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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Kat26 on May 8, 2002, at 19:57:47
Hi everybody :-)
I have a question for you guys. I have been on Prozac for OCD for 1 year and 4 months, with totally excellent results and few side effects. I was taking 40 mgs. Now I am thinking of cutting back, actually today I only took 30 mgs for the first time. (The reason is modtly because I am from a different country and have my insurance over there, and it is just so complicated to get them every time that I am trying to make them last longer).
Now my question: Do you guys think I will already feel a difference if I take 30 instead of 40? I am hopeful because really I felt a very good effect at 20 already, and maybe never needed to go up to 40? (I know these dosages are low for OCD, but I am a small person, only like 105 pounds).
Or is it a bad idea to try to mess with the dosage when everything was... well, when my life was just finally kind of "sane"?
Any input from anybody who had tried to cut down. and how that went?Kat26
Posted by Sarahmarie on May 8, 2002, at 22:03:38
In reply to Cutting down on my Prozac, posted by Kat26 on May 8, 2002, at 19:57:47
I would be very careful about cutting back your medications without the advice of your Pdoc. There are some very strong withdrawal side effects of Prozac---serious migraine headaches being just one of them. I am at the opposite end of the spectrum -- I am on a very high dose of Prozac and they are considering adding wellbutrin. Wish you good luck -- but feel it is better to consult with an expert on changing dosages. SarahMarie
Posted by Roo on May 9, 2002, at 8:21:56
In reply to Re: Cutting down on my Prozac, posted by Sarahmarie on May 8, 2002, at 22:03:38
I have tried cutting back on my regular 20 mg dose
of prozac two different times. One time was just
recently. I went from 20 mg to 15 mg--even though
this was just a small cutback I relapsed. It took
me a month to relapse though b/c the old dose stayed
in my system for about a month--each week I could
feel myself getting more and more vulnerable until
I was in a full blown depression. You might feel
fine now, it can take awhile to feel the lower dose.
But of course, maybe it will be different for you. I
tried lowering my dose at stressful times in my life
(stupid, I know), so maybe since you've been stable for
awhile, you won't have that problem. Everybody is
different. I hope you have better luck.
Posted by Kat26 on May 9, 2002, at 16:55:05
In reply to Re: Cutting down on my Prozac, posted by Roo on May 9, 2002, at 8:21:56
Roo,
what did you do when you relapsed, up the dose again? Did it work again?Kat26
Posted by pellmell on May 9, 2002, at 17:32:52
In reply to Re: Cutting down on my Prozac Roo, posted by Kat26 on May 9, 2002, at 16:55:05
wow, this is my first post here in about a year...
Anyway, I was in a similar situation before: I abruptly moved a few states away from my pdoc, and wasn't really in a stable enough place financially or otherwise to find a new one. Because of this, as well as a hunch that I'd do as well (or better) on less Prozac, I started taking 20mg instead of 40.
It turned out to be as effective with fewer side effects, and one of my best experiences with psych drugs. Now, my diagnosis is something like dysthymia with bouts of major depression (which have never turned suicidal, only really, really sucky), so I was in a fairly safe place psychologically for this sort of trial. As you surely know, OCD can take longer to treat and require higher SSRI doses. It might be worth the hassle to obtain enough Prozac to do 40.
Of course I'll echo the other posters in recommending you talk to your pdoc.
Anyway...good luck. Hope what you decide turns out for the best.
Posted by Roo on May 10, 2002, at 8:29:08
In reply to Re: Cutting down on my Prozac Roo, posted by Kat26 on May 9, 2002, at 16:55:05
> Roo,
> what did you do when you relapsed, up the dose again? Did it work again?
>
> Kat26Yeah, I started having thoughts like life wasn't
really worth living and that scared me enough to
go back up on my dose. It worked and I am feeling
better.
This is the end of the thread.
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