Day 26 feeling horrible.

Hi Mia,

I do think I am going through something similar now, although not with the same side effects you have.

From what people have said, weeks 3-5 are apparently the hardest and you will have the worst side effects.

My side effects at the moment are insomnia, very elevated levels of anxiety, shakiness and the worst headaches, with severe stinging, I have ever experienced.

I can't tell you whether it gets better because I am currently in the same place. However, I have been told by two very lovely people on this forum, Phil & Natalayia, that you will start to feel better and to keep with the medication.

Hi Mia

i am on Fluoxetine over a year now. All you are feeling right now is normal when your body adjusting to fluoxetine - increased anxiety and depression, night sweats, insomnia, shakiness and many more

You will go through ups and downs - one day you might feel ok and than suddenly much worse - its all normal, it will pass.

Give this dose enough time to settle - around 12 weeks, for some less for some more.

I had same fear - to stuck like that forever - its not true, its just your anxiety trying to scare you.

You will be ok, trust me, patience and time is virtue in this journey, you will get there

xxx

Hi, Mia and Ruby,

I'm on Day #47, so no expert. Week 2 was poor for me, and Week 5 was less good than the week before. I've just looked back at my little coloured chart, and last week every day was Good, with 3 of them Normal. It's Way too soon to declare myself "sorted" but it's good to have days that hold a bit of promise that I will be.

I've begun to be able to challenge myself to do things outside of what had become a small and protective comfort zone. I'm not talking big things, I mean using the toaster, which I hadn't done for months (I'd set the smoke alarm off and because I live in a small apartment complex, I was petrified that the fire brigade would turn up and evacuate the building - they didn't).

I've been taking Propranolol 10 mg for a week. It's a beta blocker which, although it does nothing for the mental side of anxiety, takes the edge of the physical symptoms. So, no more butterflies with clogs on! And it's stopped the tremor in both hands, which had been really upsetting me. My remaining side effects are having to dash to the loo immediately after breakfast, although that is finally improving, and waking too early - although I rarely get less than 6 hours.

I also swear by a meditation app called Balance. Just ten minutes a day with a man with a lovely voice is really calming. It's free for the first year.

Excuse the waffle. It Will improve for you, just it can't be rushed, and there's a lot of clinging on to be done.

Hi! I felt the exact same. I was on 20mg for 2 weeks and have been on 40mg for 3 months now. Whilst I was experiencing bad anxiety before the meds, nothing prepared me for much it would intensify when I started them! Especially as I'd been on fluoxetine before and was so super lucky to have no side effects!! It was almost debilitating, I can completely relate to how you feel. For me, it was worth though to feel how I am now. Clear headed, mostly positive (some dips, but that's life), motivated and able to just think about things other than when the anxiety will go away!

It took 6-8 weeks before I felt I was more 'me' than I was the side effects, but this isn't the same for everyone as you can probably gather from this group!

I hope you're doing okay. Counselling helped me through the really rough patch, as well as taking the time to be kind to myself and prioritise my mental health. It may feel selfish, but when you're going through this your priorities inevitably change. Don't be afraid to put yourself first.