View Full Version : Fluoxetine, side effects, feeling the lowest I ever have
Hello everyone,
I've been reading this forum for a few days after a friend recommended it and I have to say it is a great help and comfort at what is proving to be such a terrible time.
I'm in my fourth week of being signed off work for depression and anxiety. My doctor has prescribed 40mg Prozac and I'm taking Diazepam in the short term to help take the edge off my anxiety. It's my 15th day on the drugs and the side effects have really kicked in - heightened anxiety, forgetfulness, vivid dreams and I can't eat a thing without feeling highly sick. I've no idea how much weight I've lost but it's a lot. My boyfriend (who I live with) is having to do everything around the house and I'm sleeping far too much.
I don't want to write an essay about what's been going on, but I've suffered from depression and anxiety in the past and have experienced different antidepressants and counselling sessions, but I've always taken a head-in-the sand approach and went cold turkey on all of these attempts. I know it has come to a head now because it's affecting my work - something I have always managed to separate from everything going on in my personal life. I tried to go back to work after three weeks and had a complete meltdown in front of my boss and a colleague, who thankfully was very good because she has been through something similar.
I know now that I need to take this very seriously and see through taking the drugs, but at the moment I feel so, so terrible. I've lost all concept of time and when I'm not feeling anxious I feel like a zombie. Even worse, I find it incredibly difficult to talk to people in real life, even those I'm closest to. I don't talk to my family, so I have no network there.
I know this is the worst time for side effects and that it shows the tablets are working, but if anybody could give me some coping advice or words of encouragement I'd be so grateful. I feel so terrible, I can't stop thinking negatively or feeling guilty about work. From reading this forum I know I'm not alone, but day-to-day I feel so alone and frightened by these side effects and my general state of mind.
Hi - sorry you are feeling so low -
I was on Prozac for 15 years on 20mg and worked extremely well - although side effects are bad. Stopped working last October so Dr upped me to 40mg I felt exactly like you are feeling lost one stone in a week.
I was on them for 6 terrible weeks just before Xmas - my advice is to drop straight to 20mg. 40mg is too high at this stage. Do not continue on this high dose - the anxiety is unbearable. Would give your dr a phone call and to drop to 20mg or do it straight away.
I had to come off it in the end and now on Citalopram 20mg for 3 weeks and upping tomorrow to 40mg.
Hope that helps a bit
Laura x
---------- Post added at 17:04 ---------- Previous post was at 17:03 ----------
40mg starting dose is far too high
Hi Laura,
Thanks so much for the reply. I have been on 40mg in the past and it worked for me (before I so stupidly went cold turkey because I started fearing the pills) so my doctor thinks this is appropriate for me. I saw him yesterday and he assured me that these side effects would pass in a week or two.
But right now, it is as you say. The anxiety is almost unbearable. Doses of Diazepam do help but things are proving so difficult. I think the food issue is perhaps the worst, especially today. I am sitting in a cafe right now and ordered a cup of tea which happened to come with a biscuit. Just looking at it is making me want to be sick. It is so silly and such a scary feeling.
Do you think perhaps I should go back to my docs in a couple of days if things are the same?
How are you on the Citalopram?
Janey
Hi Janey - I am no expert but I do know what you are going through - I felt so ill on 40mg could not stop shaking and tbh have never felt so ill in my life. Whereas the 20mg for all of those years served me very well. My little dog died in Oct suddenly and it opened a can of worms, if you like, that is when I was upped to 40mg!
It has been a long journey have been on the med merry go round and have had to go private too! I saw a Psychiatrist who diagnosed me with OCD (Obsessional) thoughts, etc, and have had this for years but the Prozac did stop it. It is early days with the Citalopram but the side effects are no where near as bad - imo - as Prozac. I found the first week fine on them but have felt tired more than anything - so the Psychiatrist put me on 10mg for 3 days then 20mg and 40mg tomorrow as he did not want to make the anxiety any worse. Have some lorazepam too but have been off work since November and am still in no fit state to return back!
Personally would go and see you doc as after 4 weeks the side effects should be lessening - 40mg is a very high starting dose though as Prozac is very stimulating.
I know exactly what you are going through and this site is invaluable.
Hope you find relief soon as do I!
Hi Laura,
I too have experienced Citalopram and, like you, the side effects were definitely less (my biggest memory from taking it was some crazy lucid dreams!)
Sorry to hear that your dog died, triggering the change in meds. Must be odd after all those years. Here's hoping the side effects don't increase when you up the dose.
Very surprisingly, I feel slightly better on the anxiety front today. I've read on here about good and bad days, but it's all been bad so far. Even more surprised as I 'risked' two beers last night. I hope this feeling lasts. Unfortunately I am no better on the food front.
By the way, I've only been on these meds for 16 days so I haven't reached the 4-week point. Trying hard to see it out.
J86, I'm new on Prozac, so can't comment about the side effects, as I've yet to experience any, apart from feeling a bit woozy, which I put down to the Diazepam 2mg at night. However, I have taken several ADs previously, and I know the side effects can be harrowing. Thing is, if you find one that suits you, stick with it. Good luck.
Hi Bosher,
Lucky you! Hope you avoid the worst of it. I'm also taking 2mg Diazepam, which does help a deal.
I am having another terrible day of anxiety and feelings of hopelessness. I just can't face getting out of bed today, even for tiny things.
Food-wise, I am no better. I've barely eaten a thing in the past 36 hours. Can anyone offer any advice about lack of appetite on Prozac? It's day 18 and I'm
getting pretty desperate. Every type of food I look at makes me want to be sick.
Hi Janey,
You are certainly having it rough, it's impossible to say what will work for you all I can do it tell you my tale!
I started 20mg Prozac for 4 weeks and improved, increased to 40mg for 4 weeks and felt worse - heightened anxiety, depressed, trembling, nausea, chest pain, reduced to 20mg and have improved no end. I too took 40mg with no problems about 9 years ago - but in hindsight -i was on steroids which can make you depressed and had had anxiety for a long time and so was very depressed by the time I started the 40mg. This time I didn't feel depressed when i started taking them, but was having panic attacks and general anxiety - maybe that's why that dose didn't suit me this time.
As for the eating, I was off my food for about 2 weeks but ate every 3 hours - whether I wanted to or not! very hard but it did make me feel better even if just a dry biscuit. Now i've reduced the dose my appetite is back to normal. Try to stick it for the 4 weeks but reducing to 20mg may be the answer - that dose does work for most people.
Remember you will get there, it's just finding the right dose for you. I'll subscribe to this thread and keep in touch
Sam:hugs:
Hi I have bin taken prozac for the last 5 yrs I stopped taken them bout 2 mnths ago bt it made me feel wrse with panic attacks,i ave bin taken them for 10 days now bt they not yet wrking,i was thnkin of uppering it to 40 mg myself bt after readin some f PO rums thnk I wil stick to 20 mg
Hi guys
I'm new on this, I've taken fluoxetine only for 12 days, fo the first time in my life. At the very beginning I started to feel quite dizzy and the acidity in my stomach started right away, although even if it's quite early I've felt that my mood has definitely improved I had a couple of excellent days, smiling all day!
Now I'm quite low because of the food thing. Yesterday I waited too long to have lunch and that made me feel so bad: dizzy, sweaty hands, troubles to breathe, general sickness, nausea...
I've read it is very important to eat well... so probably it was a bad idea not to eat on time.
I know this is really tough but we are not alone. At least we can share our feelings here. Hope you are feeling better... do not hesitate to send me msgs :)
Hugs!!!
Hi Elili
Think you went through the honeymoon period - it happens alot when starting new meds. You are now having side effects and they will start to lessen. Try and eat, if you can and do not be tempted to increase your dose.
I have PM you - have you any diazepam to take the edge of, if not, ring your doc, he should prescribe you some for the interim period.
Hope you feel better soon
Laura
Hi All,
I am new here but have been suffering anxiety and panic with now added depression for years. After a year on Lofepramine ( which helped a little but not enough) I came off it because of the side effects.
I have just been started on 20mg Prozac and have been taking it at that dose for a week now ( split into 10mg doses for first couple of days as I am so fearful of meds) and I have the worst anxiety ever, I wake up, if I have slept that is and suddenly feel panicky and sick, my arms feel all tingly and I have to go the toilet to empty my bowels ( sorry) and then I am dry retching. My mood is very flat - I can neither smile nor cry. My eyes feel dry and tired but when I try to sleep my body twitches me awake! I am so fearful of the symptoms, I don't know what is real anymore.
I went to see the Doc today who advised that this is quite normal in the first few weeks but it is so hard as I feel too restless to lie there and bide time as my anxiety stops me relaxing at all.
My anxious thoughts kick in sometimes where I am thinking will i do something stupid with myself as i can't take it, doc says this is a tired mind clinging on to the negative. Great eh!
Because I'm awoken regularly at 6 am with severe stomach pain, my doctor said it was due to depression and prescribed Fluoxetine. Looking at this site, I'm now very reluctant to take it due to all the side effects described by others, though naturally if there was no other cure, I suppose I'd have to. However, looking at all the letters (and numerous ones on other sites) not one person has said this drug was prescribed for some kind of pain - only ever just for depression. O.K I accept that maybe my depression causes the pain, but is there just one other person out there who has been prescribed it for 'pain' rather than simply for 'depression'.
I also do not understand why depression could cause my stomach ache regularly at 6 am WHEN I'M ASLEEP AT THAT TIME!
Any suggestions?
Hmmm...the doctors seem to attribute everything to anxiety/depression/mental illness.
Around a year ago I started feeling really tense and agitated for no apparent reason. Long story short, I thought it was my medication, came off it, had a year of hell which involved feeling utterly depressed, scared I was going to lose control, worrying about nothing etc. In this time I tried a couple more antidepressants (both an SSRI and an older, tricyclic) but both made me feel horrible.
Then when I had a few months off all medication, the tenseness/agitation was still there. Every time I went back to the GP they kept attributing it to anxiety, even though I wasn't worrying about anything in particular. I know that when I worry I get a rapid heart rate, feel butterflies in my stomach etc, but the GP still thought it was mental health related...
Is it stomach as opposed to bowel pain? I'm just wondering because doctors sometimes prescribe SSRIs at a low dose to manage irritable bowel syndrome - essentially a lot of the body's serotonin is found in the GI Tract and thus antidepressants can help with this. I've never heard of fluoxetine being prescribed simply for a stomach ache, so I'd get a second opinion if I were you.
ok, so how are we all doing??? I'm in week 9 I think, 2 weeks on the 40mg... Haven't noticed too much of a difference since the increase... do you guys think the increase takes 6-8 weeks to build too? and please someone tell me the side effects aren't going to come back :ohmy:
hi all, new member. just thought I would chime in on this thread as i'm experiencing similar side effects. hit the 2 week mark on 20mg fluoxetine for anxiety/depression. The stomach ache seems to have subsided and my appetite has come back somewhat. (on and off anyway). I am however feeling really really low and had a panic attack a couple of days ago which scared me to death.
I have taken some solace in reading this forum but only been 2 weeks in is quite an overwhelming feeling when people generally don't see improvements for 6 weeks! I don't know how i'm going to cope.
I live with my partner but i'm struggling to be able to talk to her about what i'm going through. I feel worthless and like a burden. Although she is supportive and has re-assured me that this is not the case it is putting some strain on the relationship which is also adding to my problems. I'm finding it hard to accept that my perception of everything is skewed by the depression and side effects. I keep telling myself nothing is as bad as it seems but I just can't shake this gloom.
I don't know what i'm hoping to achieve by posting really but I just feel very isolated and like i'm having a bad trip that will never end.
I'm considering making an appointment to see my Dr and enquiring about diazepam, is this readily subscribed in the UK? Anything to take the edge off would be a godsend. I haven't really left the house in two weeks, went for a walk today which did help a bit but it going out seems like a daunting prospect, so does staying in feeling like this though! Sorry for the ramble and i hope everyone feels better soon!
Stick with it, speak to your GP about how to help side effects. just think that this time next month you could be feeling loads better!
hi all, new member. just thought I would chime in on this thread as i'm experiencing similar side effects. hit the 2 week mark on 20mg fluoxetine for anxiety/depression. The stomach ache seems to have subsided and my appetite has come back somewhat. (on and off anyway). I am however feeling really really low and had a panic attack a couple of days ago which scared me to death.
I have taken some solace in reading this forum but only been 2 weeks in is quite an overwhelming feeling when people generally don't see improvements for 6 weeks! I don't know how i'm going to cope.
I live with my partner but i'm struggling to be able to talk to her about what i'm going through. I feel worthless and like a burden. Although she is supportive and has re-assured me that this is not the case it is putting some strain on the relationship which is also adding to my problems. I'm finding it hard to accept that my perception of everything is skewed by the depression and side effects. I keep telling myself nothing is as bad as it seems but I just can't shake this gloom.
I don't know what i'm hoping to achieve by posting really but I just feel very isolated and like i'm having a bad trip that will never end.
I'm considering making an appointment to see my Dr and enquiring about diazepam, is this readily subscribed in the UK? Anything to take the edge off would be a godsend. I haven't really left the house in two weeks, went for a walk today which did help a bit but it going out seems like a daunting prospect, so does staying in feeling like this though! Sorry for the ramble and i hope everyone feels better soon!
Phil, you could almost be describing exactly how I was feeling a number of months ago when I started on Flux for the 1st time. I know the prospect of waiting a number of weeks to feel relief seems daunting....in fact, beyond daunting....almost impossible. But, from my experience, things did improve dramatically - and they've stayed improved. 2 or 3 weeks in is the worst is the absolutely worst time - no doubt about that. You've just got to know that it will improve. You'd be best speaking to your partner and letting her know that you're going through a particularly bad patch right now, and that it's probably due to the medication. Honestly, your body will get used to it soon. The effect it's had on me has been amazing. I could never, ever have imagined being care free the way I am now. I'm only disappointed that I resisted taking ADs for around a year - the single worst year of my life. Try to treat this period as if you are unwell i.e. with flu or something. This is almost universally the worst period - let your partner know this - take it easy - don't punish yourself - just do what ever you can to get through the days. Eventually you'll see improvements.
Thanks for the re-assurance! Glad to hear your doing well now. I have felt a bit better today, not going to get ahead of myself though, theres still a long way to go.
Hi Phil,
Prozac effect may take a while to kick in, if it doesn't get any better in the next 2 weeks you should discuss it with your doc though. For some people it might not work, and they'd need another AD instead. Sometimes there's a lot of trial and error until you find the right med.
Usually you are prescribed some benzodiazepines for the first 3/4 weeks when starting an AD for anxiety issues, if you doc didn't then ask for some indeed.
i really sympathise with all the people starting prozac, whatever week they may be on. I've just started week 5. have had depression before several years ago but got through it. took prozac this time for really bad anxiety problems which were stopping me seeing friends, going out, making me feel insecure etc... the prozac actually has made me feel really really depressed at times. maybe its just societal pressures or just that i am a man and feel i need to be strong but for some reason I find it really hard to talk about things like this even to my close friends but i've been crying a lot recently and dwelling on everything negative. it's almost impossible to think of anything positive. I know its irrational and a reaction to the drug but it feels like i'll never get better.. I also did something very stupid at the weekend I drank alcohol for the first time in 5 weeks and took recreational drugs, I had a really fun time, and felt like myself again and socialised with a number of friends that I haven't seen for ages (been a hermit a long time now, due to the anxiety then prozac sideffects) It felt great chatting to everyone and was a well needed release from the torment.. naturally now i'm feeling like i've taken a massive step back, feel like such an idiot for getting ahead of myself.. I can only hope that it works for me soon, if not i suppose I may have to discuss upping the dose. I most definitely will not be drinking etc.. again for the foreseeable future.. Apologies for the long post but I needed to get this off my chest. Good look to all and sorry if my post was inappropriate.
---------- Post added at 22:25 ---------- Previous post was at 22:15 ----------
this might not be relevant to some people on here but this is a short talk by a local lad who runs a sceptic/humanist group where I live about mental health and the way that its viewed in relation to other health problems.
It made me feel a bit less alienated and alone.
- wont let me add the link but if you google 'worfolk lectures - mental health' you should find it.
Hello everyone,
I started this thread an age back. I've been away for months. I'm not sure why as I found this site such a comfort. Basically, to update on my situation, I'm still on prozac (60mg per day) and it still isn't having any effect. I think it's fair to say it's about time I try something else! I'm still more-or-less the same, depression-wise; it's so awful. I've been avoiding going back to the docs for over a month... maybe tomorrow. My biggest issue at the moment is oversleeping. I sleep for literally 16/17 hours every day. I quit my job due to the events of the past 6 months (I didn't like it anyway and it was massively stressful) but I have been offered a new job, starting in 2 months' time. So I have two months to try to improve substantially. Not feeling massively confident things will change, but here's hoping.
How is everyone else doing?
You have given the Prozac more than enough time to work its magic Janey - stopping and changing to something else if needed would be advisable. I posted on this thread earlier in the year and wrote that I was better when reducing the dose, since then I reduced the dose further and continued to improve. I stopped it completely 14 days ago with a view to taking something else if necessary - I've got a script for escitalopram ready but am so far OK.
You need to go to your docs about reducing the Prozac this week, it may take a few weeks to come off it before you start something else, so the sooner you can do it the better.
Let us know how it goes
Love Sam
Hi guys new to the forum thing but am finding this one very comforting knowing people are in exactly the same boat i am. Its sometimes hard to get out how im feeling to my boyfriend who i live with (we also have a 9yr old son) to my family also because i crave some normality. I started citalopram 2months ago but had to stop after two weeks eventhough the 20mg was helping so much and i felt soooo happy unfortunately im allergic to them. I then started 20mg of prozac and fell deep into depression, overwhelming thoughts about cutting (something ive never even considered before) when my boyfriend found me in a daze at the bottom of the shower with the water running (i wanted to cut but he doesnt know) i went back to the doctors and asked to up the dosage to 40mg. That was 2weeks ago. Since then the anxiety is unbearable im snappy, tired, overthinking its just hell. Even when i laugh i feel its fake like im not even there. I guess that why thoughts about cutting have came to me because i need to feel like im here. Might not make sence to some but its the only way i can describe. I still am plagued with wanting to go in the shower sit down & cut i think about it every single day. The thing is i have an amazing supporting very handsome boyfriend, a well behaved 9yr old and a family who adores me.... This makes it worse! I have no reason. I dont know what to do......
OCDelighted
12-03-14, 17:47
Last 5 months have been a ****ing nightmare! I was taking 20mg of citalopram for 5 years without any real drama. Stopped because my OCD symptoms had reduced dramatically and I was feeling numb emotionally. Biggest mistake I've ever made, within 3 months I was completely broken. Re-commenced citalopram 20mg for 5 weeks to no avail, upped to 40mg only to find my anxiety worsening still. After 3 months I called it a day, my OCD seemed to have vanished for the most part only to be replaced with a crippling depression like I've never experienced before. Have been taking fluoxetine for the last 2 weeks and I'm starting to loose hope if I'm being honest. Anxiety is off the chart and I'm back at work, it's exhausting pretending your fine when inside you're anything but. Today took 2mg of diazepam, it seems to help curb the anxiety. I'll give it another 2 weeks before making a change if I see no progress. Next stop clomipramine!
HI OCDelighted , I have been on fluoxetine foe 8 weeks now ,this is my second time and like you I had awful side effects during the first weeks and thought the medication would never work and this continued until 7 weeks but when I got there things really started to sort its self out and this last week I have felt like my old self ,I can now think straight and settle down and rest without any negative thoughts , The time you have been on the tablets is not long enough to tell if they are working for you they can take a good few weeks to kick in but they are one of the best when they do , I know its easy to say stick with it and you will soon feel the benefit but it's not easy to do ,the people on this site have or are feeling just like you and we are all there when things get bad , even talking this way really helps and to read how others have coped really helps , Take one day at a time and you will get there ,
Hello everybody ,
New to forum please be patient . I have been on flouxetine for 14 years then at Christmas my doctor changed me to seroxat... Which has just made me slow and put on even more weight . ... I have made a decision to come off anti depressants which is really scary after being on them for so long ... Can any one offer any advice on how long till they are completely out of system .
I was always an anxious child hate being at school .. Away from home etc . Then in my twenties it got so bad couldn't do much at all eat out, go on bus , queue in shop but with plenty of excuse family didn't notice and I stayed like that for years ..
After 8years of that I eventually got help and started meds and gradually my life got better marriage , driving , eating out .But 14 years on not much more has improved .
Feel like I need a break from meds to see how I really feel ? Does that make any sense to anybody else ? Has anyone else put weight on with these pills ?
Sorry for super long post
HI NETTY , Like you I was on fluoxetine for along time and then I came off them but I have had to go back on as after about six months I started with depression and anxiety again , I have now been back on them 10 weeks and after all the side effects I am feeling much better and I don't think I will stop them again in a hurry , I hope you don't start being ill again but all I am saying is be aware that it can happen and if you feel things getting bad again get help sooner rather than later , x
I know I'm a little late to this post...but after waking up in the middle of the night in a terrible panic attack I had to go searching to see if this had happened to anyone else. It is so helpful to know there are others out there like me. I was on Cymbalta for several months and wound up going off everything since it wasn't really working. I did great for a couple of months and then the depression came back something awful. My doctor put me on celexa but my heart was racing so bad that I didn't last more than a week on that. I have now been on Prozac for 2 1/2 weeks and am having terrible panic attacks. I wasn't having this before so I'm assuming it's just a sign the medicine is actually starting to work. I'm going on faith that it will get better. I start back to work in 3 weeks so it's kind of crunch time for me. Glad to know there other people out there in the same situation.
Hi, all,
I just thought I might add a bit of food for thought here. When I didn't respond satisfactorily (feel normal/better, function well) on one SSRI, he simply switched class, rather than put me through trials of all of them. I am now on something that addresses more than only serotonin, and it is working well for me. Doctors all have their different reasonings, but my doc's preference with changing to a different class being the key has worked for me.
All the best! :hugs:
Marie xx
Well... Where the heck do I start?
Hi everybody. I started this thread over two years ago when I was feeling so, so low. And here I am again - although this time things may be worse, which I didn't think was possible. But here I am - it's week 9, I'm on 60mg Prozac and 5mg diazepam. What a truly evil disease this is. I sleep for about 18 hours a day, forget to eat, often can't muster the energy to shower and I barely leave my house.
To update you, after my last experience with depression I eventually started coping, but barely. Amazingly - I have no idea how - I got some very good jobs and did well in my career. But that's over now and I have decided to change direction when I get better. My job was high pressure and very traumatic at times; simply not suitable for somebody with my mindset.
I guess I just wanted to return for support - and to offer support too. I feel guilty I just left the site last time when people were good to me. Please do share and hopefully we can offer each other some mutual support and helpful advice.
J
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