Sleeping
Posted , 4 users are following.
I am on fluoxetine 40m just over seven weeks.
For about six weeks I was hardly eating or sleeping, but I can eat small amounts and sleep at night now, but after I get up I feel very tired again and could possible sleep in the chair, could this be the drug, I take 20m at 8am and 20 m at noon midday.
I am getting some good days and some not so good, but I dont seem to have the low mood so bad now, but find it hard to concentrate on much.
Is this a sign that I am improving slowly.
Any advise would be nice.
0 likes, 16 replies
nicole430 Shadow19422
Posted
its ok this is just part of the process i too couldnt eat much and was constantly tired the medication can make you sleepy but you get used to it dont worry
Shadow19422 nicole430
Posted
Thank you for repling,
Its strange really as one minute I couldnt sleep, and now after maybe 7 hours sleep I get up and after a short while feel very sleepy, I worry if I sleep by day that I will have a problem getting to sleep at night.
I have been on 40m fluoxetine for just over 7 weeks,
All I want now is for more good days.
neil06100 Shadow19422
Posted
im on week five at 40. i didn't eat for the longest time. started getting hungry about four days ago and eating again. craving carbs. feeling better. i used to get exhausted. now i nap during the day once. i think it takes a full 8-12 weeks to get max benefit.
Shadow19422 neil06100
Posted
Oh thank you for your reply.
Its strange as I couldnt sleep in the first 5 weeks or so, but now I feel tired just after getting up, I worry about sleeping during the day, in case I struggle with getting to sleep at night.
I didnt eat hardly anything for Six weeks, but now I get hungry and get hunger pangs, I lost almost three stone.
If you are feeling better thats good, do you get good days and bad days, or do you feel ok best part of the time, I had a odd few days after three weeks but it didnt last.
I agree it takes much longer that 6 weeks like the instructions claim, I have been on fluoxetine before but many years ago, and I cant remember the recovery, just know that when I got better I felt good, I am not coming off this drug again, I couldnt go through this hell, and twice with side effects, once on 20m and then on 40mq just knocks you sideways.
Have you taken fluoxetine before, as they say it takes longer the second time around.
neil06100 Shadow19422
Posted
yes was on and off it for 28 years. i weened down from 40mg to 5mg last year and boom had a major life change and it got horrible. so i went back up. back on for 11 weeks so far. 20mg for all of the 11, 30mg for 7 weeks of the 11 and now 5 weeks at 40. my worst weeks were during 30mg. ive lost 16 pounds. i hardly ate. about a week ago started feeling better. ill never go off again either. the side effects were brutal. for sleep i take a Benadryl and 1.5mg of melatonin at night. allows me a good 6-8 hours. i usually get sleepy about 1-2 hours after i take my 40mg in thr morning. sometimes ill nap for another 4 hours. but i stay on the night regime of Benadryl and melatonin to make sure i dont stay up all night. i also try to work out every day and do mindfulness. both help. i have lorazepam for emergency and during side effects took about .5 mg to 1mg a day. haven't needed it for over a week. i have heard for people that go off and back on it can take longer to kick in. so im hoping once weeks 8-12 at 40 roll around ill be back to feeling normal. if not, i may bump up to 60.
Shadow19422 neil06100
Posted
Oh its nice to hear from you, my Doctor prescribed the medication and I havent seen him once, I feel let down in a way,
he put the dose up after I saw a Practice Nurse and she arranged to have the dose put up to 40, I have been on 40 for 28 days so 4 weeks, I do feel the low mood has lifted some what, and eating and sleeping now, so some improvement, but a one day I feel like my normal self and then next day not so good.
Is it safe to use benedryl with fluoxetine, as some things interact with it, what is melatonin?
I do have amitriptyline I can take 20m but I take 10m because they also intereract in larger doses with fluoxetine.
There is no way I will ever come off this drug, I couldnt go through that again, it was just awful.
Do you feel ok now or do you still have the low mood and dark cloud, thats the worst feeling of all.qq
neil06100 Shadow19422
Posted
yes you can take Benadryl. i take 25mg. melatonin is a sleep aid. yes i have up and down days still. my wife us a nurse practitioner. she said i have to give it at least 8-12 weeks on 40mg to see if i need to go up. so im trying ti be patient. there are def up and down days. i know it has worked in the past and i have to remember that.
Shadow19422 neil06100
Posted
I stopped taking a allergy tablet as it said it reacted to fluoxetine, even multi vitimins can react to this med.
yes Melatonin is a natural substance, but they dont know how it reacts to fluoxetine, if I thought it was harmless I would use it, what does your Wife think.
I also take fluoxetine 1 20m at 8am and 1 20m at noon, as it would keep me awake at night, although now I do get sleepy by day, but that could be age related.
I am sleeping pretty good at night now, I cast everything out of my mind when I go to bed.
Your Wife thinks it could take that long on 40m 8-12 weeks, I am not to keen on going up a dose as then you get the dreadful side effects again.
Sorry I meant to say I saw a Nurse Practitioner, she was brilliant more understanding than my Doctor, I feel sorry for the Nurse Practitioners in our surgery they have taken on the role of the Doctor, seeing as we have to wait 4-5 weeks for an appointment to see our GP.
At least you have someone that understands the illness, lots of people don't.
How are you feeling today?
Shadow19422 neil06100
Posted
How are you Neil, do you feel any better, are you still having the good days and not so good days.
Hope you are feeling a little better.
neil06100 Shadow19422
Posted
hey shadow....
total of 16 weeks. 9 of those on 40mg. had a really good month from 11/27 to 12/27. then idk what happened, the anxiety and worry has come back. enough so that i have had to take Lorazepam .5mg the laat three days. im hoping this is just a blip that i have heard about. im worried its not going to work again or ill have to increase and go thru side effects again. ugh. i can just remember a good month and now this....how are you?
Toughgo Shadow19422
Posted
hi . ive been at 30mgs for 4 weeks ups and downs along the way . i dont want to increase my dose at all but feel really worried after a few really bad days
Shadow19422 Toughgo
Posted
Hi
I am the same I may get say two good days and then a not so good day, but I don't seem to have the low mood so bad now, Mon and Tues were good but since havent got that happy feeling.
Its strange when you get a good day you start thinking what will I feel like tomorrow, and that doesnt help, like you I started to think when will I feel properly better, on good days I can enjoy doing things but then sink backwards, its a odd feeling.
I have been on this drug before but only ever on 20m now I am on 40m, it was so long ago I cant remember what it was like when coming out of depression, just remember how happy I was.
Thats what I want too feel like again, I know fluoxetine has to get to the right level in the brain and that takes time.
I have been on this drug for six and a half weeks, the last 29 days on 40m and I know when the dose is increased its like starting over again.
You are lucky to be able to get 30m as there is a shortage, the Doctor put me on 30m but no chemist had them so I am on two 20m.
Let me know how you are feeling today.
Shadow19422 Toughgo
Posted
Hello
How are you feeling today, do you have good and not so good days, its a very odd feeling, one day I feel happy and myself maybe a few days, then its not so good, but I think I am getting there.
Toughgo Shadow19422
Posted
today was a not so good day but definetly not the worst . Had a good couple of days before . ive never been on any meds before so i have nothing to go off of . heres hoping we become excited for out lives .
Toughgo
Posted
how are you feeling ? getting better days ?
Shadow19422 Toughgo
Posted
Hi
I have been on fluoxetine for eight weeks tomorrow, this morning I woke up and felt more positive, and felt like doing things, so I am pretty certain I am getting better, I dont seem to have the low mood feeling and that cloud hanging over me, so just hope in the next few weeks I will feel even better, these drugs dont have a time limit it is different for everyone.
I felt confident that I would get better but I knew it would be a long journey, it sure has been, good days and bad days were the worst though.
How long have you been on the fluoxetine now.?
Hope you have some better days soon.