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not doing so well today

Posted , 4 users are following.

david_25160
david_25160

day 11 almost over, felt crap most of the day, tired beyond tired, headache, aching muscles arms n legs, tense with it all. need help beyond fluoxetine but can't leave the house, almost paranoid at times people watching me, following me, in my house, but there's nobody there, on edge waiting for something to happen, but nothing ever does. just yet another day over, it's 11'50pm 10/11/14, is any of this recognisable? thankyou

0 likes, 10 replies

10 Replies

  • katecogs
    katecogs david_25160

    Posted

    It's so tough at the beginning taking this type of medicine.  All that you describe are side effects which will wear off.  Day 11 is still early days, and your body is adapting to the medicine still.  It always gets worse before it gets better, and sadly we have to wait to heal just as a broken leg would take time ..... often it's time we feel we haven't got.  Try and remind yourself that today and tomorrow are another day nearer to getting better ...... hang on in there, you'll get there.

    Keep posting your progress.

    K x

     

    • david_25160
      david_25160 katecogs

      Posted

      hi, thankyou for your positive posting Kate, it's quite reassuring just knowing that I'm not entirely alone with this. everybodys messages are encouraging me bit by bit through this trying period in my life, I just want to get better and get my life back on track, as we all do. bless you all for taking the time to answer........
    • katecogs
      katecogs david_25160

      Posted

      This is such a good website to post here and help and encourage people.  It's so tough going through depression and anxiety let alone having to cope with the medication.  It helps to know we're not alone.  

      K xx

  • carl58303
    carl58303 david_25160

    Posted

    Kate has it right, David - we have to survive the early days to get to the good ones beyond. And we know we can survive this because we have survived it before. We can and we will!

    Day 11 is very early - for me it was about the worst, coming to the end of the second week. We are all different but I hope the side effects wear off for you soon.

    It sounds like you are spending too much time in your head and not enough distracting yourself from your thoughts. What can you do to distract yourself - music, TV, videos, radio, reading? Whatever gets you out  of your head for chunks of time. And our good old favourite of deep, slow breathing and watching your breath in and out - in through your nose and out through your mouth.

    Good luck, David - keep posting to stay in touch.

    • david_25160
      david_25160 carl58303

      Posted

      hi Carl, thanks for your post, between you and Kate I'm coming to terms with my situation, albeit slowly! I'm actively trying to get into crosswords, sudoku puzzles, music, it's weird with the music, I love music but @ moment I can listen for so long and then suddenly have to turn it off. enjoying the silence, but as you say that's when you have time to dwell on what's rushing round in your head. one day at a time yeah..... thanks again Carl, will keep updating
  • danilo45459
    danilo45459 david_25160

    Posted

    Hi David,

    All you said is very much expected. I would say that my second week on fluoxetine was perhaps the worst week in my life. I would have moderate panic attacks throughout the days. It is like being tortured.

    I really think the doctors should prescribe an anti-anxiety medication for using in the initial stages. In my opinion, most of them don't have an idea how painful it can be.

    Today is my 27th day and I don't have such strong side effects anymore. Yesterday I would say that was my first non-miserable day in a month. I was happy but still with anxiety.

    Hope my comments help you to stick with the treatment, and I would also advise asking an appointment with GP to ask for an anti-anxiety medication.

    Best,

    Danilo 

    • david_25160
      david_25160 danilo45459

      Posted

      Hiya Danilo, wow that is so nice to hear your progress is on track, day 27! my god I'm just an infant in this treatment programme compared to others. I do have some Diazepam 5mg that was prescribed to me ages ago, I try to avoid it unless absolutely necessary, it just cabbages me. I'm delighted to hear your doing so well, taken a month, we are all different so maybe mine will be longer, or less, time will tell. thanks again, keep in touch, regards, David
    • danilo45459
      danilo45459 david_25160

      Posted

      Hi David,

      Yes, 12th day is still very early. Even though the worst stage has passed, I have not recovered. As I told, yesterday was great but today I feel very sad. It usually gets better during the afternoon, and at evening I'm usually ok.

      Here is a tabletime for recovery on fluoxetine that I found in another forum, and seems to match what I'm passing through:

      "Week 1: This week can go either way. Some find almost immediate improvement while other see the side effects (see weeks 2-3) after the first day.

      Weeks 2,3: These are almost always the most difficult. Anxiety and depression can get worse than before the medication. Side effects kick in, these can include sleeplessness, nightmares, diarrhea, nausea, hot flashes, excessive sweating (especially at night), dry mouth, muscle twitches, overall muscle weakness and pain, zero appetite, and very negative mental outlook. My advice is, take these one day at a time and try not to get discouraged, not every day will be bad and better times are ahead!

      Weeks 4,5: Some improvement. The side effects lessen to some point, and there are moments when you start to feel normal. Typically evenings are the best and mornings the worst. Many start playing around with dosage at this point because they are told that the Prozac should be working, my advice: hold the course! 

      Weeks 6,7: More improvement. Maybe 50% to 70% better than before starting. There are often blips where you feel just terrible for a few days, but not usually over a week. Some side effects lessen, but also you may get new side effects. Hang in there, you are getting ready to turn a corner!

      Weeks 8-10: Even more improvement. There still are blips, but they are less severe and shorter, maybe 1-2 days. Not normal yet, but getting better day by day. The side effects are usually 75% or so gone. Light at the end of the tunnel!

      Weeks 10-12: Maybe this is wishful thinking for me (I'm not here yet), but this is where most see the best results. Some quotes from this time period: "best in months", "Amazing", "Feel good", "brilliant". Again, this is for the people for whom the prozac did work, not everyone, and for those who stuck to their original dosage. For some, this happens at 7 weeks, for some, 3-4 months. But, from what I have read, 10-12 weeks is the payoff time."

      Hope it helps us.

      Best,

      Danilo

    • carl58303
      carl58303 danilo45459

      Posted

      That's brilliant! Thanks, Danilo! A road map so we can see where we are. I think I have been lucky and seem to be about a week ahead of map - and hoping it stays that way.

      I'm sure there are other factors that help us along the way - for me pain relief and then some muscle stretches have given me some hope about the future - that has been a tremendous boost. An imagined horrific future is what got me into this depression in the first place and now i'm pushing the future backwards to where it belongs!!

      I also know that getting out of our heads and into our bodies helps defeat depression - if you can find the energy to do it.

      Can we "defeat" depression or push it away so it doesn't control our lives? I believe we can - I believe I can. Accepting it as an old and familiar friend who doesn't serve me well anymore, I need to say goodbye and let it go. Fluoxetine is part of that process for me.

    • katecogs
      katecogs danilo45459

      Posted

      Hey David, I used to feel like that.  Some days were good, yet others I'd wake feeling down and would feel ok by the afternoon and evening.  Eventually the good times got more and more until I had days and weeks feeling like that with the odd day feeling down.  The down days hardly happen now.

      :-)

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