GonnaBeOk: protracted Prozac withdrawal horrible

[Gato123]

Sometimes I get short of breath from the tiniest amount of effort. 

 

Have you experienced any “decent” days yet? I had all your symptoms for 6 months straight with little relief. In months 6-7(I’m in month7) I’ve started to have a couple good days but then I sink again but at least I’ve had a good day. I’m a mess right now and terrified I’m stuck on these drugs. 

Hang in there. I’d consider reinstating. I haven’t because I’m in a foreign country and will be going back to the US in 1.5 months. 

[GonnaBeOk]

@Gato123 “Decent” would be relative, honestly. I suppose today would be “decent” but if I compared myself to the days when I was on meds, I’m prob 5% of the person I was, on a “decent” day like today. And my “decent” days are extremely rare. Maybe once a month?  My husband and friends and family fear for me if I don’t do something (reinstate) very soon. It’s really bad and has been for a long time. Sooooo NOT me! I’m not sure I really have any other option but to reinstate slowly due to my state. Ughhhh, such a crappy set of circumstances! 

 

I  feel for you being out of the country and away from comfortable surroundings while going thru this. Hugs. 

[Gato123]

Sorry to hear that. It sounds like you and I are in very similar situations. I am meeting with the doctor to see about reinstating this week. I can't take it anymore. 

[GonnaBeOk]

I was only able to get *generic* Prozac liquid. Contacted several pharmacies and they all carry only generic and they don’t know where to get name brand. I’m in the US.  Is this a problem to use generic liquid? I am on day 2 of reinstating .5 mg. 

 

Also, just thinking ahead: when/if I decide to reduce, I’m still confused about how to reduce below 0.1 because that’s as low as my syringe goes. It was mentioned to add water, but not sure how that works. Can someone explain (as if to a Kindergartner, because my brain 😉). Thank you. 

 

Also, if I decide to stop reinstating, at what point is it safe to just stop (if at all) at .5 mg? A few days only? Maybe a better way to ask: how far out (at .5mg) does one need to taper (instead of just stopping) if they decide to quit? 

 

I’ll tag a few moderators if someone could please let me know. And thank you very much for any help. I appreciate it. @ChessieCat @Shep @Altostrata

[Altostrata]

Generic liquid is okay. Please don't worry about tapering from 0.5mg, let's see what it does first, for a few weeks. You may be taking it for some months.  Be sure to take it at the same time each day.

 

Let us know how you're doing.

[GonnaBeOk]

@Altostrata Thank you.

I’m on 4th day of reinstating 0.5 mg Prozac. I’m sort of freaking out a little thinking maybe I should  just let WD run it’s (long) course. No adverse affects from reinstating so far, just feeling like “oh no, what if it doesn’t do anything and then I need to taper off while already feeling soooo bad.”  My husband is insisting I continue reinstatement due to constant and relentless SI (it’s bad). The SI has not let up at all since probably July. 

 

My question: if I don’t wish to continue and do stop now, can I just quit and no need to taper? I’m 4 days in to 0.5 mg Prozac. You mentioned previously not to worry about tapering from 0.5, but I read here often how many say that the last bit is so hard to come off of, so trying to make an informed decision. Thank you. 

[thecowisback]

i could have written this myself a few weeks ago. i was really scared of 'throwing away' the healing time i've had so far but got to the point where i felt i had no choice any longer. i hope the reinstatement works for you. try not to panic about it as it will make your symptoms worse. xxxx

[Altostrata]

No, you're not going to have a lot of trouble coming off 0.5mg. It's going to take at least a week to have full effect. Please let us know how you're doing.

[GonnaBeOk]

Update: Started reinstatement of 0.5mg liquid prozac on Tuesday, March 26 (after being off since mid-April of 2018).  Not feeling any different, except MAYBE not crying as much--"flat" feeling (or is it just a window of not crying? who knows).  I take my dose at 8:45 am every day. 

 

Most notable daily symptoms (since coming off Prozac): No motivation to do anything, ever ( it's too overwhelming to think of doing anything at all); severe and dark, black depression; gut-wrenching unquenchable anxiety like I cannot even put into words; terror; agoraphobia; terrible sleep and terrible insomnia; inability to nap at all--ever (napping was never a problem before Prozac cessation); inability to handle ANY stress (which is why I isolate at home); akathisia which manifests as severe anxiety, emotionally uneasy, very restless, feeling as if I need to jump out of my skin or off a bridge; tingly sensations in arms and legs, SI is constant, OCD looping negative thoughts; cannot feel happiness even though I want to (beautiful sunny California day today elicits nothing in me); huge weight loss; panic attacks; cognitive difficulties; blurry vision; sometimes muscle twitching; sometimes a vibrating feeling just underneath my skin.  I have also developed a strange roughness to my skin (I call it lizard skin--even tho I"m 52, I used to be told I look at least 10 years younger. Not anymore. I look like I've aged 10 years in the last 11 months. This roughness of skin feels like tiny miniscule dry bumps all over my body and torso). I have a huge histamine intolerance now, and often seem to get anxiety spikes after I eat (even though I follow a low histamine diet--although I do eat meat to get protein and try to keep weight on). Weird stomach issues I never had before. I was diagnosed with Lyme disease, but am not actively treating right now since I'm trying to stabilize.

 

T 3/26

630 am: panic, terror, akathisia

845 am:  0.5 mg Prozac

1130-1230: uncontrolled crying 

"white knuckling" all day just to get through day; paralyzing anxiety, fear, all day

10 pm: 1 mg melatonin and bed; slept till 4 am (total 6 hours, which is pretty good for me)

 

W 3/27

630am: fear, terror, anxiety, panic all morning 

845am: Prozac  0.5 mg; 

12 noon--30 minute walk (first walk in a year)

Bearable afternoon with tons of anxiety though

10pm: 1 mg melatonin and bed; awake at 130am; toss and turn and may have eventually dozed another hour (total approx. 4 hrs sleep)

 

Th 3/28

akathisia (usually worse when sleep is poor)

845am  0.5 mg Prozac.

12-230pm: friend came to visit; cried a little; also, symptoms ramp up when I talk too much (nervous system agitation)

Better day than previous two; still very depressed

10 pm melatonin and slept till 6am (8 hours, which is unheard of for me. Coincidence?).

 

F 3/29

6am: woke anxious and depressed, but no terror

845am:  0.5 mg prozac

OK, day. Nothing extremely notable other than usual WD symptoms with anxiety spikes

10 pm melatonin and slept total of about 6 hours off and on.

 

Sa 3/30

845am: 0.5 mg Prozac

Ok, day. Usual WD symptoms with anxiety spikes throughout day

11pm melatonin and bed. Not good sleep (went to bed an hour later than usual). Toss and turn all night: Probably 4 hours total sleep.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[GonnaBeOk]

Forgot to mention that  incredibly loud tinnitus is also a symptom since withdrawal. (Just listing symptoms here on my thread so I can see them easily and make mental note if they improve).

 

Su 3/31

Bad sleep (approx. 4 hours total); I wake up with that intense heavy rebound withdrawal anxiety in the pit of the stomach every day

845am: took 0.5mg Prozac

OK day with high anxiety spikes throughout.

Went on 25 minute walk in the evening.

10pm melatonin and bed (woke at 1 am Sun. night with a bad lower abdominal pain (not gas) on right side which went away after an hour or two--never had that before).

 

Question: How long is feasible to see if there is any improvement with reinstatement? My symptoms are very severe and debilitating (I really don't accomplish anything in a day--except this week I did manage to go on a walk twice) and I'm honestly not sure how in the world I will know if things are improving enough to keep on with reinstatement. Although I have a million symptoms, the horrible anxiety and depression seems the most disabling.

 

I was on Prozac for many years, and then discontinued. Months later, when withdrawals hit last summer, I was put on a few weeks of Lexapro, then a trial of sleep meds (horrible),  several doses of Ativan to try to sleep, then "short" course of Remeron.  Is it still safe to say that reinstating Prozac (instead of a one of the other meds) is the best course of action here (since I was on it the longest amount of time, and I definitely experienced withdrawal symptoms from it before I was given any of the other drugs (although I'm sure those did not help my situation)? 

 

Also, thought I updated my drug signature (tried twice), but I"m not seeing it.

[Gato123]

I’m not a moderator but form everything I understand you would reinstate Prozac. 

 

Wheni reinstated in 2017, at first it made all the symptoms worse immediately so I stopped but a month later was talked back into going back on and it took about 3 months before my mood started to really improve and I felt “normal” on a regular basis. I wish I would not have ever stopped. 

[Altostrata]

I don't see an adverse reaction to 0.5mg Prozac. It looks to me like there's been a little improvement since you reinstated March 26.

 

Given Prozac's long half-life, it takes a least a week to ramp up to full effect. You've been taking it 5 days.

 

Please continue to keep daily notes.

 

 

[GonnaBeOk]

M 4/1 notes (Sunday night into Monday)

About 6 hours of bad broken sleep; when awake in middle of night waiting to go back to sleep, it seems akathisia is kicking in (horrid unrelenting agitation with unmentionable thoughts and urges). This is not something that ever occurs in the middle of the night. Although I always wake up in the middle of the night (and I very often have akathisia during the day), when I lay in bed after waking in the middle of the night,  before falling back asleep, I am usually in a calm, thinking state just waiting for sleep again. Never ramped up akathesia.

Woke up Monday morning with terror and panic and akathisia 

9 am: 0.5 mg Prozac (took me a few extra minutes to get air bubbles out of syringe)

7-745pm: complete meltdown, crying, akathisia, intense anxiety.

945pm melatonin and bed.

 

Again, last night (Monday night into Tuesday), I woke in middle of night with terrible akathisia and all the terrible thoughts and increased unrelenting anxiety that goes with it. Horrible.This is not something that usually occurs in the middle of the night..

 

@Alto or another moderator: Can I please get your thoughts on this? I am questioning whether to continue. I've taken a total of 6 doses and today (Tuesday) will be 7th dose. I usually take it at 845am CA time. Thank you.          

[thecowisback]

i've been back on prozac since early january and i have had some windows in that time so i'm hoping it's doing something. i'm at the crest of a very bad wave right now so my judgement isn't too good but i do think it's helping dampen down some of the withdrawal symptoms as i do get days now and then when i can dismiss the thoughts more easily. 

[GonnaBeOk]

@thecowisback I"m sorry about your bad wave. Sending hugs.

[GonnaBeOk]

Can someone please tell me how to effectively update my signature. I go into my profile, and am able to edit it. Then I press the SAVE button. But, the old signature keeps showing up. I thought maybe it was too long, so I made it shorter, pressed "save," and it's still reverting to old signature. Should I be changing the font size? Obviously, I've done this before (as I do have a signature that posts), but wondering why it won't update changes. I've tried at least 4 times. Thanks for any tips.

 

EDITED to add: I figured it out.  I found a link from Shep in one of the early posts which allowed me to edit it.  

Edited April 2, 2019 by GonnaBeOk

[thecowisback]

thankyou - i hope you start to see some good coming from the reinstatement if you carry on with it 💜

[GonnaBeOk]

@Altostrata When you have time today, can you help me figure out how to taper off 7 doses of 0.5 mg liquid Prozac? I took the 7th dose today at 9 am. I have a 1ml syringe. I am assuming just quitting is not a good idea (?).  I'm starting to wonder if I should just quit now while I'm ahead.

 

 I will see how tonight goes with the sleep and akathisia issue (waking up in the middle of the night with akathisia is not a normal pattern for me, and I'm wondering if it's due to the re-introduction of prozac. It has happened for the last 2 nights). Of all the symptoms I have, akathisia is not a tolerable one. And it is not something I have ever had in the middle of the night when trying to go back to sleep after waking up. 

 

Thanks for any feedback. I know you are crazy busy answering everyone's posts, and I really appreciate your time. 

[Altostrata]

A trial of Prozac lasts at least a week. I need to see more daily notes!

 

What do you mean by akathisia?

 

3 hours ago, GonnaBeOk said:

9 am: 0.5 mg Prozac (took me a few extra minutes to get air bubbles out of syringe)

7-745pm: complete meltdown, crying, akathisia, intense anxiety.

 

After taking Prozac at 9 a.m., you didn't have any significant symptoms until 7 p.m.?

[Tweet]

Gonna, 

I am coming off of 20 mg. Prozac. It will soon be a year. I went through exactly what you did in terms of sleep and other wd symptoms. Was fine for the first 3 months. Then suddenly 0, 2, 4 nights sleep. I totally understand. I lost over 20 pounds in 2 months due to inability to eat and racing, anxious metabolism. I did not have this site yet and felt so alone. Tried a natural m.d. 3 hours away about $300 an hour. Often begged the Lord to kill me. I know how horrible it is.  But it does get better. Not there yet, but I am sleeping 6-7 hours most nights. Before that 4 am anxiety rush , at about 3 am I take 1 tsp Natural Calm magnesium powder in water and it stops it. I use Bachs rescue remedy drops and 1 tsp Natural calm to help relax for bed.

Not a doctor but that’s just what works for me.

My appetite came back around month 9 and eating helps alot too!

More, longer windows and still pretty low waves. 

Definitely on the upswing, though. 

Good thing I am stubborn. 

I did not know about reinstatement as a possibility.

when I am down on a wave I fantasize about it.

when not there is no way I will ever take prozac or any other AD again. 

So glad to know about your experience, although I KNOW it is horrific! 

And I am so sorry for your trials.

I still sometimes have trouble at night “sleeping” with horrible thoughts, anxiety, etc.

Example: I envision our, or my boys,  truck tires hitting a bump in the highway and blowing out at 75 mph. If we are  going on a trip the next day or week.

  I think about that gearshifter dial in the new dodge suddenly malfunctioning and throwing it into reverse on one of my sons at 75 mph. 

  I think about my husband dying in his sleep.

each thought 10000 times per night. No ability to control  my mind.

Anyway, hope it helps just to know someone else “gets” what youre going through.🙂

 

  

[GonnaBeOk]

@Tweet Thank you so much for your words of support!

 

 

 

 

[GonnaBeOk]

@Altostrata 

 

By akathisia I mean: anxiety, agitation, horrific panic, feeling as if I need to jump out of my skin to get relief from the awful restlessness; SI; extremely distressing. Sometimes I rock back and forth. 

 

Also, (to answer your second question) I have significant symptoms all day long, every day. Quite often it is horrible akathisia, and it sometimes culminates in me having a meltdown due to trying to stay strong and then just crumbling. I'll try to make better notes. Thank you.

[Altostrata]

Has this gotten better or worse since you started 0.5mg Prozac? Is it better or worse at any particular time of day?

 

You took your first walk in a year and slept 8 hours the other day, you don't think that's significant?

 

 

[Tweet]

That was supposed to be suddenly 0,2,4 hours of sleep per night. Sorry!

[Gracee]

@GonnaBeOk,   Please, please, please allow your up-dose a chance to work for you.   It    will take a few more days to settle you down.  If you try to down-dose now, you will REALLY mess yourself up.

[GonnaBeOk]

@Altostrata: Not really any rhyme or reason to the akathisia. Always worse if I don't get some sleep, but I have not been able to determine if it is any better or worse yet since reinstatement . That's why I was wondering if the middle of the night akathisia might indicate a "worsening" since I've never had it at that time before. I've had a hard time eating lately (anxiety),  so maybe blood sugar issues are causing me problems in the middle of the night and exacerbating symptoms. 

 

@Gracee Thank you. I'm trying to stay calm about all this. 😟 It's scary for me because my symptoms are quite severe and debilitating, and I'm worried about this not working and having to come off of a reinstatement while already being a complete and total mess. 

 

@Tweet I'm tracking! 😉

 

[Altostrata]

Please do not worry about coming off of 0.5mg. However, it seems to be helping, so why do you want to quit it?

[GonnaBeOk]

T 4/2

(as mentioned yesterday): woke in middle of night with akathisia 

About 6 hours total sleep (always broken and I always wake up after about 3 hours of sleep, then takes couple hours to go back to sleep for a little longer).

Woke in morning with intense agitation and akathisia

9 am 0.5 Prozac

10:30 am feeling panicky and tingly (not new symptom)

12 noon lunch and mom visited

2 pm: White knuckle panic symptoms

Heavy anxiety throughout afternoon

430-530pm phone call with a friend, cried a little, but didn't sob. 

10pm: Melatonin and bed

 

Notes: I notice feeling more "flat"--kind of feeling more "numb" ; I seem to not be crying as much at times; dreams seem to not be quite so memorable and vivid (Before re-introduction of 0.5 mg, the WD dreams have been crazy weird and vivid and lots of them; will see if this continues). I don't know if all this is placebo or actually changes that are happening or maybe even just a small reprieve that would have happened anyway.  Today (Weds.) the intense and constant SI has settled down a bit. Thinking my middle of the night akathisia could possibly be related to low blood sugar. I have a hard time eating when I am so anxious.  

 

@Altostrata :

 

22 hours ago, Altostrata said:

Please do not worry about coming off of 0.5mg. However, it seems to be helping, so why do you want to quit it?

I'm honestly scared to death of reinstatement for fear it might not work or make me worse. I'm in a horrid state, so going through withdrawals on top of these already intense withdrawals does not seem "survivable."   That said, I feel I am locked in a corner because the constant SI is soooo incredibly intense alllll the time.  There were no changes in my WD symptoms at all in an almost one year period, and the thoughts are constant--it's crazy. That said, today the SI was not in the forefront at all (coincidence? placebo? window? who knows).  Sidenote: These thoughts were never part of my makeup before WD from Prozac. 

[Altostrata]

31 minutes ago, GonnaBeOk said:

Thinking my middle of the night akathisia could possibly be related to low blood sugar. I have a hard time eating when I am so anxious.  

 

Eat some oatmeal or undenatured whey protein before bed. That will keep your blood sugar level.

 

Have you always been a person who tends to worry or have health anxiety?

[GonnaBeOk]

2 hours ago, Altostrata said:

 

Eat some oatmeal or undenatured whey protein before bed. That will keep your blood sugar level.

 

Have you always been a person who tends to worry or have health anxiety?

 

Ok, thank you.

Yes, I have always had a tendency to worry (childhood trauma), but not health anxiety specifically (until WD).

[GonnaBeOk]

W 4/3

Slept total of 6 broken hours

8:45am 0.5mg prozac

Cleared out a cabinet for about 20 min.

Feeling "flat"

Not crying as much, but don't seem to be "feeling" much of anything

Maybe not feeling quite so anxious today, but still very anxious

SI not as intense

Bearable day; don't think I mentioned any negative symptoms at all today to my husband

10pm Melatonin and bed

 

And just for documenting: another constant symptom I've had since withdrawal is glazed-over eyes. I look stoned constantly.

 

[Altostrata]

This is what we expect -- very small, gradual improvements. The reinstatement is working.

[GonnaBeOk]

Today was way back to hell,  though.

Is it often one step forward, two steps back?

 

[Softcell]

Hi gonnabeok.  I'm in a similar situation to yourself suffering the withdrawal symptoms. Although I'm not completely off the drug, I tapered down to fast causing symptoms. I battle with myself every day to increase the drug or stay as I am.  I really wish you all the best and hope your reinstatement works.  Following your progress closely.  

[GonnaBeOk]

Th 4/4

Horrible "sleep"...approx 3.5 hrs total sleep; awake since 2am

Early morning cortisol surges and panic attacks

845am: 0.5mg Prozac

10:45am crying jag

akathisia (not worse)

Spent day mostly on couch, feeling "numb" and anxious

Anxiety and small meltdown in early afternoon

Loud tinnitus 24/7

5pm calmer

10pm melatonin and bed

 

Today (Friday): slept fairly decently last night. woke up with less akathisia and less anxiety than normal. Sleep has a huge effect. I always go to bed at same time. My brain decides how long it sleeps, though, which is frustrating. Always sleep a few hours and then struggle to fall back asleep. I think only twice since bad WD hit, I've slept all the night through. All other nights is the pattern of sleeping 2 or 3 hours, waking, and hoping I go back to sleep.  I never had sleep issues until I came off Prozac. I miss naps, too. My body just won't nap anymore--to much fight or flight.

[thecowisback]

same- i find it hard to nap as i wake up really disorientated and scared. it makes you wonder how our bodies manage with such little sleep.