can I stop?

[cathycrumble]

17 days today on prozac and I feel terrible. I rang my gp yesterday and she said stop them and start citalopram in a couple of days. But they make me sick.

Has anyone stopped prozac after 17 days?

Cathy xx

[CONS]

17 days isnt much to worry about, you could always half your dose a couple of days and then half again a couple of days after to be sure though.

Docs advice is usually sound, you feel bad enough on them so might as well, right?

[cathycrumble]

yes Made me feel worse and the sickness not sleeping depression!! Whats the point am just a bungle of rags at the moment.

[nomorepanic]

I stopped them cold turkey when I was on them years ago. Not recommended but Prozac is one that shouldn't give you too many problems just stopping.

[cathycrumble]

Thanks Nicola

Do you have any experience of people being really low and anxious and getting better withour meds?

As I am really not wanting to be on them. I am on the list for CBT.

Reading on here it seems a lot of people go on them for a while then they stop working which seems very worrying. And I feel for the people it happens to. The SE of these drugs are horendous.

Cathy xx

[Stormsky]

5 months drug free! personally wouldnt go back on them either... horrible, god knows whats in them... thats my opinion only.... i have felt more anxiety since stopping, but overall better than the 9yrs of meds... im fighting the anxiety, taking vitamins, drinking lots of water, exercise... and of course positive thinking.....its not easy and have been having few bad days now....but determined this is the way to go for me...

---------- Post added at 19:31 ---------- Previous post was at 19:30 ----------

and by drugs i mean meds!

[nomorepanic]

I stopped all medication 14 years ago and not been back on any since Cathy.

Exercise is excellent for anxiety and obviously healthy eating.

What helped a lot was to keep working as well so I had purpose in life and something to get up and do each day.

Distraction is good as well and to accept that the anxiety can't harm you

[cathycrumble]

I hope you dont mind me asking but how old are you and have you suffered a long time? I am 58 and just gone through a shit couple of years ie marriage break up and lost my job. so too much time to sit and dwell.

I really dont want to go on the meds well stay on them as I cant deal with the SE for a start. And as you say we dont know what they do to our body. I know a lady who has been on citalopram for 4 years and shes just gone into hospital with a clot on her lung shes only young. I am not saying it is the cit lol but you never know. And when I went on them last year I got cystitis and I weed blood and ended up in hospital and I had nose bleeds and when cleaning my teeth i coughed a small spot of blood. And then I started the prozac 17 days a go and suffered terrible cystitis again didnt wee blood this time but OH my god was I ill. So I just dont think they agree with me.

---------- Post added at 19:46 ---------- Previous post was at 19:40 ----------

I stopped all medication 14 years ago and not been back on any since Cathy.

Exercise is excellent for anxiety and obviously healthy eating.

What helped a lot was to keep working as well so I had purpose in life and something to get up and do each day.

Distraction is good as well and to accept that the anxiety can't harm you

Yes it's true as since I lost my job nov 2010 this has all come on me I have too much time on my hands. so I am going to get off my bum and start looking for a job I have been trying but find it hard me being 58. I just loved my job. Miss it so much and all my friends there.

Cathy xx

[Stormsky]

Not sure if your asking me or Nicola, but i am 45, had first panic attack at 33yrs... and suffered anxiety/depression after that....took amitripyline for 9yrs.... i didnt like the long term side effects of amit... and apparently can affect your central nervous system after a period of time (the thing theyre supposed to help!!!) not nice...

[cathycrumble]

Not sure if your asking me or Nicola, but i am 45, had first panic attack at 33yrs... and suffered anxiety/depression after that....took amitripyline for 9yrs.... i didnt like the long term side effects of amit... and apparently can affect your central nervous system after a period of time (the thing theyre supposed to help!!!) not nice...

Yes I was asking you stormsky, You are doing really well then that is great and how do you manage your PA? I dont have panic attacts unless I think about my worry which was blood pressure but I think I am coming to terms with it I just feel very anxious all the time now

Cathy xx