5th week on prozac-anxiety increasing - switch or push through?

[Boleyna]

Today it has been 5 weeks (on 20mg for mostly anxiety and some depression) and the last 2.5 weeks have been slowly getting worse.

I was cross-switched from 50mg of Zoloft (which did not work for me this second time around at all) to 20mg Prozac and did not expect the ups and downs. When I used Zoloft the first time, I started to steadily improve after week 2 (with the help of therapy) with physical symptoms of anxiety fading away quickly.

Now on Prozac: My first week gave me almost immediate results in regards to both anxiety and depression (though I had stomach ache for about 2-3 hours after taking the meds), by the end of week 2 the anxiety started to slowly come back (stomach ache gone). Now I have been waking up with full anxiety, which slowly improves towards the afternoons. This is when I manage to leave the house for some errands. But I couldn't manage to leave house for therapy yesterday in the am - my anxiety was through the roof.

Since taking the meds I have been waking up after 4 hours of sleep and then just drift in and out for the next 3-4 hours. I really want my sleep back! I take Prozac in the morning, so it shouldn't interfere with my sleep.

I'm just not sure if I have to stick it out longer (not sure how to) or switch to another med (e.g. Lexapro). I don't want to increase dosage as I assume anxiety would go up even more.

So frustrated that after initially feeling better it's getting worse.

[Bike Rider]

Hi Boleyna.

Stick with it, took 12 week for it to get working with me, but made a big difference. These meds are slow to act, so patience is needed. I know its hard but the effort will see results and these meds can make things seem worse before they act to improve it.

[Boleyna]

Thank you for your reply Bike Rider!

I really need reassurance these days that the anxiety will go away again.
And I just don't understand that the first 2 weeks were so much better (almost felt back to normal self).
The depression has not returned (which was Zoloft induced) but this anxiety...
Like everyone else, I just want to get better as fast as possible.

Again, thank you for your reply - it's so good to know that I am not alone in this.

[PunkyFish]

Today it has been 5 weeks (on 20mg for mostly anxiety and some depression) and the last 2.5 weeks have been slowly getting worse.

I was cross-switched from 50mg of Zoloft (which did not work for me this second time around at all) to 20mg Prozac and did not expect the ups and downs. When I used Zoloft the first time, I started to steadily improve after week 2 (with the help of therapy) with physical symptoms of anxiety fading away quickly.

Now on Prozac: My first week gave me almost immediate results in regards to both anxiety and depression (though I had stomach ache for about 2-3 hours after taking the meds), by the end of week 2 the anxiety started to slowly come back (stomach ache gone). Now I have been waking up with full anxiety, which slowly improves towards the afternoons. This is when I manage to leave the house for some errands. But I couldn't manage to leave house for therapy yesterday in the am - my anxiety was through the roof.

Since taking the meds I have been waking up after 4 hours of sleep and then just drift in and out for the next 3-4 hours. I really want my sleep back! I take Prozac in the morning, so it shouldn't interfere with my sleep.

I'm just not sure if I have to stick it out longer (not sure how to) or switch to another med (e.g. Lexapro). I don't want to increase dosage as I assume anxiety would go up even more.

So frustrated that after initially feeling better it's getting worse.

Hi

The first 6-8 weeks my anxiety got worse but by week 12 my anxiety was so much less. I also had strange sleeping patterns and would feel very tired during the day. I had ups and downs in my moods. This did pass by week 12. I've been on Prozac since last year now and the effects after the 12th week have been great. My anxiety is so much less. It can take about 12 weeks for the medication to fully work. Within those 12 weeks my doctor increased my dosage from 20mg to 40mg which really did help. These sorts of medications do take a few weeks/months to fully work. If you have any concerns talk to your doctor.

[Bike Rider]

Thank you for your reply Bike Rider!

I really need reassurance these days that the anxiety will go away again.
And I just don't understand that the first 2 weeks were so much better (almost felt back to normal self).
The depression has not returned (which was Zoloft induced) but this anxiety...
Like everyone else, I just want to get better as fast as possible.

Again, thank you for your reply - it's so good to know that I am not alone in this.

Could the first 2 weeks be a placebo effect? but as someone said to me, so what take anything you can.

It will go, stick at it, be patient and just remind yourself that it will be ok, it just takes time.

[Boleyna]

I have been wondering if the first two weeks I was feeling better, because the Zoloft came out of my system. But hey, I take the Placebo effect, too!

But then it seems like there are some people who start on Prozac and almost have immediate results.

I'll give this another week or two and hopefully will see some improvement.
I have to get back to be functional (for me that means able to leave the house and run errands)with 2 kids.

My trusted GP moved away on friday and referred me to someone else : (

Thank you, Bike Rider and Punky Fish!

[Bike Rider]

Well its my understanding that Prozac is a very slow to act med, the reason my GP swapped me was because Citalopram wasn't giving me a "lift" so to speak.

And with my latest increase from 30 to 40 mg he has told me to give it at least 4 weeks to kick in.

Patience with this will do you good I promise.

[Boleyna]

Thanks again, Bike Rider! I will try to be more patient : )

The past two days have been better though - with anxiety lifting around noon, which is huge for me. For the first time in months that I slept more than 4 hours at a stretch last night, waking up without a racing heart.
Anxiety is back now but hopefully only for a little bit.

I wish you the best of luck for your increased dose - you are much braver than I am with the meds! Hope you have a lovely day!

[Bike Rider]

This is the way my anxiety went too. Worse in the morning and getting better as the day goes on.

My Doctor gave me Propranolol (beta-blocker) for the morning anxiety but it takes 90mins to get going.

My sleep has always been poor and 4 hrs is good for me, this doesnt help though.

[Spicerice]

Hi everyone . Hi bike Ryder . I'm 21 years old and struggling with high anxiety . I am bed bound . I fear my body shaking and trembling with anxiety . I have recently stopped an antipsychotic and feel like I have even worse anxiety . I couldn't even manage a walk with friends . I feel like the Prozac are not working at all but making things worse as well . I'm on week 5 :(