Please help!

[buster_uk1967]

I am on day nine of taking 20mg of prozac. I have never slept well while taking them. But this morning I woke at 6.00am feeling very agitated and anxious I kept tossing and turning, just could not rest, I have been like it all morning now.

Is it just a side effect or something more serious?

I hate feeling like this.

please help!

[heavenly]

I am on day nine of taking 20mg of prozac. I have never slept well while taking them. But this morning I woke at 6.00am feeling very agitated and anxious I kept tossing and turning, just could not rest, I have been like it all morning now.

Is it just a side effect or something more serious?

I hate feeling like this.

please help!

Hi there, I am not on Prozac but Citalopram but anti depressants can take anywhere from 2-4 weeks for things to settle. Things do feel worse before you feel better. I am 4 months in and still get disturbed sleep but its really helping with my anxiety and depression, so its worth it. I know its hard to begin with, I really do, but hang on in there. xx

[Joannaglassheart]

What sort of area do you live in?

Because I live in one of the smallest fishing villages in Devon there is nobody around at this time of year. So when I get really anxious to the point where I just cannot sit still I get my walking boots on and go for a really really brisk walk. On my own too. It's nice because I never bump into anyone. I guess I am pretty lucky.

Usually after my brisk walk I find I feel a lot better because I have burnt off a lot of adrenaline and I read somewhere that exercise realeases endorphines which help you to relax. xx

[blueangel]

Exercise definitely seems to help me as well, and when I'm feeling really twitchy a walk is very useful.

Your village sounds fab, Joanna - I love that part of the country, but it must be quite lonely in the winter.

Buster - what time of the day do you take your antidepressants? if uyou take them at night, they can cause sleep disturbances for some people. I was advised to take mine in the morning to help minimise this.

Having said that though, waking early is a classic sign of anxiety as we produce too much of the stress hormone cortisol, which makes us wake before we should. As Heavenly said, they do take a while to work though, so hang on in there if you can.

[heavenly]

I agree about the exercise, me and other half go for long walks every weekend, regardless of what the weather is doing, I live on the seafront on the south coast, so we either go for walks along the seafront, or we drive out to a little village nearby, park up and just go for a walk. I find it really helps me.

[buster_uk1967]

Thanks everyone, Just an update.

I have just got back from an emergency appointment with my own usual GP. He asked me what the problem was. I told him I saw another GP 12 days ago and told him I was suffering with High anxiety and had two panic attacks in the space of a month. I told him that I could not use cit as I had a bad reaction to it 26 months ago so he prescribed prozac. I then told my my own doctor today that for the last eight nights I have had hardly any sleep and this morning I could not sit still as I was that agitated I have to keep getting up and moving about. He looked at me and said PROZAC is not the correct drug to use for anxiety or panic attacks and it is that drug that is making me agitated to the point of being uncontrollable. He told me to stop taking PROZAC immediately as I have only been taking it for nine days I should be ok????? As soon as the drug leaves my system I should settle down.

I have two questions.

1. Is it right I can just stop it like this after taking my nineth one this morning before the doctors visit?

2. How long before it leaves my system?

I am starting cbt on the 23rd of this month and I am booking a session with a hypnotherapist this weekend.

[Joannaglassheart]

Do you know what, I had a feeling that the drug wasn't right for you but felt it wasn't my place to say so!

Yes just stop taking it, thats what I did with the Citalopram that time and I felt BETTER for it!!!!!

I can't remember exactly how long it stays in your system for, this may be a job for Google! I think SSRI's may stay in the system for a while but that could be kind of a good thing because it means you won't have a cold turkey feeling. Don't worry about it, just think positive. You are doing the right thing.

I would be interested to hear if your doctor recommended any other type of medication for your anxiety because I also find that anti-d's makes mine worse.

Well done for booking an appointment too. :)

[buster_uk1967]

Hi Joanna, he has not prescribed any other drug for my anxiety, he said the cbt should help. all I know is that my anxiety is worse now then it ever was. And the agitation well thats another story. If I feel bad in a week or so I will be back for some anxiety meds rather than ssri's

[Pixiedust]

I'm going on venlafaxine soon, apparently that's a pretty good drug for anxiety. In the mean time, propranolol is a good non-addictive drug (as far as the doc told me) that you can take for anxiety on and off when needed. I also found that old-style antihistamines work well especially if you can't sleep as they make you drowsy. (The common ones are non-drowsy, I think you have to get these on prescription) It could at least be a good idea while you're waiting for other stuff to happen.

xx feel better soon

[buster_uk1967]

I'm going on venlafaxine soon, apparently that's a pretty good drug for anxiety. In the mean time, propranolol is a good non-addictive drug (as far as the doc told me) that you can take for anxiety on and off when needed. I also found that old-style antihistamines work well especially if you can't sleep as they make you drowsy. (The common ones are non-drowsy, I think you have to get these on prescription) It could at least be a good idea while you're waiting for other stuff to happen.

xx feel better soon

Thanks Pixidust.:hugs:

[Lizzyg]

Hi Buster

I too tried Prozac and it sent my anxiety through the roof!. Could not sit still, agitated, couldn't sleep and had panic attacks coming in waves. I lasted a week it was horrible. I just stop taking it and I was fine. The good thing is this drug has a long half life and leaves your system slowly so in a 3 or 4 days you will be fine.
I have decided not to take anything for now started CBT and psycotherapy today and even after one session feel so much more positve. Been given some excercises which actually work and lowers the physical anxiety systems. I was really pleased and hope after 10 sessions I will be able to cope without taking the medication.
Good luck to you and hope the CBT works for you too xx

[buster_uk1967]

Hi Buster

I too tried Prozac and it sent my anxiety through the roof!. Could not sit still, agitated, couldn't sleep and had panic attacks coming in waves. I lasted a week it was horrible. I just stop taking it and I was fine. The good thing is this drug has a long half life and leaves your system slowly so in a 3 or 4 days you will be fine.
I have decided not to take anything for now started CBT and psycotherapy today and even after one session feel so much more positve. Been given some excercises which actually work and lowers the physical anxiety systems. I was really pleased and hope after 10 sessions I will be able to cope without taking the medication.
Good luck to you and hope the CBT works for you too xx

Thanks for this Lizzy, I am also not going to take another ssri if I can help it. I am going to concentrate on CBT and hypnotherapy for the time being. Is your CBT on the NHS?

[blueangel]

To answer your question about how long the drug will stay in your system, as you'd only been taking it for 9 days, then you won't have much of a concentration of it in your body, so you'll probably be clear of it in a few days.

Some anti-depressants are definitely better with anxiety than others. I've had citalopram two or three times and it seems to work for me, but we're all different.

[buster_uk1967]

Hi. Seen my GP again today and he suggested (killing two birds with one stone) my High Blood Pressure and the Anxiety so he has given me propanonol.

[SHYGIRLAJB]

Hi. Seen my GP again today and he suggested (killing two birds with one stone) my High Blood Pressure and the Anxiety so he has given me propanonol.

Good luck with that, hope it helps you.

[krees69]

Oh yes this sounds completly normal to me. Going on the meds can be quite unpleasant, really anxious, weird dreams (like some psychedelic trip), disturbed sleep, in short it can make the symptoms you have been suffering much worse
HOWEVER-take heart-it does not last long about 3 weeks usually for me and then its odd, you start to feel better its like a fog lifting, life becomes in colour, not black and white. TO moderate these effects i have learnt over the years to start on half the recommended dose (if it is in tablet or liquid form, capsules is not possible) so 10mgs instead of 20mgs, then up it ofter a week or so-the effects are a lot less aggressive. If after a month you still feel ropey go back-you might think a month is a long time, but remember how long have you been suffering anxiety-good luck

[Patsta]

I too was put on prozac the first time I started suffering with anxiety and panic attacks, and it did the same for me...I think I lasted 4 days on it! I have been now taking Zoloft (sertraline) for the past 9 years, on and off and found it to be great. You still get some side effect in the beginning, but no where near as bad as prozac. My doctor had also prescribed me Xanax, (alprazolam) to take when needed, in the early stages of resuming my medications until it kicks in. I find this works great, within 10 minutes of taking one, I am calm!
Good Luck

[buster_uk1967]

Thanks you two.

I am off the prozac now.....

Pasta what part of oz are you from?

[Patsta]

I'm from Melbourne..best place to be!

[buster_uk1967]

I'm from Melbourne..best place to be!

Nice I have a sister in Fingal Bay NSW.