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Health Anxiety and Fluoxetine - tension headaches

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julia86948
julia86948

Hi everyone, this is my first post on here and I'm just looking for some advice/reassurance that I'm not alone in this! I was diagnosed with Health Anxiety in January after a month of panic attacks thinking I had something sinister wrong with me that I don't. My doctor put me on Fluoxetine and after a shaky 4 weeks I gradually began to feel a lot better, but the one thing I can't seem to shift is the tension headaches. It's like I have no control over the muscles across my forehead and face that squeeze and give me bloodshot eyes. I also have a chronic dry mouth. I never wake up with these symptoms they come on throughout the day. Has anyone found anything - literally any remedy that helps with the headaches or dry mouth. Painkillers don't seem to do it. Is this a side effect to fluoxetine? Then when I get the headaches it fuels the anxiety and I just end up in this vicious cycle. Any help would be much appreciated!

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • 1254smit
    1254smit julia86948

    Posted

    Headaches are a side effect of fluoxetine as well as muscle pain. If they are bothering you too much talk to your doctor. But it could subside once the medicine has been in your body for a while 6-12 wks.
  • 1254smit
    1254smit julia86948

    Posted

    Also try buying sugarless gum and candy to suck on for oral hygiene. There are mouth rinses too you could get! For your headache that is something you should talk to your doctor about. I usually do ice on and off for 20 mins. And i take advil migraine.
    • julia86948
      julia86948 1254smit

      Posted

      Thanks for your response! Will definitely look into the mouth washes that are available. Yeah I'll let my doctor know about the headaches when I next go for a review, they're not agonisingly painful - more annoying than anything as there doesn't seem to be a pattern in getting them, just some days worse than others which is frustrating. Determined to get past it all though, I had no idea how anxiety could manifest itself so physically and found it very overwhelming!
  • elizabeth41177
    elizabeth41177 julia86948

    Posted

    Hi Julia, the tension headaches are linked to spasms that you get with anxiety. That's what the hospital told me. No one prescribed me any muscle relaxers so I Just bought a hand held massager from the local Walgreens for about 20 bucks and started massaging my shoulders and back of the neck it helps.
    • julia86948
      julia86948 elizabeth41177

      Posted

      Thanks Elizabeth, that makes sense as that is exactly what it feels like - like the muscles contracting for no reason. Sometimes I get the spasms in my legs as well - like twitches but they don't bother me as much as the headaches. A head massager is a good idea - thank you!
  • joanne75435
    joanne75435 julia86948

    Posted

    Hi Julia - I get terrible tension headaches which can last ages. The answer is to see a chiropractor and have regular massages to keep your muscles soft. I have been in the same situation and now take 40 mg Prozac daily which helps with life's up and downs! Painkillers just mask pain - you need proper treatment for your muscles.
    • julia86948
      julia86948 joanne75435

      Posted

      Hi Joanne, yeah the headaches have been there almost daily since January i'm just hoping one day I wake up and I don't get them anymore! But until that day comes a chiropractor is a good idea, I'm quite tall and work hunched at a desk all day so I know my posture probably isn't helping the situation! I'm on 20mg Prozac right now and they've definitely helped get me to stable state with the anxiety, just the headaches and dry mouth seem to be the last battle!
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