week 7 on fluoxetine - no hope

Hi ria iv been really struggling on the Prozac iv been on it over 9 weeks and I'm really disheartened that I'm not better by now. I got prescribed it sore depression and anxiety and iv never been on anything for it before and it was all triggered by me buying my first out and moving out of my parents which I have had to move back to due to how ill I got.

I also have 80mg of propranolol, my mood has improved and I have moments when I feel like my old self but then the anxiety just kicks in so it's a horrible vicious circle and whenever I think about the house my anxiety is very strong and I start worrying.

I have therapy that I pay for which I have been having every week for about 8 weeks now I'm just desperate to get better but it's taking so long and sometimes I wonder if I will actually ever be better

I'm sorry you're having such a hard time!

Anxiety absolutely sux and of course so does depression!

Mine was definitely triggered by the birth of my third son.. he's nearly one now and has been extremely demanding from the start!

I've had about 8 therapy sessions too and although I do find it helpful it's really hard to put the practices into place!

What dose of Prozac are you on?

Saw my dr yesterday and she said she thinks I should go up to 30mg as sometimes anxiety needs higher doses but as I had an ok afternoon yesterday I'm gonna stick it out on the 20 for the next few days!

Ahhhh good times 😒

I'm on 20mg of fluoxetine iv never been on any anti depressants before so didn't have a clue it was so hard and thought I would be better after a week or so, how wrong was I.

Iv not gone over any coping strategies or anything in my therapy just trying to get to the reason why this has happened I think.

I had to get prescribed the medication because my worries and negative thoughts got so bad I thought I was going crazy, had a breakdown and felt suicidal

I remember when I went on lexapro it took about 6 months before I could say I was totally better but of course I wasn't feeling terrible for 6 months.. things slowly improved. It definitely did not happen overnight.

Think I'm gonna increase to 30mg.

I have a fair bit of stress in my life.. 3 kids and not much family support.

We need to go easy on ourselves although I know it's hard.

I just want to get on with life it's so frustrating that I cannot control this it really gets me down and after another 5am wake up I feel drained and don't want to get out of bed.

My partner really needs me but I can't be there for him and that kills me.

Do you see a therapist maybe that would help you feel more supported

X

Hi Abi, I feel exactly the same, I'm close to telling my girlfriend to leave me, I don't see the point of her being with me.

I've just managed to get myself out of bed, I've been crying non stop for the past hour, been on fluox for 4.3 weeks, 20 mg, just on way to get my prescription for 30mg fluox and promethazine with is an anti histimine/sedative.

I do have an amazing husband and really great friends!

Have you thought of maybe increasing your dose? I can't talk for Prozac but I know I didn't feel better on lexapro until I went up to a higher dose.

I haven't felt too bad the last couple of days although still very up and down and definitely don't wantto get my hopes up because I know how easy it is to come crashing back down!

Is your partner supportive?

Where abouts do you live? I'm in Australia!

X

It's horrible isn't it my partner really needs me and he says he's got no one to talk to and I feel me being ill is making him ill which it is but I can't do anything about it

That's good then iv cut my friends off at the minute I no it's bad but when they text me I have just been ignoring them because I can't face to text them back.

I have my next review on Tuesday so going to see what my gp says about the dose.

My partner is supportive but when I think of him sometimes my anxiety gets worse for some reason and I just want to be with my parents it's really pathetic.

I live in the U.K.

X

It's not pathetic at all! You do what you need to do to recover. And your parents are a safe place.

Are you feeling any better at all? Like I said on Lexapro which is a fast working drug it took me a long time to stabilise and Prozac is meant to be slow working so I expect it to take even longer.

Please don't give up hope! You've come this far! Your GP will know what to do.

X

When I look back I am a lot better my mood has definately improved things I struggle with is:

headaches/head pressure

waking early

sweats

negative thoughts and worries

feeling sick

tiredness

its been over 9 weeks now since i'v been on the meds 68 days I just still try and hold on to hope that therapy will help me and eventually I will learn how to deal with this but I think I will need a increse dose.

do you ever think you won't need meds Ria is scares me that I will be on meds forever now I'm on them.

x

 

I definitely think I will be on the meds the next few years at least while my youngest is still so little. If that's what I need to do to feel well I'm fine with it. I'd rather that than the anxious depressed mess I have been in the past. When you have settled on the Prozac you will know when the right time is to come off. Just don't rush it. I think most drs recommend staying on at least a year once you have stabilised.

I'm am so up and down at the moment.. sometimes I feel like I'm feeling better then I feel like I'm back where I started. It's so frustrating isn't it!

I'm still unsure whether to just increase and get it over and done with or give it a few more weeks.

Hi ria I can remember at 5-6 weeks I had a bad blip but since then my blips have not been so severe. There is another forum I'm on and someone has posted there timescale for recovery and that has kept me going most of the time especially every time I have a blip I read it through again and it gives me hope there's still room for improvement...

Yes my friend has been on another med for two years and has been better for a year and just started lowering the dose now to come off altogether.

It's horrible to recover from I feel like I'll never be able to have a family or move out of my parents.

X

I had the most awful bout of anxiety a couple of years back which is what started me on Lexapro in the first place.. I was really bad and was so sure I was never ever gonna feel normal again.. but I did! I think I would have come off of them but then I had my 3rd son and he was extremely difficult!

Don't worry about being on the meds forever.. focus on getting well and worry about coming off them in a year or 2 😊

I am feeling better than when I started taking Prozac for sure. I have just started week 6 so hoping for a lot more improvement. My mood has lifted but the anxiety is still there esp in the morning. Not going to raise the dose for now.

How are you feeling?

Xx

That's good then it makes it easier for you this time that you got over this before so you can get over it again...

I'm having more moments of feeling my old self but I can feel anxiety in me if that makes sense, having really bad sweats but not actually warm.

I'm going to see what my gp says about increasing the dose I have my review on Tuesday so will see what she says.

Hope you keep seeing more improvements

X

You will haveto let me know what your GP says on Tuesday 🙂

I have a lot of anxiety today for no particular reason but my mood is ok. The Prozac makes me very tired feel like i could just sleep and sleep 😴 I'm hoping it wears off in time. But I would rather the tiredness than not being able to sleep.. I've had periods of insomnia in my life and it is the most depressing thing on earth in my opinion!

I've only just started on 6 weeks and from what I've read recovery on Prozac takes a whole lot longer than that so I shouldn't be disappointed that I'm having an off day today after having a few reasonable ones. Just impatient I guess!

Please let me know what your dr says re dosage and your progress.

Xx

Also meant to say.. I get the sweats too! It's abit awkward sometimes. Doesn't help that we are having really warm weather here at the moment but my sweats aren't caused by that 😣

Hi ria my anxiety seems high still and the early waking is really exhausting me. Sounds like we are quite similar in that our moods have lifted but it hasn't helped with the anxiety yet.

I shall let you know what my gp says it will be the 10 week mark for me then.

I haven't got therapy this week so I feel a bit down about that.

X

Abi are you still on 20mg?..... I've been on 20mg for 5 weeks now, I feel awful, like I'm getting worse, my psych dr has asked me to go up to 30mg tomorrow/week 6.

Yes still on the 20mg I have a review with my GP tomorrow so going to see what she says as tomorrow will be week 10 for me.

I remember having a bad time at 5-6 weeks but because on another forum I had read this timescale for recovery which someone posted about their experience it made me want to stick with the 20mg for longer.

My anxiety is still high but my mood is better. I actually managed to go out for a meal at the weekend so that is a big improvement for me.

Since the 5 week mark I have improved lots but I think my GP will want me to increase the dose.

 

Thanks Abi, I also went out for a meal Saturday and enjoyed it! Then yesterday I was very anxious again and the same so far today.

Yeah I'm the same as you, I read a few things on Internet that 6/7 weeks they were feeling better and to 'stick at it' for a minimum 6 weeks before changing dose, I will probably do week 6 on 20mg as I only have 7 of those left, then I'll have to change to 30mg as that's what the chemist gave me!

Yes on the other forum I go on it says there could still be improvements upto 12 weeks and some even over the 12 week mark.

I'm glad I gave it over 6 weeks because I do see improvments over the weeks but just wish my anxiety would lower because I am having a lot more of feeling my old self but it comes and goes.

I think at my last review 4 weeks ago my GP wanted to up my dose and I didn't I was at the 6 week stage then and wanted to give it more time because in my head I think the higher dose the longer to get off the meds but I shouldn't concentrate on getting off them until I'm better and once I am back to my old self if I have to stay on them for years and years then I do.

I'm glad your mood has improved and so has mine and I'm exactly the same as you.. waiting for the anxiety to drop! Although I think it has a little. Do you think you feel better now than you did at week 6?

Please le me know how you get on at the drs today.

Xx

Yes I have had some improvements from week six my negative thoughts and worries were really bad then and the way my anxiety reacted to those thoughts was bad, now I still have those worries and negative thoughts but they feel like there a bit further away in my mind at not at the front of my mind if that makes any sense and this means I don't react to them so strongly.

I will do hopefully I can get some information I can share and it will help you.

X

Yep it totally makes sense!

Good luck at the dr.. can't wait to hear how you get on 🙂

X

Hi Ria,

I had my review and my gp wants me to stay on the 20mg, I explained about my anxiety symptoms and she didn't seem worried that it is anything abnormal and I don't need another review for a few months, she stated she could tell a difference in me so I'm guessing that's good.

I have been having more moments of feeling myself so hoping these increase and after a few more months I feel see even more improvements.

Hope everything is good with you.x

That's so great that you are starting to feel more and more like yourself! Did your dr say you should continue to see more improvements?

Me dr told me that the anxiety is usually the last thing to go! I'm gonna start practicing meditation today to try to relax.

Xx

She just said to keep with the therapy so I'm guessing the tablets will only do so much and I need to do the rest of the work...

I must say though what others say about changing meds too early is 100% true I only now after week ten feel like I'm getting some benefit from them but it's been really slow and iv not really noticed it it's just slowly creeped in just little improvements hear and there, I'm no where near recovered but having more moments of feeling 'normal' and forgetting about things.

Hope your coping ok ria X

I'm am SO happy to hear that abi! I have just started week 7 and I'm feeling ok. My anxiety is still there for sure but seeing as everyone says how slow this takes I'm definitely hanging in there esp as I do feel abit lighter in mood. Although for the last week I have been clenching my jaw and grinding my teeth.. I've never done that before and it's very annoying! Not sure if it's anxiety or a side effect of the meds?! I start a new job next week so I probably have some background anxiety about that.

Anyway I'm so happy for you that your persistence paid off and you are finally getting some benefits from the meds 😘

Xx

My anxiety level has gone down a bit in this last week not sure if its from the meds or the therapy but feel like im slowly very slowly getting somewhere so my advise to you would be dont even think about getting better because for me improvements have come without me noticing them, it's only when I look back to the start I realise just how far I'v come and hope for more improvements.

x

Yes you're so right! Sometimes I get a bit discouraged about how slow this process is or when I have a bad day after a couple of good ones but when I think back to the first few weeks of taking this med I realise how much better I do feel since then.

Can't wait for more improvement!

So glad you are nearly back to your old self!

X

Hi Luke

Just wondering how you are feeling now? Did you ever go up to 30mg?