A strange sensation, often called “brain zaps,” like brief electrical shocks in the how to wean off prozac head, can also happen. Antidepressants with a longer half-life, such as Prozac, are less likely to cause problems on discontinuation. The term half-life refers to how quickly the amount of a drug in the body reduces by half.

Alternative to Meds Center Programs for Prozac Alternatives

The symptoms may also last longer, though they do not tend to be severe. When you taper its use by taking progressively smaller doses over a period of time, you can often prevent or reduce Prozac withdrawal symptoms. It is important to work with your healthcare provider to weigh these risks against the potential risks of continuing Prozac. Fluoxetine has a number of side effects that can negatively impact your life. While many of these dissipate over time, sexual side effects may continue even after you have stopped taking the drug.

• Knowing how to wean off Prozac the right way means getting real help when you need it.
• The risk seems to be greater if you have taken a high dose for a long time.
• If a medication has a short half-life (meaning it leaves fast), your brain can feel the drop more suddenly.
• Cravings lose their power when you act fast and stay connected to support.

Once disintegrated, the tablet contents will need to be dispersed in the liquid by mixing or shaking the tablet in the liquid. Always speak to your prescriber before starting a tapering plan. Example 1 might be a suitable starting point for people taking the antidepressants in the ‘moderate, low or lowest risk’ columns in Appendix 1 at the end of this resource.

Additionally, we focus on addressing the root causes of addiction rather than simply treating the symptoms. Taking Prozac regularly can lessen symptoms of anxiety, improve your mood, and prevent suicidal thoughts. It can cause side effects like vivid dreams, nausea, headaches, and more.1 When you are taking Prozac every day, it is not safe to suddenly stop consuming it. Many antidepressants in tablet form can be placed in water, and will break apart and mix in with the water. Often this will happen in a couple of minutes, but it can take a bit longer.

Choose Psychiatry

Talking openly with family members of addicts can help you stay grounded. You need people who can listen without judgment and push you to stay focused when emotions run high. The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, examination, diagnosis, or treatment. You should always contact your doctor or other qualified healthcare professional before starting, changing, or stopping any kind of health treatment. A drug’s half-life is the time it takes for 50% of the drug to be removed from your body.

More on Depression

The best way to avoid or reduce these withdrawal-like symptoms is to not stop antidepressants abruptly. Specifically, the American Psychiatric Association recommends tapering antidepressants over the course of “at least several weeks.” It is important to note that Prozac has a long half-life. Antidepressants with long half-lives are less likely to cause severe withdrawal symptoms.

• Nancy has a lifetime of experience with depression, experiencing firsthand how devastating this illness can be.
• Fluoxetine dose of 20 mg can be stopped over a shorter period of time while higher doses usually require tapering.
• Taking care of yourself now can prevent bigger problems later.
• It may feel as though you are addicted to the antidepressant if you can’t stop taking them when you would like to.
• Staying active in support groups is one of the strongest ways to protect your mental health long term.
• The reason for withdrawal symptoms is that suddenly stopping an antidepressant can cause a chemical imbalance in the brain, which can have physical and mental effects.

Prozac Withdrawal Timeline

Using liquid needs to be very carefully managed so that there are no mistakes with the dose. Speak to your prescriber or pharmacist if you are moving from tablet to liquid, to make sure that you are converting your dose correctly. Below you will find example plans for tapering at different speeds.

Eli Lilly and Company’s development of Prozac marked a monumental shift in psychopharmacology when it became the first SSRI on the market in 1987. Its introduction not only offered new hope for those suffering from depression but also significantly influenced the perception and treatment of mental health conditions globally. Over the decades, Prozac has been prescribed to millions, becoming synonymous with the modern approach to treating depression and other mood disorders. Prozac, known generically as Fluoxetine, is not just a medication; it’s a lifeline for countless individuals grappling with depression and various other mental health conditions.

When you have been taking Prozac for a certain amount of time, your body gets accustomed to the increased serotonin levels in the brain. So, when you discontinue it, each body system is affected in its own way, manifesting through antidepressant discontinuation syndrome. Most discontinuation symptoms aren’t very serious and go away with time as the body adjusts.

In this example, you would reduce your current dose by approximately 50% every 2-4 weeks. Hyperbolic tapering involves very similar reductions to the simple proportional tapering explained above. Some of the doses suggested in Example 2 do not exactly follow the proportional rule. Be aware also that the same liquid medication can come in more than one strength. For example, there may be a 5mg/5ml and a 1mg/5ml formulation available. It is important to carefully check the dose you are taking, and not rely on the amount of liquid.

For adults with depression who have achieved remission, the American Psychological Association recommends psychotherapy to help prevent relapse. Contact us today for more information on our drug and alcohol rehab center. All of the information on this page has been reviewed and verified by a certified addiction professional. This mixture should be shaken vigorously before being taken to make sure the drug is evenly distributed in the liquid. Make sure you throw away any remaining liquid after you have taken what you need. This mixture will contain 1mg of drug in every 5mls of mixture.

That’s one reason some meds cause stronger withdrawal effects than others. If this doesn’t work, your doctor may switch you over to a drug with a longer half-life such as Prozac. Because there are no drug-specific tapering recommendations, your doctor will use their clinical judgment to determine your individual tapering schedule. They will consider several factors including the antidepressant you are taking (specifically, its half-life), your current dose, and how long you have been taking it. Keep reading to learn how to wean off antidepressants and what to do if you experience withdrawal symptoms during tapering.

We will explain the principles of how this is done further on in this resource. You should speak with your prescriber to find out the best way for you to get the dose you need to taper safely. Some people may need to reduce more slowly still, which you can see in Example 2.