harperfish: First taper after 30 years Prozac for harperfish

[harperfish]

This week I’m meeting a nurse practitioner at a new psychiatric center, and I will instruct them about my proposed 3 month taper. I have been disappointed by other interactions with psychiatrists and realize that I must take control of my medication and health regimens. A main reason I have the courage to try now is that using mushrooms with psilocybin has helped change my perspective. I much prefer this natural substance to manufactured chemicals. I have started a journal of my progress and can share updates here. 😇 I started taking fluoxetine in 1994 and have only had brief breaks since then. 

[Emonda]

Welcome @harperfish

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6 hours ago, harperfish said:

will instruct them about my proposed 3 month taper.

 

This sounds way too fast: Why taper by 10% of my dosage? The reductions should get smaller and smaller each month, for example: 10mg, 9mg, 8.1mg, 7.3mg etc. This process involves a degree of trial and error, as there is no way of predicting how an individual will respond. Importantly, if you develop unpleasant side effects from tapering, halt the taper, give yourself time to settle, and once stable, taper more slowly and by smaller amounts moving forward. The experience of others suggests that the lower you go in dose, the slower you need to go with tapering.

Those that taper too quickly often develop very unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. This Daily Checklist of Antidepressant Withdrawal Symptoms (PDF) is a helpful summary of what many experience.

6 hours ago, harperfish said:

I have the courage to try now is that using mushrooms with psilocybin

This is not something that is recommened on this site.

We don't suggest many supplements, but two that many of us find helpful are magnesium and omega-3 fish oil. Here are the links for info about those. Add one at a time and start with a low dose to see how it affects you. 

Magnesium

Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil)

Avoid alcohol.

Don't change the manufacturer of your AD.

Once again, welcome to S.A.

Emonda

[harperfish]

Fluoxetine has a longer half life than other drugs; therefore the scientific literature states that tapering could proceed faster than others. I will try a 3 month taper, but if there are discontinuation problems, I am open to a slower process. 

[Emonda]

We all make our own decisions. Plenty here have tried rapid tapers from Fluoxetine and have experienced the same WD symptoms.

 

Dr Horowitz, one of the authorities on tapering, states that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Once you rock the boat, it can take quite some time for stability to return.

 

I'd stick to the maximum recommended 10% per month.

 

Keep us posted.

 

Emonda