Please help me, I've gone insane after restarting fluoxetine

Treatment and medication
1

Hello,

I’m barely able to sit still at the moment so I’ll keep it brief:
I was on 40mg fluoxetine from February 2017.
In December 2020, for some reason I started getting agonising stomach pain after taking a tablet. This scared me and I eventually stopped taking them pretty much altogether (very stupid I know, but the pain was bad). At one point I was taking one tablet a week when I remembered (I’d put it off and had been concentrating on a job I started last December), compared to taking 2 tablets every day since 2017, so that was insane and I’m paying for it now.
I noticed a gradual decline in my mood, nothing like it is now, and thought perhaps it was just the pandemic wearing me down, but then thought it would be a good idea to start fluoxetine again as the stomach pains had subsided.
I started taking one tablet (20mg) fluoxetine again on 14th August (then the next dose was on 17th August, and since then I’ve been strict and taken one tablet every other day so currently on 10mg). The last week has been unbearable - can’t sit still yet feeling frozen up, unable to eat or sleep, can’t concentrate, just pure despair and continuous anxiety and panic. I really didn’t mean to do this to myself, and I would take the stomach pain over this. Just over a month ago I was functioning with a job, and now I’m off work. Please help me.

2

Hi

I’ve never heard of anyone taking meds on alternate days as your body will cry out for the missing dose on the off days. SSRI’s need to be constant. Personally for me, when I was on meds I couldn’t take them hours late as I’d start feeling ill.

Have you thought of taking 10mg every day so you get a consistent daily dose?

However ….. starting up with meds is often difficult, especially the first weeks / month as it heightens anxiety initially before settling.

Insomnia is common when first starting out and this will right itself. I took melatonin the first few months which helped me sleep. Also exercise helped, just a daily walk or cycle ride.

Speak to your doctor - he may prescribe a short term benzeo to help take the edge off whilst the Fluoxetine settles.

Am sorry you’re suffering this - it is a difficult time and it will settle given lots and lots of time.

3

Kate, thank you so much for your lovely message. These forums are a great way to share experiences and see if anyone has experienced anything similar, even though we’re all different.
I am on my third week - when I increased the dose in 2017, I had very similar side effects, so I think it is the meds (pounding heart, unable to concentrate or stay still, pure constant panic, feeling of deep despair). I took myself to A&E yesterday, then I was prescribed some lorazepam, so I’m hoping I can get it under a bit more under control (although the anxiety is setting in again today after I got some relief last night). Diazepam didn’t do anything for me.
Is it normal for fluoxetine to cause what I can only describe as ‘adrenaline tsunamis’?
And I checked with a few doctors about taking the tabs every other day, and they said that was sensible, but I think you’re right - it would be better to take a steady dose every day. I did not want to jump straight to 20 then 40mg after pretty much coming off them, but I don’t have any 10mg tablets - the lowest they’ll prescribe are the 20s.
How are you doing? It really is hell, I do remember getting over the worst of the ‘start-up/adjustment’ symptoms in about 3 weeks/within a month the last couple of times (when I started and when I doubled the dose), it was a long time to level out and I was defo not 100% but I at least got some relief in that time frame, so I guess I’m scared it won’t work as I’m near the end of the third week.
Thanks again!
X

4

Hi Pamela

Yes all different and we all have different experiences on the meds starting or withdrawing too. People generally feel bad to start with though.

When I restarted meds a second time I had a different experience from the first, so you may find slightly different symptoms (or not).

That’s good you have Lorasepam - it’ll help take the edge off those really difficult moments until Fluoxetine settles more.

SSRI’s do cause fluctuations in anxiety / adrenaline yes - its a bit eractic at first.

Are your meds capsules or tablets? I used to cut my tablets in half and quarters (though difficult if you have capsules).

I’m really well thanks, been recovered a long time now - and yes having anxiety is hell on earth - indescribale to those that haven’t suffered. Yes it does take a long time to feel 100% and we all feel scared the meds won’t work, but that’s anxiety talking. It always makes you think the worst.

You will get there - just persevere through it all, however long it takes.

K x

5

Kate,
Again, I just wanted to say thanks for your kind words, and I’m so glad you’re in a good place. It’s particularly hard at the moment as I’m on my own and in the middle of moving house - I just want myself back.
I noticed your comments on other posts too and you are so helpful and reassuring - having gone through it yourself it can’t be easy to see posts like this, so I and I’m sure many other people are very grateful to you.
I have capsules - I’m on Day 22 of the alternate days/10mg dose and still poorly, although yesterday I had some moments where I felt normal, then disturbing vivid dreams and distressed all day and haven’t been able to eat. I had picked up a bit a few days ago, even had a ‘normal’ chat with a friend, and now feel awful again. The lorazepam I took stopped the panic attack I had today thankfully (even 0.5mg was enough to make me feel quite out of it), but my mood is still awful. I hope I can get well again.
Sending love to you and anyone who has suffered,
Pamela X

6

Moving house can be stressful - hope it goes ok.

You will be back to yourelf - anxiety isn’t permanent. It can take a while but you can’t hurry recovery, so you will feel poorly for a while yet.

Those normal times will grow and the anxiety will ease over time - also the dreams will ease and your appetite will return.

You will have normal times (chatting with friendsetc) and feeling bad other days. This is how recovery works. The odd good day, bad days, good days, bad weeks, good weeks …….. until it slowly changes.

The Lorazepam will help you through the worst I’m sure, until you don’t need them.

You will get well again. Just give it lots and lots of time.

K x

7

Hi all

I have been on Fluoxetine for nine weeks this time round.

It always works in the end but it is so hard waiting for it to start working.

Anxiety, especially in the mornings, is awful. Last night before bed i felt normal which was nice!

i do hope i feel normal again soon!

Gill

8

, tSending hugs XHello Kate,

Thanks again. I have had some better days where I’ve had glimpses of being ‘normal’ - yesterday I got through without taking any sedative, had a laugh, and ate the most I’ve eaten in a while. I was thinking about ‘normal’ things some of the time and felt more in control.
Today I have woken up with non-stop adrenaline, full-blown physical panic attack - what is it with the adrenaline - and shaking, tremor. Had to take lorazepam again, it’s the only thing that takes the edge off at the moment. I’m scared I’ve done permanent damage to myself after withdrawing so quickly. I’m still taking one fluoxetine every other day because I’m scared to increase the dose to 20mg, but really I should be on that dose at the very least.
I’m also taking HRT for PCOS and PMDD, but I think that’s making things worse, especially the estrogen. I think these hormones override the fluoxetine and I just cannot slow my mind down. Is it me or is it physical, I just don’t know. The worst symptoms are feeling like I’m going to be sick and the pacing/inability to keep still, like I want to run out of my own skin.
Sorry, I just really need some help - I’m hopefully seeing the psychiatrist on Tuesday.
Sending hugs X

9

How are you today, Gill? It’s so hard, I’m on the 5th week.
Which dose are you on if you don’t mind me asking? It’s good when you start to have patches of normality, very encouraging but so hard in the meantime.
X

10

im same feel terible how u doibg now x

11

Hi Pamela

Sorry, just seen your post - tagging people on the forum doesn’t work so nobody gets notified :zany_face: Its best to reply under someones post as this notifies them :heart: x

Wondering how you are now as this was 2 months ago.

Having glimpses of being normal will come and go - seems no rhyme or reason why one day you feel great and the next …. rubbish. Its just how recovery works.

The reason we feel anxiety, panic, fear etc is because we’re afraid of the feelings these produce and so we try to avoid them or run away. Our minds will constantly be thinking of ‘it’ because we wonder when panic will next strike, we continually look for an answer and so we are in effect always reminding ourselves of this.

Understanding anxiety is the start of being on the right road - then acceptance of all thoughts and feelings is the way to go. This means letting whatever happens, just happen, without question and all the ‘what ifs’, the constant head chatter or trying to avoid or prevent it happening. There’s a lot more into it than just this.

People who practice acceptance will keep slipping back to not understanding anxiety, and so they’ll question it, how they feel etc and get frustrated taking them back into the anxiety cycle again.

For now we need to stop looking for a cure and just focus on feeling just a bit better. Because we look for instant relief, stop it now, we’ll just go round in circles. Anxiety takes a loooooooong time to recover from so for now we have to accept we’ll continue to feel like this whilst we practice acceptance and take medication.

When you have a bad day just try and roll with it and understand that these days will happen, and though ‘today’ might be dreadful, this isn’t permanent. Remember we should aim to feel a little better, not a cure. Cure comes in time.

Taking the medication - if you’re taking meds every other day can you not take a small amount in the ‘non medicine’ day ie 10mg one day, 5mg the next, 10mg the day after etc or even a small dose in the middle. That way you can ease your way up.

Don’t try slowing your mind down - let your mind produce whatever it wants but try not to add to it with head chatter.

Its not you - its just the way anxiety works. Our nervous system is on heightened alert constantly which is why we feel as we do and why our mind races. As we recover the nervous system slowly calms and the feelings and thoughts do too.

If you feel unable to keep still then can you go out for a walk, a cycle ride or something? Exercise is good for burning off excess adrenaline.

Sorry again this was 2 months ago and hoping you’re feeling somewhat better.

K x