fluoxetine after so many years

[Mafuane]

Been on fluoxetine for over five years. I recently told my dr I felt it wasnt working any more and she upped the dose. I still feel there has been no improvement. Ever since starting fluoxetine I have always been tired, sleeping in the day and I gained weight but the side effects should have gone away by now right?

[panic_down_under]

Been on fluoxetine for over five years. I recently told my dr I felt it wasnt working any more and she upped the dose. I still feel there has been no improvement.

What dose were you on, how much now, and how long have you been on the higher dose?

Also were you under greater than usual stress when you began feeling fluoxetine was not longer working well?


Ever since starting fluoxetine I have always been tired, sleeping in the day and I gained weight but the side effects should have gone away by now right?

Weight gain can be an ongoing issue, but the initial tiredness usually does ease though it may return for a while after dose increases. It is actually a paradoxical reaction with most experiencing insomnia. Fluoxetine is usually the most stimulating of the SSRIs.

[Mafuane]

Thanks so much Panic Down Under. I was on 40mg and now on 60mg I have been on 60mg for about 9 months now. Yes it's true I was moving to a new country at that time and I realized that the fluoxetine was doing nothing for my anxiety. I was having panic attacks at night.

Also again right now I am super stressed trying to find work and having many interviews. The only thing that seems to calm me down is the Propanolol.

[panic_down_under]

Yes it's true I was moving to a new country at that time and I realized that the fluoxetine was doing nothing for my anxiety. I was having panic attacks at night.

So rather than the med failing it may have just been it couldn't contain the higher stress levels at the dose you were on. Stress inhibits the growth of new brain cells (http://www.americanscientist.org/issues/feature/depression-and-the-birth-and-death-of-brain-cells/99999) in the hippocampal regions of the brain, antidepressants stimulate their growth so as stress levels rise higher med doses may be required to restore the balance.


Also again right now I am super stressed trying to find work and having many interviews. The only thing that seems to calm me down is the Propanolol.

Cool. Whatever works. If the stress is likely to continue for some time you could also raise the fluoxetine dose again. The recommended maximum is 80mg/day. But if it's only going to be a few more weeks then sticking with propranolol is probably the better option.