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Increased Prozac to 40mg.. not feeling good!

Posted , 5 users are following.

ria57147
ria57147

I've been on Prozac for 3 and a half months for anxiety and secondary depression. Started on 20mg but found little relief. I feel it improved my mood but not the anxiety. On Drs orders I increased to 30mg and felt great for about 5 days then just over a week later went downhill again so I've increased to 40mg. Have been on 40mg the last 2 days and feeling very anxious and tired. I'm just feeling so lost as to what to do. I'm going on holiday soon so my Dr doesn't wantto change meds before that. I'm desperately after some advice.. is it normal to feel super anxious after an increase? Shall I stick to this dose? Very tempted to go back down to 30 but thinking 40 may be the best for me in the long run. Any advice would be so appreciated xx

1 like, 15 replies

15 Replies

  • karen60759
    karen60759 ria57147

    Posted

    Hi Ria, a few weeks ago I could have written that post! I also was on 20mgs for 3 months and then went straight to 40mgs, felt great almost straight away and then the side effects kicked in about a week later which were troublesome for about 2 weeks then calmed down - since then I have generally been better, though for me I've come to the conclusion that I'm in premenopause as the mood swings are very acute - because I felt fantastic last week and then felt myself getting shaky again this week with the resulting anxiety and low mood kicking in, so it would seem that's hormones are causing the problems so I need to get that balanced out...overall I I would say stick at 40mgs now you've started and stick it out for a few weeks

    • ria57147
      ria57147 karen60759

      Posted

      Hi Karen thanks for your reply. It's quite confusing when you feel good and then the old anxiety comes creeping in! I know deep down I need to stick to the 40 as my main problem is anxiety and my Dr did mention that anxiety usually needs a slightly higher dose. It's just so hard to see the light when you are feeling so crappy hey.

      I'm just gonna stick it out and hope for the best!

      I hope you get your hormones sorted out also! Why can't things just be easy?! Lol

      X

  • katecogs
    katecogs ria57147

    Posted

    Yes, its normal.  Every time you increase your dose you'll get side effects again as you did in the beginning, though maybe not always as bad.  They do wear off.

    I wouldn't change your meds, because they wouldn't make you better before your holiday as it'll be like starting over, and the meds you're already on would be more likely to do that for you instead.

    Its your body adjusting to the extra dose.  You can only but wait and see if the dose increase will suit by sitting it out.  Your second increase to 40mg wouldn't have made you feel better from the first increase you did ..... as if anything, it makes you more anxious.  You have to let one dose settle before increasing again, or its double the trouble wink

    It will settle though xx

     

    • ria57147
      ria57147 katecogs

      Posted

      Thanks Kate 😊

      It's just so confusing when i had about 4 days of feeling well and now I feel like I'm back to the start 😭

      The main reason I went up to 40 is because my dr said that usually anxiety needs slightly higher doses and I have recovered before on escitalopram but only on the 20mg dose which is equivalent to 40mg Prozac.

      I will stick this out. Had such a restless sleep last night. Just want to feel ok again!

      Thanks again x

    • pamela16260
      pamela16260 katecogs

      Posted

      Great advice. And it applies to increasing dosage on almost any and all drugs!😵

    • pamela16260
      pamela16260 ria57147

      Posted

      Have you tried Melatonin 10mg liquid combined with one or two Benadryl?

      This can help insomnia without adding more prescriptions.

      Just remember that you need to turn all the electronics when you take them, and let your body go into "relaxation mode."

      I learned a relaxation technique for people with high anxiety. Maybe this will help......

      Closed eyes laying as comfortable as you can

      Pick a noise that you hear that has a random pattern. In otherwords; If it was a drip it would go DIRP DIRP DRIP. it might go: DRIP

      DRIP DRIP

      DRIP

      DRIP DRP DRIP

      DRIP DRIP

      Your mind will begin telling your ears to listen and while concentrating on the drips, you fall into slumber.

      Repeat the pattern if you awake.

      You can use this technique with music, dogs barking in the neighborhood, just about anything!

      God Luck and God Bless!1

    • ria57147
      ria57147 pamela16260

      Posted

      Thanks Pamela 😊

      I have always had trouble with going to sleep when there's any noise lol so that technique may just help me I'll give it a try!

      I have half a restavit sometimes which is the Aussie version of Benadryl. I don't have too many problems going to sleep but I am quite restless at the moment.

      I think this will all pass when I get usedto the dose increase.

      Thanks again x

    • katecogs
      katecogs ria57147

      Posted

      Sorry for the delay.

      Yes it can feel like you're at the beginning each time you have a blip or increase the dose.

      I've heard Escitalopram is good too.  Were you not offered this one this time around?  

      Yes increasing will affect sleep for a while again ...... and sticking it out will bring about recovery eventually.

      K x

    • ria57147
      ria57147 katecogs

      Posted

      Thanks Kate! You're a star ??

      I recovered on escitalopram and I do vaguely remember it happening v slowly. Unfortunately 20mg stopped working after a very stressful time in my life. The dr wanted to increase it to 30mg but I was worried about the weight gain.

      So I was put on Effexor and omg.. what a nightmare!! Felt very strange and eventually broke out in hives. Turns out I was allergic 😥

      So here I am on floux! 6 days of the increased dose today and today has been quite ok compared to how I have been feeling. The anxiety is still there but not as bad and manageable. I even felt.. dare I say it.. hopeful.. for the first time in a long time today xx

    • katecogs
      katecogs ria57147

      Posted

      Sounds like its working for you then.  Yes it slowly eases off and I remembe sometimes feeling anxiety but it was dulled, and over time it became less and less.

      K x

  • pamela16260
    pamela16260 ria57147

    Posted

    My advice would be to get off Prozac completely. I am not a doctor, but a real live person whose brain has been permanently damaged from takin Prozac.
    • pamela16260
      pamela16260 ria57147

      Posted

      The neurotransmitters in the brain send signals to organs and body parts telling them what to do and when. When withdrawing from medication, as the brain tries to reset, the body experiences symptoms. Those symptoms subside usually once a new normal is established. Mine is refusing to reset and hasn't been able to create a new normal. It is stuck in the pre-Prozac mode.

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