What can the doctor do?

[blackbird]

Hi all,
I've been on fluoxetine 20mg for nearly 3 weeks and over the last week some horrible side effects have kicked in- I've been having something close to panic attacks every few hours, and this is really scary as I've never experienced this in my life before, not even just before I went on the medication.

I'm going to see the doctor on Monday, but I was just wondering if anyone can tell me if there is anything he can even do to help me other than take me off the meds/just tell me to get a grip and keep going? Is there anything that can be taken alongside fluoxetine to decrease anxiety/stop panic attacks? If anyone has been in a similar situation and could share their experience I'd be so grateful.

[Janine]

Hi Blackbird, this is normal, to cut a long story short I had really bad side effects and hit rock bottom a few times and thought it was never going to work, I had a few better days between waves of horrific side effects which felt like a living nightmare, these carried on until five and half weeks when suddenly i came out the other side, I was working towards 6 weeks as that is what everyone kept saying. Don't give up as you have come so far. My doctor gave me diazapan to use when I needed it and I took that when I was desperate to help me through and a beta blocker propanohol slow release 80mg to start with and then 160mg these really did help with the anxiety and still do as I am still on them (not the diazapan)

Hope this helps a bit. It is scarey but you can do it, take it minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day.

Janine