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Please don’t give up on it

Posted , 19 users are following.

Stacey29819
Stacey29819

I just want to tell everyone to give this medicine 12 weeks unless you absolutely cannot tolerate the side effects. It takes so long to see improvement, and for many weeks you feel worse.  I felt awful for at least 8-9 weeks, with little improvement.  Now in week 11, I definitely see improvement.  Yesterday I worked half a day, and then went to 2 appointments.  Normally I would have been an angry, irritable mess.  I probably would have canceled something, but I went and after I was like I know this is working because even a few days earlier I would not have been able to do all of that and still feel ok.  So my advice is to please give it 12 weeks before quitting. 

4 likes, 104 replies

104 Replies

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  • wyarip
    wyarip Stacey29819

    Posted

    Hi All, I'm now 11 weeks on 20mg, think I see improvement but not sure. The headaches have gone but had BP check yesterday and it was high 145/105, never had high BP before. Is this also a side effect of Fluoxetine?

  • Guest
    Guest Stacey29819

    Posted

    Hi Stacey, after recently just starting on Fluoxetine 20mg like 4 days ago,

    Also prescribed beta blockers for racing heart and other physical symptoms, your post has given me hope that I can come through It all. My anxiety has always been there but this this time I just could not cope. Its the negative thinking and over thinking I could not take (just curious if you suffered with this too and did it get better? ) or just less?

    As I said its so good to read a positive outcome. ?

    • Stacey29819
      Stacey29819 Guest

      Posted

      Hi Kazmac,

      You will be able to get through it.  Right now I caught a bad virus, so I’m trying to deal with that.  I would definitely give it 12 weeks.   I had some very bad days, but it did get better.  My Dr recently had me go from 40 to 60 for 2 weeks, and then to 80.  The side effects were too strong, so I’m back down to 60, so readjusting.  

    • Guest
      Guest Stacey29819

      Posted

      Thank you Stacey,

      I really hope so, I just need to be more patient. Aw no I hope your virus will clear up quickly!

      Need to see how the 20 does with me, lets hope the bad days turn more into good days.

      Sending hugs!

  • karen_35868
    karen_35868 Stacey29819

    Posted

    I've really tried Stacey , but the side effects just didn't get any easier . After speaking to my Dr and him explaining that some people are really sensitive to ssri meds he thought that's what i was experiencing. So have decided to stop taking them after 11 weeks .

    • Sunnyinca.
      Sunnyinca. karen_35868

      Posted

      Hi Karen

      can I ask if you started a different med.  and if it's working for you.  I'm on my 1st week day of Fluoxetine and I'm not sure this the right med. for me.

    • karen_35868
      karen_35868 Sunnyinca.

      Posted

      Hi Sunnyinca, i started on sertraline 50mg 2xdaily and really couldn't cope with the side effects which were instant . Went 2 weeks without anything and although i still felt anxious i was ok. Next appointment with my gp he suggested i try fluoxetine. Again i suffered really bad side effects, i persevered for almost 12 weeks and really didn't feel any better , in fact much worse than before i started. Another appointment with gp and he thought i could be sensitive to this medication and advised i stop , he did offer me an alternative but i said no. It's not been easy coming off them ,and I'm still experiencing side effects but things are getting easier....fingers crossed. They do say things get easier the longer you take them,and there are a lot of people on this forum that are seeing improvement . Hope things get easier for you soon , take care Xx

  • Sunnyinca.
    Sunnyinca. Stacey29819

    Posted

    Just started 1st week. I'm on 10mg and will increase on the second week to 20mg. Not able to sleep is the worse. Headache, burning pain on my upper back and head. Brain fog, a jittery feeling threw out my body. Feeling very anxious and hopeless. I'm afraid I'm going to threw all of this and meds not going to work for me. Need some hope.

    • Stacey29819
      Stacey29819 Sunnyinca.

      Posted

      I take melatonin for help with sleeping.  The side effects get better.  I know it’s really hard.  Hang in there, it will get better.
  • ben86255
    ben86255 Stacey29819

    Posted

    glad to hear stacy. I was on it for about a year then went to 10mg then stopped cold turkey. My mistake!

    I am trying to keep my life together and it has been a pure living hell. I am about at the end of my rope, I don't want to have to rely on pills to get by in life.  I am back on 10mg daily until next week then I go to 10mg every other day.

    I have ALL and I mean ALL the nasty symptoms of withdrawal right now.

    • Stacey29819
      Stacey29819 ben86255

      Posted

      Hi Ben,

      Sorry to hear that.  I take Dramamine for the dizzy, nausea feeling.  Hang in there, it will get better.

  • Sunnyinca.
    Sunnyinca. Stacey29819

    Posted

    Thank Your reply... When u say your 8-9week you felt horrible. Did you have good days in between? I have not had one good day since i started 6 weeks agos today i feel extremely anxious. I can hardly keep it together. My doctor percribed me 5mg of Buspar but it does nothing. I need help!!!!
    • Stacey29819
      Stacey29819 Sunnyinca.

      Posted

      Hi,

      No I did not have any good days until around 3 months.  It was awful, I had terrible side effects.  At 4 months I started really noticing I was doing better.  Now at 5 months it is even better.  I didn’t think it was going to work for me.  It will work, but it takes forever.  I walked and walked, and did anything I could think of to keep myself busy.  I know it is so hard.

    • Sunnyinca.
      Sunnyinca. Stacey29819

      Posted

      Stacy...was this the first med you was on? Did you try any others before Prozact?
    • Stacey29819
      Stacey29819 Sunnyinca.

      Posted

      Yes I was on Venlafaxine (Effexor) for several years, then I tried Sertraline (Zoloft,) but the side effects were too much for me.
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