methuselah: Hi all! Brief intro and advice?

[methuselah]

I was and am taking 5mg twice per day so 10 total.  My signature is accurate.   I have not changed to 12.5 that was a thought on how to proceed as it feels like my drop from 15 to 10 mg mid October (in signature) is catching up to me now in the form of withdrawal.  

 

I believe Gridley was suggesting I try to increase from 10 to 11mg to see if that staves off withdrawal.

[Altostrata]

18 minutes ago, methuselah said:

I was and am taking 5mg twice per day so 10 total.  My signature is accurate.   I have not changed to 12.5 that was a thought on how to proceed as it feels like my drop from 15 to 10 mg mid October (in signature) is catching up to me now in the form of withdrawal.  

 

I believe Gridley was suggesting I try to increase from 10 to 11mg to see if that staves off withdrawal.

 

Okay.

 

You've been moving one of your 5mg doses around, is that correct? Please take your drugs at the same time each day and keep daily notes. We also need to watch the Valium dosing.

 

It could very well be that the change in daily Prozac dose you made on October 15 is just catching up with you now. You'll need to capture a symptom baseline at 10mg. It could be that 10mg is enough and your nervous system is settling down.

[methuselah]

Oct 26

7am wake no headache or neck pain

8am 10mg Prozac 1.5mg valium

1015 am traces of headache rolling in

1230 pmhead and back of neck pain (splenius capitis)

200 pains lifted

430 headache return no neck pain mild tinnitus

6 pain go bye bye 

9pm 1.5 mg valium

 

Oct 27

11am slept in 10 mg prozac, 1.5m g valum mild headache

130 headache only starting.  headache on and off throughout day.  

9pm 1.5 mg valium

 

Begin attempt to split prozac dosing to twice a day 5mg per 

 

Oct 28

830am 5 mg prozac, 1.5 mg valium

1030am 5mg

630 pm first headache of day

8pm headache gets milder

9pm headache still present but mild

930 1.5 mg valium, headache gone mild tinnitus starts

Sleep tinnitus lingered

 

Oct 29

730 am 5mg prozac 1.5 mg valium, no headache mild tinnitus left ear

Tinnitus lifted at 815

1030 headache in back of head and neck pain mostly neck 

12pm 5mg

1230 chills

1245 chills start to go away as does neck ache

100 chills gone and neck gone

230 headache starts

330 Tylenol 1000mg

430 headache gone

900 1.5 mg valium

 

Oct 30

730 am 5mg pro, 1.5 mg valium no issues upon waking

1045 headache starts, mild with mild tinnitus lasting 30 min or so

1230 5mg...had to push to get to 1230 started to feel strange at around 12, will increase by 30 min per day

2 pm headache starts mild pressure tired

4pm mild headache continues on and off

Dizziness throughout day fading @ 6 pm

Headache stopped at 630 when worked out

900 1.5mg valium

 

Oct 31

8am pro 5mg, 1.5 mg valium 

Mild headache throughout morning, tinnitus hit at 1130

2pm tinnitus on and off. 5mg pro. 

Sinus pressure type feeling, headache, tinnitus until at least 6pm then lifted

9pm 1.5mg valium

 

Decided to stop attempt to split dose, seemed ineffective and actually made things worse.  Made difficult to function at work, already hard enough sometimes.

 

Nov 1 

8am 10mg Prozac, 1.5mg valium.  All good 

820 tinnitus which lifted quick by no later than 9am

345...headache, tinnitus and overall blah/sick feeling creeping in

6pm gone and felt ok rest of night even though some tinnitus on and off

9pm 1.5 mg valium

 

Nov 2

7am woke with tinnitus.  10 mg Prozac, 1.5mg valium

8am Tinnitus fades

1015 mild headache and neck and tinnitus 

11am chills cold w/d symptoms until 215

3pm Massive headache 1000mg tylenol.  Headache lifted tinnitus mostly on and sometimes off throughout day

9pm 1.5 mg valium

 

Nov 3

8am 10 mg prozac, 1.5 mg valium. 

Tinnitus all day

9pm 1.5 mg valium

 

Nov 4

8am 10 mg prozac, 1.5 mg valium. 

Somewhat severe tinnitus all day, no headache worth mentioning

9pm 1.5 mg valium

 

Nov 5 - woke with tinnitus, still there.  I will input full journal entry for Nov 5 later tonight or tomorrow

 

I'm done with prozac, i can't handle the tinnitus and headaches every day.  I'd love to get some input on a cross taper to liquid lexapro which i'd like to start tomorrow.  My thoughts are below.  Perhaps i can see how i feel at 5mg/day lexapro then increase as needed.

Week 1: 7.5mg prozac, 2.5mg lexapro

Week 2: 5mg prozac, 5 mg lexapro

Week 3-4: 2.5mg Prozac, 7.5 mg lexapro

Week 5: 7.5 mg lexapro

Weeks 6 through Month 3 or 4 - Stabilize on Lexapro and begin to taper by 10% per month, may try brass monkey slide, TBD.  

 

 

Many thanks

 

M

[methuselah]

Could the tinnitus be from the 15 to 10mg drop of Prozac?  In other words a withdrawal symptom, from a search on here it seems to be somewhat common.  

 

Also if a cross over to lexapro does make sense maybe I do it slower over 2 months or so.  

 

Sorry for being all over the place on this.

[Altostrata]

When did the tinnitus start?

 

It and the headache appear to be a side effect of Prozac. Most likely, 10mg is too high a dose for you. If I were you, I'd decrease to 7.5mg fluoxetine right away.

 

Take your drugs at the same times each day. Please let us know how you're doing.

 

If I were you, I'd stop switching drugs, you're making problems for yourself.

[methuselah]

8 minutes ago, Altostrata said:

When did the tinnitus start?

 

It and the headache appear to be a side effect of Prozac. Most likely, 10mg is too high a dose for you. If I were you, I'd decrease to 7.5mg fluoxetine right away.

 

Take your drugs at the same times each day. Please let us know how you're doing.

 

If I were you, I'd stop switching drugs, you're making problems for yourself.

 Tinnitus started late September when this latest phase of **** started and has been on and off since varying in frequency duration and severity.  

 

I was on 15mg Prozac tablet form per day when I started to get the headaches and all, then dropped to 10mg liquid thinking maybe there was a change to the pill formula in either dose (80-120% range) or binders.  The switch to liquid doesn’t seem to have helped and the issues are still present only a bit different in nature.  Less headache more tinnitus and some irritability.

 

I really can’t explain what’s happening I’m trying to debug the situation and appreciate your help.  God knows I don’t want to switch meds just trying to rid myself of this.  I’m afraid to drop the dose that much as that is theoretically a 50% drop from that original 15mg.   U really think I’d b ok (better off at least) on 7.5mg?

[methuselah]

On 11/5/2018 at 8:32 PM, methuselah said:

 Tinnitus started late September when this latest phase of **** started and has been on and off since varying in frequency duration and severity.  

 

I was on 15mg Prozac tablet form per day when I started to get the headaches and all, then dropped to 10mg liquid thinking maybe there was a change to the pill formula in either dose (80-120% range) or binders.  The switch to liquid doesn’t seem to have helped and the issues are still present only a bit different in nature.  Less headache more tinnitus and some irritability.

 

I really can’t explain what’s happening I’m trying to debug the situation and appreciate your help.  God knows I don’t want to switch meds just trying to rid myself of this.  I’m afraid to drop the dose that much as that is theoretically a 50% drop from that original 15mg.   U really think I’d b ok (better off at least) on 7.5mg?

 

 

Any further  thoughts on this...anyone?

 

timnitus all day today again

[methuselah]

Nov 6

730 am 10mg prozac, 1.5 mg valium.  Woke w/ some moderate anxiety and tinnitus

Tinnitus on and off all day, mostly on.  Seems to mostly appear in left ear.  Also some feeling of head stuffiness, sinus pressure which seems to be another w/d symptom from my reading on the site.  

9pm 1.5mg valium.  tinnitus until sleep

 

Nov7

730 am  - hard to get out of bed.  Tinnitus is a literal drag.  decreased prozac to 7.5 mg per Alto suggestion.  Valium at 1.5mg

1030 Tinnitus lifted and seemed to have a window situation occur.  

1100 started to feel w/d, anxious, dizzy, falling feeling.  Dosed additional 2.5mg prozac bringing total prozac to 10mg.  This alleviated the w/d symptoms w/in 30 minutes.  7.5mg is too low for me for sure.  

1130  tinnitus returned along with that stuffy head and sinus feeling.  Perhaps these are all SE's of Prozac.  My body seems to want the SSRI effect but doesn't like the medication.  It simultaneously needs and rejects the medication.

Rest of day I assume will run as yesterday being more tinnitus and head pressure sensation. i will dose 1.5mg valium at 9pm.  

Exercise seems to help, if i can get motivated after work I'll try to make that happen. 

[Altostrata]

On 11/5/2018 at 5:32 PM, methuselah said:

I’m afraid to drop the dose that much as that is theoretically a 50% drop from that original 15mg.

 

Sorry, I misunderstood when you started 10mg. Suggest you reduce to 9mg (10% decrease from 10mg).

 

I don't think 7.5mg is too low, you'll just have to get there gradually since you're accommodated to the higher dosage.

 

Please continue with your daily notes, to track these changes.

[methuselah]

Ok will do.  I’ll start the 9mg this weekend.  Thanks for the help.

[methuselah]

Hi All,

 

It's been a long time since I've been here.  I've been frequenting BenzoBuddies in order to get help with coming off Valium.  I micro tapered off of Valium over a period of about 8 months and jumped at .3mg in April of this year.  I should have taken longer to taper but i didn't and here i am.  I'm still in withdrawal 6 months later with the standard windows and waves pattern.  The most persistent w/d symptoms are anhedonia, depression, health anxiety, and obsessing over the same. 

 

Roughly a month ago, in an attempt to counteract the w/d symptoms,  i increased the dose of my prozac very very slightly just to see what happens, we're talking about less than or equal to half a mg increase.  I felt the increase within a day and it felt like i increased the dose significantly..  By the third day i was feeling extremely strange so i dropped back to 12mgs on day 4.  A few days later I started going through some new phase of withdrawal, whether it be from the slight and very limited prozac tweak or if this is just a new phase of benzo withdrawal, I'm uncertain.  Symptoms include being in a complete fog, some mild chills, clammy feet and hands, lethargic, obsessive thinking w/ varying themes.

 

I guess my brain is so hypersensitized from the benzo w/d that the normally insignificant prozac dose fluctuation was quite magnified...

 

What i am certain of is this whole psychiatric drug nightmare isn't going to end with just dropping the valium, the prozac is going to have to go to.  That said, i'm looking for any thoughts on timing of when to start it?  I'll do the brassmonkey slide when that time comes, i just don't know when to do it.  Any advice is much appreciated.

 

~M

[ChessieCat]

Was there anything else that happened in the months leading up the updose in Prozac?  For example, change in manufacturer, did you miss a dose, did you drink alcohol, consume a lot of caffeine (cola or energy drinks or increase in coffee) were you sick,  have any dental work or surgery, did you take an antibiotic, stop or start a supplement or other drug, start or increase the intensity of exercise, relationship issues, financial or work issues, change in sleep, been overstimulated by computer games, music, lights?

 

 

Edited October 12, 2020 by ChessieCat

[methuselah]

11 hours ago, ChessieCat said:

Was there anything else that happened in the months leading up the updose in Prozac?  For example, change in manufacturer, did you miss a dose, did you drink alcohol, consume a lot of caffeine (cola or energy drinks or increase in coffee) were you sick,  have any dental work or surgery, did you take an antibiotic, stop or start a supplement or other drug, start or increase the intensity of exercise, relationship issues, financial or work issues, change in sleep, been overstimulated by computer games, music, lights?

 

 

hey, thanks for chiming in.
 

No changes.  No alcohol in several months.  Nothing else per your line of questions and nothing else I can think.  The only change is that I started riding a mountain bike with my son in early September.  It is rather strenuous and leaves me pretty wiped out.  
 

This anxiety does feel Prozac related in that it didn’t start until I changed the dose. All anxiety before that was pretty clearly related to the benzo wd.

[ChessieCat]

6 hours ago, methuselah said:

The only change is that I started riding a mountain bike with my son in early September.  It is rather strenuous and leaves me pretty wiped out.  

 

That might be the cause.  exercise-do-more-do-less-do-nothing-what-worked-for-you

 

[Altostrata]

Hello, Methuselah. Seems pretty likely you gave your nervous system a jolt when you increased Prozac.

 

All we can do is suggest you hold on to let this settle down. We don't have any magic solutions here.

 

As you know, we generally recommend going off the antidepressant first for this very reason -- if you get a bad reaction from the antidepressant, the benzo might help. Since your nervous system was already sensitized by benzo withdrawal, it's impossible to tell what the Prozac is doing. Usually we don't recommend further drug changes when someone is already destabilized.

 

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.

 

[methuselah]

Thanks Chessie and Alto, for your comments.  

 

I understand your/the site's recommendation is to drop the SSRI prior to the benzo.  The reason i dropped the benzo first is due to my theory that the benzo caused a hypersensitivity to build so that i couldn't handle any meds.  Even antibiotics seem to make me feel off.  Therefore, being off the benzos my body would easier acclimate to changes in the prozac as i lowered my dose. 

 

Now, whether or not it's the benzo or the ssri that caused said hypersensitivity doesn't make much difference at this point as i'm 6 months off benzos and not going back. 

 

I have fish oil and magnesium I've been taking and i'm not certain i see much help from those but i'll stay on it.  My p doc, who is very cool and understanding, suggested i try dextromethorphan (robitussin active ingredient).  I need to do some more research on that but i'll probably leave it alone. 

 

I'd really like to start the prozac taper but slower is faster often with these things.  I guess i'll just ride this out for a few more months before i begin my taper as ideally i'll be stable from benzo w/d.  OF course, benzo w/d can take 12-24 months to come out of.  i'm at 6 months now and it sure feels like it's going to be at least 12 based on how i feel currently.  Also god knows what my brain is doing with the ssri in the absence the benzo.   it just feels like i'm not going to be out of the woods until i'm clear of all of this madness. 

[Altostrata]

On 10/11/2020 at 5:38 PM, methuselah said:

By the third day i was feeling extremely strange so i dropped back to 12mgs on day 4.  A few days later I started going through some new phase of withdrawal, whether it be from the slight and very limited prozac tweak or if this is just a new phase of benzo withdrawal, I'm uncertain.  Symptoms include being in a complete fog, some mild chills, clammy feet and hands, lethargic, obsessive thinking w/ varying themes.

 

When exactly did this occur?

 

The mishap with the Prozac should smooth out over a few weeks.

 

Since you still haven't recovered from benzo withdrawal, we wouldn't recommend messing with the Prozac. You need to figure out how to manage the benzo withdrawal. Your assumption that increasing Prozac would help was incorrect.

 

I have no idea what dextromethorphan would do.

[methuselah]

The Prozac updose and subsequent dose decrease occurred Sep 18 and Sep 22 respectively.  Yes, that was clearly a mistake.  The increase was so small i never thought it would impact me like it did and for as long as it did.  Imagine moving the plunger on a 5ml syringe half of a fifth of an ml, that's all i did, it's crazy.  My girlfriend thinks it's in my head of course, it isn't, it just can't be. i mean it is, but i'm not imagining it is what i mean

 

I'll leave the Prozac as is for now and also won't touch the dextromethorphan.  I just cut out a variable by withdrawing the benzo, don't want to add another one to the mix at this point.  That feels like going backwards.

 

Thank you again for your guidance and help.

[ChessieCat]

2 hours ago, methuselah said:

I'll leave the Prozac as is for now and also won't touch the dextromethorphan.

 

Whenever a doctor suggests something it is a good idea to check for drug interaction/s:

 

From Medscape Drug Interaction Checker

Serious - Use Alternative

• fluoxetine + dextromethorphan

  fluoxetine and dextromethorphan both increase serotonin levels. Avoid or Use Alternate Drug.

• fluoxetine + dextromethorphan

  fluoxetine will increase the level or effect of dextromethorphan by affecting hepatic enzyme CYP2D6 metabolism. Avoid or Use Alternate Drug.

 

From Drug.com Interactions Checker

Interactions between your drugs

Major

dextromethorphan FLUoxetine

Applies to: dextromethorphan, Prozac (fluoxetine)

Using dextromethorphan together with FLUoxetine may increase the effects of dextromethorphan. Contact your doctor if you experience difficulty breathing, dizziness, drowsiness, anxiety, restless feeling, nervousness, confusion, or diarrhea. If your doctor does prescribe these medications together, you may need a dose adjustment or special test to safely use both medications.

[methuselah]

Thanks CC, love those pdocs 🙄 

 

I read your intro thread btw, seems you've been at it for awhile.  You're so close, I'm happy for you.

 

It seems like my marching orders are to steer clear of any ssri dose changes for the moment and ride this out.  The consensus at benzobuddies is to not touch the ssri dose until i'm clear of benzo withdrawal, which seems like it's going to be 12-18 months at this rate.   I'm at 6 months now.  Do you think that's best?  I guess it is, i'd love to start tapering the prozac but if that small of an increase had that much of an effect on me, then presumably a very small decrease will do be just as magnified.  

 

thx

 

M

[methuselah]

I do have a follow up question, maybe for Shep?  He seems like the benzo expert on the site.  So...I understand that the recommendation is to remove the SSRI first followed by the benzo.  I clearly did the opposite and the rationale for that is my theory that the benzo caused a hypersensitivity to build in me over time so that i couldn't handle any med changes.  Therefore, being off the benzos for some time would allow my body/brain to easier acclimate to changes in the prozac as i lowered my dose. 

 

I'm wondering if anyone has run into an increased hypersensitivity like that brought on by the benzo over time.  i know the w/d makes folks sensitive, but curious on if anyone here has seen or experienced a similar case?  In other words, is there any anecdotal evidence that you have seen here  that supports my theory or did i just pretty much screw up? 

 

thanks!

 

M

[ChessieCat]

On 10/14/2020 at 5:32 AM, Altostrata said:

 

Since you still haven't recovered from benzo withdrawal, we wouldn't recommend messing with the Prozac.

 

 

[methuselah]

Hi All,

 

First things first, my signature is up to date.  It's been a while since i've been here, i've spent most of my recent time on benzobuddies, some lurking and some posting.   I'd like to add some updates to my intro thread from a few years back and would love to hear any advice/thoughts on my approach mentioned below.

 

I've been off of valium since April 2020 and have a had a long drawn out withdrawal.  I microtapered over 9-10 months, but it was still rough.  Though i've felt like i'm coming out of that slowly but surely.  All the while, i've been consistent with my liquid fluoxetine dose of 12mg per day (3 ml) at about 9am daily.  Same manufacturer all the while as well (Silarx aka Lannett)

 

About 1-1.5 months ago, i started to notice heart palpitations and some chest tightness come out of nowhere.  It would hang around for a few minutes then dissipate.  I also noticed some clammy hands and strange sensitivity to sound.  This sensitivity was like an echo in my mind...i'd hear something then it would sort of replay in head at a whisper for a few moments and then a small wave of anxiety would come over me.  It could be a sound or a word, the sound or the word would repeat...it's freaky and scary.  But, this was also only a few times and dissipated quickly as well so i shrugged it off.  Otherwise, i was doing pretty well...productive at work, enjoying food again, sorta happy sometimes which is great!  On thanksgiving day at about 11am, i felt what i would describe as a whoosh come over me along with an intense bout of that sound echo phenomenon.  Strong chemical anxiety and a hollowed out stomach like i fell from a building followed and i felt ill, like acute withdrawal ill for the day.  That night the flu like symptoms (sweating, hot/cold, nausea) continued along with spiraling thoughts of disaster and chest tightness and heart palps.  What had happened I thought, everything seemed to be going so well.  i thought i was on the other side of the benzo thing, any maybe i am.  

 

My hypothesis is that roughly a month and a half ago, the formulation of the generic prozac changed.  Perhaps they screwed up the compounding formula, changed fillers, mixer,s whatever.  My P doc seems to think that is possible as well.  He's a good one, one of the few good ones i've met.  I've historically had issues with generics as well so i'm biased in that way i suppose. 

 

Anyway, the aforementioned symptoms always come on strongest about 2-3 hours after i take the prozac dose then wax and wane throughout the day.  Eating seems to trigger it a bit.  but it still happens if i don't eat.  I had another nasty wave of it today, roughly 2 hours after prozac dose, and i decided i have to make a move as this is pretty miserable way to exist.  I was able to speak with my psychiatrist and he believes my hypothesis of the manufacturer changing the recipe or screwing it up as very plausible.  Also, there really isn't anything else to blame.  This doesn't feel like benzo withdrawal and i know benzo withdrawal well enough.  The move we decided to make here is for me to move onto 10mg brand name prozac, the high test stuff.  pretty expensive move as well unfortunately.  I'm going to take my first dose tomorrow am as i'm convinced the liquid i've been taking is poison in the truest sense of the word.  God please let me stabilize on this for a few months then i'm going to taper VERY slowly over the next 2-3 years and be done with this.  The only reason i take medication at this point, it feels like, is to not withdraw.  I'm not an addict but i sure feel like one.  felt like one on benzo's, still feel like one on this.  

 

This is where i'm at, i'll keep updating the group on my status/progress as maybe this will help someone else.  All feedback is always welcome!  Thanks for reading this everyone

[ChessieCat]

1 hour ago, methuselah said:

Also, there really isn't anything else to blame. 

 

Have you had a Covid vaccination?

 

Stopped or started any other drugs/supplements?

 

Additional stressors?  Sickness, financial, job, relationship, moving, travelling, losing close relative/friend/pet.

 

The Covid situation started early last year and things are becoming more normal but not going back to what they were pre-Covid.  Our world has been changed by what has happened and there is a lot of uncertainty that we didn't have before.

 

Even though we think we have been coping okay, I suspect that there are people for whom the stress builds up very gradually over time and that it can then rear its ugly head and they can't work out what has caused it.

 

I was watching a video yesterday and they had statistics of the increase in the number of people experiencing depression in American.  I think pre-Covid was 17% and post-Covid was 40%.  I cannot remember when the stats were taken.

[ChessieCat]

Another one, did you miss any doses.

 

Prozac has a long half life (approximately 14 days) so it might take some time for the effect of a missed dose to appear.

[methuselah]

15 minutes ago, ChessieCat said:

Another one, did you miss any doses.

 

Prozac has a long half life (approximately 14 days) so it might take some time for the effect of a missed dose to appear.

 
Hi Chessie.  Congrats on getting off of Pristiq!  Covid has been awful but this can’t be attributed to that I don’t believe.  Also, I haven’t missed any doses.  Any thoughts in moving to the brand name?  I had a lot of luck with it when I started way back when.  I’m so very hopeful that it helps, but I’m also nervous.  

[methuselah]

Strayed the 10mg brand Prozac this morning.  It feels like I’m taking a completely different medicine, so much for generic equivalence.  Pretty tired about an hour after and in a dream like state much of the day.  It’s weird.  
 

I’m curious if anyone has any thoughts on what triggered the build up to and the episodes I ran into in thanksgiving day?  
 

I’ll keep plodding along at the 10mg Prozac and propranolol as needed and hope it works and I can stabilize.  Assuming stabilization after 4-6 months, I’m going to begin a super slow taper, 5% a month or so I think.  

[ChessieCat]

I've just had a thought.

 

Q:  How long ago did you open the liquid?

 

I'm wondering if you had been using it past the "dispose of after opening" period.

[methuselah]

58 minutes ago, ChessieCat said:

I've just had a thought.

 

Q:  How long ago did you open the liquid?

 

I'm wondering if you had been using it past the "dispose of after opening" period.

good thought, but it was a brand new bottle.  Also tried a second new bottle of the same thing and the negative effect continued with new bottle.

[ChessieCat]

I decided to stay with the brand name when I was tapering.  I am not pro-brand and I do get generic for most other prescriptions.  But for my antidepressant I decided to stay with what I knew I was okay with.

 

Even though the dose of a generic is the same, the other ingredients in the medication can be different.  Other SA members have had issues changing from brand to generic.

 

change-in-drug-manufacturer-or-generic-substituted-for-brand-name-drug

 

4 hours ago, methuselah said:

I’m curious if anyone has any thoughts on what triggered the build up to and the episodes I ran into in thanksgiving day?

 

I know you would like to have an answer, but unfortunately you might never find out what caused it.

 

It is better for you to try to accept that for whatever reason things worsened, BUT now you are taking the brand Prozac so you can feel less stressed about it being the generic.

 

It's not helpful to continue fretting over the question of what happened.  It  causes stress which is not good for you.  Try to put the question out of your mind and remind yourself that you are doing something which will hopefully help.

[methuselah]

Those are very wise words and you’re right.  Thank you for the kindness and advice.  The fact of the matter is it happened and I’m trying to solve it.  
 

I am amazed by just how different the brand capsule feels from the generic liquid. It feels like I’m completely switching meds sometimes which is uncomfortable.  The strange mental thought patterns I get in the morning upon waking are the worst. Inexplicable, very difficult to explain.  It’s dream like and like a bad trip basically (acid mind I’ll call it). Like someone else is steering the boat (my brain) and I’m just along for the ride maybe.  Also moments of “is this really happening To me rigjt now. Is this real?”
 

Not looking forward to work tomorrow but at least I Am home based.

 

ill keep updates coming.  This morning seemed a little better than yesterday.  Not as tired from the pill and not as anxious so far though it’s only been 3 hours since dose.  Strange acid mind continues on and off

[methuselah]

Here’s a link to an interesting article I found on bio equivalence of generics to brand . 
 

https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/antidepressants-brand-name-or-generic

 

[methuselah]

Yesterday was actuallly pretty ok.  Not a lot of weird thought patterns or anxiety during the day.  Was actually able to relax, take a decent nap, and do my yoga practice at 5pm (took it sort of easy but not too easy).  At about midnight symptoms revved up and include:

 

chest tightness, tingling in hands, racing thoughts including mostly fear around getting serotonin syndrome and ending up in hospital, having a panic attack, being able to work the next day, etc.  how likely  serotonin syndrome is for me at 10mg of Prozac is prob very low to nonexistent so it’s probably an irrational fear.  
 

im happy to report none of these things actually happened and I did sort of doze off on and off throughout night.  Tried to use cbt to counter the negative thoughts but it’s hard.

 

took the Prozac this morning at 630 am.  Feel blah today but not super terrible.  Definitely some derealization, dream like state, tired, lacking motivation, zero appetite. 

 

I guess it will take a few weeks at least to find some semblance of stability so I’ve prepared myself for that.  

 

 

[ChessieCat]

On 12/6/2021 at 3:40 AM, methuselah said:

Here’s a link to an interesting article I found on bio equivalence of generics to brand . 

 

I am not able to access this article.

[methuselah]

730 am - woke up. Slept well last night.  No anxiety during night which is a relief as night before was uncomfortable.

8 am - 10 mg Prozac brand name.15mg propranolol

830 am - felt off.  Racing thoughts like whispers in the mind.  Laid down for an hour in bed and fell back asleep.  
930-1230 - worked but limited brain capacity and productivity.  skight waves of anxiety throughout. First meal of day at noon as still very little appetite.  Forced down a protein shake, whole fat yogurt, and  some blueberries.  Purchased a weight gainer drink online (“Naked Mass”) to keep calories up, arrives Wednesday. 

1230 - tired, laid down for about 20 minutes.  
1 -2 pm - reading this site.  Brass monkey posts mostly to try to understand what’s happening and how best to proceed.  Still plan on holding here for at least a month before any further changes.  I sorta wished I performed a crossover from  the generic liquid to brand pill but I was having such strange reaction to the liquid I just wanted to be done with it.  
 

will update with rest of day later.  
 

 

[methuselah]

On 12/7/2021 at 2:19 PM, methuselah said:

730 am - woke up. Slept well last night.  No anxiety during night which is a relief as night before was uncomfortable.

8 am - 10 mg Prozac brand name.15mg propranolol

830 am - felt off.  Racing thoughts like whispers in the mind.  Laid down for an hour in bed and fell back asleep.  
930-1230 - worked but limited brain capacity and productivity.  skight waves of anxiety throughout. First meal of day at noon as still very little appetite.  Forced down a protein shake, whole fat yogurt, and  some blueberries.  Purchased a weight gainer drink online (“Naked Mass”) to keep calories up, arrives Wednesday. 

1230 - tired, laid down for about 20 minutes.  
1 -2 pm - reading this site.  Brass monkey posts mostly to try to understand what’s happening and how best to proceed.  Still plan on holding here for at least a month before any further changes.  I sorta wished I performed a crossover from  the generic liquid to brand pill but I was having such strange reaction to the liquid I just wanted to be done with it.  
 

will update with rest of day later.  
 

 

2pm through rest of day - Came out of the haze and anxiety waves and had a decent evening.  Felt pretty flat but that’s better than the alternative imho.  
 

some stomach issues last night, may have been something I ate, who knows. Nothing too bad

 

Fell asleep ok