when I'm having bad anxiety, so I don't know if that is why? If it's part of an anxiety attack. Bad thing is when I feel asthmatic like that I take my inhaler lol.

I could take my Prozac down to 3mg though, I can't wait to get off the stuff now

Thank you so much Fresh, I would never have dreamt there could be an interaction with them both.

[ChessieCat]

Hi Moonstoneblue,

 

Sounds like you might need a bit of Aussie Dr Claire Weekes' help:  Audio:  How to Recover from Anxiety - Dr Claire Weekes

[moonstoneblue]

Hi Chessie Cat, I will take a look, thank you so much for the link

[moonstoneblue]

Hi thought I'd update. I had my first day back at work today, everyone was lovely and it was like I'd never been away but I felt a little overwhelmed and tired, but I'm ok having my first proper session of cbt next Saturday too.

[Altostrata]

Good to hear, how much Prozac are you taking now?

 

Be sure not to take on too much for a while -- maintain low stress.

[moonstoneblue]

Hey Alostrata I'm still on 5mg, feel like I'm coping alright on that, so haven't wanted to push anything though tonight my dose was a fraction lower than 5mg, by hardly anything though.

My boss has told me to take it easy and I can always go take a minute if it gets too much. I don't feel anxious at the moment at all, just very tired I think I am anemic though.

When my anxiety was high I hardly ate, even feeling a bit full left me panicking in case I was sick. Plus I was on omeprazole which I reckon depleted me of b12 :/

[Fresh]

So pleased you"e coming good MSB.

Are you still taking omeprazole?  Did you stop taking it suddenly? 

[moonstoneblue]

Thank you fresh, I'm still worried because it's early days but I'm trying not to think of it too much, though it crosses my mind.

Yeah, I did stop the omeprazole cold turkey ???? but I've been fine. I only took them because the Prozac gave me awful heartburn. I'd wake up with it all the time.

[moonstoneblue]

Sorry I'm back again. Woke up this morning so tired and fatigued. I actually felt so awful I felt like I was dying. Had anxiety attacks, tiny ones on my hours journey to work. Anxiety went as soon as I got to work and my friend and colleague gave me a hug. So exhausted tonight, went for a lie down after work and the whole time I was lying down I felt like I was falling. My mum is worried I have ME or something as every time I've been out the next day I'm shattered. Ugh. One more day at work now before a day off. Need to get through this.

[Fresh]

It's going to be hard for a while Moonstone.   Recovery comes slowly , and you need to be gentle on yourself.  

  

Your stamina will come back in time.  

You've just had a major hiccup , but look at how much better you are now that 2 weeks ago.

How is your sleep the past few nights?

[moonstoneblue]

That's true, I feel so much more different to two weeks ago. More positive, and my eyesight is so much better too

 

I wasn't so tired today as I was yesterday. I seem to fall asleep much better too. Just some days I'm so exhausted, I actually thought I was going to die yesterday.

 

I know worrying won't solve or help the future but I still worry how I'm going to be in the next few months. I feel quite happy and cheery in my self lately.

I could never have done all of this if I hadn't found this forum, I'm so so grateful to all of you who spend your free time helping us all. Thank you

[moonstoneblue]

I think I'm hitting a tricky spot! My period. Been feeling slightly bitchy and tonight I feel depressed. Have always felt depressed before my monthly (even on Prozac). I feel like crying tonight and I really don't want to work tomorrow, though I know I have to. I need to be brave and ignore these depressed feelings.

[KarenB]

Hey, it is a tricky spot - at least you've recognised what's causing it.  Go ahead and have a good cry, then follow it up with a hot bath and a cup of cocoa.

 

The way hormones work, you may feel a bit more resilient come morning. 

 

Karen

x

[moonstoneblue]

Thank you Karen I think it was the night and the hormones. I got up just wanting to get back into bed and hiding, but I got to work and perked up.

Ugh. I think the hormonal bit is going to be odd.

[moonstoneblue]

Hey everyone I thought I'd pop back to update.

I'm on 4mg of Prozac now, I went down to 4mg last week.

I had my first monthly since tapering also and I don't know if it was the tapering or lack of Prozac but I have been quite a moody moo this period. ???? I don't tend to be so moody on my monthly (except when I was younger). So I'm not sure if maybe I'll be a monster every month now, which scares me a little. But maybe when everything settles down I'll be ok.

I've been in a fairly good mood apart from the hormonal parts. Been thinking clearly, I think my anemia is going, I've been doing a little bit of toning / weight exercise to tone up.

I've had a session of cbt but hopefully on my next appointment will start getting somewhere.

 

I don't know if anyone else has found this but when I was on ADs I tended to let people's horrible comments or remarks fly over my head, but now if someone says anything I come back at them with a quick answer. I don't know if I like this as I'm more likely to get into an argument and I hate conflict, before though I could hardly even think of a reply ????

[Fresh]

You are becoming irritable because you cut 20% from your dose last week.

 

" 2016 - 11th March Reinstated 5mg prozac."

 

We advised staying on this dose for a good 2 months after your recent hiccup. Two weeks is not long enough

for your brain to stabilize and recover.

[moonstoneblue]

Oh, I thought I was told to go down to 3mg, so I thought I'd get down to 3mg but do it slowly. Hmm.

 

I'm back to myself after my monthly though.

[Fresh]

I may have missed something Moonstone , where does it say anything about going from 5mg to 3mg?

[moonstoneblue]

Umm on a post from March 20th. I was just trying to make a compromise by doing it in the way I have been.

 

I'm feeling pretty good though, my hormones just felt strong this month.

[Fresh]

I see , lol @ the comment was from me.

 

The thing is , you've been taking 5mg for another 10 (?) days since then. So you'd been on 5mg for around 3 weeks.

That's a different situation to when the comment was posted.

It was relevant at the time it was posted , not helpful a week , two weeks later.

 

The thing your brain needs now more than anything is stability. Each time you change your dose shakes

it up again.

If you want to do this safely , you can always ask for input here before you drop your dose.

[moonstoneblue]

Hi, I'm back again. I've been getting on great lately, been enjoying things and cbt counselling has been going well.

I'm 5 days away from my period now and I'm having very bad, painful cramps, I'm also feeling pretty depressed (only tonight though).

I'm still on 4mg of Prozac. I've been eating well, not really sleeping well though.

I think the depression I'm feeling tonight is from my period being not so far away.

Is it normal to feel depressed like this before my monthly now?