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fluoxetine unanswered question

Posted , 8 users are following.

david_25160
david_25160

so I'm day 26 I think on 40mgs, after an 8 week trial on 20 mgs, and I feel like giving up. I've hit this invisible wall again just like before with no apparent way through or round it. I feel like curling up going to sleep and not waking up again. Why do I feel like this? My life suddenly seems worthless to me, just a daily struggle that repeats itself over and over again. I do try and inject humour here and there but that is a silent cry for help I think, thank god I have a doctors appointment in the morning. But I am sick of endless doctors and hospital appointments getting me precisely nowhere........ help cry

0 likes, 10 replies

10 Replies

  • tracey716
    tracey716 david_25160

    Posted

    Hi david I am receiving cognitive behavioural therapy whilst on fluoxetine.  I know I need to change my habits as I also have trouble sleeping and have low motivation to do things.  When we try to become more active and I know its not easy change will come.  My partner has to remind me to go bed at 11 every night or I stay up late.  I take a while to sleep and often wake early but gradually it is getting better. The rest is work in progress.  Been doing this a long time so won't improve overnight. Just got to make changes little by little.
    • david_25160
      david_25160 tracey716

      Posted

      hi Tracey, yeah I had one hour of cognitive behavioural therapy but really took a dislike to the person giving it so never went back. Must admit I'm terrible at going to bed also, tend to stay up til 1 or 2 most nights, a habit I must break. Change will come perhaps, Im just losing patience with the whole process.  I thankyou for your support and wish you well in your recovery...
  • Jenmasu
    Jenmasu david_25160

    Posted

    David how long have you been on any medication for depression? Maybe, something is affect ting your life and making you feel sad besides chemical changes in your brain?

    I am on 7 weeks on 20 mg I had 3 great weeks and yesterday and today I feel down again and it sucks but I also realized I entered a relationship that I shouldn't be in and then the last two days realized I was in it just to avoid facing my fears of being alone. Perhaps staying active can help..maybe not logging every day of symptoms so that perhaps you spend a couple of days with your main focus on something else? These things have helped me but we all have our ways.

    • david_25160
      david_25160 Jenmasu

      Posted

      hello Jenmasu, in total it must be about 12 weeks on fluoxetine, 8wks on 20mg, 4wks on 40. that is a good point you make about perhaps staying away from this site for a day or two, I shall try. I do have other ongoing medical issues that are soul destroying in there duration and  unanswered problems so yes that is more than likely contributing to the overall feelings of despair. from a reasonably healthy and active middle aged guy enjoying life to a virtual housebound cabbage in less than 12 months, that's what is bugging me most. and now I'm almost at the could'nt care less stage which is quite alarming really. I will try not logging on for a day or two and see if that helps, thankyou
    • Jenmasu
      Jenmasu david_25160

      Posted

      This is my email if you need to talk to someone : _______. Would be nice to talk. I find that going on here sometimes makes me think more about my physical symptoms. So i started writing about other stuff and taking long drives which are relaxing to me.

      Emis Moderator comment: I have removed the email address as we do not publish these in the forums. If users wish to exchange contact details please use the Private Message service .

      http://patient.uservoice.com/knowledgebase/articles/398331-private-messages

  • katecogs
    katecogs david_25160

    Posted

    Hi David

    Do you remember how I always say that when recovering you'll get to this stage when you start going up and down.  It happens on any dose, and it's a matter of riding it through each time.  I've been there many times - sick of it all, the feelings, doctors, talking about it ....... yet what alternative did I have but go forward again through the brick wall instead of trying to climb over it.

    Just accept it as a stage in recovery, carry on as you have been and you'll find it'll soon pass.

    I also go to bed late - 1pm or 2pm, though I know if I go to bed earlier it really helps with my mood.

    K xx

  • karen13323
    karen13323 david_25160

    Posted

    im sorry your feeling rubbish again, was it danilo? who posted about adding other meds to the flux? maybe thats a thourght, maybe finding a different councillor to help? phone up where you went and ask for  another one? i found writing on here helped me so much, i could get my thourghts down, and it gave me clarity to what i was actually thinking/feeling.

    the flux obviously works to some degree, and maybe like kate says, its a matter of accepting it, and riding the storm.

    no matter how bad your day is, set yourself a goal to do in the morning, and maybe at a set time, make yourself go for a walk, come rain or shine, walk, hot shower, food.

    i am mid 40's, i broke my neck in 2008, and i now have heart problems, some days i didnt want to get out of bed, endless scans, blood tests, ect  i know how hard it can be, little steps, thats all you can do. i wish i had the answers, stay strong, xx

  • vix167
    vix167 david_25160

    Posted

    Hi david

    Know how you feel about brick wall, im standing looking at it and have been for weeks tho last few days have been tiny bit better.

    Its so cruel, a week ago you were all positive. I think the backwards slide is harder to cope with the further you get down the road. But it was only a week ago you were feeling much better, maybe give it a while longer n hopefully its just a few bad days.

    If its any consolation ive had 20wks now of ssri's in total, 12 on fluoxetine. Have to keep reminding myself I am so much better than before I started. And like you im fed up of hospital visits and intrusive tests. I just try to think how I could be feeling if I wasn't on medication.

    I feel for you, don't have an answer for you as still seeking one myself. I just keep remembering everyone ive spoken to whos been through this says one way or another it does get better in time, you can feel well again.

    We'll get there david, its just a helluva long road.

    Hope todays brighter for you.

    Vix

  • danilo45459
    danilo45459 david_25160

    Posted

    Hi David,

    Sorry to hear that. As Karen pointed out, there are many options.

    I highly recommend you to google for STAR*D study. It is the largest and longest study to evaluate depression treatment. The study had four levels of treatment. In the first one, a SSRI monotherapy was applied (citalopram, but could be fluoxetine as well). Only 1/3 of the patients achieved full remission in this therapy, the remaining either showed some improvement (your case). Those 2/3 were assigned to level 2, which means that they could change the medication or augment the treatment with another medication.

    Right now, David, I'm in full remission, and I think that my case is worse than yours (afterall, I became depressed while taking antidepressant for anxiety). I take two antidepressant that act on different neurotransmissors and also make sense because of my symptoms:

    60 mg of fluoxetine

    300 mg of buproprion

    The above treatment killed my depression. As you know, I started with fluoxetine only, and we increased the dosage overtime. With 60 mg of fluoxetine, I could get rid of the intrusive thoughts, the horrible mood I had everyday. In summary, I improved, but I did not achieve remission.

    My residual symptoms were: unmotivation, sleepness during the day, and feeling tired all the time. For those symptons, and because fluoxetine improved my depression at least in 50%, adding buproprion was probably the wisest choice. It killed my sleepness, I don't feel tired when I shouldn't, and I got all my motivation back.

    This month of January I have done more different things than I have done in the previous 4 months, I believe.

    Anyway, my point is: your full remission is around the corner. Don't stick with a treatment that is not working 100% for you.

    By the way, could you describe your symptoms one more time? because I can give you an idea of what you should discuss with your doctor...

  • rachel62244
    rachel62244 david_25160

    Posted

    I feel you ! I get the brick wall too but I try to be active and mindful to knock it down as hard as it is there seems to be no easy fix. If your better then u were see it as a blessing if your really slipping maybe you need a med change but they say 12weeks is the magic time so fingers crossed x
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