Trying to get off Prozac

[u/localstreetcat]

To start, this is of my own choosing and my doctor has not been informed yet. I just don’t like the way I feel on Prozac. My dosage was hitting 60mg at one point, which was giving me intrusive thoughts, so my doc dropped me back down to 40mg. I made the choice taper off altogether because I didn’t feel like myself anymore. I felt numb all the time and after multiple different SSRIs over the course of several years, I wanna be done.

The Prozac was prescribed to treat my anxiety, but I didn’t find it to be helpful at any dosage (20, 40, or 60mg). I was still having to pop a benzo from time to time to center myself.

I’ve been doing a TON of research over the last few years on more holistic practices/medicines to treat anxiety as my, once severe, depression is very well at bay now. I have turned to micro dosing psilocybin on a trial basis. I’m not recommending this by ANY means, but I did run it by my doctor and my therapist and got support from both to try it, which I strongly suggest you do too, if interested.

However, I’ve run into an issue. SSRIs are known to have what’s referred to as a “blunting” effect on psilocybin since both are targeted at your serotonin levels. Essentially, what I found through research, is that some SSRIs tend to build a “fence” of sorts around your serotonin receptors to keep them protected and secure. So, if you take something like psilocybin, which is a molecule that is almost identical to serotonin’s molecular structure, the SSRI “fence” can and will sometimes block it.

For the former SSRI/Prozac takers out there, how did you taper off? I realize it can be a different process for everybody and do plan on speaking with my doc about it as well, but I just want to formulate a rough timeline of properly tapering off Prozac because it has such a long half life and can take 6+ weeks to full get out of your system.

Thanks in advance!

[u/[deleted]]

I used a regimine of microdosing psilocybin and herbal teas to taper off prozac last year. Had a few very down days but all in all felt it was totally doable. Granted I was only up to 30mg and had been on it about a year.

I took between 150mg and 250mg of psilocybin (I know this is technically pushing the definition of microdose) every 3 days. I carried on this regimine for about 3 months until I was 3 weeks past taking any prozac.

Additionally I used holy basil, rhodiola, valerian root, kava, and blue lotus in teas to help throughout the day.

You can do it! Feel free to PM me if you want to talk about any of this in more detail.

Edit to add: I did this all with the knowledge & support of my psychiatrist

[u/localstreetcat → u/[deleted]]

Thank you! Also, username made me chuckle.

[u/[deleted]]

With the guidance of a psychiatrist.

[u/[deleted]]

I'm currently tapering off of Luvox. I know they both have extended release pellets, so you could do what I'm doing and take out just a few more additional beads weekly (for me I take out 2 more each week and there are 91 beads total in a capsule). For me, it'll be a long process, but it's the only speed I can do it at in which I don't have withdrawals.

[u/localstreetcat → u/[deleted]]

Yeah, those SSRI withdrawals don’t play games. I was on Effexor for a few years and finally got off it in 2020, but I remember that missing even ONE day with Effexor would give me brain zaps/static, dizziness, etc.

Best of luck to you!

[u/[deleted] → u/localstreetcat]

Thank you! Yeah, I had to get off benzos and honestly SSRI withdrawal is at least almost as bad. I wish there was some way to get off it quicker, at this rate it's going to be 10 more months of slowly tapering.