Does fluoxetine dull your emotions?

[BellaBella88]

I am currently on 40mg, which has brought me from major depression to having two good weeks in a row, followed by a bad week (which isn't half as bad as it would have been without the pills).

I'm thinking of asking the Doctor if I can go up to 60mg to get rid of the bad days, but I heard that fluoxetine can make you feel a bit zombified.

I had the zombified feeling for a couple of days while the medication was settling in, which is okay, but I wouldn't like it all the time. My GP said that only people who have have the highs as well have this side effects and since I only get the lows, it won't affect me.

Well, the two good weeks that I have just had, could I potentially not experience them again after a dose increase?

Thank you very much in advance.

[Speranza]

I haven't been on it long enough to say; I know people talk about the 'fog' which I do experience mildly I think. If you search the forums you will find loads of information, there is a fluox-dedicated board if you scroll down.

btw! This is a lovely place.

[MastiffMan]

My impression is that Fluoxetine helps, but it is not a panacea. For me I still need to do the work to examine/monitor my mood daily. I have to take a look at what I go through in life and take responsibility for the decisions I make on an emotional/feeling level. Therefore I expect up and down days as I stabilize since that is the way it is, I think, for most people. I do not feel that Fluoxetine limits my emotions, it helps me manage them. I notice when I am not on Fluoxetine I am much more labile and have a tendency to get stuck on issues. During these times when I get more critical of others, more weepy, and my overall perspective of life starts to turn negative I know it is time to check myself. I need to learn to develop more emotional maturity and manage how I react and feel about certain issues. Not always necessarily for me but for others who are a part of my life as well.

[OncewasSupergirl]

Mastiffman,

We are completely on the same page x