Re: 5 weeks on fluoxetine, feeling very low
Hi
Just thought I would post a very positive experience I had with Prozac.
I have suffered with anxiety for 27 years after being bullied at work - and was given lorazepam at the time as SSRIs were not around - I plodded on for a few more years but at the time I did not realise I had Pure OCD. I had a very bad time with anxiety and depression in 1996 and went to see my GP who prescrived Prozac 20mg. I started it and the side effects were horrific - an increase in anxiety - so bad I had to return to my parents - I was able to have lorazepam - when needed. But out of all anti depressants Prozac has been the worst - shaking, crying, terrible dyspepsia (heartburn) every side effect under the book and no internet access then! I plodded on, felt terrible and thought these are making me worse the depression is terrible, even asked the doctor if I could up the dose but he said not at this stage.
Week by week the side effects went alittle but was determined to stick with them - by about the 12th week mark was starting to feel much better - so much so booked in for driving lessons - this was remarkable! This really took my mind off things the heartburn was still there and took Omeprazole for it. To cut a long story short passed by test - first time and my life really took off - got a proper job, married, moved house - more normal things went on holidays - it made be feel so more "normal" no weird thoughts.
Summary
Piano has asked me to write something inspiring to you fellow sufferers - all I can say is stick with it - it worked great for me for 15 years - then it stopped working - my little dog died suddenly in front of me in October 2011 and I cannot find anything that has worked as well - how I wish I could get my old life back - my doc told me double it and that time and that made me really ill - the anxiety was unbearable - I had to stop it - tried it again but alas no longer worked. It had ran its course.
I found Prozac to work very slowly - and 20mg is the dose to be on imo - have some diazepam to hand as it is a very stimulating drug. Apparently it is supposed to be the weakest out of all the SSRIs? Not sure about that one.
Imo - you must not play around with doses - Piano - bite the bullit and stick to 20mg! take some diazepam if needed - this is the therapeutic dose in the UK. The anxiety will get better I promise you that.
I am on Effexor 225mg - still early days - but still waiting for lift off.
I hope I have given some inspiration to you all.
You will get there some quicker than others but Prozac changed my life for the good.
Take care Laura x
---------- Post added at 19:41 ---------- Previous post was at 19:38 ----------
ps - always take my meds early evening around 6pm
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