I don't understand why is it taking so long to take effect, my anxiety and OCD is killing me.
Also I've been waiting for my repeat prescription to come through for the last week, I guess that doesn't help either?
Hi Andrew.. From what I have read on this site is that four weeks is still very early. I myself just hit the four week mark and I have had some good moments but today's been very difficult. So it is very up and down. Supposedly it's up and down for quite some time but then after around 2 months you begin to have more ups and can manage the downs better. Hopefully you see some improvement soon.
Thanks for commenting but in all seriousness I haven't felt good about myself, since I finished my first prescription of fluoxetine last week.
Hi Andrew,
yes 4 weeks is very early, and I can confirm what pinkrozez says here...about two months is more likely to start feleing better. I am 10 weeks today and I just had very good 12 days with almost no anxiety! Today I am experiencing a blip again, but I am focusing on the fact that in recent weeks I have been mostly well!
I started having some good anxiety free days after 6 weeks. First sort of feeling calmer in the afternoons, then having couple of good days followed by couple of bad days again. The ups and downs were making me feel so discouraged. But after week 8, suddenly the longer streak of good days came, so today I am little bit more accepting of my blip, although it still feels horrible and I have been very low and crying all day, but I am retaining hope that there will still be more good than bad days after all.
With the prescription - do you mean you have not had the meds in the last week, waiting for new prescription? That is something that would not help, missing the doses...the brain needs the regular doses to start getting used to the meds and adjusting...
All the best Andrew x
These type of meds take months to work, not weeks I'm afraid. It takes a long time to become ill and so it'll take a long time to reverse that effect. It also usually gets worse before it gets better. Most people start to feel better around 3-4 months - some sooner, some longer.
You can't hurry recovery either - whatever you do. Dose increase won't make it happen quicker either. It'll happen in its own time - and we're all individual.
You need a lot of patience on these meds. The wait is worth it though.
They will help you though.
K x
Fluoxetine takes some longer. It was months for me. Everyone different. Keep the faith and you'll get there. I know it's not soon enough but it's God's timing. Prayer's from me.
Thanks for the great advice, also it's great to know there's some sort of light at the end of the tunnel
Kate in your experience, have you had days where you feel sort of flat? Like not sad not happy just sort of there like a robot. I am
Doing a lot of chores and activities around home with kids but inside me there's a level of flatness whereas before when I did these same things I felt happy and accomplished... As a young mom, I wonder if my old happy go lucky nature will
Ever return? I find that In the moments where I am
Myself my kids get so excited and enjoy my presence ... Mostly in evenings before bedtime
When I know the day is about to end. Just wanted to get your thoughts ....
Yes ......its just 'patience'. You'll get there.
K x
Oh yes, absolutely!!
The second time I started these meds I had a different experience and had months of feeling flat. A complete 'nothingness' inside me. No joy whatsoever. I guessed it was depression and just kept going, and eventually it lifted.
The first time I recovered I was like you when I felt better every evening (anxiety wore off). That's a good sign. For me, this slowly spread more into my day - early evening, afternoon, mornings until one day I woke up feeling great.
Sounds like its all working for you.
K x
You are just so encouraging. Honestly if it had not been for your words of support and constant push to wait it out I feel I may have just given up on the meds. But I do feel they're working just slow and I am ok with that as long as ultimately I can feel myself again. The fear just feeds itself right but I am trying to let it be and accept it and let it pass. Thank you again. I so appreciate it.
Many people do give up on the meds too early because they haven't been told what to expect. Yes that's it - you start feeling changes real slowly, which grow over time.
Yes fear feeds itself. It's the powerful anxiety you fear and in turn that produces even more anxiety. You get stuck in a cycle of anxiety / fear / thoughts / anxiety etc. Fix the anxiety and all it's side effects go too.
Don't forget you may still get blips occasionally - again let them be and they'll pass.
One day soon this will all be behind you xx
Exactly. Doctor told me I'd feel better in two weeks. The anxiety attacks did lessen but the anxious low feeling didn't subside .. Still comes and goes. But knowing that it's expected, temporary and part of recovery does help you deal with it better. Thanks again. The support here is much needed right now. My husband is very supportive as well but having people who have gone through it is helpful. Hope you have
A great weekend!
Unbelievable....... I do wish doctors would be better educated in this condition, medicine, side effects, timescale ..... the whole journey. To give people false hope is so wrong. No wonder people become confused and despondent, then give up.
Its great having supporting partners, but as you say, nobody fully understands unless you've suffered from it.
K x
I could not agree more. GPs often lack expertise. Mine told me at 4 weeks that if I am still anxious then they are not working for me and asked me what I want to do, if I want to try different ones or stop! I told her I read on these online forums that it can take much longer than 4 weeks and people can suffer side effects for months, and she just said 'hmm I don't think so?'. Very frustrating. She left it up to me anyway, so I decided to continue, and now at 10 weeks I am feeling much better. These forums are amazing support and I wish doctors who prescribe these medicines would read them!!!
That's quite disgraceful really - that's laying with people's lives. She could have had you hopping from one meds to another, completely delaying your treatment and probably you'd have stopped too. Shouldn't be prescribing these type of meds if it can't be backed it up with research / knowledge about their side effects and timescale too.
Some doctors don't like to be 'told' things I suppose - they're trained and professional ... but have never taken them.
Hey ho.....
'playing' ... not laying
You guys have been very ecouraging to me.
I took Flux about four years ago when my husband passed away suddenly. Dr. prescribed it b/c I was having anxiety attacks. After 18 months of taking it, I didn't have any relaps, so I stopped.
2.5 years later, all of sudden it hit me again. However, I'm having many side effects this time. I'm two weeks into it and feeling anxious many times a day, that flatness feeling you are describing. I'll continue to take it, just b/c it worked before. But I don't really recall the side effect last time.
Tired all the time but must move on. I'm a single mom now and have kids to tend too.
Thank you all!
Hi isiao
Glad people's posts have helped ..... and so sorry for your loss some years ago.
Its strange how anxiety can rear its head again after being free of it. I wonder if you've had some stress in your life recently, as anxiety is often a result of this? Its just an overload of adrenaline that builds up over time.
Yes it can take a little while for the meds to get into your system again - as said above in another post, it took me much longer second time around. Doesn't always with others, but it could do.
And yes, if the meds worked before they will work again. Despite the time it took me, I just knew they'd work so continued for months with the flat feeling. Didn't get anxiety the second time around, just a total disinterest in life.
The tiredness will pass - its often a side effect of anxiety too, as anxiety takes a lot out of your body.
Take care xxx
Kate,
I have been experiencing low anxiety however my tongue feels slightly sort of numb off and on.. That's also part of anxiety right? I've had a relatively better past few days However this small thing is sort of bothering me.. Comes and goes .. Almost feels like the body wants to go in anxiety mode but my medicine and my own mind is stopping it from happening. Would love to hear if you experienced this while recovering ..
Also wishing you a blessed Mother's Day l!