Fluoxetine, side effects, feeling the lowest I ever have

Hello everyone,

I've been reading this forum for a few days after a friend recommended it and I have to say it is a great help and comfort at what is proving to be such a terrible time.

I'm in my fourth week of being signed off work for depression and anxiety. My doctor has prescribed 40mg Prozac and I'm taking Diazepam in the short term to help take the edge off my anxiety. It's my 15th day on the drugs and the side effects have really kicked in - heightened anxiety, forgetfulness, vivid dreams and I can't eat a thing without feeling highly sick. I've no idea how much weight I've lost but it's a lot. My boyfriend (who I live with) is having to do everything around the house and I'm sleeping far too much.

I don't want to write an essay about what's been going on, but I've suffered from depression and anxiety in the past and have experienced different antidepressants and counselling sessions, but I've always taken a head-in-the sand approach and went cold turkey on all of these attempts. I know it has come to a head now because it's affecting my work - something I have always managed to separate from everything going on in my personal life. I tried to go back to work after three weeks and had a complete meltdown in front of my boss and a colleague, who thankfully was very good because she has been through something similar.

I know now that I need to take this very seriously and see through taking the drugs, but at the moment I feel so, so terrible. I've lost all concept of time and when I'm not feeling anxious I feel like a zombie. Even worse, I find it incredibly difficult to talk to people in real life, even those I'm closest to. I don't talk to my family, so I have no network there.

I know this is the worst time for side effects and that it shows the tablets are working, but if anybody could give me some coping advice or words of encouragement I'd be so grateful. I feel so terrible, I can't stop thinking negatively or feeling guilty about work. From reading this forum I know I'm not alone, but day-to-day I feel so alone and frightened by these side effects and my general state of mind.

Hi - sorry you are feeling so low -

I was on Prozac for 15 years on 20mg and worked extremely well - although side effects are bad. Stopped working last October so Dr upped me to 40mg I felt exactly like you are feeling lost one stone in a week.

I was on them for 6 terrible weeks just before Xmas - my advice is to drop straight to 20mg. 40mg is too high at this stage. Do not continue on this high dose - the anxiety is unbearable. Would give your dr a phone call and to drop to 20mg or do it straight away.

I had to come off it in the end and now on Citalopram 20mg for 3 weeks and upping tomorrow to 40mg.

Hope that helps a bit

Laura x

---------- Post added at 17:04 ---------- Previous post was at 17:03 ----------

40mg starting dose is far too high

Hi Laura,

Thanks so much for the reply. I have been on 40mg in the past and it worked for me (before I so stupidly went cold turkey because I started fearing the pills) so my doctor thinks this is appropriate for me. I saw him yesterday and he assured me that these side effects would pass in a week or two.

But right now, it is as you say. The anxiety is almost unbearable. Doses of Diazepam do help but things are proving so difficult. I think the food issue is perhaps the worst, especially today. I am sitting in a cafe right now and ordered a cup of tea which happened to come with a biscuit. Just looking at it is making me want to be sick. It is so silly and such a scary feeling.

Do you think perhaps I should go back to my docs in a couple of days if things are the same?

How are you on the Citalopram?

Janey

Hi Janey - I am no expert but I do know what you are going through - I felt so ill on 40mg could not stop shaking and tbh have never felt so ill in my life. Whereas the 20mg for all of those years served me very well. My little dog died in Oct suddenly and it opened a can of worms, if you like, that is when I was upped to 40mg!

It has been a long journey have been on the med merry go round and have had to go private too! I saw a Psychiatrist who diagnosed me with OCD (Obsessional) thoughts, etc, and have had this for years but the Prozac did stop it. It is early days with the Citalopram but the side effects are no where near as bad - imo - as Prozac. I found the first week fine on them but have felt tired more than anything - so the Psychiatrist put me on 10mg for 3 days then 20mg and 40mg tomorrow as he did not want to make the anxiety any worse. Have some lorazepam too but have been off work since November and am still in no fit state to return back!

Personally would go and see you doc as after 4 weeks the side effects should be lessening - 40mg is a very high starting dose though as Prozac is very stimulating.

I know exactly what you are going through and this site is invaluable.

Hope you find relief soon as do I!

Hi Laura,

I too have experienced Citalopram and, like you, the side effects were definitely less (my biggest memory from taking it was some crazy lucid dreams!)

Sorry to hear that your dog died, triggering the change in meds. Must be odd after all those years. Here's hoping the side effects don't increase when you up the dose.

Very surprisingly, I feel slightly better on the anxiety front today. I've read on here about good and bad days, but it's all been bad so far. Even more surprised as I 'risked' two beers last night. I hope this feeling lasts. Unfortunately I am no better on the food front.

By the way, I've only been on these meds for 16 days so I haven't reached the 4-week point. Trying hard to see it out.

J86, I'm new on Prozac, so can't comment about the side effects, as I've yet to experience any, apart from feeling a bit woozy, which I put down to the Diazepam 2mg at night. However, I have taken several ADs previously, and I know the side effects can be harrowing. Thing is, if you find one that suits you, stick with it. Good luck.

Hi Bosher,

Lucky you! Hope you avoid the worst of it. I'm also taking 2mg Diazepam, which does help a deal.

I am having another terrible day of anxiety and feelings of hopelessness. I just can't face getting out of bed today, even for tiny things.

Food-wise, I am no better. I've barely eaten a thing in the past 36 hours. Can anyone offer any advice about lack of appetite on Prozac? It's day 18 and I'm
getting pretty desperate. Every type of food I look at makes me want to be sick.

Hi Janey,
You are certainly having it rough, it's impossible to say what will work for you all I can do it tell you my tale!
I started 20mg Prozac for 4 weeks and improved, increased to 40mg for 4 weeks and felt worse - heightened anxiety, depressed, trembling, nausea, chest pain, reduced to 20mg and have improved no end. I too took 40mg with no problems about 9 years ago - but in hindsight -i was on steroids which can make you depressed and had had anxiety for a long time and so was very depressed by the time I started the 40mg. This time I didn't feel depressed when i started taking them, but was having panic attacks and general anxiety - maybe that's why that dose didn't suit me this time.
As for the eating, I was off my food for about 2 weeks but ate every 3 hours - whether I wanted to or not! very hard but it did make me feel better even if just a dry biscuit. Now i've reduced the dose my appetite is back to normal. Try to stick it for the 4 weeks but reducing to 20mg may be the answer - that dose does work for most people.
Remember you will get there, it's just finding the right dose for you. I'll subscribe to this thread and keep in touch
Sam:hugs:

Hi I have bin taken prozac for the last 5 yrs I stopped taken them bout 2 mnths ago bt it made me feel wrse with panic attacks,i ave bin taken them for 10 days now bt they not yet wrking,i was thnkin of uppering it to 40 mg myself bt after readin some f PO rums thnk I wil stick to 20 mg

Hi guys
I'm new on this, I've taken fluoxetine only for 12 days, fo the first time in my life. At the very beginning I started to feel quite dizzy and the acidity in my stomach started right away, although even if it's quite early I've felt that my mood has definitely improved I had a couple of excellent days, smiling all day!
Now I'm quite low because of the food thing. Yesterday I waited too long to have lunch and that made me feel so bad: dizzy, sweaty hands, troubles to breathe, general sickness, nausea...
I've read it is very important to eat well... so probably it was a bad idea not to eat on time.
I know this is really tough but we are not alone. At least we can share our feelings here. Hope you are feeling better... do not hesitate to send me msgs :)
Hugs!!!