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Original poster

What is fluoxetine like?

18 replies

hiutgv · 21/09/2022 09:45

I struggle with both anxiety and depression, I was on mitazphine at one stage then went back to nothing, as I hated it, it made me eat lots and be like a zombie.

I have now been prescribed fluoxetine, is this gonna be better than the mirtazapine?

Has it worked for you?

Thank you

OP posts:
BorgQueen · 21/09/2022 09:48

It helped me when I felt like I was losing my mind when going through menopause ( can’t have hrt). I think you just have to try it and see if it works for you, it worked for me within a few days, I know it can take longer.

Igotjelly · 21/09/2022 09:48

It’s absolutely saved my life. Word of warning it did take a few weeks to kick in and the initial side effects were fairly horrible (tiredness and feeling really low) but then they went and I’ve never looked back.

Only complaint is the capsules sometimes give me heartburn if I don’t take them with enough liquid.

Original poster
hiutgv · 21/09/2022 10:14

Thank you, I have taken first one yesterday, so was just interested to know how long it takes to work and if it works.

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General health
unsure144 · 21/09/2022 12:39

It made me very nauseous- I had to stop.

GobbolinoTheWitchesCat · 21/09/2022 12:44

I've used both the anti depressants you mentioned, found mirtazipine much more effective but the side effects too much. Fluoxetine didn't massively change things for me but did help...First couple of weeks I'd find myself jaw clenching and a bit dopey but those side effects passed.

Everyone's different though and I have friends who've responded brilliantly to fluoxetine!

Moomoo2o22 · 21/09/2022 12:50

It didn't suit me, I felt sick all the time and really detached from everything like I had no emotions and weirdly I kept grinding my teeth at night. Everyone's different though so see how you go. I hope you feel better soon.

Soubriquet · 21/09/2022 12:51

I have had it for years. It does help me. No side effects

Nagado · 21/09/2022 13:09

I don’t think that there is any way of telling what will work for you until you give it a go. Fluoxetine is brilliant for me. No side effects and it has honestly saved my life. I found Citalopram to be awful. But so many people have had the opposite.

DancingBudgie · 21/09/2022 13:35

It turned a friend of mine into a hallucinating nutcase.

Original poster
hiutgv · 21/09/2022 13:55

Thank you all for your responses, we shall see how this works out.

OP posts:
dontgobaconmyheart · 21/09/2022 14:02

Results and side effects from medication vary hugely from person to person so I don't think it's representative of much nor is there a definitive answer to what it's like but my experience with it was positive, I got on very well with it generally. It took probably a few weeks to a month for me to meaningfully notice I was not feeling as bad as I usually was and that actually I wasn't feeling so desperately upset anymore - I was very low going in to taking it.

I do remember getting headaches the first few weeks and over the year I took it I did put on a little weight, which subsequently came off after I few months when I stopped it but it wasn't dramatic - a stone or so.

I hope it yields positive results for you OP!

GobbolinoTheWitchesCat · 21/09/2022 17:31

To the best of my knowledge (and I've used a few different anti depressants), fluoxetine is one of the 'easiest' for people, meaning that I don't think it has hard side effects for most people.

My understanding is that it not unusual to experience short term side effects while you adjust to taking it, and as pp have said it can take a few weeks for the positive effects to be felt.

I found mirtazipine much stronger -both in terms of side effects and in terms of how well it helped mentally. Loved citalopram but it wasn't effective enough when my mh was really bad.

Op, there is a lot of variety out there so if you don't get on with fluoxetine please don't feel disparaged, you'll find one that does work for you. Good luck with your new prescription and I hope you're feeling much better soon Flowers

slavetothekittens · 21/09/2022 18:18

I've been in Fluoxitine for about 8 months now for anxiety and OCD. It took about a month to kick in and I felt very spaced out for the first few weeks. Hasn't done much for my OCD but has helped my anxiety a lot for which I am very grateful.

I'm still rather fuzzy-headed for an hour or so when I get up, but apart from that, no side effects at all.

KillinTime · 21/09/2022 18:21

I’m on it, been on it since 2018.

Had some side effects at the beginning but the passed after a week and I’ve felt done ever since.

I started it due to getting terrible pmt and that’s been fine since.

XenoBitch · 21/09/2022 18:26

It gave me brain zaps, especially when trying to sleep.
I ended up on Mirtazapine and Fluoxetine at the same time for ages.
It just stopped working for me in the end.

bluejelly · 21/09/2022 18:28

It helped my PMT and anxiety massively. Felt a bit weird the first couple of weeks then just calm and normal, a huge relief. My libido did decline for a few months but then came back. No weight gain or any other side effects.

Moneypanicker · 21/09/2022 18:30

It was dreadful! Sent me into a deep depression couldn't eat, heart racing. Never want to feel like that ever again. Sertraline was the opposite though and worked really well on my PMT.

PickleSarnie · 22/09/2022 10:07

I hated fluoxetine. I felt jittery and nauseous the entire time. Couldn't sleep which just made me feel worse. I now take Mirtazipene. And it's been brilliant. No side effects other than drowsiness at night time which is a side effect I want to have!

But I think what my experience proves is that different drugs have different effects on different people. Hope fluoxetine works for you or that you manage to find one that does x

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