Feeling worse after 6 weeks on Fluoxetine.....is this normal??

Posted , 38 users are following.

Hi

​I started 20mg fluoxetine 6.5 weeks ago, and increased to 40mg 2 weeks ago.  I am starting to feel worse the past few days, anxiety is awful, low mood and no energy at all.  Is it normal to feel this at this point? as I thought I would be improving, not getting worse.  Should I stick it out or come off?

​Any advice would be much appreciated.

​Donna xx

0 likes, 104 replies

104 Replies

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  • Posted

    Do you shake inside like trembling I am on 10mg week 11, also waking up with surges in the night, may have to increase, do you have treamberling, thank you
  • Posted

    Do you shake inside like trembling I am on 10mg week 11, also waking up with surges in the night, may have to increase, do you have treamberling, thank you
    • Posted

      Yes it’s a side effect. I feel my body vibrating specially daytime. It’s also nervousness.  Not uncommon.
  • Posted

    I’m in the same boat. I’m on 20mg, at week 5. I don’t know what to do. My anxiety and panic attacks are almost gone but the side effects are killing me. It’s getting a bit better but I’m tired. Should I stick it out or quit? I’m on short term disability because of it. I hate the fact to try something else and start all over again since my anxiety is almost gone. 
    • Posted

      Stick with it. You’re very close. I got so much better at around week 5-6. Don’t quit 
    • Posted

      hi Danny . do you feel like you are normal again . every commercial or tome i see people doing things i wonder when i will want to be lime that . So of and on for so long before i started prozac so im very worried as im on week 4

    • Posted

      You should start feeling much better soon. normally around week 6. hang in there and dont think too much about it.

  • Posted

    I was taking 20mg fluoxetine for five weeks and for the last week 40mg. I feel no better and continually nauseous and anxious. When I see people comment that one should see improvement 4-6 weeks I feel discouraged and wonder if I should persevere. Are there success stories of people out there for whom fluoxetine works but takes longer to kick in? Feeling desperate, which I know doesn't help. I need hope!

    • Posted

      I'm now on week 13 of 20mg, and my anxiety has only just started to improve, I was also discouraged by thinking i should start to feel better by 4 to 6 weeks, and also terrified of upping my dose as my side effects were so bad. I'm still hoping for improvement but I'm nowhere as bad as i was!! I've searched endlessly for success stories (and it does your bloody head in) and it seem some people just take longer to see results, and i must be one of these so going to stick with it for now. Hope you're starting to feel better soon!!

  • Posted

    im starting week 5 of 10mg of fluoxetine and i woke up this morning at 4 with my heart racing and anxious and i have felt bad all day. Before this episode i had been feeling alot better. is this normal to experience??

    • Posted

      its very normal. 5-6 weeks is right at the time the med will start to really take affect. Hang in there and remember that very soon you'll feel like a piano was lifted off of your back. Best of luck!

    • Posted

      Hi Danny . your messages are really helping me get through this .i am struggling with my job everyday and some days i cant even get off the couch . i hate myself like this . i thought i was gettkng better last week but obviously not . im on 30mg as per my doctors request .

    • Posted

      Hang in there! do not quit. you will get through this and things will be much better. Find something that you like doing whether is reading or playing a game. let that take your mind off things.

    • Posted

      thanks for the responce . its just so hard when your not sleeping after 2 am . im approaching week 6 and have had a very tough 5 or 6 days . Do you think i should keep going ? anxiety its very tough at night and the morning

    • Posted

      that’s how I’ve been the past couple weeks. Waking up 2-3 times a night like that . Has been so scary. Did yours ease up? Im on week 4 (third week at 20mg)

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