Seeking advice/received different doctor opinions

Posted , 3 users are following.

Hello everyone, thank you in advance for being there for me! I have posted here before but still struggling after decreasing meds. Here is my quick story:

I was on 10 mg of fluox for 1 year for occassional panic attacks. It did nothing (discovered 10 mg is "sub-therapeutic") so upped it to 20 mg. The side effects were intolerable and worsened over 8 weeks. I went back down to 10 mg. 2 weeks later I started having withdrawl symptoms similar to the side effects. it has been 38 days since I had decreased the meds and I still have symptoms. .. on and off flu like symptoms and mild anxiety throughout the day and night, vivid dreams and waking up in the middle of the night… All which never happened to me before I upped the meds. My doctor thinks I am just experiencing anxiety but like I said I never had all of these symptoms before. Am I still going through a withdrawal? Does this sound normal? I am ever so grateful for any any feedback!

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • Posted

    hi steph. i feel for you. hope you ok its horrible. id try and go back up to 20 and then slug it out? i also was really hyper aware/sensitive to any medication so they gave me a low dose of promazine antipsychotic 25mg am and pm..this massively took edge of prozac when upped to 40mg. speak to mental health team x

  • Posted

    hi everyone,

    new to this, im 19 years old been on floxetine now for nearly 9 weeks 20mg, i started uni in september had alot of stress and anxiety and insomnia so doctor prescribed medication in November unfortunately no counselling at that stage so think maybe it was too soon to be put on meds, anyway had awful side effects after the first 4/5 weeks, no energy, weight loss, really awful anxiety alot worse than before , suicidal thoughts it was awful, now 9 weeks in and still having low moods in the morning hard to get motivated and feeling no emotion not happy not sad?? thinking about coming off meds as cannot cope with having this emotional numb feeling this has been with me for a good few weeks now, cannot go back uni like this, any advice would really help seeing doctor tomorrow. sorry for long post

    • Posted

      I am so sorry you are going through all of this, Sarah. I went through all of the side effects, as well. I could not handle it anymore so I reduced my medication. But then I went through terrible withdrawal so please slowly slowly taper off if you decide to go off of your medication. As I just told someone else who recently posted, being on this forum is very helpful and many people told me it takes about 12 weeks for the fluox to really settle into your system. talk to your dr. and decide what is better for you… To give it three more weeks and maybe have a "bridge medication" to help you get through the side effects? Or to slowly taper off the medication and try handling your stress and anxiety with therapy and maybe some yoga or natural l calming supplements. Good luck and know we are here for you!

    • Posted

      sarah dont give up the good times are almost near. it can take longer than 12 weeks. this will be ok x

    • Posted

      thanks for your reply, i might give it a few more weeks but if this numbness does not go i will come off as i dont see any benefit taking them.

    • Posted

      depends on how bad you were when you started. i had exhausted everything else but had to medicate. i genuinely starting to feel like old me. i got put onto 40 at week 6 now on week 14. good luck

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