Fluoxetine

[Missy01]

It's day 19 and my anxiety is through the roof. The mornings are always the worst, why is that?

I'm managing to sleep through most of the night so I guess the meds must be working to some degree but I still don't feel better. Is it still to early, do I need to wait this out? Please help, as I feel too anxious to leave the house and can't bear this anymore. I feel like a former shadow of myself.

I was on Prozac in the past years ago and it worked well. Came off it for over a year then developed anxiety & was put on Citalopram which didn't really work for me. I came off that after 6 months and here I am now back to 20mg Prozac and desperate to feel better.

Thanks and really hope you're all having a good day and doing well.

[Peachypips]

Hi Missy,
So sorry to hear that you are feeling rotten. Have a look at the timescale thread that Betterdays did- you will see that it shows you what happens week by week, and is also focused on those that have taken Flu before. My experience is holding pretty true with her timetable.

Definitely wait it out. If it worked for you in the past it will work for you again. For some reason it takes longer to work if you have been off and on it. Really you need to wait 12 weeks.

I know this feeling like forever, but unfortunately that's how long it takes for many. You have some good times and some bad in that process, it's not linear.

[Missy01]

Hey Peachypips

Thanks for taking the time to reply to me. I really appreciate it. Wow 12 weeks seems like a lifetime, not sure I or my partner can take much more of my anxiety!

I don't recall it taking this long before so it does feel like hell. Thanks for the reassurance though, its great to know there's a community to reach out to. Hope you're doing well Peachypips - great name btw!

[Peachypips]

I've read of a lot of people who have been on it before and have experienced it being a much longer and more severe start-up when doing it for the second or third time.

I am on 16 weeks 1 day with 8 weeks 2 days of that on 40mg. I started again when I increased my dose but am seeing some improvements this week. Hope you are ok and staying strong. You can do it!

[Missy01]

Thanks. Today is day 20 & it feels like hell. Haven't felt this bad or tired in days Not sure how much more I can take.

[choccie]

Totally confused .Was on fluoxetine for years for health anxiety and GAD. It worked for several years, but then stopped. GP told me prozac is really bad for increasing anxiety so started me on citalopram. This had little effect so has now switched me to sertraline. Terrified of taking this medication as side effects appear to also be anxiety, agitation, drowsiness, weight gain etc so on noting just now. Don't know what to do anymore?

[panic_down_under]

Terrified of taking this medication as side effects appear to also be anxiety, agitation, drowsiness, weight gain etc

Pretty much all antidepressants list them as side-effects. This doesn't mean you will necessarily experience them. Sertraline is probably the pick of the SSRIs provided there are no stomach, or gut issues such as IBS, GERD, etc.

HOWEVER, if 2 SSRIs have failed a third is less likely to. Either a SNRI (but not venlafaxine (Effexor), or desvenlafaxine (Pristiq) which are really only SSRIs), or TCA would be a better option, imho.

Health anxiety is part of the OCD spectrum and the antidepressant with the best OCD track record is the TCA clomipramine (Anafranil).