Jasminecat: trying to quit Prozac after 15 years

[Jasminecat]

Thanks so much for that info!

I was wondering is excederin or aspirin considered in that category as well? Is it a psychoactive substance ?

I get headaches a lot.

I was hoping a natural plant to help me relax would help me with my withdrawl, it sucks there is no easy out.

 

[Onmyway]

Excedrin has caffeine so may cause symptoms. Aspirin/paracetamol/ibuprofen may be ok. 

[Jasminecat]

Greetings Everyone,

So its been quite uncomfortable for me most of the time. I have been tracking each day how I feel and most all days I wrote down as feeling a wave, mild or bad. Only two or three days were windows in a two week period.

Every single night, by the time I feel mostly normal, I dread going to sleep because when I wake up the next morning,,,,,,

That cortisol and anxiety rush hit me. It is there all morning and sometimes into the afternoon. I find I can't relax a lot. My hands shake even when im home alone. No stressors. I don't know if this will get progressively worse. All I know its uncomfortable and it makes me feel very unstable. Like someone pulled the rug out from under you. I could be in a store and feel like crying. Mostly I am nervous and anxious to the point where I don't feel well. I also am very tired a lot of the time, like where I want to lounge all day and not move.

Sometimes its easy to give up and want to get the medicine back just so I can feel ok. IT had been 5 and half months since I took any prozac.

One of the things I was wondering, If last summer was the last time I took 40 or 60mg of Prozac, then the withdrawl I am feeling now can't still be from that can it?? It must be from the 20mg I took from Feb-Apr this year?

My other question to anyone here is how do you know when it is withdrawl and when it is you? Just how you are or react to things? I only know I never in my life woke up feeling sick with anxiety before. And that was with going to school. Then later working full time. This is something I am not in control of. its like something that manifests itself. I want to get off this ride, I keep telling myself to wait til so much time has passed but I dont know how long I can do this. IS 5 and half months a long time to keep feeling withdrawl?

[Altostrata]

Yes, you can still have withdrawal syndrome from going off in July 2021.

 

Did you try fish oil and magnesium?

 

On 8/10/2022 at 8:35 PM, Altostrata said:

.....

Many people find fish oil and magnesium supplements helpful, see

 

https://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/36-king-of-supplements-omega-3-fatty-acids-fish-oil/

 

https://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/15483-magnesium-natures-calcium-channel-blocker/

 

You might try a little bit of one at a time to see how it affects you. Please let us know how you’re doing.

 

You still can consider reinstatement of perhaps 1mg Prozac.

[Jasminecat]

Thank you so much for the suggestion!!! As soon as I read your post, I ran out and bought Nature Made brand Magnesium, the Extra Strength one. I hope and pray this works! I took one tonight and will take one each night with dinner. Hopefully, some relief is coming. It's been very hard and the people I know don't understand what I am going through. They think I can feel fine because kids are back in school etc. I tell them it is something that manifests and I have no control over when it comes and goes. Feels like its here constantly like a dark cloud over my life. If I could take a natural supplement to help with the anxiety and mania then great! But I don't want to be on that forever either. But for right now, if it helps me its a win. I will let you know how I do. How soon before the magnesium affects your withdrawl? Thank you again Altostrata!!

[ChessieCat]

28 minutes ago, Jasminecat said:

I hope and pray this works! I took one tonight and will take one each night with dinner.

 

If you are taking magnesium for the calming effect it is better to take it in smaller doses throughout the day.  If you take a calcium supplement they need to be taken 2 hours apart otherwise the calcium cancels out the calming properties of the magnesium.

 

Please see:

 

Magnesium

[Jasminecat]

Quick Question: The pill I bought is a big brown pill. It says on bottle it's 400 mg, and its to be taken once a day. I was wondering if I take it once a day, will it stay in my system like prozac does and just sustain me for the entire day til I take it again?

I am feeling very relaxed now after having took my first one tonight. Feels almost like I took Xanax. I hope this feeling continues and i dont have to up the dose. At least tonight, i have some relief after days of crazy. I will let you all know how the morning is.

[ChessieCat]

Please read the links that the staff provide.  Alto has twice provided the link to the magnesium topic and I have also provided it in my last post.  See Post #1 of that topic.

[Onmyway]

2 hours ago, Jasminecat said:

Quick Question: The pill I bought is a big brown pill. It says on bottle it's 400 mg, and its to be taken once a day. I was wondering if I take it once a day, will it stay in my system like prozac does and just sustain me for the entire day til I take it again?

I am feeling very relaxed now after having took my first one tonight. Feels almost like I took Xanax. I hope this feeling continues and i dont have to up the dose. At least tonight, i have some relief after days of crazy. I will let you all know how the morning is.

Hi @Jasminecat

You can find out how long something stays in your body by googling it's half life (look up what that is if you don't know already). With Nature Made pls check if it's magnesium oxide (alternatively  mag glycinate and mag citrate). The mag oxide can make your stools loose (nothing dangerous). If so, you can try the other two kinds. 

 

great that you've seen relief already, isn't it amazing when something works?

 

you may want to cut your one dose into multiple and take them over the day. 

 

I'm also familiar with the anticipatory anxiety about the mornings. Did you see the thread on cortisol mornings? You need to remember that even though the terrors happen every day, you also get through them every day. You're strong. Just let them come. You will get through them.

 

OMW

[Jasminecat]

Hi everyone,

Thought I would post in the morning because this morning I feel much better. No cortisol anxiety feelings. None. And its a weekend which is stressful for me. I took a whole magnesium pill last night and I went to bed very early. And slept a long time.

I read the links you posted on magnesium and its very helpful. I believe mine is Magnesium Oxide and so far it has not affected my stools. It did give me a tiny headache which I took aspirin for and its gone already.

The half life of it is 12-24 hours. So should I take it twice a day by breaking it in half or wait til dinner for the full one? All I know is so far this has been a big form of relief for me. Last night I was nice and relaxed. Made me very tired.

But like I said this morning I woke up and felt much better than I have in forever.

Thank you so much everyone! I will keep posting, its so weird how a vitamin pill can make such a difference. I only hope this isnt a temporary relief, and my body will start getting immune to it.

 

[Bika]

Hi jasminecat ,

Iam very happy to meet someone who stopped prozac 5 months ago exactly as me and Iam very excited to follow your journey 

Keep going and never ever return to these drugs , best wishes ❤️

[Altostrata]

Suggest you take magnesium in smaller doses at least twice a day. Magnesium citrate or glycinate is better than magnesium oxide.

[Jasminecat]

Thank you so much Bika for your kind and supportive words! I wish you all the best on your journey and wish you happy days ahead!!

If my story helps you in any way, I am glad to help out!! All the Best!

[Jasminecat]

So an update on the magnesium: I took one pill this morning for the day. I started feeling anxious shortly after waking up. It had been 14 hours so it was out of my system at that point. Its a soft gel pill so I can not cut it in half. I also have gotten a headache after taking it which I took aspirin for again today. Magnesium is not supposed to cause headaches so it may be just a coincidence. The pill works like a charm so far for me, it makes me pretty tired though after taking it. I could always get the regular ones and not the extra strength ones next go around.

My biggest question is, will this become addictive? Will I need to be on this forever or just until withdrawl is over?

It has definitely helped me. I feel more in control of emotions and less neurotic/anxious/nervous etc. My body also feels more relaxed and less hand shaking.

I will keep taking one pill a day in the mornings and see how I do with the headaches. I hope to keep feeling like this, I hope over time this pill doesn't become less effective. It's unbearable to feel the other way. I cant function feeling that way.

Wishing everyone a peaceful evening

[Onmyway]

10 hours ago, Jasminecat said:

Hi everyone,

Thought I would post in the morning because this morning I feel much better. No cortisol anxiety feelings. None. And its a weekend which is stressful for me. I took a whole magnesium pill last night and I went to bed very early. And slept a long time.

I read the links you posted on magnesium and its very helpful. I believe mine is Magnesium Oxide and so far it has not affected my stools. It did give me a tiny headache which I took aspirin for and its gone already.

The half life of it is 12-24 hours. So should I take it twice a day by breaking it in half or wait til dinner for the full one? All I know is so far this has been a big form of relief for me. Last night I was nice and relaxed. Made me very tired.

But like I said this morning I woke up and felt much better than I have in forever.

Thank you so much everyone! I will keep posting, its so weird how a vitamin pill can make such a difference. I only hope this isnt a temporary relief, and my body will start getting immune to it.

 

Hi @Jasminecat, 

if this works for you then keep taking it in the evening. If not, you can split it into multiple parts and take it throughout the day. Some people dissolve the powder into water and sip it throughout the day. I haven't been able to do that because I don't have the dissolvable tablets and never bothered and taking 100mg multiple times a day works for me. But sometimes I also take 300mg at bedtime instead of multiple times a day. Do what works. 
OMW

[Altostrata]

Magnesium is not addictive. It's good for you.

[Jasminecat]

Hi everyone, quick update: I have been taking my magnesium for a few days now. It was noticeably more effective the first day or two. Now I still take it and it takes some of the edge off. I would hate to see how I would be if I didnt take it.

I still have my morning and day anxiety, maybe not AS bad but still there. I will keep taking the magnesium because I feel it helps.

Now, how long do I take it? Until I feel the withdrawl is done? I am almost at six months since taking prozac.

[Altostrata]

It's best to take magnesium in small doses throughout the day. You can stop at any time.

[Jasminecat]

Hi , quick question first. Can you cut the soft gel pill in half or will it leak everywhere? If so, I have to buy different ones.

The thing is the magnesium has taken the edge off a bit but I still feel like my head is all messed up. I get negative, paranoid, thoughts all day long. I could be relaxing and all of a sudden I feel sharp pangs of fear and anxiety in my stomach. I think about things that bother me while I’m watching tv or a movie. I don’t understand what is going on. I do not want to go to therapy. At all. But physical symptoms aside, they are mental ones in my

head I can’t fix or get rid of. When I was on these pills, I felt like I was able to push negative things to the back of my mind and forget them. Now, it feels like they control me and I don’t know what to do about it. Is this withdrawal or is this me? Am

i this type of person? If it’s withdrawal, how can it fix itself if it’s a mental thing?

 

[Jasminecat]

Another thing i wanted to post because I want to know if anyone has this going on: All day long I can feel the mental effects of withdrawl. I am a hot mess. Then at night, after it gets dark outside, my brain finally calms down and I feel "normal". Like I felt before ever taking prozac. No anxiety, no negative thoughts, no crying, no fear, no paranoia, just a sense of normal.

THEN like clockwork, go to sleep, wake up and BAM its all back again!! Some days it is only there in the mornings, other days it is there til after dinner. What in the heck is going on???? I tried to stop having coffee in the mornings but that didn't help. I drink tea all day long but that doesn't help me either. Its like my brain is literally sick. Sad to have peace at night only to have it come back the next day. And it seems it is slowly getting worse, I am definitely worse now than I was early summer. I have a lot of personal issues in my life too which would depress the average person, I can't say I am a happy person. But the withdrawl makes whats going on in my life magnified. If that makes sense. I analyze everything and obsess about something that bothers me until I vent to someone or I find something else. But all day long, I live in a pool of negative emotions and frankly I am tired of it. Because most of it is stuff I cant fix. Its other people's actions or words that bother me.

[Altostrata]

Quite often, people find they feel better later in the day, when your body naturally starts to calm down for the evening.

[Jasminecat]

I’ve noticed that it’s better at night even though all day long sometimes I feel like I am crazy with emotions and anxiety. The past two days I felt pretty normal. I guess this is a window. I could wake up tomorrow with a wave. 
when does this end? And how? On the window says which are far and few between I feel like my old self. I can tell the difference between a window day and a wave day. It’s totally different. 
Will there come a time when every day is a window? And no more waves?

The magnesium has helped me so a big big thank you to the person who told me about it! It’s been six Months since any Prozac. 

[Altostrata]

21 hours ago, Jasminecat said:

Will there come a time when every day is a window? And no more waves?

 

 

See The Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

Good to hear magnesium is helpful. Did you try fish oil as well? See https://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/36-king-of-supplements-omega-3-fatty-acids-fish-oil/

[Jasminecat]

Hello everyone,

Quick Update: Over six months in, and I have been taking the magnesium vitamins daily. The first three weeks I felt pretty good, I was writing each day as a window or mild wave. The past week however, it seems as though the withdrawl symptoms are back. I don't know what to do. It is so uncomfortable and I feel it even when I am alone. If the magnesium is still helping , I would hate to know how I would feel without it. Any advice?

There are days when I feel like I cant take it anymore. I was wondering if there is anything else I can take for this feeling. I drink tea constantly to calm my nerves. The magnesium i only take in the morning. IS there a time that all this will pass and will not surface again?

My sleep is fine, It is my emotions and mind that are all messed up. The anxiety and mood swings are terrible.. pms makes it even worse.

How does anyone last through this without turning back to the pills? Six months feels like a long time already and I am still going down this road. I thought the magnesium would end it, but turns out, only temporarily.

[Altostrata]

Have you done anything recently that might cause a wave? Such as drink alcohol, take an antibiotic, overdo exercise, staying up too late?

 

You have declined reinstatement of a micro-dose of Prozac because you felt you could cope with the protracted withdrawal symptoms. We don't have any way to make these go away, you'll have to help your body heal itself. 

 

You may feel surges of symptoms for quite a while, see

 

 

The Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

Are We There Yet? How Long is Withdrawal Going to Take?

 

"Is it always going to be like this?"

 

The importance of recognizing you're feeling good

 

Creating a new self after withdrawal

 

Protracted Withdrawal or PAWS (post-acute withdrawal syndrome)

 

Progress! What withdrawal symptoms have gone away for you?

[Jasminecat]

Hi,

I have been taking excederin. Thats about it. I have been staying up late some nights as well. But no alcohol and no weed.

Thank you for the links you sent me, I will read them again. I was so hopeful that once I felt better from the magnesium this would have been it. My fear is what if I always feel like this, on and off for the rest of my life. What if I never feel the way I felt before taking these drugs. Had I known what they cause, I never would have kept taking them for over 10 years.

IF there is any damage, would this show up on an MRI? I have been thinking I should have one.

 

[Altostrata]

If I were you, I would not stay up late, go to bed at the same time each night. 

 

Are you getting gentle regular daily exercise? Sleep and exercise are healing. The waves should very gradually diminish.

 

Do you get any symptoms every day at the same time?

 

 

[Jasminecat]

Hi Again, Thank you for responding to each of my posts, means so much to me!

I will make sure to get to sleep earlier and same time each night.

There is no rhyme or reason I can think of as to when and why symptoms occur. Today is a window day. Even though its a Sunday and I am home doing nothing with my family, something that will usually cause anxiety. Yesterday and every other day before was a bad wave where all day long I felt it.

I am hoping the waves gradually diminish over time. When I have a wave, I can only describe it like feeling uneasy and terrible anxiety among other unpleasant emotions. Like the brain is on fire. Its not me when I am that way. Today finally is a normal day. But a week of every other day being a wave was terrible. I can not stand being around other people when I am like that. I need to be alone which is not always possible. Its so terrible to have to try and behave normally, when I am not feeling well literally. Hoping for happier days ahead.

 

 

[Altostrata]

1 hour ago, Jasminecat said:

I am hoping the waves gradually diminish over time. When I have a wave, I can only describe it like feeling uneasy and terrible anxiety among other unpleasant emotions. Like the brain is on fire. Its not me when I am that way.

 

Yes, waves are like that. Remind yourself to surf them, go for a walk or do something to take your mind off the symptoms.

[Jasminecat]

Hi all,

I have another wave yet again. 
A few questions: Is there anything I can do when In a wave to ease the symptoms and discomfort? Also I feel like when I am in a wave, I just lay around all day and I don’t feel I can cope or do anything. I can’t be around others and I can’t go anywhere. Is this normal?? 
Also, does going through with drawl affect your relationships with your spouse? Seems like I am more at odds than ever. Reflecting and analyzing every thing. Fighting a lot too. Please help! 

[Altostrata]

 

Are you getting at least 1/2 hour of gentle exercise, such as walking, per day?

 

See the Relationships forum and read 

 

Neuro-emotions

 

Non-drug techniques to cope with emotional symptoms

 

Easing your way into meditation for a stressed-out nervous system

 

Music for self-care: calms hyperalertness, anxiety, aids relaxation and sleep

 

Ways to cope with daily anxiety

 

Dealing With Emotional Spirals 

 

Shame, guilt, regret, and self-criticism

 

Health anxiety, hypochondria, and obsession with symptoms

 

as well as 

 

The Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

Are We There Yet? How Long is Withdrawal Going to Take?

 

"Is it always going to be like this?"

 

The importance of recognizing you're feeling good

 

Creating a new self after withdrawal

 

Protracted Withdrawal or PAWS (post-acute withdrawal syndrome)

 

Progress! What withdrawal symptoms have gone away for you?

[Jasminecat]

Thank you for all the helpful links!

So now seven months in. i have read many articles about waves and windows which have helped me immensely.

The days when there are windows you never want to end. I hope to God the bad wave days go away and never come back one day.

There are more days I would say its a mild wave. Six days in October were written as bad wave days, ironically this was the week of my period.

I find taking a hot bath or drinking a hot drink helps some anxiety.

Seven months and no turning back.

[Altostrata]

12 hours ago, Jasminecat said:

I find taking a hot bath or drinking a hot drink helps some anxiety.

 

 

Sounds lovely!

[Jasminecat]

So some questions first:

1. Does not getting 8 hours of sleep a night worsen withdrawl symptoms?

2. When you feel like you are in a wave, IF you are able to go to sleep in the middle of the day, should you? Will that lessen the symptoms? Like sleeping it off in a way?

3. After seven months off prozac, should I be feeling better? Milder waves and more windows?

 

Now this was something I wanted to write about for a while. It is painful to write about this. I have noticed since I entered the withdrawl period, a month or so off prozac I have found it increasingly difficult to be around people. I have young kids and I notice I have a hard time being near them, not always but often. Even when they come home from school.

I also have become very introverted and prefer to be alone. Its as if any stimulation or noise affects me. Now this is unacceptable to me. I have a life, I have a family and can't enjoy it bc I feel like I am sick. Mentally weaker, nervous, anxious, and simply no patience or tolerance. I never was this bad on pills. I used to be with my kids all day long when they were babies and toddlers and preschoolers. I felt stress but never this. This is like I go into short tempered, moody mode. It is so hard to hide how you feel around kids, they see and hear a lot. Has anyone else on this board tried getting off pills with kids in the picture????

It is terribly hard to be a mother when you are not feeling yourself. I feel like a shell of who I used to be. I'm talking before prozac.

Any advice, comments, feedback?

I keep telling myself this will pass, these waves will go away but even when they are mild, they are there and I feel uncomfortable. I just wish this was over with.

[Storm365]

Hi Jasminecat,

I am a mother with two small kids and I've been right where you are, had all of the symptoms you're having. I've been off Citalopram for 19 months now. My children are 2 and 6 yrs old. Those feelings will pass, I still get brain zaps when I haven't eaten or I'm tired and mood swings from time to time, but its definitely better than it was a year ago. Just want to encourage you to hand in there.

[Jasminecat]

Hi Storm365,

 

Thank you so much for your post! i really appreciate it. I am glad to hear your symptoms have gotten better with time. I hope mine go away with time as well, the sharp pangs of anxiety and nausea are unbearable and come when I am with my kids. Especially when they are fighting or acting up, they are both grade school. I go into flight mode where I leave the room or the house.

Wishing us both peace, thank you for the support.