Hi: I am 60, female, ADD, highly stressed, slightly depressed and am gaining weight because of it. I get angry easily and little things set me off. I was prescribed 10 Mg of Fluoxetine and am terrifed to take it due to all the negative stories I read. I take 10 Mg methyphenidate once a day, Zopiclone to sleep and Ativan when required. I also get panic attacks and am terrified to get into elevators or small spaces. I have health anxiety too, due to sporatic heart palpitations that have me visiting the hospital ER every so often.I blink alot and have a facial twitch as well, both from being stressful, I am sure. If I had to stay on Fluoxetine for the rest of my life, I would be fine with that. Just reading what I wrote, I'm thinking, man, what a messed up person! LOL!! But that ADD brain had me being quiet a success for decades until recently, when I lost my home and business. I read so many negative stories about SSRI's and don't know if I should try this drug or not. My husband took Zyban for 4 months for smoking and he quit cold turkey without any side effects! What is the best way to quit Fluoxetine and when you quit, is it possible to have NO or FEW side effects? Again, if it worked well for me, I would hope to not consider quitting it. Thank you!
I started at 10mg and was incrementally increased to 40mg in the course of a year. Every person is different but I have not experience any side effects except for some diarrhea which I'm not sure I can blame on the Fluoxetine as I don't always have the healthiest diet. I can't speak to side effects associated with withdrawal though. What have you heard about SSRIs that makes you worried?
If Fluoxetine works for you stay on it, my sister takes fluoxetine and it's fine for her, unfortunally for me nothing works, tried them all, Fluoxetine is one of the best to come off unlike the other SSRI's Good luck.... Hilary
Hi Thank you for your reply. I am TERRIFIED that if I want to stop for some odd reason, the withdrawls will be horrendous and I will regret starting the drug in the first place. So many people say, don't take this drug or if I had known how tough it would be to get off I wouldn't have started....I'm so scared.
Hi Hilary: Yes, I thought that this was an easier one to come off of too, but reading blogs, this may not be the case. How long has your sister been taking this drug? THank you!
My Sister took Fluoxetine for a couple of years then came off them over a period of time, had no side affects, but has reasently gone back on them with no side affects, but you must take into constderation everbody is different, i do think it is one of the best to come off....x