Fluoxitine

Posted , 4 users are following.

hi there is anybody out there that can reassure me that I'm not going to go mad and be a friend. i feel alone

hi there so iv been like a guinea pig my whole life with these drugs. iv had anxiety and depression for as long as i can remember.

doc put me on 20 mg fluox for 4 weeks and now hes boosted it to 40 mg

my depression anxiety is through the roof now. this morning i woke up feeling confused and clammy sweaty. like i couldn't think and its scared me all day. iv had the anxiety all day i had to resort to a diazapam

my symptoms are

sicky nausea

headaches

cloudyness numbness

can't think for my self

hot and cold clammy

i could just lay here and feel sensations all day and not move numbness

I'm scared of all these side effects

i have health anxiety and depression

horrible sensations

so i got it changed a week ago and now i feel like i should be in a mental hospital because i can't look after my self with being 2 anxious and depressed. even my appertite has gone. is this normal. should i stop this meds or carry on

i hope i find some relief soon because this is painfull

i wouldn't wish these feelings on my worst nightmare

0 likes, 16 replies

16 Replies

  • Posted

    Hi, please don't be scared, that's normal side effects, they will last for a bit and then one by one they will pass. I am on 20mg for 8 months, i have never increase the dose, because you need to give long ling time for medication to settle and balance in your body. I have all those side effects, thinking i am going crazy, lost 6 kilos, lost appetite, sweating, shaking, and etc. I though i will never get better. But i got support here in this forum and was taking day by day surviving. It will get better i promise, don't be scared. Recovery will be going in ups in downs. Sometimes you will feel better and then back to bad - its normal.

    My advise would be to stay on 20mg at least 5-6 months, this meds working very slow, but they are working.

    Come here and chat whenever you need, we are here to help and support 😃

    • Posted

      hi there thank you for the reply. iv had something feel weird today. which i think it may be a sign that the medication is starting to work. i hardly felt anxious for like a hour and i had a lot more energy. now the sweats and downer has come back with numbness which i am totally scared of. hopefully this is a sign that my meds are working. because it was weird like i could feel the anxiety sickness trying to get through but it couldn't it was mild!!! now im laying on my bed with the sweats and sicky feeling numbmess. but i am shocked but sad as swell because it is back with a vengeance

    • Posted

      Yes, that's right , that's how recovery goes - you will start to feel better for few minutes, for few hours, than evening will get better and slowly slowly you will recover. But take my advise - dont get scared when you feel all those side effects - your body is very sensitive now and every physical or emotional feeling is magnified, your anxiety is just keep "scanning" your body for something wrong, scanning environment around you for danger - it is not you, it is temporary and it will pass. But let me advise you something, the worst you can do when you feel bad is to lie down or just sit there and listening to your feeling, try to do something, get up , go for a walk even 10 min, take shower, put some washing or etc. This will teach your brain that anxiety you feel at the moment is not dangerous, and it is ok to feel this way right now. It will be hard to do that, you will do that mechanicaly without enjoying but its totally ok. Important is - do not change what would you do when you was anxiety free. I will message you privately with a name of the book - find time and read it, it will give you knowledge about anxiety.

      Take it day by day, look at your progress not in week time but in month time. You will get there 😃

    • Posted

      hi there thanks for the reply.

      iv had a bad day today. couldn't get off the sofa and i have hardly eaten anything. numbness in my face is back that i just cant get out of my head. and also with the sickness. its been a tough one. i feel let down

    • Posted

      Hi there

      yes, i felt the same - numbness in face, shaky hands, sweaty, loss of appetite - all these are side effects, and they will go, don't be scared. What i used to do when i was unable to eat, i was drinking protein smoothies with added fruits, nuts and etc. It is easier to swallow and digest than solids. Try to do small things, as hard as it is. Just get up and take shower, go for 10 min walk or watch some funny movie. I remember i was forcing myself to do all those things and was crying as i was doing them because i could not feel anything i was doing, like i was not in my body. Its all normal, you will go through that and will slowly get better, trust me 😃, I was there few month ago.

    • Posted

      it's horrible the numbness with me because i have health anxiety . I'm anxious of being anxious. and if i wasn't anxious there would be a big problem because i have had it many years now

      i can describe the numbness like weird feeling on my face cheeks lips nose around eyes. it can move around my face. then the prickly crawly feeling comes with it. and like you say it feels like your not in your body and I'm numb to the point i can't think of stuff and that's scary. makes me panicky cos i think I'm going to go mad and lose control. only managed to have a breakfast bar and protein drink few Weetabix today. and i have been laid under weighted blanket. I'm hoping for a better day tomorrow.

      i used to have a best friend who we both laughed and discussed our symptoms to but he sadly passed away just before covid hit. so i thank you for being friendly and messaging me

      thank you

    • Posted

      My name is Nataliya and i am living in Australia. Where are you from?

      Yes i can 100% relate to your feelings about "health" anxiety. But i think you might just have a normal anxiety, where you get scared from any sensation in your body. Health anxiety is a bit different, people with health anxiety first getting thoughts that something is wrong with them or they sick and THEN they are looking for symptoms in them selves. You are just having normal anxiety reaction on your side effects. When i was feeling numbness in my face and shaky hands i was convinced that it is Parkinson and then thinking that scared myself to death.

      All you feelings you have right now are very sensitive nerves, causing anxiety and anxiety creates a whole range of thoughts and fears. Can you do a favour for me ? I will ask you to do something even its seems impossible for you ? Write these down these steps and follow them up in the morning no metter how you feel about it. Deal?

      1. wake up, wash your face, brush your teeth, look in the mirror and say - i am recovering, and every day i am closer and closer to be well again, i am not alone, i have support and people who care about me, i am stronger than this.
      2. make yourself small breakfast, even if that only one bite.
      3. go for 10 min walk, slow walk.
      4. go to grocery shop just to get anything even if you dont need anything.
      5. make nice protein smoothie for lunch.
      6. watch funny movie - if you can find watch Step Brothers:)
      7. do some washing or cleaning, even if thats only 10 min
      8. take nice warm shower
      9. have small dinner.

      You are more than welcome to add anything else. But please do these steps, it will help you to get better

    • Posted

      i thank you for your kind information.

      i am from uk

      and iv not been able to do much today. side effects of day 9 40 mg

      headaches

      anxiety

      half numb head lol

      and loose bowel issues

      nausea and sweats

      i guess all these are all normal but not pleasent

      I'm hoping these side effects subside soon

    • Posted

      Hi there

      How are you doing today ? Hope you was able to move a bit around 😃

    • Posted

      i was able to move around last night. so i woke up this morning with a numb face again. freaked the hell out of me . had to resort to a benzo. now I'm laid under the weighted blanket with my pooch. don't no if it's medication or anxiety in general

    • Posted

      update from today. prickly crawly numb on left. then it travels to the right side. it's scary every time. managed to get a shower today and do a few odd jobs round house. now I'm laid down feeling sorry for my sicky down mood and ailments symptoms again. tomorrow's a new day eh eh. this meds give you a glimpse of light then a downer again iv found

    • Posted

      That's great that you was able to do even small thing ! And as i said you will start to feel better in evenings. And recovery goes as you said - it gave you a glimmer of home and then hit you again.

      For last two days in the morning i start to feel that unsettling feeling, like i don't know what to do with myself and no interest in thing i used to love doing before. It scares me to feel like i stuck in this life without happiness. Even though i have had some amazing days earlier, this anxious feeling is canceling all good i just felt few days ago. It is very weird, but it will get better again. Be strong and push through 😃

  • Edited

    Hi all,

    Ive been reading everyones comments and opinions on fluoxitine including side effects/ how long it takes to get better etc for a while now. I promised that If I get better I would share my thoughts/story with you all so here it is. I am more than happy to answer questions give support to anyone that needs it too 😊

    I have been taking fluoxitine 20mg since I was 22 my first episode started after I had my daughter This was more of a depressive mood than anxiety though ( although anxiety was defenetly there I just didn't understand it like I do now) I didn't follow my journey of getting better as well as I did this time so can't remember much.

    I'm now 38 and have continued to take fluoxitine . I then found a love for spin class and decided that I didn't need fluoxitine as much due to the endorphins of exercise so stupidly I cut down my dose and would take maybe one every 3/4 days I continued to do this for about 5 months whilst working in an extremely stressful and volatile environment anyway jump forward 5 months and I began to have pain in my lower abdomen and other symptoms I also googled these symptoms HUGE MISTAKE! anyway no doctor could find anything wrong with me I even had a scan to reasure me . There wasn't anything seriously wrong. Welcome to my life health anxiety! I had all these symptoms that was very real to me ,I cried all the time , didn't sleep properly, lost over a stone in weight in a matter of weeks I was very poorly indeed. I had to be signed of from work. My mother collected me from my house and moved me in with her and after a couple of days she sat me down and informed me I was having an episode of depression and anxiety and that she was convinced all these symptoms with my health was because of depression and anxiety.I contacted my doctor who prescribed propranolol I also took 20 mg of fluoxitine every day from this moment 4 weeks later I was still very low and the anxiety was very bad. I contacted my doctor who increased my dose to 40mg . The first 3 weeks of this was horrendous the side effects was awful they consisted of a fuzzy head , twitching in my legs and sometimes arms , hot flushes , waking up at a night and the worse anxiety that would come on for no reason this was particularly bad in the mornings I had such awful thoughts and at one some points I thought I was going insane ( this was so frightening) If anyone else has that thought please believe me if you are becoming that poorly and you think you will become insane you wouldn't be having this thought you wouldn't know somebody who looses control doesn't know or think there is anything wrong! I had some good moments but then it would come back and I'd get even lower because I thought I'd never get better It took a lot of reading about anxiety/depression and conversations with my mum to get me through these 3 weeks of side effects then week 4 happened my mood had lifted slightly and the anxiety was not as strong. I went back to work and faced people again I felt able to cope better don't get me wrong I was nervous but not in an uncontrollable way. I am now week 6 and still going strong... I'm not 100 % but I'm getting there and I'm in a completely different head space to before.

    Please be patient these tablets work in a strange way and sometimes take months to work and everyone is different. Depression and anxiety can affect anyone and does not discriminate. Please surround yourself with people who understand and care . People who tell you snap out of it need to be cut out of your mind until your better ( I have people i love but I cannot communicate with until im better as they dont help with my recovery) Kate coggs posts helped me a lot too ❤️

    What im trying to say is stick with it, be kind to yourself and don't rush the process! you will feel like you again and see life though clear eyes. Please believe me that moment you realise you are getting better is the best feeling in the world and worth the wait!

    ❤️ Becca ❤️

  • Posted

    Hi Becca

    i am so happy for you .!! its very dark place to be and side effects are brutal. I am taking 20mg fluoxetine and my trip much longer than yours, i am on 9 months and recovering very very slow. Still up and down. But yesterday i felt what you are saying - i saw the world through clear eyes, it felt calm, content and very peaceful. i hope that"s the feeling when you recovered. As you said, we should not put time on recovery - for some it takes 6 weeks and for some 6-12 months.. I just hope i will get pit of this black hole and would be happy again..

    • Posted

      Hi Nataliya,

      Yes I think it is just different time frame for everyone. Even though I feel lots better I still have moments (In these moments my mind tells me I'm slipping back) I have to remind myself that these moments are not forever and I have more good moments than bad. I found in the beginning it was just moments of feeling ok then they got a little longer each time. There was one day about 3 weeks in I was shopping and it was as though my body wanted to panic but my mind wouldn't let it this was a very strange feeling. Following this moment I had about 2 hours of feeling amazing then it stopped 😞 . Few days later my head started to clear at certain points in the day and I felt like I could see people properly without it being foggy, I was also more interested in what they was talking about. I had the seeing the world through clear eyes feeling that you clearly have also experienced. I think as long as you are getting moments it's confirmation that the tablets are working 😊

      Now I've done a lot of research into fluoxitine I sometimes think I should of stayed on the 20mg and just been more patient with it. I do intend on dropping back down once I'm completely stabalised. I am also waiting for cognitive behavioural therapy so I'm hoping this helps too. Is this something that would be available to you in Australia ?

    • Posted

      hi Becca

      yes i am visiting phsycologist but i can not say its something really helpfull for me.

      i was reading tne book about anxiety and it was more helpful and gave me more knowledge and its kind of contradict with CBT.. By the book, and following people who recovered you have to live through anxiety in order to get rid of it, and not trying to fox it or control it.

      i just hope i can fully recover from this awful feeling and be myself once again.

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