Re: Intro and withdrawing from Prozac after 16 years

[Guest guest]

What I would like to know is, am I doing this withdrawal correctly?

Is what my Dr. has told me to do right?

Welcome to the group. You are withdrawing incorrectly because your doctor is a dunce! You should be withdrawing very slowly and steadily, no more than a 10% decrease every couple of weeks. Prozac has a very long half-life so for 5 - 7 weeks after your last dose, it is still in your system. It will be at that point that the withdrawals might kick is hard and heavy. Prozac causes massive weight gain and it also causes diabetes. Did you have it before you started taking Prozac?

"Blind Reason"

a novel of pharmaceutical intrigue

Think your antidepressant is safe? Think again. It's

Unsafe At Any Dose

[Guest guest]

I am a 56 year old woman with Fibromyalgia

Prozac also causes fibromyalgia. Which came first -- the illness or the Prozac?

"Blind Reason"

a novel of pharmaceutical intrigue

Think your antidepressant is safe? Think again. It's

Unsafe At Any Dose

[Guest guest]

Where did you get the information on Prozac causing diabetes? I have type 2

dxd in 1998. Another Dr. told me in '95 that I was insulin resistant but

never told me what to do about it.

Eli Lilly lists diabetes as a side effect. Your doctor didn't know THAT??? UGH! Dunce is right! I'd bet nearly ALL of your problems are Prozac-related. You might have to wean down mg by mg. if what your doctor told you to do didn't work, then don't listen to her. Just get her to write your scripts and you do it as slowly as you like. Afte 16 years, you shouldn't be in a hurry, otherwise you will fail.

"Blind Reason"

a novel of pharmaceutical intrigue

Think your antidepressant is safe? Think again. It's

Unsafe At Any Dose

[Guest guest]

but they didn't

interfere with my life and work until 1992 when I became completely disabled

by the symtoms of it. I've been taking Guaifenesin for over 2 years for the

Fibro and had my symtoms improve quite a bit. I'm not taking as much pain

medication as I have in the past. I use the Duragesic patch 2.5mg down from

5 mg. My biggest battle is with fatigue, second is the pain

Sounds like Prozac problems to me!!!! We hear similar stories all the damn time from people who've been on these drugs for years.

"Blind Reason"

a novel of pharmaceutical intrigue

Think your antidepressant is safe? Think again. It's

Unsafe At Any Dose

[Guest guest]

what do you mean prozac causes fibromyalgia.. I have fibro and chronic fatigue that is diagnosed.. I got it since paxil.. can paxil do this also..if so where is the documentation on this I would love to see this..

Yes, Paxil causes fibro AND chronic fatigue symdrome. Look in our FILES section and I'm sure there is some documentation. Otherwise, you need only look at the Product insert to see all of your complaints listed there in black and white. Nobody EVER gets better on these drugs. What starts out as a minor problem usually turns into fullblown physical problems that ultimately compromise your life. I had every single symptom of fibromyalgia when I was on and getting off of Paxil. It lasted for nearly two years.

"Blind Reason"

a novel of pharmaceutical intrigue

Think your antidepressant is safe? Think again. It's

Unsafe At Any Dose

[Guest guest]

I had every single symptom of fibromyalgia when I was on and getting off of Paxil. It lasted for nearly two years.

Are you saying that these terrible aches/pains & constant fatigue will eventually go away? Please tell me that's true! LOL Also, how long after discontinuing Paxil did you continue to struggle with bouts of depression?

Kendee

[Guest guest]

Also, how long after discontinuing Paxil did you continue to struggle with bouts of depression?

I wasn't put on Paxil for depression. They gave it to me because I complained of shoulder pain from an auto accident. The first two years after getting off Paxil was the worst -- I was suicidal almost every day. That, along with the aches, pain, cramping, etc. went away totally by the beginning of year three.

"Blind Reason"

a novel of pharmaceutical intrigue

Think your antidepressant is safe? Think again. It's

Unsafe At Any Dose

[Guest guest]

I was not put on Zoloft for depression either! I was put on it to help with PMS (I was cranky). JEEZ......imagine if that was my only problem now!!! Ever since I took Zoloft, I have struggled with depression & anxiety! Anyway, it sounds as though your first 2 years were pretty difficult with depression, aches, pains, etc. So....even though I am almost 15 months off I should still see some improvement? I certainly hope so, because I am getting mighty tired of struggling just to get through each day!

Kendee

[Guest guest]

I've changed my email address on the list so I'm replying from here instead

of the yahoo address.

In a message dated 8/23/04 3:02:42 PM Mountain Daylight Time,

deoby68@... writes:

What I would like to know is, am I doing this withdrawal correctly?

Is what my Dr. has told me to do right?

glitterari@... wrote:

Welcome to the group. You are withdrawing incorrectly because your doctor

is a dunce! You should be withdrawing very slowly and steadily, no more

than a 10% decrease every couple of weeks. Prozac has a very long half-life

so for 5 - 7 weeks after your last dose, it is still in your system. It

will be at that point that the withdrawals might kick is hard and heavy.

Prozac causes massive weight gain and it also causes diabetes. Did you have

it before you started taking Prozac?

Well, I've wondered about her being a " dunce " at times Should I call her

back and ask her to rx the 10mg?? for how long?? I can cut the pill in half

too.

Where did you get the information on Prozac causing diabetes? I have type 2

dxd in 1998. Another Dr. told me in '95 that I was insulin resistant but

never told me what to do about it.

I'd like to know more about what happens if I do what my Dr. says to do and

just quit after this week ends. Last time I tried I went from 20mg a day to

20mg every other day and then she said to stop taking it. I was a mess

after 3 weeks, but I read this is normal and could last longer.

Liz KS

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 8/23/04 3:02:42 PM Mountain Daylight Time,

deoby68@... writes:

I am a 56 year old woman with Fibromyalgia

glitterari@... wrote:

Prozac also causes fibromyalgia. Which came first -- the illness or the

Prozac?

I have had Fibro symtoms since I was 9 years old, but they didn't

interfere with my life and work until 1992 when I became completely disabled

by the symtoms of it. I've been taking Guaifenesin for over 2 years for the

Fibro and had my symtoms improve quite a bit. I'm not taking as much pain

medication as I have in the past. I use the Duragesic patch 2.5mg down from

5 mg. My biggest battle is with fatigue, second is the pain.

Liz KS

[Guest guest]

> I'm currently taking 10mg every other day until the 28th of Aug.

> which will be my last pill.

>

> I talked with my Dr.s office today and was told I should just take

> the 10mg until the 28th and then just don't take it anymore. If I

> start to feel bad again, I should go back on using the 20mg caps.

Hi Liz -

Glitter is right - SSRIs including prozac cause wieght gain and fibro

- I never had a Dx because no Dr would admit that the symptoms I had

exhisted or that the SSRIs caused them until I was seen by a neuro'

last Dec -

I had all the symtoms of fibro and was even at one point in a wheel

chair because of the pain - This has to a greater degee resolved

itself since coming off but it took a long time - I have been off the

drug for nearly 5.5 yr's now -

One thing I don't understand is the plan to go back onto a 20mg dose

if you start to feel bad again - The odds of you feeling bad if you

drop a 10mg dose in one hit is pretty likely because of withdrawal -

Surely if you are determind to get off and you are stable on 10 mg and

drop it - if it doesn't work and you feel bad going back up to 5mg -

7.5mg or even to 10mg would be better than 20mg - and not so far to

reduce again -

Altho I feel in all honesty the best course of action would be to

taper from the 10mg at a rate that would stop or at least reduce the

likelihood of this happening - This would enable you to get off the

drug then you can see if your fibro improves -

Tue

[Guest guest]

even though I am almost 15 months off I should still see some improvement? I certainly hope so, because I am getting mighty tired of struggling just to get through each day!

I continued to see improvement all the way through the first 5 years. I leveled out after that so I guess this is what I'm left with. LOL

"Blind Reason"

a novel of pharmaceutical intrigue

Think your antidepressant is safe? Think again. It's

Unsafe At Any Dose

[Guest guest]

what do you mean prozac causes fibromyalgia.. I have fibro and chronic fatigue that is diagnosed.. I got it since paxil.. can paxil do this also..if so where is the documentation on this I would love to see this.. nne

Re: Intro and withdrawing from Prozac after 16 years

I am a 56 year old woman with Fibromyalgia Prozac also causes fibromyalgia. Which came first -- the illness or the Prozac?

"Blind Reason" a novel of pharmaceutical intrigueThink your antidepressant is safe? Think again. It'sUnsafe At Any DoseTo subscribe to the off-topic list go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/socialWandR/

[Guest guest]

I called my Dr. today and asked her if she would rx the 10mg Prozac for meso I can come off it at a slower pace. She said that she would give me14-10mg tablets and I was to take 10mg every 2 days for 7 days and then 10mgevery 3 days for 7 days and then no more.Does this sound like a good way to do it? Is there a better way to use the14-10mg pills? I've been on 10mg every other day since Aug.16 but havingbad headaches and problems with weird sensations in my head. Nothing that Ican't endure but I'd like to go a bit slower after reading all theinformation. Just how long should withdrawal be until you take no moremedication?Any help would be appreciated.thanksLiz KS

[Guest guest]

I called my Dr. today and asked her if she would rx the 10mg Prozac for me

so I can come off it at a slower pace. She said that she would give me

14-10mg tablets and I was to take 10mg every 2 days for 7 days and then 10mg

every 3 days for 7 days and then no more.

Does this sound like a good way to do it? Is there a better way to use the

14-10mg pills? I've been on 10mg every other day since Aug.16 but having

bad headaches and problems with weird sensations in my head. Nothing that I

can't endure but I'd like to go a bit slower after reading all the

information. Just how long should withdrawal be until you take no more

medication?

Any help would be appreciated.

thanks

Liz KS

[Guest guest]

----- Original Message -----

I called my Dr. today and asked her if she would rx the 10mg Prozac for meso I can come off it at a slower pace. She said that she would give me14-10mg tablets and I was to take 10mg every 2 days for 7 days and then 10mgevery 3 days for 7 days and then no more.Liz KS

From: hepaction@...

Liz

You need to sack your doctor as a matter of urgency, she is giving you wrong and dangerous information. That is far too swift a cessation and by following her advice, you are putting yourself at risk. a 10 per cent reduction is what is recommended then wait until stabilised, no rush, and then another reduction. Good luck. Mo

Hi Mo and anyone else interested,

I've been reading so many websites lately in my quest for a better way to withdraw and came up with these:

This is from http://www.network54.com/Forum/message?forumid=182310 & messageid=1041249607

Dr. Healy:

"Withdrawal from SSRIs is something to be done in consultation with your physician. You may wish to show this to your GP. Over-rapid withdrawal may even be medically hazardous, particularly in older persons.

1) Convert the dose of SSRI you are on to an equivalent dose of Prozac liquid.

Seroxat/Paxil 20mg,

Efexor 75mg,

Cipramil/Celexa 20mg,

Lustrat/Zoloft 50mgs

are equivalent to 20mg of Prozac liquid.

The rationale for this is that Prozac has a very long half-life, which helps to minimise withdrawal problems. The liquid form permits the dose to be reduced more slowly than can be done with pills.

2) Stabilise on the Prozac for a week, then halve the dose.

3) If there has been no problem with step 2, the dose can be further halved. Alternatively if there has been a problem from this point on the dose can be reduced even more slowly in weekly increments.

4) From a dose of Prozac 10mgs liquid, consider reducing by 1mg every few days over the course of several weeks - or months if need be. With Prozac liquid this can be done by dilution.

5) If there are difficulties at any particular stage the answer is to wait at that stage for a longer period of time before reducing further."

Since I don't have an rx for the liquid Prozac, but I do have 3 months supply of Prozac 20mg, I will try this:

The Orange Juice method (taken from Dr. Bob's Psychopharmacology Tips ).

1. pour a glass of orange juice {I will use 8oz for tapering down purposes}2. pull apart the capsule and stir into the oj3. drink half of it 4. put the other half in the fridge and drink the other half the next day. 5. Repeat the method drinking less of the juice as you gradually taper down.

I suppose you can use any juice _except_ grapefruit.

I've been doing some math on this. I'm down to 5mg of Prozac a day now, so using Dr. Healy's technique, I will try going down to 2-1/2mg on Sept. 2nd. If that causes too many symtoms I will go back to the 5mg for another week and try again. And, so on and so forth until I am down to 1-1/4mg for a week and then go off completely and see how that goes.

I understand that their might be some problems 4-6 weeks after being off the drug completely, so I am considering that. I will not go back on any antidepressants again unless I am physically forced to. I've been ill and disabled for 12 years, so what does a few months of extra distress matter. I'm also better able to deal with life since being in therapy. I was terribly depressed for 2 years however with no medication (pre SSRI years) so that does scare me a little. I have also learned to "never say never", but I hope and pray I will never be on these drugs again. I've been on several of the earlier SSRI's since 1988 but always came back to Prozac.

I think of how our older generations got along without these drugs and I don't remember reading about the amount of suicides and murders in our schools and work places like there are now. It could be the availability of news now, being able to know just about anything we wish in this era. I do know that my severely depressed mother-in-law (dxd depression in1955-1987) was on medication for that depression that also CAUSES depression. I just recently found that out about the drug she was on. She kept telling her psychiatrist that she felt MORE depressed after starting the new antidepressant but he just told her to keep taking it. They finally did shock treatment on her that left her a zombie. (

I wonder now, if mom would have been taken off all those psycho drugs she was on, if she would have recovered. Most, if not all, of her depression was caused from abuse, but I don't want to go into that on an open group. It just makes me mad and so sad that she had to go through this, but we didn't know then what we know now. My heart is heavy even now for her. My daughter is on Prozac and I'm trying to convince her to get off of it.

Sorry this has been so long.

Liz KS