Has anyone come off/reduced fluoxetine themselves?

[KareninsGirl]

Hi all

Have been on fluoxetine for 6 months. Life has changed a lot. Currently on 30mg per day but am suffering with extreme tiredness/yawning.

Would like to reduce my dose - I feel ready to. Has anyone dibs this without their doctor's guidance? I can't get an appointment for nearly 4 weeks!

Thanks in advance x

*done, not dibs

Hi I just stopped taking them when I felt better. BIG mistake, I suffered panic attacks and anxiety for ages afterwards. You should get your docs advice for reducing carefully, try to get an earlier appointment. Good Luck!

Thanks. Have managed to get a telephone consultation fir two weeks time.

Feeling better but not quite there. Don't want to come off completely - just reduce back to 20mg. The tiredness is really affecting my everyday life x

I did because I found out I was pregnant about 4 months ago. I reduced then came off and felt ok but assumed I was in the baby bubble and that was keeping me up.
I had a miscarriage at 11 weeks so.....around 6 weeks ago but managed to stay off them. Now I am just building up to my first period since the pregnancy and tbh this week has been hell, which I expected.
I'm ok on a day to day basis but the pre period week is proving to be a killer.

I'd say, there's no harm trying as long as you're not opposed to going back on them if needed. Be honest with yourself and don't be fooled by feeling ok because more than likely that's the pills talking.

Reducing sounds like the better choice, try 20mg and 30mg on alternative days then down to 20 every day. It might drag it out a bit but tbh for me it was better than the sudden jump.

Good luck

I did but I reduced gradually as pp suggested - took about 6-8 weeks to come off them altogether.

Not fluoxetine but citalpram. I hope my experience will help though as it sounds we may be in the same place. I was on 20mg for the last 2.5 years, felt emotionally numb which is what I needed at the time. Felt ready to cut back and went down to 10mg. Emotions all over the place. Had massive row with DH tonight, he said he felt I was distant and had lost me, then realised the point he felt things had changed was when I had cut down. I still feel really down, and wish now that I had cut back more gradually. 10mg is a big drop, thinking of going back to 10 mg one day, 20mg the next. GP no help, just said to increase dose to 20mg again. Good luck and lots of hand holding, do what feels right x

Hi KareninsGirl,
I have been on Fluoxetine before, but on 20mg of Citalopram at the moment and also trying to reduce, because I felt so well. Also, didn't see the GP first which was a big mistake. I have had a massive relapse. I would definitely advice, like others to alternate 20mg and 30mg for a while first, and definitely under GPs guidance. Good luck with it.

Pricilla - I just had to check I hadn't written your reply, are you me?! Have been on citalopram for 18 months (this time) and feel more than ready to reduce, so decided to drop to 10mg. It was distasterous. I feel cut off, unable to care for my children properly (thankfully DH off work), like I'm acting when I have to smile and converse with people, and that awful churning feeling in my stomach. Not a pleasant place to be. Back to 20mg for 2 days now, and feel slightly more on an even keel, so may try to alternate 10 and 20mg but worried about crashing again.

All the best both :)