Zoloft to Prozac?

[Countrymorninggirl]

Hi! My question is, can I stop Zoloft cold turkey and start Prozac? I've been on Zoloft 20 years, it wasn't working all that great in the first place and now it's not working that much at all. I guess it pooped out after taking it so long. Because of this, my Dr had me try Wellbutrin and it made me really sick. I was also still taking the Zoloft with it. Now she wants me to give Prozac a try, but she said I needed to completely stop Zoloft before taking the Prozac. Is this going to be safe or will the Prozac kick in, in place of the Zoloft because they are both SSRIS?

[Paxiled]

No.  Don't even try.  Not worth the risk.  You could be one of the many who do this easily, but it's truly not worth finding out.  That long on a drug, just think how long it's been since your brain had to work for itself.  I'm not going to tell you there aren't psychiatrists out there who believe you can just switch from one drug to another, but it makes no sense to me.  How are you going to know if you get a bad set of effects if it's from starting the Prozac or withdrawal from the Zoloft if you're essentially going through both at the same time?  My own advice is, taper off the Zoloft as slowly as you need to and when you've successfully quit, move to the Prozac.  

[Paxiled]

And know that no two drugs even in the same class work the same.  If they did, they couldn't both get FDA approval and patents.  

[Countrymorninggirl]

Ok, thanks Paxiled. I appreciate your advice. How do I tapper off of 25mgs? Skip days of taking it or just cut it in half or smaller. I know your not a doctor, but I do appreciate your advice because I know you've been there done that. Thanks for any help you can give me!!

[Paxiled]

Usually your psychiatrist gives you a tapering schedule.  Different docs believe in different schedules.  By the way, that's a pretty small dose after so many years.  Did you try upping the dose?  For Zoloft that's nothing and you might just need a higher dose.  But to taper off that very beginning dose, my own feeling is that you want to keep the drug in your system as you taper off.  A lot of docs like the every other day method, where you start taking it every other day at full dose and then taper it further and further.  I would think it would be best to taper it slowly but still take it every day, as this drug leaves your system very quickly and it's being without the drug that causes the withdrawal if there's going to be one.  Most of these meds also come in liquid form if you need to taper off really slowly.  So you might try cutting it in half and see how you feel, but I'm always more comfortable telling people to do this by doing homework and talking to their psychiatrists.

[Countrymorninggirl]

Thanks Paxiled. Yes I tried a higher dose, I was put on 50MG and then 100MG and it made me real depressed. So, I asked my Dr to just keep me on 25MG. Would one of the side effects from getting off the Zoloft be racing thoughts???? I ask, because I tried on my own to get off of it once and that happened. Plus more depression and crying over everything. My moods just got worse. I was real negative, insecure, and couldn't see any light at the end of the tunnel.

[Paxiled]

Yes, that's pretty classic withdrawal, assuming this was different than what you felt like before you started the drug.  Obviously, if it was exactly the same as when you went on it, well, you've still got the problem.  But if it's different and that intense, that's withdrawal alright.  

[Countrymorninggirl]

It was different, and very scary, I was not like that before the drug. I had my problems with depression and anxiety but not crazy racing thoughts. Not fun!! Thanks Paxiled.