T3rtulian: fluoxetine withdrawal question

[T3rtulian]

Hello! I just found this website and was hoping for some help. I've been on SSRI's on and off since childhood. I stopped as a teenager but started fluoxetine as an adult, in 2013. Since then I have only ever taken 10mg. I don't take any other medications. I've long been skeptical about how/why/if this drug even helps me, so I decided about a month ago to taper off. I began by opening my capsules and taking out about half of the contents (I know, a 50% drop is big). I didn't feel much for about two weeks, but now I'm chronically exhausted, have headaches, and a low-grade "fogginess" to my thinking. I will occasionally get the "brain zaps" but nothing unbearable. 

 

My plan is to stay at this does until this all goes away, and then continue to taper at the recommended 10% rate. How normal are these symptoms? To be honest I did not recognize them as withdrawal symptoms at first and assumed something must be seriously wrong with me. Any suggestions on how to get through this are appreciated.

 

Thank you!

[Frogie]

@T3rtulian

 

Welcome to SA. We are a volunteer ran site helping people taper off psychiatric medications or have tapered off and are healing.

 

This is your introduction page where you will receive information, as questions and meet other members. We ask that you only have one introduction page so we can keep all your information in one place.

 

 

Please add a signature.  Include drugs, doses, dates, and discontinuations & reinstatements in the last 12-24 months. Also include supplements. This will help us give you the most accurate advice we can. 

• Any drugs and supplements prior to 24 months ago can just be listed with start and stop years. 
• Please use actual dates or approximate dates (mid-June, Late October) rather than relative time frames (last week, 3 months ago) 
• Spell out months, e.g. "October" or "Oct."; 9/1/2016 can be interpreted as Jan. 9, 2016 or Sept. 1, 2016. 
• Please leave out symptoms and diagnoses. 
• A list is easier to understand than one or multiple paragraphs. 
• This is a direct link to your signature:  Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature.

 

The reason you are just now feeling the wd effects after your 50% drop is because Prozac is very long lasting. Once you take it consistently, the half life is about 16 days. As you have read we don't suggest more than a 10% taper per month. Some people taper slower than that.

 

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

Tips for tapering off fluoxetine (Prozac)

 

 

 

Here is some important information about how these drugs actually work.  This explains why we get symptoms from going off of these medications:

 

How Psychiatric Drugs Remodel Your Brain

 

 

This helps you understand what withdrawal syndrome is: 

 

Video on Recovery from Psych Drugs

 

 

Stability is really important when we are tapering off psych meds.  Please read the link about stability:

 

Keep It Simple, Slow, and Stable

 

 

Right now, my suggestion, would be as you said. Hold, hold and hold, until you reach stability and then taper slowly.

 

The Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

What is withdrawal syndrome?

Dr. Joseph Glenmullen's withdrawal symptom checklist

 

Stabilising After a Reduction - What Does That Mean?

Withdrawal Normal Description

 

 

We don't suggest supplements on here as they can be stimulating to the nervous system except 2 as they seem to be calming. If you would like to try one, try a small amount and wait a few days before introducing the other.

 

 

Magnesium

Omega 3 Fish Oil

 

 

Once you have read the links provided please reach out with any questions you may have.