How to Handle Prozac Withdrawal: 10 Steps with Pictures

Reducing in a proportional way will mean you need to make smaller and smaller reductions as you get to lower doses. It is probably best, right from the start, to use more gradual reductions. For example, a twentieth (5%) or a tenth (10%) of the original dose. Speak to your prescriber regularly, so that they can keep an eye on how it is going. It may feel as though you are addicted to the antidepressant if you can’t stop taking them when you would like to. This patient information accurately reflects recommendations in the NICE guidance on depression in adults.

This can raise the question of whether you are experiencing withdrawal when coming off antidepressants or reducing their dosage, or if you’re having a depression relapse. In a 2019 review of existing research, the authors noted that it is not uncommon for people to have antidepressant withdrawal symptoms for many weeks or even months. Some studies found that 40% of people had symptoms for 6 weeks, while 25% experienced symptoms for 12 weeks or more. Your doctor will help you agree a plan for how to gradually reduce your dose.

Stopping or coming off antidepressants

If that’s not an option, you can at least make yourself more comfortable until these unpleasant symptoms pass. Some people will need to taper down to smaller doses of their antidepressants than is available in tablet form. To do this, you might be able to use a liquid antidepressant and dilute it. Some people are able to stop taking their antidepressants using only tablets. If you are experiencing withdrawal symptoms and are struggling to come off your antidepressants, you may need to use both tablet and liquid antidepressants to take smaller doses.

Read on to learn more about the symptoms of Prozac withdrawal, including how long they last. This article also looks at what causes the symptoms, tips for managing symptoms, and more. Long-term use of fluoxetine is safe if a person takes it as the prescribing doctor directs. Other research suggests that fluoxetine may be “particularly unproblematic” when people stop taking it because of its especially long half-life of 96–144 hours, which equates to 4–6 days. SSRIs work by increasing the amount of serotonin available to the brain. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that promotes positive feelings and stabilizes mood.

1. When a person decides that they are ready to stop Prozac, they can discuss this with their doctor and follow their advice on discontinuation strategies.
2. When you taper its use by taking progressively smaller doses over a period of time, you can often prevent or reduce Prozac withdrawal symptoms.
3. This is much quicker than the weeks that antidepressants will normally take to relieve symptoms of anxiety or depression that have returned.
4. You should speak to your prescriber about whether you should do this or not.
5. If you experience a return of mood symptoms that are worsening, talk to your doctor right way.

It’s been shown that people are far less likely to relapse after recovering from depression if they exercise three times a week or more. Prozac (fluoxetine), for example, has a very long half-life, meaning that after you stop taking it, it leaves your body more slowly than most other SSRIs. For this reason, you’re unlikely to have extreme withdrawal symptoms with Prozac. Keep this in mind when you and your doctor are discussing which antidepressant you should try or if you’re considering switching to another one. If you’re thinking of getting off your antidepressant, there could be benefits to you. To ensure these benefits outweigh the drawbacks, it’s important to talk with a healthcare provider before stopping your antidepressant use.

Antidepressant Withdrawal vs. Relapse

Certain factors, such as the speed of a person’s metabolism, may also cause withdrawal symptoms to appear more quickly or gradually. These symptoms, which are often referred to as withdrawal symptoms, usually begin within two how to wean off prozac to four days and can last for as long as one to two weeks. Antidepressants can be notoriously difficult to quit because stopping can produce withdrawal-like symptoms called “discontinuation syndrome.”

To help distinguish between withdrawal symptoms and a return of depressive symptoms, it is important to consider when the symptoms first occurred and how they developed. Together, you’ll probably discuss a backup plan in case your depression returns, including whether you’ll try medication again or seek alternate treatment. The other key reason to work closely with your doctor in stopping antidepressants is so they can continue to monitor your mental health. More than 40% of people who have a depressive episode will go on to have at least one more episode in their lifetime.

Changing Your Lifestyle

This depends on several factors, such as the drug you were taking, how long you took it, and what your dose was. However, you may run the risk of having withdrawal symptoms if you stop taking your medicine suddenly. These symptoms can be very uncomfortable, and you also run the risk of having a relapse of depression or anxiety. If you want to go off, talk to your doctor about tapering your dose down gradually over time.

They may also ask about your openness to trying other methods of treatment for your depression, such as psychotherapy. If you are experiencing Prozac withdrawal, talk to your doctor about remedies that might help. They can refer you to a therapist, prescribe medications that may help, or suggest other approaches that you may find helpful. The good news is that among the SSRIs, Prozac is the least likely to cause withdrawal symptoms.

What If I Have Symptoms While Tapering?

If you’ve had three or more recurrences of depression, make that at least two years. If you and your doctor have decided it’s time for you to stop taking your antidepressant, it’s possible to avoid discontinuation syndrome altogether. Even if you’re tempted to, the key is to not quit all of a sudden, but instead to taper off your medication. Additionally, if you start an antidepressant again, discontinuation symptoms will resolve quickly, but depression or anxiety will take longer to respond.