Fluoxetine side effects - a message of hope

[Rosablup]

Absolutely brilliant news bucuille and it just goes to show that the people that are close to you really see the difference even when perhaps you feel the your not getting any further,great way to start the weekend and kick on

[RAG]

Fantastic news Bucuille! I hope you are very proud of yourself, you should be

[daisydaisy]

Hi Rag,

How have you found stopping fluox? I was prescribed 20mg last Thursday. It is day 5 today but I haven't taken one yet as I just feel that it's not going to work for me 2nd time around. I have felt really sick, had upset stomach,racing thoughts/vivid dreams and just feel a bit blurghh. I spent most of yesterday evening in bed as was so weak. I have hardly been eating and my stomach hurts which I think may also contribute to why I am not sleeping properly. Anxiety is also through the roof at times and constantly feeling on edge. I don't remember any of these side effects last time but I do know they took a while to kick in. (2-3 weeks at least).

I have read some self help stuff (Paul David) and looked into CBT on here and I am thinking that maybe this is the way to go this time around. I just feel it's a gamble as if I keep going they may kick in soon enough but I don't know if I want to carry on with the side effects. I haven't consulted with my doctor being a b/h but I did speak with an out of hours doctor yesterday who said after 4 days I could stop with no side effects but he did say to talk with my GP. I took a diazepam 5mg last night which meant I got about 4 hours sleep woke up and then another 2 hours sleep.

Wishing everyone well!

[daisydaisy]

Hi sorry to post again but really worried. After having some quite intense panic yesterday I continued to take the prozac (fought against this but thought it was best) This is day 6 today. I got on with my day as well as I could yesterday and by the evening it was like some of the panic had disappeared which I thought great however I went to bed and could not sleep again and was up early. The main difference being upon waking I just feel quite numb- no waking with anxiety but still really restless. I feel like I want to stay in bed and sleep but at the same time feel like I should be up and about. I am signed off work for a few weeks and that feels like torture in some ways too as I feel like I should be doing something.

I really do not like the restless feeling its good not to have the anxiety but it also doesn't feel right- also if prozac does not kick in for a few weeks surely I wouldn't be feeling the benefits yet? I just wondered if anyone else has been through this phase? This is my second time on prozac after a 5 year break (started again after heightened anxiety brought on by health fears). I'm seriously considering stopping as I mentioned above but I just don't know what to do. I'm worried to call my doctor again as I don't want her to feel like I am bothering her. Any advice appreciated- thanks

[jelly2010]

Daisy,

I'm on fluoxetine for the 2nd time and I'm now in week 5 of 40mg. It does sound like you are having some nasty side effects. If I'm honest I've actually found the side effects worse this time (or perhaps I just don't recall them being as bad last time!) but after a horrible weekend I am having moments of calm now for short periods so I like to think they are working.

In my second week I called the GP twice as I was so scared. Please don't be thinking you are bothering them if you need reassurance! From my experience I would say you need to keep going for a few more weeks before feeling any benefit and if you don't start feeling better then perhaps you need to look in to changing the dose or type of meds.
I know that's not particularly comforting just now - I remember saying 'I can't go on' but now you are not alone.

Please feel free to PM me anytime.
J x

[OncewasSupergirl]

Daisy, I'm 18 weeks this week n what you're describing happened to me at the start. Hang in there, I'd say they're starting to work. I was off work also n felt exactly the same but I knew I wasn't well enough to be at work, just felt so guilty. I also wanted to sleep but felt restless it will pass, trust me. I only have jaw clenching left as a side effect which I can deal with, but I had so many at the start, they diminish after a few weeks. Hope this offers reassurance x x

[daisydaisy]

Hi Ladies,

Thanks so much for your words of encouragement it means the world to me. I just hauled a.s out of bed, had a shower and I decided that I'm going to go and walk somewhere as I'm thinking that can't harm and may burn off some additional agitated feelings!

I called my doctor but she is out until tomorrow so will discuss it all with her then. I've made a list of how I'm feeling and that helps. I guess I just feel like I need to be occupied 24/7 whilst also wanting rest- so weird. But as I said nice not to have any actual feelings of a p/a just the panic.

I'm so stressed about returning to work in this state as my job needs focus and attention and that's not helping either I think (even though I keep telling myself it will be fine!) I'm signed off for 2 weeks but I live in the town I work in and it's difficult as I keep getting paranoid about someone seeing me etc and thinking I'm not "ill" but I'm going to drive out somewhere now for the walk with my partner as I need this.

That's the other thing my partner is really good but I read another feed and I saw that you mentioned Jelly that your husband may be a bit scared by it all- I think my partner feels the same but he knows this won't be forever its just a little blip. That's what I keep telling him anyways- got to look for the positives

May I ask have either of you taken fluoxetine for the 2nd time around like me?

I'll post again a bit later when I am back- and again thank you both. X

[OncewasSupergirl]

This is my first time on fluoxetine, I've taken Sertraline (awful...wanted to die) Lofepramine, Trimipramine over the period of 12 years, none have worked aswell as the fluox for me though to be honest x x

[jelly2010]

Hi Daisy,

Supergirl has been such a comfort to me as she is a bit further down the line of taking the med and is doing well!

Yep this is my second time taking it. I was prescribed it in oct 2010 after a trauma and came off end of 2011/start of 2012 (can't remember now!). Was re-prescribed it in Feb after my depression and anxiety returned full throttle.
As I said in my previous post - I think the side effects, particularly increased anxiety have been much worse for me this time around!

Try not to worry about your work too much (I know, easier said than done) as it's important to focus on you getting better right now. Is there a manager or someone high up that you feel comfortable confiding in as to why you are off sick? I was off for a couple of months back in 2010 and I found it was helpful to be honest with them as I got support and I wasn't worried about people speculating behind my back as long as the important people understood!

You are right to think of this as a blip - you will get through it!
J x

[Janine]

The girls are right, you will get through it, this is my first time and I have been on it since September and went through horrific side effects for nearly six weeks, but gradually your good times out number the bad, it seems like forever getting to that point but it is so worth it. I was really restless some days and could not relax for a minute I literally was rocking on the chair for hours on end to get some sort of relieve.

Try not to worry about work, you will be able to focus when you feel better, I had never suffered with anything like this before but if anyone asked I told them what was wrong and was amazed at how many people said they had had the same at some point or were on medication.

There is lots of help and support on here and it certainly helped me through.

xxx