Detoxing safely and effectively from prescription drugs usually needs professional support as trying to detox without medical supervision can be difficult and dangerous. Prescription opiates include codeine, morphine and oxycodone, typically prescribed to manage pain. Opiate withdrawal is rarely life-threatening but it can be extremely uncomfortable.

Stopping antidepressants

Some medications, such a venlafaxine and duloxetine, come as capsules containing small, ‘slow release’ beads. This means that the beads have a coating that allows the drug inside them to be released into the body slowly. Check with your pharmacist that the brand you are taking does contain these beads as this is not the case for all brands. We have suggested coming off of prozac some commonly used antidepressants that might be appropriate for the two styles of tapering. More examples are included in the appendices at the end of this resource.

Most SSRIs have a half-life of approximately one day, but Prozac’s half-life is four to six days. This is important because withdrawal symptoms typically begin when a drug is about 90% out of your body. Prescription drug detox typically begins with an assessment so professionals can gain an understanding of your level of physical and psychological dependence on the drug.

Pay attention to how you feel, both physically and mentally, during this time. Fewer than 20% of people on antidepressants undergo psychotherapy, although it’s often important in recovering from depression and avoiding recurrence. You may be tempted to stop taking antidepressants as soon as your symptoms ease, but depression can return if you quit too soon. Clinicians generally recommend staying on the medication for six to nine months before considering going off antidepressants. If you’ve had three or more recurrences of depression, make that at least two years. Stopping fluoxetine can cause several withdrawal symptoms, including flu-like symptoms, digestive issues, sleep problems, and mood changes.

Which plan should I follow?

Because of Prozac’s long half-life, you might not notice the initial symptoms of withdrawal for 1 to 2 days. Antidepressants with long half-lives are less likely to cause severe withdrawal 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.

How to Get Off Antidepressants the Safe Way

A professional may even prescribe a different medication to help combat your symptoms. ADS is an umbrella term for all the symptoms you might be experiencing when you’re discontinuing your antidepressant. Withdrawing from an antidepressant you were previously taking could result in unpleasant symptoms, including headaches, nausea, or sleep difficulties.

Although it has the potential to help people relieve symptoms of anxiety and depression, it can also become addicting. Studies show that 27% to 86% of people who attempt to stop antidepressants, whether on their own or under the supervision of a healthcare provider, experience ADS. If you start to get suicidal thoughts or ideas when reducing and stopping an antidepressant, this could be a withdrawal symptom, or the return of depression. They will probably suggest that you go back to the last dose at which you felt well.

Relying on friends and family to support you through this difficult time is also a good way to take your mind off your withdrawal symptoms. Confiding in people close to you can also keep you from relapsing. Many people mistake Prozac’s symptoms of withdrawal as signs that they have relapsed. As a result, they may start taking the medication again, and thus it becomes a never-ending cycle. To prevent this from happening, people taking Prozac should be aware of the symptoms of relapse and the symptoms of withdrawal.

This means it stays in your system longer than some other antidepressants. Some people get flu-like symptoms, feel really tired, or experience muscle aches. A strange sensation, often called “brain zaps,” like brief electrical shocks in the head, can also happen. Talk to your clinician about the benefits and risks of antidepressants in your particular situation, and work with her or him in deciding whether (and when) to stop using them. Before discontinuing, you should feel confident that you’re functioning well, that your life circumstances are stable, and that you can cope with any negative thoughts that might emerge. Don’t try to quit while you’re under stress or undergoing a significant change in your life, such as a new job or an illness.

You’re feeling better

If you do get withdrawal symptoms, you can still stop your antidepressant, but you may need to do so more slowly. Brain chemicals called neurotransmitters (such as serotonin and noradrenaline) are involved. They allow nerve cells to communicate with each other by acting on nerve endings. Antidepressants are thought to increase levels of these chemicals in the space between nerve cells in the brain, and in the nerves throughout the body and gut. Over time, the brain and body seem to slowly adjust to these increased levels. If you are taking antidepressants, and you experience any of these things, speak to your prescriber.

Only occasionally, where an antidepressant causes serious side-effects, should it be stopped suddenly, without tapering. When you agree that it is time to stop, your prescriber can help you put together a tapering plan. This resource aims to help you avoid getting any withdrawal symptoms, or get the fewest possible. Talk this over with your prescriber so you can find the best way to stop taking them. Antidepressants usually need to be taken for at least 6 months after your symptoms have gone away. People with severe or recurring mental illness might need to take antidepressants for longer.

You’re feeling worse

Venlafaxine beads can be sprinkled on a spoon of yoghurt to make them easier to swallow so that they don’t irritate your throat. You can use oral syringes to measure out exact amounts of liquid antidepressant and water. To taper off this medication, you need to take a dose that is less than 2mg, but the dropper mechanism will not allow you to do this. Some people may need to reduce more slowly still, which you can see in Example 2. It is probably best, right from the start, to use more gradual reductions.

It can be a pretty high number, so it is important to be informed. Withdrawal is about your body reacting to the absence of a substance it has grown used to. If symptoms last more than a month and are worsening, it’s worth considering whether you’re having a relapse of depression. Before finalizing the plan for stopping Prozac, your doctor will make sure you are emotionally and mentally ready for this step.

This involves slowly reducing the dose of your current antidepressant while slowly increasing the dose of your new antidepressant. This could help ease the transition to a new medication and ensure you’re not experiencing unpleasant symptoms. Your doctor may recommend adjusting your dose every 1 to 4 weeks, slowly reducing it to see how you’re doing. They’ll treat each case on an individual basis and adjust medications according to your specific needs. It’s important to taper your antidepressants slowly instead of stopping them suddenly. If you have no trouble at all making reductions, then you may be able to speed up your tapering plan.

• The symptoms of ADS can look like the symptoms of other conditions, including depression and anxiety.
• However, without proper management, the risk of relapse is still present.
• Post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS) is a collection of related symptoms, including mood swings, sleep disturbances and intense cravings that can persist for weeks or even months.
• Instead, a healthcare provider can develop a plan to gradually taper off the medication to minimize the risk of withdrawal.
• Although caffeine and alcohol may help balance your moods temporarily, their effects will eventually wear off, and the aftermath far outweighs the benefits of those temporary effects.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness advises that people who become pregnant while taking this drug should inform a doctor. A person who is pregnant or thinks that they might be should speak with a doctor to determine whether fluoxetine is right for them. Research on animals has shown that the drug can have adverse effects on the fetus.

Antidepressant Withdrawal FAQs

Doctors do not recommend stopping antidepressant use abruptly because it may lead to more severe symptoms. Stopping fluoxetine (Prozac), a type of antidepressant, can cause some people to experience withdrawal symptoms. More than 40% of people who have a depressive episode will go on to have at least one more episode in their lifetime. Maintenance treatment is essentially a long-term treatment designed to prevent relapse. It can include medication, psychotherapy, or a combination of the two. It is important to work with your healthcare provider to weigh these risks against the potential risks of continuing Prozac.

Some people experience mild symptoms that last a few days, while others may experience more severe symptoms that last for weeks or even months. The decision to stop Prozac is made by a licensed healthcare provider through a collaborative approach. It is important to never stop taking medication on your own either cold turkey or gradually.

In most cases, this will lead to the amount of the drug in your body fluctuating and make withdrawal symptoms more likely. Fluoxetine stays in your body longer than other antidepressants and could be taken on alternate days. You should speak to your prescriber about whether you should do this or not.