More side effects after stopping Fluxotine?

Treatment and medication
1

Hello,

Sorry to keep posting. Getting paranoid now!

I took fluxotine for around 8 days and had to stop due to the side effects. I haven't had a tablet in 10 days now. Surely they should be more or less out my system by now.

Things that are still bothering me though:

I keep getting night sweats / random night time panic moments. Kinda like a fever without the man flu that goes with it!

Got tension headaches - hasn't cleared at all.

My legs aching, they just feel really heavy but my partner has noticed I have started shaking my legs a lot in my sleep now which I have never done before. 

Could all these still be side effects from the tablets?

On the upside, my stomach has calmed, heart rate dropped significantly, I am a lot less shakey, anxious, restless in general and can sleep a bit better. I can finally enjoy a cup of tea again which triggering a flow blown panic attack haha

The anxiety and panic is still there, but thinking I am bad to the old pre-tablet problems now

Is it worth going to the doctors again or just riding the symptoms out?

2

It takes 4-6 days for each dose you took to halve in your system. You prob have it still in your system but not much. You have about 15mg maybe in your system i guess...really that's a very tough guess.

If its been 10 days. Perhaps ask for a go call back to reassure you. That seem a fair. But if I are getting that paranoid why struggle go and see him.

Normally you get weaned off the tablets to stop all the withdrawal symptoms but maybe doc thought it was important enough to take you off cold turkey.

I think they can prescribe stuff to help with withdrawal but he won't know what you need if you don't see him.

3

Hi Thomas, Bless you, you are not alone! I was on flu for 7 days and had the most horrific side effects so been off them now for 9 days. It is getting better but boy I have been through hell and not out of the woods yet!

Didn't sleep for days, wrote a sucicide note to my family, was very very distressed, this medication is LETHAL, I am not a medical expert nor practitioner but I have heard far too many horror stories of the so called wonder drug, 'Prozac.' Never again! Surely being a bit weird and depressed is not so bad as being a complete and utter non-functioning zombie!!

Should society change not us!!!!????

Doctors are all too quick to prescibe medication, I suffer from tension headaches, (although improving) and I was prescibed VALIUM!!!! Of course I did not take them just trying very hard to keep myself out of the asylum!!

However, I was on flu for twenty years on and off and was fine, maybe now in my later life, they have affected me differently as everyone's brain chemistry changes over time, so for some, I am sure they are ok, but is it worth the risk of going insane with the side effects? 

I am sleeping better now, and making some very drastic changes to my life, (had a v v stressful occupation I am now giving up, and moving away!) Had an eating disorder, now trying to address, suffered with anxiety, panic, depression all my life and am a survivor of childhood sexual and physical abuse - now having counselling, again!

So, I guess my advice would be medication is the last resort, please of course do not suffer, but doctors are all too quick to prescribe you something for the SYMPTOMS, and not the CAUSE. I would look intraspecitively to yourself and your life externally, and see what is making you unhappy and anxious, and then make a decision from there. Counselling, psychotherapy and CBT all claim to help us improve our coping mechanisms, have you been down that route? Sadly NHS waits are a pain, and I'm having to spend what little money I have on a private therapist as I just cannot wait 6 months!

As my therapist said, 'if you put crap in, you get crap out,' so take good of yourself, value who you are whatever you do, be kind to yourself, don't beat yourself up for not being PERFECT, perfection does not exist, it is there in the minds of marketing men making us feel inferior, we deserve to be here!! 

HOPE IS ON THE HORIZON MY FRIEND, STAY SAFE AND HAPPY

BLESSINGS AND LIGHT

​

NICKI XXX

4

Hello Nicki,

I am sorry to hear about what you have been through and thank you for your reply. It does make sense, thinking a few more days and it should pass hopefully.

I know what you mean about the side effects, they completely changed me. It kind of felt like I could do anything and not really care if that makes sense?. I refused to drive while on them.

I was only perscribed them for anxiety and panic attacks but the side effects were unbearable. I didn't sleep for 4 days, constant vomiting, shakes, nausea, dizziness, panic attacks were 10 times worse and relentless, I was scared to go outside! confusion etc. Everyone kept saying it'll pass, but I couldn't handle being that run down plus the detached feeling is horrible. I could function with anxiety but the tablets ko'd me good and proper.

I am starting Therapy soon, so hoping that helps and trying to tackle this whole thing without medication. A friend of mine has suggest St Johns wort, and it has a lot of good reviews and little side effects. Going to give that a try. Joining a gym and starting swimming, trying to look after myself a bit better. Hoping my mind will follow suite.

The doctor wants to start me on Sertraline, but I don't think AD's are for me now after that experience. I have a feeling they are chucking tablets at me and hoping for the best haha

Fingers crossed therapy goes okay for you as well. I tried Therapy a long time ago and something I learnt is that you can't just go to the sessions and hope to get better. You need to put a lot of work in yourself to implement what you are taugh to try and tackle your problems. 

It should get better though in time!

 

5

That makes sense thank you. Will give it a few more days I suppose. 

Starting work again on Friday after a long time off and worried that I will still struggle. The tablet haven't helped boost confidence!

The doctor decided to stop them altogether. I lost a lot of weight fast (I am only skinny to begin with) and he didn't want to start another course straight away. 

 

6

Hi

No prob.

Is this your first time going back to work after depression?

I made all mistakes going when I went back 4yrs ago and it caused me to be off for 5 mths this year.

Make sure you get a phased return and use it properly. If you start taking too long processing your work, overthinking, -talk to your manager or your doctor and slow down to build your confidence and relearn. Ask for weekly time with your manager or colleague to ask questions to fill in gaps. Please don't rush yourself because you might just stumble and fall over spectacularly. Please don't wait til u lose sleep or you shake or your heart rate is too high or headaches or you start to lose more confidence.

Use talking therapies and support groups. if you don't want meds or to support them. They work when you find right one.

Ps if you seem to have holes in your memory. Don't let it panic you. It was usually the stuff I just knew, rather than understood ,that I forgot. Use phased return to understand stuff.

If you've been off 2 Months. I think 4 weeks phased return is ok. 4 mths...4/5 weeks phased return is fine. Ask for what you need not what you think is needed for phased return. Its easier to shorten it than lengthen it

.

7

Hello Nicki,

Just curious, has your side effects eased any yet?

Still waking up with fever, sweats and shakes. It's amazing how bad this tablet can affect you after such a short time on them!

8

Hi Thomas, sadly still reeling from side effects, some days better than others, I'm sleeping ok, broken sleep but on average about 6 hours. I have restless legs, bit shaky, rapid heart rate on waking, bit anxious, disasociated and paranoid. I know what you mean, it's an awful drug, I have been off them 11 days now and cannot wait until they are out of my system. How long did you take them for and when did you stop?

Hope you're ok

9

Hello,

Almost the same. I feel like I have ran a marathon. I have quite bad leg and neck ache weirdly. My heart rate has calmed a lot, but not sleeping to great. Anxiety is still higher than normal as well.

I only took them for 9 days, and been off for 12 days now. I cannot wait until they clear!