Fluoxetine 20mg

[sim123]

Hi there

This is a bit of a long winded story but I need some advice about the medication I am currently on.
I am 24 and suffer from OCD. I took Paroxetine from the age of 19-22 roughly, with the dosage ranging from 20-60 mg during this time period. I then stupidly decided to come off it cold turkey when things were going well in my life. I was fine for a year and then within the last year and a half have really struggled. I was put back on 30mg of Paroxetine and although it helped a bit, I didn't feel like it helped as much as it did before. The final straw was about three months ago when I was at my lowest and decided to ask my doctor about changing medication. I was changed to 20mg of Citalopram and after six weeks of being on this felt no better. So, three and a half weeks ago I was changed to 20mg of Fluoxetine. For the last few weeks I have felt very irritable, anxious and teary. I spoke to my doctor today about increasing the dosage as I know 20mg is a relatively low dose and I have quite severe OCD, and the doctor said I should wait a few more weeks before doing so. However I feel pretty awful and the thought of waiting two more weeks to increase my dosage is filling me with dread. Do you think I will start feeling better within the next few weeks? What dosage do you think I should be taking? Have I screwed my mental state around by this constant changing of medication? I would really appreciate some advice!

Ps sorry had to edit as I forgot to ask something, my anxiety and OCD are worse in the morning and pretty much non existant at night. When would be the best time to take my medication to help me through the mornings?

[sim123]

I know I have already posted but I could really do with someones advice, for the last few days I have been so up and down and teary and I can't seem to shake it!

[Autumnx1003]

Hi Sim123,
I am not a Dr, but based on all I've read, perhaps sticking to the original doseage will be best for the time being. BetterDays posted a very informative timeline in an earlier thread, and one of the key things mentioned was how changing doses set some people back. I highly recommend checking out that timeline! It helped me tremendously!

[jessie3]

I have just been put on fluoxetine and am quite worried about the side effects people have described. I am in my 70's and would be grateful for some advice, also do most people take prozac am or pm? I am new to this site. I have had depression on and off for years, have been changed from citalopram to fluoxetine, as citalopram wasn't working. Be glad of any advise, thank you.

[Lola86]

Hi Sim, Autumn and Jessie hope you are all doing okay.

Sim sorry to hear that you are having such a hard time with fluoxetine at the moment :( Like Autumn said, i'm in no way a doctor however I would think to stick with it at the dose you have just now, I say this from what I've read it can be quite slow to make a difference but again from what i've read seems to be worth it in the end... also from my experience previously, I was on sertraline and after about a month went up from 1 tablet to 2 tablets and the increased dosage meant increased horrible side effects that really scared me. I ended up coming off the sertraline, however looking back if I'd given it more time to kick in at the lower dose it might've helped.

I'm now into week 4 fluoxetine, and although I'm not getting the effects like yourself I have had some pretty horrible side effects, nausea, sore jaw, migraine, increased anxiety ... hopefully this will all be worth it, I guess I'm already starting to feel just a little 'spark' but still so much ups and downs ... we deserve some good times I think.

Jessie have you started taking fluoxetine now? The side effects are a bit hard to deal with, however hopefully, from what I've read they will be worth it and there will be light at the end of the tunnel.

I currently take my tablet at night, but I'm not sure if this is right, I know some people have changed around and I am bearing this in mind to see how things go.... Sometimes I am really not sleeping very well and waking up well before my alarm and my anxiety is highest in the morning. Not sure if anyone else can advise on best time to take it? I know everyone has different experiences.

Sorry for the long post, just wanted to chip in, have only recently joined the forum and think its great :)