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Withdrawal symptoms?

Posted , 27 users are following.

kirsty1112
kirsty1112

Hi,

I'm new on here so please bear with me! Until tonight I was seriously starting to think I had some kind of brain tumour or something hideous. I stumbled upon this site and am hoping for some info and advice.

I had been on 20mg of fluoxetine for severe pmt for about a year until this past Xmas. It sound really stupid in hindsight but I just stopped suddenly, partly as I felt fine, and partly just because I forgot for a few days, then a few day more and so on.

I was doing fine for a couple of weeks, and even still my mood has not been too bad apart from the odd day here or there. The problem is what I now believe to be withdrawal symptoms. Started with excruciating headaches, all the time, until about 2 weeks ago, when this hideous dizziness/vertigo started - not so bad at the start if the day, but almost unbearable from late afternoon. I have also been getting very weird, generally scary/anxious type dreams, with (I think think they are called brain zaps) like electric shock type brain flashes during the night. Does anyone else have any experience if this ? I thought after a few weeks going cold turkey I had escaped any withdrawal symptoms?

Do you guys think it is withdrawal symptoms? Should I get right back on it? Feeling just terrible right now .

Thanks in advance for any advice. X

2 likes, 38 replies

38 Replies

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  • hearnoseeno
    hearnoseeno kirsty1112

    Posted

    Hi kirsty1112

    I am taking 40mg a day and if I miss say 2 dys I get really bad withdrawals, not headaches but illusions, seeing things that aren't there, hearing music that isn't playing, hearing voices, mood swings.... Do not go cold turkey, the side effects are very unpleasant x

  • Claire42114
    Claire42114 kirsty1112

    Posted

    Hi there,

    I have been on Fluoxitine for about 3 years taking 20mg a day and have slowly been cutting down over a period of months.  I am now off fluoxitine and have been for about 3 weeks thankfully! BUT i am experiencing the withdrawal symptoms as follows fatigue, irritability, anxiety, difficulty in faling asleep (occasionally) stomach cramps, headaches and minor panic attacks. Thankfully the side effects are slowly disapearing.

    Hope this helps  

    • E24
      E24 Claire42114

      Posted

      Hi Claire,

      It is so good to read your post and everyone else's. I too have been on 40mg for the past 3 years, but I decided to go cold turkey as I though it couldn't be too bad right? I've been off them for 3 weeks now and have the horrible symptoms of dizziness and lightheaded in the afternoons, fatigue, sleeplessness, trouble falling asleep, anxiousness, cry at the smallest things and headaches. After reading all of these posts this has put my mind at ease. I didn't even realize there were so many side effects and the length of them. Can anyone advise as to how long their side effects lasted for?. I'm determined to get through this. I've started a little meditation and that seems to relax me a little in my anxious times. Thanks again everyone for your help.

      E.

    • Wayne1948
      Wayne1948 Claire42114

      Posted

      This sounds promising for me. I have been off it for exactly 1 month today. So will tough it out for another month then reassess. But don't see the need for it now, but do hope the symptoms I am feeling are related to my stopping taking it, and not anything else.

    • melissa10633
      melissa10633 E24

      Posted

      Hey what ever happens- did you stick it out of so how long did the dizziness last for?
    • jac84104
      jac84104 Wayne1948

      Posted

      i know this post is a while ago now, but

      iv been off LOVAN since DECEMBER- its now MARCH. i still have side effects, sometimes feel like im going crazy.

      anyone else feel like this?

    • jac84104
      jac84104 melissa10633

      Posted

      I read somewhere it can take a year to recover from the meds.

      im scared & tired.

  • richard_60004
    richard_60004 kirsty1112

    Posted

    Hi kirsty

    Ive been taking flux 20ml a day for 7months and i can honestly say it really did help me.

    But now ive come of them i was fine for nearly 2 weeks then all of a sudden started feeling really dizzy, moody, emotional and horrible dreams.

    Ive been told to weather the storm by the doc but its been nearly a week now and its absolutely horrible.

    I to thought something serious was wrong with me but reading these posts and on other sites it seems everyone suffers these withdrawl symptoms.

    All i can say is keep your doctor informed of how your feeling and try your hardest to weather the storm just as im doing.

    Good luck

    • hilary95948
      hilary95948 richard_60004

      Posted

      Hi Richard

      Unlike you, Fluoxetine made me worse, took them for 10.5 weeks, with no improvement... Lost 19 lbs no appetite.... cut down for 4 weeks, have been without now for 2 weeks, having some bad withdrawals, but don't feel any worse than when i was on them, the good thing is I have my appetite back.... Doctor had me on various AD's fom last year for the loss of my husband, all I wanted was councelling, the different withdrawals was horrendous.... I know AD's help a lot of people, but for me the tablets had an interaction with my thyroid, which caused more anxiety.... I have found Yoga helps me, looking forward to being me again.... Hilary

  • Wayne1948
    Wayne1948 kirsty1112

    Posted

    I have been on fluoxetine 20mg for years.

    Talked with my doctor who was not the one who originally prescribed it. My original doctor prescribed it cause he said it was had a good side effect. Can't remember, what it was.

    So current doctor said to me to try a month off and see what happens. mWell the month is up today and I have never felt so horrible.

    Don't want to start taking them again, but wonder if or when this lethargic horrible feeling will last?

  • kim59492
    kim59492 kirsty1112

    Posted

    Hi Kirsty and everyone else

    I could have written this post myself.

    Ive felt so alone with this.

    I was on 10mg a day prozac for 5 months , three week ago i decided i was way too exhausted all the time and started to taper off, i did it over a week with liqiud prozac, but i think i should have dont this over a longer period. 

    Every day now im experiencing the most awful whoozy head rush feeling in my head. Its a bit like going down a rollercoaster fast. Im light headed and everytome i get up from sitting it hits me. 

    I initially thought it was my ears because it feels like tinnitus too with the noises.

    I had terrible nightmares when i first stopped it, that has got a bit better now, im less tired and waking up at 9am instead or 11am. But im finding it really hard to cope with what feels like my brain isnt right. Does this sound like what you guys are experiencing? im a bit worried but it started right after i finished the prozac. 

    • melissa10633
      melissa10633 kim59492

      Posted

      Hey just wanted to follow up to see if you went back on the meds or how long it took for the side effects to subside?
    • jenny_43868
      jenny_43868 kim59492

      Posted

      I am going off flouxtine , tired as hell, headaches , can't think straight , foggy brain . 

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