Hi, I am currently on 10 mg of fluoxetine daily for PMDD and general anxiety. After just 2 weeks, I noticed a dramatic improvement in my moods and anxiety. I also noticed decreased appetite and minimal weight loss, but this hasn’t concerned me too much. I was feeling so calm and doing great until I completed my fourth week on fluoxetine. Right at 4 weeks, I began to experience diarrhea once or twice every morning. No pain or cramping, just the diarrhea. Today is the sixth day of the morning diarrhea, and last night I experienced what I’m assuming was a panic attack. I’ve never had panic attacks in the past. My primary care physician and my pharmacist both said that the fluoxetine can’t be causing the diarrhea at 4 weeks because if I was going to experience side effects, they would have started at 2 weeks. I’ve been looking online all week trying to figure this out, and I came across this site. I’m wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience with side effects, specifically diarrhea, beginning after taking fluoxetine for 4 or more weeks? I’m wondering if I should discontinue the fluoxetine or stick with it. I’d appreciate any insight anyone might have. Thank you!
I have been taking Flu for 8 months and started diarrhea at about the 3rd month. It’s usually in the am. No fun at all.
Thanks for the response! Does the diarrhea ever stop? I keep hoping it’s a temporary side effect.
I think it will eventually stop. I took Flu 20 years ago for 8 years. It worked well and I never had a side effect. When I stopped, I did it cold turkey and only had one side effect and that was brain zaps.
If I know I have to go out the next morning, I take an immodium and that usually helps for several days.
Good luck.
Thank you!
Did it help your PMDD?
Yes, it has greatly helped my PMDD. I barely notice mood changes since starting the fluoxetine. Feeling so much better now! Also, I started on 10 mg and experienced side effects. My PCP decreased my dose to 5 mg daily and all side effects subsided within a few days.
That’s so great! What dose did you get to for it to be completely effective for PMDD?
Right now I’m on 10 mg every other day (which equals out to 5 mg daily). The 10 mg daily completely resolved my PMDD, but I felt a bit “drugged” and didn’t like the side effects. Now on the 5 mg daily, the side effects have resolved and I feel like myself again. I feel like I have some “mild PMS” probably like most women, but nothing like the PMDD I experienced before. So, I’d say 5 mg is pretty effective for me, but everyone responds differently.