Margaret3

[Margaret3]

I have been on 20 mg of Prozac for 35 years.  On January 21, 2020 I unfortunately decided I would decrease my dosage to 10 mg to try to help my restless leg syndrome.  I felt fine in February but in the middle of March I started to have insomnia.  I did not associate it with the reduction in Prozac.  I then started to take the 10 mg every other day.  By the first of April the insomnia got worse.  I researched a little and realized it was the the decrease in Prozac.  On April 12th after several nights of hardly any sleep I read about reinstatement so I took one of my 20 mg capsules and slept that night for 7 hours.  The next day I read more and realized I had probably taken too much so the last 3 days I have taken only 10 mg.  Unfortunately, the last 3 nights I have not slept but maybe 2 hours.  Tonight I did not sleep at all.  Should I go back to the 20 mg as I can't go on no sleep.  Very embarrassed as to what I have done but need some help.  Thank you so much.

[Altostrata]

Welcome, Margaret.

 

Yes, you got withdrawal insomnia from reducing Prozac too fast. Please never skip doses! This can bring on terrible withdrawal symptoms.

 

You might split the difference and go back to 15mg. Be sure to take it at the same time each day -- no skipping!!

 

Prozac comes in a prescription liquid so you can take a small amount, such as 5mg, or you can make your own liquid. see Tips for tapering off Prozac (fluoxetine)

 

This will come in handy because using the liquid is a very good way to gradually go off Prozac, which you can do after you stabilize for a while and you're sleeping again.

 

Please let us know how you're doing.

[Margaret3]

Thank you so much for your reply.  I so appreciate it.  Today I had a headache all day and I never get headaches.  Could that also be a withdrawal side effect that is coming on later?  I have not gone up to the 15 mg because I slept well last night for the first time in a week.  But now that i have had this headache all day perhaps i need to move up to the 15.  I have also had back pain - a dull ache for quite awhile.  Can that be a side effect as well?  Again, thank you so much.

[Altostrata]

Headache is a very common withdrawal symptom.

 

Your nervous system may be settling adjusting to all the drug changes. You might want to wait to see if it settles down without increasing Prozac. There may be ups and downs while it settles. When you're feeling stable, you'll be in a good position to taper.

[Margaret3]

Thank you.  Well I spoke too soon.  Cant sleep tonight at all.  Should I try to go to the 15 or stay at the 10?  I appreciate it.

 

[Altostrata]

It seems you might be just entering a period when your system is adjusting. You will have waves and windows of symptoms. Do what you can to just drift along tonight.

 

It's up to you whether you want to increase. You may not have to go to 15mg, you could try 11mg, but I would not take the additional 1mg tonight. Wait until your usual time tomorrow.

 

What time do you take Prozac?

[Margaret3]

I take it at 8 in the morning.  I take a 10 mg tablet so  it sure how I would take 11 mg?

[Altostrata]

How to add a small amount is explained here:

 

On 4/17/2020 at 2:58 PM, Altostrata said:

Prozac comes in a prescription liquid so you can take a small amount, such as 5mg, or you can make your own liquid. see Tips for tapering off Prozac (fluoxetine)

 

How do you feel before and after you take Prozac in the morning?

[Margaret3]

I feel okay after I take it but then start to get headaches in the afternoon.  I take the 10 mg at 8 in the morning.  The insomnia, headaches and now a little dizziness makes me think I should try 15 to get stable.  Would you agree?   Thanks

[Altostrata]

What time in the afternoon do you get these headaches?

 

It is highly likely those headaches are caused by something you're taking in the morning, such as the Prozac. What else do you take in the morning? Do you drink coffee? Take supplements? An over-the-counter drug?

 

If it's caused by the Prozac, that's an indication you're taking too much Prozac. I would not increase Prozac.

[Margaret3]

I just take some supplements that I have taken for years- calcium, NP thyroid, multivitamin.  Yesterday the headache came on around noon and today about 3:00.  So u think I should not go to 15 mg?

[Cocopuffz17]

Hello, welcome to SA!

I to developed headaches after coming off my medication(during my dose reduction and after being off of it). Like you I did not experience headaches at all during my stint on medication. Follow the advice from the mods here... they are very knowledgeable. This site is the only reason I am finally off my medication I was told I needed for life. 

 

Everyday that passes is one day closer to being healed  

[Margaret3]

Thank you.  I am miserable and part of me wants to reinstate but I also dont want to go backwards.  The insomnia is the worst.  Last night I did not sleep at all.  Did you experience that?

[Altostrata]

42 minutes ago, Margaret3 said:

I just take some supplements that I have taken for years- calcium, NP thyroid, multivitamin.  Yesterday the headache came on around noon and today about 3:00.  So u think I should not go to 15 mg?

 

Please list all the supplements and drugs you take. There may be one that's causing the headache. When was the last time your thyroid drug dosage was adjusted?

 

Does this headache happen every day? When did you start having it? How long does it last? Do you have any other odd symptoms during the day? Please keep daily notes of times of day you take your drugs, their dosages, and your symptoms throughout the day. Post 24 hours of notes at a time in this topic, in a simple list format with time of day on the left and notation (symptom or drug and dosage) on the right.

 

To help us out, follow these instructions Please put your drug and withdrawal history in your signature You may need to use a computer to do this.

[Cocopuffz17]

6 minutes ago, Margaret3 said:

Thank you.  I am miserable and part of me wants to reinstate but I also dont want to go backwards.  The insomnia is the worst.  Last night I did not sleep at all.  Did you experience that?

Yes, I followed my psychiatrists guidelines for my taper. He said 3 months. I know it is way too fast and why I experienced almost every withdrawal symptom there is. I personally used melotonin for a solid 3-5 months to get sleep. I used alot, 5mg - 10mg a night. That is how I went about it. I now am able to sleep and have not used melotonin in over a year. 

[Margaret3]

Thank you.  I struggle with restless leg so I am afraid to try melatomin as some people say it is a trigger for rls.   How long did your withdrawal symptoms last after you stopped? I took Prozac for 35 years so I am worried that I will never get off.  Thanks

1 hour ago, Cocopuffz17 said:

Yes, I followed my psychiatrists guidelines for my taper. He said 3 months. I know it is way too fast and why I experienced almost every withdrawal symptom there is. I personally used melotonin for a solid 3-5 months to get sleep. I used alot, 5mg - 10mg a night. That is how I went about it. I now am able to sleep and have not used melotonin in over a year. 

 

[Cocopuffz17]

31 minutes ago, Margaret3 said:

Thank you.  I struggle with restless leg so I am afraid to try melatomin as some people say it is a trigger for rls.   How long did your withdrawal symptoms last after you stopped? I took Prozac for 35 years so I am worried that I will never get off.  Thanks

 

I use to have restless leg as well. I did not realize it was caused by the medication. I no longer have it. Ya, I would steer clear of it then.

 

i still get headaches and tinnitus. They are greatly reduced to what they were. 
 

I don’t believe that. I believe if you make nutritional changes and follow a slow taper schedule you can achieve it! 
 

Everyday that passes is one day closer to being healed! 

[Margaret3]

All my headaches are pretty much gone but I still have insomnia.  Last week I had 3 nights of fairly good sleep.  Since then I had a few nights of 2 -3 hours or no sleep.  I don't understand how it changes from one week to the next.  A few questions please.  Will it get better?  I have been taking consistently the 10 mg of Prozac since April 13 th.  For those that had restless leg did it get better as you tapered? I stopped taking hydroxyzine as I I believe it contributed to the restless leg.   I plan on staying at 10 mg until the insomnia settles and will then taper very very slowly.  I am so frustrated with the lack of sleep.  Any thoughts?  Thank you all.

[Gridley]

7 minutes ago, Margaret3 said:

I don't understand how it changes from one week to the next.

Withdrawal symptoms come and go with a general very slow upward trend toward improvement.  It will get better.  Here are some links to help with sleep.

Tips to help sleep - so many of us have that awful withdrawal insomnia

 

Relaxation exercises, guided meditations, calming videos, sleep hypnosis

 

Tricks and tips to fall asleep faster

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2017/02/16/tips-tricks-fall-asleep-faster.aspx?utm_source=dnl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art1&utm_campaign=20170216Z1&et_cid=DM133787&et_rid=1889748952

 

This link contains helpful information, including insomnia and also non-drug coping skills.  

 

 Important topics about symptoms, including sleep problems

 

 

 

[Margaret3]

All i am so frustrated.  I cant fall asleep until 4 a.m. and then i only get 2 or 3 hours of sleep.  I am still taking the 10 mg a day of Prozac but wondering if i should up my dose.  Also i have 2 other health conditons that i really need rest for.  I went from 20 to 10 of prozac back on January 21st to try to help my restless leg. I didnt realize at the time that i tapered way to fast.  The insomnia did not hit until the first of March.  On April 12th i took a 20 mg pill because i was exhausted and i slept well that night.  I then discovered this site and started taking 10 mg.  Since then i have not slept well at all.  I struggle with rls so i am concerned about trying any melotonin.  Because i have been on Prozac for 35 years perhaps i just wont be able to function without being at the 20 mg my body has been use to.  I am 59 so i dont want to struggle with sleep for several years.  I would rather not get off than not sleep for the years i have left.  Any advice would be so appreciated.  I am taking 1 fish oil pill a day and quite a bit of magnessium.  Thank you.  If i have to stay on prozac i would rather do that than not sleep.

 

 

[Margaret3]

I need some advice please.  I have been on 20 mg of Prozac for 35 years.  On January 21st of this year I decided ( not realizing the danger) that i would drop my dose in half to 10 mg to try to help with restless leg.  In Feburary i was fine but in March i started having insomnia and some headaches. Both insomnia and headaches were bad.  Many nights I never slept.   In April it continued so on the 12th of April I took a 20 mg pill and slept well.  The next day I found this website and realized I probably should not have gone back up to 20 so I have been taking 10 since then.  It is now mid June and my sleep is a little better.  I can go 3 nights with decent sleep and then one night (like last night ) not sleep at all.  The headaches are pretty much there 5 out of 7 days each week.  I have some other health concerns so with those and not sleeping and headaches i am stressed and anxious.  I have a heart condition and i don't need the extra stress and high heart rate.  I am thinking of reinstating to 15 as i can't continue to be so anxious due to the heart situation.  I know it is after the 3 week reinstatement window but i worry about my heart. My cardiologist thinks I should try to go to 15 mg.  At least he didn't say 20.  Has anyone reinstated after 4 months and found that the side effects dissipate?  I would sure appreciate any advice.  Thank you.

[Altostrata]

Margaret, in April I requested this:

 

On 4/19/2020 at 7:19 PM, Altostrata said:

Please keep daily notes of times of day you take your drugs, their dosages, and your symptoms throughout the day. Post 24 hours of notes at a time in this topic, in a simple list format with time of day on the left and notation (symptom or drug and dosage) on the right.

 

These daily notes help us figure out if a symptom is an adverse drug reaction. These happen far more often than you'd expect.

 

Do you take each of your drugs at the same times each day? Do you drink a lot of coffee? At what times of day? Please add that to your daily notes. Do you drink alcohol?

 

You're taking a lot of drugs. Any of them might be causing your symptoms, or they may be caused by a drug-drug interaction.

 

Please put ALL your drugs in the Drug Interactions Checker https://www.drugs.com/drug_interactions.php
and copy and paste the results or a link to them in this topic.

 

On drugs.com, look up and review the adverse effects for each of your drugs. You reduced Prozac in January 2020, but you started Tymlos at the same time. (Please add your condensed recent psychiatric drug history to your signature.)

 

When was the last time your thyroid treatment was checked? Sometimes when you reduce the drugs you're taking, you need less thyroid drug, which can cause sleeplessness, nervousness, etc. at too high a dosage.

 

I have never heard of melatonin having any effect on RLS. Magnesium oxide is scarcely absorbed. Magnesium is best taken in small doses throughout the day; you can also get magnesium oil to rub on your legs at night, it is readily absorbed.

 

Do you do a lot of sitting? You might do leg stretches every day, that might help the symptoms you call RLS.

[Artistic1]

Margaret - insomnia was one of the worst symptoms I experienced with the SSRI medication, and it's been a problem for about 3 years for me, up until the last couple of months. In reading your thread, I detect a bit of what I was doing with this problem, and that is, I made it a whole lot worse for myself than it actually was with all the thinking and worrying I put into it. It became a vicious circle, and got so that I was afraid to get into bed at night!. I decided to get a couple of books about improving sleep, and combined with my CBT, I am now sleeping MUCH BETTER! It took a lot of time, but mostly it's because I changed my thinking about sleep and just don't see it as a huge problem anymore.

 

Some reassurances from the sleep experts I've read and consulted with:

1. When people say they don't sleep at all, it's usually not true. The truth is we are sleeping, but it's not as much or as well as we would like. Many times, we're not aware that we're sleeping because we don't wake up rested, and our brains will spin the worst case scenario out of it. You are probably sleeping more than you think.

2. If you can't sleep, then just rest, and don't fret about not sleeping. Rest is the second best thing and is helpful. We set ourselves up to expect a certain amount and quality of sleep, and you might not even need that. This turned out to be true for me.

 

I did go to a sleep therapist, which was a waste of money because she didn't have any information that wasn't in a couple of books I got. However, you might find a sleep therapist to be helpful just for the support.

Best wishes, and I hope this resolves soon for you.

[Margaret3]

Thank you!

[Altostrata]

Margaret, how are you doing?

[Margaret3]

Thank you so much for checking.  How nice of you.  I'm okay.  Headaches are not as frequent or as bad and insomnia is better too.  I am struggling with being anxious over various health concerns.  My biggest issue is constipation.  I have tried lots of things - miralax, magnesium citrate, vitamin c but just cant get things going.  I wonder if this is a permanent thing.  I am still taking the 10 mg of Prozac daily.  Any thoughts?  Again, thank you for checking. 

[ChessieCat]

Have you tried using a product which contains senna?

 

It's also important to eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, high fibre foods, get gentle exercise and drink plenty of water.  Dates are very fibrous.  You could try eating 2 or 3 several times a day.

[Margaret3]

Thank you.  I am doing all that you recommended except eating the dates.

[Altostrata]

Margaret, if you would, please supply the information requested in 

 

 

Some of your symptoms may be adverse reactions to your drugs or drug-drug interactions.

 

I found statins to be very constipating. I won't take them.

[Altostrata]

@Margaret3, how are you doing?

[Margaret3]

I am doing better.  Still on 10 mg of Prozac.  The sleeping is better but I still have waves and windows.  Some nights are not good.  Even though I am 60 I want to try to get off Prozac mainly due to my restless leg.  I have been on 10 taking it consistently since April 15th.  How long should I wait before I reduce?  I know I can't reduce more than 5-10%.  Also, have you heard of people getting off Prozac and their restless leg going away?  Thanks so much for checking on me. 

[ChessieCat]

Hi Margaret,

 

Please put the year when you started taking 10mg Fluoxetine.  Thank you.

 

Fluoxetine - 10 mg since January 21 YEAR - before that 20 mg for 35 years

 

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[Margaret3]

2020