Colton Posted September 6, 2021 Author Share Posted September 6, 2021 @Go2zero please get back to me as soon as possible because I need to take my next dose soon. I’m ready to go full on board with what you say. 7/10/2017 prozac titrated up to 20mg 25/6/2018 Fully off prozac after weening 15/11/2018 trintilix 5mg 15/1/2019 prozac 10mg 15/5/2019 prozac 20mg 15/7/2019 prozac 30mg 15/11/2019 prozac 20mg 15/11/2020 prozac 20mg abilify 2mg Weening off and then reinstating: 15/4/2021: Increased prozac and decreased abilify to ease withdrawals. 1mg abilify 25mg prozac. (30mg prozac and no abilify one day, and 20mg prozac and 2mg abilify the next day) 1/5/2021: weaned of prozac from 25mg went down to 20mg 15/5/2021: Went to 15mg prozac (20mg one day, 10mg the next day) 30/5/2021: 10mg prozac everyday 14/6/2021: 5mg prozac everyday (10mg every other day) 25/6/2021: no more pills 16/8/2021: reinstated 1mg prozac daily 26/8/2021: increased to 2mg prozac daily 1/9/2021: increased to 10mg prozac daily. After 5 days massive improvement and after 1-2 weeks withdrawals almost entirely gone! Link to comment
Moderator Go2zero Posted September 6, 2021 Moderator Share Posted September 6, 2021 7 hours ago, Colton said: So my doctors and family convinced me to up my dose of prozac. I was so hesitant to go fully up I kept second guessing myself and I moved up and down somewhat. In the end they convinced me to go to 10. August 26: started 2mg August 28: 2mg August 29: 5mg August 30: 2.5mg August 31: 2.5mg Sept 1-4: 10mg My symptoms have gotten worse. What should I do now? Do I have to wait to stabilize on 10? Or should I go back down? You say, your symptoms have gotten worse. When exactly did this start? What symptoms are you experiencing? Please understand that from all info you gave before, it seems quite clear that you are experiencing withdrawal from Prozac. In withdrawal symptoms come and go in patterns of waves and windows. The more we go up and down in dosage and the bigger the dosage changes are, the more we sensitize our nervous system. And the more extreme WD symptoms often become. You tapered much too fast before you stopped. Don't blame yourself for that. You did not know how to taper and most members here (including me) have made these mistakes. But going up to 10mg is asking for trouble in my opinion. Very often this makes things worse. Most often we do not get there where we were earlier when w took that dose. Simply, because our nervous system is so sensitized and upset because all changes. I posted above the chart with the SERT levels for Prozac. You can see how strong this drug is, even at low dosages. If I were you I would wait and see how things develop. There is no easy or fast fix for AD withdrawal. So I would sty on the 2 mg Prozac and wait. Knowing and accepting that only time, trust and acceptance are the big healers. We know most doctors try to convince to go back to a "therapeutic" dose. The experience here is that this makes things worse most often.... But in the end you decide what to do. Not we, not your doctors.... 1993 Anafranil (Clomipramine) for a few months. Later in 1993 Paxil for a few months 1993- 2006 No medication 2006 Effexor, Cymbalta, some Benzo’s. All for short periods. Later in 2006 Lexapro (escitalopram) 10 mg and shortly after Wellbutrin XR 150mg, against side effects Lexapro Since 2006 until end of 2015: Several times on and off Lexapro and Wellbutrin and several slight dosage changes. Mostly taken dosages: 5mg Lexapro and 150mg Wellbutrin 2016 Dosage change Lexapro from 5mg to 2,5 mg. Wellbutrin stayed om 150mg November 2016 – April 2017 Down from 2,5mg to 0,6mg Lexapro (in steps) without much problems. Wellbutrin down from 150mg to 66mg. Also without much problems. April 2017 – March 2019 Lexapro 0,6 mg April 2017 - August 2018 Wellbutrin in small steps down from 66mg in to 37,5 mg . Quite heavy WD after each step. March 2019 – May 2019 Lexapro down from 0,6 to 0,3mg then Prozac to 0,6 mg switch because severe discontinuation effects (may also have been from Wellbutrin..) Wellbutrin down from 37,5mg to 35,3mg October 2019 Seroquel 12,5 mg for 4 weeks because of extreme sleeping problems, then weaning off in 2 weeks Prozac up dosage to 1,2 mg March 2020 Wellbutrin in 2 steps down from 35,3mg to 33,3mg Extreme withdrawal effects during 8 months. Stopped tapering Wellbutrin until total off Prozac. February 2020 – November 2020 Prozac down in steps from 1,2mg to 0,57mg. Jan 2021 : Prozac down to: 0,55> 0,53>0,51mg, Feb 0,47mg , Mar 0,42mg, Apr 0,37, longer hold because of WD symptoms July 0,36 and hold again, Sept 19 0,35, Sept 26 0,34mg, Oct 3 0,33mg Long hold of 172 days until March 2022 January 20, 2022: Wellbutrin from 33,3 to 32,3mg March 22, 2022 Prozac down from 0,33mg to: 0,30mg, Apr 0,29, May 0,28, 0,27, June 0,26, 0,25, July 0,24, 0,23, 0,22, 0,21, Aug 0,20, 0,19 Sep 0,18, Oct 0,17. 0,16, 0,15, Nov 0,14 Jan 2023 0,13, 0,12, 0,11 Feb 0,10, 0,09 Mar 0,08 , June 0,07 , July 0,06, 0,05, Aug 0,04, 0,03, Sept 0,026, 0,024 Nov 0,022, 0,019, 0,016, 0,013 Dec 0,012, 0,011, 0,010, 0,009 Jan 2024 0,008, 0,007, 0,006, 0,005, 0,004, 0,003, 0,002, 0,001, Feb 0,0007. 0,0005, 0,0003, 0,0001, Feb 23, 2024: 0,00000 Wellbutrin resume tapering: Apr 2024 31,6mg, 30,8, 30,0 , May 29,1, Supplements: Fish Oil (3000mg), Magnesium 100 mg, 2 drops of Lavender Oil, only when feeling extreme anxiety. 50mg of L-Theanine only when severe discontinuation effects caused by Wellbutrin Please note this is NOT a medical advice. Discuss all your medical issues with a doctor who understands psychical drugs and really knows how to withdraw from them. I wish that you will find one. Link to comment
Colton Posted September 6, 2021 Author Share Posted September 6, 2021 Hi, thanks for the response. So yes I have been experiencing more physical symptoms now that I have increased my dose. I have been experiencing naseau and flu like symptoms and fatigue also some very very dark thoughts. I have been taking 10mg for the last 4 days. The symptoms started more when I upped my dosage. Do you think I should stay on 10mg or should I go back down to a lower dose like 2mg? Remeber I have been varying my dosage somewhat the last week or so because I have been so unsure of myself. This is what my dosages have been the last while. August 16-25: 1mg August 26: started 2mg August 27: 2mg August 28: 2mg August 29: 5mg August 30: 2.5mg August 31: 2.5mg Sept 1-4: 10mg I will update this information in my signature soon. I went to them emergency room today, and the doctor actually told me to put trust in this forum because he admitted the medical science dosent have all the answers. With this reassurance from the doctor I am ready to fully commit to anything you recommend. However, I know that going up and down in dosages more is not good. So should I stay at the 10mg that I have already been taking for the last 4 days or should I go back down to a lower dose? 7/10/2017 prozac titrated up to 20mg 25/6/2018 Fully off prozac after weening 15/11/2018 trintilix 5mg 15/1/2019 prozac 10mg 15/5/2019 prozac 20mg 15/7/2019 prozac 30mg 15/11/2019 prozac 20mg 15/11/2020 prozac 20mg abilify 2mg Weening off and then reinstating: 15/4/2021: Increased prozac and decreased abilify to ease withdrawals. 1mg abilify 25mg prozac. (30mg prozac and no abilify one day, and 20mg prozac and 2mg abilify the next day) 1/5/2021: weaned of prozac from 25mg went down to 20mg 15/5/2021: Went to 15mg prozac (20mg one day, 10mg the next day) 30/5/2021: 10mg prozac everyday 14/6/2021: 5mg prozac everyday (10mg every other day) 25/6/2021: no more pills 16/8/2021: reinstated 1mg prozac daily 26/8/2021: increased to 2mg prozac daily 1/9/2021: increased to 10mg prozac daily. After 5 days massive improvement and after 1-2 weeks withdrawals almost entirely gone! Link to comment
Moderator Go2zero Posted September 6, 2021 Moderator Share Posted September 6, 2021 1 hour ago, Colton said: I have been experiencing naseau and flu like symptoms and fatigue also some very very dark thoughts. I have been taking 10mg for the last 4 days. The symptoms started more when I upped my dosage. Do you think I should stay on 10mg or should I go back down to a lower dose like 2mg? For me a signal that you react negatively on a too high dosage after reinstating. Reinstating is only meant to lower the WD symptoms. Too little dose does not work for that. Too much can give negative (or adverse) reactions and may make withdrawal symptoms worse. 1 hour ago, Colton said: However, I know that going up and down in dosages more is not good. So should I stay at the 10mg that I have already been taking for the last 4 days or should I go back down to a lower dose? I think best is to go down immediately to a level of 2mg. The fact that you took 10mg does not say that you adapted to that already. However all these dosage changes do not good. But going back to 2mg can help in stabilizing. I advise you to stay at such a dose. As said often, the more you change the more upset your system may become. Stabilizing is the "magic" word.... The few high dosages of 10mg will be "forgotten" by your system over time. Because of long half life of prozac give that time as well. 1993 Anafranil (Clomipramine) for a few months. Later in 1993 Paxil for a few months 1993- 2006 No medication 2006 Effexor, Cymbalta, some Benzo’s. All for short periods. Later in 2006 Lexapro (escitalopram) 10 mg and shortly after Wellbutrin XR 150mg, against side effects Lexapro Since 2006 until end of 2015: Several times on and off Lexapro and Wellbutrin and several slight dosage changes. Mostly taken dosages: 5mg Lexapro and 150mg Wellbutrin 2016 Dosage change Lexapro from 5mg to 2,5 mg. Wellbutrin stayed om 150mg November 2016 – April 2017 Down from 2,5mg to 0,6mg Lexapro (in steps) without much problems. Wellbutrin down from 150mg to 66mg. Also without much problems. April 2017 – March 2019 Lexapro 0,6 mg April 2017 - August 2018 Wellbutrin in small steps down from 66mg in to 37,5 mg . Quite heavy WD after each step. March 2019 – May 2019 Lexapro down from 0,6 to 0,3mg then Prozac to 0,6 mg switch because severe discontinuation effects (may also have been from Wellbutrin..) Wellbutrin down from 37,5mg to 35,3mg October 2019 Seroquel 12,5 mg for 4 weeks because of extreme sleeping problems, then weaning off in 2 weeks Prozac up dosage to 1,2 mg March 2020 Wellbutrin in 2 steps down from 35,3mg to 33,3mg Extreme withdrawal effects during 8 months. Stopped tapering Wellbutrin until total off Prozac. February 2020 – November 2020 Prozac down in steps from 1,2mg to 0,57mg. Jan 2021 : Prozac down to: 0,55> 0,53>0,51mg, Feb 0,47mg , Mar 0,42mg, Apr 0,37, longer hold because of WD symptoms July 0,36 and hold again, Sept 19 0,35, Sept 26 0,34mg, Oct 3 0,33mg Long hold of 172 days until March 2022 January 20, 2022: Wellbutrin from 33,3 to 32,3mg March 22, 2022 Prozac down from 0,33mg to: 0,30mg, Apr 0,29, May 0,28, 0,27, June 0,26, 0,25, July 0,24, 0,23, 0,22, 0,21, Aug 0,20, 0,19 Sep 0,18, Oct 0,17. 0,16, 0,15, Nov 0,14 Jan 2023 0,13, 0,12, 0,11 Feb 0,10, 0,09 Mar 0,08 , June 0,07 , July 0,06, 0,05, Aug 0,04, 0,03, Sept 0,026, 0,024 Nov 0,022, 0,019, 0,016, 0,013 Dec 0,012, 0,011, 0,010, 0,009 Jan 2024 0,008, 0,007, 0,006, 0,005, 0,004, 0,003, 0,002, 0,001, Feb 0,0007. 0,0005, 0,0003, 0,0001, Feb 23, 2024: 0,00000 Wellbutrin resume tapering: Apr 2024 31,6mg, 30,8, 30,0 , May 29,1, Supplements: Fish Oil (3000mg), Magnesium 100 mg, 2 drops of Lavender Oil, only when feeling extreme anxiety. 50mg of L-Theanine only when severe discontinuation effects caused by Wellbutrin Please note this is NOT a medical advice. Discuss all your medical issues with a doctor who understands psychical drugs and really knows how to withdraw from them. I wish that you will find one. Link to comment
Colton Posted September 20, 2021 Author Share Posted September 20, 2021 Hello, Just wanted to give an update. Some big things have happened to me, so please read. So I have been taking 10mg of prozac for about 3 weeks now, and my withdrawal symptoms are almost completely gone. It was a huge decision for me to go onto 10mg because I was so conflicted between advice on this forum and doctors. I was experiencing SEVERE withdrawl, and it was truly one of the most horrible things I have ever experienced and I didn’t want to make it worse by going on too high of a dose. I was in such a tough spot, I went to emergency 3 times in 2 weeks. Finally I got in contact with a psychiatrist who came highly recommended by my psychologist that I trust dearly. This psychiatrist was very understanding, and even acknowledged this forum as having some good information. She even sent me a this link for more information. https://psychscenehub.com/psychinsights/diagnosis-and-management-of-antidepressant-withdrawal-the-hyperbolic-curve-and-ssri-withdrawal-2/ This website even acknowledged SA! She also said she had clinical and personal experience with SSRI withdrawl and recommended that I go back onto 10mg. She said by the 5th day I would start to feel relief. She really said everything I needed to hear to gain my trust, so I took the leap and went to 10mg. For the first few days I felt worse, and I thought I made a huge mistake, I even made a post on SA and asked about going back to 2mg. I’m so glad I didn’t though, because on the 5th day like clock work, I noticed I felt better. In the following days my withdrawal symptoms melted away, it was truly a miraculous feeling. The brain zaps, the dizziness, the vomiting, the crazy bizarre sensations I couldn’t explain, they rapidly went away over the next week. I couldn’t believe it. It was like I got a second chance at life. I was preparing to drop out of school and move in with my parents, and I was expecting recovery to take months or even years. Now I am back at school taking a full course load in engineering. 3 weeks ago I could barely walk around the block. Moral of the story: From the advice of my family friends and doctors, I decided to reinstate a relatively high dose of prozac to ease withdrawl symptoms. Although it worked wonders for me, I do not recommend this to everyone. It is safer to start at a lower dose and work your way up. However, my experience may be something you want to keep on the back burner. If reinstating at a low dose isn’t working, you may want to consider continuing to increase (not in large amounts though). I think this is particularly true for the longer half life SSRI’s like prozac which I had withdrawals from. For those of you that are experiencing withdrawals, I am so incredibly sorry that you have to go through this. I know exactly what it feels like, and to put it extremely lightly, it ******* sucks. Keep pushing, gather information and advice, and remember the beauty of life, because in a little while you will see it again for yourself. @Kat66 reading some of your posts helped me feel a little less alone when I was in the depths of my withdrawals. It meant a lot to me when you reached out and asked how I was doing. From the bottom of my heart, I hope you can find some peace and relief. If you are ever struggling, remember that you helped another person get through their most challenging time, and soon you will get through yours as well ❤️ @Go2zero thank you for your quick reply's and insight. I wish you luck on your journey! 1 7/10/2017 prozac titrated up to 20mg 25/6/2018 Fully off prozac after weening 15/11/2018 trintilix 5mg 15/1/2019 prozac 10mg 15/5/2019 prozac 20mg 15/7/2019 prozac 30mg 15/11/2019 prozac 20mg 15/11/2020 prozac 20mg abilify 2mg Weening off and then reinstating: 15/4/2021: Increased prozac and decreased abilify to ease withdrawals. 1mg abilify 25mg prozac. (30mg prozac and no abilify one day, and 20mg prozac and 2mg abilify the next day) 1/5/2021: weaned of prozac from 25mg went down to 20mg 15/5/2021: Went to 15mg prozac (20mg one day, 10mg the next day) 30/5/2021: 10mg prozac everyday 14/6/2021: 5mg prozac everyday (10mg every other day) 25/6/2021: no more pills 16/8/2021: reinstated 1mg prozac daily 26/8/2021: increased to 2mg prozac daily 1/9/2021: increased to 10mg prozac daily. After 5 days massive improvement and after 1-2 weeks withdrawals almost entirely gone! Link to comment
Kat66 Posted September 21, 2021 Share Posted September 21, 2021 @ColtonI am so glad you’ve found a path that’s working for you, do you intend to come off the Prozac eventually? I hope you keep posting updates on here. Thank you for your kind words too. They mean a lot! Xx History of depression and anxiety. Symptoms of PTSD. 1998-1999 Venlafaxine 2006-2007 Prozac.2013-15 Sertraline 50mg. 2015 cross-tapered to citalopram 20mg. 2015-2021 Citalopram 20mg (brief increase to 30mg for 2/3 months in 2019. 01/2021 Dropped from 20mg to 10mg, back up to 20mg til June. 25/6/21 stopped CT. Started 50mg 5htp after a week without citalopram in the hope this would balance out my serotonin levels. After 3 days increased to 100mg 5htp. 11/7/21 Stopped 5htp with the intention of reinstating citalopram at 1mg. 16/7/21 Reinstated cit at 1mg. 2/8/21 Increased dose to 2mg. 28/11/21 10% reduction to 1.8mg. 8/12/21 2mg 6/1/22 1.8mg 10/2/22 1.6mg 13/5/22 1.5mg 4/6/22 1.55mg 4/7/22 1.4mg 4/8/22 1.25mg 1/11/22 1.1mg 3/3/23 1mg 18/4/23 0.9mg 2/6/23 0.8mg 4/10/23 0.7mg 11/11/23 jumped off @0.7mg started on 5htp 200mg -400mg, L-Theanine, and L-tyrosine 200mg. 25/11/23 came off 5-htp, l-tyrosine and l-Theanine. 24/12/23 went on 7.5mg mirtazapine. 27/12/23 stopped mirtazapine & reinstated citalopram @.35mg. 1/1/24 increased to 0.5mg. PTSD diagnosis October 2023. 11/11/23 started EMDR therapy for PTSD. Multiple unsuccessful attempts to taper off citalopram. Vegan, otherwise healthy lifestyle. Other medications; tapering off combined HRT. Other supplements; magnesium glycinate, vegan omega3. Completely OFF caffeine (since July 21). Finding it difficult to completely give up alcohol but haven’t had any since 25/12/23. Main symptoms; crushing depression, anhedonia/emotional anesthesia, irritability, rage, anxiety/fear, intrusive thoughts, cognitive fog, inability to focus, restlessness and some insomnia 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