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Success stories?

Posted , 16 users are following.

robert47678
robert47678

Does anyone have any positive stories/ success stories about Fluoxetine?

It's been a tough few weeks and I'm getting worried that the medication isn't working so well.

I've had a lot of side effects: nausea, lost weight, vomited, heightened anxiety, heart palpitations, sweating, hot flashes, insomnia and felt so restless. I've also felt rather closed off, I rarely go outside and spend most of my time at home, i've called in sick a few times from work as well.

Has anyone else had these sort of symptoms when on fluoxetine? How long did it take for the side effects to go away? Were you able to put weight back on?

I took fluoxetine back in 2013 and it really helped then, I stopped taking it around 2016 and changed to mirtazapine. But after a near anxiety relapse I tried Sertraline (did not help at all). So now i've been put back onto fluoxetine.

Has anyone been on fluoxetine more than once as well?

1 like, 28 replies

28 Replies

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  • nancy76309
    nancy76309 robert47678

    Posted

    My story is almost like yours.   It worked for me years ago too.  

    There are things you can take for the anxiety that help. 

    You must eat for this drug to work. 

    My side effects are so bad, I am in bed most of the time. 

    Stay with it and please continue to post your progress. 

  • rockhopper1981
    rockhopper1981 robert47678

    Posted

    How is everyone doing in this thread?  Would be good to hear some success stories from those who have been battling this for a while.

    I was on 30mg fluoxetine many years ago and recently i have been put back on 20mg fluxoetine for 8 weeks and then 40 mg for 10 weeks.  I am still having mostly bad days where the anxiety takes hold, but I am battling on!  Just wondered if anyone else has had a similar experience and how they faired?

    • amy05881
      amy05881 rockhopper1981

      Posted

      Hi rock I'm only on 10mg of fluoxetine at the moment it's been 2 weeks so far and only the last couple of days side effects have been really kicking in woke up today with songs stuck in my head not good tired all the time foggy head feeling totally out of sorts hope it gets better how are you doing

    • rockhopper1981
      rockhopper1981 amy05881

      Posted

      2 weeks is early days I am afraid.  Weeks 2 to 5 were awful for me with side effects, but they did diminish/go away.  You just have to hang on and hope that, when you come out the otherside the drug has some beneficial effects.  Fatigue was a big side effect for me, but I found an afternoon snooze helped me get through the day and also helped with my anxiety.  Getting enough sleep is crucial.

      I have read on a lot of forums and spoken to quite a few people about fluoxetine and it seems to very massively in the time it takes to work.  Typically, those who have been on it before find it takes longer to work second time around.  Some say up to 12 weeks for a general improvement, but others have found it takes even longer.  It is easy to ruminate a lot about whether to stay on a drug or change - I do this all the time - and there is no easy answer.  It is a double edged sword.... maybe it will work if I give it more time?  Maybe another drug is better?  All I can say is go with your gut feeling.  If you can cope, stick it out a bit longer.   If you are really struggling then perhaps talk to your doc about changing.  

    • amy05881
      amy05881 rockhopper1981

      Posted

      Thanks rockhopper I did try different meds sertraline 50mg which zonked me out and made me unable to do anything only give them 5 days that was enough for me lol then tried venlafaxine which made me unable to see so I'm on the fluoxteine now been 2 weeks like I said morning anxiety is not as bad as it was but still the foggy head and shaky hand plus no appetite unable to concentrate but hopefully things will improve x

  • nancy76309
    nancy76309 robert47678

    Posted

    Robert, are you better ? I have been on Flu 8 mo  and am finally feeling better. My side effects were the same as yours. It was awful. 

    I was on Flu 20 years ago and it worked fast and well.   Not so much this time. 

    • rockhopper1981
      rockhopper1981 nancy76309

      Posted

      8 months? wow.  That seems like a long time!  Any dosage changes during that period?  I have read that changing dose is like hitting the restart button.
    • nancy76309
      nancy76309 rockhopper1981

      Posted

      Yes 4 different doses and yes it was like starting the reset button.  They use to refer to Prozac as “sunshine in a bottle”. 

      I am still waiting for the sunshine. 

  • barbie91062
    barbie91062 robert47678

    Posted

    I’m in week three. Mornings are hard and nights. Mornings because I get anxiety and feel a bit nausea, it gets better during the day as long as I don’t drive to far from my house. Keeping busy helps but I can’t relax at all. But I’m not just going to let it bother me, because a lot of people I know say it takes time. I have an appointment finally with a psychiatrist, funny a lot of them are booked.  But with some encouragement I know that we can get through. It might be hard but both well come out stronger in the end. We can do this 
  • ibrahim77352
    ibrahim77352 robert47678

    Posted

    This is my day 21 (end of 3rd week )on fleuoxetine 20 mg side effects are still their nausea , weight loss, stomach pain ,anxiety...

    Still hanging on to reach week 6-8 , in 2016 i was put on Fluoxetine 20 mg it worked for my depression / anxiety after a while but I don’t remember how much it toke to take effects. For this time i am putting on a side note of each day and for all symptoms mornings and nights are the worse but try to shake it off with some exercises hit the gym

    Keep yourself busy and you’ll feel bit neutral 

    Hopefully everything gets better never lose hope   

  • ibrahim77352
    ibrahim77352 robert47678

    Posted

    A New update day 30 ( 2 days into week 5 )

    On fleuoxetin 20 mg 

    Still bad mornings 

    More calm - more clear - less anxious 

    Less sever panic attacks ( 2-6 min ) 

    Early insomnia ( using xnax 0.5 mg )

    Irritated mood , angry ( common side effects)

    Weight loss started to stop ( lost 16 pounds)

    Overall neutral mood to down varies during the day

    For all the rest of you whi still struggling with fluo.   Have some patience prozac is very very slow medication again this is my second time taken the med and again it gives me the same effect it does have a timeline but mostly for most people 4-6 weeks or sometimes 8 weeks for the full benefits to comme in and their and only their if u didn’t notice any changes try to upper the doze with your GP

  • bella69561
    bella69561 robert47678

    Posted

    Hi Robert,

    It will work for you. These are all side effects that we all have. You have to trust everything will be allright. Try to keep your mind off it. Your mind doesn't help at all. It is good to distract yourself (eventhough it is hard).

    Wish you good luck!

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