Hello all,

I have been off Prozac (after only 2 1/2 weeks on it) for 3 days now and have not seen any improvements in my side effects. I'm still nauseous, have no appetite, and am very anxious. Does anyone know how long it takes for this drug to leave your body? I've heard different things like 4-5 days, is this right? Anyone have experience getting off prozac after only a short time like 2 weeks?

HI Mharyanto.

I've never taken prozac so I won't be much good I'm afraid but I do think it can take a couple of weeks to get back to normal, even after using them only for a short while. Of course the anxiety could be brought on by something else. It's pretty potent medication. If you're worried, give your doc a phone.

PRT xx

Hello: When I stopped taking Prozac, it took a few weeks for the side effects to start to wear off. I have head it can be different for everyone, but I was told it could take 6-8 weeks. I am sorry to hear you are still experiencing the side effects but you will be glad when they do start to go away.

I too had absolutely no appetite on prozac - it was even hard to force myself to eat. It took 8 days after quitting it for my appetite to come back. I still get dizzy and have some other lingering side effects though after 2 weeks off.
I believe Prozac breaks down into an active metabolite norfluoxetine with some other nonactive metabolites. I've read it takes around 7 days for half of norfluoxetine to be eliminated - so 1/4 left after 14 days etc, plus whatever amount of fluoxetine that hasn't broken down. Of course we all break these things down at slightly diff rates. I'd give it 3 weeks personally.

Hi mharyanto75,

Agree, Prozac has a long half life, when I switched to another SSRI I did not get any side effects from Prozac, but as you have only beebn on it for a short time, I expect it would take 2-3 week to leave your body tissues etc.

I had no problems coming off Citalopram after 2 years, then I got depredded and went on Prozac. So hang in there and you will soon get over the side effects.

Jim Bow

Thanks for all your replies. I too have been reading up on this and Prozac takes quite a while to leave the body. it's been about 12 days and side effects are not as bad as the first couple of days, but some are still lingering. I can feel them slowly deteriorating which is good. I guess I'm just impatient. I wanted everything to happen right away, and unfortunately it doesn't happen that way! I want my appetite back, the nausea to completely go away, and for the increased anxiety to go back to where it was before I started this drug! Well, thanks for listening to me rant!