Blip on fluoxetine

[Arnie365]

I've been on fluoxetine 20mg for 9 and a half weeks now and been doing really well. On Tuesday I had a panic attack out of nowhere and yesterday and this morning I have felt a bit panicky like I was in weeks 2-3 of the meds. Just nervous I'm going to have another panic attack.

Has anyone else experienced a blip like this after this length of time?

[Janine]

Yes Arnie, I think we feel a bit anxious and then fear it all starting up again, I have had a couple of blips but they have both started in the night and have taken a couple of days and then gone.

Try not to worry, easier said than done I know but the flux in your system wont let it go back to how it was if you get my drift.

How long before that baby comes now (you will be too tired then to have anxiety) lol!!

[Arnie365]

Hi Janine

Baby due in June! Getting close now.

Still feeling panicky and just had a propranolol which does calm me down a bit. Just don't know where this panic has come from having not had a panic attack since mid December and been doing really well. Thought I was beyond this now.

Did you still get odd panic attacks then around weeks 9 and 10?

[Janine]

Yes I did have odd ones, I am on a slow release propanolol 160mg which means it keeps in my system all the time, it really helped me so much when my anxiety was bad and I am convinced that is what helps me to stay how I am.

My first son was born in June so it is a good month!!!

[Arnie365]

Thanks Janine again. Did you have the odd one after quite a few weeks without anxiety/panic? That's what I'm struggling with given I've not had one for weeks and its come out of the blue.

I must admit I've started wondering whether I need to consider upping my fluoxetine or whether it is just a blip.

Really appreciate your time hun

[Janine]

Yes they did come out of the blue, felt ok during the day went to bed woke up feeling sick and hot and all the anxiety feelings, felt really off all day and then after a nights sleep I started to feel better again, it happened a few days after Christmas after we had had a nice day with my sister and partner and then again a couple of weeks ago.

I think you are just having blips, try not to worry, see how things go in next week or so.

[Arnie365]

Thanks Janine. Took a lot of positives from your posts when I was having a hard time in weeks 2 and 3 so taking your advice again now!

Thanks

[Maddis mum]

Sorry to hear that Arnie. I don't have a answer as I still feel rubbish all the time but I have a good friend on fluoxetine the past 2 years and every now and then she has some heightened anxiety and has to take a valium. I don't think the prozac ever cures us completely but just makes it so that it does not happen very often. Had you had a busy few days and were you tired?

---------- Post added at 16:07 ---------- Previous post was at 16:06 ----------

Oh and congratulations on the baby. That is so etching to look forward to. First?

[Arnie365]

Hi Maddis mum, yes first!

Not particularly stressful did I had therapy on Monday night and on Tuesday morning a few things came to me that could be behind my fear of dying. I don't know if these revelations set me off Tuesday afternoon or not.

To be honest, my panic attacks are just like they were in the first weeks of fluoxetine. I don't feel particularly anxious or have thoughts I'm dying. It just comes in waves and I feel dizzy even when sitting. Hopefully it will pass soon and I'll get back on with my recovery.

[Janine]

They will pass Arnie, and yes it probably was the thereapy. I woke this morning feeling a bit strange and I think we are going to have days like that but they will not last like they did before, I know mine is because I am taking my mum out for the day and she can be quite difficult but it is nearly a year since we lost my dad and I know it is difficult for her, ( but what she forgets is it is hard for me too)

[Arnie365]

Well my blip continues! Had another panic attack yesterday whilst out shopping and have had stabbing chest pains most of last evening and still this morning. So frustrated, I really thought i was passed all this but now Ive been back to Dr google looking for possible explanations, something Ive not done for months and am considering booking myself in to see a private cardiologist just so i can get in faster than NHS.

I know this is all wrong and recognise the downward pattern I fell into last time but its so scary. I just keep thinking Im not going to make it to see my baby be born and to be there to support my wife and that thought is making me irrational and driving my fear.


Argh!

[Maddis mum]

Arnie what dose are you on? Are you still on 20? Maybe you need to go up like I did. How many weeks has it been? My dr said after 8 weeks if problems they always increase.

[Arnie365]

Hi Maddis mum. 10 weeks today.

I have thought about that myself. So annoying as I was only at docs last Monday to discuss my endoscopy results and i was telling her how well I was doing! Might book in for tomorrow. Weird how I got a lot better though on 20mg then nose dived again.

[Janine]

Arnie, 10 weeks is still early days, you may need an increase but i think it is a blip and it will pass, the problem is we always think the worst when we have an off day and think we are going to go back to how bad we were but you won't and you will be here to see that baby born and help your wife, try not to worry and relax a bit, easier said than done i know.

[Kayleigh100]

Hi Arnie. If you read my Nooooooooo thread on the panic attack area of the forums you will see my blips over the last month or so. I am now on week 13 of fluoxetine, so the blips would have started around 8-9 weeks.

So, it is normal. I know how disheartening it is when you get them after such a good time free of extreme anxiety. I immediately go into a survival type mode and treat each hour as it comes. Focusing on the fact that the worst is usually over within 24 hours.

I am on 20mg too.

Hope you start to feel better soon.

[Arnie365]

Thanks guys. Really good to have your support. I think I'm going to give it another week before going back to doctors and see how I get on.

[Kayleigh100]

Good luck for this week.

[Kayleigh100]

Hi Arnie,

How are you doing today?

[Arnie365]

Hi Kayleigh was a bit better yesterday thanks. Saw my therapist last night and she said I'm getting closer to discovering my fear and that this usually brings panic back. My dreams have also got really vivid over the past two weeks and again she said this can trigger panic during the day.

Just have to accept it for what it is really.

How are you?

[Maddis mum]

Hi Arnie, how are you?

[Kayleigh100]

Hi Arnie,

I'm somewhere in the middle of the learning process like you. I think blips are to be expected at this stage and hopefully we will learn to deal with them over time and they will get less and less. I always feel as if I am living on a line where not much is needed to dip me under. I'm looking forward to the day when I actually feel happy.

Pleased that working with a therapist is positive for you.

[Arnie365]

Hi Kayleigh/Maddis Mum

Much better day today. One mini panic but passed quite quickly. Hopefully blip over.

Hope you're both ok?

[Janine]

Good news Arnie, hope it stays like it for you.

[Maddis mum]

Arnie my new psychiatrist just prescribed me zyprexa 1.25 to take at night. she said its half the lowest dose but that when used in this way it helps sleep and will stop me waking with the anxious nervous energy. Apparently its a antipsychotic in much higher doses but in tiny doses its a mood stabiliser. I took it last night and i did not wake with any nervousness. I feel ok. Only thing is that i slept till 10am. Thas not good so i hope that doesnt keep up. I did sleep deeper tho. You ever tried anything like that?

[Arnie365]

No, fortunately my sleep hasn't been affected really. Had a few early mornings but over the past few weeks I've been sleeping in until the alarm. Hope they help take the edge off for you a bit. Long long now for you on fluoxetine?

[Kayleigh100]

Hi Arnie,
I am OK today, thank you. Pleased your day yesterday was good and blip soon sorted. Hope today is going well too!

[Arnie365]

Forgot to take my fluoxetine yesterday morning. Took it at 6 PM instead and woke up at 3am today. Hooray! :-(

Feel fine just know I'm going to be tired later.

[Kayleigh100]

Hope you have had a good week Arnie!

[Arnie365]

Hi Kayleigh yes it's been another good week so far. That's 2 in a row without a panic episode. Some days it's been easy to be more positive and think about the future. All good signs. I'll be better prepared for the next blip if I do have one. How are you doing?

[Janine]

Hi both, it is good that you are both doing so well, i had a little blip last night just as I was drifting off to sleep again, my legs were wobbly, I could not relax again and just felt ugh, decided to take a strong sleeping pill and it must have worked as I fell asleep and feel fine this morning, why I do not know as there was nothing that happened during the day to start it of, the only good thing is I think we are dealing with them, that may still happen but they go again.

[Arnie365]

H Janine

Yes I'm accepting of the fact that they will probably continue to happen but as long as they stay in the minority then I'm happy np and I'm sure it will fade even more over time. It's not dominating my life at the moment and that's how I want it to stay.

I look back now and I've come so far in 3 months of fluoxetine and therapy. I am really proud of my progress and am not going to beat myself up for slipping. It's still early days in beating this.

[Maddis mum]

Hi Arnie, I don't get on here as much at the moment. Been out living and enjoying life again. I just wanted to check on you. How are you doing? Well I have been on prozac 8 weeks now and 5 of those weeks I have been on 30mg. I have felt good for 12 days straight now. I know I am sure to have bad days again but this is the best I have felt for over a year. I am so glad I stuck out the terrible side effects. Private message me any time as I don't get on here every day. Having fun with my kids again. Xxx

[Arnie365]

Hi Maddis mum

thats great you are feeling better. Ive had two weeks straight now feeling good as well. Almost able to forget it all and get on with living life again.

Hope its stays this way for us all.

I dont come on quite as often either but good to know NMP and all you wonderful people are still there if I need you!

Take care

[Janine]

Glad you are both doing so well, it is such a good feeling when you start to feel better and then stay like it, we can all deal with these odd little blips compared to how we felt before going on the medication and those horrible five to six weeks of hell with the side effects it is great.

[Maddis mum]

Arnie and Janine, how are you both doing? It's exactly 6 weeks on 30mg today. I had 2 whole weeks of feeling almost normal but today and yesterday I feel quite low and sad. Argh, why does this happen? Does it mean I am going backwards? Need a increase?

[Arnie365]

Hi Maddis mum, no it doesn't mean this at all. Bear in mind which thread you are posting this in. It's mine from when I had a blip for nearly a week at week 10! These blips do happen for whatever reason. Just keep going it will pass. I've now had another good two weeks since then and hit 3 months last Sunday.

I know all too well it's disheartening when it happens. I just sucked it up, found reassurance from you guys on here and plodded on. It passed after about 4-5 days then the good days started again.

Keep going!

[Maddis mum]

Thanks Arnie, it's a real shock to the system when I finally had 2 good weeks and I believed I was coming out the other side of this nightmare only to wake depressed and anxious. It's not even over anything. Just wake that way. Argh. I have been very weepy today and I went to the hair salon and just wanted to run out of there the whole time. I usually love it but not since I got sick. How long do your blips last for? Was that the only one you have had at week 10?

[Arnie365]

No I had a few lasting a couple of days in weeks 6-8 I think then i went two weeks feeling good then a week of 'blip' at week 10 and two good weeks since.

It's the long game I'm afraid and I fully expect me to have another before I'm done with this. I hope I don't and I'm not looking for it or anticipating it as such. Hopefully I'll be proved wrong it I certainly won't let it drag me down again if it does happen.

[Janine]

Kim. these little blips happen, but they will not last long and you will get over them quite quickly, remember when you are feeling normal we all have off days but I think when we have an off day we think that it is all going to come back again but it won't and now the medication is in your system it stops you going all the way down again.

Arnie had a couple of blips a couple of weeks ago but he got over them and I have had them too, you will be good again.

xxx

[Maddis mum]

Thanks both of you. That was my first 2 weeks after 7 weeks of hell. This is my first blip so I'm frightened it won't end. I guess if I have more good days and then a blip again I will better be able to believe it will come to a end. Today I have woken with internal shaking again. And so tired still.

[Arnie365]

It will end! And I know what you mean. In many ways it seems worse than before when you go off after several good days but as Janine says, you can't go back to how you were and I think if you really think about it the symptoms probably aren't as bad as before. You just seem to take it worse because when you have good days you feel great and then get so disappointed with the setbacks. Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day for you. Just try to accept it as inevitable the best you can. Going to bed worrying if the next day will be better wont help either as going to bed anxious usually meant waking up anxious for me. Just accept that what will be will be and one day soon you will wake up feeling good again. Take care

[Maddis mum]

Hi Arnie, i am just checking in. How are you doing? I am nearly 10 weeks now and a lot better. My blip lasted a few days but as you said i got over it. It shakes you tho. My appetite is back bigger than ever before. Dont know what thats about. I am usually quite healthy but lately i want cake and cookies. grrr.
How are things for you?

[Arnie365]

Hi Maddis mum, great you are feeling better! :yesyes:

I'm good thanks. Still have the odd wobble but doing really well. Able to focus much more on the positives and look forward to enjoying life again.

It does shake you when it happens I think because we fear the worse that we are going to get dragged back to that horrible place we were several weeks ago.

Keep going :hugs:

[Maddis mum]

Well I spoke to soon. All day I have felt low and down. No anxiety just depressed mood. Hopefully it goes away tomorrow. Do you have depression also or just anxiety?

[Arnie365]

Mostly anxiety but low mood kicks in when I've had chest pains for a while as I feel I'm going backwards.

Just keep remembering its a little blip. They happen. Always tomorrow :hugs:

[Maddis mum]

Hi Arnie , I'm just checking in to see how you are doing? Has your wife had the baby yet?

[Arnie365]

Hi Maddis mum,

I'm doing good thanks. Still the occasional blip but can go a couple of weeks feeling back to my old self in between.

No baby yet. Due in 6 weeks!!

How are you doing?

[Kayleigh100]

Hope all went well with the baby!