Withdrawal From Antidepressants: Symptoms, Causes, Treatments

coming off of prozac

In rare cases, Prozac can cause more severe side effects, such as suicidal thoughts or behaviors, especially in children and young adults. Antidepressant withdrawal is not usually physically harmful, but the symptoms can be very uncomfortable. And you may have a relapse of whatever condition you were taking the antidepressant for. Read on to find out more about the symptoms, possible complications, and how to manage them while you transition off your medicine. However, several strategies and treatments can reduce or prevent such discontinuation symptoms.

General Health

It’s also worth noting that some people may benefit from taking other medications to help manage withdrawal symptoms. For example, your doctor may prescribe a short-term course of a benzodiazepine such as Ativan or Valium to help ease anxiety and other symptoms. When we take Prozac, it blocks serotonin reabsorption by neurons, increasing the amount of serotonin available in the brain. This increase in serotonin levels can help improve mood, reduce anxiety, and alleviate other symptoms coming off of prozac of depression. Your best strategy for going off your medicine is to taper your doses down slowly. To go off your antidepressant safely, you will need to reduce your dose over time.

Signs of Antidepressant Withdrawal

If you plan to stop taking Prozac, it’s best to do so under medical supervision. Your doctor can help you create a tapering schedule, gradually reducing your dosage to minimize withdrawal symptoms. They can also monitor your progress and adjust your treatment plan as needed. Doctors refer to withdrawal symptoms as antidepressant discontinuation syndrome. A person who feels ready to discontinue the drug needs to discuss this with their doctor, who may recommend gradually lowering the dosage to help avoid severe discontinuation symptoms.

  • Fluoxetine dose of 20 mg can be stopped over a shorter period of time while higher doses usually require tapering.
  • For example, your doctor may prescribe a short-term course of a benzodiazepine such as Ativan or Valium to help ease anxiety and other symptoms.
  • Our Austin and Dallas drug rehab centers are equipped to help you achieve lasting recovery from drug addiction.
  • People diagnosed with anxiety and depression have been shown to have depleted levels of tryptophan in their bodies.
  • Because there are no drug-specific tapering recommendations, your doctor will use their clinical judgment to determine your individual tapering schedule.

Someone who takes 60 mg for a period of 5 years is going to struggle more with coming off of the drug than someone who took 20 mg for 8 months. Typically the greater the dosage, the more you will need to focus on a gradual tapering process. A doctor may suggest tapering the medication over 6 to 8 weeks to help reduce the risk or severity of symptoms. As with many other antidepressants, fluoxetine carries a black box warning.

Prozac Withdrawal: Signs and Symptoms

Like serotonin, tryptophan helps stabilize your moods and sleep patterns and even improve your metabolism. People diagnosed with anxiety and depression have been shown to have depleted levels of tryptophan in their bodies. As a result, eating the foods we mentioned earlier can be a great way to help you manage your depression.

  • Antidepressants take time to build up in your system, but also stay at higher concentrations for weeks even after you start to taper your dose.
  • If you experience discontinuation symptoms during a particular dose reduction (or shortly after discontinuation), your doctor may restart you at your original dose and then taper you off more slowly.
  • Antidepressant withdrawal symptoms are usually fairly mild in the first one to three days, potentially intensifying before beginning to subside.
  • It fixes any imbalances that might be causing the patient to have depression in the first place.
  • A 2020 study notes that severe withdrawal symptoms are less common with fluoxetine than with other antidepressants.
  • Our team does their best for our readers to help them stay informed about vital healthcare decisions.

Withdrawal symptoms can vary in severity and duration, depending on how long you have taken the drug, the dosage, and other factors. Some people experience mild symptoms that last a few days, while others may experience more severe symptoms that last for weeks or even months. Due to the long half-life of Prozac, it is less common for people to experience withdrawal symptoms than it is with other antidepressants. These symptoms may have a longer duration, but they are typically less severe. Commonly, it takes a few days to a week for the antidepressant withdrawal symptoms to be prominent after discontinuing medication.

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This can include getting enough sleep, eating a healthy diet, and exercising regularly. Additionally, relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, and yoga can help reduce anxiety and promote overall well-being. Research shows that people who exercise at least three times per week are less likely to have a relapse. Keeping your lifestyle healthy also helps your body adjust while you transition off your medicine. Most people in various discussion forums that have used the medication will suggest that it takes a fairly lengthy period of time, while others may suggest that withdrawal is very short term.

Withdrawal from Prozac results from the brain adjusting to lower levels of serotonin in the brain. As a result of this extended half-life, the drug stays in your body for longer. Typically, you won’t start to feel withdrawal symptoms until after the drug has left your body completely. Although rare, some people have experienced severe reactions when discontinuing antidepressant medications. If you or someone you know has any of the following symptoms in response to reducing or discontinuing antidepressants, seek medical help immediately.

Before you stop taking your antidepressant, make sure you feel like you’re functioning well, your life circumstances are stable, and you’re set up to deal with negative thoughts when they come up. It’s generally not a good idea to make a big change like going off your medication when you’re under a lot of stress or you’re already going through a big change. Someone who is taking just 10 mg is likely going to have an easier time coming off of the medication than someone who had been taking 60 mg. A person also needs to seek help if the symptoms of the condition for which they were taking Prozac redevelop or worsen. If a person experiences these symptoms and behaviors, they need to speak with a doctor. Prozac has an approximate half-life of 4 to 6 days, which is much longer than that of many other antidepressants.

Depression

coming off of prozac

Because Prozac affects your brain chemistry, it should never be stopped without consulting your doctor. Discontinuing any prescription medication should only take place under your doctor’s supervision. If your doctor does recommend that you stop taking Prozac, follow the steps below. As stated previously, Prozac is one of the antidepressants with the lowest withdrawal risk due to its long half-life lessening the amount in your system more slowly instead of abruptly. If you do experience withdrawal symptoms, how long they last may vary depending on the duration you’ve been taking the drug and the dosage amount.

But don’t worry, the doctor can still do so ethically—they provide justification for why the medication can help manage symptoms. In this article, I’ll talk more about Prozac, and what withdrawal from the medication involves—including symptoms, side effects, and ways to cope. For another person experiencing dizziness may bother them, but may not elicit a panic response.

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