Fluox for 2 weeks & feel so depressed & scared

Treatment and medication
1

Hi

Started on 10 mg of Fluox 2 weeks ago and in the past week I feel worse than ever, really scared & low. I felt fear coursing through me in the week, was terrified.  Had lots of other side effects, like headache, fele sick, can't really eat, dizzy. spacey etc, these seem to be passing thou (except the sick & lack of appetite).

I think I might go back to docs tomorrow, I feel too sad to even call a friend or go anywhere. And I'm self-employed & need to get myself in gear to work tomorrow (or I'll worry even more about money!)

Please say this will pass and things will improve?  I have never felt so low. I feel like I need to reach out, but that I can't!  

2

Hello,

Sorry you are feeling this way, it is truly horrible. 

I don't know what advice I can give that will be helpful, but I came off Flu after about 2 weeks because I couldn't cope with the side effects. I think I got the majority listed. Vomiting, upset stomach, not sleeping, eating, anxiety attacks, sweats and shakes, horrible leg and neck pain. The works. I was having so much time off work, I am suprised I kept my job! I never had the depression, but just a strange sense of detachment, like I wasn't me anymore. I was emotionally numb and had very slow reactions, I did not dare to drive on them. I also found I was drained, just exhausted but couldn't sleep.

My doctor advised to give it time to settle and level out, but I needed to work (money is the root of all evil sadly) and on the tablets, I found it harder to get through a day in work than it was tackling anxiety in the first place. My performance was minimal, the hardest part of the day was getting to work, then it was a battle to not throw up or have a panic attack and act normal. 

Although I was assured at week 4-5 the majority of symptoms would ease, I just couldn't take it.

I stopped cold and 3 weeks of withdrawal effects later I started feeling marginally better. About a month on, I felt like myself again, appetite back, weight slowing re-gained. I joined the gym and was getting happier, and had two amazing weeks. My anxiety seems trivial compared to the chemically induced attacks I was having.

However now 2 months on and my anxiety / panic attacks have come flooding back in full force, I can constantly upset and drained because of it. It's exhausting, I am barely sleeping and it's getting harder and harder to get through a day in work and I think my employer is losing patience with me as it's not "physically" showing like a broken arm or something. It's like I have reverted to how I was before I considered the tablets!. 

I am now wondering had I just stuck out a little longer would I have been rid of this horrible feeling and lost the initial side effects. I am back to square one now trying Sertraline which is so far sounds just as bad and dreading it as I know what will happen for the first month or so. 

Sorry if this doesn't help. Just weight up the pro's and con's to stopping or not. For me I benefitted short term by stopping but longer term, I am probably looking at more time off work while I adjust to the new meds (if I even try them).

Annoyingly there is no quick fix!

 

3

I went through this. Yes very scary i thought id end up in a mental ward. BUT i stuck to it and by week 4 i felt better and better im now week 7 and back to leaving the house and socialising... you have come this far stick to it.. x

4

Hi Fluox,

I'm in week 4 of prozac and i can definitely relate to your feelings. It's quite common to get worse before you get better unfortunately. I found week 2 and 3 to be the most challenging. Some days were just horrible. But things have started to improve now slightly. These meds take time i hear.

Hang in there. We're all in this together and i'm here if you need to chat.

5

I had the same effects and IMO the side effects far outweigh the benefits. If it's anxiety that you suffer from ask your doctor to give you some kind of benzo maybe Ativan. That's what works for me. They are now winning me off which is going to take about two months, but I'm feeling better already. I can deal with the depression, but I do take Ativan for the anxiety and it helps greatly.

Best of luck to you.

Beth

6

Hello 

Just Sitck with it. I am a self empolyed sparkie and have suffered depression for many years. Last year I  had it very bad and put myself back on Flux. Felt very bad and my mood was dark for longer than the previous times. 

Just sitck with it and it helps you get throug it. Its not a magic pill but helps you deal with whats the real cause. 

It took 6 - 8 weeks to kick in. 

I am now nearly a year on and back of them. 

You can do it too and I have no doubt you can get there too. 

Just remeber life isnt as bad as you think and every thing can be solved.

Try to deal with a little problem and then that turns into a small positve. 

Talk to youre family and friends too. 

Very important not to isolate yourself. 

Take care 

Hope you have a good week 

 

7

Thank you. It's nice to hear back from everyone, makes me feel less alone in this.

Gonna go to docs again today (need next flu prescription), but will tell them how awful I feel.

Feel so sick today. Sick with panic.

Thanks again. X

8

Thank you. It's nice to hear back from everyone, makes me feel less alone in this.

Gonna go to docs again today (need next flu prescription), but will tell them how awful I feel.

Feel so sick today. Sick with panic.

Thanks again.

9

Thank you. It's nice to hear back from everyone, makes me feel less alone in this.

Gonna go to docs again today (need next flu prescription), but will tell them how awful I feel.

Feel so sick today. Sick with panic.

Thanks again.

10

Thank you. It's nice to hear back from everyone, makes me feel less alone in this.

Gonna go to docs again today (need next flu prescription), but will tell them how awful I feel.

Feel so sick today. Sick with panic.

Thanks again.

11

I remember that feeling but it does get better i promise. X

12

Doc put me on diazepam today, for anxiety. Probably wasn't side effects I was experiencing, but anxiety.

Hoping I improve now

Totally lost it in the docs, cried my eyes out to her!

Fingers crossed.

13

You will experience side effects but the diazepam should help a bit. Maybe that is all that you will need. I personally do not like the side effects I lost 14 pounds and decided to get off of it so I am leaning down slowly and feeling back to my normal self. I was losing time, had confusion, lack of appetite, felt nauseous, and in a haze all of the time. So, I am weaning off and I'm so happy now.

Again best of luck to you and your decision

14

Sounds awful Beth, glad you're feeling happier.

I feel tonnes better today, slept brilliantly too, 10 hours!

Don't think it was the side effects I was experiencing after all, just awful anxiety....

15

Glad to hear it!!!