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when is it time to change your meds? anxiety depression

Posted , 5 users are following.

rachel62244
rachel62244

I feel iv asked lots of questions and the support has been great thank you smile 

I'm wondering when you should change meds as you have given them a good trail and not better? 

7 weeks on fluoxetine and they have helped I'm more functional and concentration is a lot better but I still feel spaced out all the time like I'm floating about and not taking life in at all its destressing feeling because I'm missing out. 

Questions is can I still get better the longer I take the fluoxetine or is it what it is at 7 weeks. If the meds are making me spaced out and always will then I need new ones. I'm also getting bad headaches again. 

Thank you for sharing your experiences 

4 likes, 24 replies

24 Replies

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  • david_25160
    david_25160 rachel62244

    Posted

    hiya Rachel,

     I would certainly say that 7 weeks is too early to make a decision like that, I would say that the average time is 8 to 12 weeks for it to work most efficiently, I'm only going on what other people have said as I have'nt got there yet myself. I too have that spaced out feeling but I put up with it and hope it will fade in another few weeks as the treatment progresses. I had a spell of bad headaches every day but they went by themselves without me even noticing, perhaps yours are a bit of tension with you about to have your baby, but that's just a guess from a man! hope you feel better soon, virtual hugs ((( ))) smile

    • rachel62244
      rachel62244 david_25160

      Posted

      I was calm but I'm going a bit of a loon now writing here all time etc. Suppose I just feel desperate and wish I could not think about it but obviously I can't do much to power through it with me been like a beach ball. I think its easing but its soooooo slow u hardly notice. I keep sqinting my eyes as it feels it might look normal when I open them as it is like a feeling of iv not woken up in months. Hopefully my gp will help later on although I think its hard for anyone to fix this x 
  • vix167
    vix167 rachel62244

    Posted

    Hi rach

    Ive asked myself the same question esp on days like today. Seeing dr in 2wks so will see what she says tho doubt ill change as already done that once and flus helped more than 8wks citalopram before it (I literally struggled to function slept 4 days out of 7 and constant nausea). All id say is Ive been through lots of side effects on the flu too so in all been mostly crap for 17wks until the last 2or 3 wks. Now just the blue feeling to contend with, feeling very sad today but hopefully a blip. If not maybe need to discuss dose.

    Given your imminent arrival I think you should def give it a few more weeks, see how you feel when your new baby arrives as you have all the pregnancy issues (hormones mobility insomnia etc) to deal with on top of the depression which must be so hard. Feel for you lots.

    Sending you love n hugs right back!! :-)

    Xx

    • rachel62244
      rachel62244 vix167

      Posted

      I was awful on CIT too! I'm sorry your feeling sad, try and get yourself out for a little walk that's helps me although mines a mini woddle lol. 

      I honestly think I'd be okay if this weird feeling went away that's what upsets me. The meds have helped a lot but i just want to feel normal. Doctor said up my dose but I'm not doing that while pregnant x

  • katecogs
    katecogs rachel62244

    Posted

    Yes 7 weeks is too early to decide.  They won't have reached their maximum yet, and if you want to change meds you have to come off one first before starting another.  This will cause withdrawl effects as well as side effects with the new meds, which will probably need weeks again before you can see if they're working.  So you'll be back in the same boat.

    I'd seriously stay on this medicine for at least 3-4 months.  It took me that lo to feel any benefit, and then very gradually improved for months after that too.  Even after a year I was still improving. It was so gradual I hardly noticed.

    Unfortunately this type of medicine needs so much time and patience.  Months and months.  You can't hurry recovery, but just need to sit it out.  There's nothing you can do to hurry it up ...... it'll come in it's own time.  Such a pain when we want to be well now.

    xx

    • rachel62244
      rachel62244 katecogs

      Posted

      I'm so scared I'll never be me I'm scared the meds make me like this so while I'm on them I'm stuck like it. They have done a lot I'm just so desperate to feel part of my family again. I miss them and they miss me we don't like this new poorly dazed out person 
    • katecogs
      katecogs rachel62244

      Posted

      You will be yourself again.  Remember you're not well, and like any other illness you need to give yourself time to heal.  If you had a bad cold you'd feel 'out of it', and the same with any other illness.  Just keep on going through everything that is thrown at you, and you'll eventually come out the other side.  Seems like you're through much of the worst.

      xx

    • rachel62244
      rachel62244 katecogs

      Posted

      Thank you. I'm sorry to go on its just no one understands unless they have been through this. They all think Im a bit down they don't get all the crippleing feelings. I'm getting there slowly I'm just scared and having melt down days. At really need to force myself to get little bits done 
    • rachel62244
      rachel62244

      Posted

      My  p doc just called me now she's back aftee Christmas. 

      She thinks the spaced out feeling is my anxiety drpression rather then the meds. She doesn't want me on 40mg as she think it might give me a don't care can't be bothered attitude and I don't want that I like to be active. 

      Says by 12week I'll be at full effect of the drug so see how I feel then. Ideally she will have me off them in 6months but if I get to a point I feel normal I think I'd stop on because I'd be too scared. 

      She said the other effects are the drug-

      Shakey , sweats, tired, can't sleep, vision change, dizzy, no interest in sex. 

      Looks like its time to work really hard and making this spaced out feeling leave me !

    • rachel62244
      rachel62244

      Posted

      Iv got my session booked in for a few weeks after the baby so its nice to know the support is there ready it really helps just been reassuredsmile
    • mockingbird
      mockingbird rachel62244

      Posted

      Hi Rachel,

      i know now how you feel and agree with Katecoggs it takes a long time  even for me it was nice to hear how long the improvement takes. I'm sure you will get there and don't feel that your going on your not you are unwell and its a scarey feeling that no one who has not experienced it 

      understands. That's why this forum is so good I don't know where I would have been without it.  Please feel free to chat at any time

      Take care 

      Lindaxx

    • rachel62244
      rachel62244 mockingbird

      Posted

      When did u feel better. I think I get to a point where I realize ow I feel normal then boom because I'm thinking of it the spaced out feeling comes bk grrrrr. I feel like I'm stuck and the last few hills. Hope 12weeks is like magic lol. Kind replies mean so much ! X 
    • mockingbird
      mockingbird rachel62244

      Posted

      I felt better very slowly over four months and initially on 20 then 40.

      im still tired but I have put on quite a bit of weigh and think that's a factor.

      it might sound daft but one day I realised I wasn't feeling anxious about being anxious and the side effects were less.

      it is so gradual but like you I felt good then suddenly it slipped away and I felt down and anxious again with headaches and stiff neck. Then the good times got longer and longer.

      hope this helps

      Linda xx

    • rachel62244
      rachel62244 mockingbird

      Posted

      O Linda I hope it passes soon I'm loosing hope and been so heavily pregnant is hard as it is. I don't feel like I'm anxious its just there. I'm happy u have made it through this awfulness xxx smile
    • katecogs
      katecogs mockingbird

      Posted

      That's exactly how I recovered.  It slowly dawned on me I wasn't anxious, and sometimes when I was out doing something I'd suddenly think omg I haven't actually thought of 'it' for  a whole hour (or something).

      Thats how it kept happening after that ...... I'd actually lose myself and in whatever I was doing more and more and then started waking up feeling warm and happy.  I remember then beginning to think 'oh my, I actually feel good being alive'.  

      As you say mockingbird, you start to feel better and this gets longer and longer.

      It takes a long to get there, but it's so worth the wait :-)

    • mockingbird
      mockingbird katecogs

      Posted

      Hi,

      Thanks for replying I still feel I could improve more and now need to concentrate 

      On my health as I have put on weight 

      It's five months now do you think I will continue to improve?

      Linda x

    • rachel62244
      rachel62244 katecogs

      Posted

      Kate its strange I'm having l moments of ow normal followed by blah spaced out anxious. Up down up down lol but I'm so thankful for the good parts. I saw my gp today and while in the office I left fine smile normally I'd b anxious and dizzy. He said what I'm like is normal for recovery and a lot of people take 3months. I feel more positive and looking forward to my baby girl smile exciting x 
    • katecogs
      katecogs mockingbird

      Posted

      Weight gain does seem to be common on the medicine ... such a nuisance isn't it.

      I'd have thought you'd improve as more time goes by.  It took me a long time, and was having ups and downs by 5 months - slowly the up times got longer and longer until I felt good all the time.

      The winter months I always noticed I was a little flatter, and still do find I'm feel lighter in Spring and Summer..

    • katecogs
      katecogs rachel62244

      Posted

      Hi Rachel

      Yes definitely these up and down moments are part of recovery.  I'd be down in the mornings then up in the afternoons which went on for a while, then I'd have days when I was up and days of being down.  This slowly turned into weeks, then months until I felt good all the time.

      Glad you're feeling more positive! :-D  Exciting times ahead with more improvement and your baby due soon :-) :-)

      xx

    • mockingbird
      mockingbird katecogs

      Posted

      Thanks

      It's good to know I feel much better as was at my lowest ever during the summer months

      The side effects are all but gone except the clenching jaw and I seem to have almost

      Like adrenaline rushes when I feel shaky and a bit spaced out.

      Thanks l

      Linda ️Xx

    • vix167
      vix167 rachel62244

      Posted

      Hi rachel

      Lovely to hear you sounding so positive! Hope today is a good one for you.

      X

    • rachel62244
      rachel62244 vix167

      Posted

      I don't feel anxious or down today just exhausted from no sleep and pregnancy pains. Day of resting. Hope ur feeling brighter today x 
    • vix167
      vix167 rachel62244

      Posted

      Its great youre not down or anxious,  savour that feeling! :-) hope you're having a good rest.

       Ive got a ny party to go to lots of people n kids so although blues are trying to get me down I am determined to drag my sorry ass out. Its local though so knowing I can escape home if I need to is a comfort. I'll give it a go see how I get on.

      Enjoy chilling. wishing you all the very best of health and happiness for you and your (soon to be one extra!) family.

      Sending luv n hugs

      Vix

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