Fluoxetine Day 15

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1

Hello.

I first had Anxiety ten years ago, after successful chemo. It did eventually ebb away but it was a year of hell that I’d wish on no one.

It came back six years ago, and I was prescribed Sertraline, the lowest medical dose. I remember it messing with my sleep but have no real memory of it helping much. I took it for six months and then cut it down and out by shaving tiny bits off the tablets for weeks!

Dammit! Here I am again, since the beginning of December. Very unexpected. I gave it a couple of weeks to see if I could get on top of it (no) and then saw a brilliant GP, who gave me Fluoxetine 20mg, and Propranolol 10mg to use up to twice a day for any physical symptoms. I haven’t needed the Propranolol.
I’ve had 7 very good days; 4 good days; 4 poor days; and no absolutely dire days, of which there were 4 in the previous 4 weeks .
I speak in public monthly, usually, and do not suffer from performance anxiety but the last time, a few days before I saw the GP, I was having to hold on to the furniture to steady myself, and drink a lot of water for my dry mouth. It was frightening.

My sleep has been disturbed but since the chemo it often is, although not this badly. I think it May be improving in that I get to sleep nice and gently (huzzah!) but I ping awake after 6 hours and rarely get off again. It’s about 90 minutes short, so I’m quite tired.

Other side effects: mild headache; dry mouth then bad taste; having to dash to the loo Very Quickly after some meals; occasional tearfulness; sometimes feel very cold.

I’m low in the mornings but it often improves as the day goes on. I get annoyed at myself at not being able to talk myself up and out of it.

I’m struggling a bit at the minute, because a routine health test showed up something a bit scary. I have a follow up to the Fluoxetine appointment in early February, and the GP has read the results and noted that we will discuss them at the same appointment. I have to keep working on my thoughts to remind myself that they’d have hauled me in if it was really serious.

I get upset sometimes because progress is not a smooth line but a saw edge.

Thank you to everyone in this forum for all your posts. It really helps to read other people’s experiences.
Sorry this is such a long one!

2

Hello Ailidh, yes they’re all classic and common symptoms of the fluoxetine I’m afraid. For a lot of us, the increase in anxiety was awful. I didn’t really have any before I started the meds for depression, and it’s pretty much gone after 3 months, but it’s a tough old time. For me the worst side effects were nausea, insomnia (awful dreams) and absolute fatigue. I think you’re having a really tough time going to the GP to discuss the meds as well as the results of a health scan given your health journey at the same time - do you have someone to go with you? I do know exactly how that feels, and I give you all my best wishes. I’m doing ok after 3 months of the tablets, most side effects are going or gone, just have to keep on persevering. It takes a lot of patience and resilience to keep on going as you know from your experiences with sertraline, can you get to see your GP earlier given the circumstances? Please let us know how you get on, and post when you need to, there’s usually a lot of support on the forum. Best Wishes x

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Hi, Phil, and thank you for replying.

I’ve already responded but the page ate it - either that or you’ll see two answers!

I think I’m getting off quite lightly sideeffects wise but I’ll be glad of a bit more sleep, it would make things so much better.

Yes, I’ve got a very good friend coming with me to the appointment - he can hopefully Hear what the doctor says when I go blank! 3.5 weeks to go, and I’m just going to wait - I like the GP I saw, and I doubt I’d be able to get her on an earlier appointment. On the plus side, it’s a really good practice .

I’m glad you’re doing well now! I look forward to getting to where you are now.

A.

4

Now on Day #20. Most side effects seem to be settling down, although I do know from others’ posts that it might be a bit early to declare. The worst one is having to dash to the loo after meals, and sometimes at other times too.

I’m having a mixture of fairly good and slightly poor days, with occasional rather good days. I don’t have my usual quiet joy back, and it’s hard not to keep self checking, so I know I’m not “right” yet.

I’ve had a phonecall from a Psychological Wellbeing Practioner, and I have an appointment with her next week, which is good.

I am feeling quite jumbled today: I’ve had to postpone a holiday, no guarantee I’ll be better; I’ve had to write to the group of monthly speakers and ask to come off the rota; I’ve set up the PWP . They all remind me that I’m still not well, and that makes me despondent.

5

Yesterday was Day #21, and it was amazing. About half an hour after taking the Fluo (morning) it was almost like a switch flipped, and I felt normal. First time in two months. From all I’ve read, I doubt that this is “it”, cured; but I was beginning to think I’d never feel normal again, so this is a great reminder that I will.