my fluoxetine journey

Treatment and medication
1

I started these tablets 3 days ago now 20 mg and i just thought i would start a post mainly for myself so i can see my progress and if i can help others who start them in the future too.

So i take the tablet early in the morning as i read on here you can suffer with being kept awake at night as one of the side of effects and best to take in the morning. This for me is defo true as last night and night before i was up very late. So i cant imagine how late i would of been up if i had took them any later.

When i first take them after a couple of hours i start to feel weird , light headed, sick and very very tired. 

Due to being of sick at the moment i am very lucky i dont have to work as i have just been going to bed and trying to sleep it of. When i wake up i do generally feel better. But then come later on coming up to evening time i start to feel really weird in myself and its such a horrible feeling and my anxiety is very high at the moment and i have lost my appetite.

And my head just feels really fuzzy its weird to explain

But i am going to ride it out and will up date this in a week or so's time and share my experience and anything i find out that helps on here too.

I have bought so chamomile tea for night time to drink to help me sleep.

Im also going to be having one on one counselling soon as well

Really looking forward to see how i feel in the next 6 weeks or so too see if there is any changes. 

And would be amazing to read back through these to see them and how far i have come

As i have literally only left my house twice in the last month and shut myself of from the world and not in a good place.

I was really not wanting to take medication but its gotten that bad, i cant fight this on my own and if i need it to help me get better then thats ok. Even though i feel  100 times worse right now

But heres to the next few weeks 

And i hope that anyone whose going through this experience get feeling better soon 

Feel free to share any experiences or things that can help x

2

Hi Kate!

Good luck on your Prozac journey! I have now been taking 10mg for 7 weeks. the first month was the worst, and the 5th week the side effects started to dissipate but i didn't feel much better. Expect increased anxiety for a bit. However in the past couple of days, I have started experiencing moments of normality (less depressed, less anxious). typically people report improvement will be seen at 8 weeks, and then it just gets better after that - so I will update when i reach that point. 

Looking forward to reading your posts - i really didn't want to go on meds either but was at a similar point and my life was crashing on itself. I'm glad youve prepared for the weeks ahead! As long as you can remember that the weird/anxious feelings are from the medication, you will have more motivation to persevere <3

Good luck xx

3

Thank you hopelesspanda

So lovely to hear from you and im glad you are starting to experience moments of normality. 8 weeks though yikes im just struggling on day 3 lol.

But im going to hang in there as i have read if these do work and you can ride it out its definately worth it. And i really couldnt keep on going the way i was before i started these either.

Im so greatful for this site to be able to talk about how i am really feeling and not have people look at you weirdly or think your silly being like this. I dont think people mean to they just don't really understand it sometimes i think. Its so good to be able to talk about it with other people and just not feel alone in all of this. 

Keep me updated on how you are doing 

x x x 

4

Hi Kate/Hopelesspanda

Where do I start?? lol

Well I have been suffering with this since last year Nov, after hitting rock bottom, and finding out I am also peri Menopausal, I started taking 20mg of Flux and HRT 

My journey has been VERY difficult, going from being suicidal to having days/weeks of pure bliss, I was even able to celebrate my 50th birthday, something I was planning before I got sick, this was in Aug (5th) however i decided to stop taking the Flux, i didn't tamper off, just stopped, about a week after my birthday, to be fair I cannot say I had any major side effects,BUT I am depressed again, not as bad as i was at the beginning of the year, but defo back Hence why I have decided to join you both on the road to recovery Today is sat the 30th Sep /17 I cannot start today as I have much to do over this weekend (deep breath) but will start on Mon- Not sure what to expect, as i was soooooooo ill the last time, all my symptoms merged into one......However I will try and come on here daily, when going through my worse, this site was my lifeline, Katiecobbs a wonderful patient women full of compassion, if you guys can find her on here, she has great advise, and has gone through this herself........Well with this all said, Monday it is......Hope all have a good weekend, as best it can be suppose the one thing that stands out " WE ARE NOT MAD!" We are just not well at the moment, we are STRONG for wanting to be better, for sharing and supporting each other, and we are going to be just fine......... Xxx

5

So just a quick update 

Last night i had a proper good nights sleep went to bed had no anxiety worrying thoughts nothing. I did have a crazy dream though that felt very real life like.

I was in bed by half 9 which is a bit different seems as since starting these tablets i had been awake still 4 am then getting up at 8.

I have slight headache again today like i did not yesterday the day before and i have also still no appetite. Just been making myself have a piece of toast so i got something in me.

How im feeling in myself is very weird and its hard to explain. Like im feeling very numb and just overall strange feeling at the moment.

I dont feel sad neither do i feel happy

I will update again in a weeks time now 

i hope everyone who is trying to get better well and too be strong xx

6

Hi guys

Well day one went fairly well, I’ve prepared myself for the next couple of weeks food extra, feeling a little like a squirrel lol 

Anyway take care all, keep strong 💪 

X 

7

Haha The little squirrel but did make me chuckle and put a smile on my face

Im not doing good at all angie today i had about 3 hours sleep last night and wake up early too. Im not working at the moment so its not to bad. Really want to sleep but my body just wont relax for some reason.

Today i just generally feel weird in myself and was thinking shall i stop these but then i have only been on them 6 days. 

How are you doing ? x

8

Hi kate, how are you now ? I am now at 15th day on flux. Previous dose at 10mg. Today, I up my dose to 20mg. Got serious headache and a bit of drowsiness today. But my back muscles are able to relax. I guess flux is doing its job. I will continue with this med.

9

Hey Peter 

  Im glad your able to relax abit more thats a good sign. Im feeling exactly the same as you headache and drowsiness. I have started to take my pill at night time now because of it. I did it for first time last night , was kind of hoping id wake up and of slept through most of the s****y part . But that didnt quite work to plan but in all fairness its not as bad as what it usually is.

I just hate this feeling of not feeling like me and this groggyness but im hoping it will pass. I nearly did stop taking them the other day but stopped and reminded myself i need to give it a good 5-6 weeks first otherwise ill never know.

But im on day 7 yay a week which feels like the longest week of my life lol.

Also i forgot to mention last night taking it at night it actually helped me sleep better from the drowsiness of the tablet. Well thats how it worked for me. Where as when i had been taking it in the morning the other days i was wide awake at night time. Not sure if that will be the case tonight but i will update you later, i also have a camomile tea before bed and took the tablet around half 9 for anyone whose wanting to try this.

Let me know how the 20 mg is going for you peter

And to everyone who is on the journey to feeling better i hope you are all ok and get there soon 

have a good day guys x x 

10

Hello Kate , I've just been taking them for 3 days too and I'm having the same side effects , keep in touch we can get through this together 😀

11

Hi Guys, 

Well day 6 for me, I’m actually doing quite well, must be because the flux was still I. My system ( hummmmmm) I do have a sinus problem so may be hiding the headaches, as been getting them, bern feeling s little tired, but other wise okay....thinking of you all X 

12

Hey Mitchy82

     How are you doing? x

13

So just thought i would give everyone an update....

I think im through the worse of it (yay) Ive woken up this morning no headache , ive had breakie and dinner and ive even done some cleaning.

Yesterday was a bad day headache all day but i just rode it out and reminded myself its just the side effects of the tablets. 

I still feel a little weird in myself but overall from how i was feeling at the beginning of the week im feeling way way better.

Im on day 8 now still way to go i know but i do feel theres been progress made already

Im still taking the tablet at night now i take it around 8:30. Before that i have a camomile tea then another one before bed. For me i really feel the tea does help it really relaxes me and helps me sleep.

I even woke up this morning and usually i wake up and dont want to get out of bed. But i just got up , i didnt want to stay in bed (which is not like me)

Really looking forward to see my progress and soon start getting out the house again.

Havent heard anything back yet from the one to one counselling but i was told it can take up to 2 weeks 

I have also found a mindfulness class so once i am feeling better and able to leave the house i am going to go to them also.

Im just so happy to be feeling so much better as i really feel like ive had the longest week of my life lol at some points i was really worried for myself

But thanks to everyone on this site who has been so amazing an supportive its really helped me get through them horrible side effects. Just looking forward to the next couple of months now to see if these tablets really work for me. And im going to really push myself aswell , even if its things i dont want to do. I think i thought to start of with i could just take the medication and ill get better. But they only play a part in helping me , ive still got to push myself really hard there not going to just work on there own.

I wish everyone a good weekend and i hope your all doing ok. 

xxx

p.s. so sorry for my bad grammar and spelling too x x x 

14

Hi kate , im feeling rough today I've got a very bad headache , and woke up very early , and my stomach is churning , I really hope I get better eventually and I know it takes time , how are you feeling ? Hope your doing better than you were xx

15

Hey 

     Im feeling loads better thank you ive even cooked a dinner today. And i seem to have a lot more energy through the day which is good. As all i have been doing is sleeping.

What day are you on now? Hang in there it does get better , i know it may not feel like that right now as thats how i felt but it does. Are you sleeping at night ok ?

hope you feel better soon x 

16

Hello Im glad I found these posts. I am on day 4 of taking Prozac and I feel absolutely terrible. I feel very confused and just odd I can’t even explain it. I also have headaches & nausea. It has happened the last two evenings but I’m semi okay during the day. Is there anything you all know of to make this better? Is this common? 

thank you xo

17

Hi Kate, how are you ?

im day 19 on fluoxetine , started 20mg dose on day 15.

I still have some bad days but in general the bad days are not as bad as before. And I seem to have more good days then bad days now. My neck and shoulder pain is getting better now.

Peter

18

Good morning All, not feeling too good, no physical side effects really, had a little anxiety, mentally feeling down tearful, and thinking a lot of  negative things, last night wasn’t easy......welll this is the meds doing their thing! Keep  reminding myself “ your not getting worse” this is the meds “ just want to get better ASAP been like this for too long I’m sooooooo tired...

X

19

Hi peter 

    Thats so good to hear did you have many side effects going up ?

And im good thank you so much better. Had abit of a rough night sleeping last night but apart from that generally overall feel good. Im up early and seem to have alot more energy through the day as well. I really hope this lasts as i have not had this in such a long long time.

Im also taking the vitamins that you suggested too , i read up online and you get lots of benefits from them aswell.

Im off out the house today aswell first time since i went to the doctors to get the tablets.

xx

20

Hey Kamme

Thats exactly how i felt try hang in there. For me i found that my side effects came few hours later after taking the pill so i started taking it at night time.

But it effects everyone different from what i have read on here. 

But everything you are experiencing thats what i had the last side effect that went for me was the headaches.

The feeling very odd and confused was the hardest bit i found and caused me to panic as i just didnt feel me. But coming on here each day and speaking to people really helped and just had to keep reminding myself its going to pass.

I hope you feel better soon

Keep us all posted on your journey 

x x x