Day 1 of Fluoxetine (Prozac)...

Posted , 14 users are following.

Hello,

I thought I would document my journey with Fluoxetine 20mg to help others who are also starting this medication and allow us all to talk about our experiences together and share our feelings.

Its day one for me, I literally took it an hour ago.

I have tried Sertraline and Citalopram in the past and Citalopram was amazing! However, I have been suffering from terrible migraines and extreme lethargy/fatigue and thought it may have been the Citalopram so I have now switched to Fluoxetine (20mg) I also gained 2 stone whilst I was taking Citalopram within 6 months!

I am hoping that fluoxetine will help make me my old happy energetic self again and that I wont suffer from too many side effects.

I have been feeling very irritable and short tempered recently so hopefully this SSRI will help...

Ruby Sparks

0 likes, 14 replies

14 Replies

  • Posted

    Hi Ruby,

    I think thats a great idea. As this medicine can make you feel worse before you feel better I think people starting out would really benefit from knowing others journey on this tablet. Did Citalopram take a little while to settle or did you feel the benefits straight away?

    Sally

    • Posted

      Hello Sally,

      Thank you for replying to my post.

      Citalopram took about 3 weeks before I actually started to feel a difference, I felt very very spaced out and as though I was not in control of my body during these first three weeks, I also had a very dry mouth and felt nauseas, but after around 3 weeks the side effects subsided and that was when I began to notice the difference, I felt calmer and my irritability went away! I also felt as though everything was 'fine and will sort itself out' which made me kind of disorganised and 'messy' whilst on Citalopram. But the happy go lucky and carefree attitude outweighed all of this I thought! I was no longer an emotional wreck crying over the slightest thing.

      Do you mind if I ask if you are also taking SSRI's? And how you are feeling?

      Ruby x

    • Posted

      Sally,

      I have just re read your message. Did you mean if the tiredness and headaches went away after I stopped Citalopram? If so, I have not yet found that either have gone away sad The headaches are only on my right side and I am awaiting results from a CT scan so this may be due to an underlying problem unrelated to taking Citalopram.

      Sorry for the mix up.

      Ruby

  • Posted

    That's a great idea Rubysparks!  Just take it one day at a time and think positively. Sally56219 is right in saying that you may feel worse on this med before you feel better so don't let that discourage you if that is your experience. Just keep reminding yourself that you will feel better.  It's also good to try and exerise a little or at least get outside some, maybe take a little walk. :O) 
    • Posted

      Thank you Heather,

      I really need to get back into exercising you are very right! I know exercise is a natural depression remedy too, it sounds so silly but just the thought of going for a walk or doing any form of exercise feels impossible! It is like I am being weighed down with a gigantic brick not allowing me to move sad

      I will try to push myself to do some form of exercise today though!

      I am here if you need to talk.

      Thank you for commenting I really appreciate knowing that there are kind hearted people willing to listen and offer advice.

      Ruby x

    • Posted

      You are so welcome, Ruby, and believe me, I understand about the exercise. I hate exercising on a good day, so I can relate to how you feel.  Just get up and do it, take 15 or 20 minutes and focus on what you see and hear as you walk.  I have found that I have been so consumed every day with "how I feel" and that makes me more anxious. So, try and focus on something else, even something as simple as a walk around the block.  I'll be praying for a better day for you!  :O)
  • Posted

    Hi Ruby,

    I was prescribed this medicine for anxiety and I have been taking it for two and a half weeks now. I have just taken my 18th tablet this evening. The anxiety came out of nowhere. I think that I have been running on empty for a while but hadn't recognised the signs until it was too late. I have been off work for 4 weeks but am returning tomorrow. I am a primary school teacher. I started on beta blockers to combat the physical symptoms of the anxiousness, nervous tummy, sweating palms, inability to concentrate. The doctor then agreed to give me a course of ssri's to rebalance myself. I have taken them before, 17 years ago when I had had my son and was suffering from post natal depression. When I went for my monthly check up i can remember telling the doctor that for the first 3 weeks I hadn't felt any better and had in fact felt worse and that it was only during the fourth week that I had begun to feel "normal"!! I am therefore hoping that it will be the same this time and that I am nearly there. This time around I didn't feel anything until the fourth day when I woke up terribly anxious, teary and tired. I laid on the sofa all day dozing and crying. It was awful and that was the worst day. I have got steadily better and think that I am through the worst. The side effects that I have suffered have been tiredness, inability to get to sleep at night, anxiousness, dazed and spaced out and terribly lethargic! These side effects have definately settled. I am worst when I wake in the morning and then start to feel better as the day goes on! I am quite impatient and I have to keep reminding myself about how dreadful I felt two weeks ago and this helps me to focus on how far I have come and how much better I am! I hope this helps. I would say to anyone to stick with it and push through each day focussing on how you will feel after the first 2/3 weeks! Keep in touch.

    Sally xx

  • Posted

    citalopram made me clim the walls. let me know how you get on 
  • Posted

    Today was my fist day taking Fluoxetine, I tried to tell myself that nothing would happen as I've been reading it takes around 3-4 weeks for any changes but I did feel different after just one 20mg pill. I'm not sure if it's psychological that I think I feel different because I've taken a pill or if I actually feel that way? I feel like I'm slightly drunk, my movements are slow, I feel numb but still sad, my breaths are shallow and I'm still not eating enough. Interested to see how my mood may change... Although I've only been given 14 pills of 20mg to start with. I've been told to take one each day in the morning but others take them at different times? 
  • Posted

    Im on Fluoxetin. Day 15. This last wk was the worst. Crying,anxiety, dont want to do anything. This is my 4th antidepressant. Iv also lost some wt. Not hungry. Also take Klonapin prn when needed to sleep. Im hoping by end of next 7-8 days I will feel better. But rt now its awful. So sad!
    • Posted

      Oh Im on 20mg.
  • Posted

    I just took my first prozac pill. I'm 21 years old. Put on it for anxiety. Hoping it helps.

    • Posted

      How did you do? I'm about to take my first pill for severe anxiety and I am so scared!

  • Posted

    I've never been on medication before, my family doctor prescribed me Prozac for the very first time. I'm terrified and can feel my anxiety intensify before I even taken it. Im gunna take it tomorrow at noon. Cause I want 2 days where I'm not really working to see how the begining effects me. How ever I'll be working for 3 hrs while taking this. I'm just wondering do u get side effects right away !?! I know they will be comming. I'll probably get the head aches and dry mouth, cause I vape and my job is super stressfull. As well I will probably feel sick, I have a senative stomach and guts. I have celiac , so I know pain ! That's for sure !

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