Can i stop after 6 days?

How you feeling .....i know its early days , but i slept last night for the first time in weeks and my anxity is getting less ....still up and down until totally in my system ....by all means see your dr ...but im sure it will be worth it if you try a little longer ....hope you get sorted xxx

Hi Moo, 

Sorry to hear what you are going through at the minute, it sounds like you are having a really rough time of it!

First of all it is important to know that you are not on your own with how you are feeling now, in fact a large percentage of us have felt exactly the same way as you are now and although at the minute the outlook might not seem too good from wherer you are looking, I promise you that things can and do get better given time!.

In regards to your medication I can relate to what you are going through, I was prescribed Citalopram as opposed to Fluoxetine however the side books tend to be pretty much the same as in Palps, chest pain, changes in breathing patterns, etc. 

I've learnt that the first couple of week when you start taking a medication like this are very up and down and that until the loading period is over and things level out in your body then a good few people do tend to feel a bit rough. My GP described all of this to me and I did my own research online and found how the medication initially can change blood pressure and unfortunately can intensify and cause panic attacks for a short amount of time until the body gets settled with the new medication. 

I like you instantly thought to myself whether my body agreed with the medication. I wondered whether the medication was actually doing something to me and more harm and good however over time I developed a realisation that actually all of the side effects are pretty much trademark and expected. By zoning in on the and allowing myself to think about it I was just triggering the vicious cycle of panic if that makes sense. 

Think of it this way. In order for our body to enter a stage of panic we need our head to believe a lie? In your case the lies are most probably that the Fluotine is going to hurt you in some way. You might be telling yourself that you heart is suddenly going to stop or that you are going to have a heart attack? You might be telling yourself that your not breathing and that you are suddenly going to stop breathing?.......This isn't true!...I mean what happens when you go to sleep at night? Your heart continues to work perfectly fine!, Your breathing continues and is completely fine!  You are introducing a new "good stuff" into your body and as a result your body has to get used to it. You know that your body is going to change until it gets used to it and that what you are experiencing is completely normal and not just unique to you and no harm will come of you from it all!

Go and see your GP and explain your side effects! They might well tell you similar to what I have told you in respect to the side effects and how these initially could cause stages of panic and they may well convince you to ride it out. 

Don't punish yourself because how you are feeling is a completely normal emotional reaction to a physical change! You can help yourself with a bit of rational thinking to break the cycle, once you understand the changes and accept them you have made a big step up the ladder!

Keep your chin up!

 

Hi Moo

Hang in there. This medication takes a little bit for some people. Have you felt any improvement yet. See your doctor before you make your mind up about not taking it. It has helped a lot of people.

Do you do breathing exercises when you are feeling stressed? What do you find helpful to feel calm?

I have had many panic attacks so I know how bad they feel. I know if you work with your doctor there will be light at the end of the tunnel.

I have been on fluoxetine for a few months and it took 8 weeks before i noticed i was feeling better. My therapist taught me to breathe properly to help with the dizziness and the random unable to breathe properly moments and it has really helped

Thank you for all your replies. Ive seen my doctor who has said to continue taking it because i have to allow time to get in my system and he assured me that my chest pain and palps were anxiety related rather than the fluoxetine and he also checked my blood pressure which was normal. Because ive had cardiology tests he said hes certain its all anxiety. To be honest i know im anxious its just hard to believe its anxiety and its easy to just think oh its the fluoxetine which in that moment makes you think stop taking it and you will feel better but i know deep down i felt terrible before starting the fluoxetine. I have not had any improvement as yet. I sat in the doctors and i could of cried my eyes out just feel so helpless like i feel like ill never feel better. Im home now and cant help but tear up just so overwhelmed by it all and this constant battle of feeling unwell. Im truely fed up of feeling scared :-( x

Huni, you will start to feel better soon... At first it is just the odd hour where you feel like your old self again and gradually it builds up to a few hours and then a whole day, its also normal to have a few good days and then a bad one in there just to remind you that you still have a battle on your hands, but you will get well again. Come here for support and to ask anything that is troubling you we all look out for each other xx