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16 days on Fluoxetine, more anxiety, insomnia - please help!

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Mark10477
Mark10477

Hi, 

I have started Fluoxetine 16days ago as I wasn't able get rid off withrwal sympthomps after comeing off from Seroxat.

In the past I have been trying to come off from Seroxat 3-4 times without any luck, always I have had bad withdrawal symptoms. Finally, I have managed to came from Seroxat but probably to fast. I've been taking Seroxat for 3-3.5 years and came off within 6 weeks, first 2-3 weeks after last dose were not to bad but after that it was getting worst and worster withdrawal symptoms.

At the moment my GP suggested me to start taking Fluoxetine, 20mg in the mornings. First week and a half was really good, I haven't had any side effects and Seroxat withdrawal symptoms went off.

Sadly, last Friday everthing started being worst and worster, I have a really bad moments during the day, my anxiety is really high few times per day for let say about 30min to 1h than I calmer but I'm still thinking "How I feel" that makes me really tierd. The worst are morning, then it's better and nights aren't as good as it was at the begining on Fluoxetine, I wake up few times per night with strange thoughts.

At the moment I'm really sceptic, if Fluoxetine will help me back to normal life that I had before. I have had scary thouths that only Seroxat can help me but I don't whant to come back taking Seroxat as I know how hard is to stop taking that.

I'm having some good moments during the day when I feel nearly normal but those moments are really short but I must admint that last day wasn't to bad, night also wasn't bad but morning was terrible.

Does anyone of you had some simillar experiance with Fluoxetine during 2-3 week?

BTW, sorry for my English but I'm foreigner

0 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • Suey_suey
    Suey_suey Mark10477

    Posted

    Hi Mark 10477,

    Yes when I first went on to fluoxetine this happened to me. I did stick to them as truthfully I was having a bad time.

    The systems did subside apart from the odd palpation episode every once and a while but I could manage those.

    I have been off them I think coming up to 7-8 weeks maybe.

    I have just completely stopped taking them. I'm still getting side effects but truthfully it is getting easier. You just have to remember stick to it and take your time.

    • Mark10477
      Mark10477 Suey_suey

      Posted

      Hi Suey,

      thank you for your replay, I'm happy to hear that you are without fluoxetine now and you fell fine.

      I really hope that this med will help me and after 6 months or 1 year I will be able to come off from it.

      I have a really bad experiance with coming off from Seroxat, it was so hard for me the withraw this med and when finally stopped taking that, my anxiety triggered and deppresion as well.

      Anyway, I hope that everything will be fine with fluoxetine as sometimes I really scarred that I will have to go back to Seroxat.

      Thanks again.

  • BigTexas
    BigTexas Mark10477

    Posted

    Hi Mark - I'm on the same boat as you. Since I started taking Fluoxetine I have some good periods during the day and evening. But then the mornings are a little tough. I usually take it in the morning with my breakfast and go take a walk outside for about an hour. Nothing too extreme. Just a simple walk through my local park. That's helped me a lot. But on occasion I still have some rough parts during the day. I just try to be as positive as I can telling myself that "it will pass". I am praying that this will improve with time. Today is my 10th day on it. I had a rough night last night but looking forward to a better day.

    I hope you make it ok and if you ever need anything feel free to contact me. You are not alone. We are all here for each other.

    • Mark10477
      Mark10477 BigTexas

      Posted

      Hi eortega101,

      thank you for your replay. It's "good" to heat that not only me have such a problems with Fluoxetine it really give me a hope that in few weeks it will be only better.

      I did the same this morning, as this morning was really bad I went to the park for a walk and then whent back to work. Now, I fell much better, thank you!

       

  • Mark10477
    Mark10477

    Posted

    Hi to all again, 

    I just wanted to share with you how I feel today.

    I had a really bad night, I woke up every 60 minutes and had troble to fall asleep again, from 4am I could sleep at all, it made me really anxious.

    Morning and I felt anxious as well, NOW the good thing was that from 10am nearly till 2pm I felt normally, like old me, full of energy I was felling like the fluoxetine kicked me in, I was really happy during this time, wanted to dance and was smiling, really nice felling.

    Unfortunately, now I feel as bad as during last 8 days, anxious sometimes anxiety is really high, I'm losing hope if the fluoxetine will really help me.

    Can you please tell me if you have had simillar feelings during week 3, I really would like to feel now as it was today for 4 hours.

  • BigTexas
    BigTexas Mark10477

    Posted

    Hi Mark - just checking in with you. Are you feeling better now? I am having a pretty rough day today. Feeling anxious on and off. But this is the 14th day for me. Just checking to see how you are feeling. Maybe it will give me hope if you're feeling better.

    Thanks

    • Mark10477
      Mark10477 BigTexas

      Posted

      Hi Eddie, 

      sorry for late replay but have been quite busy today.

      I'm sorry to hear that you were having rough day today. Today is my 21st day on fluoxetine, yesterday was the worst day I ever remember, my anxiety went up the roof, I even couldn't sit still, I had few hours were I had to make anything. Night from Saturday to Sunday, I didn't sleep at all and it made my much more anxious. 

      Last night I took some sleeping pills that I had from my GP and I slept week last night, in the morning I went to see GP and told him how do I feel from last 10 days, he sugested me to take 40mg of fluoxetine, I was on 20mg before. I came back home and took extra 20mg - Eddie this afternoon everything went away, all strong thoughts that I had - gone, anxiety - gone, I had some much ebergy today - best day ever.

      We have 9pm here in the UK now, I hope that I will sleep well today without sleeping pills and really hope that from now on every day will be better.

      Eddie, I don't know on what dosage you are, but maybe it will be worth it to see with your GP let say on your week 3 and increase the dosage if you will be still unwell.

      Please fell free to contact me, first weeks are really bad on this med but now I see that it really helps, I do hope that it will work well for us both and soon we will get back our old life!

      All the best Eddie, 

      Marek

    • BigTexas
      BigTexas Mark10477

      Posted

      Hi Marek

      Thanks for your reply.  I am happy to hear that you are doing better.  I hope this is signs of good things to come for both of us.  Today was pretty rough as well.  I did so much walking today and even hit the gym in the afternoon.  I already lost 25lb.  Anytime I feel anxious or nervous I take a walk or go exercise.  I mainly do it so I can rest at night.  I figure if I tire myself out I will sleep better.  It's helped so far.  

      I'm barely on day 14th so it's too early to tell if this is going to work for me.  I may ask my GP to increase the dosage if I don't see changes after week 4.  I'm on 20mg right now.  

      But I'm happy to read that you had a good day.  My mom told me the same thing.  She said that once it hits you will feel happy and back to normal.  You'll even forget that you had this anxiety.  She's only on 10mg so it must work.  I'm praying everyday that it does for me too.  

      Please let me know how you feel tomorrow.  I am excited to hear how your night went and how you feel in the morning.  I am praying for you buddy.  

      Eddie 

  • BigTexas
    BigTexas Mark10477

    Posted

    Hey buddy - how are you doing? Any updates?  Been feeling it pretty strong over here.  Still trying to get through this week to see what happens next.  It's all I think about now.  Almost losing hope that this will not work for me.  I do everything I can to ignore it but sometimes I can't.  Still praying for the best.  Hope all is well with you.  
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