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

Kimono58: Prozac Withdrawal


Kimono58

Recommended Posts

Hi! My name is Kim. I’m 62 years old. I’ve been on 20mg of Prozac for about 28 years. I started on them from having PTSD as a survivor of childhood sex abuse. I went to talk therapy many times which helped a lot. I have had multiple medical problems over the years that I now believe, in retrospect, are from taking the Prozac. I’ve been to many psychiatrists in my life. They all told me antidepressants were harmless, esp SSRIs, that I could stop anytime I wanted to. But I’ve tried many times and couldnt get off. I was told by the psychiatrist that my symptoms were returning. Years later I realize I was just having withdrawls. In Dec 2018 I started to taper off of Prozac at 10%, per month. I started at 20 mg. When I got to 10 mg., I started having dizziness. It was very bad. I couldn’t shower or do anything. I eventually got somewhat better but I still cannot drive. I can walk but not too far. I have other withdrawl symptoms such as sensitivity to noise, heartburn, constipation, nausea. However it’s the dizziness that is so difficult to live with.  I’ve had this dizziness ever since Nov. 2019. It is now Feb 2021. I have held my dose at 10 mg ever since the dizziness began in Nov. 2019. I’m wondering why I am still dizzy 14 months later. Should I taper at a very slow rate, like 2%? Or should I continue to hold at 10 mg? That’s my question. Any ideas? 

Prozac 1992 20 mg

Dec. 2018 Prozac tapered at 10% every 4 weeks
November 15 2019 I was at 10 mg Prozac

withdrawls started. Extreme dizziness, sensitivity to noise, nausea, heartburn.
Holding at 10 mg.

Feb. 2021 still holding at 10 mg. Dizziness, sensitivity to noise, nausea, heartburn.

Link to comment
  • manymoretodays changed the title to Kimono58: Prozac Withdrawal
  • Moderator Emeritus

Hi Kimono58,

And welcome again.  And so glad to hear that you have had some success with therapy.  And I am glad that you followed your intuition, on Prozac and have arrived here.

 

Is Prozac the only drug that you are on right now?

And then to help us out:  Please summarize your withdrawal history in your signature

and then this is different from what you filled out to register, you'll see the how to do one, in the above link, with instructions.  It's the portion you'll see below members posts.

 

 

On 2/2/2021 at 9:24 PM, Kimono58 said:

In Dec 2018 I started to taper off of Prozac at 10%, per month. I started at 20 mg. When I got to 10 mg., I started having dizziness. It was very bad. I couldn’t shower or do anything. I eventually got somewhat better but I still cannot drive. I can walk but not too far. I have other withdrawl symptoms such as sensitivity to noise, heartburn, constipation, nausea. However it’s the dizziness that is so difficult to live with.  I’ve had this dizziness ever since Nov. 2019. It is now Feb 2021. I have held my dose at 10 mg ever since the dizziness began in Nov. 2019. I’m wondering why I am still dizzy 14 months later. Should I taper at a very slow rate, like 2%? Or should I continue to hold at 10 mg? That’s my question. Any ideas? 

 

Were you tapering the 10% off each previous dosage?  I know sometimes that can get confused with doing just a set amount taper?

 

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

Tips for tapering off Prozac(fluoxetine)

 

Kimono, I'm not sure where you may have been, on site yet, so am just going to give you a bit more general information too, today:

 

 
 
 

 

When we take medications, the CNS (central nervous system) responds by making changes over the months and years we take the drug(s). When the medication is discontinued, the CNS has to undo all the changes it made.  The CNS likes stability. Rebuilding the neurotransmitter production and reactivating the receptor and transporter cells takes time -- during that rebuilding process symptoms occur.
 
And then:
and I'm not quite sure what to think about ^, this one, it looks like just the abstract is available now to study
 
We don't recommend a lot of supplements on SA, as many members report being sensitive to them due to our over-reactive nervous systems, but two supplements that we do recommend are magnesium and omega 3 (fish oil). Many people find these to be calming to the nervous system.  

 

Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) 

 

This is your introduction/journal page where you have now introduced yourself to the community, you can ask questions here regarding your tapering, give updates, and just keep a record of your journey.

 

And for right now,  I'd just HOLD.  I'll get you all approved and started, and just wanted to get a bit more information from you now.

Sorry, for the delay in getting you going here.  We do try..........it's just not always possible to get everyone going with in 24 hours anymore.

 

And best, Love, peace, healing, and growth,

manymoretodays(mmt)

Late 2023- gone to emeritus status, inactive, don't @ me, I can check who I've posted on, and I'm not really here like I used to be......thanks.

Started with psycho meds/psychiatric care circa 1988.  In retrospect, and on contemplation, situational overwhelm.

Rounding up to 30 years of medications(30 medication trials, poly-pharmacy maximum was 3 at one time).

5/28/2015-off Adderal salts 2.5mg. (I had been on that since hospital 10/2014)

12/2015---just holding, holding, holding, with trileptal/oxcarb at 75 mg. 1/2 tab at hs.  My last psycho med ever!  Tapered @ 10% every 4 weeks, sometimes 2 weeks to

2016 Dec 16 medication free!!

Longer signature post here, with current supplements.

Herb and alcohol free since 5/15/2016.  And.....I quit smoking 11/2021. Lapsed.  Redo of quit smoking 9/28/2022.  Can you say Hallelujah?(took me long enough)💜

None of my posts are intended as medical advice.  Please discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical provider.  My success story:  Blue skies ahead, clear sailing

 

Link to comment
  • 2 weeks later...

I’ve been tapering off of Prozac. I started in Dec. 2018 at 20mg. I tapered at 10% every month. I got down to 10 mg. Since Nov. 15, 2019 I’ve had dizziness everyday. So I stopped tapering when the dizziness started. But I’ve been holding there for 15 months. The dizziness isn’t going away. How long should I stay at this dose? 10 mg.  15 months at the same dose seems a long time. 
Maybe holding at this dose isn’t what I should be doing. I feel stuck.

Prozac 1992 20 mg

Dec. 2018 Prozac tapered at 10% every 4 weeks
November 15 2019 I was at 10 mg Prozac

withdrawls started. Extreme dizziness, sensitivity to noise, nausea, heartburn.
Holding at 10 mg.

Feb. 2021 still holding at 10 mg. Dizziness, sensitivity to noise, nausea, heartburn.

Link to comment

I’ve been holding at the same dose of Prozac (10mg.) for 15 months but I still have withdrawls, in particular dizziness. Is this normal? I thought I would have stabilized by now. Maybe I should do something? I’ve read Dr.Breggin’s books, Dr.Glenmullens books, Dr. Healy’s books. But I still don’t know what to do.  

Prozac 1992 20 mg

Dec. 2018 Prozac tapered at 10% every 4 weeks
November 15 2019 I was at 10 mg Prozac

withdrawls started. Extreme dizziness, sensitivity to noise, nausea, heartburn.
Holding at 10 mg.

Feb. 2021 still holding at 10 mg. Dizziness, sensitivity to noise, nausea, heartburn.

Link to comment
  • Moderator Emeritus

Here is your Introduction topic (link below).  Only 1 Introduction per member.  This keeps your history in one place and means you don't have to repeat yourself.

 

It is the best place to ask questions about your own situation and where you can journal your progress and be supported and encouraged by other members.

 

kimono58-prozac-withdrawal

 

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

Link to comment
  • Moderator Emeritus

Manymoretodays has responded to your first post so there may be some information there that you have not yet seen which answers some/all of your questions above.

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

Link to comment
  • Moderator Emeritus
17 hours ago, Kimono58 said:

I’ve been holding at the same dose of Prozac (10mg.) for 15 months but I still have withdrawls, in particular dizziness. Is this normal? I thought I would have stabilized by now. Maybe I should do something? I’ve read Dr.Breggin’s books, Dr.Glenmullens books, Dr. Healy’s books. But I still don’t know what to do.  

 

Hi Kimono58, @Kimono58

I think it's just taking awhile for things to settle, or readapt.  I had a really long history with the drugs too, and did need to learn to be patient.

And it does sound pretty tough, your dizziness that keeps you from driving and then the sensitivities to so much as well.

Have you been checked out by a doctor, just in case the dizziness, or vertigo might be from something else?

 

I did experience some of the same, briefly though.  I wasn't sure on my feel, or comfortable climbing ladders and once in awhile it would feel like the ground was coming up around me a bit.  I think it persisted awhile, but I could usually drive okay, and walk without difficulties.  I think it relates to the inner balance and autonomic nervous system that gets dysregulated.  And then sometimes the inner ear workings as well.

 

Just to know, when you did those 10% tapers down from 20 mg to 10 mg, did you base each taper on the previous dose......rather than the starting dose?  Or did you just drop by a set amount of mg's each month?

 

It would be pretty late now, to try an updose in my opinion, and expect much from it. 

 

For some, yes.......WD symptoms can take some time to resolve.  And it can make you feel stuck.

 

If things are pretty much the same, day to day, maybe it is time to resume tapering.  That might not resolve your symptoms though.  If your goal is to get drug free though, then at least it's moving in that direction.

 

A 10% taper from a 10 mg dose, would be 9 mg.

And then from 9 mg, your taper of 10% would bring you to 8.1 mg.

 

Some will even taper by less than that, anywhere from 2.5%, to 5% or do a micro taper.

Micro-taper instead of 10% or 5% decreases

 

And have you had any windows, or times when symptoms, especially the dizziness has seemed better?

Did you find any good non-drug coping with dizziness in the links?

I know I've read about some things that members have tried, that don't involve drugs?

 

Are you on any other drugs right now?

 

This is your introduction/journal page where you have now introduced yourself to the community, you can ask questions here regarding your tapering, give updates, and just keep a record of your journey.  You can also communicate with other members, mods, and administrators here.

And it will save you repeating your story over and over again, to post any questions around your case right here.

 

And best.

L, P, H, and G,

mmt

 

And then sometimes, and especially with Prozac, it's good to go 4-6 weeks between tapers.

 

Did you have any WD symptoms, with your last taper when you went from 20 mg down to 10 mg?

 

Edited by manymoretodays

Late 2023- gone to emeritus status, inactive, don't @ me, I can check who I've posted on, and I'm not really here like I used to be......thanks.

Started with psycho meds/psychiatric care circa 1988.  In retrospect, and on contemplation, situational overwhelm.

Rounding up to 30 years of medications(30 medication trials, poly-pharmacy maximum was 3 at one time).

5/28/2015-off Adderal salts 2.5mg. (I had been on that since hospital 10/2014)

12/2015---just holding, holding, holding, with trileptal/oxcarb at 75 mg. 1/2 tab at hs.  My last psycho med ever!  Tapered @ 10% every 4 weeks, sometimes 2 weeks to

2016 Dec 16 medication free!!

Longer signature post here, with current supplements.

Herb and alcohol free since 5/15/2016.  And.....I quit smoking 11/2021. Lapsed.  Redo of quit smoking 9/28/2022.  Can you say Hallelujah?(took me long enough)💜

None of my posts are intended as medical advice.  Please discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical provider.  My success story:  Blue skies ahead, clear sailing

 

Link to comment

Yes. I tapered at 10% of the previous month’s dose. I realize that 10% was too fast. I was gradually improving but 1 month ago I picked up my medication at the pharmacy and they changed the manufacturer. I took one dose with the new manufacturer and then I got really dizzy. (I called the pharmacy and they gave me the original manufacturer.)  It’s been about a month since I took that bad pill. I guess that’s what set me back (Before that bad pill my dizziness had been gradually improving.) 

Prozac 1992 20 mg

Dec. 2018 Prozac tapered at 10% every 4 weeks
November 15 2019 I was at 10 mg Prozac

withdrawls started. Extreme dizziness, sensitivity to noise, nausea, heartburn.
Holding at 10 mg.

Feb. 2021 still holding at 10 mg. Dizziness, sensitivity to noise, nausea, heartburn.

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