Antidepressant Withdrawal: Symptoms, Timeline, & Treatment

It can also depend on the type of antidepressant you have been taking. You are more likely to get these symptoms (and for them to be worse) if you stop taking an antidepressant suddenly or if you reduce the dose quickly. If an antidepressant is stopped too quickly, the brain and body will need time to adjust back again. The sudden lowering of neurotransmitter levels seems to produce withdrawal symptoms, while the brain adjusts to the change. The more gradual the changes, the milder and more tolerable symptoms should be. NICE guidelines suggest that for some, withdrawal symptoms can be mild and go away relatively quickly, without the need for any help.

What is the most important information I should know about weaning off antidepressants?

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. 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. 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.

Only trained and licensed medical professionals can provide such services. If you or anyone you know is undergoing a severe health crisis, call a doctor or 911 immediately. This also means that withdrawal signs or side effects don’t show up very quickly. It can take a week or several weeks for the symptoms to appear, and it can take up to 2 months for them to subside. Prozac is generally well-tolerated by most people, but like any medication, it can cause side effects. Common side effects of Prozac include nausea, headaches, and insomnia.

If you’re thinking about stopping your antidepressant, talk to your doctor. They can help you taper your doses down to help you avoid or minimize symptoms. You may still have some symptoms, but they won’t be as uncomfortable if you taper your dose gradually. 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.

Quitting Prozac Safely

The symptoms may also last longer, though they do not tend to be severe. 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. 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. Prozac is unique among antidepressants because its withdrawal symptoms typically don’t appear for several weeks.

• Current medical guidelines state that the symptoms are likely to go away within a week or two.
• For example, if you’re in school, you may want to plan to start your tapering off schedule at the end of the semester instead of at the beginning.
• These are a roll or strip of pouches containing consecutively slightly lower doses to be taken each day.
• The most important thing is that these tapering plans are just starting points and should be adapted to your experience of tapering.
• Prozac withdrawal can be uncomfortable and can even mimic the symptoms of the condition it was prescribed to treat.
• People like this must inform their doctor about any suicidal thoughts to adjust their quitting method or the dosage of the medication accordingly.
• If you do, you could experience withdrawal symptoms or serious side effects.

What are the symptoms of an antidepressant withdrawal?

The long duration of Prozac withdrawal symptoms may also increase the likelihood of the person mistaking them for returning symptoms. A 2020 study notes that severe withdrawal symptoms are less common with fluoxetine than with other antidepressants. However, withdrawal from Prozac typically lasts longer than it does for drugs with a shorter half-life.

People may experience withdrawal symptom days or weeks after reducing the dose. Research suggests that people who go to therapy while they’re reducing their dose have less chance of having a relapse of depression or anxiety. Despite its efficacy, discontinuing Prozac may result in withdrawal symptoms.

Discontinuation Syndrome vs. Relapse

Some people have severe withdrawal symptoms that last for several months or more. When coming off of fluoxetine, it is common to experience a range of withdrawal symptoms, including anxiety, depression, insomnia, and mood swings. These symptoms can be uncomfortable and may interfere with daily activities. The duration of Prozac withdrawal can vary depending on several factors, including the length of time the medication was taken, the dosage, and the individual’s overall health. A therapist can provide emotional support and help you develop coping strategies to manage withdrawal symptoms. They can also help you address any underlying mental health issues that may have contributed to your need for Prozac in the first place.

Prozac has a long half-life, which means withdrawal symptoms may take longer to start compared to other SSRIs. Symptoms can begin 1-2 weeks after stopping and may last several weeks, though the duration varies from person to person depending on the dose and how long the medication was used. In general, it can take several months for your brain to regulate itself. Your best strategy for going off your medicine is to taper your doses down slowly.

Dose (mg)

Prozac is available as a tablet, capsule, an extended-release capsule, or a liquid. Prozac may also be used off-label for other purposes at the discretion of prescribing physicians. “Off-label” means that the medication has not been approved by the FDA for the specific condition the doctor is prescribing it for.

• Symptoms that show up within a week of quitting your medication are more likely to be withdrawal-related and will likely subside within 1 to 2 weeks, according to research from 2017.
• Drugs that your body breaks down (metabolizes) quickly are more likely to cause antidepressant withdrawal symptoms than others.
• While some of these symptoms are similar to those experienced in cases of anxiety and depression, they do not necessarily signify a relapse.
• However, it is essential to remember that these symptoms are temporary and will eventually subside.
• Prozac (fluoxetine) is an antidepressant used to treat a variety of disorders, including major depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, and some eating disorders.

Often this will happen in a couple of minutes, but it can take a bit longer. Once disintegrated, the tablet contents will need to be dispersed in the liquid by mixing or shaking the tablet in the liquid. In this case, the capsules can be carefully opened, and the beads emptied into a container. This means that you can keep them in an airtight bottle protected from light (e.g. an amber medicine bottle) for a few days before taking them. Some coming off prozac medications, such a venlafaxine and duloxetine, come as capsules containing small, ‘slow release’ beads.

It can take several weeks for all symptoms to resolve completely, with some people experiencing effects for months. If you cannot manage Prozac’s side effects, your doctor will create a safe tapering plan to help you switch medications or discontinue antidepressants entirely. Marisa Savic, PMHNP-BC is a board certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner who received her nursing and master’s degrees at the University of Pennsylvania. She is currently the National Lead Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner at Eleanor Health and her clinical interests include therapeutic communication, evidence-based treatment and nonjudgmental care. While some of these symptoms are similar to those experienced in cases of anxiety and depression, they do not necessarily signify a relapse.