Hi all,
Just wanted to make a post that i can continue updating as weeks progress. I've just finished my first week of Fluoxetine. I was prescribed 20mg but i bought a pill cutter so that i can start low and slow because my body is particularly sensitive to meds at the moment (i have post viral syndrome/chronic fatigue due to catching glandular fever/mononucleosis in October 2015).
My life has been a living hell for the past 8 weeks. I had a relapse of post viral symptoms and my anxiety went out of control. I began having severe panic attacks, severe depresson and OCD intrusive thoughts - which are extremely upsetting for me.
I started with 5mg for 4 days, then 10mg for the past three days. Side effects have been minimal, but i can definitely feel that i am "drugged" to a certain extent. A few mild headaches, feeling a bit spacey, some increased anxiety - but it's hard to tell if that's from the meds or not. Today on the 3rd day of 10mg i had a panic attack and went a bit wobbly in the head for an hour or so, but i think it's because i didn't eat enough food before taking my pill. Fingers crossed it doesn't happen again tomorrow.
Overall i can feel the meds doing their magic, even though it's very early on. I feel slightly more positive about life, whereas during this past 8 weeks of anxiety and OCD hell i could only focus on the torment that i was experience right then and there. Hopefully this is a sign of good things to come!
Hi Aquin
That's sounds great. It was such a relief when I had meds to help me. In 4-6 weeks more good signs should start. I never notice them until I try to do normal activities and realise they are much less of a struggle 
Keep in touch with your doctor as you are settling into meds jus to reassure you when needed. I take 40mg and feel no annoying negative effects just the good things
I think they have fluoxetine in liquid form if u ever need small adjustments in your meds. Not sure its easily available but worth finding out.
X
Oops forgot to say glad you are getting better after the glandular fever!
Thanks for your reply Deeb how did you come to know 40mgs was the right dose for you? I've heard higher doses are best for OCD so im just curious.. did you taper up to 20mg then 30mg then had satisfactory results with 40mg?
Hi
Really I would like to go up to a higher dose of fluoxetine but my doc says they only prescribe upto 40mg . I assume its better for ocd than depression at the higher doses. They increased me direct from 20mg to 40mg. I expected equal or worse side effects as I experience first starting fluox, but instead had nothing that noticeable, just a little extra anxiety for short period. Possibly a bit snappy and sleepy but I am not 100% it was anything to do with meds. I think I am naturally snappy!!
If my mood suddenly dips further down I might ask for stronger dose in citalopram perhaps. I have family members on this and it has no adverse effect on them. I increased dose to 40mg when I was about 6 or 7weeks in.
Try to read mind org or nhs website. This will show you treatments for oCD etc so you can make informed choices before you go to gp appointments. I panic a lot if I feel rushed into making snap decisions but the websites give me enough info to ponder way Before I have to or feel more involved with my treatment.
If it will upset u to have reduced libido let your doc know before you increase on any antidepr so they can pick which is least likely to have that effect or can have the dose tweaked in small increments.
Please keep us updated! Been suffering from extreme anxiety and depression for 8 months now and I'm still afraid of taking medication 
Hi Mitch i can totally relate. I haven't even been able to work or see friends for the past 2 months. I've had terrible anxiety since October last year but it's been in overdrive for the past 2 months, I wish i didn't let it get this out of control before trying to sort medication, but you know what's best for you. You could be like me and buy a pill cutter and start with a quarter of a pill and gradually go up from there. I really think that's the best way to do it for severely anxious people like us. Also just remembering that things might be slightly worse for a few weeks but to stick it out for at least 4 weeks before deciding to quit or change meds. You have to make that commitment i think. Unless of course the side effects are really really bad.
As an update, i ended up going back down to 5mg for 2 days because i felt horrid on the 8th morning. Tomorrow i'm going to start 7.5mg and i'll probably do that for a week and then try 10mg again. I'm feeling stable again.
Side effects are in full swing now on day 12.
Increased anxiety/nervousness, mild tremors, insomnia the past 2 nights, nausea and a feeling of dizziness or being off balance. I just feel really out of it this morning, having trouble focusing
I'm so sorry to hear that! Hang on, you got this! Are you still on 7.5mg?
Thanks Yup im still on 7.5mg and have been for 6 days. Will start again on 10mg soon. I'm feeling better since that last post thankfully.. its hard when you already feel crap so you take meds and get even crapper for a couple of weeks but im determined to get past the side effects. It sounds like its a lot smoother sailing after weeks 2-3 and im just entering my 3rd week now.
So glad to hear that! Keep going!!!!
An update at approx. 3 weeks in (23 days)
Things have been rocky. Some ok days and some not ok days.. I don't feel all that great to be honest and some days i'm on the verge of a panic attack all day. I've had an increase in intrusive thoughts which is my main stuggle at the moment. I've been getting some pretty bad derealization too. Some sleep troubles and bad morning anxiety..
BUT, i'm determined to stick it out. I've come this far so i'm not giving up now. I so desperately want to get better and live a normal life again. Fingers crossed the next couple of weeks bring some good results. I've been on 10mg for 8 or 9 days now. I'll increase dosage when it feels right. I've read of people getting good results on 10mg and i don't want to rush it. I'm 26 year old female, 5' 2" and only 49kg (108 pounds) so there's not very much of me.
Any positive words would be appreciated!
4 weeks today and currently still on only 10mg.
This past week i have noticed some improvements! The days are more bearable and i've even been adventuring outisde of my bedroom and house and getting some things done. I still have a long long ways to go, but noticing a small amount of improvement is extremely reassuring. My morning anxiety has been a bit more manageable and my intrusive thoughts are also more managable at times.. but at other times the thoughts are still quite bad.
In another week i'll taper up to 15mg and then up to 20mg and see how i am there. I maybe need to go to 40mg but we'll see.
Keep the updates coming!!! I'm really glad to hear about your progress. It also give sme some hope because I really really want to avoid meds even though I know I need them desperately 
So is your progress still stready?
Hey! Sorry i was going to reply to your last message and completely forgot.
Time for an update. Today marks 5 weeks! Although im still only on 10mg i feel definite improvement. The past week has even been an improvement on last week. Mornings are the hardest time of day for me and afternoons and evenings are good. Mornings have improved heaps though. Usually i would be bed bound spiraling into horrible anxiety but this past week I've been out of bed every morning feeling a lot better. I still have bad anxiety in the mornings but its much more manageable. My derealization and foggyness has been slightly better too.
Next Wednesday i will start on 15mg and alternate 15mg and 10mg for a week and then bump it up to 15mg every day for a few weeks im sort of dreading the dose increase after ive only begun to feel improvement these past 2 weeks. I hope all the side effects don't come back.
Thanks for checkin in Mitch! How are you going??
So I guess people really are right when they say to stick it out, eh? I'm so glad that you're progressing. By the sounds of it, I think this increase will only help you get to where you want to be Mornings are ALWAYS the worst. I definitely know how you feel. You think you will surely die or that the anxiety will never end, but like you mentioned, it gets better throughout the day. My biggest fear is getting high heart rate from the meds, do you get that?
My anxiety had been improving steadily, but progress is still not where I want it to be. I'm preparing myself mentally to try out medication because my anxiety is affecting my life is so many ways. I went from fully fuctioning--student, working, pretty independent person--to needing to be with someone all the time. I can't be alone, AT ALL. My boyfriend is with me pretty much at all times, except for when he works (3 days a week), but he'll be getting a full time job soon so I need to start coping in a better way. It's been a year of this so I guess the only option for me now is medication. Thank you for asking
I totally understand what you're going through i've been there many times. I hate losing my independance. I haven't been out of the house by myself in like 6 months. I think you should definitely try a med! The first 2-3 weeks are tough but then it gets easier. It might be good to start before your boyfriend starts a full time job, that way he can be there to support you through the early weeks. I'd recommend starting at a really low dose too, and possible asking your doctor for some valium or something to get you through. I didn't notice an increased heart rate because of the meds. I have a prety fast heart rate to begin with. I notice it beating faster during panic attacks (i had a few in the beginning of taking the med) but other than that, not really.
Today marks 6 weeks! Aaaand i'm still on 10mg, lol. I started getting mild muscle jerks and spasms exactly 1 week ago that i assume is a side effect of the prozac, so i'm hesitant to up the dose at the moment. If they settle down in this coming week then i will go up to 15mg.
I'm continuing to see improvement! I woke up 99% anxiety free yesterday morning, which is HUGE for me because i have literally woken up incredibly anxious every morning for the past year. This med is definitely working for me, even at 10mg. I still am not 100% at all.. my mood is low at times and I still have OCD and i'm still not ready to go out by myself or go to work, but i think i'll get there, hopefully once I start 20mg.
Hi Aquin! I've just found your post and your experience seems similar to mine. I have always had anxiety but never enough to interrupt my life. However I came off birth control and it made my anxiety crazy and I developed OCD thoughts and some depression it's been hell. I'm really sensitive to medication. I've finally decided to start fluoxetine and it's been a big decision, I'm only starting on 4mg. I've been taking for four days and already feeling headachy and exhausted. Your post is giving me hope to keep going! What kind of side effects did you have at the start?