Hi all,
I am at my third week on fluox. The positive news is: My anxiety has gone down. My muscles are feeling less tense now. I have no more Racing thoughts, Heart palpitations. I am feeling more energetic. The world seems brighter and more colorful. Yes! I am starting to get myself back. Give it two more weeks I hope I will be fully normal again.
Peter
Hi Peter,
I am new to this group and really need some encouragement. I am on day 15 of fluoxetine, 1 week 10 mg, week 2 increased to 20 mg. I have been extremely anxious and yesterday had a panic attack. I wake up every morning with racing thoughts, nervous stomach, and fear of not ever feeling normal again. I was on fluoxetine for 18 years for panic and mild depression. I experienced daily generalized anxiety a few months ago and my dr switched me to Zoloft. Needless to say, after 6 miserable weeks I'm back on Fluoxetine and praying for relief. Any information and encouragement would be greatly appreciated.
Good to hear. Consider also cognitive behavioral therapy for tools and maybe learn what got you there to choose SSRI's.
Also, if you ever choose to come off, study up on Ann Blayk-Tracy and the proper way to do it. Recommend not more than 5% tapering every 2-4 week's.
Never large amounts or cold turkey. Pay attention to your side effects if any and keep track. Hopefully not. Again, good your feeling better.
Hi Peter... congratulations! I'm actually jealous. I am starting week 3 today after increasing to 20mg a day one week ago.
I awoke this morning to an anxiety attack and had one mid-day yesterday. I am taking my dose in the morning and by 10am I have a massive headache. My appetite is slightly better and the nausea is less severe, but I still don't feel motivated to do anything. Was this common for you too? When did you feel side effects weakening?
Hi Kevin01347
Headache is a side effect of fluoxetine. I had it as well. But only on the first three days when I up my dose from 10mg to 20mg. The headache was most serious in the evenings at the frontal cortex of the brain.
Appetite , nausea, lack of motivation- prior to taking fluoxetine, I had them as well, I was on a SSRE called stablon. It took me 2 months to gain back some appetite , I lost 10 kg and was having nausea and brain fog everyday. It was a lot of derealization and I felt I was immersed in a dark tunnel with no hope of getting out. All those symptoms are anxiety depression symptoms. They are not caused by fluoxentine.
Keep taking the meds, praying, and try to get some sunlight outdoor, do some mindfulness mediation exercise like body scan, it will get your brain and nerves to heal faster.
Peter
Thanks OreElect!
Hi Lauri1967, 18 years of mild depression must be tough. I know the fear of not ever feeling normal again ! That fear had last for two months in my case . I remembered for two months I was immersed in a dark tunnel, my vision and hearing is kind of blocked from outside world. I was hopeless at that time and my mind was telling me to just give up and finish my life. But I did not. I fight. I didnt give up. No matter how real the fear was. Now I am recovering . I am starting to feel normal again. Give it some time. The brain and nerves need time to heal. Two months from now, you will be like me, everything will be brighter again.
Peter
Peter,
I've read your comment about racing thoughts being gone now. That would be WONDERFUL!
When you say racing thoughts, what do you mean? I wake up each morning with my mind racing. I am constantly afraid of having a panic attack. I worry about being alone and having a panic attack. I know that the cause of my anxiety is fear, the fear of panic attacks.
I feel that my depression is caused by this fear. If I knew I would never have a panic attack again my world would be a much brighter place.
Do you or anyone reading this have panic disorder and agoraphobia?
Hi lauri1967, yes, serious panic attack when im at shopping malls. By racing thoughts, I meant negatively obsessively thinking that I have certain disease, browsing the net and matching my symptoms to those terminal diseases, and thinking that I will die. It was a mental breakdown. So terrified. Think back, I was so abnormal at that time.
Lauri this is almost exactly where I am right now. My panic attacks and anxiety are the worst in the morning hours. I hate how convincing they are. It's so easy to take observations you have or facts and then immediately begin to assign meaning to them and before you know it you are off to the races and you've convinced yourself something tragic is happening.
I have two panic attacks as of late: my most common is I'm going to lose my job because of how my performance has been impacted due to all of this and the fact my employer suggested I take a medical leave. The other is I found out yesterday I need an outpatient surgery next week. I have never been the kind of person who got nervous about surgery or the need/thought of it but for some reason I am almost terrified of having it next week and it's fairly minimally invasive. My thoughts around all of this just run crazy.
Reading your post reminded me I'm not alone. I started day 15 of my Fluoxetine yesterday. I was doing slightly better... but last night and today I feel like I've taken one step forward and two steps backward. I know a lot of it has to do with the news yesterday about the surgery, but sure would be nice of the prozac would start to work more effectively, especially right now. I want to retreat into my bedroom this morning.
I know that I have been here before and came out the other side! Life is meant to be lived and enjoyed, not worried and afraid.
I keep reminding myself that this will get better! It is simply anxiety, not a death sentence!
I've been listening to a 30 minute clip on You Tube called- Releasing Negative Thoughts Spoken Affirmations for a peaceful, calm, positive mind, by Jason Stephenson. It really helps!
I love that you said "thinking back" that to me reassures me that there is hope!
Are you able to go to shopping malls now?
Hi Lauri1967,
Yes. I am no longer anxious when I go to shopping malls. I can stay in malls, supermarket, for hours, without panic. I can eat a meal in a restaurant normally . During the time when I was really sick, I couldnt even sit down in a restaurant for 30 mins . I was really freaked out. Now no more issue. However, my mood is still not fully normal yet, I still have some moody days where I feel frustrating.
Hi kevin01347
When are u having your outpatient surgery?
You're not alone. I too have worries about my job performance and sometimes miserable thoughts about something really bad is going to happen. Sometimes when I have no better way to handle myself, I just take a walk and do some breathing exercise.
Thanks peter88910
Surgery is Tuesday afternoon. Thanks for sharing about your work. My performance was slipping about a month ago. I could see myself making mistakes -- my focus wasn't there. I'm told it was the depression and anxiety. My boss is the one who suggested I take a medical leave which I am half way through. I keep telling myself my boss wouldn't have suggested medical leave if she didn't support me, but the crazy thoughts that I won't have a job to go back to still race through my mind. Regardless, I had to take this leave.... I couldn't go on the way I was.
Today my anxiety is a bit more in check. I still am feeling nervous with random thoughts, but for some reason I am able to realize those thoughts aren't logical or rational.
I've been using breathing exercises too, especially to help me relax. I think what has me so surprised is how irrational I am at times, but it feels completely rational in the moment. After I am able to gather myself, I can see that how I was feeling and thinking are less likely -- especially when thinking something really bad is going to happen.
Peter,
I cannot thank you enough for your post! I am so looking forward to feeling well again! May I ask what dose ended up working for you?
Hi kevin01347
Same thing here, I was unable to concentrate and made mistakes at work during my worst days. I had an outpatient eye surgery during my depression days for a cataract formed in my eyes. That blurry vision contributed a lot to my anxiety depression. It's good that you are taking a leave.
I am sure your outpatient surgery will be fine. Your list of worried items will reduce after the surgery.
Today I had a good day. I hope every day will be like this.
Peter
Thanks Lauri, I will check it out. I have therapy this morning and plan to talk about my negative thoughts and fear.
Hi again, this is now my 5th week of fluoxentine 20mg. I have sweaty hands and body tremor starting two weeks ago and is still having it. My tinnitus is especially serious at night and when I wake up in the morning. I still get negative mood 20% of my days.
I am going back to see my psychiatrist next week.
Peter
what dose you taking ? im on day 21 and feel nothing. when would you say it started to kick in?