1. Community
  2. Mental health
  3. Fluoxetine

Week 6 on Fluoxetine 20mg and brain zaps?

Posted , 2 users are following.

shelby07584
shelby07584

Hey,

I've been taking Fluoxetine 20mg for the past 6 weeks for recent health anxiety related to heart attacks. I'm pretty certain that I know what triggered the anxiety but before I reached out to my GP I truly felt at rock bottom just fearing I am going to die all the time.

I would say I think I've had very minimal side effects since starting the Fluoxetine except for a few days with heightened anxiety where I have managed to calm myself by reassuring myself its normal with the tablets. Apart from that and a bit of forgetfulness I've been okay and week 4 &5 I was starting to feel a real difference.

I went away this weekend and drank alcohol on Friday night. Woke up with a hangover, took the Flux and started the hangover repair (Berocca, water, shower etc). I have not been okay since Saturday morning. Anxiety seems to be at all time high trying to convince me I am having chest pains.

Last night I was so tired and trying to go to sleep. Every time I closed my eyes it felt like the room was spinning, and there was a weird pressure on my upper body and head like pinning me down to my pillow. The pressure would get so intense and I'd 'see' a white light (eyes closed) and it would shock me back awake. I have experienced this before but last night it just kept going and going until I just passed out eventually at 3am. I then go on to have a very normal sleep but wake up very very tired.

I'm just wondering, have I messed up my progress from one night of drinking alcohol? It's now been 3 days since and I do not feel any better, also having bad digestive problems.

Is this normal or should I be feeling better?

One thing is for sure I will be avoiding alcohol for the remainder of my treatment on Flux, it is not worth the way I feel as I feel like I'm back at square one.

0 likes, 1 reply

1 Reply

  • nataliya.k
    nataliya.k shelby07584

    Edited

    Hi Shelby

    I am just finished week 20 on 20mg and what i can say from my experience and reading all information on this site there are A LOT of ups and downs on this medications, with some side effects easing ups and another new ones appearing.. Sometimes you feel better and thinking you turned the corner and than next day crashed by anxiety and depression .. It is very scary sometimes and disheartening, thinking you will never get better or medication is not working.. You just need to be strong and keep going, pushing through these scary side effects and thoughts, it will get better.. That what i am telling myself every time when that voice in my head trying to take over telling me that i am a lost case and i will stuck like that forever..

    We need a lot of support and understanding during this journey, so please keep in touch and we can support each other 😃

Back to top

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.