Feeling worse?

[AngelicSwallow]

I've been on Prozac for 3 weeks after moving from sertraline, the doctor told be I'd feel worse for a few days while switching but then I should be ok again, I've been fine until Friday, when I had a panic attack, I have only had 3 other panic attacks in my life so it kind of shocked me and these past few days I've just been really upset, anxious and just really down I'm general, I was put on Sertraline around September '12 so a couple of months after my 17th birthday, I very usually felt this down on them and I was no where near as anxious?
I also feel bad because my dad came home early from a wedding him and my mum went to because I was anxious, even though I told him not to. I just feel like a hassle to them at the moment..

[OncewasSupergirl]

Bless you AngelicSwallow,
have a look at some of the threads on this forum for fluoxetine..its really not uncommon to feel worse before better im afraid on this medication.
Ive been on them just over 3 weeks n its been an up n down process, some peoples side effects dont seem to kick in till a few weeks.
As for your parents...im sure they want to support you...believe me im 35 n the first week of the fluox i had my Mum going everywhere with me even staying the night cos i was too scared to be on my own. It will get better and let them support you...you are not a hassle you are there daughter n they will want to help you. I know how you feel though cos ive felt exactly the same. Theres a big following on Princess2206 thread incl me have a look, take care xx

[Princess2206]

Hi AngelicSwallow, i really understand how you feel. Prozac can make you feel very bad in first few weeks. My boyfriend had to take days off becouse I panicked when he was living the house. He was seating with me all day. I felt really horrible and hopeless and I had lots of dark days but I feel much better now in week 7. I just increase medication to 40mg and hope I will feel even better. Keep posting and contact me at ant time if you have any questions or you just want to talk. Big hugs xxx

[AngelicSwallow]

Bless you AngelicSwallow,
have a look at some of the threads on this forum for fluoxetine..its really not uncommon to feel worse before better im afraid on this medication.
Ive been on them just over 3 weeks n its been an up n down process, some peoples side effects dont seem to kick in till a few weeks.
As for your parents...im sure they want to support you...believe me im 35 n the first week of the fluox i had my Mum going everywhere with me even staying the night cos i was too scared to be on my own. It will get better and let them support you...you are not a hassle you are there daughter n they will want to help you. I know how you feel though cos ive felt exactly the same. Theres a big following on Princess2206 thread incl me have a look, take care xx

I just think I wasn't ready for such a bad effect, I thought it'd be similiar to those that I got on sertraline but no I am 10x more anxious, I havent been out of the house for weeks :( I will look at that thread, thankyou :)


Hi AngelicSwallow, i really understand how you feel. Prozac can make you feel very bad in first few weeks. My boyfriend had to take days off becouse I panicked when he was living the house. He was seating with me all day. I felt really horrible and hopeless and I had lots of dark days but I feel much better now in week 7. I just increase medication to 40mg and hope I will feel even better. Keep posting and contact me at ant time if you have any questions or you just want to talk. Big hugs xxx

I just feel like I am supposed to be fine because my parents act like as soon as I take it I should be better, I just want to notice the effects :(

[Princess2206]

Unfortunately Prozac works very slow and can make you feel worse for sometime before you will feel better. You need to be very patient. I felt really upset as well becouse I thought I should feel much better in few days if taking them but it is not how the work. You will feel much better but it takes time. It is good your parents supporting you:) and don't feel guilty becouse it makes anxiety much worse. Just take it easy and try to relax. xxx

[OncewasSupergirl]

AngelicSwallow,
Its funny you should say you felt ok on sertraline cos I took it n it made my anxiety sky high, I hated it n would never touch it ever again. I was expecting a similar reaction on Prozac but it hasn't been as bad. Are you sure our parents are expecting you to be fine as soon as you take it, or is that what you think they think? Have you spoken to them n told them how you feel?
Are you taking prozac for anxiety/depression or panic or all three? X x

[AngelicSwallow]

Unfortunately Prozac works very slow and can make you feel worse for sometime before you will feel better. You need to be very patient. I felt really upset as well becouse I thought I should feel much better in few days if taking them but it is not how the work. You will feel much better but it takes time. It is good your parents supporting you:) and don't feel guilty becouse it makes anxiety much worse. Just take it easy and try to relax. xxx

I know, I am really grateful that they are there for me, even when it has been hard. They are amazing.


AngelicSwallow,
Its funny you should say you felt ok on sertraline cos I took it n it made my anxiety sky high, I hated it n would never touch it ever again. I was expecting a similar reaction on Prozac but it hasn't been as bad. Are you sure our parents are expecting you to be fine as soon as you take it, or is that what you think they think? Have you spoken to them n told them how you feel?
Are you taking prozac for anxiety/depression or panic or all three? X x

I found Sertraline helped my anxiety a bit, but I had terrible insomnia with them. I suppose it is only what I assume, I have trouble talking to my parents. We've been to family therapy to try to help but even after being through that for a few years everything I talk to them about feelings I clam up and feel like im about to cry and just get frustrated with myself and end up shouting.

Im taking it for all of them, I had issues with going out of the house and also had problems with low moods and self harm etc.

[Maddis mum]

Hi angelic, so sorry you are suffering. Princess and super are right. I am 6 weeks on prozac. I was on lexapro before this but it did t help much so we switched to prozac. I tapered I a one week period. My dr also said that I should only feel bad for a week or so but I felt perfectly fine for the first 2 weeks and then the side effects hit. High anxiety, no appetite, depression, crying, phobias. I made a phone call to a medication expert at the months university here and I asked him if this was normal. He said to me that side effects can hit at any time and that also it can still be part of the withdrawal from the lexapro.
From everything I have read here of people's experiences prozac takes forever to reach a steady state. 6 to 8 weeks is normal. In the last few days I have started to notice my depression is getting less and so is the anxiety. Hold tight, you will get better. Keep posting on here and we will support you. I could have cried when I found princess on here and she has been such a great support and also super and there are others here willing to help you. Did your dr offer you and diazepam or anything to help you through till the medication settles down?

---------- Post added at 11:52 ---------- Previous post was at 11:50 ----------

Go and read the thread started by princess and you will see many helpful posts from Janine who went through exactly what we are going through and she is quite well now.

[AngelicSwallow]

Hi angelic, so sorry you are suffering. Princess and super are right. I am 6 weeks on prozac. I was on lexapro before this but it did t help much so we switched to prozac. I tapered I a one week period. My dr also said that I should only feel bad for a week or so but I felt perfectly fine for the first 2 weeks and then the side effects hit. High anxiety, no appetite, depression, crying, phobias. I made a phone call to a medication expert at the months university here and I asked him if this was normal. He said to me that side effects can hit at any time and that also it can still be part of the withdrawal from the lexapro.
From everything I have read here of people's experiences prozac takes forever to reach a steady state. 6 to 8 weeks is normal. In the last few days I have started to notice my depression is getting less and so is the anxiety. Hold tight, you will get better. Keep posting on here and we will support you. I could have cried when I found princess on here and she has been such a great support and also super and there are others here willing to help you. Did your dr offer you and diazepam or anything to help you through till the medication settles down?

---------- Post added at 11:52 ---------- Previous post was at 11:50 ----------

Go and read the thread started by princess and you will see many helpful posts from Janine who went through exactly what we are going through and she is quite well now.

No they didn't, I don't like talking about it to them so I usually don't tell them I'm in struggling, my doctors seems to change everytime I go so none of them know if I'm struggling or not.

[AngelicSwallow]

I just really want this to end :( I keep getting really light headed, im getting really aggressive and just down in general :( I really dont know what to do anymore.

[Maddis mum]

Hun your not even at the 4 week mark yet are you? I am 7 weeks and only the last 2 days have I felt like I am getting well. I have been highly agitated, anxious, angry etc. prozac sucks until it starts to work. If you can ride it out for atleast another 2 weeks you will start to I prove. Everyone who's thread I have read never improve before 6 weeks. Keep going. You will get through this.

[AngelicSwallow]

Hun your not even at the 4 week mark yet are you? I am 7 weeks and only the last 2 days have I felt like I am getting well. I have been highly agitated, anxious, angry etc. prozac sucks until it starts to work. If you can ride it out for atleast another 2 weeks you will start to I prove. Everyone who's thread I have read never improve before 6 weeks. Keep going. You will get through this.

Nope I will be at the 4 week mark on the 11th :( I really hate waiting for it to work, im an impatient person anyway but its making me feel like **** :( I just want to cry all the time and curl up in bed. Im getting moody with everyone and most of the time I keep to myself because I dont want to upset anyone because im in a down mood :(

[Maddis mum]

Angelic i know that feeling well. I at at 7 weeks and i feel like i am improving now. When i was at 4 weeks i was a absolute mess having thorughts of suicide. Not that i wanted to act on them. just that i would rather be dead. I was crying daily, depressed, tired, anxious, agitated, internal shaking as well as hands shaking. I am now feeling better but its very slow. i am sure i have more bad days to come but atleast now i have some good days also. You will get there. You will be yourself again and you will be happy. Big hugs:hugs:

[OncewasSupergirl]

AngelicSwallow, im just over 4 weeks n have seen some improvement so hang in there i know how hard it is when you feel like cack, ive had a few ok days n then some ughh days its all so distressing but will get better x x

[Charlie11]

Hi princess. Prozac seems to have this effect on a lot of people ( me included) every time they increase my dosage they tell me it could take another 6-8 wks to work my anxiety is really bad in the morning. This forum gives great advice and from what I can see if we can persevere with Prozac it does work wonders. Hang on in there .

[OncewasSupergirl]

Charlie, what dose are you on and have you taken prozac before? X x

[AngelicSwallow]

Angelic i know that feeling well. I at at 7 weeks and i feel like i am improving now. When i was at 4 weeks i was a absolute mess having thorughts of suicide. Not that i wanted to act on them. just that i would rather be dead. I was crying daily, depressed, tired, anxious, agitated, internal shaking as well as hands shaking. I am now feeling better but its very slow. i am sure i have more bad days to come but atleast now i have some good days also. You will get there. You will be yourself again and you will be happy. Big hugs:hugs:

I hope so! Im not really looking forward to the doctor appointment next week. I go with my dad because I have trouble talking to people I dont know in person and he always likes to say everything is fine when it isnt so hopefully it'll just be a quick visit.


AngelicSwallow, im just over 4 weeks n have seen some improvement so hang in there i know how hard it is when you feel like cack, ive had a few ok days n then some ughh days its all so distressing but will get better x x

I just wish I could sleep for a few weeks and wake up with I have more good days..I've been having such a bad few days and my urges to self harm have come back and suicidal thoughts, though not as bad as I have had them. I just hate having them and hate when I feel like I want to give it all in :(

[OncewasSupergirl]

Could you ask your Dad to wait in the waiting room whilst you see the GP alone? You need to tell your GP how you really feel. As for the self harm n suicidal thoughts I have had them too especially at the start of the fluox have found I can dismiss them now a few weeks on...its only your high anxiety making them feel so real...hang in there x x

[AngelicSwallow]

Could you ask your Dad to wait in the waiting room whilst you see the GP alone? You need to tell your GP how you really feel. As for the self harm n suicidal thoughts I have had them too especially at the start of the fluox have found I can dismiss them now a few weeks on...its only your high anxiety making them feel so real...hang in there x x

I could but it's a new doctor and if I went in on my own i'd just get all panicky and then my throat closes up when I try to talk. I hope they will go away soon I havent had an episode of SI for a few weeks now and I really dont want to relapse again.

[AngelicSwallow]

Hey guys,
Thought i'd just give quick update. I've had a really really bad few days. On Thursday, Friday and Monday I SI. I have about 70 cuts and had to have an emergency doctors appointment on Friday for them. I also had another appointment yesterday to get more Prozac and they want to see me again on Friday.
The doctor I saw on Friday pushed my counselling appointments forward to I will be starting those on next Monday which Im not sure if im happy or just frightened about. I havent had a good experience with counselling for years.
I hope that you are all okay though -hugs-
Angel <3

[Charlie11]

Hi super girl, I'm know on 60 mgs and 30 mgs of mirtazipine which helps me sleep. I haven't taken Prozac before this but was on paroxetine for 17 yrs and felt they weren't working as well. I don't remember paroxetine taken so long to work some days I wish I hadn't came off them. You will get there with Prozac for some reason it seems to take in some cases upto 12 weeks. Everyone is different. Ask your doc if he can prescribe another med to take with the Prozac to help with the side effects. Hang in there sending big hugs