Just been pescribed Fluoxetine

[Roopoo]

Hi
I have just been to the doctors and been pescribed Fluoxetine for PND.

I'm not thrilled to be on tablets.. but I do accept that I haven't felt right since having my DD.

Has anybody experience of these tablets... just googled them (know i shouldnt have) and the side effects looked very scary hair loss and weight gain....

How long are you usually on tablets for???

sorry for the questions... just a bit confused and clueless xxx

Thanks

[Rossco]

I have been on these a couple of times and had no side effects at all. They took a week or two to kick in but from then on I felt sooo much better.

I took them for about 3 months each time so not that long really. The doctor wanted me to stay on them longer but I felt much much better and wanted to see if I could manage without them and I could.

I was daft to just wean myself off them rather than listening to the doc but that's me!

[Roopoo]

Thanks.
I will give them a go..
Just feel a bit crap that I have PND... I had such high hopes about being a mummy..x

[littleboyblue]

Hi Roo I have PND too and have been on fluoxetine for about 3 months. 20mg a day. They are fab, working really well for me. Took a few weeks to kick in properly but have truely saved me!
I haven't experienced any negative side effects apart from being really really tired during weeks 2 and 3, but that soon passed.
I was told that once I start to feel better, I'd be kept on them for 6 months and then weaned off. They are looking to start reducing dose when ds2 is roughly a year. he is 6 months now.

There is nothing wrong with having PND, it doesn't make you a bad person or mother, so please don't feel bad. No one wants to take mood controlling medication, but the important thing is that it gets you through a rough patch and brings back the old you.
Please don't feel bad. x

[Roopoo]

Thanks Littleboyblue.. im on 20mg a day too xx

[ideasplz]

i have used fluoxetine, found it very good.
i lost weight with it, which was very good, but it didnt help my anxiety, made me more anxious.
so i gave up and started citalopram. it helped me well, but i put on 2 stones in 1 year.
try it.

[littleboyblue]

That's the low, standard dose they give everyone. If you don't feel better in about 4/5 weeks, I'd go back for a higher dose.

You'll be fine. Really.
FWIW, I think I'm a great mum - not before taking these though. PND doesn't make me a less able parent and it doesn't make you either. Being a mummy is brilliant but it is HARD Don't beat yourself up about this

[Roopoo]

Thanks so much...
I don't really ever like admitting I have any problems.. so it took so much to go the doctors I have been fretting for days about it.........

[littleboyblue]

We're just about to have lunch, so have to go, but WELL DONE
I know it's hard. I didn't go after ds1 was born as I thought they might think I was unable to be a good mum (stupid) but I'll tell you now, doing this on the tabs is much easier than not. And that's from experience.
And I have 2, 18 months apart.
Am sure you are doing a grand job and the fact that you did go and get help shows you are a fab mum.
xxxx

[ipiratethief]

Don't worry, see how you are feeling after a coulpe of weeks. with an luck you will suddenly think 'oh my god i feel 'normal' again'

Don't take yourself off them too quickly either, by feeling that you are ok. talk to your gp.

I swear by them, didn't like having to have them but they have helped me enormously.

[Roopoo]

Just spoke to my mum who thinks I should see if I can carry on coping without them... Not sure what to do now..

She thinks that once on them they are hard to come off and that it's best to try and cope without relying on medicine...

now I don't have a clue what to do..........

[ipiratethief]

what experience of them does she have. Some anti depressents are hard to come off, some don't suit everyone.

How bad do you feel?

[Roopoo]

I have days when Im OK and I have days where I want to go to sleep and never wake up...I know in my self that I've not been right since DD was born...

My mum was on AD but I'm not sure which ones... Think she just worries a lot....

DH is very keen for me to start taking them and thinks I should ignore my mum...

[ipiratethief]

I speak from my own experience only. I was on Seroxat in my late teens and early 20's, and thew away 3 yrs of my life, they were awful.

My mum was on them too a few yrs ago, and they affected her the same. She is now on one that has radically changed her life.

Prozac, for me has made my life better. my dh left, amongst other things, and if it weren't for them i would prob be in a very bad way. I tried to get off them, but it wasn't time. I have long term depression tho, and don't foresee me ever coming off them.

it may be the case with your mum she was on the wrong type, and i am not surprised she is worried for you.

i agree with your dh.

[Roopoo]

Thanks ipiratethief
Im going to take them and maybe just not talk to my mum about it... just keep it between me and hubby and obviously mumsnet and see how I get on....

As hubby says I can't feel any worse than I already do xx

[PersonalClownisaShoeWhore]

I'm on them long term. Diagnosed clinical depressive in my early 20's and put on Seroxat . So glad I fell PG with Ds before I got hooked on that!

I am on the 20mg dose daily and have been on and off for years now. I get no side effects apart from a little weight gain but that may just be me and my love of food but still it's not a major gain...about half a stone I think.

I would recommend a change in diet too to help when the time is right to come off them. Less sugar and caffine are the best to try.

If they help you then wahey! If not, then go back to your doctor.

[Trezza]

From my experience (about 7 years of depressoin), the thing with ADs is that different ones work best for different people, and you have to be patient, both for their effects to kick in and when weaning yourself off them gradually. It's rubbish having to take them everyday, almost feels like a mini defeat each time you break open the packet, but it's actaully TOTALLY the opposite- good on you for being so brave and looking PND straight down the barrel! Well done!

[taylorsmummy2004]

I have been on Fluoxetine on and off since birth of DD. Don't beat yourself up about being on AD's. I was adamant i wasn't going to take meds, and struggled for over 2yrs before admitting i needed help with my PND. Its a massive step to open up about your feelings of inadequacy and hopelessness as a parent, and it doesn't help when you have people telling you to stay away from meds. If they work for you, there is no shame in it, and others should really keep negative opinions to themselves and recognise that this is an important time to be supporting you. It is only you who has these feelings, and only you who can see if Fluoxetine works. Keep strong. x

[GentlyDoesIt]

Hiya Roopoo, I once had 6 months on that for PND. The only side effect I noticed was that my libido vanished, but no great loss since it hadn't really reappeared since the birth anyway..!

I did feel a little dizzy at times during the first week, but after that, all very steady.

I found that it gave me a break from the constant worry and mental self-punishment that went with PND - suddenly I had room to think again. DD was nearly 2 when I finally mustered the courage to address it. I wish I had done so sooner. It is definitely not a cop-out, it takes guts to seek help for something so personal and is testament to how much you are prepared to brave out for the sake of your children.

I opted not to tell my Mum, too. I didn't tell her until about a year after the event and her reaction was not great! You don't have to tell anyone unless you think that you would benefit from their knowledge and support. Good luck and let us know how you get on.

[Roopoo]

Thanks so much... It means a lot to hear other peoples stories.

If it gives my brain a rest then they are worth it.

[Roopoo]

Also
my doctor told me I could drink on them.. But it says reccomended not too??? But dr said that it would be fine?? not to sure now??

[PersonalClownisaShoeWhore]

A litle bit of drink doesn't hurt. Just don't go mad.
I've found I'm more sick when drinking on mine!! ooops

[GentlyDoesIt]

Well, I did have about 1-2 glasses of wine twice a week once I was established on them and although my leg didn't drop off or anything it's worth bearing in mind that alcohol is a depressant. If your GP says it's okay, perhaps give yourself a month off drink while you settle onto them, and then see how you go with a glass?

[ErikaMaye]

Oh the joys of Prozac

I was on Fluroxetine (60mg) for a long while before I found out I was pregnant in March. Have just gone back on them, and my goodness, they're helping already I didn't like the idea of being on ADs at first; think I said something to the physc. along the lines of "You're not giving me any fucking capsules to control my brain!!!" But they helped me so much. I can't say they made me feel better at all times, but they did give me the extra head space to step back and think logically.

I hope they kick in soon, and you start to feel the benifits.

Try not to feel bad for needing them by the way - I'm such a filthy hypocrite!! - you're doing the best thing for you, and ultimately, for your child. If you had a broken leg you wouldn't feel bad for needing a cast, would you? That was the metaphor my French teacher gave me when I was first perscribed them, and it really stuck with me.

In reference to your Mum's concern - I was on Citalopram at first, and it made me feel worse than I felt to begin with. If these don't work, you can try another "type" of AD. Just give them a shot.

Best of luck to you, I hope you feel better really soon. x

[littleboyblue]

Alcohol is a depressant so it makes good sense not to drink while you're on anti-depressants.
I have a few glasses here and there, I think as long as you're sensible about it, like everything else in this world, it won't do you any harm. Just do whatever you're comfortable with.

With re to what your mum said, I think that as you've been to the doctor about this, you clearly feel you can't continue to cope 100% how things are, so to wait any longer wouldn't be the best thing to do IMO. The doctor obviously agreed or he wouldn't have medicated you.

[kittywise]

I have just stated on this again. I can't take the full strength tablet, so I am on the syrup.

ATM I take half a syringe which id the same as half a tab. I'm trying to increase the dose little by little but I am finding that it is making me very, very anxious.

So it's a toss up between depression and anxiety]shock]

Has anyone else become anxious on prozac? Did this pass?