Jump to content

anyone use prozac or other ssri during taper


[c0...]

Recommended Posts

I am on the tail end of a Valium taper, 1.5 mg.  I am finding that among other things, I am starting to get troubling thoughts, such as worrying about how I will respond as I continue to taper.

 

I was wondering if anyoine found Prozac helpful during a taper.  I remember being on Prozac years ago when I was having problems with Benzos -- I don't know the problem was Benzos then, but I do now -- and was put on Prozac for anxiety and depression.  As I remember, it gave me a general feeling of well-being and I don't remember it being too difficult to stop later on.  I would think that even if it doesn't directly address the symptoms of a benzo taper, that Prozac might make one better able to deal with those symptoms.  Same question as to other SSRI if anyone has experience with them.

 

Thoughts welcome.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Robert,

 

I was on Lexepro during my withdrawals and found it to be helpful.  I tried to taper it when I was still symptomatic and got severely depressed, so I reinstated.  After I healed I had not trouble discontinuing it.  Dr Ashton states that SSRI's can be a helpful med during withdrawals.

 

Pam

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Robert,

 

I just wanted to post a distinction. There is the world of difference between retaining your antidepressant during your benzodiazepine withdrawal, and taking up an antidepressant as an aid to benzo withdrawal.

 

Professor Ashton found that her patients tended to do better if tapered off the benzos before attempting to taper of their antidepressants. She did not prescribe her patients with antidepressants* in an attempt to help them with benzo withdrawal.

 

 

* Professor Ashton did prescribe antidepressants during benzo withdrawal, but this was to treat serious depression (for those at serious risk of a suicide attempt in particular), and not as a general benzo withdrawal aid.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Robert,

 

I just wanted to post a distinction. There is the world of difference between retaining your antidepressant during your benzodiazepine withdrawal, and taking up an antidepressant as an aid to benzo withdrawal.

 

Professor Ashton found that her patients tended to do better if tapered off the benzos before attempting to taper of their antidepressants. She did not prescribe her patients with antidepressants* in an attempt to help them with benzo withdrawal.

 

 

* Professor Ashton did prescribe antidepressants during benzo withdrawal, but this was to treat serious depression (for those at serious risk of a suicide attempt in particular), and not as a general benzo withdrawal aid.

 

Just to clarify this then, if I asked my dr for a very small dose of Prozac or Lex (5mg) which I am not on at this time, it would be a bad idea? I think I may need something to help this process along but of course, this confuses me more?

 

JB

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Robert,

 

I just wanted to post a distinction. There is the world of difference between retaining your antidepressant during your benzodiazepine withdrawal, and taking up an antidepressant as an aid to benzo withdrawal.

 

Professor Ashton found that her patients tended to do better if tapered off the benzos before attempting to taper of their antidepressants. She did not prescribe her patients with antidepressants* in an attempt to help them with benzo withdrawal.

 

 

* Professor Ashton did prescribe antidepressants during benzo withdrawal, but this was to treat serious depression (for those at serious risk of a suicide attempt in particular), and not as a general benzo withdrawal aid.

 

Just to clarify this then, if I asked my dr for a very small dose of Prozac or Lex (5mg) which I am not on at this time, it would be a bad idea? I think I may need something to help this process along but of course, this confuses me more?

 

JB

 

It's always a risk to bring new meds on board.  It's not that it's a bad idea to ask your Dr for an SSRI, but unless you've been on it before you're not going to be sure how you'll react.  As you know during benzo withdrawal we're super sensitive, so it's a bad time to be experimenting.  Confused as ever?  Sorry.. :(

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

 

Just to clarify this then, if I asked my dr for a very small dose of Prozac or Lex (5mg) which I am not on at this time, it would be a bad idea? I think I may need something to help this process along but of course, this confuses me more?

 

JB

 

It's always a risk to bring new meds on board.  It's not that it's a bad idea to ask your Dr for an SSRI, but unless you've been on it before you're not going to be sure how you'll react.  As you know during benzo withdrawal we're super sensitive, so it's a bad time to be experimenting.  Confused as ever?  Sorry.. :(

 

To put it mildly :o

 

JB

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think I am in the same boat as JB and Robert, plus my other complicating background. I just know that the past 2 days the depression and other symptoms have gotten quite a bit worse.

 

Jim

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Robert, will you please allow me to answer your question.  I'm new to this community but I'm also tapering off of klonopin and I have more than a little medical knowledge and can answer you with some confidence.  I'm on prozac 30 mg daily currently.  Being on a benzodiazepine during withdrawal is known to be helpful.  But starting one this late in the stage of your taper (your only on 1.5 mg of valium daily) would be a tremendous mistake unless you become severely depressed.  The reason is, SSRI's when first started cause a huge upsurge in anxiety, especially prozac.  You will be much more anxious for a few weeks while on the SSRI until it takes hold and starts to decrease your anxiety.  That could be as long as 2 months before you get such a response.  This means you are better off very slowly tapering from the valium and supplementing with light exercise daily.  Go slow and you'll be alright.  Give your brain a chance to upregulate the GABA receptors by eating healthy (regular foods, don't take supplements) and going slow and spending time in the sun if you live somewhere sunny and performing light exercise.  This will be a better idea than taking an SSRI which may increase your anxiety for a certain period of time and possibly force you to take an increased dosage of valium to control the anxiety upsurge.  Remember that depression is one of the PRIME withdrawal symptoms and once you've been off of the benzo for a certain period of time that depression will probably resolve.  If it gets serious, than consider starting an SSRI.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

"Being on a benzodiazepine during withdrawal is known to be helpful."

 

I have an error in the sentence above, I meant to say being on an SSRI during benzo taper/withdrawal is known to be helpful** please excuse my errors.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"Being on a benzodiazepine during withdrawal is known to be helpful."

 

I have an error in the sentence above, I meant to say being on an SSRI during benzo taper/withdrawal is known to be helpful** please excuse my errors.

 

Hi JFenix,

 

You can modify your posts by clicking 'modify' in the above right corner of your post. When you are done fixing it, just click 'save'.

 

You have very good points about ssri use during benzo withdrawal. As you say, it can be helpful if already on it, but to go on for the purposes of tapering might make matters worse. Unless of course there is severe depression involved. As always, medication discussions should involve your doctor.  :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Robert, I was put on an anti d called Mirtazapine the day I entered detox for 17mg of Valium last Sept. I found it helped greatly with insomnia/anxiety. Last December I reduced the Mirt from 30mg to 22.5 mg and was ill for almost 3 weeks (coped ok with that). The problem for me has been since last reduction of MIRTazapine 6 weeks ago ALL MY SYMPTOMS ARE BACK AS BAD AS EVER!! I dont know if its underlying benzo WD now exposed due to less sedation by lower dose of anti d or what? What I do know is I wish I didnt take Mirtazapine cos I would at least know what is causing the symptoms. Also on website bcnc.org.uk it states that Mirtazapine is the ONLY AD strongly advised against due to "horrendous withdrawals that last an extremely long time"!!!!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[c0...]

The point of the Prozac was not so much to help with depression but to help with panic and a general sense of well being.  I have been on it three weeks.  I have had some trouble sleeping, but have found myself less panicky.  I also have been on Prozac before and do not remember it to cause much in the way of withdrawal if one tapers it slowly.

 

That having been said, b/c I am only three weeks on, perhaps I should try to take it out of the picture.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would seriously evaluate whether adding ANY OTHER CHEMICAL is a good idea or not. I am suffering terribly and the worst thing is I don't know if its caused by the anti dep WDs or  by underlying benzo WDs that are now unmasked.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

My opinion: stay away from any AD while tapering.  There's some good info posted before--AD startup can really crank the anxiety-->panic symptoms.

 

Continue you're taper, you're very close to making it!!!

 

If you've done a good taper, you may be surprised to find your anxiety disappears shortly after stopping it.  Not guaranteed by a long shot, but for me just two days after my last Xanax, my daily anxiety went away.

 

ADs have serious side-effect and withdrawal problems associated with them anyways, and a lot of people find that an AD that worked for them once before doesn't work at all the second time around.

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dear Robert:

 

If you are already taking it and it is helping and you are not having new problems associated with it then I would certainly continue.  I stopped taking it for a while after my taper because it seemed exacerbate some symptoms but you can see from my signature line that I am taking it again.

 

ntw

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...