[Wander]

My pdoc ceased my Fluoxetine from 20 -0mg two days ago. He didn't tell me the nurses just stopped giving it to me - I am an inpatient at the moment. First, I am pissed that my doc didn't discuss it with me and secondly it may explain why I have been climbing the walls in the last few days. Agitation and irritability through the roof. I have talked to the nurses about this but the doctor made no notes about it and he is on leave for the next three days so no-one can ask him.

What I really want to know is what others have experienced when stopping taking their AD med abruptly? I was agitated and irritable before the med change but I am much more so since. I also have tightness in my chest and a faster than normal heartrate; and hoe long will these symptoms last? My suicidal ideation has flooded back too but I am keeping the nurses in the loop with that one. Thanks!

[Blue_Bird]

Hi Wander, I abruptly stopped Prozac too, I had no side effects. Everybody is different though, hope this is resolved soon

[lozza89]

stopping any med suddenly can be hard. sometimes you have side effects other times you may not. I dont remember what side effects I had coming off prozac but it was done slowly..

all I can say is that you are in the right place and keep talkign to your nurses! thinking of you

[Jolisse]

Withdrawal symptoms can be brutal.

[metamorphosis12]

Shouldn't be bad, fluoxetine has a long half life compared to the other SSRI's:

Several case reports in the literature describe severe withdrawal or discontinuation symptoms following an abrupt interruption of fluoxetine treatment.[51] However, various studies have shown that the side effects of the fluoxetine discontinuation are uncommon and mild, especially compared to paroxetine, venlafaxine and fluvoxamine, probably due to the relatively long pharmacological half-life of fluoxetine.[51] One of the recommended strategies for the management of discontinuation syndrome with other SSRIs is to substitute fluoxetine for the original agent, in cases where tapering off the dose of the original SSRI is ineffective.[52][53] The double-blind controlled studies support this opinion. No increase in side effects was observed in several studies when the treatment with fluoxetine was blindly interrupted for a short time (4–8 days) and then reinstated, this result being consistent with its slow elimination from the body.

Fluoxetine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Though, I would still ask for a week or two at 10 mg. Depending how fast you need or want to get off of it!

[Wander]

It has passed so thankyou for all your support. I made it through the discontinuation symptoms.

[lozza89]

Originally Posted by Wander

It has passed so thankyou for all your support. I made it through the discontinuation symptoms.

thats great to hear