Strange Fluoxetine side effects

This period was the worst bit for me I think Helen as I had started to have a few periods in the day when I felt more 'normal' but then would go I to a very anxious almost paranoid state. But IT DOES GET BETTER!! (My experience). Try to think that soon you will be looking back on this period and wondering whether it really was that bad :-). This is how it really is for me today- honestly.

I think it's good you are seeing the doc too.

Keep chipping away :-)

G

Hi all,

Firstly thank you sooo much for all your experiences!

I have recently changed from citalopram 30mg to fluoxetine 20mg. I had been on citalopram for 10 years for anxiety and just didn't feel as though it was working any more.

I am currently on day 5 on fluoxetine and everything seemed fine until last night. After taking my tablet I had the worst gastric reflux, I have never experienced this before and at first thought I was having a heart attack. The burning in my chest and throat was unbearable and it felt like something was stuck in my throat and I could choke :-(.

Since then I had an awful night sleep followed this morning by extremely high anxiety, shakes, heart palpitations, dizziness and throwing up.

Even though I can't see any light at the end of the tunnel I am determined to stick this out! Life has to get better eh! 4-6 weeks to see the benefit seems such a long way away and I don't know what I'll do feeling like this for a month lol.

But from reading posts here it does get better and it makes me feel hopeful.

Thank you again

Hello Helen and All

I know you will all get better but it is hard to bear. I am not feeling normal yet after 6 to 8 weeks. I still have a lot of anxiety which I cannot get rid of. Would love to be able to feel relaxed and normal for a bit. Sat in the sun all day today so maybe that will improve things. Feel flat as well but will let you know if I improve. Take care all and hang in there. Gill

HI graham - thanks for support - just back from the gp - met him for the first time - he was very nice and knowledgable - he suggested changing to sertraline - I explored about hanging in longer and other people's experiences - and he was supportive for that idea too - but generally he felt if the good effects hadn't kicked in by now (nearly 4 weeks) it is worth perservering if you are tolerating the drug, but if my experience is that the drug has made things so much worse and difficult side effects such as not eating for 3 weeks and that these aren't tailing off it could be worth changing - so negative effects still around may be worth changing, whereas just a lack of positive effects worth hanging in there. so it's up to me but he recommended a change. going to talk it through with my partner tonight and also look up peoples' experience of sertraline - one thing that reassured me is that he said as it is another ssri, the last 4 weeks aren't wasted - so it's not starting from day 1, I have nearly 4 weeks of ssri in my system that the sertraline can build on - so good effects (please god) shouldn't take much longer by changing drugs -so that's where I'm at - if anyone has any thoughts plese let me know. hope your days were ok and that you are getting bits of relief here and there - helen

Hi everyone

Good luck with whatever you choose Helen :-) I am now much better but don't know whether the effects were not as bad because I didn't start out quite as anxious as last time. However, this time last week I was in fluoxetine hell so it DOES get better - hang in there folks! And remember you are not alone.

S

Hi, today is the end of week 6 for me on flu (20mg) and have to say it has been a very bumpy ride. I have had days i felt that they are working and days where feel like i want to scream out loud.

Right now, i am still very anxious, this has gone on through the whole six weeks, lacking appetite, and sicky feeling at times. Spoke to doc last week and he was keen for me to try make the 8 week mark till decide if we should change. Keep hearing that the golden 6-8 week period is where they really should have taken affect, fingers crossed that happens soon for me too

Hi again

I am on the middle of week 7 I think. Maybe things are starting to turn. Still feel anxious and flat but the burning in the stomach is not as bad. Will keep you posted. Glad you are feeling better Sue and Helen - Good Luck, Gill

hi sue - thanks for your good wishes - I had a good couple of hours in the sun this pm with kids playing around - didn't feel fab but didn't feel terrible so that's progress - still on the flu for now - going away for a few days and thought of changing at this point scares me while away so i'll see if I get another decent couple of hours tomorrow pm cos that could be he first sign of things working...I'd be really interested to know your timescales - so how long had you been on when in flu hell? and how many weeks now? it seems to change from hell to feeling better very quickly for lots of people....

and hello reasoning - yes I echo your bumpy ride for sure - anxiety and agitation like I've never felt - crippling - I keep my fingers crossed for you too - take care - Helen

hi gill - sorry the anxiety is still haunting you - it's so horrible and debilitating - my gp made an interesting distinction in terms of how long you should give something - there's two things going in - horrible side effects and how long they take to diminish, and positive effects (the point of taking it in the first place! - can be hard to remember...) to kick in - so for some the side effects don't last long but they drugs take long time (8 weeks?) to work; and for others vice versa - glad your stomach feeling better - hope anxiety diminishes soon - take care - helen

Hi all, I stumbled across this forum and so glad I did. Day 2 back on flu for me, my depression is back full swing after being ok for nearly a year, I'd forgotten just how bad it is going back on meds, day 2 and I've been so tired all day, feeling like a zombie, plus feeling nauseous and dizzy which is ah new one, so been sleeping most of the day, probably the best thing, at least I'm not spending all say crying ...

Hello all-

Back for an update. I am on week 6 of taking flu and my anxiety has gotten a lot better. Although I still have vivid weird dreams, and I'm still tired throughout the day- I am starting to feel better. Granted- I still have anxiety here and there but hope by week 8 I will have zero anxiety! Hope this gives you all hope who are just starting out on the pills & are experiencing bad symptoms and feel like it won't work. Give it some time! I did, and I'm very glad I did. will update in 2 weeks!

Hi Helen and everyone - I did not want to go away last weekend but forced myself nad I came back feeling better. As I said I didn't let the anxiety get so bad this time before I went to GP so 3 weeks in and I am feeling ok. Even work (the cause of the anxiety) is going ok so hang in there - I guess it takes longer for some people. I was on it for 6 years before and did not have one anxiety attack.

Best wishes - Sue

hi sue - that's good to hear - I'm away for a few days tomorrow and, like you, don't feel like it at all but its probably not a bad thing.generally things no better with me sadly – gp has changed meds so fingers crossed these carry on the build up of SSRIs in the system (4 weeks in now) but hopefully with less side effects (regularly up at 3/4am; can’t eat; strong anxiety and depression – don’t know how much is mine and how much is drugs but the combo is pretty hideous). . I’m not drinking alcohol at all which will help meds work and I’m going to try and start eating. Not been in this bad a place before but hoping the only way is up.

Thinking of you all and hoping to be back to a better place soon - take care - h

Hi all week 3 on flux this week and have upped from 20mg to 40mg today,anyone had any experience doing this?xxx