My First Week and My Story so far.

[Nathan19901]

Hi guys,

Over the last week this site/forum has really helped me through some of the dark periods (Thank You!), i thought i would share my experience so far to hopefully help someone else that may be in the same boat i was.

I have always been quite an anxious person, never really bothered me much i just avoided situations that made me feel anxious. Life for me was OK, not exciting nor depressing i seemed to just be content with this over the last few years.

Last Saturday I had gone with friends for a meal and had a great night and went to bed as per normal. Then i woke to what i can only describe as hell. Shaking, clenched jaw, diarrhea, nausea, heart racing through the roof. I couldn't sit still moving every 5 seconds. I knew my anxiety had finally came and smacked me in the face and i knew it wasn't going away.

This continued for 3 whole days non stop, i could do nothing but pace around my room to keep me occupied, watching my wife sleep peacefully whilst i spent all night shaking was quite annoying to say the least. By this point it was Wednesday and i just couldn't carry on, i kept fooling myself into thinking i would be ok for work the next day only to call in sick again.

At this point i went to the doctors for the 3rd time as i had previously not wanted to take any SSRI's due to the side effects but by this point the only way was up as i couldn't get any worse. "GIVE ME WHAT YOU CAN DOC!" he had prescribed me Prozac 20mg with Diazepam 2mg to help until the meds kicked in

As expected the first few days had little impact i had several severe anxiety attacks (curled up hands etc) the Diazepam was having no effect at all, due to the risk of addiction i stopped it completely.

It was now day 4 on prozac and the afternoons seemed to be the better times for me, mornings where still consisting of multiple trips to the toilet and force feeding myself to get some strength. I had been practicing breathing techniques to help calm me and it did help with the attacks but i was still shaking uncontrollable, it was at this time i genuinely thought i was never going to be the same.

The hardest part was my inability to look after my son, i could hold him for a minute before a rush of anxiety flooded me again and i would have to put him down and hug my knees shaking.

It was my Birthday over the weekend, i couldn't really do much for it. My wife had arranged some of my friends with a history of Anxiety to come and visit me and help put my mind at ease. without any notice i couldn't stop crying i wasn't sad and i wasn't happy i was just overwhelmed with the support i was getting, i pretty much cried at everything that was nice that day, i think the meds where starting to alter my brain at this point.

I am now on day 7 and the shakes have stopped, my sleeping has improved and the mornings are much easier to both eat and function. I do get quite drowsy in the morning (i take my meds in the morning when i wake) i don't mind being drowsy as it's much easier to cope with then constant shaking. The afternoons are far better now i almost feel i was depressed for years without knowing as some of the euphoric feelings i get in the evening remind me of how i felt 10+ years ago.

I am hoping this is a good sign that i will continue to get better, i haven't read any threads where this medication has worked so quickly which does concern me i may get worse again, has anyone ever had this?

Is it normal for prozac to work so quickly?

[flossie]

Hi Nathan19901. Thanks for your story. My dr has just prescribed fluoxetine and you have really helped.

[Nathan19901]

I thought I would give an update.

The second week has had its ups and downs but overall the major anxiety symptons have eased. I certainly do not panic as much as I was previously which is positive.

I am however still struggling in the morning, I seem to wake each morning at 4am with intense butterflies in my stomach this leads me to a trip to the toilet which literally empties me out.

I then become weak and have to try to force breakfast down me to build some strength back up, followed by a bath and an hour or so of meditation and I can finally calm myself enough to function.

Has anyone experienced the butterflies in the morning before? Prozac is certainly helping me but has not eased this butterflies at all.

I have not a lot to worry about at the moment, I am off work and have lots of support around me so I cannot pin point what could be causing it.

Any advice would be great.

[Faith2017]

Hi Nathan. Proxac(Fluoxetine) works differently for everyone. I can tell you that it DOES get better! For me, it took about four months for me to feel 100% back to my old self. I take 10mg as increasing the dosage made me feel worse. Please refer to the recovery timeline for Fluoxetine as it can help you map out your recovery with the medication. But please be reminded no matter where you are in your journey, you are NOT alone and it gets BETTER!

[Speranza]

Hi,
I'm on 10mg, just going for my first review. I don't remember the dose I had last time but my daughter reminded me I was anxious to the point of not being able to function, whereas this time it's just a gradual anxiety which has crept up but not incapacitated me.

I only remember getting headaches last time - they lasted a few weeks and were horrible but I persevered and was glad I did.

THIS time although I think I'm on a lower dose, I had diarrhoea for a few days but thankfully it's gone. I had brief headaches but they have passed too. I had one dark afternoon but I reminded myself this was just the drug beginning to work and it passed.

At the moment (3 weeks in) I still feel I'm waiting for it to kick in - I am sure it will and I can really recommend it. However I've learnt here that everyone is suited by differenet drugs so keep monitoring with GP.

It's normal for it to take a while, for symptoms to get worse before they get better, and I would say definitely give it a little time but DO keep talking to your GP.

I had exactly the same experience as you last time, of taking it for anxiety but it lifting a depression I didn't know I had. I'm kind of curious to see what happens this time! I have had anxiety my whole life and hadn't realised how much energy I was expending in coping strategies (I was 53 I think last time I took it - so that's over half a century of coping without realising!) I also think extremely quickly - I am sometimes aware of several thoughts at once - and Prozac was like a holiday. I had no idea how restful it is having one thought at once. Right now I have what I call 'Prozac brain' where I lose thoughts halfway through - but I am encouraged because I know that passes and is a sign it is beginning to kick in. (I've wondered what I'd be like on Ritalin - slowing down made me realise how really over the top fast I am... but as a former teacher I wouldn't consider Ritalin. I just wonder if someone might have diagnosed me with ADHD if that had been the route I took.)

---------- Post added at 09:42 ---------- Previous post was at 09:30 ----------

Just checking you found this. I've just re-read it and found it really helpful.

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=157003

[Nathan19901]

Hi speranza,

Thank you for sharing your experience I can relate to much of what you said especially with regards to thinking quickly, I've always believed this is why I am so good at my job but every so often I burn out completely and have to rebuild myself back up.

I am now on week 4 and all in all I feel far more stable. I have issues sleeping some nights more so with staying asleep. Headaches come and go.

My stomach has settled down now although I have had a few days where I do feel depressed but I am putting this down to the medication and taking each day as it comes.

I do still feel anxious from time to time but keeping busy helps combat this. I am no longer anxious to the point I'm shaking and climbing the walls

Hopefully things will balance out in the coming weeks. I am finding some days I'm a bundle of energy and others I'm dragging my heels.