Throw in the towel on Fluoxetine
Posted , 5 users are following.
I've almost completed 8 weeks taking Fluoxetine and though there have been some slight improvements, the majority of my days I find are non-functional. I hear that waiting 8-12 weeks may be the magic time frame but I'm beginning to question. I feel so low, so off and strange/blank/spacey daily that I can't imagine this going on much longer. I'm afraid to try something new for fear of prolonged agony on a new med with a slew of other side effects. I so need a return to living and functioning and have had no luck with lexapro and now, it seems prozac/fluox. This is cruel torture and I have no explanation for it. I have a pcp but he has limited knowledge of these meds and the psychs around here are booked or not seeing new pts. I just can't imagine living any more of life like this. I have a teen son that I am missing being mom to...missing his formative years...I'm just pretty desperate for encouragement, insight...I know everyone is different...
1 like, 21 replies
juniper55940 kim31778
Posted
I have been on Prozac for about a month now, and I am also experiencing similar side effects. Often times I feel like an emotionaless zombie per se, struggling to even remotely feel like myself. My worst fear is becoming detached from those who love and care for me. You are not alone in this questioning of whether or not to "throw in the towel" on this medication!
Keep and going and take it one day at a time.
Best of luck
- Juniper
kim31778 juniper55940
Posted
Thank you...I appreciate your support and am glad to know that you can relate though I would not wish this suffering on anyone. Do you think you'll keep at it and stay on it? I just feel like daily, blank, emotionless, no drive or direction; feeling completely fake and cannot relate to the things I did before for fun or work, organization...etc...
juniper55940 kim31778
Posted
Yes that is exactly how I'm feeling! I just returned to school (I am a college student) and it's unsettling because I do not feel any sort of motivation, at least in comparison to my usual self. I think I'm going to see if I feel any better at the end of this month's prescription and then consult my doctor. If it hasn't improved by the end of the month, I may try a different medication or get off of medication completely.
kim31778 juniper55940
Posted
I don't blame you at all. I think I worry about getting off because no telling what my brain chemicals are going to do....It's so frustrating. Definitely keep in touch to let me know how you're fairing...I can only hope it gets better.
juniper55940 kim31778
Posted
I will definitely keep in touch! Please also let me know how you're doing in the meantime!
kim31778 juniper55940
Posted
Thank you...I'm having another off day...hope you are well.
charles53534 kim31778
Posted
hi kim, i'm on my 9th week, listen i can only speak for myself of course but the detached feeling was really strong with me, i went to my favourite aunties funeral like a zombie BUT it passed and now, well i don't want to get too confident, IT'S WORKING these tablets are not for the faint hearted but you're not proscibed them for nothing. They seem to be slow acting and i have experienced a gambit of unpleasantness but my advice is that the awfullness will pass and improvements are definately there around the corner ... stick with it for now would be my advice, hope this helps, good luck, Charliex
kim31778 charles53534
Posted
Thank you Charles....I definitely needed to hear that; encouragement to stay the course is good! I'm glad they're working for you!
kim31778 charles53534
Posted
Charles...how can you tell if it's working? Today, I feel tearful and down...this is so hard.
april04956 kim31778
Posted
kim31778 april04956
Posted
Thank you April...I hear from some people to keep with it and others who say you should have some improvement by now. I"m very glad to hear your experience....I thank you for sharing; I need the confidence to keep it up!
kim31778 april04956
Posted
April....did you feel off every day and tearful; like not yourself...feeling doomed? That's how I feel today...
kim31778
Posted
Anyone else have experiences to share...every day I feel so strange; 8 weeks in....feel agitated and like I need to escape my skin...Then my brain feels odd...I walk around the house feeling spaced out...just the oddest feeling...this can't be right...more success stories to give me hope would be appreciated.
cathrine50028 kim31778
Posted
I gave up too...after 5 different anti depressants (I have PTSD, OCD, anxiety and up and down depression) I gave up...I felt like you and it's not worth it for me. I did however find Tramadol and got my doc to prescribe it. I am going to try it tonight. The review are pure magic. It's Rx'd as a pain med (I have osteo) but the off shelf Rx is for anxiety/OCD/depression and it works FAST with no side effects. I researched this med for weeks....If you can get away with asking your doc for this for pain primarily it may just be a god send. I literally can't find one bad review! I got 25 mg 4 times a day but I will try it in the PM when I want to eat (people lose weight too) and that's when my hip/osteo pain is the worse. Most people take 50 mg at a time, but I want to start low dose and I hate taking meds!!! I can't wait weeks or months and then have a med made me feel like crap while I testing it out....I am going to post my experience with Tramadol soon. Best. X0
kim31778 cathrine50028
Posted
Thank you Cathrine for the recommendation. I pray it works for you. I understand about stopping this ssri...it's pure hell. I've had low anxiety today but crying spells and feeling off....so fed up and tired of it. I don't know that I'll feel like myself ever again by choosing to medicate my problem. Best wishes and definitely let me know how it goes for you...*prayers*
cathrine50028 kim31778
Posted
Did you know that anti d's only work for approximately 30% of people that try them? That's not a very high success rate!! Don't force yourself to do something your body is saying no to. There are tricylic drugs and other things that you can try. I wil let you know how it goes with my Tramadol. X0
cathrine50028 kim31778
Posted
kim31778 cathrine50028
Posted
Thank you Cathrine...I'm learning this the hard way; many have said "Stick it out until 8-12 weeks; you won't regret it" while others encourage I change. I just feel horrible so something has to give. I cried all day today for no reason other than the odd way I feel. This is the worst of times.
kim31778 cathrine50028
Posted
cathrine50028 kim31778
Posted
Pretty soon I will need that little gadget that you press when you fall to get help...'help I've fallen and I can't get up...' LOL! Geesh...Anyway, took one 37.5 mg Tramacet and yes, it make me feel very relaxed and calm....a couple of hours into the pill, I got really sleepy....still sleepy 6 hours later. I've read people get motivated and 'busy' but that didn't happen with me. I don't think I will need a sleeping pill tonight. I like how calm I am and even with the hubby home I usually get on him about one thing or another (poor guy...LOL!) but not too interested in giving him a hard time, which is good. No pain in my hip or headache either. I will save these pills for when I am really stressed out, but couldn't work on them or take them every day being how sleepy I am.
kim31778 cathrine50028
Posted
I'm glad they've worked for you and I might need a buzzer soon too; lol....I always feel like I'm falling.