My first month follow up with Doc

[jca]

I went for my one month follow up with my doctor yesterday. I had thought for two weeks that my appointment was for the day before. I felt stupid. Anyhow.

I had kept a "journal" of how I had felt each day. I just handed it to her, instead of first just telling her. She made some weird faces. After reading, she brought up her concerns. She said the trouble sleeping could get better if I take the pill at a different time of the day, instead of a few hours after I wake up, take it as soon as I wake up. She also said that my heightened anxiety and vivid dreams worry her. She thinks that fluoxetine isn't for me. We're going to give it one week, with me taking the pill at a different time of the day, to see if it changes anything. The dreams don't really bother me; other than for the first five minutes of awake time I have to think "was that a dream or did that happen yesterday?" I highly doubt the time I take the pill will help my anxiety levels. My ocd is almost just a memory, sadly. And now I have no rituals to keep my anxiety in check. I'm calling my hotel sometimes twice an hour to check on things. My hands sweat non stop.

Has anyone on here taken fluoxetine and had issues and changed the time you take it? Does it sound like something that would actually change anything? She really doesn't think it will. But she said "we are not quitters, we will see it through a little longer". She ok with me continuing it for a little longer because it has been VERY beneficial otherwise. My rage was down 98.2 percent from last month. =)

I wonder what we will try next if she decides this isn't a good fit.... I asked about the switching, how it goes down. Will I have to wait a while after stopping the fluoxetine? She said what she plans to try next won't require me to be off fluoxetine but for just a day or so... What could it be? It will be something for moods as well as anxiety. I have done good with not googling anything since my first few days on the drug. I hope I don't start back again.

Thanks for reading!

[LAURA48]

I have used Prozac (15 years) with great success was on 20mg - I used to take it around 6.30 pm and I had no problems with sleep. You are probably just feeling side effects as you have only been on a month and that is not long at all and if you are feeling some good effects why change so soon? Personally would give it another 4 weeks.

Hope that helps

Laura x

[jca]

I'm with you, I understand that thirty days, which actually is today, appointment day was day 29, is not enough time to really see what something can do, such as this. She (the doctor) and I are just sort of worried that my anxiety might only get worse and it is already debilitating... She'll take my opinions and thoughts and we'll make a decision together. I will see what happens in a week, and if I believe I should continue, I will tell her and she will support me (I am pretty sure).

[lizerie]

I also had some heightened anxiety, although that went away after a few weeks. I did get worse after taking the Fluoxetine for about 8 weeks, but I was on a very low does (10 mg) and when I went to see the doctor they upped it to 20. Now I am feeling better!
It sounds like you have a very supportive doctor, which is great! Hopefully you both can find something that helps you. Keep us updated!

Liz

[jca]

Thanks Liz. =)

Did either of you, or anyone else, experience vivid dreams? The moment I wake up, I have to really think hard if it was real or not. Last night, I had a scary one. Mostly they have just been very detailed (well remembered, for at least a half hour after waking, then gone for good). A few times I woke up wishing that it had been real life.

I wake up often through out the night. Each time I wake, I remember (very detailed) the dream I was just having. My doctor said this means I'm not reaching a deep sleep. It would explain all the yawning and extreme sleepiness all day. I think I'm sleeping but I'm not really.

[calms]

Hi jca hope things get better for you i've been on Prozac now for 3 months and found that it has really helped please give it time let me know how it goes

[lizerie]

Hi jca,
I have been having a lot more dreams lately (and been more tired than usual) but they're not as vivid as you described. Usually I have trouble remembering them later in the day as well.

[jca]

We discussed how the dreams are more vivid and easily remembered right after waking is because I'm not really sleeping. Which is bad. I'm exhausted allllllllll the time. I took the pill for six days, as soon as I woke up, as opposed to a couple of hours after. That seemed to only make the lack of sleep and the dreams worse. Dreams are now nightmares. We're going to try one more week with me taking it at night. It has been so helpful with the big reason I started taking it. We want it to work... but she reminds me there are other options. =)

[lizerie]

I hope changing the time of day will help you get some rest. How awful to be tired all the time! My dreams are almost boring with how normal they are, haha. Keep us updated on how your doing!

[jca]

so..... I had been taking the pill at 1:30pm for one month. The second day of the second month I took it a few hours earlier. It seemed to worsen the dreams and sleeping. Two days ago, I took the pill at 4am, which is usually my bed time, and last night I took it at 2am. This was to slowing go back in time, to start taking it before bed, instead of after waking up. Today, I am a zombie. I know I slept a solid six hours without moving or waking up at all (which is terribly odd, but great). Then I got up to pee and went back to sleep for 2 more hours. I had dreams in the last two hours, but didn't remember anything from the first hours of sleep. So maybe an improvement there? But why am I so exhausted if I slept well? My eyes burn when I look at a window (if it is sunny), my eyelids are drooping and heavy, and I'm still yawning. Ugh. Maybe a few more days to fully adjust... maybe it will work out.