Prozac effectiveness?

Anne... I feel that way too; always anxious; not feeling like myself...just off all the time. I don't see how people live this way. I'm on my second ssri and am afraid this won't work for me either...

1 hour ago my usual high anxiety got higher and laid on the bed, trying to relax: impossible, chest tightened, if i talked or walk or whatever seems i could faint every second, now i am still like this while writing,....every single muscle tensed as well as my brin feeling like going to explode!

I understand anne...I'm sorry b/c I know how crippling that can feel. Most day, I'm just glued to the couch; not relaxed at all but tight with stress and odd thoughts, the taste in my mouth of medicine tastes toxic....It' absolutely the worst feelings in the world...I wish there was relief.

I found this on the web, and in a way, it has been my recovery bible and helped me when I thought this would never end.  I'm still struggling with the side effects and ready to be better - I have more bad days than good, but I am seeing some good days.  I read this over and over when I'm struggling and it helps me see light at the end of the tunnel.  Maybe it can help, everyone is different.

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.

I hope this helps, please let me know if it does! Others, please feel free to offer differences, or additions to this summery. The purpose is to give those struggling an idea of what to expect. I feel for everyone struggling through this terrible disease, it's truly awful, but you will get through it! There are many great posters here willing to help with questions and are very supporting. I am grateful to them all!

i feel less alone, sad to say this because it's absolute nightmare, even if i was given 100000 dollars i would even do not mind, if someone stole things in my flat i would not care

I can relate anne...hang in there. This has been the hardest and strangest thing I've ever endured. I think when our brain are interferred with by chemicals, all sorts of odd things happen. Should I come out the other side, I pray never to go through this again.

Thank you RonVis for the encouragement. I pray we all get to the good mark in time.

Kim,

WHEN you come out on the other side.

Thank you Ron...I'm just so afraid...I just don't feel a thing like myself...I feel I'm one of the small percentage that can't take ssri's...have never felt so mentally off...I'm so fearful I'll never get to the end. I have so much riding on wellness.

I know Kim, I feel the same way. I never imagined this journey, but here I am. I believe we will get better, it keeps me going and I truly believe it. But it does suck big time just don't ever give up!

I have about 6 of those.

Ron...which 6 if you don't mind? I just feel like this isn't the right way to feel; very un natural...so concerned.

Numbers 1, 2, 3, 5, 9, 11

Thanks for sharing; I think the mental symptoms are the most distressing for me-not feeling like myself...I pray this is a normal side effect and will go away in time.

Yes these are all normal - usually it's the illness and / or side effects of the meds.  They do ease off.  Everyone's different, and everyone gets some or all of the same as you.

You will think you're the one who the meds won't help - I did.  Every time I read something I thought I bet I'm one of those who can't be helped, I bet I'm in the minority ........ all of these thoughts then produced more anxiety for me.

Your mind will play tricks - you'll have that little negative voice sitting on your shoulder dragging you back every step of the way.  Well let it sit there, let it do its worst ....... they're only thoughts, and they will go as you begin to recover.  All those side effects will.

Everyone in the world gets weird thoughts, but they don't bother people as they're not accompanied by anxiety, so the thoughts are quickly dismissed and put to the back of the mind.  However, when you're ill, your mind becomes tired and when these weird thoughts pop up they stick to a tired mind, and because they come with anxiety you feel every one and recoil from it, and because it feels so important and your mind is tired ..... it'll stick and keep bouncing around your head scaring you.

So they're just sticky thoughts.

Anxiety and depression usually occur from prolonged stress, sometimes shock and other things too.  Most people it's stress.  Your nerves can take so much, some people withstanding more than others, and when you reach your limit it can turn into panic, anxiety, depression.  Stress lowers your serotonin (your feel good chemicals) and we don't function well with low levels causing depression, emotional upset, anxiety, lethargy, lack of concentration and a whole host of other things.

SSRI medicine doesn't make serotonin, but it hangs onto yours before its reabsorbed into the brain, making it 'hang around' linger and making you feel happier etc.  This takes a while to happen and also for your body to adapt to this abundance, hence the side effects.  Once your body has adapted the side effects wear off.

So the meds are working - you can tell because of the side effects.  This is why we need a lot of patience too, so our bodies adjust.  It can be quite unpleasant the first few weeks.

I never thought a pill could make me feel well again.  How could it stop all the intrusive thoughts - wasn't I in control of those?  But yes, it did stop those.

You get caught in a viscous cycle of anxiety/depression - fear - thoughts - anxiety/depression etc etc ....... The meds will calm the anxiety and in turn all the other symptoms will calm too and eventually disappear.

You can't believe this now because you're caught up in the middle of it all and can't see a way out of the dark hole.  But trust us - we've been there, we've been as scared and confused as you are, we've taken the meds and been sick, we've persevered and we've recovered.

One day you'll be looking back down at that hole and wonder how you ever got in it in the first place.  When you're on top of it you can see this illness in a different light, and it doesn't seem so scary.

You will get there.  Just accept all that's happening to you right now.  Let it be there, let the storm rage about you, but know that this is temporary and that you're healing.  I really can't stress enough the importance of relaxing and exercise.  It won't stop the symptoms immediately, but learning to relax your body will help you through it all and through any future blips that may crop up.  Even today, years after I've recovered, I still use relaxation if ever I feel any stress building or if I feel the slightest bit of 'it' hovering.  A few days of relaxing, sleeping and exercise sees it off.

Oops long post.

K x

Thank you kate...you're so reassuring. I think that daily when I'm experiencing what I am, I am enveloped in the oddness of it all. I just feel so out of it and unlike anything I've ever experienced-perhaps I'm still dealing with depersonalization/derealization which creates a cycle of fear for me and keeps me planted in one spot. I would love to exercise but my heart races so easily. Just getting up to go to the restroom, I'm breathless upon return. It's just such an awful place I've found myself-a prisoner to tortured thinking. Thank you again for your reassurances..I'm staying on it b/c I'm so hopeful-like you, I'll be better someday.

I would like to know if someone has tried to take fluoxetine in the evening? even if it is a boosting ad , the side effects may be less intense in the day.....