If you are on fluoxetine.....

[clockingoffcloud]

How much mg do you take daily and how long been on it? I've been on it over 10 years :( :( :( 20mg a day. Each time I try and come off it I feel suicidal....

I'm on 20mg, only started taking it again last week after being off it for many years.

Are you coming off it gradually or cold turkey? Maybe try very slowly reducing the dosage over the space of a few weeks, for example if you're on 60mg, change to 40mg, then after a few weeks go onto 20mg, then take it maybe one day, next day skip it and gradually add a day in between doses between doses before eventually stopping completely. Definitely speak to your GP first to find out if that's okay and safe to do and ask for support during the period you're coming off it.

Hi, I've been on 60mg daily for the past 4 ish years but that dose is a little higher than when it's only for depression as I also have OCD. Was first on fluoxetine at 20mg ten years ago when I was 15. I was on that for a year or two but it didn't have any effect so since then I've been on sertraline, quetiapine, clomipramine, and I'm missing one but I can't remember the name before back to fluoxetine at a higher dose and I'm more stable the past couple of years but I feel that's due to life circumstances more than anything else. I've never been completely off medication since I was 15 ten years ago so I'm not sure how that would affect me and I've been told repeatedly I'll be on antidepressants for life. My younger sister has also been on fluoxetine for the past two years for depression. I think she just had hers recently increased from 20mg to 40mg.

When you take the 20mg as prescribed do you feel it has any positive effect on your mental health? If you are taking it for depression I think there's room for your fluoxetine to be increased to 40mg which may be a possibility if you're simply on too low a dose? Why are you wanting to stop taking it? I know a lot of people don't like being on medication so I just wasn't sure if this was what you meant. If you don't want to continue taking medication, definitely make sure you are weaning yourself off properly as AutumnAnn mentioned because you will just feel completely rubbish otherwise. Personally when I was weaned off fluoxetine (to change to another medication) I didn't have any side effects from that when done properly (for example in comparison coming off clomipramine I was very unwell) but yes as AutumnAnn said it's best not to just stop cold turkey.

If you are weaning off properly from the fluoxetine and then once you have been off it for a while that is when you feel suicidal, it sounds like it may be having a positive effect when you are taking it and could be beneficial to continue taking it if you wish. Are you receiving any treatment other than medication? If you do not want to take medication any more perhaps some form of talking therapy may help and be something to look into?

Take care of yourself

Oh I'm sorry one other thing, if you do want to stop taking your fluoxetine, I would definitely advise receiving support to do this via your gp or psychiatrist if you have one as AutumnAnn said rather than just solely yourself!

20mg for 5 years. Been on various other ADs for previous 15 years Can't imagine I'll ever be off them

Been on 225mg for about 2 years, was on 300mg for about 18months when I started to gradually withdraw, managed ok down to 225mg but 175mg I was same as you, suicidal anxious etc so I am stable on 225 for the foreseeable.

Arg sorry, I'm on venlafaxine...... Was on 75mg flueoxitine but it wasn't doing anything like when I had taken it previously..... So switched to venlafaxine.

20mg a day for almost 4 years. I was originally on 60mg, tapered down to 20mg. Went back up to 40mg a day when DH died but found it easy enough to come back down to 20mg after a few months. I anticipate being on it for most of my life to be honest, it's been absolutely life-changing for me. I am a happier, more resilient, less anxious person and a far better mum. I don't really see a problem staying on them.