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On Fluoxetine for 3 months...Side Effects?

Posted , 6 users are following.

b86333
b86333

Hello,

I've been on Fluoxetine 20mg for about 3 months now for low mood after i had suffered panic attacks because i was stressed dealing with this for a couple of years. 

After the first few weeks, i had experienced most common side effects (lightheadedness, loss of appetite, nausea, tiredness, yawning etc.) And now after 3 months, i still get random days that i feel really sick, then im okay, then i have days that i feel great, then a day that i'll feel really shaky and agitated. 

Has anyone else experienced these days with random side effects after being on the tablets for a while? How are you coping after 3 or so months? Its helpful to have reassurance!

B x

2 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • b86333
    b86333

    Posted

    Also, I've been waking up every night for the past month or so in a cold sweat, does anyone else experience night sweats with these tablets?
    • david_25160
      david_25160 b86333

      Posted

      just read the bit about cold sweats B, I'm the opposite, I have had a few very hot flushes that at the time are pretty horrible, thankfully they have'nt lasted too long up until now!
  • mockingbird
    mockingbird b86333

    Posted

    Hi,

    I have been on flu for 4 months upped from 20 to 40mg 5 weeks ago.

    I still having good and bad days today is awful nausea, anxiety sore neck and back and tearful. I just hope it sorts itself out. Hope it works out for you to

    linda x

    • susan05302
      susan05302 mockingbird

      Posted

      Did you suffer from jaw getting stuck and teeth grinding 5 months in now feel a lot better but as suffering from health anxiety it's taking me longer had a bad day today tearful xxx
  • david_25160
    david_25160 b86333

    Posted

    hello B, it's a weird thing this fluoxetine is'nt it with its varied side effects that come and go at will, I'm a relative newcomer just over 3 weeks into treatment, I've had 2 or 3 good days this week in comparison to last week, yet today it was downhill again for no apparent reason. I have read a comment that said it can be 3 steps forwards and then 2 backwards, that seems to be exactly true. guess it's just the nature of the beast so to speak as most peoples experiences are pretty similair. so I'm fairly confident this is just a minor setback B, and one that may rear its ugly head again one day in the future, but nothing to be unduly worried about. best wishes in your recovery, caio, David
  • carl58303
    carl58303 b86333

    Posted

    Based on my hope, dream, belief that after three months I shall be back in the land of joyful living (albeit with life's tougher days) and you are not, Ben, I'm wondering if 20mg is enough Fluoxetine for you. Is it time to go talk things over weith your GP with a view to increasing your dose?

    You describe on-set symptoms, especially those  night sweats, rather than being settled on the drug. An informed medical opinion seems to be required! I had night sweats in week 2. Now, in Week 6, I'm back to sleep disruption - but I'm cool!

  • danilo45459
    danilo45459 b86333

    Posted

    Hi B,

    It means that 20 mg fluoxetine is not enough for you to have a complete remission. Nowadays we have so many medications for treating depression that the strategy of the doctors is really to achieve full remission on its patients.

    What I'm saying is that:

    1) 20 mg of fluoxetine might not be enough for you, and you would need to try higher doses.

    2) Perhaps a monotherapy is not enough either, which means that you should also be doing some sort of counselling and/or trying to augment your treatment with other medications.

    What I said above is very common. There are many people that really cannot achieve full remission with just one medication. The good news is that are many ways to augment your therapy with other medications.

    So I advice you to come back to your doctor and tell him/her that you haven't achieved full remission.

    Best,

    Danilo 

    • mockingbird
      mockingbird danilo45459

      Posted

      Hi Danilo,

      how ow much time would you expect 40 msg to kick in I've been on it 

      5 weeks still not seeing the progress I would have expected.

      LIndax

  • susan05302
    susan05302 b86333

    Posted

    I'm still having up and down days after 5 months jaw getting stuck at moment but have to get strong and stop panicking so hard to do x
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