Should I Stick With Fluoxetine?

[zengarden]

Hi, I was previously on Paroxetine for 11 years and about 7 ish weeks ago my Dr changed my medication to Fluoxetine. In the first week I got cold like symptoms, dodgy tummy, loss of appitite, nausea. I had crashing down times too that were horrible. I couldn't tell if they were me or the meds, but I didn't feel like that before taking them. Then came the panic attacks...*

I feel I'm getting worse on these meds. I've read a lot of other peoples accounts in this forum but they all say they start to feel great after 3 weeks. I've been on them for about 7. The crashingly low mood has gone but then my dr has also put me on 10mg of Olanzapine a day. My anxiety is still way up there.

I'm agoraphobic and for the five years that I've lived in the flat above my mums I've never not been able to go down. I usually feel anxious but I can usually do it. Just going out my front door and down the stairs is causing me problems atm.

I just wondered if it's me or the medication. I feel it must be more the meds as I wasn't like this before, and most people seem to start getting better after 3 or so weeks.

I'm 'phoning my Dr for more help tomorrow and don't know whether to ask to go on different meds, with the worry that withdrawl will be like going on them, or tough it out for longer? Having a very bad weekend and on my second Diazepam since the early hours. :(
Any advice/input/opinions would be eagerly received, thanks.

*I have long standing severe anxiety. I take 40mg of Fluoxetine one day and 20 mg the next.

[mallan82450]

I would definitely speak to your Dr.

I think they can take anything from 4 - 12 weeks to work but I would imagine you would be feeling slight changes!? My side effects didn't start till over 2 weeks in but they are starting to slowly diminish now. I am expecting blips though.

Don't suffer in silence. As a person I would know deep down if they weren't working for me.

Take care. :)

[zengarden]

Thank you for your reply Mallan. :hugs:I think I've never felt comfortable on them, and am sure it's them making my anxiety worse. I'm just scared if I come of them and start another what the effects will be. :( That's why I wanted to check if others were still experiencing such side effects after taking them for this length of time.
Thanks again for your reply. :)

[Geoff2301]

I was switched onto 40mg Fluoxetine and 5 mg olanzapine about 3 months ago...... I have bad anxiety and depression........ and its taken a good 8 weeks or more to significantly improve. Never had any side effects from the fluoxetine though the olanazapine seemed to cause me some difficulties with my speech sometimes...... couldn't seem to get the words out somehow...... difficult to describe but it was listed as a possible side effect. I'd have a chat with your gp....... I believe they can increase the fluoxetine to 60mg a day. I wouldn't be surprised if some or even all the side effects could be from the withdrawal of paroxetine which is notorious for giving problems getting off them.

[bunnykins]

I've been on Fluoxetine for 7 weeks now and whilst I am able to go out a bit more than before, I am no way near the 'recovered' marker. Generally I feel worse - have a dodgy stomach most of the time, feel sick, bloated, have to go to the loo virtually every time I've eaten and keep getting a strange feeling in my throat which I know is a sign of anxiety, but I've only really had it the last couple of weeks. I work on a pc all day, so often have 'weird heads', which seem to have subsided a little, but I just feel full up, off my food, full of wind and indigestion since starting this fluoxetine - I'm worried about what's happening to my digestive system now as well!