Jump to content
SurvivingAntidepressants.org is temporarily closed to new registrations until 1 April ×

Cucharitx: Prozac withdraw after one dose?


Cucharitx

Recommended Posts

Hi there, I'm new here! Can't believe I haven't found this site sooner. Anyway. Is it possible to have withdraws/adverse reaction to taking one dose of prozac (20mg)? I took it for the first time Tuesday and in about 5 hours I got palpitations, crazy panic, cold sweats, and dizziness/fogginess. I called my doctor and they said that it wasn't possible since the half life is long? But took me off it and prescribed Effexor/venlafaxine (which I'm not taking, because I got SS after two doses on it). It's been two more days and I still feel pretty crappy. I've been getting panic, palpitations, and dizziness off and on... How long would it take to clear out of my system? I did a wash of all meds in March (wellbutrin, lamictal) and it took me until about November to start feeling better... Hope I didn't mess it all up with this new med! :(

Edited by Shep
added username to title

Wellbutrin: 2018-2020 (started at 450mg, last dose June 30, 2020)

Lamictal: 2018-2020 (300mg in February 2020, last dose September 21, 2020)

Effexor: 1 dose July 4, 2020

Prozac: 1 dose December 22, 2020

Link to comment
  • manymoretodays changed the title to Chucharitx: Prozac withdraw after one dose?
  • Moderator Emeritus

Welcome @Cucharitx,

 


Yes, it's possible.

Immediate adverse reactions to an antidepressant or within a few doses? How long for recovery?

 

 

It can take a long time to recover but it differs from person to person, some recover more quickly.

Would you mind writing a signature? We ask all members to do this. Here's how to do it:


How to write your signature

 


We don't recommend many supplements, since many are so sensitive in this situation and new supplements or drugs can make symptoms worse. The only two we recommend are omega-3 and magnesium. If you decide to try any supplements, we always recommend to start at a very low dose and only one at a time.

 

Magnesium

 

Omega-3

 

In this introduction topic you can ask questions and get support from others.

When you say you did a wash of all meds in march, did you taper them at all? If you experienced problems coming off those, the symptoms can sometimes get worse by adding in new drugs, even if it is several months later.

What symptoms did you get when you stopped taking Wellbutrin and Lamictal?

 
 

Edited by Sunnyday

2011-2015: Escitalopram (Cipralex) 20 mg, Voxra 300 mg (quit Voxra in late 2015, no issues)

2016: Started tapering Escitalopram 5 mg at a time, every fourth week

July 24th, 2016: Escitalopram 5 mg

April 2nd, 2017: Quit last dosage (WD worsened a lot)

Ca 6 last months of 2017: Taking Diazepam 15-25 mg irregularly, less than once a month

Ca Dec 2017: Out of Diazepam, i.e free from all prescribed drugs

Now: Still drug free

Supplements: Irregular intake of Omega-3, magnesium, vitamin D.

Link to comment
  • Moderator Emeritus

Hi, Chucharitx.

 

Welcome to Surviving Antidepressants from me, too. 

 

As SunndyDay just posted, your previous experiences on psychiatric drugs may be in play. Please do write more about your previous experiences. 

 

Many people find that their nervous system becomes destabilized after withdrawal, so other drugs, supplements, and even certain foods can trigger hyper-reactions to substances that never caused problems in the past. 

 

On 12/24/2020 at 7:43 PM, Cucharitx said:

Anyway. Is it possible to have withdraws/adverse reaction to taking one dose of prozac (20mg)? I took it for the first time Tuesday and in about 5 hours I got palpitations, crazy panic, cold sweats, and dizziness/fogginess. I called my doctor and they said that it wasn't possible since the half life is long?

 

Your doctor makes no sense. Even though the half-life is long, the peak concentration rate happens 6 - 8 hours after taking the drug. This is noted in the FDA label for this drug. So getting hit with symptoms 5 hours after taking the drug is close to this timeline. 

 

On 12/24/2020 at 7:43 PM, Cucharitx said:

How long would it take to clear out of my system?

 

Prozac has a very long half-life. From the thread Tips for Tapering off Prozac

 

On 7/2/2011 at 2:11 PM, Altostrata said:

Prozac has the longest half-life of any SSRI. After you take it for a few days, half-life is about 16 days. Fluoxetine itself has a half-life of 2-4 days, but as it is processed, your body creates an active antidepressant metabolite, norfluoxetine, which has a half-life of 7-15 days. So Prozac keeps on extending its half-life as it is metabolized.

 

While an adverse reaction can last a long time, it does get better. You may find some helpful information for self-care here:

 

Non-drug techniques to cope with emotional symptoms

 

Please continue to use this thread to ask questions and let us know how you're feeling.

Edited by Shep
fixed typo

 

 

Link to comment
  • Shep changed the title to Cucharitx: Prozac withdraw after one dose?

By history, I've been very on/off again with antidepressants. Lexapro 2007-2008; Cymbalta and Remeron 2009 (severe adverse reaction to Cymbalta, casued blackouts); Abilify 2010-2011; Wellbutrin and Clonazepam 2013-14. 

 

I was put on Wellbutrin and Lamictal 2018-2020. The highest dose I reached on Wellbutrin was 450mg from Dec 2018-May 2019. I was also on 150mg Lamictal. I didnt like being on such a high dose of Wellbutrin, and I felt like it gave me anxiety, but my doctor refused to lower my dose so in May 2019 I took myself down to 300mg. I felt SO much better, like I could function again! 

 

In July 2019 I had a grand mal seizure (no history in myself or my family), but my partner didn't understand what to do so I didn't go to the hospital. I'm wondering now if it was part of withdrawals. In October 2019 I had the worst migraine of my life, with an aura that mimicked a seizure and I was hospitalized for a few hours then sent home with bestest for a week (as you'll see, medical care in my town sucks pretty bad). I feel like everything has gone downhill from that point, but I can't get anyone to confirm that migraine could have been a trigger or big factor in what's still going on.

In December 2019 I started having these awful feelings like someone turned me into a cartoon and electrocuted me, and my whole body would get uncontrollable shakes at night. I went to a neurologist and he was more concerned about migraines than these sensations. He scheduled an MRI and EEG. Fast forward to Feb 2020, MRI normal, EEG showed "seizure like activity" but wouldn't give me more information, and scheduled me for a video EEG. He told me to go see a psychiatrist and get off the wellbutrin because it's the worst for people who have seizures. He upped my Lamictal to 300mg (150 twice per day-titrated up over 1.5 months). 

 

I went to see the psychiatrist in March, but she refused to change any of my meds until after the video EEG. COVID hit and the one hospital in the state that does video EEG said they wouldn't schedule me until "at least July." The hospital in the two neighboring states wouldn't take my insurance. My symptoms increased from once every few nights to daily, multiple times per day. It was now impacting work. Additionally, my migraines increased, I have brain fog, confusion, disorientation, and vertigo. 

 

I saw a new psychiatrist in April 2020 who took me off Wellbutrin 300mg and put me on Effexor/venlafaxine 37.5mg. I started it the next day and didn't know about going cold turkey. I ended up in the ER with Serotonin Syndrome. They sent me home saying "don't take the new meds anymore, drink fluids, good luck" because there were not enough hospital beds. I was so sick for a week I couldn't go to work. I was panicking, the electric shock sensations were horrific, and my ears were ringing so loud it was hard to hear others speak. 

 

I got a new PCP shortly after who said we should taper off the wellbutrin before adding Effexor. She prescribed gabapentin to help with withdrawal side effects. I tapered off Wellbutrin from April 2020 to June 30, 2020. I started getting different side effects, not sure if it was from the withdraw or the gabapentin. Getting a jolting feeling when I tried to fall asleep or had just fallen asleep, waking up feeling like I'd been punched in the chest, derealization, cold sweats, poor concentration, memory issues, and trouble with my words. 

 

4th of July I started Effexor again after being off Wellbutrin a few days, per my doctor. I went to the hospital because I thought I was going to have a seizure, and again had Serotonin Syndrome. They again sent me home. July 7 i went back to the ER and a new doctor said it might be the Lamictal. 

 

After this visit, my PCP decided to do a taper off the Lamictal, using 100-300mg gabapentin as needed up to 3 times a day for withdraw symptoms. I first went down by 50mg after feeling ok a week, then another 50 mg after 3 more days per my doc-- this was too fast and I ended up back in the ER. I went down by 25mg every 2 weeks or so until September 2020. Sept 2020 my inpatient video EEG was finally scheduled and the doc there pulled me off the rest of the Lamictal to see if it would trigger seizure activity (75mg left). She also kept me from taking the gabapentin. I had terrible episodes in the hospital (electric shock, panic, palpitations, shaking, nausea, incontinence), but none of it showed as epileptic activity, so they sent me home off all meds. 

 

In October, I completely stopped the Gabapentin because taking it was giving me more anxiety than helping. I have been off the wellbutrin since the end of June and Lamictal since Mid-September. Around mid-November my brain zaps almost completely stopped. I still have trouble getting to sleep, and have been sleeping on the couch for probably 3-4 months. 

 

My depression and anxiety got really bad, so I saw a new PCP early December who gave me a referral to a well-known psychiatrist in town. I told him my history and symptoms, and he put me on Prozac. The only dose  I took was the story/question in my original post. It's been almost a week and I still feel terrible! I've had migraine two days but I'm afraid to take my Eletriptan (Relpax) because of the risk of serotonin syndrome. My psychiatrist also gave me some clonazepam but I'm trying not to take it often to minimize dependence, but I feel like it doesn't help with the sudden-onset panic. I had to work on Christmas... and ended up having to have a co-worker drive me home and sit with me, and missed family Christmas because I got panic-attack like symptoms. 

 

It's been a really rough year so I'm sure there's some things I left out, but that's the bulk of what's been going on. 

 

Wellbutrin: 2018-2020 (started at 450mg, last dose June 30, 2020)

Lamictal: 2018-2020 (300mg in February 2020, last dose September 21, 2020)

Effexor: 1 dose July 4, 2020

Prozac: 1 dose December 22, 2020

Link to comment
9 hours ago, Shep said:

even certain foods can trigger hyper-reactions to substances that never caused problems in the past. 

@Shep That's so interesting that you bring that up! I've recently noticed that I've been experiencing worse symptoms when eating certain foods, and I'm attributing it right now to chocolate and still trying to figure out what else.

Wellbutrin: 2018-2020 (started at 450mg, last dose June 30, 2020)

Lamictal: 2018-2020 (300mg in February 2020, last dose September 21, 2020)

Effexor: 1 dose July 4, 2020

Prozac: 1 dose December 22, 2020

Link to comment
  • Administrator

Welcome, Cucharitx.

 

2 hours ago, Cucharitx said:

Around mid-November my brain zaps almost completely stopped. I still have trouble getting to sleep, and have been sleeping on the couch for probably 3-4 months. 

 

My depression and anxiety got really bad, so I saw a new PCP early December who gave me a referral to a well-known psychiatrist in town. I told him my history and symptoms, and he put me on Prozac.

 

Brain zaps are a drug withdrawal symptom, usually from antidepressants. Sleep problems are also a common withdrawal symptom.

 

It seems like after a long history of one adverse drug reaction after another, you started to recover, and then you went back to a psychiatrist for more drugs.

 

From what we've seen here, it's likely your nervous system has been sensitized by all your adverse drug reactions and you will be unable to find a solution in conventional psychiatric prescription for quite a while, maybe years.

 

What would probably be best for you is to learn to manage your symptoms without drugs.

 

How may we help you here?

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

Link to comment

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Terms of Use Privacy Policy