WritehandedTom: Hiiii. Really Glad You’re Here, Even If You’re Not.

[WritehandedTom]

Hi new friends. So. I had been lurking and posting over on a subreddit, and I’ve seen this board mentioned several times to people struggling with withdrawal. I checked it out a few times and kinda thought it was the tinfoil hat side of the internet honestly (I believe all of you now!!!). Surely spending 9 days on Prozac and then stopping a 10mg dose wouldn’t hurt me. Doc said it was self-tapering, right? …Right? 
 

Oh my gosh I don’t even know how this drug is legal after the last 17 days of my life. 9 days on it, and in the last 8 days off of Prozac, I’ve had two urgent care visits and now two emergency room visits. I was a perfectly healthy and fit 36yo runner. This week I had comparatively mild serotonin syndrome days after stopping Prozac - although it didn’t feel mild! - and have been given a second drug (Clonidine) to control the symptoms from that. 
 

My entire nervous system just feels raw and blown out. I am flat out exhausted, from lack of sleep and from dealing with the physical symptoms of this drug. I’m not even sure I’ve actually hit true withdrawals yet because of the long half life. 
 

I’m reading through your posts, but it didn’t feel fair to lurk without a basic intro + acknowledgement that I was just plain wrong. Sorry, new friends. I’m here now, listening. 
 

Thank you for hosting this special place and telling the truth about the danger of these drugs and difficulty of withdrawals. 

Edited December 1, 2024 by Emonda
Name to title

[FireflyFyte]

Hello WritehandedTom,

 

Welcome to SA. Thank you for summarizing your drug history in your signature. 

 

On 12/1/2024 at 3:47 AM, WritehandedTom said:

and have been given a second drug (Clonidine) to control the symptoms from that

 

Did you/are taking the Clonidine?

 

On 12/1/2024 at 3:47 AM, WritehandedTom said:

Surely spending 9 days on Prozac and then stopping a 10mg dose wouldn’t hurt me.

 

How did you feel during the 9 days that you were on Prozac? I am curious if you are experiencing an adverse reaction versus withdrawals.

 

Thanks,

 

Firefly

[WritehandedTom]

10 hours ago, FireflyFyte said:

Hello WritehandedTom,

 

Welcome to SA. Thank you for summarizing your drug history in your signature. 

 

 

Did you/are taking the Clonidine?

 

 

How did you feel during the 9 days that you were on Prozac? I am curious if you are experiencing an adverse reaction versus withdrawals.

 

Thanks,

 

Firefly

 

Hi Firefly! 

 

I started taking clonidine after the drug reaction was noticed on day 9, and then took it on days -3 through -8 off of the drug to control symptoms. On day -8, I ended up in the ER with low BP/HR, dramatically bit my tongue when I passed out, so I quit taking it. I haven’t really had rebound issues from it, and I didn’t have insomnia or BP issues before taking it - so no reason to stay on it.

 

I’m hoping to get through this nightmare and then stay as far away from anything in pill form as I can for as many years are possible in my lifetime. This truly scared the toots out of me. I’ve always been sensitive to medication, but this is bonkers. 
 

What I believe is that it built up quickly in my system and I ended up with mild serotonin syndrome. Of course, the ER wrote it off as “lady with anxiety, no longer listening.” Fever, jerking legs and movements, swollen throat (still have this!), tight and twitching muscles.

 

Some of the good things: it was helping me to control tech usage and make healthy food choices (I didn’t have an ED), I felt clearer headed and less anxiety, and my sleep was much more peaceful. 
 

Downside while taking it: higher HR/BP, no appetite, nausea, swollen/red/pinprick throat, that “dirty drugs” feeling in my spine that only addicts truly know, constantly dehydrated, hot flashes. All of it was tolerable until day 9, when I started experiencing the symptoms of (likely) mild serotonin syndrome.
 

I truly can’t believe that this is the same dose they would give to children. I also can’t believe how much damage even 9 days on this drug (and now, 10

days off of it) has caused in my life. 

 

Thanks again for answering! 

[FireflyFyte]

12 hours ago, WritehandedTom said:

What I believe is that it built up quickly in my system and I ended up with mild serotonin syndrome. Of course, the ER wrote it off as “lady with anxiety, no longer listening.” Fever, jerking legs and movements, swollen throat (still have this!), tight and twitching muscles.

 

If you believe that you experienced serotonin syndrome, it is important to not reinstate the Prozac and allow your system time to heal. It sounds like you are taking the right steps in eating healthy and getting restful sleep. We would also recommend avoiding alcohol and/or marijuana as they can further destabilize you.

 

 

[WritehandedTom]

51 minutes ago, FireflyFyte said:

 

If you believe that you experienced serotonin syndrome, it is important to not reinstate the Prozac and allow your system time to heal. It sounds like you are taking the right steps in eating healthy and getting restful sleep. We would also recommend avoiding alcohol and/or marijuana as they can further destabilize you.

 

 

Thanks, Firefly. I agree that I’m not a good candidate to reinstate given the reaction I had. Fortunately, I am 100% sober for 6 years - no alcohol and no weed. I’m 11 days off of Prozac so far and holy buckets, this truly is one of the worst drugs I’ve ever done. I can see the “windows and waves” patterns happening for me as I feel like I’ve turned a corner and then have setbacks. 

[pigamadeus]

Hi @WritehandedTom! I was also a long time lurker of this site before joining, and on Prozac as well. Congrats on 6 years of sobriety, that’s amazing!
 

It’s horrible that you had this adverse reaction after only taking a small dose for 9 days. I hope you get some relief soon. 

[WritehandedTom]

I started having a sore throat with pinprick red spots a few days after starting Prozac (10mg), and I thought it would get better once I stopped. Today is 21 days *without* taking the med, and it took me about 13 days to really feel like I got the worst of it out of my system (panic, sweats, shakes, tremors, chills, hot, major insomnia, no appetite, etc). Day 14 was my first 95% normal day. 
 

I saw an ENT doc about my throat this week and he was totally unconcerned - but I still feel like I’m wearing a turtleneck and also that my throat is kind of swollen. Of course I can breathe and talk and stuff. And I’ve just been telling myself that I’m being silly, it must just be anxiety or something, the doc saiiiiid I was fine. 
 

I don’t otherwise have any symptoms of illness at all. I don’t feel sick or panicky or anything else. I feel normal. 
 

But I can’t help but wonder if there’s something related or unrelated going on, and when it will end.  

I’m not looking for medical advice, as much as I am just confused and feeling frustrated with all things doctors/etc. 

[FireflyFyte]

11 hours ago, WritehandedTom said:

I saw an ENT doc about my throat this week and he was totally unconcerned - but I still feel like I’m wearing a turtleneck and also that my throat is kind of swollen. Of course I can breathe and talk and stuff. And I’ve just been telling myself that I’m being silly, it must just be anxiety or something, the doc saiiiiid I was fine. 

 

Throat tightness can be a physical manifestation of anxiety. I experienced it often during my withdrawal from Latuda.