Dane22: Attempting to stop prozac

[Dane22]

Good Morning, My name is Dane. I was diagnosed with depression/anxiety and put on Prozac in September 2013. I've been on doses ranging from 15mg to 40mg. this is my fourth attempt to stop cold turkey. Unfortunately for me, I didn't find this site before I abruptly stopped. After a visit last week to ask for a decrease in my Prozac from 15mg to 10mg, my psychiatrist insisted that I switch to Lexapro. She stated to stop Prozac the next day and start the Lexapro at the same time.

 

I just cannot imagine more side effects and how I would survive them. It was at this time that I wanted to try to come off them again. Today is day 5. I slept poorly last night, have headaches, very foggy in thinking, anxious and scared. Its not much of a dose to come off of, but I seem to have failed three times in the past. If symptoms worsen, I could always go to 5mg and see if that helps. After studying this site, I wish I would have titrated, but im already on day 5 of cold turkey and the level of Prozac in my body should be at half potency. I'm also angry. Angry that psychotherapy has worked my whole life and in September of 2013 I decided to consult a psychiatrist to make life "easier". My mental life has never been worse since taking Prozac. At the worst, its given me a chemical lobotomy.

 

This site is giving me hope. I've been on it several times a day, looking for tid bits of info and inspiration. thank you for taking time to read this. Any advice is much appreciated.

[Fresh]

Hi Dane , welcome aboard.    You'll get lots of information , advice and support here to help you get off the Prozac in a safe way.

 

Cold turkey is a foolish way to go , now that you can get some sensible advice.   

5 days out is not too long to reinstate and avoid a very long , uncomfortable withdrawal.

 

People seem to have a really hard time coming off those last few mg's ,   so the logic of "it's just a small dose"  doesn't work re antidepressants. 

Try looking in the Tapering section for a Prozac thread , it will help you understand it.

 

It will be good if you can give some dates , particularly when you stopped the Prozac and when you started taking Lexapro.

 

You're going to be okay , but I think the most important thing now is to get you stable again.

 

Best wishes ,   Fresh

[ten0275]

dane, hello.

welcome to the site. i'm glad you're finding hope here, looking at the information, and generally feeling some sense of inspiration. there is real reason to have hope as healing does occur. and research is a great way to go about self-educating on what you are experiencing.

before we get too far down the line, i'd like to ask that you please fill out your drug/withdrawal history in your signature. this allows the timeline of your experience to be better understood, and we will be in a better position to offer support and suggestions if you do so. here is how to do it:

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/893-please-put-your-withdrawal-history-in-your-signature/

while it is true that plasma levels of the drug decrease in relatively short-order after you have stopped taking the drug, the fact that you have had these chemicals in your body since 2013 is where withdrawal, as a syndrome, comes into play. many symptoms of withdrawal can be minimized, and even avoided, when slow and careful tapering is utilized. we suggest 10% reductions every 3 to 4 weeks.

why taper by 10% of my dosage?

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1024-why-taper-by-10-of-my-dosage/

 

and specifically, prozac:

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/759-tips-for-tapering-off-prozac-fluoxetine/

as this is your fourth cold turkey attempt and the other three have not been successful, perhaps a low reinstatement is something you would indeed consider now. reinstatement is best done immediately upon appearance of withdrawal symptoms. the more time that passes, the less likely it is to work. this is day 5, and you are seeing the appearance of symptoms. your intuition seems to be saying 5mg for a fallback if things get worse, or intolerable. perhaps you might want to consider this reinstatement before a possible intensification of symptoms presents. i would actually consider returning to at least 50% of the dose you discontinued, to allow for stabilization - particularly because you are only 5 days out from your last dose. by allowing yourself to stabilize at a lower dose, you can then begin to taper at speed that allows for more expansive healing. it may save you a lot of struggle in the long run. here is some information about reinstatement to help you in your decision:

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/7562-about-reinstating-and-stabilizing-to-stop-withdrawal-symptoms/

in your position, i would consider this seriously at this relatively early point in this current discontinuation attempt.

dane, i am glad you are here. take some time to look at the links provided, ask questions, and continue to research. you can use this thread as your ongoing journal to track progress, ask questions and communicate with the community - add to it whenever you want.

others will be along to say hi and offer words and suggestions as well.

hang in there.

dave

[indigo]

Hello Dane22. Glad you found this site.  Welcome. 

 I understand your anger at the medical profession. I feel the same.

 I was on 20 mg Prozac for ten years never thinking it would be a problem to get off it.

When I tried, 3 times in three years, taking a capsule every other day on doctor's advice,

I was swamped with anxiety and dread so went back on it.It was only after I found this site that I learned to taper.

Wishing you all the best in your recovery.

[Dane22]

oops. Did something wrong. Hopefully I'm not double posting.

 

Fresh. Thank you. I've read the tapering section and it made sense to me. I never filled the script for Lexapro as that was the turning point in which I knew I needed to get off medications or my psychiatrist was going to take me down a path that I may never return from.

 

ten0275 thank yo for the links. I'll fill out the history after I post now. After your response, I called the pharmacy and was pleased to know that I had two refills left. I picked up one today. My psychiatrist is no longer going to give me scripts for Prozac and doesn't agree that I should attempt to wean from it, instead, she wanted my on Lexapro (which I didn't start). Now I have a backup in case I need it.

 

Indigo thank you. Sharing lets people know they are not alone, that I am not losing my mind.

 

Today the symptoms came in waves, and relief also came in waves. I'm lucky to be in a good state of mind for the past few hours. I know I started the day off wrong. I had the day off, got out of bed later than normal and didn't start chores till much later. Not good for me as evidenced by past experiences. I know what has worked is to keep occupied, productive, connect with people and avoid stress as much as possible.

 

Not sure what the rest of the day holds, but I have my Prozac, broken in half and ready to take if need be. I'll restart at 5mg if that's the road I need to take.

 

thank you again. your responses make me feel less alone.

[Addax]

Hi! And welcome to SA. You really have come to the right place and you'll get lots of support and guidance here.

 

I'm currently tapering Fluoxetine (prozac) and have made a couple of attempts to quit. There have been a few bump and I had a rough ride this past fall due to some errors I made, but after being at 60mg for 22 years the fact that I'm at 25 mg right now and stable is pretty great.

 

Looks like you got some great guidance already... You'll find a lot of that kind of thing here :-).

 

Again, welcome.

[Dane22]

Thank you Addax. I am glad for you that you were able to come down from 60 to 25mg. I cannot imagine what it would be like to be on a 60mg dose. When I decided to restart Prozac after my last attempt to quit, the side effects from restarting 15mg were almost unbearable. Shaking, no appetite, pacing, nervous energy, unable to focus are just some of the side effects.

 

I am sorry I didn't find this site before I quit cold turkey again. I have more Prozac, ready to take. I'll restart at a 5mg dose if needed. But there is this crippling fear of restarting it. On Prozac, I cannot function. I have no motivation. Emotionally numb. Also, while on Prozac, I notice the time passes very slowly. I can look at the clock one minute, then the next time I check the time only 8 minutes has passed.

 

Its been a nightmare.

 

To give myself the best chance, Ive also cut out caffeine, alcohol, cigarettes (social smoker). I get contact with other people at least once a day. I reach out. Told those close to me that this is what I am doing. I'm also scheduling an appointment with a different psychiatrist to discuss my situation and see if he/she will help me wean if I fail. My current psychiatrist will not give me a script for liquid Prozac and will not wean me, I'm on my own.

 

today is day 6. I'm in another window, so I'm lucky. I'm letting each wave hit me and I'm allowing myself to feel them.

[JanCarol]

Hey Dane, welcome to SA!  

 

It's awesome that you are having windows, already.  But I caution you to hunker down for the long haul.  You had the drug in your body for 2 years, it may take that long to restructure your brain.

 

One of our mods, Rhi, explains how the brain works:

Rhi's description of healing the brain

 

These drugs are not like aspirin.  It's about a lot more than half life - the two years you were on Prozac, it was restructuring your brain, its firing mechanisms, rhythms, and connections.  You took all the Prozac away, and your brain is gonna have a lot of adjusting to do before you are free of the woods.

 

Here at SA, and in many corners of the world, we recognize that "depression is a chemical imbalance in the brain" is NOT TRUE.  It's a marketing ploy to get us to "take our meds as prescribed."  We've all fallen for it - including our doctors!  The chemical imbalance is induced by the drugs, however.  And that is what you need to heal from.

 

We strongly recommend Magnesium, as it is an amazing mineral which feeds something like 34 chemical neurotransmitter reactions in the body and brain.  It relaxes muscle, is calming, and while it won't take away the withdrawal, may smooth the path considerably.

Magnesium

 

and the other supplement that seems to help immensely is fish oil.  Our brains are made up of DHA, which is the main ingredient in fish oil.  It's brain food.  Omega-3 fish oil

 

It's awesome that you've built up a support network of friends and therapists. 

 

You are not on your own.  A GP can help you, any GP can prescribe Prozac, and you're not on such a complicated cocktail (as some of us have been) that a GP can't work it out.

 

Even if you have to lie, and say, "I'm still suffering, but had such side effects, I just want a small dose."  Well, that's not totally a lie - but you don't need to spell out your tapering plans,  It's difficult to find a doc who goes along with our conservative schedule of tapering.  (as you found out from your own pdoc!)

 

You can look here for doctors, if you want to try another pdoc:  Recommended doctors, practitioners and clinics

 

Or, you can go the path of most of us, and choose a kindly doc who will give you what you want - and educate that doc on withdrawal - GRADUALLY (they don't like taking instructions from lay-folk!)

 

I'd say leave your psychiatrist behind.  How many tablets do you have left?  How many doses?  Cuz you may need them for awhile yet.  So a 1/2 tablet is 7.5 mg?  or is it 5 mg?  That would be a fair place to start.  And how much time, then, do you have before you must find another prescriber?  Do you have limitations such as insurance HMO's or systems?  

 

You will find more compassion and understanding here - we've been through it, and if some of us don't have your exact symptoms or situation, there are others of us who will know exactly what you are experiencing.  And most of us have found ways through it.

 

Again, welcome!  I'm sorry you had to come here, but I'm glad you came here!    

[Dane22]

Jan, thank you for taking the time to respond. I read Rhi's description of healing the brain and it resonates.

 

I know I'm lucky to have some windows at this point, but I'm considering myself in a "planning phase". Being my fourth attempt, I consider where I am "the calm before the storm". maybe it wont be, but if I want the best chances of becoming AD medication free, I have a plan that I'll need to tap into. Even if that means to restart at a lower dose.

 

I have Prozac 10mg tabs that are scored. I have plenty to last a few months. If I need to reinstate and taper, then I'll need to have a liquid form to work with. As you recommended, I may seek that from my primary GP. I am going to make an appointment with a new psychiatrist to see if he/she will help me wean if I fail this cold turkey attempt. If this new psychiatrist doesn't agree, I simply wont see them again. I am on a path to be free of AD medication. To do this, I need to surround myself with support and have a well thought out plan I can practice.

 

Thank you Jan. I'll reflect on your response again when the next wave hits.

[Rhiannon]

Dane, I'm going to be abrupt: given your history I see no reason to expect that this CT is going to go any better than the past ones, and if you follow the same course of action you have in the past, I see no reason to expect a different outcome.

 

Usually if people are going to be able to get away with a CT it will be the first time they go off a med. It gets harder with subsequent attempts.

 

I think since you quit so recently, your best bet is absolutely to restart at a lower dose, and then learn about tapering and get the resources together that you need to taper. And then do a very slow and controlled taper.

 

Otherwise, I expect hell is about to break loose for you pretty soon. And it is MUCH harder to take that path--to get sick and then try to reinstate and become stable once your brain is already in neurochemical chaos. It can take many months to get stable once you get to that point.

 

Right now, you have the option of preventing all of that, getting stable on a lower dose reinstatement, hanging out there for a while, then tapering safely. I can't tell you how many people I have met here (hundreds) who would give everything they own to be able to go back and have that opportunity, instead of staying with a CT. We don't usually meet them here while they still have that chance. We usually get them once they're already in hell.

 

Also, let me add: those bad effects that the drug causes are less and less at lower doses.

 

Your fear about "going back on the drug" is shared by many people, and if it were as simple as "getting it out of your system" or "the level in your body" I would certainly never encourage you to. But the drug being in your system is not the problem. The problem is, your brain has reshaped itself around the Prozac, like a plant around a trellis, and even though this particular plant that is you has not been comfortable or well on that trellis, you don't want to find out what it's like when you yank the trellis out. (Well, I think you know from past experience actually, and I'm having trouble understanding why you want to go through that all over again, or why you think it will be different this time.)

 

Sorry if I sound heartless or impatient. It's hard to see someone headed for disaster who actually has the option to avert it but doesn't want to. It is SO much safer and easier to restart before you hit the wall than it is to recover from a crash and burn. 

[Rhiannon]

One more thing I would add: If you did a CT just five days ago, then if you go back on 5 mg you are still going to have withdrawal symptoms, because that's a 66% reduction from the 15 mg you were on. 

 

What would actually make more sense would be to reinstate at 10 mg (from your original 15) and then do a fairly quick taper down to about 7, and then slow down.  You can see from these charts why I suggest that.

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/6036-why-taper-paper-demonstrates-importance-of-gradual-change-in-plasma-concentration/

 

I say "fairly quick taper" because you are having bad side effects from the drug. A quicker taper will involve more suffering and you should go as slowly as you can stand to. The 10%-of-current-dose taper is always the safest and at the lowest doses people often need to make smaller cuts.

[Dane22]

Rhiannon, thank you for your response. I appreciate your concern and the time you took to respond. I cannot say I disagree. I'm not sure what to think right now. I am open to restarting, just not at this moment. I'm not sure if I should be on this forum as I went CT. The information and support I get from reading the posts and interacting with the people is a great help. If I continue to follow the path of cold turkey, I hope I am still welcomed here.

 

In full disclosure, I had a good day yesterday up until about 9pm. At around 9 my window closed and the waves started coming. Some small, some bigger. They lasted on and off all night. Didn't sleep well. I also didn't take anything to assist with sleep as I know my brain chemistry is trying to adapt and I don't need to throw anything into it. In addition to poor sleep last night, I have a mild headache and the loss of appetite continues.

 

today is day 7 Cold Turkey. Part of me is so happy. Part of me is scared. I take the responses here seriously and they are weighing on me heavily. Prozac was such an awful toxin, I cannot imagine putting it back into my body, nor any other psych drug at this moment. If the symptoms worsen and fail to let loose, I have Prozac in a 5mg dose ready to take. At this moment, I cannot put it in my body.

 

on a lighter note, I received The Antidepressant Solution and Prozac Backlash in the mail. Started reading The Antidepressant Solution. Its good. I'll keep posting.

[ten0275]

dane, hey.

you are absolutely still welcomed here, this i can assure you.

the opinions being given to you are based on research and more importantly, the experiences of those (MANY) who have been in your position before you. everyone who has responded to your post thus far, both moderators and community members, have advocated you reinstate.

please know, we completely understand - and have seen in countless others including in some cases ourselves - your hesitance to reinstate. to continue "medicating" can seem very counterintuitive and almost claustrophobic. the problem is, "i am open to restarting, just not at this moment" is a big IF. time after time it has been observed that the bigger window that passes between a cold turkey and reinstatement, the less likely it is for any possible reinstatement to do its thing the way you want it to. and because reinstatement has been successful in past attempts at stabilizing doesn't guarantee it will continue to work.

this site offers opinions. but moreover, it seeks to empower us to make decisions for ourselves. you have to make the choice ultimately. i know you know this and i can tell that you have a sharp mind and are thoughtful. rhi (and she has seen this time and again) and the rest of us are giving you what we know, what we've seen, and the path we would take. what you do with it is yours to own.

 

the following statement from rhi comes from a place of deep care:

 

"sorry if i sound heartless or impatient. it's hard to see someone headed for disaster who actually has the option to avert it but doesn't want to. it is SO much safer and easier to restart before you hit the wall than it is to recover from a crash and burn."

you are still welcomed here. we want to support you as we can, and please do continue to post and ask and share what is happening.

few of us ever want to reinstate. but we take the long-term view over the short-term. that is to say, we acknowledge a need in many cases to continue putting the "awful toxin" in our bodies for the shorter term in order to avoid discomfort and pain in the long term. i am down to an absolute minimum on the mirtazapine i take. i shudder every night i draw it into the syringe and shoot it down my throat. but i know at the end of the day, i'm going to be done with it - and i am fully operable in the meantime.

i encourage you to continue considering reinstatement as symptoms continue to present for you. at a certain point however, it won't be an advisible option and you'll need to weather what comes as you can.

i am really happy to hear you had a good day yesterday for the most part! may these multiply for you exponentially.

hang in there.

dave

[Dane22]

Thank you Dave. I appreciate your response, it means a lot.

 

Good day today. So far so good. despite a rough start and little sleep, I've managed to fall into another window period. Cannot tell you how nice it is. The waves keep coming. Some are easier to ride out than others.

[justwanttobefree]

Dane not to be mean but you probably haven't even began the windows and waves period yet. The prozac has barely began to leave your system. I'm 5.5 months into a CT off 10mg prozac and it is hell on earth. I have yet to see a window. Unless you are seriously ready to suffer I highly recommend a small reinstatement.

[Dane22]

justwanttobefree. thanks for your input. Perhaps I'm using the wrong terminology. Maybe I should say I'm having a good day instead of having a window. Still learning. I'm sorry to hear you are still suffering after 5.5months.

[justwanttobefree]

It's okay Dane22, I just don't want you thinking you're in the worst of withdrawal yet because you're not ???? When you say the symptoms are almost unbearable above it worries me because like I said, the prozac is still in you. I floated through the first 2 months semi uncomfortable with some anxiety, depression, dizziness, blurred vision, and shakiness but nothing compared to the depths I am in now. Prozac has such a long half life that the huge withdrawal comes much later. Praying it eases for me soon. Why are you against reinstatement?

[Dane22]

Its an option. What I have done is update my signature information. Perhaps this will help shed light on why I am opposed, at least at this point, to restart. Since my first attempt at CT in august of last year, I have only taken a little over 60 doses in the last 6 months (counting each time I went back on Prozac). So its hard to assess how much Prozac I actually have in my system.

 

Its only been a week this time. Literature states it'll take 2-3 weeks before ss withdrawal occur (correct?).

 

so, dropping off of 15mg didn't seem like a huge leap. But, that has yet to be seen. it is unfortunate that I didn't wean before I did it and that I didn't have a psychiatrist that would work with me.

 

yes. I may still reinstate. The side effects of the drug were almost worse than the withdrawal effects I've had in the past. hence, my hesitation.

[Rhiannon]

From your sig line, I'm not surprised you haven't been feeling well whether on or off the drugs. Not that they're that great for anyone, but going on and off like that is a recipe for neurochemical chaos. I suspect anything you've been feeling since last June has been a mixture of unresolved withdrawal and the drug effects themselves.

 

Please read what we are saying about how these drugs mangle and warp your brain chemistry when you shove them in your brain and yank them out. They aren't like aspirin, just doing their thing while they're in you and then gone when they're gone. It's the going on and off that does the harm, because your brain tries to change itself whenever you warp its chemistry, and those changes are not fast, and very slow to undo as well, so things end up pretty mangled up. That's why we say to stabilize on a low dose and then taper in a regulated, slow fashion. It's because you need to grow a new brain and your brain can't do that without stability.

 

I'm going to scoot out of your thread now, because I've said my piece. 

[indigo]

I just started a  newthread called Prozac Only? 

Clearday responded with her experience of Cold Turkey from Prozac.

I think you'll find it very interesting Dane22.

[Dane22]

Rhiannon. Once again, thank you for your feedback. Before I went cold turkey the first time, I had negative side effects from the drug. It's not something that started when I went off and back on.. I'm not saying I have the right idea, just that I want to try this with a plan in place. Sometimes advice with some support included goes a long way. I'm learning heaps on this site, but its also the support that I come here for.

 

indigo, thank you. I saw your thread but clearly I am not someone who has any business posting on the subject. Perhaps in time I can share some experiences that would help others. I'm still trying to figure things out. I'll look into your thread for more information. Thanks for starting it.

[clearday]

I just started a  newthread called Prozac Only? 

Clearday responded with her experience of Cold Turkey from Prozac.

I think you'll find it very interesting Dane22.

 

His experience. 

[Dane22]

Mr. Clearday that is. Lol. A little humor is a good thing.

[Fresh]

Hey Dane , thanks for updating your signature. 

 

I realized I'm making some assumptions about what was going for you prior to your reinstating in October 2014 , Jan. 2015 , and then Feb. 2015.  I'm assuming it got

too much for your koala to bear?

Please take a look at my thread , first post.   My withdrawal symptoms didn't really get going until 6 months after I stopped Cymbalta in July 2013.

 

We'll support you whatever your choice , but are taking this opportunity to try and protect you from something extremely horrible , that will most definitely ruin the

rest of this year for you.

 

Hugs ,   Fresh   

[justwanttobefree]

I think we are just frustrated because you have already attempted to cold turkey THREE times and failed. Now you are doing it a fourth time and looking for reassurance. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing again and again and expecting a different result. The site is beneficial for advice if you take it but the site can not help you when you're writihing in agony from withdrawals a couple months in. Trust me. Reinstate a low dose, stabilize, then taper.

[westcoast]

Dane, you are in a tough spot. You will mainly hear from people who advise tapering. Most of us cold turkey people had a very bad time and did crazy things in many cases, not even knowing who we were. As a cold turkeyer, i have nothing good to say about cold turkeying. There are people, just not on this site, who get away with just some brief unhappiness and discomfort. I wouldn't bank on it. That is my two cents from a place of cold turkey disasters. As you look at various threads in the Intros, make note of who Ct'd and who tapered. I guess we are all having problems, but the stories from the CT people are alarming.

[indigo]

Oops. Sorry Clearday.

[Dane22]

Good Morning Fresh. Thank you. I should have posted more details in my signature when I initially logged on. And yes, My koala couldn't bear anymore after going on/off/on/off... really not the brightest thing I've ever done. I'll take a look at the link you recommended. Thank you.

 

Justwanttobefree (I always have to check that to make sure I spell it right. lol). Not looking for reassurance as I'm not sure my way is the right way and I know I'm on a site that promotes tapering. Support is what I need. Support comes from reading other peoples journeys, sharing their experiences and supporting them throughout it. To me, its very different than encouragement. I would never encourage a child to touch a hot stove. That's how I interpret some of the feedback here. Its genuine and well intentioned. No one wants to see someone on here start to do something that is going to hurt them. On the flip side, my daughter is in college, I may not agree with all her choices, but I support her. As is turns out, she's an amazing person.

 

WestCoast, thank you. Yes, I read those stories and they stick. I read the good, and the bad. I know I can only prepare in advance for so much, but when the symptoms come, i'll have to figure it out. I have to say, yesterday was a good day. I feel much more clear and actually caught myself smiling on occasion. Its too early to tell.

 

On the downside. Appetite is still poor. Slept a solid four hours than tossed and turned for a few more. trying not to take naps as they just disrupt the normal bedtime. Sticking to my alarm early in the morning and being as productive as possible at work. It helps. Staying positive and looking for the little things that make me happy. Hmmm, Happy. its actually a word now.

[Fresh]

Try reading the thread called "What is Withdrawal"  in the Symptoms and Self Care  section.

 

Also  , in the Tapering section of Support , try "Why Taper" and "Tapering by 10%".     It'll give you the theory behind the recommended practise here.

 

Also in Symptoms and Self Care , "About reinstating and Stabilizing to Stop Withdrawal Symptoms".

[Dane22]

Fresh Thank you for the homework assignment!  The last piece is particularly of interest to me as I put my plan together in the event the withdrawal symptoms return. It gives me more hope that I can weave it into my current plan and have a "relief valve" in the event I crash. Very caring of you to take the time to give me that info.

 

Day 8 CT. Oddly enough, its going ok. Slept poorly, some nervous energy this morning, still having problems with concentration. Having problems with external stressors that I have no control over and make me a little anxious. I just keep them as muted as possible. No appetite. This is a problem as I'm athletic and I don't want to continue losing muscle. the weather has warmed up so im able to run outside which is a relief to me. I have not had any adverse effects from the cardio part of it. I take a five mile run over lunch hour three times a week. I am afraid that my weight is going to start dropping. Least of my concerns, eh? If it does, I'll break down and gobble simple carbs (not).

 

feel like I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop. Yes, I'm scared. Yes, I'm anxious about the 2-3 week mark. when a tough patch hits, I try my best to focus on one little thing that makes me happy. Sometimes it helps, other times I'm just simply screwed and have to wait for it to pass.

[Pugknows]

There a several of us CT gobblers on this site. If you choose to take the CT road, we will hold your hand if or when it gets rough. We support each other no matter what.

[Dane22]

Ok Pugknows. I'm not a fan of rollercoasters, but hop in the front with me, it may get crazy! Thank you. That is incredibly kind of you. I am very fortunate to have found this site. Incredibly knowledgeable people and people who care and share their experiences so we don't feel alone. I have had several times over the last 6 months that I thought I was losing my mind, it was awful. I wish I had known about this site back then.

 

by the way, I think the rollercoaster takes off in a week or two (my 2-3 week CT date). Hang on!

[Pugknows]

I have my barf bag and pompoms. We'll scream and heave together. Bring it on!

[Dane22]

LOL. just what I needed! Thanks.

 

big smile and laughing...the power of humor, eh?

[Pugknows]

Yeah. Sick humor for sick people.

[Dane22]

Day 9 CT.

 

Slept much better last night. Probably about a solid four hour block followed by some intermittent sleep. Have a chest cold. Slight headache. Still a little foggy, but much clearer than when on Prozac.

 

I'm becoming aware of my mistakes as I come off of Prozac. Example, I'll say good morning to people when its 2 in the afternoon. I'll start to clean a room and return later to find it half done. Driving in the car and a hawk flew over and I caught myself following the hawk and not looking at the road. These seem like small little memory lapses, but when you add them all up over the day, its frightening. I always knew there was something "wrong" while on Prozac, and at times I felt like I was going crazy. Now that I am becoming acutely aware of these situations and can see their frequency decrease, I have hope. This has to be a result of the drug leaving my body and the healing process in action. I still don't have my mind back, but I feel much more aware of my surroundings.

 

Remarkably calm. hope it stays that way. Mornings are the most difficult. As the day goes on and I busy myself, things seem a bit brighter.

 

Calm before the storm? I don't know.