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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

anti-d withdrawal, really bad?

25 replies

Home77 · 02/02/2019 21:31

I'm worried after reading online all the horror stories about people having protracted withdrawal from antidepressants. I did come off prozac a few years ago, in pregnancy and it was OK (as far as I remember) but now, it's worried me.

I know, sometimes you just see the worst stories because those are the people involved in it, and the others just don't post, so I wondered if anyone has been through this was it OK for you? How log did it go on for? Thanks

OP posts:

Comeonchameleon · 02/02/2019 21:41

I didn’t have any withdrawal - you just taper and then you won’t

Bambamber · 02/02/2019 21:47

Your dose should be lowered gradually under the care of your Dr to minimise the chance of withdrawal. Is there any reason in particular that you think you are at risk of withdrawal?

poppyrock · 02/02/2019 21:47

I’ve been on a lot of different anti depressants over the years. Never had any issue with most of them. A couple gave me really awful side effects trying to come off them (even tapering) but they were the lesser prescribed ones after I exhausted all the usual options! I never had any issues with Prozac, but if you have any problems then your GP can help!

Tolleshunt · 02/02/2019 21:50

It depends a lot on the drug, and, to a lesser extent, the person. Venlafaxine and Duloxetine are a bitch to come off, and Paroxetine is almost impossible. Others are Lucy easier.

Unless you are in a tearing hurry, wean down very slowly over a period of several weeks/months and you'll be fine. Drs usually want you to come off really quickly, but this just makes symptoms far worse then they need to be.

Tolleshunt · 02/02/2019 21:50

MUCH easier!

Who the fuck is Lucy?!

SomebodysNotInBedYet · 02/02/2019 22:03

I didn't have any problems stopping citalopram cold turkey but with venlafaxine I was cutting pills into 8ths and it was still tough.

ScoobyMootoo · 02/02/2019 22:06

I've personally found citalopram very difficult to wean off but all ad's have different half life's. Withdrawal times can vary greatly based on many factors. E.g. the length of time you've been on the drug.

SpeedyBojangles · 02/02/2019 22:06

I came off citalopram easily in pregnancy, no withdrawals. What are you on?

Foreverlexicon · 02/02/2019 22:09

I was on sertraline and came off cold turkey. Felt a bit funny for a few days, like my brain wasn’t fully connected but it passed.

Louiselouie0890 · 02/02/2019 22:09

Didn't have any, I knew I was ready to come off. Got a lower dose then skipped days taking them then stopped altogether

StepAwayFromGoogle · 02/02/2019 22:17

I couldn't come off Venlafaxine, the withdrawal symptoms were so bad. I transitioned to Fluoxetine and that's nowhere near as bad, just cut down gradually.

Chesntoots · 02/02/2019 22:36

I remember coming off Venlafaxine, or rather I can't remember.

I still feel, over 12 years later, that I'm missing part of my brain. It's like it doesn't retain information as well as it used to and my thinking is not as sharp.

Going on that medication was the worst decision I have ever made in my life (and I've made a few shockers!!)

Arcadia · 02/02/2019 22:47

I had to come off citalopram extremely slowly, I had to buy a pill cutter and make a chart, it took 2-3 months and I was only on a low dose for a year or so. Luckily I haven't needed them since - this was 4/5 years ago, and I must admit it's put me off going on them again in future unless I was really desperate. No long term ill effects though.

Catmum26 · 02/02/2019 22:51

i came off a very high dose of antidepressant and diazepam cold turkey (i know it was stupid but i just wanted to get off it all and i have been fine since) i suffered withdrawals for about a week. from memory i felt like i had the flu, body aches and chills, headache, dizziness and feeling sick. the worst of the symptoms lasted a couple of days and i couldnt get out of bed but after that i was fine. i think if tapering off gradually you shouldn’t experience anything too bad.

Nichelette · 02/02/2019 23:01

If you don't go cold turkey you should be okay. I once did accidentally. It took me about 3 weeks to realise why I kept feeling like I was about to pass out. Other times gradually cutting down has been fine.

Original poster

Home77 · 03/02/2019 12:20

Hi it's prozac (fluoxetine) supposed to be one of the easier ones. I have already gone down to a quarter of a 20mg capsule over 6 weeks so thinking it might be Ok. I have been getting a few shivery feelings and headaches this time, which I didn't last time.

OP posts:

PuffPuffSea · 03/02/2019 12:37

@StepAwayFromGoogle did you taper off venlafaxine as you increased the dose of fluoxetine? I want to switch from venlafaxine but I've heard some horror stories so I'm trying I find the best way so I can make suggestions to the GP.

Noodledoodlefan · 03/02/2019 14:08

I am in the process of coming off citalopram 20 mg which I have been on for several years.
As previous posters have stressed it is vitally important to taper off slowly. Today I have completed three weeks at a half dose of 10 mg.
I felt very fuzzy headed and my balance was a bit wobbly for about the first five days. That soon lifted and now I feel fine.
My plan is to do a forth week on 10 mg and then take this dose on alternate days for a further two weeks. Then I will be off them completely .

CottonSock · 03/02/2019 14:11

I had withdrawal symptoms after coming off two different drugs, both very slowly. It was bearable though and worth the benefits of the drugs 100%

Divgirl2 · 03/02/2019 14:13

I got "brain zaps" for months after coming off citalopram. Horrible. I stupidly went cold turkey from the highest safe dose though so if you're tapering you might have a better time.

SpottedTiger · 03/02/2019 14:15

Prozac/Flouxitine has a long half life so the levels reduce gradually and it tends to be easy to come off, DH has found citalopram harder, but then his GP stopped it cold turkey with no tapering. He got through the withdrawal only to have to restart it 4 weeks later as his MH had become unstable again.

WillYouDoTheFandango · 03/02/2019 14:15

I came off citalipram 20mg cold turkey (went away for work for a week and forgot them) and had no symptoms at all. Didn’t restart as I was feeling okay without.

Based on the other responses I assume everyone’s individual experience is different.

YouCantTourniquetTheTaint · 03/02/2019 14:20

I came off citalipram really easily.

I tried to come off Flouoxetine to go on another I nearly did something stupid.But I have a lot of mental health issues and instead of coming off them to go on another antiD my Dr is prescribing other tablets to go with them.

StepAwayFromGoogle · 03/02/2019 21:16

@PuffPuffSea - yes, that's exactly what I did: Tapered off Venlafaxine while increasing the Fluoxetine. It was a while ago now but I don't remembering having any problems. I was just so grateful to be off a drug I was so physically dependent on. Hope it all goes smoothly for you.

Wolfiefan · 03/02/2019 21:19

Are you coming off it under medical supervision and with proper advice? I came off citalopram really slowly and it was fine. Reduce by the smallest possible amount and stay on it until you’ve been fine for a number of weeks.

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