My doctor decided to wean off Effexor and increase Prozac at the same time for anxiety and decrease withdrawal symptoms. Any success stories out there?
Switching from Effexor to Prozac?
Question posted by CARRAC1974 on 23 March 2013
Last updated on 24 September 2022 by marytherese1122
7 Answers
marytherese1122
27 May 2015
How do u feel on the prozac. I also weened off Effexor xr 112 to 10, then 20 and now 40 mgs of prozac. I have increased anxiety.
anon187
23 May 2015
I'm well into the process of doing so and don't feel that great. I'm only on 30 mgs prozac and now 75mgs effexor. I might need to increase prozac and get used to it's side effects. I dropped down from 225 mgs of effexor to 75 mgs in about four or five weeks so far.
smiller_28
30 Jan 2015
My boyfriend is on 150 mg of Effexor and yes while on it, it does help him but then his insurance changed companies and would not fill his script so he has been with out and the side effects are less than desirable. so we were wondering if Prozac would be a better choice for him due to that and while on it he has noticed always being hungry and has gained weight not to mention in my travels of researching this drug the long term effects are scary and if they can be avoided then we would like to go another route. thanks.
Mcroberts
26 March 2013
Hi annie. Hows things. I'm now back at work on a phase return. Drop me a wee message. I'm still having the odd off days but not as many they Upped my Mirtazipine to 45 mgs still on the 60 mgs prozac
tonestar
28 March 2013
Hi Mcroberts. saw your post and hope you dont mind me asking but can I ask how you are going on the mirtazapine 45mgs as well as the prozac ? my pysch doctor moved me from mirtazapine to prozac 60mgs and I dont feel as good... no sleep or appetite and very anxious more so than before. how do u find taking both ? cheers
Mcroberts
28 March 2013
Hi tonestar. I have good days more often now. But not 100% sold on prozac. I don't think it helps much with my anxiety but can't bare the tht of changing again as I don't want to feel that bad ever again. The problem with the Mirtazipine is with me its gave me such a sweet tooth. I was already over weight but now classed as obese. That's another story. I Have been on the both of them since November. ask your doc to but u bck on the Mirtazipine along with the prozac.
Mcroberts
28 March 2013
Hi tonestar. I have good days more often now. But not 100% sold on prozac. I don't think it helps much with my anxiety but can't bare the tht of changing again as I don't want to feel that bad ever again. The problem with the Mirtazipine is with me its gave me such a sweet tooth. I was already over weight but now classed as obese. That's another story. I Have been on the both of them since November. ask your doc to but u bck on the Mirtazipine along with the prozac.
tonestar
28 March 2013
Hi Mcroberts and thanks for your reply. I agree not 100pc sold on prozac either... its been about 3months but the lack of sleep and appetite is driving me more insane ( if thats possible )..i know what you mean about changing meds again and again its a nightmare but i did like the mirtazapine for the fact that it gave me an appetite ( im skinny ) so cant afford to lose anymore weight. thanks for your reply... its so bloody hard to know what to do and try and everyone is different but its great getting peoples opinions etc im in australia so i may throw you sometimes with the accent. I was on xanax for years but got out of control on it... meaning i needed more and more and more..started on the .05 then 1mg then 2mg ( then started taking them morning noon and night at 2mgs ) but at least i slept and ate better than i am now... have u tried it ? its fantastic for panic/anxiety as works fast but is a bloody nightmare to withdrawl from... i thought i was gonna die. anyway enough raving..hope this finds you well and happy easter..cheers tony
Mcroberts
28 March 2013
Hi tony u r far away I'm in the UK. We don't get xanax have heard its amazing for anxiety. The nearest thing we would get is diazapan which is valium and the docs only prescribe them for a very short time ie 2-4 wks at a low dosage of 2 mgs. Everytime the psch increased the prozac my anxiety got much worse for abt 1 month that's when they gave me the diazapan I also take propranol which is a beta blocker 3 x 80 mgs a day. Don't thk they work much for me either.
tonestar
28 March 2013
hi mcroberts... where in uk are you ? i tried sending a message before but i think they deleted it as i swore in it... they do have xanax in the uk but from memory it might be called kalma or something like that ? its now 550am and no sleep have been up all night so staying up now and will try again tonight... ggrrr..
Mcroberts
28 March 2013
Hi tony. I'm in the north. Have u heard of zopiclon which is a sleeping tab. They can help. Once again for a short time only. They come in 7.5 and 3.75 mgs worth a try
tonestar
28 March 2013
thanks your reply... no havent heard of zopiclon but will look into it... cheers again n have a nice easter
CARRAC1974
4 April 2013
So here is a small update for those of you curious. Now down from 112.5 mg to close to 37.5 mg with the help of 10 mg of Prozac. The 2 weeks I tried to reduce the 112.5 mg to 75 mg where not pleasant but adding the 10 mg of Prozac has made it so much easier. Some headaches and digestive issues here and there but nothing compared to even a slow tapering of Effexor XR. Now just wondering if I should increase to 20 mg of Prozac since I am reducing from 37.5 mg to 0! My doc said to trust my body and open the capsules if I need to taper slowly the Effexor XR.
tonestar
26 March 2013
Hi I have recently gone onto prozac as well after trying many others and after about 3 months and 60mg per day am not feeling confident about prozac. , I keep saying to my gp and pysch i am NOT depressed but the anxiety is so overwhelming and the depression is secondary to that. how mucgh prozac are u taking ? can i ask how long they wean you off the effexor ? mine was a quick changeover and they stopped giving me xanax at the same time ... it was horrible and i dont want to go through that again. but personally dont feel the prozac is for me, i cant sleep and am tired all the time
, have no appetite ( am quite slim as it is and losing weight fast ). SO have decided to go back to the mirtazapine that i previously took... let me know how u go. good luck
CARRAC1974
26 March 2013
I am lowering effexor and increasing prozac. So far weaning by removing beads in effexor caplets! Starting at 10 mg prozac plus75 mg effexor tomorrow
vonbro
19 April 2015
That's so interesting. I just simply stopped the effexor. When I first went on prozac I was taking 300 mg of effoxor. For 8 days I took 5mg of prozac and 150 effexor. Then 10 mg of prozac. 6 days ago I went up to 15 mg and no effexor. No wonder I feel so terrible!!!
Pansy404
23 March 2013
Sorry my story is not a success as I did not get on with Prozac at all, but others are fine on it. Please wean slowly off of the Effexor. I am taking over a year to wean off. You should be OK with your Dr's help. I have read about others who have done what you are doing. Good luck. Let us know how you get on.
AnnieBHappy
26 March 2013
Pansy, was wondering what side effects you experienced that made you decide to switch from it? A.B.H.
AnnieBHappy
26 March 2013
Sorry should clarify that I am experiencing some untoward side effects and not much help from the Prozac I'm taking and it is the side effects you experienced from the Prozac I'm interested in... thanks, A.B.H
Pansy404
26 March 2013
Effexor has stopped my depression, panics and anxiety, but now my doctor thinks it is time to come off it, or at least lower the dose from 150mg daily. Now Prozac was the worse anti-depressant I have ever been on, and in 20 years, I have been on quite a lot. Some have had side effects, but non as bad as Prozac.
We are all different, and what suits one person, may not suit another, so it is not fair to tell others what side effects were experienced, and they may react quite differently. You don't know until you are on a medication for a while, whether it suits you or not.
MacIntosh12
27 March 2013
We are all so different. I've had NO side effects from Prozac and I've tried many antiD's as well. Prozac is the only one that didn't have any side effects for me, nothing! Hope anyone on it experiences the same thing as I.
YET, if you are experiencing horrible side effects or it isn't working, see your doc asap! Depression and panic attacks are so horrible, see if you can be switched to something that doesn't have so many side effects or is more efficacious for you. They docs seem to toss antiD's at us to see which one sticks!
Tonestar, you could ask for one of the old tricyclics, they are tried and true and increase appetite, you may do quite well on one of them, such as Pamelor or Tofranil. I'm hoping you feel better, and fast!
Your friend,
Lara
tonestar
28 March 2013
Sorry L, I didnt see this message ??? am not used to this site anymore and where the messages go??? have lost the plot i think ( again ). hope you have a great easter..have u heard from ala dave ?
Pansy404
25 May 2015
Annie, my experience with Prozac may not be the same for other people. A psychiatrist told me I should not be put on Prozac. He felt it was not the drug for me. However when my doctor suggested I go on it, although I told him what the psychiatrist had said, he told me to try it, and I did.
It was awful. I should have stood my ground, but you don't when you are depressed and rely on the doctor. I know better now. For instance when a doctor put me on generic Venlafaxine and it did not work for me, I insisted on going back on names Effexor, and I think I just had to realise I could stand my ground with a doctor. Since then I have been more assertive.
Well Prozac gave me terrible anxiety and agitation along with bad upset stomach. I could not sit still. I was on edge all the time running around and crying. I was pathetic on it.
I did well on Effexor for years. I took 10 months to withdraw from it and was fine, and it is now 18 months since I stopped. I do get the occasional down day but am managing very well.
Some people do well on Prozac, and we all react differently to anti depressants. What suits one person may not suit another. I have been on many different anti depressants over the years.
LaurieShay
23 March 2013
Worth a try, just decrease the Effexor slowly or you will likely have withdrawal symptoms. Prozac is a tried and true medication for many.
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effexor, prozac, anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder
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