ssri withdrawl?

Nurse Ratched, RN · Jun 30, 2005

Two suggestions: call your doctor and see if he/she has samples to carry you through, or transfer your script (even temporarily) to a pharmacy that does have it (even if you have them just fill it for a few, then transfer the script back.) (OT: IMHO four days is ridiculously long not to be able to get a medication in....) Sorry you're feeling so cruddy.

(I might also add: whenever possible please don't wait until the absolute last minute to fill your scripts so this doesn't happen. People react differently to coming off of SSRI's suddenly.)

elizabells, BSN, RN · Jun 30, 2005

Two suggestions: call your doctor and see if he/she has samples to carry you through, or transfer your script (even temporarily) to a pharmacy that does have it (even if you have them just fill it for a few, then transfer the script back.) (OT: IMHO four days is ridiculously long not to be able to get a medication in....) Sorry you're feeling so cruddy.
(I might also add: whenever possible please don't wait until the absolute last minute to fill your scripts so this doesn't happen. People react differently to coming off of SSRI's suddenly.)

Thank you for the quick reply! You'd think the big, big chain pharmacy right next to the hospital would have it, wouldn't you? Ugh. I checked in on the samples today; he doesn't have any. Amusingly enough, he's switching me to Lamictil in two weeks. Ahhh irony. I think I'm going to take a Xanax and try to go to sleep.

Eta: I just looked up ssri withdrawal - apparently I'm classic "criterion B". They don't tell you what to do about it, however. Ah, google, both the joy and bane of my existence.

TCASII, ADN · Jul 1, 2005

4 days!! That's BS. One thing you can do is fall back on another SSRI if you happen to have any. I had some Celexa one time when I couldn't get my Effexor refilled for two days. It worked. They should have called another store for you to see if they have any. I assume it's a chain pharmacy?

elizabells, BSN, RN · Jul 1, 2005

4 days!! That's BS. One thing you can do is fall back on another SSRI if you happen to have any. I had some Celexa one time when I couldn't get my Effexor refilled for two days. It worked. They should have called another store for you to see if they have any. I assume it's a chain pharmacy?

Rhymes with blight trade...

they promised today at one o'clock...I found a little benadryl is keeping me from melting into a little puddle of goo...and you'd think, of all the meds to run out of, psych meds...don't keep us nuts from our drugs, people. Look at it from their point of view: doesn't it seem like it would be in their best interest to NOT have already, um, unbalanced people really angry without their meds? Just sayin...

sgent · Jul 1, 2005

is to titrate off slowly, for some of us, very slowly (like over 2-3 months).

I have the same issue with effexor if I go more than 36 hrs. I would either be in a ball in my bed, in jail, or strangling the pharmacist. Pick one.

elizabells, BSN, RN · Jul 1, 2005

is to titrate off slowly, for some of us, very slowly (like over 2-3 months).
I have the same issue with effexor if I go more than 36 hrs. I would either be in a ball in my bed, in jail, or strangling the pharmacist. Pick one.

that must be why the counter is so wide...

RickRN · Jul 7, 2005

Sorry if I ramble, I'm really not feeling well right now...
I currently take lexapro and alprazolam for cyclothymia. The pharmacy has been out of Lexapro since Monday, so I've been four days without. I'm sweaty, dizzy, and I swear I feel hypoxic - hands and feet tingling, with sort of waves going through my body. The mental stuff I can handle, but physically I feel almost worse than I ever have. Is this a common thing?

Ya, SSRI withdrawal is supposed to mimic flu like symptoms.

LuciGirl · Jul 17, 2005

We are seeing the flu-like, withdrawl symptoms more and more in patients who miss a dose or more of their SSRI. Textbooks call it "SSRI Discontinuation Syndrome". Fancy Smancy terminology because they don't like the "sound" of the word "withdrawl". Cross titration is the way to go when switching to a different med. Have heard many times from patients that they need to cross titrate very very slowly. Example: Going from Paxil 20 mg day to Zoloft 50mg initially - drop the Paxil down 5 mg each week. Rather scary the impact on the brain even when a person is trying to switch to another med due to "poop-out syndrome". Hang in there. -LuciGirl Psych Nurse:balloons: