Day 22 Prozac/Fluoxetine 20mg feeling terrible
Posted , 5 users are following.
Hi guys,
I'm three weeks into my first try of Fluoxetine, having previously been on Citalopram. I'm having such a rough time on it, and basically wake up every morning feeling beyond awful and wondering how I'll make it through the day. I know three weeks is still 'early days' - should I persist? I basically have continual severe anxiety that morphs into agitation as the day goes on, no appetite at all, exhausted all the time. A shell of my usual self 😦 Could really do with some encouragement to keep going.
0 likes, 34 replies
Toughgo lucy57040
Posted
i was so in the exact same spot . o honestly didnt think i would be better . at around 6-7 weeks i had some better days in a row . here i am at week 8 and im back down a little so its a real process we can only keep going forward
lucy57040 Toughgo
Posted
Thanks for relating Toughgo, it helps hearing other peoples experiences. Really pleased to hear you've had some good days, that's progress 😃
pamela85551 lucy57040
Posted
Also, here's Denise Welch talking about the link between hormones and depression, not sure if it's helpful but have a look:
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pamela85551
Posted
Sorry Lucy, I could message it to you if you like?
I hope you are safe with plenty of support.
PS: Another option might be escitalopram - I took that before and it definitely helped me sleep, plus if I remember correctly it took way less time to be effective than fluoxetine.
X
lucy57040 pamela85551
Posted
Thanks Pamela, I am safe, I'm staying at my sisters just now while I go through this. I'll look up the Denise Welch thing, thanks. I've been suffering with this on and off for many years, so I can't blame it entirely on hormones! I've taken escitalopram in the past - it shot me through the roof too, but only for the first fee days and yes it dud work faster, but it became ineffective and I was switched to citalopram. How long did fluoxetine take to kick in for you?
pamela85551 lucy57040
Posted
Hello Lucy,
It took about 2 weeks to a month to get any significant relief.
Even if you've had this before, it could still be at least partly hormonal as you have always had hormones! I was originally switched from escitalopram to fluoxetine as I was advised that fluoxetine is better if you have a hormonal imbalance.
X
lucy57040 pamela85551
Posted
Thanks Pamela - yes I'm sure my bloody hormones have a lot to answer for! I'm four and a half weeks into Prozac now with no relied whatsoever 😦
lucy57040
Posted
Relief I mean't!
lucy57040
Posted
Hi Pamela and Barbara,
Thanks so much for your replies, really appreciate your support. The akathisia is the worst thing. I take it this passed for you? I dropped down to 10mg of the Prozac, the doctor told me to come off it and start Olanzapine. I'm reluctant to completely stop the prozac when I've come this far (four weeks now). Don't know what to do 😦
barbara79178 lucy57040
Posted
Hi Lucy,
My heart hurts for you. You've remained such a trooper thru this whole ordeal. Did your Doc mention whether you can start the Olanzapine & stay on the 10 mgs of Prozac at the same time?
I have used prozac as a "bridge" to get off of another drug & then stopped the other drug & stayed on the prozac. The transition made it easier. Maybe you can try to find that out from your Doc?
Hugs,
Barb
lucy57040 barbara79178
Posted
Hi Barbara, I have stayed on the 10mg dose - I'm actually more reluctant to take the olanzapine. I think there is some improvement, I don't feel despairingly depressed anymore, but still the waking early and constant anxiety. It will be five weeks on Wednesday since I started the Prozac, do you think it's still early days? I'm certainly not feeling well or even remotely good 😦
lucy57040
Posted
Hi Pamela and Barbara,
Thanks so much for your replies, really appreciate your support. The akathisia is the worst thing. I take it this passed for you? I dropped down to 10mg of the Prozac, the doctor told me to come off it and start Olanzapine. I'm reluctant to completely stop the prozac when I've come this far (four weeks now). Don't know what to do 😦
pamela85551 lucy57040
Posted
Hello again! The akathisia did indeed pass, took about a month. Maybe you can stay on the lower dose of Prozac and see how that goes? Maybe 20mg was too much at first.
X
lucy57040 pamela85551
Posted
Ok thanks Pamela. A month of akathisia is pure hell. I have stayed on the 10mg with no change really. I wake up in the morning feeling so, so dreadful I can't even put it into words. Appreciate your support! Hope things are going well for you x
pamela85551 lucy57040
Posted
You poor thing! Akathisia IS hell. The joy of just being able to sit still in comfort is something I never take for granted now! Remember that it's physical and can be a side effect of SSRIs - you are not abnormal and you are not going mad even if it feels that way!
I'm a bit better today, thanks. Going by my experience of HRT so far, I reckon I'll be very up and down for a while. It's not easy waiting for your body to settle! X
Ps: Surely there must be something they can give you short term - did you say you had taken some lorazepam before?
lucy57040 pamela85551
Posted
Hi Pamela, yes the doc gave me diazepam, but it's been four and a half weeks since I started the Prozac, so I'm reluctant to keep using it. I only use it if I'm desperate. I'd say I am coping better now and more functional, not crying every day etc. But still constant anxiety/dread/doom. The agitation comes and goes. It's all so exhausting!
pamela85551 lucy57040
Posted
Hello Lucy,
Firstly, I hope your Christmas is as peaceful as possible! I know it brings up a lot for people anyway, and you have been a warrior during this time.
If the doctor prescribed you 50 tablets, then unless you feel like they have stopped working, so long as they're helping then personally I would continue to take them when you need them.
I had a better day yesterday, felt almost like my bubbly self, and was able to eat and get on with things, but today I'm crying and panicking, so I understand how exhausting the ups and downs are. As I said, I upped and then lowered my dose of progesterone recently and it seems like that might have something to do with my mood (it can induce depression).
It sounds like you gave turned a corner though - even just one better day is a sign that things are slowly (and it is oh so slow!) but surely moving in the right direction. The fact that you're getting at least some relief from the agitation is also a major improvement, even if it doesn't feel like it at the moment.
Stay in touch X