Hi everyone,
I'm on day 12 of 20mg Fluoxetine, and looking to get some positive stories from users/former users about it's effects.
To explain, I'm 29 and now suffer from depression. After 27 1/2 years of a really happy, confident, and successful life, a series of life events have pushed me to a stage where I'm now a shell of my former self. In the last 2 years or so both my parents became ill (my dad having had a stroke), resulting in my dad losing his business, no longer being able to work, and being in a very precarious financial position. I myself lost a significant portion of my savings last year (on stocks/shares - stupid I know). All the while I'm trying to complete a PhD, which I've worked on for 3 years and am now, understandably, struggling to work on. This has all left me in a state of constant panic and dark thoughts where I'm forever comparing my lack of success to other people and am able to project a negative spin on almost any situation. I'm now deep in the process of failing my PhD and ruining the best relationship I've ever had. I feel like if I got some normality/clarity back in my life then I could work hard and make everything ok, but equally, if things keep on this track I could very well be broke, alone, and miserable.
I started on the Fluoxetine 12 days ago. No really terrible side affects yet apart from feeling manically anxious on occasion. I've also had quite vivid thoughts of suicide, which seem to pass after a while.
I found myself reading some of the old experiences on here about how people were feeling more normal again, etc after taking Prozac and was really heartened by them. Basically, I'd like to hear some more of that!
I'm also taking therapy now, but was really disappointed in my first couple of sessions. I thought therapy would be more targeted and direct. I thought it would be about breaking my destructive thought patterns, but right now I seem to be paying money I can't afford for someone just to listen to me (when I've got plenty of friends that would do that for free!).
I'm really struggling with things some days, and would love some reassuring stories from any one on here.