Hi everyone. I just wanted to add my own experiences and piggy back on what everyone else has been experiencing. I was put on 10mg of Prozac last week and found it very agitating. Vs e me worse anxiety, so I stopped and wrnt right back on my celebs that I was on in november. After 1 day I had panic attacks all day long, chills, hot/cold flashes, couldn't eat anything last night and I can barely sleep. Now today is day 2 and I still had panic attacks. I slept pretty well last night but not long after I woke up and the panic started. Granted I have anxiety to begin with, but this is completely ridiculous. I'm used to the occasional panic attack, not this. I'm hoping that with the addition of my celebs again and no Prozac that this settles down quickly. I was supposed to start a new job this week and I can't even go. Thank God I worked for them before and I told them I have the stomach flu.
Anyone else feeling better? How long did it take?
Hello Sabrina.
I am into my 4th day of finishing 20mg (only took them for 8 days). It has been hell. Only just started eating nearly properly today. I have been feeling very emotional and almost an itching inside me wanting to breakdown and cry. What you are describing seems to be quite normal. Those things are evil!
Hey!
I was on these for 4 days & my body was shaking, tremors, coughing, vomiting, diarrhea, clenched jaw, heightened anxiety & the list goes on....
I stopped taking them & I was still experiencing the same feels for days...
the doctor told me to go back on & I couldn't even last a day .... it's been 2 days since I took that one dose & I can't eat, vomiting, dizzy, dehydrated, anxiety (which I was prescribed them for) this drug is insane!!
He chemist told me it will take 6 weeks to fully leave my system, but I should see some improvements in the next few days
Hi, I've just stopped taking fluoxetine as I also took it for 4 days and felt terrible. I was put on it for anxiety and depression but it left me bed bound. It made me so Ill. I stopped taking it 2 days ago and was wondering if you could shed some light on how long it took for you to start feeling better? I'm able to eat a little now, anxiety has mildly settled but still overall feeling terribless. Leanne x
Hello.
It took 7 days for me to feel pretty much normal again. It is awful as I did not think I was going to recover.
Hey!
My doctor tried to put me back on FLU.. I had 1 dose and BOOM!!! Throwing up, anxious, shaking, doctor said to stop.... it's been 5 days and I still can't eat.... the doctor put me on Endep 10mg on Friday and I still can't even sleep properly after 2 doses!
HI everyone! I am so sad to see everyone here suffering the same as I am!! I have been taking this med for only 6 1/2 weeks... was feeling VERY dizzy/weak/out of it. Constantly felt like I would pass out. Nauseous/panic attacks etc... I have 2 young children (3 and 4) and my 3 year old son is autistic also. Not to mention I am a full time student... I barely could get out of bed, and finally decided I had to stop. I stupidly did this on my own (I told my doctor about the side effects and he switched me from paxil, to prozac and I was fine for a couple of weeks...) but then all the horrible side effects came back full force and I just don't have the time or the energy to keep on trying with these meds! I feel so miserable now, I'd gladly take the minimal depression and anxiety I delt with before! So I took the anti-depressant for about 6 - 1/2 weeks all together and thought that simply quitting after that short time would not cause any withdrawal symptoms but man was I wrong!!!! (I am ALSO currently quitting suboxone... a whole OTHER monster!) So I don't know what symptoms are from what. I'm a mess!!!! I just want to feel normal again! Once I quit taking the anti-depressant, I felt MUCH better for about 3 days, then today all the symptoms came back!!!! So I took 1/2 my dose (20mg) today... I guess I will continue this dose every 3 days or so, then taper down from there. It's so sad that doctors refuse to listen about these meds! They refuse to hear that they have these bad withdrawal effects! I feel helpless. And I just WISH I had never started any of these meds. Never trusted the doctors who prescribed them to me!!!!
Hey shancan! I know this was a long time ago but what you described is EXACTLY what I’m currently experiencing! I’m on day 4 of 10mg and I’m not taking any more. I can’t stop feeling like I’m shaking, I feel constantly starving like my stomach has suffered from a sever stomach bug, I can hardly eat which worries me because I want to put on weight not lose it, I felt really angry the other day like I’ve never felt before and I have no energy and am always tired even after lots of sleep. I’m sorry everyone else had to go through this it’s horrible! I’m hoping this passes sooner rather than later as I miss looking forward to eating not feeling ill at the thought or smell of food! Deadly stuff...never again.
Hi everyone, I'm in the same boat as you all. My doctor started me on 20 mg of Prozac and I only took it for 6 days and had to stop. This is my first day off of it and already I feel better. Almost instantly after taking it the first time I had dizziness and a light-headed feeling, sweating, nausea, no appetite, cold flashes, and much worse panic attacks then I suffered before. In 6 days I lost 5 lb. Which I can't afford to do because I'm already on the thin side. I was told by my doctor that it could take a few weeks to a few months for the symptoms to go away but feeling like this is not worth it. I would rather deal with the depression and anxiety on my own instead of taking Prozac. This overwhelming feeling of anxiety and uneasiness is really terrible. I agree with a few other posts here that said the stuff is evil. I also hope that I don't have anymore side effects as my body readjusts to not being on Prozac. Good luck to everyone else too, this really is the worst feeling!
So glad I came across this. I was put on fluoxetine due to anxiety which was around struggling to eat due to feeling sick and losing too much weight. I managed 3 weeks and the symptoms were just awful, so bad some days I couldn’t get out of bed. I am on day 2 off these awful pills and hope they leave my system ASAP
Hi Christine, i was prescribed fluoxetine 20mg daily for anxiety in December. I suffered terrible side effects and ended up at hospital in 2 occassions with really bad panic attacks. Had ecg twice, blood test, all ok. I persevered as i thought side effects would subside but they never got any easier and were impacting on my life massively, i thought i was going crazy! Decided enough was enough and after almost 12 weeks came off them. It's been a month and it's not been easy, but pleased to say it's getting easier,and side effects do seem to be less . Hope it gets easier for you soon. Take care Xx
Hi Karen.
I ended up in A&E after taking them for 4 days, stayed in over night but ecg & blood tests all fine. It mainly started when I lost my appetite and felt sick, I lost so much weight I went to my doctor as I lost too much, I admitted I was anxious about it. So, rather that sort out why I was sick they decide to give me pills for anxiety. I tried others in the past but I had awful reactions as I did with fluoxetine, at A&E they said to keep going with them but after 3 weeks I couldn’t take it any more, I couldn’t get out of bed! This is day 5 off them now and I still feel awful, shaky, sweating, exhausted and huge adrenaline rushes. I know the weight loss won’t help, I’m trying to whack the calories in asap but hard when you don’t feel like eating. Like you I feel I am going crazy and is impacting my life so badly, I now feel depressed because of all this. It makes no sense, I have a nice life, a lovely husband, wouldn’t change anything so I have no idea where this all came from. Thank you for your reply Karen x
Hi Jen,
I am just wondering if you are ok now? I have been off fluoxetine for just 5 days having only taken it for 21 days and I still feel awful, still shaky, hot sweats, weak, exhausted and generally feel so rough. Please tell me you are over these awful things by now?
Hi Christine, yes, I feel much better. It's been 28 days since I stopped taking prozac. In the week or so that followed, I slept a lot. I felt exhausted and like you, very weak. I had night sweats too, the kind that soaked my clothes and sheets, but that has also ceased. My appetite has returned too. But I'd say that the first 2 weeks after stopping prozac was a big adjustment back to "normal" for my body. The exhaustion was the biggest effect after I stopped. I slept a lot during the day which I never do! But now I feel so much better....hang in there, it does get better. I just reminded myself everyone's body chemistry is different as far as side effects and the amount of time it takes to readjust. Hope you start feeling better real soon!
Thanks Jen, that gives me some hope that these symptoms will go eventually, I have all the ones you mentioned plus almost constant adrenaline rushes that feel awful and scary. This is day 6 for me so I’m hoping these symptoms will start to go soon
Hi Christine (and other ladies in the thread),
I too took 10 mg Prozac for 5 days and thought I was going crazy, seriously. Shaking, sweating, insane anxiety, can’t eat and all the other symptoms already mentioned. I ended up in ER thinking I had a reaction to a different med when I’m fact I know it was the Prozac. I’ve been off it 6 days now and still have all the symptoms. Once in a while I’ll get to feeling ok, then bam, it hits again. I’ve probably lost 8 lbs in the last week and I’m a small person to begin with. The internal shaking and anxiety is what is killing me. Also, I have this weird tingling sensation in my mouth and tongue that won’t go away. Anyone else have that? I’m so upset I even tried this drug for my peri-menopausal anxiety. This drug is AWFUL! I just want it out of my system! I hope everyone begins to feel better soon. Krista
Hi Krista , it's 5 weeks since i stopped taking fluoxetine after being on it for almost 12 weeks. I'm still suffering with side effects ,although not as bad as while i was taking it . I'm experiencing internal shaking and still some anxiety . There are lots of side effects associated with stopping this med I've read lots about them on the internet and it's reassured me that I'm not going crazy ! The length of time it takes to get out of your system varies from one person to another. I take comfort that I'm now not feeling as bad as i did while i was taking them . Hope things get easier for you soon. Take care Xx
Hi Krista, your symptoms are so like mine. Today is day 9 off fluoxetine and the symptoms are still there although at least I have been out of bed most of the day for a change. I have no idea why I reacted so bad to this. It does take a while to get out of your system my doctor agreed. I feel awful too, shaky, weak and just want to lie down. Hope we get over this quick x
Hi Krista, just wondering how you are? I seemed a little better yesterday but today wow I feel awful, shaky, dizzy, disoriented, sick and like I haven’t slept for days.
Hi Christine,
Today, at least right now, I feel ok. Last night was a little rough. My dr gave me a benzo to take at night because I also am not sleeping at all. Took it one hour before bed and for some reason it did nothing. Wide awake. Then my anxiety kicks in...I have a recheck with dr tomorrow so we’ll see what she says. Still can’t eat anything either. Sorry you’re feeling crummy again. Hang in there...that’s about all we can do at this point. 
Krista