how long is the WORST of it?

[Rochelle121]

I have started flouxetine 7days ago and the side effects have kicked right up! Im constantly panicking or having full blown panic attacks I cant eat I feel sick im sweating buckets my intrusive thoughts are constant and diazipam barely touches it! How long will this last? I can cope being no better than I was for a while but this is horrendous! How long will the worst of it be and then ill just be back to being no better but not worse either?? :'( I cant take this its really hard for me xx thank you.

[rossthekid]

Hang in there, but we can all relate and it feels awful. Hopefully it shouldn't last too long. It was about 1 week in total. You will start to feel that the side effects will reduce and the nice feeling will just start to appear soon.

---------- Post added at 12:17 ---------- Previous post was at 12:09 ----------

I am going throw similar, I am 5 weeks into 20mg and 1 weeks at 40mg. Because I upped it started the side effects again and even today I am not as well as I felt yesterday. The guys on the forum are great and we all support each other but you are going throw something that is being induced by your medication. It is rubbish that you need to go throw this to feel better, but the hardest thing is to stick with it. I have made so many mistakes in swapping meds and tinkering hoping for an immediate or quicker response. It is slow but you will get there, try and relax as much as you can, don't put pressure on yourself and try some progressive relaxation from youtube, it helps.

[Rochelle121]

Thank you so much Ross.
Its just sooooo hard and mentally and physically exhausting. I feel the worst I have ever felt in my life and getting through each day has become a real struggle. I just hope it doesn't last much longer at this level. Thank you for replying.

[Deepthinker]

Rochelle, I know it is very hard to deal with the way you are feeling right now. I remember that Day 7 was my absolute worst day. I did have bad days after that, but none of them were as bad as Day 7. Try not to be alone during this time. Try to interact with others as much as possible. Try and rest whenever you feel like it. Be gentle with yourself and remember that those intrusive thoughts are just that, intruders, and they cannot hurt you. You will feel better soon. :-)

[Rochelle121]

Thank you for replying, my mom is staying with me atm, but I feel so detached at times and my head hurts and I feel so scared amd foggy and my chest keeps getting pains in it :'( xx

[Deepthinker]

Hi, Rochelle, and so sorry you are feeling so bad. I am glad your mom is staying with you for now. It is best not to be alone while you feel this way. That tends to make it worse. Did you take the diazepam and did it help you at all? Call your doc if you aren't getting any relief. He/she may be able to give you something that might work better for the side effects during this time. Hope you feel better soon. Hugs and prayers on your behalf! :-)

[Rochelle121]

Thank you for talking to me deep thinker. I had really extreme anxiety and depression to begin with before the meds and im now on 10mg of diazipam a day but I have to take two 2mg at a time just to get an hrs respite :'( im currently on day 9 so praying I womt feel this bad for to much longer. It just sends me into panic when my vision goes funny or my head seems to whizz.

[OncewasSupergirl]

Rochelle,
Lots of people seem to get propranolol prescribed to help with side effects, I didn't personally but it maybe an option for you. 9 days in is very early, I know it's hard but you have to hang in there, take your diazepam regularly even if it helps only a little. I started to notice a difference after 2/3 weeks but it's still a very up and down time for the first 12 weeks really. I agree with Deep Thinker it's good to have your Mum with you, my Mum has had to stay with me various times in the last 13 years. It will get better I promise you x x

[Booboojenny]

Hi Rochelle, so sorry to hear your suffering, I am on day 16 and have felt such bad anxiety and depression due to the side effects of my Cipralex..my Doctor prescribed me propanalol 40mg three times a day, it really helps to relax me and the anxiety nearly goes but I do still feel depressed, hot water bottles are good for anxiety too, my daughter had period pains at the wkd and we battled it out who was the most needy for the water bottle(she let me have it) bless her I am so lucky to have a caring daughter:)
Make sure you eat regularly too even if you don't feel like it this has made a big difference to my anxiety, I eat bananas that is it they are easy to eat and leave by your bed for morning.
Good you have your mum with you. :hugs:

[Rochelle121]

Thank you.
I just dont want to feel this much worse for the next however many weeks. You know? I can deal with being up and down but im just sooo down at the minute. I just hope ill be over the absolute worste of it soon. Xx

---------- Post added at 18:54 ---------- Previous post was at 18:51 ----------

I get very scared with my erratic breathing too as im asthmatic and its hard to tell myself the breathlessness is just anxiety xx

[Deepthinker]

Rochelle, do you have an inhaler with you at all times, just in case the asthma flares up? If not, you may want to ask your doc for a script for one. That way you can remind yourself that the breathlessness is just anxiety, but if not, you'll have an inhaler for back-up. This might help put your mind at ease about the breathing, at least. At nine days in, you should start to turn a corner soon. All of those head symptoms are normal for anxiety and starting the meds and it will go away. Thinking of you and praying for a speedy recovery. :hugs: