First of all I'd like to say thanks to everyone who's posted their experiences about Fluoxetine here - they've helped me a lot.

Secondly, I'd like to offer a message of hope to anyone going through the hell of Fluoxetine side effects. I've had bouts of depression on and off for seventeen years; I've tried medication, Therapy, counselling, meditation... you name it. Not much helped, really. But then I had a particularly bad bout in late summer and was really reaching the end of my tether.

I went to the GP and she put me on fluoxetine. The first few days were okay, but the next few weeks seemed like absolute hell - insomnia, terrible anxiety, nightmares, crazy turning thoughts... all much worse than the symptoms I was taking the pills to remove. I was very scared, very anxious and feeling desperate. I seriously thought about coming off the drug and discussed the options with my GP. But, something inside me said "stick it out". As I didn't have to go to work for a week or so, I did stick it out, and after that low point I started to feel better.

I've been on it (20mg a day, taken in the mornings) for over two months now, and I have to say I feel much better than I did - brighter and more positive - the side effects have really diminished too. I'm working okay (and even enjoying it!) sleep from 11pm until 7am and as an added bonus have not felt like a cigarette for two months! The only downside has been that I have to severely limit my alcohol intake as I find that anything more than a galss of wine or a beer makes me feel awful the next morning. But that's probably better for my health anyway!

Obviously everybody's different, and the drug may not suit everyone who tries it, but as I remember reading some of the horror stories about side effects and really relating to them, I thought I'd just post about the positive experience I've had since the side effects diminished. When you're right in the middle of them, they seem like they'll never end, but they did for me. So if you're trying to get through them, my thoughts are with you and good luck.