When to know if I should increase dose of fluoxetine

[Ocean2]

Iv been posting for a few weeks now about side effects an my story while starting fluoxetine. Iv been taking fluoxetine for 11weeks, 7 weeks at 20mg. I'm still feeling anxiety and taking .5mg klonopin twice a day. I'm wondering if I should talk to my doc about upping my dose. Is anyone on a higher dose than 20mg and how do you feel? I don't want to have to continue to take the benzo, I want the prozac to work at a full therapeutic level.

[Maddis mum]

Hi ocean, I am on 30 now. Started at 20 for 4 weeks and now 30 for a week. I was having terrible agitation side effects but we couldn't work out if it was withdrawal from lexapro or prozac start up or just my anxiety so my dr had me increase and the high agitation has now calmed down. My psychiatrist said she has most patients on 40 and she suspects that she will end up putting me on 40 but something I read said that you should sit at 30 for about a month to see if you need more or not. I still have anxiety, fear, depression and my hands keep shaking but I think it was the right thing to do. I certainly didnt get any increased so effects yet from the increase. It actually helped me stop the agitation. I think you have been sitting on 20 long enough and I would ask for a increase. They usually say go up in doses of 20 but I reckon if you just do 10 then you probably will have mini al or no side effects. I haven't had to take my valium since going up.

---------- Post added at 19:31 ---------- Previous post was at 18:32 ----------

I have just been doing some reading on a psychiatrist webpage and it talked about ssri. It said most people feel the effects by about 6 to 8 weeks. And if effects are not felt by this time then a increase is suggested. I remember my dr telling me that 20 is a low dose, 40 is a medium dose and 60 is a high dose but they do go up to 80. If I don't feel any better in a month I am going to ask to put it up to 40.

[Ocean2]

Maddis mum, thanks for the info!! I go back to my pdoc on the 30th and that's probly what he'll suggest is to go up to 30mg. I just think iv been at the 20mg long enough and I shouldn't still be feeling so crappy so often. Today was a good day but one day out of 7 just doesn't seem right. Thank you again for your advice!! I hope you had a good day today.

[Maddis mum]

I know how you feel. I still feel terrible and am having about 1 day every 9 hat is ok. It's 5 weeks today for me but a week on 30. I still have this nervousness all day long that I didn't have before starting prozac. And I feel depressed. Do you feel depressed also or is it just anxiety?

[Ocean2]

I feel depressed too at times, iv never felt depression before but now I have days where I could lay in bed all day. Is that normal I wonder? Fluoxetine is an antidepressant so why does it cause bouts of depression?? Sometimes the feelings of depression and sadness can be worse than the anxiety. It's just so frustrating, I want to be better. I wake up with the nervousness, can't wait for that to go away. I'm sorry you feel terrible.

---------- Post added at 20:12 ---------- Previous post was at 20:02 ----------

Every night before bed I dread falling asleep out of fear that I'll wake up and feel anxious. I need to let go of that fear but I don't know how. It makes me sad and mad. No one truly understands our struggles unless they experience it themselves. I find comfort in knowing that there's other women who can relate and understand and that's why I post on here. I hope tomorrow is a good day for both of us.

[Maddis mum]

I don't think the fear of waking up with anxiety will go away till we actually start waking up without the anxiety and nervousness. It's hard to let go of the fear of something that is still happening. Can you see your doctor sooner? 7 weeks is long enough on 20. My doctor only had me wait 4 weeks.

[Ocean2]

I'm gonna see how I feel over the next few days and give my doctor a call if it gets too bad. I'm sure by the time I go on the 30th, he'll be ready to up my dose any way. I woke up ok today, hopeful. So we'll see what the day brings.

[Maddis mum]

Ocean how was the rest of your day?

[Ocean2]

Hi Maddis mum, the rest if my day yesterday was not perfect. I felt the anxiety but tried so hard not to give into it. I ended up taking my benzo and then had a fairly good night. I'm realizing that I def need to increase my fluoxetine. I'm very anxious now to get back to my doctor. I woke up ok today, hoping for a good day. How are you feeling?

[Maddis mum]

Ocean how are you today? Have you noticed improvement or are you feeling like your going backwards? I wish you could see your doctor sooner. It's a bit of a wait when you could start to feel better so much sooner. I know my increase was the right thing. As scared as I was I have had better days when before I had none. I am still not happy but I feel a bit more stable. I haven't reached the 6 week mark yet so I assume I have a lot more improving to do.