The washout period in this case is recommended due to Prozac (fluoxetine) having an extremely long half life meaning it stays in your body for a long time after discontinuing.Īs we mentioned above, there is no one size fits all recommendation when tapering any agent. 25 mg per day) and increase slowly over a period of 4-8 weeks. The majority of the Executive Management Team has worked together in Miami since the 1980's, producing hundreds of projects for our communities, building long-term and repeat business, and maintaining the highest standards in quality, safety and value. Start the Zoloft (sertraline) at a low dose (e.g. The Executive Management Team has extensive industry experience across a wide variety of Half Life Of Zoloft 25 Mgs and delivery methods. after 4 to 7 days of taking no medication). Start the new antidepressant (Zoloft in this case) after a four- to seven-day washout period (i.e. Discontinue Prozac (fluoxetine) by tapering over a two week period if your dose was greater than 20mg per day.The following recommendation comes from MIMS (Monthly Index of Medical Specialities) reference library: Having said that, below is some information regarding one recommended way to successfully switch. It's always recommended however that you speak with your doctor regarding your therapy switch and come up with a plan that you both believe will have the highest chance of success. There is no one recommended way to switch from one SSRI to another. Prozac (Fluoxetine) and Zoloft (Sertraline) are both drugs within the SSRI (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor) class. Although it may seem counter-intuitive, switching to another drug in the same class can help the patient have a better response, just as much as switching to a drug in a different class altogether. Generally, switching should be considered if there is no response in 4 to 12 weeks after initiating therapy or if the patient cannot tolerate the dose they are taking. Switching drugs is often the first choice that prescribers and patients employ when trying to get a better therapeutic response. Patients often don't achieve remission of their depression on the first medication they are prescribed for a number of reasons including drug choice, side effects or inaccurate diagnosis. The need to switch antidepressants is very common. Hello, I have been taking Prozac for some time now and it is no longer effective.