NeedMoreHope: Prozac

[ChessieCat]

6 hours ago, NeedMoreHope said:

Oh, and I did get COVID too - about the time I tapered to the 5 mg in Sept, so I'm sure that didn't help things

 

Any sickness adds stress to the nervous system.  The fact that you had a 4 hour window last weekend is a really good sign.

[Altostrata]

@NeedMoreHope do you feel better or worse since updosing Prozac a bit? When did you stop sleeping?

[NeedMoreHope]

No, I do not feel any better, but it's just been a couple of days.  I slept the night before last some, but last night none, and today in addition to all the other symptoms,  I just feel "crazy".  Will this ever end?  I am just running out of hope.

[bijay]

@NeedMoreHope It’s only been a couple of days, so it hasn’t been long at all.  You did get some sleep, two nights ago, so that is a good sign.

 

As someone who goes through different symptoms almost daily, I often feel like I am going crazy.   I know that isn’t really true, but it is a natural reaction to being in a very difficult, inexplicable situation where medical doctors really can’t help much.   I try to think of these symptoms as my body trying very hard to compensate for the all the chemical changes going on as I reduce doses, as well as working to heal from the overall damage these drugs cause over time.  Fortunately the body has an incredible ability to heal itself, and I have faith in that.

 

There are times when I do lose hope, but there are also times when I have a little window (not very often) and gain back a little hope.  So when you do feel hopeless, remember that things always change. Always.

[manymoretodays]

On 12/20/2020 at 6:36 AM, NeedMoreHope said:

No, I do not feel any better, but it's just been a couple of days.  I slept the night before last some, but last night none, and today in addition to all the other symptoms,  I just feel "crazy".  Will this ever end?  I am just running out of hope.

 

Hi NeedMoreHope,

You are NOT crazy.  Yes it will end.

So today is day 8, since you updosed to 5.25.  I hope I got that right, I see the 12th noted in your signature.

Do you want to try just a couple days of Notes, and post them here.

Go real simple with it.  Just note the time(s) on the left, and then on the right note your drug(s) by name and dose.  Include any over the counter stuff, or supplements taken, and again by name and dose.  Keep going with the time(s) on left and then note in on the right symptoms, rate them if you'd like, sleep, activity as well.

 

I wonder if you might try and backtrack and post the last 2 to 3 days as soon as you can.

If not able to recall, then post todays, tomorrow.  Or the next 3 days at once.

 

More on: Notes/drug and symptoms logs, to note patterns and progress

 

This will really help to see if you should stay at the current updose, or we might even want to consider backing down again, to 5 mg of Prosac.

 

And as always.......cheering you on, sending you hope, hope, and more hope.  And windows of happiness and peace for the holidays.

 

L, P, H, and G,

mmt

[NeedMoreHope]

Thank you. 

 

700 AM - take 5.25 Prozac; 1500 mg Fish oil;

I didn't sleep any again last night... so discouraged.  I do wonder if I should have updosed... BUT, my akathisia is a tad better - yesterday was probably the best relief I had - it's back today.  But it's hard to say if that would have happened anyway. 

I did notice some heart pounding and sweating the last two nights around 2 AM - that was something I hadn't felt in a while  ,

My depression is awful and constant- nothing seems to help that. 

12:00 - had some leg burning/popping - lasted about an hour/half

 

I just keep rolling in my head that all my horrible acute symptoms seemed to start back when I switched from the capsule to the tablet - could there be something in this tablet, or am I just getting to the very end of my long list of polydrugs and this is the last leg?  I have had a few (very few) windows while on the tablet where I was completely normal, so it might just be withdrawal.  I am scared to death to jump off the last 5 mg too fast for fear the Akathisia would be worse.

 

 

 

 

 

[arbor]

Dear @NeedMoreHope--I am also recovering from Prozac, and having a nightmarish time.  The insomnia has got to be one of the worst problems.  Please know I am with you, and send my best wishes.  

Arbor

[NeedMoreHope]

Arbor,

  Did you experience any healing while you were tapering?  I'm not even off this stuff yet....

[Altostrata]

@NeedMoreHope how are you taking 5.25mg Prozac, with a liquid?

[NeedMoreHope]

No, my dr wouldn't give me a liquid, so I am taking the weight of the capsule on a scale (1/2 of full tablet plus what .25 would weigh).

[arbor]

Hi @NeedMoreHopeMy taper was practically ct compared to the protocol recommended here.  My symptoms from going off Prozac all started a few days after I had completely quit.  I didn't find SA until months into my recovery.  People on this site have given me hope to hang in there with the wretchedness of this shocking experience, and not to despair or feel alone.  No one in my daily life can fully understand the depth of suffering this process involves, though I'm grateful to their love and support.  It's still a moment to moment thing for me, helped a lot by reading over and over snippets of encouragement from here that I've taped all over my fridge.  In the worst hours of insomnia, I try to direct my mind to meditate (following my breath) which does help me feel calmer. 

I do believe we will get better and better even if it's very slow.

Thinking of you,

Arbor

 

[JesusSavemefromWD]

Hi @NeedMoreHope

my heart goes out to you for so much suffering. I don’t have experience with Prozac but with Zoloft. I ll tell you this: I was on generic sertraline 25mg for 3 weeks, the day 24 I switched to Zoloft brand and a few hours after I had a complete out of my body experience like I have died. Next day I went back to generic setraline. Generic also was giving me side effects but the day I got the Zoloft brand I really lost it. Doctors don’t accept the possibility that switching brands can cause a problem, but many patients experience and report bad effects when switching. Is there any way you could find your original Prozac formula? Just a thought 

[NeedMoreHope]

Anyone,

  I'm about to the end of my rope... I have a Dr. apt tomorrow.   II am so much worse than I have ever been.  I can take the physical symptoms, but this terror and fear is just off the charts.  I am ready to try to reinstate - please help me make the right decision.  I just don't know what to do. 

[manymoretodays]

22 hours ago, NeedMoreHope said:

BUT, my akathisia is a tad better - yesterday was probably the best relief I had

 

And then there was a Saturday where you had a Window briefly too, as I recall.

 

I'd be hesitant, if it were me, to do any big changes right now.  What do you think the doctor will suggest?

Did you sleep last night?

 

(((((((NeedMoreHope))))))

L, P, H, and hope,

mmt

[NeedMoreHope]

I think the Dr. will want to at least put me back to 10 mg Prozac.  I did get a few hours sleep last night.  Today I wasn't even able to balance my checkbook and that scared me... I am also experiencing fear and terror like I haven't before.  Can I plow through this?

[manymoretodays]

Oh NMH.  I remember.  And managed somehow.  I had to leave anything like balancing the checkbook to evening time for a long time.  As it just frazzled me completely in the mornings.  And then dealt with a lot of that morning dread too, which I learned was a cortisol type of reaction, or dysfunction.

 

And so yes, I think you can plow through.  It's seems so much easier to say, when on the other side of it though, now, and I do remember thinking it would never, ever let up.

But it did.  Almost imperceptibly at first, and then on would come a Wave, and then more and more Windows. 

 

It stinks for you, I know, for right now.  Wishing for a peaceful, and restful holiday for you.

Did you get some notes on paper, that are ready to post, of the last 24 hours?

 

And ((((((NMH))))))) those are now hugs and angel wings surrounding you.

 

L, P, H, and G,

mmt

[NeedMoreHope]

Symptoms:

Overnight, I Slept from 11 - 3:30 (which is great for me)

Morning - took 5.25 mg;  felt awful - brain fog, confusion, fear, tremors

Midday - awful agitation (but I will say adrenaline rushes better; less anxiety today, my body seems calmer)

At this point, just trying to get through each minute - not able to do much; living in a terror bubble in my head; reaching out for anything that might be of some comfort

[NeedMoreHope]

How did you get through your days when you couldn't read, watch TV, or find anything that was motivating or able to do?  I feel like my thoughts have overtaken my whole body, and I am a prisoner.  I wish I could get out of my head... if you know what I mean.

[manymoretodays]

I often went to imagery, and writing, more creatively really........and found some really positive stuff even on the internets.  I explored basically.

Do you have anything mundane that you like to watch on t.v. or Netflix?  Back to back worked for me.  I did "Call the Midwife"(I just love the narrators voice there and the content, and setting).  Oh, and I did "Mad Men" as well.  LOL.  I even finished off some series about some regular guy who did a Meth lab of all things!!!

Oh, and I learned to laugh, sometimes at myself, kindly though.

 

It all helped, my thoughts shifted and then a lot of the angst was gone.

 

Let's see:  Finding Meaning has some good threads.

And then even Off Topic, may get you out of your present head space a bit.

 

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/13250-journaling-journalling-writing-therapy-therapeutic-writing/

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/1081-lalochezia-the-cursing-thread/

^ this always makes me laugh, take it or leave it though

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/7839-music-what-music-helps-you-put-it-here/

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/17045-meaning-through-poetry-favorites-published/

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/846-change-the-channel-dealing-with-cognitive-symptoms/

 

Rumi, are you familiar with Rumi?  The guesthouse.  It's in the below.  Try not to battle what you cannot change right now, often seems to give me a ton of relief.

And best.  L, P, H, and G,  Hope, laughter.

mmt

Oh, and then my relief often came in the form of tears, crying........I just remembered that.  Sounds weird, but I knew that once the tears came, the worst. had. passed.

Edited December 22, 2020 by manymoretodays

[NeedMoreHope]

I cry all day long.  Relief never seems to come.  But I'll hold on a bit longer if I can. 

[JesusSavemefromWD]

2 hours ago, NeedMoreHope said:

How did you get through your days when you couldn't read, watch TV, or find anything that was motivating or able to do?  I feel like my thoughts have overtaken my whole body, and I am a prisoner.  I wish I could get out of my head... if you know what I mean.

Sounds like my days these last couple of months. I would just write notes on how I felt every hour in a notebook, reading the success stories here and dreaming that tomorrow will be a better day.

You have been suffering for too long. You said u have an appointment with your doctor tomorrow? Does your doctor realize the great amount of suffering you are in and is he considering symptoms as withdrawal symptoms? If yes I would trust him to what he suggests. If not I would try to find another doctor. I recently did find one doctor who is aware of withdrawals even to people taking AD for short time like me , and he advised me to wait a bit more and not take any other SSRIs as my body reacts like poison to them. He says that cause I was feeling horrific on Zoloft or cipralex so trying another ssri doesn’t sound as a solution. You have to also consider How did u feel when u were on Prozac and how unbearable are ur symptoms now. Mine are 8 with 10 being most severe. I am so sorry this is happening to you.....

[NeedMoreHope]

So I went to my Dr. Interesting visit.  She says they are now seeing that COVID will attack the nervous system.  She believes much of my burning, tremors, and worsening mental state might be from COVID.  She did not recommend any increase or change in meds, and told me to increase my use of fish oil, magnesium, and any other diet changes to help minimize inflammation.  So I just got to hang on.  Thank you all for your encouragement and help - it's going to be an uphill battle. 

[Altostrata]

@NeedMoreHope do you have or have you had covid-19? If not, your doctor is out to lunch.

[NeedMoreHope]

Yes, I definitely had COVID (tested positive) in late September.  I had about every symptom from it except for the breathing issues.  I did go way downhill with all my other symptoms after that.  So I don't know.  If it's all withdraw, I guess I still have to get through it.  But it was interesting that maybe COVID made it worse.

[Altostrata]

How are you feeling now, @NeedMoreHope?

[Humanist56]

On 12/22/2020 at 1:55 PM, NeedMoreHope said:

How did you get through your days when you couldn't read, watch TV, or find anything that was motivating or able to do?  I feel like my thoughts have overtaken my whole body, and I am a prisoner.  I wish I could get out of my head... if you know what I mean

 

I know precisely what you mean. I hope it will subside because it sucks. 
 

Best wishes to you

[NeedMoreHope]

Well...  I almost got suicidal and wanted to go back to the hospital...  my Dr. stopped me, and said let's try going back up to 10 mg for a while and see if that helped.  So I've been doing that for 4 days now.  Not sure if that was the right thing, but I know if I went back to hospital I would end up on more and probably benzos again.  So hoping this takes the edge off.  Thank you all for your help.  This is an incredibly hard journey.

[JesusSavemefromWD]

I am sorry for ur suffering. I know the SI feeling very well (thanks to Zoloft 😡). It’s good u avoided the hospital cause once there u don’t have much control of what they ll decide to put into your body. Are u sure u want to start with 10mg? My advice (I am not a medical doctor, just an AD victim) is to consider starting lower like a quarter of what ur doctor suggests and give it a couple of weeks to see if u have improvements? Sometimes subtherapeutic doses have better results. A friend of mine is 6.2 tall and is a big guy and has great success with just 5 mg Prozac. If 2.5mg doesn’t help u, u can always go up. Just a thought 

[manymoretodays]

20 hours ago, NeedMoreHope said:

Well...  I almost got suicidal and wanted to go back to the hospital...  my Dr. stopped me, and said let's try going back up to 10 mg for a while and see if that helped.  So I've been doing that for 4 days now.  Not sure if that was the right thing, but I know if I went back to hospital I would end up on more and probably benzos again.  So hoping this takes the edge off.  Thank you all for your help.  This is an incredibly hard journey.

 

Hi NoMoreHope,

How are you doing, 4 days into the 10 mg?

Has it helped?

 

And when you can, please update your signature Accountssettings/signature

Just get the dose changes and dates in there.  And then hit SAVE, when you are done.

 

Could you compromise, without such a large increase in dose, like maybe just to 7.5 mg?

Would your doctor prescribe liquid now?  You could do part tablet and part liquid that way.

 

And what kind of symptoms now?  Have we had you try some Notes before?  I'll leave the link, and a sample note.  These could be useful for you to see as well, to monitor each day, how and when, changes affect you in relation to the Prozac.

 

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/1779-keep-daily-notes-of-drug-schedule-and-symptoms-to-track-patterns-and-progress/

take a look at the link above and then here is the sample note:

- Time and dosage for all drugs taken throughout the day, psychiatric and non-psychiatric.

- Following each dose, note any symptoms. If you are having a reaction to the drug, it may take hours for a symptom to show up -- that's why we ask you to keep notes all day long.

- If you're not taking any drugs, your symptoms throughout the day.

- Your sleep pattern. Since so many drugs disturb sleep, if you find you're waking in the middle of the night, it could be from a drug you took earlier in the evening. If you're not taking any drugs, there may be ways you can improve your sleep.

And so forth. A diary, in chronological order, looking something like this:
 

Example:

DATE:

 

6 a.m. Woke with anxiety
8 a.m. Took 2.5mg Lexapro
10 a.m. Stomach is upset
10:30 a.m. Ate breakfast
11:35 a.m. Got a headache, lasted one hour
12:35 p.m. Ate lunch
4 p.m. Feel a bit better
5 p.m. Took 2.5mg Lexapro
6 p.m. Ate dinner
9:20 p.m. Headache
10:00 p.m. Took 50mg Seroquel
10:20 p.m. Feeling dizzy
10:30 p.m. Fell asleep
2:30 a.m. Woke, took 3mg Ambien (NOT "took 1/2 tablet Ambien")
2:45 a.m. Fell asleep
4:30 a.m. Woke but got back to sleep

 

And so hope you are feeling somewhat improved.  As you may remember, it can take 4-7 days sometimes to see if an updose helps or hinders, and sometimes longer with Prozac.

Keep us updated when you can.  And so sorry it has been so very tough.  Keep us updated.  ((((((NMH))))))

 

L, P, H, and G,

mmt

Edited January 5, 2021 by manymoretodays
additional

[NeedMoreHope]

So, I reduced to 7.5 Prozac.  But I am in bad shape.  My Dr. is giving me some buspar to try and alleviate my symptoms.  I sure hate to go on something again but I'm desperate for relief from this akathesia and anxiety - it is crippling me. 

[manymoretodays]

Hi NMH,

So when did you reduce from 10 mg to 7.5 mg.

Can you sneak in the changes to your signature?  AccountSettings/signature

 

And then, let's have you do an Interactions Check at Drugs.com Drug Interaction Check

I already plugged in your 2 medications.  If you can copy and paste those results here, do so.

 

Best to split drugs with interactions like yours at least 2 hours apart from each other.

 

Can you do a 24 hour set of Notes again? 

 

And any non-drug relief that helps now, even briefly?  Weighed blankets, pacing, soaks in Epsom Salts?  Music, or meditations with earbuds or headphones?  Anything at all that even gives you a few moments of relief.......I want to hear about.  I do.

 

And oh my gosh, such a tough week for you, this week. 

Hoping your next update is improved.  Meantime butterfly wings and hugs, not enough I know, but a gesture (((((((NeedMoreHope))))))

Hang on, things may start to improve real soon, once the dose changes, and decrease again settles.  My fingers and toes are crossed for this.  As you know now, it can take at least 4-7 days to see some improvement after drug changes.

 

L, P, H, and G,

mmt

Edited January 8, 2021 by manymoretodays
additional

[NeedMoreHope]

I had done 10 mg for a few days, but I was having a reaction I think, so I reduced to 7.5 just two days ago.  I think taking the Buspar might have been a mistake... heart pounded all night, sweat, no sleep.  BUT the akathesia was a bit better , so not sure if coincidence or if it helped.  This journey is so frustrating.. so not sure to keep taking it or not. I don't want to keep making changes..

[Altostrata]

It seems to be you were beginning to do better on 5.25mg. It can take more than a week for a change in Prozac dose to fully take effect. Your nervous system might have settled down on 5.25mg.

 

Why does your doctor refuse to prescribe Prozac liquid for you? It does not sound like this doctor knows what he or she is doing. Any doctor can prescribe these drugs. Do you have another doctor who might be more helpful?

[NeedMoreHope]

I asked her to call in the liquid.  I am in deep troulbe here - up all night with tremors, burning nerve pain, and vomiting.  She told me to go back to 5 mg, and is wanting me to try gabapentin for the nerve pain.  I don't know what is happening to me.

[JesusSavemefromWD]

Is it possible to find another doctor? I am so sorry u suffer and seem to have no understanding from ur doctor. 

[NeedMoreHope]

Checking in....   I know I will probably have hell to pay later, but the gabapentin they added seems to be helping the pain and akathesia (and sleep).  I'm going to stay on a fairly low dose (no more than 1200 a day).  The reduction back down to 5 mg of Prozac seems to have helped too.  I'm still miserable, but better.  My sleep has been at least 5 hours the past week - that is great for me.  And the unbearable akathisia is now manageable, although still bad.  I've had a couple hours window from it each day.  My legs are still "popping" and burning and a blood test revealed I have 7 X the inflammation I should, so they are sending me to neurologist just in case there is something related to COVID and my nerves.  Oh, and I didn't take the buspar that they gave me.  So I'm only on the PRozac 5 mg and the added Gabapentin 900-1200/day.   Thank you all for your support.