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11 weeks on fluoxetine, nothing changed. Starting to lose hope.

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annie97103
annie97103

As the title says, this is my 11th week on Fluoxetine and I haven't felt a single change. I used to be on Paroxetine (Paxil) but changed medications due to financial reasons (I can get Fluoxetine for free, my country's healthcare provides it, but they don't offer Paxil).

I did fine on Paroxetine 25mg, had good and bad days, VERY emotionally blunted, rarely anxious but constantly depressed. It's like it worked for anxiety but not for depression.

I switched to Fluoxetine now and the first 7 to 8 weeks were unbearable due to having no appetite, insomnia and all the anxiety and depression just piling in. Managed to get rid of insomnia by taking Clonazepam and Melatonin to sleep, appetite came back gradually, but absolutely no effects on anxiety or depression.

Everywhere I research, I get a different answer. "It should start working by week 6" "It should start working by week 12" and I just feel so tired. The anhedonia, sadness and emptiness are just too much, and this medication doesn't seem to help.

I can only see my psychiatrist in October. Should I keep taking it or just stop altogether since it's not making a difference? Is week 12 really to early to expect anything?

Thank you

0 likes, 10 replies

10 Replies

  • nataliya.k
    nataliya.k annie97103

    Posted

    Hi Annie

    how much Fluoxetine you are taking .?

    i am on 20mg for last 9 months and still going through ups and downs. Sometimes it takes longer to work, do you have any changes at all .? Do you feel better in evenings .?

    • annie97103
      annie97103 nataliya.k

      Edited

      Hi Nataliya

      I am on 20mg as well.

      I mentioned in the post that I didn't feel any changes, but today my period came (I wasn't tracking it so it was a surprise) and because of that I noticed that during PMS I was stable, in comparison to how I normally feel during these days (I have Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder and I get really suicidal. This time I was depressed, but not as low as I usually get during PMS).

      Besides that, no changes whatsoever... I wake up early and by the end of the morning I'm mentally exhausted so I sleep until the middle of the evening still feeling a bit down but manage to push through until it's time to sleep. Appetite comes and goes and it's really starting to become an issue.

      Do you feel better in evenings specifically?

  • abby73517
    abby73517 annie97103

    Posted

    hi guys,

    i have been on fluoxetine for nearly 7weeks now. i was on 20mg for 5 weeks the doctor then put it up to 40mg. but my anxiety and intrusive thoughts got 100000x worse. to where i had to go a and e x2.

    i have had bad intrusive thoughts of killing myself for years. but they have just got so much worse.

    due to this the doctor has put it back down to 20mg and gave me promethazine and propanalol.

    can anyone relate or know if its going to get better?

    • annie97103
      annie97103 abby73517

      Posted

      Hi Abby, I'm on week 11 and I feel no signs of change. It's like this medication had no effect on my symptoms of depression/anxiety. The only thing I feel are the annoying side effects. But it hasn't gotten worse like you described, it's the same as it's always been. I'm sorry you're going through that.

      How's the promethazine and propranolol working out for you?

    • nataliya.k
      nataliya.k annie97103

      Posted

      Hi girls

      i ve been on 20mg Fluoxetine for over 9 months now. I have terrible side effects - nausea, lost of appetite - lost 6 kilos, night sweats, depression, insomnia and list can go on. I was so scared and confused because i start to feel worse than before the meds. But i stick to it, side effects start to ease up, and as usually evenings start to feel better. But in the morning everything start from the beginning - terrifying anxiety. Recovery is very up and down, full of set backs when you feel awful like the first week on meds. Its not easy, speak to your doctor, but give enough time for meds to balance, it takes much longer than they are telling you.

    • annie97103
      annie97103 jo56870

      Posted

      hi, it's my 14th week. everything is still the same, sadly.

    • jo56870
      jo56870 annie97103

      Posted

      so sorry to hear this annie - its so hard waiting and knowing what to do x

    • annie97103
      annie97103 jo56870

      Posted

      thank you. what about you? have you noticed any improvements?

    • jo56870
      jo56870 annie97103

      Posted

      i have noticed an improvement - its little things like doing things around the house. im 12 weeks next week. im still very up and down though. do you think you will give it more time, change meds or up your dose? x

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