GreaterPeace1: Prozac cold turkey by accident

[GreaterPeace1]

Hi everyone, I had flu last week and couldn't get out to get my Prozac prescription (40mg).  I have run out and it has now been a week since I took them.  I feel fine.  I have been on antidepressants since late 2015 and have tried to come off them before but my doctor just put me back on when I was struggling with withdrawal effects (at the time I was on 40mg of citalopram).  I changed from Citalopram to Prozac in Feb this year as a review with my doctor suggested that I was getting absolutely no effect from Citalopram and it was perhaps making me anxiety worse and I was having some depressive episodes.  I was put straight onto Prozac at 20mg and then this was increased to 40mg after 2 months.  I just want to stop medicating every day.  I have left a horrid marriage, started my own business and feel more control of my life and content in my own skin than I ever have.  I have had zero side effects from Prozac other than feeling generally numb and demotivated.  I cannot be bothered working but know I have to in order to make money.

 

The question I have is, has anyone just come off Prozac and coped?  I appreciate the withdrawals will come but I want to try to just live with them until they are gone.  Any advice or experiences that anyone could share would be appreciated!

[getofflex]

Hello, and welcome to SA.  We are a volunteer-run community of people who have been or are getting off of psychiatric drugs.  Are you wanting to stay off the Prozac?  

 

Can you please give us specific information about your drug history for all drugs you are on and have been on, especially for the past 18-24 months?  It would be especially helpful to have the details of your drugs in a concise vertical list (no symptoms), only drug names, specific dates (as best you can say for example early March if you don't recall the day) and dosages of each medication decrease or increase.  Use this format:

 

Drug name: date, dose, date, dose, date, dose…

Drug name: date, dose, date, dose, date, dose…

Etcetera

 

Please read the link below for instructions.  This will allow us to give you the best guidance.  

 

How to List Drug History in Signature

 

Here is some information about how these drugs actually work.   

 

How Psychiatric Drugs Remodel Your Brain

 

 

This helps you understand what withdrawal syndrome is: 

 

Video on Recovery from Psych Drugs

 

What is Happening in Your Brain

 

 

We don't suggest many supplements, but 2 that many of us find helpful are magnesium and omega-3 fish oil. Here are the links for info about those. It is suggested to add one at a time, and start with a low dose to see how it affects you. 

Magnesium

 

Omega 3 Fish Oil

 

I have read of many people who have done a cold turkey or fast taper off the antidepressant, and felt fine at first, but then weeks or even several months later, they get hit with withdrawal symptoms, and this can take many months to recover from.  You have had withdrawal from going off these in the past, and have been on them for 6 or 7 years, so if it were me, I would do a partial reinstatement, and then I would eventually taper off of that slowly and carefully.  I would suggest a small reinstatement of 2 mg of Prozac.  Here is some information about reinstatement.  

 

About Reinstating and Stabilizing to Reduce Withdrawal Symptoms

Here is a link about going off cold turkey: 

 

Cold Turkey

 

This link will help you with how to measure your reinstatement dose: 

 

Tips for Tapering Prozac

 

I've given you quite a bit of information here.  Please read through it, and mull it over, and we will take it from there. In the meantime, take care of yourself, and take heart.  We in this forum have been through this, and we understand first hand the pain and discomfort you are going through.  Please know that the brain is amazing in it's healing abilities.  It takes time, but healing can and will happen. 

Edited November 16, 2021 by getofflex