PeaceLove: PAWS and tapering another Rx

[PeaceLove]

I've never participated in a website like this before so much to learn and navigate. . .  I decided to bridge with Prozac for my second attempt to get off Cymbalta. I started Prozac in 11/2021 and am currently still on it. I've been off Cymbalta since 12/06/2021 but in January I started having similar problems to the last time I slowly went off Cymbalta (4 years ago and endured 6 months of problems so severe I went back on). So I'm looking for PAWS links and information, looking for advice on if I should even bother trying to convince my doctor who is currently trying to diagnose all my various problems because he doesn't believe they are related to Cymbalta withdrawal, and thirdly I am working on getting comfortable scheduling my Prozac taper. (I feel like that was hard to follow, much like my internal thoughts these days.) I'm so thankful for finding this site.

[Altostrata]

Welcome, @PeaceLove

 

How do you feel currently on Prozac? How has your symptom pattern changed since you started it?

[PeaceLove]

Thanks for asking. My symptoms were severe the first time I went off Cymbalta after a year of tapering (but faster than 5% as I've since learned is recommended) and I didn't not take Prozac. After 6 months of hell off Cymbalta, I restarted it with no problems (which I've since learned is rare). This time I started Prozac before I tapered the Cymbalta (once again faster than 5% as I didn't know better) and my symptoms are less severe and not daily unlike last time I went off Cymbalta. So, in hindsight, I guess I'm not suffering from PAWS. I'm wondering how much of a problem people have tapering off Prozac? And will it trigger my Cymbalta withdrawl symptoms? Sorry if this is confusing.

[ChessieCat]

The SA taper rate of no more than 10% of current dose followed by a hold of at least 4 weeks to allow the brain to adapt to not getting as much of the drug is only a guide.  SA encourages members to listen to their body/symptoms and to hold on a dose if you are not at "withdrawal normal" - see links below. 

 

The thing for you to note is that Prozac has a very long half life - see Post #1 of the Tips for Taper Prozac topic linked below.  This means that withdrawal symptoms may not appear until 2-3 weeks after reducing your dose.

 

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

Dr Joseph Glenmullen's WD Symptoms Checklist

 

Tips for tapering off fluoxetine (Prozac)

 

Stability

 

WDnormal

 

And Brassmonkey talks more about it here:

 

tao-of-the-brassmonkey

[PeaceLove]

Thanks for all the information! I'm still finding my way around this site full of information so I appreciate the links too. I'll read up before proceeding.

[Altostrata]

On 3/8/2022 at 5:53 PM, PeaceLove said:

my symptoms are less severe and not daily unlike last time I went off Cymbalta

 

What symptoms do you get, and how often?

[PeaceLove]

Last time (4 years ago) I had:
diarrhea (almost daily for 6 months),
fingers and hands felt like they were in a vise & frozen (each day was different - some days could not use hands, other days no problems),
painful & tight forearms that felt like multiple muscle spasms (each day was different - a few episodes were incredibly painful, most days were more limiting on activities than painful, other days no problems)

ANXIETY that worsened each month (24/7 by month 5 when it was debilitating & I couldn't be left alone)
shivering of the torso without being cold (worse in the first couple of months, no problem in later months)
painful tingling in genitals upon standing (worse in the first couple of months, no problem in later months)

This time my I've had:

diarrhea (1-3 week long episodes in each of these months: July, August, September, October,  & January )

fingers and hands felt like they were in a vise & frozen (3 week episode in January ),

painful & tight forearms that felt like multiple muscle spasms (3 week episode in January)

extreme irritability and not really any other emotion for more than a few minutes at at time (daily Nov - Feb)

shivering of the torso without being cold (average of every other day for 1-2 weeks in January)

~ new problem: intense, short lived pain in hip flexor immediately before right leg buckles, at times minor, other times I almost fall. Started back in October when leg would get "stuck" upon standing sometimes for first couple of steps then be ok. Progressed to daily for 3 weeks in December, went away until March. Starting again but not as bad nor frequent. Could be unrelated to drug regimen. I've seen ortho who is sending me to physical therapy but doesn't really have a good answer for why it's happening. He believes it's muscular.

~new problem: I kinda lost my mind. Not sure how to put it but I was not acting like myself for 2 weeks in March despite no circumstantial/environmental changes. Argumentative, trying to pick verbal fights, increased anxiety. Difficult to explain but once it passed I just felt like I could roll with life again rather than feeling everything was an emergency despite nothing being out of the ordinary during those 2 weeks. My partner said it was like I disappeared and someone else was in my place.

 

Once again, thank you thank you thank you for sharing, reading, and responding. I found the facebook pages dealing with this completely overwhelming and not useful as nobody went in depth enough. It was hard to even carry on a conversation.

 

 

[Altostrata]

What symptoms lessened after you started Prozac, and when did they lessen? Which are most prominent now, what times of day are they worse or better?

[PeaceLove]

Last time I didn't take Prozac. This time I started Prozac in early November but didn't stop the Cymbalta until early December. I didn't have any symptoms (other than diarrhea as mentioned above) until November. Some symptoms currently might be a little worse in the evening but not always. I've taken all meds always in the morning. I appreciate how detailed you are in your questions.

[Altostrata]

Thanks, this is our process. We're much more interested than doctors in your history and symptoms.

 

What times o'clock do you take your drugs, with their dosages? What times of day are your symptoms worse or better, and which symptoms?

[PeaceLove]

I take 10mg of Prozac between 7am & 9:30am each day. I'm experiencing what I think this site called waves and windows; currently in a window for the most part. I don't currently have symptoms every day but when I do they are mostly - but not always - in afternoon & evening. The hand & finger problem described above is most days right now but mild. This week, no other symptoms. I'm nervous to start the Prozac tapering without knowing what each week holds with Cymbalta withdrawl symptoms as I don't want to "double" the problems. I hope I'm explaining things clearly enough.