A timetable for recovery on Fluoxetine / prozac

[ElleEm]

Brilliant! Thank you so much for updating. I've read this thread a couple times now and it gives me hope. I just wish I could find a couple people going through this like me (day 23). Good luck!

[aspire35]

Day 23 is early stages, I kept a diary day by day which helped. You should start to feel better soon but it is a gradual process and it does for most people I think take a couple of months to get back to functionality. One thing is certain - you will get better, it just takes time.

Take care x

[ElleEm]

Thank you Aspire

Day 46 now! I don't know how I've lasted this long. In 46 days, I have had literally 13 days where I haven't felt terrible. I have been keeping a journal as well lol. I'm in my 7th week now and I'm in a blip where it's just pure anxiety all day almost. Really hope I can turn the corner soon and at least start having some better days. So grateful for forums like this though. I don't know how people did it before the days of the internet, especially when the doctor tells you that you'll be feeling great in 2-4 weeks.. lol

[ElleEm]

Day 52 now. So about 7.5 weeks in. Seem to be going thru a blip right now, probably similar to Peachy's blip at 7-8 weeks. Haven't had very many good days so far to be honest.

According to my journal I've had 31 bad days, 7 days that were so-so and 13 good or decent ones! Really hoping this picks up soon!

Would also love to know how Peachy, Kenney, Panicer and AVM are doing now? Anyone keep up with them?

[Panicer]

Hi ElleEm

As requested a quick update from me.

Unfortunately the Fluoxetine didn't work out for me, so I've tried various other meds and have finally settled on Mirtazapine and Pregablin as being the combination that seem to work best for me. I've also been lucky enough to have had a hell of a lot of therapy over the last few months. At a guess I've had something like 150 sessions. They've been a mix of one to one and group therapy including CBT, Mindfulness and Psychotherapy. I found the group therapy the most helpful but I'd recommend if anyone gets the chance to try out therapy one to one or group give it a go.

I wouldn't say I'm recovered yet but hopefully I'm on my way.

I also found keeping a diary really useful Good luck with your journey and just take it one day at a time

Panicer

[ElleEm]

Thanks so much for the update Panicer! I had sent you a message when I saw you were online but didn't see your response on the thread until now �� I'm currently on day 55.. it's definitely a process. This thread has helped so much during the early days I still find myself reading it!

[LizzieEC]

This is all very encouraging! I'm only a week in and the side effects so far haven't been much fun. I THINK they may have eased off a little today though, so I'm optimistic that maybe they won't last too long. It's the insomnia that's really killing me, I'm SO sleepy.

I'm keeping a diary too and hopefully I'll be able to read it back at some point and realise that I feel better

[ElleEm]

Day 64... worst blip in a while. Have had some good days and some so-so days lately, but today? Bleurrggghh. Major anxiety and head pressure with some DP thrown in just for fun! Come on week 12 🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼

[ElleEm]

Day 71 today

Feel brighter, in a better state of mind definitely. The side effects have also mostly eased. Just left with early waking, a tension headache once in a while, stool still loose-ish and anxiety still present. I hear that the anxiety is usually the last to go though. Trying to just get on with daily activities, taking care of kids, etc.. hopefully I'm on the right track. Just can't believe how painfully slow this process has been! I literally went from not being able to leave my room and staying in bed 23 hours a day when I had my breakdown.. not being able to talk to anyone, couldn't look after my kids, wouldn't let my husband leave the house even.

Now I'm out of my room, talking to people, talking on the phone, spending some time alone and looking after my family again, as well as leaving the house daily for a drive. So I know something is definitely working. Just hope for more improvement, but I really do believe it's coming

[ElleEm]

Day 76 -

Definitely have noticed that I've been coping much better with the anxiety. Still want it to lessen more though. In the last 2 days, my sleep has regressed again, woke up at 4:30 yesterday morning and 3:30 today. Ugh. Anxiety is bad enough but when you're exhausted and have to take care of 4 kids? No Bueno.

In the last few days I've also been more proactive with my recovery. I've been waiting for it to come to me and not doing anything to feel better. I've been sitting in my chair all day afraid to move in case it brought on more anxiety. My husband nicely pointed this out to me the other morning. So I've been out in the garden every morning watering flowers, and taking a drive in the morning as well as the evening. Hope these things will help me not be so scared of the outside world! I am progressing though, I can tell a massive difference between the first month and this month.

As everyone else has pointed out in here, it's a slooowww recovery. They're absolutely right to say 12-16 weeks in some cases. I'll be 11 weeks tomorrow and I'm JUST starting to feel ok. Ish. As long as I stop this waking at gross hours of the night. Will report back in a week and hopefully will have more progress! Love to you all, this will probably be one of the most hardest journeys of your life!