Scared to take Fluoxetine

[Marçoo]

Been prescribed Fluoxetine 20mg I have never took any antidepressants in my life before am not a person for taking pills/drugs.
Scared if they make me feel out out this world like some sort of high? Can I open the capsule up and empty some of it out and then take the capsule just to see what affects it had on me ? I suppose the thing that’s stopping me taking them is the thing that’s it’s prescribed for!

[BlueIris]

No experience specifically of fluoxetine, however, most SSRIs carry some side effects; they generally wear off during the first couple of weeks to months. If you want to start feeling better, it may be something you just have to live with, at least in the short term.

I'm on a different SSRI, but I had a couple of weeks of mild nausea, vivid dreams and fatigue; yes, I did feel a bit drunk for the first couple of days when I started it, and when I upped the dose. On the second of these occasions I took an afternoon off work, but that was the full extent of it.

Whatever you do, don't mess about with the dose you're given except if expressly told to by your GP, though - they've been to medical school and you haven't.

[panic_down_under]

Scared if they make me feel out out this world like some sort of high?

Welcome to NMP, Marçoo,

Fluoxetine can initially be stimulating, but others experience sedation. It all depends on how it meshes with your DNA. However, it isn't going to give you a drug like high.


Can I open the capsule up and empty some of it out and then take the capsule just to see what affects it had on me ?

Yes, or the contents can be dissolved in fruit juice (but not grapefruit juice, especially if taking other medication) and only drinking some of the mixture. However, you really should get the prescribing physician's okay first. Also, this may not tell you much as fluoxetine is often slow to activate with side-effects tending to build over time rather than from the first dose, although it does occasionally happen. Despite the impression often given by forums like this, most people don't experience severe side-effects. If they do occur there are usually ways of limiting their severity.


I suppose the thing that’s stopping me taking them is the thing that’s it’s prescribed for!

Yeah, unfortunately, along with the primary anxiety disorder many of us also get the pill phobia freebie. I'd much rather have the steak knives! My pill phobia has been so bad at times that I've had to be hospitalised when starting, or switching antidepressants (other medications don't bother me as much).

SSRIs are among the safest of meds when taken as directed, arguably much safer than common otc painkillers. They rarely cause physical harm even in large overdose and may reduce the incidence of some diseases, including dementia, heart attacks and some cancers.

[Marçoo]

Thanks for the reply will start taking them tomorrow will empty half out to make it more like a 10mg rather the 20mg to see what happens and then will just take the 20 mg a day 😃

[Dying_Swan]

Good luck Marcoo. I had 20mg fluoxetine years ago and didn't get any sort of weird highs from them. Hope they help you :)