I started fluoxetine Nov 14 20 mg then a week later was increased to 40mg
I was hospitized due to
My panic in the mornings, Nausea diarrhea. Evenings are much better.
I am working at remaining positive.
I am seeing improvements I have to work at it (and am doing a great job and will Contunue to!!! I am getting better!)
Mornings are a struggle. Anyone have any words of wisdom? This is exhausting. Motivation will be better?
Any support or words of wisdom would be very much appreciated.
Hello Melinda,
It is pretty tough starting Prozac. I am on day 24 and started on it for panic and anxiety. My mornings are a struggle too and I have crazy insomnia. This is what a user called "BetterDays" described as a time line and it seems to be well accepted:
Week 1: This week can go either way. Some find almost immediate improvement while other see the side effects (see weeks 2-3) after the first day.
Weeks 2,3: These are almost always the most difficult. Anxiety and depression can get worse than before the medication. Side effects kick in, these can include sleeplessness, nightmares, diarrhea, nausea, hot flashes, excessive sweating (especially at night), dry mouth, muscle twitches, overall muscle weakness and pain, zero appetite, and very negative mental outlook. My advice is, take these one day at a time and try not to get discouraged, not every day will be bad and better times are ahead!
Weeks 4,5: Some improvement. The side effects lessen to some point, and there are moments when you start to feel normal. Typically evenings are the best and mornings the worst. Many start playing around with dosage at this point because they are told that the Prozac should be working, my advice: hold the course!
Weeks 6,7: More improvement. Maybe 50% to 70% better than before starting. There are often blips where you feel just terrible for a few days, but not usually over a week. Some side effects lessen, but also you may get new side effects. Hang in there, you are getting ready to turn a corner!
Weeks 8-10: Even more improvement. There still are blips, but they are less severe and shorter, maybe 1-2 days. Not normal yet, but getting better day by day. The side effects are usually 75% or so gone. Light at the end of the tunnel!
Weeks 10-12: Maybe this is wishful thinking for me (I'm not here yet), but this is where most see the best results. Some quotes from this time period: "best in months", "Amazing", "Feel good", "brilliant". Again, this is for the people for whom the prozac did work, not everyone, and for those who stuck to their original dosage. For some, this happens at 7 weeks, for some, 3-4 months. But, from what I have read, 10-12 weeks is the payoff time.
Don't give up.
Dom
Hi Melinda.. all I can say is keep going, your doing really well, Prozac is soooo slow to work, but in the end it does, I’m on 60mg now and doing really well.. mornings always seem the worse, I take my med in the morning, so then I get a good day..
And you being positive will help you over the symptoms of this med, that’s a good way to look at it, as the more you dwell on it the worse you will feel, think your looking at around 10/12 b4 things really settle at its best, we are all different so may be sooner for you, as your so positive..
Good luk chic, and I hope all settles down for you very soon big hug 🤗x
I can’t believe I found you guys. I really needed this. I feel so alone. I just want to feel better. I’m so glad to know there are successes. I am feeling better but it’s slow.
I have felt like this for 8 weeks. I’ve only been on it for about 4 weeks. Each day is such a struggle. I am trying to stay positive.
Thank you for your replies. I really need them.
Hi Melinda,
Me too. I switched from Sertraline (Zoloft.). I was on it for 5 weeks, 3 days, but could not handle the anxiety it caused. Yesterday was my first day on this and I feel worse right now. The Dr said switching will not be starting over. I hope not, it is a daily struggle for me to.
Thank you Dom, that helps me too. I just switched from Zoloft, and yesterday was my first day on this. I’m having a hard time.
Hi!!!
I’m about 3 1/2 weeks in to flu after switching over from Paxil. It has not been easy to say the least. For me right now, mornings are hard and I have a nervous stomach on and off all day long which makes eating difficult. I am trying to remain as positive as possible and I keep telling myself that it will take time for these meds to adjust to my system and start working. I am so glad I found this site as it has helped me understand that I am not alone in this! You are not alone either! Please reach out if you need someone!!
Kati
What didn't you like about Zoloft Stacey? Weird thing is I was planning to switch to Zoloft if Prozac doesn't work out. Prozac was amazing for years for me, but I stupidly quit cold turkey. Re-starting has been a nightmare but now on day 24 and things are getting a bit better ... apart from the insomnia. The first week was horrible but the Prozac did flip a switch and stop my panic attacks which is pretty amazing. Now it seems to be getting rid of my anxiety too ... but I just can't sleep.
Good luck and make sure you give it 8 weeks or more.
Are you sleeping okay Kati? I am 24 days in so 3 1/2 weeks too. Things are improving but I so need some sleep. This Prozac is so slow but we'll all get there eventually.
Dom
Zoloft gave me the worst anxiety starting around week 4. I was in week 6, and it was so bad I was pacing around all day. I didn’t have bad anxiety before taking it, so it definitely caused it. I was having to take Xanax every day just to be able to sit down. The Dr thinks this would be better. Not everyone gets that bad of anxiety as a side effect, my Dr says it is common and it would have gone away eventually, but could be weeks more. I would wake up in the middle of the night in a panic attack. Apparently, the worse the side effects, it seems like the better you are responding to the medicine. It is just so hard to go weeks and months like this.
Hello Stacey, Prozac has massively reduced my anxiety already. I never had anxiety before I quit Prozac the first time around, but happy to report that it is taking care of it. I'd never had a panic attack before either. Prozac killed those dead in around a week.
Love the idea that because my side effects have been awful then I am a top candidate for getting fixed. Wishing you a very fast recovery. We've all just got to fight it through knowing there is sunshine at the end of all of this.
Is there a way to pm each other?
I think if we could support each other it would be great.
Eating has been so difficult. No appetite at all.
It will get better. IT WILL!
I’m not sleeping great either 
We are not alone! It so great to have found this site. I have felt so alone!
We will get there!
Let’s all try to put positive statements out even if it’s hard!
I had to look after 3 kids this morning (mine) on my own for the first time for longer than like 45?mins I haven’t been able to do that for weeks. Small progression. It was tough. I’m exhausted but I did it!!
What about meditating. Is anyone else trying meditation?
I am again just so grateful to have found this site. We need all the support we can get right now!
We are in this together and will certainly be succeful!
I switched from
Citalopram to ciprelax and then the doc switched me to Prozac because he thought the nausea I was having was from the ciprelax. Turns out it’s just anxiety and I feel like I’m pregnant 3/4 of the day with morning sickness. So yucky. But improving!!! On the way to healthy!!
Yes, wishing you a fast recovery also.
I do yoga 3 days a week (I force myself to go,) or I try to walk. When I have bad anxiety I walk a lot.
Did you figure out how to pm someone? If so, I'd like to be included. I just switched from citalopram to Prozac. Day 3 at 40 mg and am struggling. Increased anxiety, can't eat, can't sleep, just miserable. I could use a support group.
Erin
I fall asleep fine but I wake up super early with a knot in my stomach and anxiety. I’m hoping this Will wear off soon. Are you having trouble falling asleep or are you waking up?
Omg!!! That is how I feel! I feel pregnant for most of the day!!! The nausea is awful!!!
We will all get to feeling better soon! It’s so weird that a medicine that is suppose to make us feel better can make us feel so bad!!!
Kati
Hi Erin,
I just switched also, but from Zoloft (Sertraline.). It’s day 2 and I’m feeling worse also. The end of the first day I started feeling really depressed. I could use a support group too. This is really hard.