Want to wean off fluoxetine - can't get doc appointment for three weeks - can I do it myself?

[TolpuddleFarterOATB]

Hi

Been on 20mg of fluoxetine since last February. I was prescribed it for health anxiety, and that disappeared within weeks of starting to take it. I still have suffered with a bit of general anxiety so continued to take the tablets.

A situation at home has changed, and it has made me realise that it was this that was causing the anxiety. I have woken up today and just feel like I don't need the tablets anymore. I also have gained A LOT of weight - four stone - and when I felt i needed the tablets this seemed a neccesary trade-off, but now I feel ready to put my physical health in front of my mental health.

Rang up docs and can get an appointment with the pharmacist for three weeks time (longer if I want a doctor.)

I want to start now, whilst I feel brave enough to do it. Can I start on my own? I take 20mg capsule, so unfortunately can't cut it in half of reduce the dose.

Does anyone have any experience of this?

I weaned myself off Setraline, I was in that for a similar length if time. Do it gradually and be prepared to feel worse before you feel better. Took me a month to get off them properly gradually reducing the dose to one every two days, then three etc.

I've come off another SSRI, I used liquid fluoxetine to reduce the dose, got about half way through it, then spilled the entire bottle on an extended trip abroad. So it was a little bit unpleasant at the end.

In the nicest way, what's the rush? I can sympathise with the idea that you don't what to be taking them anymore but maybe it's better to get everything in place for when you do come off them. Get some healthy meals in the fridge, start some gentle exercise, then you'll already be on your new path if you have a few bumps in the road.

Is there any chance you can get a telephone consultation with your doctor?

I'm just finishing weaning myself of fluoxetine and it's taken a few weeks. I was taking 20mg a day so the doctor suggested every other day for a fortnight and then to stop. At the end of the 2 weeks I didn't feel ready to stop completely so I carried on taking them every three days. I took my last dose on Tuesday.

I've had a couple of really low days (most noticeable when I stepped down the frequency) and this made me question my decision to stop taking them, but now I'm fine. I'm hoping that coming off them will help with weight loss - I've got 3st to lose.

I'm not a health professional so the above is just my experience (and this is my third time on fluoxetine). My personal feeling is that I would check with the doctor first - but you know best how you feel. Good luck...I hope it goes OK.

Both times I've weaned myself of Flouxitine 20mgs, well I say weaned I just forgot to take them and didn't realise for a week or so. I didn't notice any withdrawal, but I know this isn't the advised way to do it and really 3 weeks isn't that long in the grand scheme of things. They normally reccommend that you have at least 6 months of feeling good before stopping, and I had both times.

Because fluoxetine has such a long half life, it tapers naturally in your body so you can actually stop taking it without physical withdrawal symptoms (unlike other SSRSs such as sertraline which you would reduce the dose gradually).

*SSRIs

I did. I just took a smaller and smaller dose, very gradually. It was fine, but fluoxetine didn't help me at all...so I don't know if that makes a difference.