Day 37 (5wks 2 days).........fluoxetine.

[mumo42012]

Hey I'm 2 days into my 6th week on fluox and the last 2 days have been bad, can't sleep, headache I can't get rid of! And generally feeling anxious, can't stop thinking I've gone back to the beginning!
I've had a fine few weeks and don't want to go back to all that.

Am I just having a blip, or are the meds starting to not work?

I'm also taking propranolol. Xx

[Arnie365]

Hi there, you are two days behind me! Day 39 for me today. Are you on 20mg?

I have had a few panics in the morning over the past week and woke up at 3.30am this morning and just couldnt go back to sleep. Im putting it down to a blip so wouldnt worry about it. Had a few more chest pains (my main symptom) today as well after quite a few days without much at all.

I like to think of it as the anxiety in its final throws. It knows its going to get beat and is trying everything to drag me back down again.

I find visualising it like an actual person helps me. Its my enemy within but now I recognise it and can see its face I find I can face it better.

[Janine]

Arnie you are right it is the anxiety having its last few throws,

Mumo it is just a blip, they happen for a couple of days but you will feel better again, It takes to about 10 -12 weeks to stop having them and even then if you feel unwell for any reason you think you are having another one.

Hang in there you will be fine again I promise, the Flux has helped me get my life back and I am on 160mg of propanolol slow release and know they are both helping me so much xxxx

[mumo42012]

Thanks for reply, it's so good to know we're not alone.
Yes am on 20g! I had a couple days at the beginning that were bad but then was quite shocked at how quickly I seemed to feel better, then this! It's really got me down. The headaches are awful! I've got things to do today aswell which makes it worse. X

---------- Post added at 12:31 ---------- Previous post was at 12:29 ----------

Thanks Janine. Xxxx it def helps to talk to u guys xx

[Janine]

I had a lot of headaches too, I suffer with migraine and it really did make them worse for quite a few weeks, my doc said it was strange because both the meds the flux and the propanolol should help with migraine having said that now I have settled down they are helping with my migraines and I have gone from having 2 or more a week to 1 every 6 weeks or so which is great, so some good has come out of all this!!! Ha Ha

[mumo42012]

That's good. X
I was beginning to think the mess had stopped working!
This is such a horrid thing to have to deal with!
There has been a boy go missing since new yrs eve in our area too,so maybe that's played a part in the anxiety being higher too. X

---------- Post added at 13:26 ---------- Previous post was at 13:25 ----------

Meds not mess x

[Janine]

They havn't just another bump on the road to recovery, things like the boy going missing is playing on your mind because you are feeling very anxious at the moment and it is difficult once you get something in your mind to get it out, it is very sad but you must think about yourself and your family that doesn't mean that you do not care.xxx

[mumo42012]

Thanks again for takin the time to reply, my lil girl is due at a party at 3, I wasn't sure we were gonna go but I think I wil force myself. It wil get us out of the house. Xx
Wil pop back on after. X

[Janine]

I had a really bad few days when I was at 5weeks and then suddenly at five and half weeks i started to feel me again and I have more or less just got better and better since then.

try and enjoy the party xx

[Arnie365]

Hi Mr X I'm not sure thats strictly true!

It's down to the medication readjusting the chemical balances in our brains.

Unfortunately a lot of people have to try a few different ssris or snris before they find the right one and they aren't a quick fix as it takes a few months for them to kick in properly.

If you have given fluoxetine a good 10-12 weeks with no improvement have you tried anything else? There will be one which works for you.

[Janine]

Yes you are so right with what you say Arnie, I do not know where I would be without this medication, I had never suffered with anxiety etc before in my life, never want to again and at the moment it is the medication that is keeping me right. I went through 6 -8 weeks of pure hell, a couple of weeks before the meds and then the side effects to get to where I am now.

[Dan1975]

I find visualising it like an actual person helps me. Its my enemy within but now I recognise it and can see its face I find I can face it better.

This is the worst thing u can do. The more u fight it, the worse it will get. Anxiety is a normal. Your loathing and fear of it prompts more anxiety. I recommend reading 'the happiness trap' by Russ Harris - great stuff!

[Arnie365]

This is the worst thing u can do. The more u fight it, the worse it will get. Anxiety is a normal. Your loathing and fear of it prompts more anxiety. I recommend reading 'the happiness trap' by Russ Harris - great stuff!

Hi Dan maybe this came out wrong I don't fight my anxiety I accept it. I've tried fighting it I've even tried taunting it but that only made it worse. It's more of a visual thing for me. I know it is me and my thoughts but at the same time it's not. By separating it off it allows me to step away from my thoughts and not get consumed with them. I tried cbt techniques like being a river and thoughts being leaves flowing down etc but couldn't detach myself and observe. I find seeing my anxiety as a different being allows me to do this. I can stop and observe.

And Mr X sorry you are struggling to find something which works for you. I'm sure I've seen a member on here Baggs I think who went through a huge list before finding something which worked. I don't see what he's on, on your list as it begins with a D I think. Maybe have a look for him or pm him?

---------- Post added at 06:52 ---------- Previous post was at 06:16 ----------

Duloxetine just saw it again on a post

[Arnie365]

A apparently it's a lot more expensive than other ssris so doesn't get prescribed commonly!

[Kobey]

I was on Prozac for about 4 months, it worked a little for me but I got terrible headaches and sweats. I had none or little problem coming off of it though.