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Quitting prozac and starting again

Posted , 20 users are following.

eva33325
eva33325

I recently stopped prozac after taking it for 20 years, I was taking 40 mg per day and near the end the doctor upped my dosage to 60 mg as I was feeling very depressed..my main reason for being on it was panic/general anxiety disorder. Well, stupid me I started feeling better and I didn't go back and renew the prescription and a couple of months off I thought I was fine but then had a major panic attack and looking back, I think I did go through withdrawal, mostly coming out in extreme anger and rage.  Anyway the doctor had given me a prescription in case I needed it and it was for the 60 mg so I started it again, it's been just a little over 3 weeks and I am still panicking..today was the worst, I have to take Clonazepam .25 mg twice or more a day to stop it.  He told me that I should've started at the 40 mg not the 60 mg but because it had already been 2 weeks I had to keep taking the 60 mg and ride it out..is it possible the 60 mg has made me more anxious and if so...will it end up working like it did a couple of months ago?  Thank you, I appreciate any opinions just for piece of mind...since I feel like I'm losing mine.  Lol  Oh and I did stop the prozac for a couple of weeks about 9 years ago and the same thing happened but not as severe as this time..will I ever learn?  Lol...thanks for any advice!!

2 likes, 58 replies

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  • abella
    abella eva33325

    Posted

    Hi Eva and Rachel

    I understand the fear of feeling horribly depressed and the fear becomes as bad as the depression. I am so fearful of a relapse that I wake worrying that today might be the day I get symptoms of depression. We have good reason to be afraid. So far I have no symptoms but I am treating myself as gently as I can and will take more meds if I need to.

    My research tells me that any change of dosage either up or down causes these panicky spaced out disorienting feelings, so that will be why your dr is hesitant to lower your dose now Eva after 3 weeks on 60mg. It is probably while upping your dose to 20mg put you into a bit of a slump too Rachel. Just keep going and we will all take one day at a time and try not to worry about tomorrow, just get through the day. So sorry your day is not as good as yesterday Eva. The clonazepam works best if you take it early in an anxiety attack. If you wait it out too long it seems to work less well. Like pain medication. Take it early and take more if your mood doesnt seem to lift.

    You can both do this and normality is coming closer every day. I hope your flu is better. Sounds like your meds are kicking in nicely Rachel. If I got flu with depression that would usually put me right down mood wise. You are doing great both of you, under horrible circumstances. Keep your eyes on the goal. You will make it through this.

    xxxoooxxx

    • eva33325
      eva33325 abella

      Posted

      Hi Abella,

      I just feel so unsure about everything..sometimes I think I'm ok and others not at all.  Mine is more anxiety and fear rather than depression but I have been depressed at times in my life and know how low one can go, so to speak, Lol.  It's 25 days today on the 60 mg...god I wish I wasn't counting but I can't help it, Lol.  Sometimes it just makes you feel like such a freak...like what the hell am I afraid of???  The feeling of being afraid..anxiety and panic wreak havoc on your mind...looking forward to returning to some normalcy in my head and my life....it feels good to talk to someone too and you're helping me immensely.  I hope one day to be able to return the favour but in another way not because I want you to always be doing well!!! xoxoxoxoxo  I'll let you know how I'm doing tomorrow...one thing I am scared of is that 2 of the .25 mg won't be enough anymore....there's the anxiety again...it just has to get better..I'm really trying to think positive but it's hard.  I will keep trying. xoxox

  • rachel62244
    rachel62244 eva33325

    Posted

    Lovely message abellasmile thank you. Erm I feel I'm OK in moments /patches its strange. Morning is the worse as I wake up thinking please please be OK today then that's it iv given it too much thinking space and then its hard to rid itsad fear of fear. I feel so stupid I really don't understand people think i actually have lots of worries but I don't its only a feeling and I fear the feeling, nothing more! 
    • eva33325
      eva33325 rachel62244

      Posted

      That's exactly what it is Rachel...a fear of fear..nothing more..it can't hurt us.  We are going to make it through this! Hope you're having a good day both of you! xoxoxo
    • rachel62244
      rachel62244 eva33325

      Posted

      I feel out of it. 

      Anxiety

      Low mood 

      Med side effects 

      Made up with cold 

      38weeks pregnant. Yes I feel sorry for myself sad

      Just want to feel in touch with my surrounding that all I want, not to feel like a big bubbled up alien. O and for people to stop saying what's up? Pull it together! Get a grip of it! Don't them pills make u happy? Blah blah they have no idea. Sorry I'm just moaning wink

    • eva33325
      eva33325 rachel62244

      Posted

      Awwww, it's ok...be kind to yourself..you're going through a lot...and you're having a baby..congratulations!!

      People that have never been through this can't understand...Just be easy on yourself..we are our own worst enemies, it's going to all be ok, you'll come out of this and it will be better than ever!

      You're not moaning, you're going through a lot...it's all ok! xoxo

    • rachel62244
      rachel62244 eva33325

      Posted

      Thank u Eva! Lovely name by the way. Think where calling the baby ava so simular. Just want the meds to work and u hear so many people say o it took me 12weeks and others tell u to give up by 5 so god knows. My cold is masking things at the moment which is good in a way gives me something to blame xx
    • eva33325
      eva33325 rachel62244

      Posted

      Oh thank you! I love the name Ava too!! You are going to be just fine.....please don't be hard on youself..you are going to be a great Mom soon!!! The meds will work...they will work for the both of us, I just know it!! xoxoxooxo
  • abella
    abella eva33325

    Posted

    Hi Eva, Rachel and baby Ava

    Thinking about you all and wishing you well.  Congratulations on your pregnancy Rachel and Ava is a gorgeous name.  My daughters second name is Rachel so we all have some connection in names!

    If you can't moan about how you feel on this forum to people who understand then who can you moan to? We are here to support you, especially through these last few weeks of pregnancy where you are bound to be feeling extra blah with yourself.

    I hope your flu is better and that your day goes as well as possible today.

    Keep up the fight Eva, day 25 and counting....you've come a long way already and I am sure you will never feel this bad again.  You are on the home straight both of you.

    Hugs, hugs and more hugs. 

    xxxoooxxxooo

    • eva33325
      eva33325 abella

      Posted

      Hi Abella!

      It's a tiny bit better when I woke up this morning, still took my pill because I know I'm not there yet but something might've felt a little different, don't want to get my hopes up in case I'm wrong though, Lol.  You're right, if we can't moan here then where else right?  I'm keeping up the fight...I think we are all going to be great!!!  Think you guys are great!

      Hugs a million times for both you, Rachel and baby Ava! xoxoxo

  • rachel36737
    rachel36737 eva33325

    Posted

    Hello Eva, I recently was taken off of Prozac abruptly because of a misunderstanding with my family doctor. He didn't offer anything but 2 find myself a psychiatrist that would administer these medications for me from now on. However, I was not able to be seen buy a local psychiatrist for nearly a month after I was abruptly removed from Prozac so of course I experience horrible withdrawal symptoms. I was looking through some of my things and I found a bottle 20 milligram Prozac from the past that I had put away and decided to start taking those. This is my third full day and I am feeling no better in fact I think I feel worse. I cry everyday pretty much and all I want to do is stay away from everyone and sleeping when I can. Is very concerning for me and I feel so ashamed but I'm not strong enough to do better than I am. I did read an article that said sometimes the medication you've been on for 20 years or even a month for that matter just whenever the right medication for you. Until I read that I thought I was destined to stay on the same medication forever and now I realize that I need to have a honest conversation with this new psychiatrist that I've been referred to I do hope you get better I do feel for you in your struggle.
  • christy74190
    christy74190 eva33325

    Posted

    Finding this post could not have come at a better time. I weaned myself gradually (over two months) off of Prozak. I had been taking it for over a year and started during my Mom's cancer diagnosis. She passed in September 2014 and in January 2016 I thought I was ready to come off. At the time I was at the 60 mg doss.

    Reading other comments of what they experienced, especially with anger and rage helps me know I'm not crazy. 

    I can't get in to see anyone until June but looked online and saw that I still had an active prescription. Hopefully, I can get it filled and at least start weaning myself back on.

    For those who have posted, thank you for sharing your experiences.

  • janalou
    janalou eva33325

    Posted

    I can't believe all I had to do was google "Stopped Prozac, Might Need to Start again". What a help you all have been. I was so proud of myself for getting off prozac. Lost 23 lbs. in the process. Now, I feel like I really need to be on Prozac, what with all the weepiness, panciking, more weeping, etc. All I can think of is will the 23 pi=ounds come back. Crap. 
  • emma05893
    emma05893 eva33325

    Posted

    I realise this is a very old post but I'm going through exactly this at the moment. Came off 20mg a day about 2 months ago and now I'm a week and a half into re taking the tablets but I'm not getting any improvement and my anxiety is through the roof. Did they eventually start to work for you again? I'm petrified I will feel this way forever xx

  • erica93171
    erica93171 eva33325

    Posted

    I am also coming to this thread late, but it is so appropriate. I got off Prozac about half a year ago and am still feeling the horrible feeling of being in a cloud, feeling lost and anxious. I thought I was doing OK, but I am beginning to wonder if the drug could have caused brain damage since focusing and memory have felt almost impossible. I am also probably not in the best and most secure of circumstances either, but it has been helpful to read about others' similar experiences. It sounds like a lot of people out there have had great sucess with the drug and do have to be on it for the rest of their lives, but I really don't want to have to rely on a drug for the rest of my life that I am not entirely sure is making me better in the long run. I'm at the point where I may need to start again because I want some more clarity of mind again and to stop the vicious negative thought cycles, but I am afraid of that period of it being worse before it gets better, how do I know that it'll get better? I appreciate all of the past responses on this thread, they are encouraging.

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