Increase In Fluoxetine, feel really depressed

Treatment and medication
1

Is it normal to feel so depressed and anxious every time you increase fluoxetine? I was on Fluoxitine 20mg for a year and a half. I had to raise it to 30mg. Was on 30mg for 10 weeks feeling up and down so my doctor raised it to 40mg. I have been on 40mg for 12 days and the first days were ok but 3 days ago, my depression started getting bad again. Today it was really bad and I was experiencing massive anxiety almost an attack.
I have a 1 year old baby and I am scared that I wont get better. I want to feel joy again in taking care of him and living life.

Has anyone ever experience this and if so, did it get better eventually?

2

hi lilly. hope you ok. i understand how you are feeling. im on 40mg for about 3 months. having a good couple of days. im also on promazine which took the edge off the prozac while my body adjusted. i love my meds now. im different but better than i was before. all will be ok. dont ask too much of yourself. keep a routine with your boy. wish i could help more x

3

Hi lilly, i have not increased my dose but from what ive read from other people is that its like starting over. your symptoms sound normal to me. your body has to get use to it all over again, could last 2 weeks or so, but hang in there! it will get better!!! you just have to weather the storm first

4

i am on the exact same boat . i increased from 30 mg to 40mg 4 days ago and i feel horrible . feel like i dont want to get out of bed .... the worst . i was hanging my hat on the fact that i was on 30 mgs for 3 months with many ups and downs .... more downs . i hope for us both that we can turn a corner soon cause i cant keep living this way for sure .

5

Thank you Ricky. You're right, i just need a routine for my son and not expect much. This sucks

6

Thank you for your response Danielle.

7

Yes! me too. I had some ups and downs on 30mg so my doctor increased it to 40mg. Felt fine the first 7 days then down in the pit again. I don't want to live this way either, we have to find a way! Life is too short for this.

8

Hello

So sorry to hear you're suffering a lot. It must be so hard for you to take care of your baby in your condition.

I'm on FLU 40mg currently.
But i changed a dosage; 20-40-60-40mg very quickly since i was inpatient for 5 weeks.

when i was on 60mg, i was drained, agitated, anxious and more depressed. After a hospital discharged me, i changed a psychiatrist. My new psychiatrist told me "let's reduce FLU to 40mg since you cannot feel positive effects with 60mg. it seems FLU is overactivated in your system".

i'm ok with 40mg. i still have a bit of tremors on my hands but no other side effects now.

9

totally . sounds like we arr on the exact same boat . lets keep each other informed how we are doing .

what was the reason you started fluoxetine ?

10

you got this girl friend. its temporary. you sound like a great mum be kind to yourself

11

I started fluoxetine because I started having really bad anxiety after a move, and some health issues. The anxiety led to depression, it was bad. Now , it seems like every time around the same time that anxiety comes back. My psychiatrist told me to increase my med and that's where I am right now. Also, I'm not sure if my hormones after my pregnancy had to do anything with it this time.

12

Hello, Yea, I definitely don't want to have to increase again since I get such bad side effects. I hate that feeling of shaking. I've thought about changing my psychiatrist but it seems hard to find a good one, that's why I just stayed with the one I have. My psychiatrist said he wanted to add Wellbutrin after two weeks if I still felt the same way. I've never been on two anti-depressants, so that is scary to me.

13

consider promazine it has sedative effects

14

Hello Hope Welbutrin (SDRI) increases Dopamine function. My first psych wanted me to take Welbutrin instead of FLU (SSRI) . I refused since i had a horrible dissociation on Cymbalta (SNRI).

I take FLU and Mirtazapine 15mg (atypical antidepressant) together. But Mirta 15mg is below therapeutic dosage. So it's only for sleep.

Please check your psychiatrist before you take them together since interaction might occur.

15

My doctor prescribed me Mirtazapine 15mg for sleep as well. I haven't taken it yet though.

16

HI How's FLU working for you lately?
Mirtazapine 15mg helped me very well to sleep for several months. i had no residual effect in the morning.
But i can sleep without it a bit more now. How to quit it????? i don't want to cold turkey again.

17

Hello,

I started feeling better towards the end of my 2 week mark on 40mg, but now I'm starting to feel bad again. I don't get it, I hope this is only temporary and that I am able to feel better soon. So you are thinking about quitting the Mirtazapine? Did you ask your doctor about that?

18

Hello

How are you doing? Hope your discomfort is less.now.

i've been on FLU for 13 weeks. i have no more side effect now.

Mirtazapine is hard to quit. Even if i often can sleep without it now, i cannot quit it right away. i didn't take it for last 3 days. I had anxiety and nervousness today. i think it's a withdrawal sx.

19

i am in a similar boat . ive beem on Flu for 18 weeks , and increased to 40 mg just over 2 weeks ago . i take clonazepam to help with the anxiety . i was feeling better while i took it and since i havent taken for the past few days , i now have come back down and feeling really anxious . Not sure if its still the increased dose or what but it sucks .

are you feeling any better ?

20

Thank you for teaching out. My journey with Flu has bern 20-40-60-40mg . i was edgy and anxious on 60mg. For me, 40mg seems appropriate without having any serious side effect. i"'ve been on Flu for 13 weeks.
How are you doing?