How long will it take?

Hi Milree,

If you read through the different forums on here you will notice that everyone is different! After 4 weeks some people have started to feel the positive effects, others haven't. Personally for me, after 4 weeks I still didn't feel any better. I had a similar experience to you in week 1, then the next three were less severe for side effects but I still had very dark moments. So after 4 weeks I went back to the doc and she upped it to 40mg. I've now been taking them for about 3 weeks and there is some general improvement. It's quite distinct actually! If the side effects are really bad however, your doc may consider changing the med you are on? From what I've read it seems like it's worth sticking with if you can, cos it should kick in at some point. But if side effects are too much there are plenty of other similar drugs out there! I was prescribed some sleeping tabs and the 40mg at my 4 week review. When are you going back to doc? X

Hi

Im waiting for my dr to call me back. Everyone else says they think I am a lot better than I was, I just can't See it. Maybe I should just wait , I suppose everyone is different. I get to sleep easy but wake up and that's it bad thoughts then kicks in the anxiety. At the weekend I thought I was feeling better and then yesterday and today having a bad time, maybe just missing kids as they have gone back to school. My dr will not give me sleeping tabs . Did you get any side effects when you went up to 40mg.

even with the sleeping tablets I am still waking up early. I am using them only if i cant fall asleep now. I was waking up early (middle of the night really) and the bad thoughts stopped me going back to sleep. now it's not as early, and i can often get back to sleep! Doc said to expect to wake up early really and that it's part of the illness, but should ease as the drugs work more and more. Also in the first 4 weeks i thought i was a lot better about week 3, but by week 4 I felt like I was back in week one. For me I had been home for 2 weeks (i work away from my partner), and things were better there, but it was when i returned to my 'other home' that things were really bad again. So maybe it's similar to you that situational things play a big role in it too! I am learning to accept that i have to take every day as it comes. I have now had quite a few good days in a row, but i can get upset or overwhelmed very easily, like the drop of a hat. everyone keeps saying that this is ok, and that i should still expect bad days and not be upset when i have them,or see it as a step backwards. I actually didnt have too many side effects going up to 40mg! I was expecting it, and bracing myself for a repeat of week 1! but no, nothing major. a couple of headaches and increased tingling (i've been getting that since about day 4 of 20mg and it hasn't stopped). possibly a day or 2 of slight increased anxiety for no apparent reason, but then for me it's been really hard to tell if it's the drug or the illness! Hopefully doc will call ypou back soon, but if they don't just say you need an emergency appointment and it's due to side effects of a drug, they should see you pretty sharpish! From what i've read poeple do say it's worth the wait, but everyone's side effects are different, so only hold out if it's not going to cause you sever distress in the mean time!!!!

Thanks for listening, at least on here people know how your feeling. I just feel I'm in my own world. Hopefully would have spoken to dr by tomorrow.

Yes I found this site really useful, whether it was just reading about others' experiences, or talking. The main thing to know is that you are NOT alone, although feeling a bit spaced out and not really with it was a side effect I was having, as well as generally feeling very alone and like I needed someone's attention all of the time (which is the complete opposite of me normally)! Are you doing anything else as well, like counselling, well-being centre? I'm now starting to realise that there are a lot of things out there, and am giving everything a go!!!! A couple of weeks back though I didn't want to do anything, so maybe i'm jumping the gun a bit here, but I found doing things and structure really helpful. The worse bit was finding the motivation to even want to do something. but it will go up and go down, just take it whilst it's up!! Good luck, here is you want to chat more x

I'm on waiting list for cbt, about three months. I am usually always doing something , never sit down and always out. But now no movtivation , just been sitting on sofa watching films then will do a little housework, so bored. I've booked to get my hair coloured tomorrow going to have to make myself go. I hate being alone at the moment . Not been to shops since before xmas so might try that this week but again feel like I'm forcing myself as just can't be bothered.

Hi everyone sorry its been so long since I posted but between work and the side effects plus moving house its been to much. I have now been on prozac for 15 days and happy to say the side effects have subsided thank god! I went back to the doctors who is a woman and told her of my side effects and she played them down to nothing! Just very ho hum about how i was feeling. She said to keep taking as it will get better. I also told her I had to get information off a forum as I needed validation of my crazy symptoms...she rolled her eyes at that! Man If i have to have one more set of rolled eyes from doctors I think Ill roll them permanently for them

anyway the good news is i am feeling better in the symptoms but not sure if anything has actually kicked in enough to control the pmt I just had......a pathetic mess that transformed me into to someone I dont even know! I cant do that again its so far removed from who I am! At the moment Ill keep going as thats what everyone is saying! Very sadly a local celebrity over here in Aussie Charlotte Dawson has just passed away, taking her own life from depression. Depression is very real and we all deserve to try and help ourselves and thank god for forums like this where we can all find likeminded people sharing our worries our positives and negatives.

Good luck and nothing but positives thoughts to each and everyone on this forum that has helped me massively! No rolled eyes here lol

Hi Milree

It does seem a dreadful waste of time when you have no motivation. Set yourself small steps - things to do that won't take much effort. I lost interest in everything in the early stages but these feelings do pass. You have to be patient although it is very frustrating.

Best wishes.

Really not good did not sleep at all last Night, I feel like I'm worse than when I started. I just can't do this no more, just can't find a way out. I want my life back.

Has your Doc called you back yet? might be worth asking for just a couple of sleeping pills, cos no sleep makes everything so much worse. i wasnt allowed them during the first 4 weeks, but when i said my sleeping hadnt improved i got a couple. it sounds like you are feeling really low, is there anyone who can come and meet you? even if you don't go outside, maybe get someone over for a coffee and a chat? even if you don't really want them there, it might help?

No has not called yet. I'm very low, and can't talk to any friends as they just don't understand what I'm going through. Might try and sleep. I'm in such a lonely world.

I'm sorry to hear that, that sounds really crap. It's really important that you speak to someone who understands what you are going through. I was given the crisis number at my local hospital and told that there were specialist poeple on the other end of the phone at all times. it might be worth trying to find your number? am worried about you. it's really horrible when it just gets too much, it feels like there is no end and the feelings are just too strong. i have been there within the last few weeks, but all of a sudden i really do feel better, and i cant really explain it or see what else is different, so i am assuming that the drugs ahve kicked in a bit. i just had to wait a bit longer, which was horrid, and sounds like where you are at now. so many poeple will probbably say, get up, go do something, but when you really dont feel like it going back to bed seems like the most appealing thing. i don't think there is too much of a problem with that, if that's what works for you then do it. you need to take some time to look after you, and if you want sleep, then have it. know that you are not alone though, there are lots of poeple going through something similar. sometimes it can be hard to reach them though, but luckily with the internet you now can. get some sleep, but then when you get up maybe come back on here, and try some other help lines too. there are actually so many people out there specifically to help. we just have to make the first step, which can seem like the biggest one of all. but imagine how good you will feel once you have taken it xx

Lucy

Still had no sleep and still very emotional, why have I gone backwards? You sound like you are doing well do you sleep now did you sleep beforevyou started meds?

Oh hun, i really feel for you. I think it's the drugs that make you feel like it's going backwards! But if it's too much then go back to the doc and they will either reassure you, or change it!!! They are there to help!

I was having difficulty sleeping before the meds anyway, so i don't think it is a side effect of them for me, more a symptom of the illness. i can now sleep okish. i can still wake up ear;ly, but when i did that before there was no getting back to sleep, now i can. i can still struggle to feel even remotely tired in the night time, and on those days I have taken a sleeping tablet. but it is a vast improvement. i'm not needing them every night and can sleep. it makes a lot of difference. and yea i feel like i am doing really well now, and it's actually a bit of surprise considering i was so low such a short space of time ago!

i really urge you to go back to doc or at least speak to a specialist for advice!! it can't hurt??!