how long do the side effects last??

[tanyat]

On my third week and the side effects are terrible. I'm taking Fluoxetine 20mg and having more anxiety then before taking them :(

[Janine]

This is normal, you will have better days and bad days and gradually the better days will out way the bad, my anxiety was really bad at that stage and I did not start to feel really well until the five and half week mark, it is a roller coaster ride and i hit rock bottom a number of times, just try and take it a minute at a time, then an hour and day at a time, it is not easy but it is worth it in the end, just think of it as the meds working, I did not find this forum until I was at 4 weeks and I am so glad I did and realised that this does happen and that for most people they work and there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Janine

[tanyat]

Thank you so much. That does mean a lot.

[Janine]

This forum really helped me through the really tough times, just knowing that I was not alone and that the medication did make your anxiety worse was such a comfort, I lost loads of weight because I just could not eat and sleeping was bad too, although that suddenly eased at five and half weeks, I kept waiting for the next blip but luckily apart from a few slightly off days I have been great. I am here for you if you want any help (not an expert) but will help if I canxx

[Kayleigh100]

Janine is right. She helped me though the early weeks when side effects were dire. The side effects changed too over time, so being on here and asking questions helped me realise it was common and not just me.

I am at just over four weeks now. Things have settled. I had three good days last week and four not so good. This week I have had two good days and one poor so far. It is settling a bit from seven absolutely awful. My sleep was awful too but I have slept quite well now for ten days.

I've lost weight and am not eating a great deal (I have plenty of spare weight so that's OK!). I am making myself eat something at every meal time though - so breakfast I had a half sachet of oaty porridge and a small orange juice. Yesterday a banana. Sounds strange, but eating a little has helped me keep the nausea at bay in the morning.

[Janine]

Good to hear that you are feeling a bit better Kayleigh, if you get worse again dont worry too much, four weeks to the five and half weeks was one of my worst times, hopefully you will be ok though.

Yes you are right to try and eat something at every meal even when it is tough, I found bananas would slip down, I lost a stone in 10 days, my husband was literally force feeding me. xx

[tanyat]

I'm now feeling paranoid, even a little insecure :( Has anyone felt this way and for how long. I'm on my third week. Also, I seem to get worse when night falls

[mummysworried]

hi i found the side effects really bad, i had very bad anxiety, intrusive thoughts, constant worry and fear of everything and everthing, i thought it would never end, at week 5 and a half im feeling a lot better, i still worry and have anxiety but i can rationalise now and not get in to a state about things. Things will improve and do stick with it, i was so low with the side effects that it is hard to even put into words, it felt like i was looseing my mind but this site really helped and knowing others had been through the same and had come out the other side made me stick with it and im so glad i did as life is slowly getting better.

[Janine]

Thats exactly how I felt at five and half weeks things suddenly started to improve and I could think straight again. I could have written your sentence "I was so low with side effects that it is hard to put into words" i had never felt like that ever and never want to feel like that again. Hope you continue to improve, it is slow but so so worth itxxxx

[stormyok10]

Hi Janine & Tanyat,
Hope you dont mind me joining in, have just been prescribed fluoxetine, on day three now & feel terrible, anxious, nauseous, only slept for an hour last night, did they kick in immediately with you?Going to need some real support with these tablets.
Was on mirtazipane off & on for about 15 months before this, but they just stopped working, had been off them 6 days before starting fluoxetine, so possibly getting some withdrawl symptons as well. Any help from anyone would be appreciated