Will it have to be Prozac for life?

Dear Alice

I too have an unshakeable aversion to "being on drugs' of any kind on a daily basis. I would much rather depend on prayer, Jesus, faith, will power and a six pack of beer now and then.

Alas, my brain hits recycle and I am suddenly having foggy brain symptoms, road rage and screaming meanies that I can't control.

Just letting you know that you are not alone.

I deal with this issue as well as I can by considering the lesser of two evils: taking a prozac everyday, or being evil in every way.

Be at peace

Hi everyone,

I hope this thread is still active. I'm 37 years old and have been on Prozac since I was 17. I was dx'd with clinical depression as a teen and went through a few antidepressants until we decided Prozac was the best. I remember asking the psychiatrist how long I would be on the meds and he said, "Forever." So over the years I quit taking it, out of defiance, out of curiousity, out of stupidity. I'll go a week or so without it, then flip out over something minor and my husband will say "Are you taking your meds?" I hate the fact that I'm chained to it forever. I didn't take it in my first pregnancy and felt great but as soon as the baby came, post partum hit HARD, so I had to get back on immediately and ride out the crushing depression until the Prozac got through my system. With my second baby, I was crazy without it so the OB told me to start it again. He said it was worse for the baby to have me be miserable than to be taking Prozac. Unfortunately I still had post partum depression but it only lasted a couple days. I've come to believe that, because of the length of time that I (and all of us) have been taking Prozac, my body can't function without it. I've taken it for longer than I haven't taken it and my body thinks it's part of my natural make up. One day, when my kids are grown, I would like to wean from it and start going to a therapist so I can deal with my depression and get off the medicine. It has helped me greatly but I don't want to be tied to it. Plus what has it done to me physically?! Thanks for listening all!

Hello Alice, I apologize for resurrecting this old topic but I was searching for an explanation as to why I can't get off prozac and I found this. I have struggled with mental illness for over 20 years but haven't always treated it properly. Before I got married and had a family I used alcohol. Not effective in the long run, of course. After trying several anti's that didn't work or had terrible side effects for me, prozac was a godsend. I've been on it now for about 3 years. I was under the impression that prozac and other anti's worked by changing the chemical composition of the brain and eventually eliminating the chemical imbalance that causes depression. (I've also been dx'd with OCD and GAD besides the Major Depression). For a while I had to take 60mg daily of prozac to keep my symptoms under control. Recently I was approved for medical cannabis and I found I was able to reduce my prozac to 40mg. After a year at that dose I decided I wanted to get off it completely. So I reduced to 20mg. Within a week I was a wreck. Angry, depressed, panic and anxiety attacks doubled. Increased cannabis use did nothing. So I'm back at 40mg again. I have a strong desire to be off it but obviously I can't. I am trying to find out why it hasn't changed the chemical imbalance in my brain but so far no explanations have been found. I don't have any answers for you, but I wanted you to know you're not the only one.

Hey, 

So I am also going through the exact same situation.

But, I've been on this for only 3 years though.

I am still 23,  I myself have gone through phases where I decided that taking medications everyday to feel "normal" is not really making me normal and have stopped taking it for weeks trying to be 'normal' again and it just became worse than ever, I start getting paranoid, my confidence levels goes completely, and I have the worst time of my life. These are times where I have starte to realise that I'll probably be on these for a long time.

At the same time, my parents keep presurising me to stop taking the medications and that it is not 'normal'. Trying to explain them how it gets when i am off the medications just angers them, and they start to think i am addicted to it.

But, after reading @Lesley998's post, it actually mad eme realise that I am actually lucky that I found something which is helping me get better. Suddenly taking 2 or 3 pills a day does not feel too bad. :P

 

Dear Alice 7, This story you wrote so well, I honestly, word for word could have written it myself!! I've joined this forum on the strength of it. I am today at that painstaking difficult juncture of, like you were? Of must I stop this distress of persisting to come off prozac Or shall I go to my Doctor to get some more to take for the rest of my life... ? All at a cost to me, I say begrudgingly, as I feel it should be the blasted doctor who put me on prozac back in1996 who should foot the bill. I was suffering terriblywith post natal depression that wouldn't go away and TOTALLY changed who I was. He should have done blood test enquiring about my hormones & nutrition & addressed those first ! HEAD ZAPS are what's making it impossible for me to come off it. Did you experience these debilitating symptoms at all alice 7? Have you gone back on Prozac now ? Do you take the Lilly brand ones? I am so at my wits end; I'm also 1.5 years in of cutting down my 20mg dosage & trying to come off it... My life is on hold as I'm forced to be in this tortured silent limbo space of ON AND OFF them; It's hell & unless you have experience head zaps? up to 10 /15 times a day can you understand where I'm coming from exactly. I've lost Myself, I function but there's no one home, I'm numb but I cry everyday and anything will tip me over the edge. I'm thinking what's the point of doing anythin, of living really & if I didn't have my 2 kids I really would top myself. Right now, today, I'm at the stage of, If I start taking it again everyday I get head zaps & if I come off it I get Head zaps . What I haven't tried to do to STOP these horrendous Zaps is to go back on it AGAIN daily at 20 mg a day and accept defeat..Hoping the zaps will eventually subside & I get my old coping HAPPY motivated self back again. It's a cruel defeat isn't it? I too am trapped, I too fear my doctor won't prescribe them to me for some reason & im living this hell for good! Lastly I'd like to mention I've been swoping 20mg Prozac for the natural derivative of 5HTP ( 5 HTP comes in 50 mg ) so I've been having half of this in place of HALF of the 20 mg prozac. 5 days 5HTP 2 days 10 mg prozac. Thanks for reading / listening. I need therapy that's for sure. Hope we can help one another.

Hi, I don't know if my advice helps but I have always been depressed looking back at my diaries from when I was 13. I am 34 now, male and it took countless therapists before I finally got a doctors opinion to confirm that I need to accept that I should be on medication for life. I have come off anti-depressants independently with no success in the past. I have overdosed, and tried hanging myself. It is dangerous, I have had cognitive behavioural therapy that helps in the sense of recognising when I am going to feel hopeless but it all comes down to chemical imbalance. Beta blockers may help to overcome anxiety. This enables my brain to relax, because if it gets too tired that's when deep depression sets in. An over worked mind leads to living in bed and in fear. This is advice from my doctor. Ive come to terms that it is simply a chemical imbalance and that I require something like fluoxetine/Prozac to stop it escaping so quickly. Forgive me if I'm being ignorant but if you have spent so long on anti-depressants you may think you are cured but unfortunately no amount of exercise, sleep and diet will alter your perhaps imbalanced mental state. Depression is a killer, and I became dependant on alcohol before Prozac started to work. I hate the stigma attached to depression and am trying my best to redress the issues surrounding it's taboo within society. If you have cancer or a heart condition you wouldn't stop taking it because you started to feel better. I don't like accepting that I have to take pills the rest of my life, I'm a control freak and have an ego but it's not worth stopping. You were put on it for a reason 20 years ago. Everytime I come off meds the same pattern emerges. I can't face life, lock myself away and have to to moods. Seek a doc to lessen your dosage and see how you fair. I hope that's okay? I'm a newbie coming into Prozac. Keep well

Hello all. I have several experiences regarding depression, and feel that the combination of them is quite unique. I hope that somehow, someone will benefit from what I have to say!

Over many years, I have suffered from depression, and have travelled the many paths available. I am feeling very well at the moment, and have ceased taking Fluoxetine. I have been certain of the last few years, that depression is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain, and feel that in my case, I have proved my theory correct! However, because it is ( probably) a chemical imbalance, the problem can not necessarily be rectified with "other" chemicals or talking therapies. One or the other, or even both, could be good for one person, but not for another. This would partially depend on its " strength" or root problem. I, for one, do not find Talking Therapies of any use, but have found the Fluoxetine useful, although I am not now taking them. As for the deeply depressed members of our society, the medication might not work, and they might not be in a position to remove the root cause, for example, work. So I feel that the treatment is case dependant, and in some cases goes further, by the sufferer committing suicide in order to escape the torment.

My Son in Law hanged himself some small number of years ago, and, as always is the case, nobody can really say why! We have our ideas, and at some stage he was on anti depressants, but no one will ever really know. In this case therapy and medication did not help, and quite obviously, he was unable to cope.

I have recently retired from the local Coroner's Court and Office where I worked as a volunteer. Because of my experiences, I felt that I could help members of families who had lost their relatives through suicide. Hearing the many cases of suicide, that passed through Court, it was obvious that the many facilities offered to these people, were not of help within their sad life. The reports and witness statements that were read out in court, showed that with all the help in the world, these people found it very difficult to battle through life.

In conclusion, I feel that with some people ( very few!) can "shrug it off," or at least temporarily, but for most, it is an impossible task. As with a physical birth defect, this type of patient cannot be " mended," but only temporarily 'repaired" giving the equivalent of a wheelchair, back support, walking stick or indeed, day to day help. They were born that way, and sadly their lives are different.

I hope that my "take" on depression supports everyone, no matter at what level they suffer their disability. Thank you for reading

Just found this post and its 20

Just found this post. You are describing what i have been through. Been on prozac 20+ years. Did really well for a long time until my primary care dr said to come off it cause she thought it was raising my blood pressure. Ive tried for the past 4 years to come off prozac! These past few months after being hospitalized for pneumonia, have been a living hell. Anxiety through the roof, panic attacks daily, shaking, insomnia, lack of appetite, and fear of everything. Crying spells are nothing compared to the anxiety that i have felt. Almost felt like having seizures too. Finally got a referral to go talk with a psychiatrist which i did earlier this month. Back on 20mg daily prozac brand name, along with buspar 5mg twice daily, hydroxyzine at night to sleep. Today is day 18 on prozac. I am still shaky and weak and fearful, but hopeful that i will get better. I know i have a chemical imbalance and that prozac has helped me before, but i too wish i didnt have to take any medicine. That i could just handle everything....normally. its been a struggle to accept my diagnosis, but its easier to live in the solution than fight the problem.

Hi, alice7,

I just read your post from 5 years ago while looking up information on depression for my youngest sister. I hope you will get this and know that your post helped me more than you'll ever know. I couldn't have described my own experience if I tried. Reading your post validated my feelings and for that, I am extremely grateful. It has been 26 years since I first began taking Prozac and, it would probably not be an exaggeration to say, that it has saved my life; but, like you, I have disliked the idea of being dependent on a pill to feel normal and have tried multiple times, unsuccessfully, to go off it. Having recently retired, I am ready to try to again, hoping that the elimination of the work stress will tip the scale in favor of my being successful once and for all. Unlike my other attempts which were done on my own, I plan to follow a very gradual weaning schedule under the guidance of my GP. I am curious if, since your original post of 5 years ago, you have tried again to go off Prozac and whether or not you felt you were finally successful. Any comments, thoughts or advice from anyone with similar experiences who reads this post

would be appreciated.    

Hi Alice...

I realize it’s been 5 years since you posted this subject. I’m just reading it now. I’m wondering how you’re doing now. Are you still on Prozac?

I’ve been on Prozac for 29 years and have tried to get off of it several times. Each time, I’ve ended up feeling way worse and more desperate than I did before ever starting the drug. The anxiety is crippling. I’m going back on it... I can’t stand the anxiety and horrendous self-judgement. I am a single parent with a 12-year-old daughter who is hormonal and has overwhelming mood swings. The worse I feel, the worse her behavior... the worse my responses to her behavior. I not only need the help that Prozac will provide for me, but my daughter needs a solid mom who can respond with a calm energy.

I have to get myself regulated, so I can be solid for her. As it stands, we just set each other off daily. It’s exhausting! On top of it, I’m going into menopause. So, we’re both on hormonal roller coasters.

If I have to be pickled in Prozac, so be it. 

i am at a point where I am deciding to either continue or discontinue prozac. I am seeing the DR soon and deff will lower my dosage. I used to be very depressed due to things going on, but I have developed better coping skills. I had a near death experience that changed my outlook on life. However, I am young and have not been on it for long, but i hear it causes weight gain. I am trying to lose a substantial amount of weight. I often told myself i would get off of it when the time was right. However, I have come to terms that the time may never be right. If something works for you, I think it is your right to have it. i understand not wanting to because I dont, but if your quality of life is better with it, I suggest staying on it. DId you have any changes in weight? I am

Alice7 Wow! Your post was amazing and I appreciated the lengthy post and I can totally relate completely to your relationship with Prozac/fluoxetine. I have and am experiencing all and everything you have written. What are we to do? I have only been on the drug for 10mths post cardiac arrest and heart surgery and I have had 2 attempts unsuccessfully to stop the drug but I share your feelings regarding feeling worse off the drug now than I was when I started the treatment. I have decided quality of life is more important than my inability to accept that I have had to resort to anti-depressants and my internal sense of weakness and failure. I am calmer and more in control of my emotions on the medication than I am off it, and I have gone on and off a few times and I know that I am nicer to be around on the medication and for these reasons as well as other really important reasons I have decided that I need to stay with the medication for now. 

Loved your story ??

Thank you for sharing and I hope you're well and happy 😊