What does it feel like if Fluoxetine is actually working?

I think it's best if you do what your doctor tells you.  They've gone to school for a long time to learn about these things.  If you don't like the doctor you are currently seeing, you should look for a doctor that you have a better connection with.  I think it is very important to have a strong support system and a good medical team.  Once you have that, the rest usually comes easier.  It's just about finding people that you trust.

Hi AllySan

Not sure if the post was for me, though you mention 'Kate' ...... so excuse me if it wasn’t meant for me

Medicine usually makes your anxiety / depression worse before it gets better.  It heightens your symptoms for a while.  During recovery your mood will be up and down too and this usually happens all throughout recovery, though it gets easier.

Fluoxeting and other SSRI’s usually take many months before you start seeing signs of improvement, though they’re often so subtle they can go unnoticed.

Is there a reason you stay up very late?  Is it due to work shifts or maybe you can’t get to sleep?  Staying up late can affect you, and getting a good 8 hours will be more beneficial.  Also not using phones, tablet, computer etc in the evening will help you sleep better as these emit blue light which interferes with melotonin, our sleep hormone.

Some people take their meds in the morning as find it suits them more - I used to.  It doesn’t matter when you taken them though, and just wonder if you’d benefit taking them in the morning if you feel more energised after taking them?  Just a thought.

Mornings are the worst time for people who have anxiety / depression.  Even when I was recovering and my evenings were good, I’d still wake every day feeling wretched.  This eventually stopped.  But for now, just expect that your mornings are going to be awful - however that doesn’t mean the rest of your day will be.

When suffering with anxiety your thoughts will be all over the place and will be very negative - its a side effect of anxiety.

Absolutely there is hope - I suffered with anxiety for 16 years and I was exactly the same as you - and I recovered.  Everyone can - with the right meds, therapy etc etc which is all personal to each individual.

I’ll private message you.

K xx

Yes it was directed tot you, thank you so much! I didnt see a private messgae though, maybe I just dont know how to use this site.

I stay up late because I play lots of video games and its when I socialize with my friends, its also some of my biggest triggers of my anxiety. 

I started taking them first thing in the morning, but I feel like I have more energry that lasts the entire day. I havent felt sleepy mid day. I couldnt sleep last night, I only slept 2 hours.

I tend to have my melt down at night. Last night was no exception. The prozac feels like its supresses my ability cry. It tries to stop it but failed, but about 20 minutes later its like it kicked in and turned that all off.

I had a situation with some friends, and it left me feeling panicky. Iva had a racing heart beat since last night, I just feel anxious and border line panic attack all day. It actually just started up again really really badly. Im scared. Is this normal? I feel like these drugs are helping, but this feeling scares me a lot. And makes me more panicky thinking about it  

Hi AllySan

Sorry for the late reply.  I’ve private messaged you now too - though I had before but can’t find anything 

Staying up late won’t help with anxiety / depression, and especially playing video games.  Your body is being deprived of its sleep hormone Melatonin, which can have detrimental results on your body which isn’t good for anxiety / depression, as well as your sleep.  Using a phone, tablet, laptop of computer in the evening disrupts this hormone because the screens emit blue light.  Even though I’m recovered I know that using screens well into the evening affect me - too much computer work and I start to feel low and agitated, as well as not sleeping.

Taking these meds will affect your sleep for a while and it will heighten your symptoms too.  This is usually only in the first few weeks or so and should wear off.

Yes the meds do seem to supress the ability to cry - they’re helping your body to calm and should in time calm the anxiety too.

Whilst you’re suffering with anxiety you’ll be over-thinking and over-feeling everything at the moment, and which will make you feel panicky.  Trouble is with anxiety you fall into a cycle of experiencing anxiety / panic and then become afraid of that feeling, and that fear then causes more anxiety / panic.  Your mind will race and many people start avoiding places / situations where they felt panic, and so starts this constant cycle of anxiety / fear / anxiety.

The meds will take a long to work, but being patient with them pays off.

But seriously - don’t stay up late playing video games.  Try and put a time limit on them and maybe even think about getting some blue light glasses.

K x

Thank you. You are right about the gaming. The thing is that its the only time I get to see soem of my friends and they will stay up until 2-3am sometimes. I dont stay up that late, but when I am not around and they are all playing games it makes me feel left out and like I will be replaced by someone else who is there. I know its really stupid, but its a big trigger for me. 

I sure hope things normalize. I had 2 really good days and then yesterday I was laying on the floor crying. Today I feel like doing the same. Im at work and finding it impossible to focus on anything

Yes it is such a viscious cycle indeed. I just want to be a normal person with normal thoughts and feelings and reactions like I used to be once upon a time. Im going to lose all my friends at this rate because Im so damn difficult to be a round right now  

Its the same as people who've been overworked in a stressful job - your body can only take so much and anxiety is just telling you that you've overdone things.  Its called burn-out.  In order to heal you sometimes have to make lifestyle changes ... after all, what's more important, your health and mental well being or lifestyle?

Anxiety often stems from stress - and stress is your body's warning system that you're pushing it too much, and if you don't take action it can result in anxiety, as you've found.  Your body is asking to rest and I know we all just carry on pushing ourselves in whatever we do, which doesn't help.  Slowing down, making changes, taking medication and stepping aside is all it needs so our body can heal.

I know its important for you to keep those friends though, but also consider how too much of one thing can cause the damage - especially staring at a screen.  Its serious business.  Maybe make small changes - limit yourself, put a timer on and be strict with yourself.  You won't be left out and those online friends will look forward to you popping in at times.

You will be a normal person again - the medication will help you get there, but it will take some time.  Don't beat yourself up about how difficult you are at the moment - you can't help it, you're not well.  You'll heal in time.

K x

Thank you, going to just reply to your PM to keep it all in one place if thats ok!

I am 45 days on 20mg fluoxetine. During weeks 4 and 5 I noticed my mood slipping back. I have been getting some stomach cramps and aches and more anxiety, but I have now been experiencing short periods of relief evey other day it seems like. I think this is a long road of up and down. I have periods of feeling like I want to cry or scream in anger. I try to let out those feelings by myself. I try not do it with my husband around. It’s hard for him to understand why I am feeling like this . Hang in there

Thank you for your response. Sometimes I wish my husband understood how I felt but then again I wouldn’t want him to experience this because it is very overwhelming and sad to me. I really do feel like I’m going crazy sometimes with so much emotion. I hope these feelings go away soon.... I got on the meds to feel better not the same or worst. Today has probably been the worst day in all four weeks.... one day at a time I keep telling myself.

Do you have any other drugs to help with the anxiety or to sleep at night. I take 50mg o Trazadone which helps me sleep st night

Yes I take lorazepam, which hasn’t been helping much. I end up listening to nature music which I find helps me more.

I take .25 of Klonopin in the am but trying to wean down more. I have not much appetite at all. The Trazadone really helps me sleep. Let me know how your doing. I have therapy today for PTSD. And anxiety. Do you have much anxiety or just depression 

I don’t have much of an appetite either but I force myself to eat because if not then I’ll feel worst and sick. I deal with both anxiety and depression. I’ve dealt with it for the past couple of years and just recently decided to see a doctor for it because it started to become unbearable.