To ask for advice on fluoxetine

[Shinyshoe73]

I am on day 13 of fluoxetine and still feel really really anxious. I’m worried that it’s not going to work and I’ll always feel like this. I took it four years ago and it worked brilliantly but I don’t remember it taking this long? My anxiety is all over sleep and I worry that I won’t sleep and I’ll not be able to cope then I don’t sleep so it’s a vicious cycle. The doctor has said once the anxiety is treated the sleep will follow and has given me sleeping tablets to use in the meantime but I’m petrified of taking them as don’t want to be addicted and what if the the fluoxetine never works and I’ve used all the tablets?! I’m driving myself crazy with worry and just wondered whether anyone had any words of encouragement!

See doctor/pharmacist

I’m on week six of fluoxetine for anxiety and it’s given me my life back. It probably took a good four weeks to properly feel any better though. And yes you will sleep better when the anxiety is under control although I’ve noticed the medication is giving me really strange dreams. But that’s not a problem, they’re not nightmares and in fact I’m enjoying them

Hang on in the op. You'll notice one morning soon that the feeling of dread isn’t there anymore and you can start the rest of your life

It can take months of slowly upping doses before it’s right. Doctor is best place but you need to finish one course and then talk.

I take this aswell for my depression & anxiety and because I dont sleep either, my GP told me it could take between 4-6 weeks for the full effects to kick in I think after 3 and a bit weeks I started to notice a massive difference! I did go back a few times before this stressed that it wasnt working but that apparently made it worse (hard not to stress and get anxious about it not working) but once they did I felt so much better and in control of myself again, hope it doesnt take much longer for you x

Thank you, did you find it hard in the beginning with increased anxiety?

Fluoxetine from memory took 2/3 weeks to begin to work for me. It also from memory made me feel a little worse before I felt better.

I took both anti-anxiety & anti-depressant medication and needed increased dosages from the original but both did help given time.

Take the sleeping tablets, you won't become addicted short-term & being exhausted only makes MH issues seem worse. Look into your sleep routine too, try some mindfulness & relaxation before bed, it can make a massive difference, I use the Calm app but there are free similar apps

I had the exact same problem, on speaking with my specialist at a review when I first relapsed and decided I needed medication again, the doctor had logically put me back on fluoxetine but it done nothing. By then I was under the specialist. My scores were not improving and he asked me, if I can only fix one thing now, the depression or the anxiety what would you choose.... I chose the anxiety.... He changed my medication that day to venlaflaxine and I haven't looked back!! It's like breaking the cycle in a vicious loop.... Fix one thing and everything else starts to fall into place.

He explained that fluoxetine is a SSRI and venlafalxine is a SNRI, the latter blocking instead of inhibiting. Its actually quite interesting.

However I have also found that when the compounds change in my medication it makes me feel like it's doing nothing. Are the tablets your taking now look the same as previously? I have a marker on my file that I can only take the supply of tablets that come in the pink/white box..... Weird but true...... Another fascinating conversation had with my specialist.

Stick with it, OP. I have some fuzzy memory of it having quite a long half-life for an antidepressant, but also that it takes a while to build up in your system.

I've taken fluoxetine for 16+ years. It isn't perfect, but I am so, so much better with it than without it.

Also, if you doctor's given you sleeping pills, maybe give them a go? If they're prescription only, you don't have much chance of getting addicted - that's your anxiety speaking. If you need rest, take a sleeping pill. It will help.

Take the sleeping tablets. Everything will seem so much more manageable once you’ve had a few good nights’ sleep. If you have previously responded well to fluoxetine then it’s likely you will again - give it time. GPs are acutely aware of the possibility of developing dependence on sleeping tablets - s/he won’t allow this to happen.

It can take sometime. I didn't find it great the highs were high but my anger worsened.
I was on them due to severe pms PMDD.
It definitely gave me more umpt.
I needed to calm my anxiety not full a rage, the rages were less common on them but still existed.
I am on steraline a year now I feel like a normal balanced person for the first time in years.

It won’t have kicked in yet. Takes at least three weeks to raise your serotonin levels.
In the meantime you can increase them by eating certain foods to boost your serotonin. Google that and see if you like any of them. I think bananas is one, however sadly chocolate cake isn’t one!
Also do things that make you happy, a walk on the park works for me but I totally get it if you don’t have the energy yet.
If not do some mindfulness or tai chi from YouTube.

Thank you all x

It takes a good 3weeks to kick in OP. Also if they start you really low say like 50mg, that didn't work for me, but 100mg did. They don't like starting you off higher than 50mg "because that leaves nowhere to go" according to my Dr. Personally I think that's mad, because my Dr admitted that he always has to up it: & I felt I had 3extra weeks suffering due to his/NHS (? No idea what NHS guidelines are) 'procedure'.

I'm on week 6 & people around me are noticing how much calmer I am. Like you, I was worried in the 2nd week that it wasn't working but things have massively improved. I'm not 100% yet but feel significantly better.

Yes OP at first I did struggle with having more axiety about it not working, think i visited my GP every few days stressing over it when I eventually gave it time to kick in i felt much better and before I knew it I felt a bit like myself again and no brain fog and everything then started to fall into place ie sleeping better feeling like I wanted to leave the house things like that, hoping it works the same for you xx

Even if it doesn't work at first, they can up the dose or try something else. Well one for getting help- please keep going back and telling them how you feel until it's sorted out.

Take the sleeping pills- you won't get addicted as you'll only be using them short term-they'll just help you function and get better.

Did they give you an appointment to go back so they can see how you're doing?

Yes, they can make you feel jittery at first. It takes me about 3 weeks to feel an anti-depressant is really making a difference.

Best wishes xxxxx

Yes I have an appointment on December 12th - I’m just so worried I’ll never be able to sleep normally again!

I have pnd and anxiety.

The fluoxetine has lifted my mood but didn't help with anxiety.

After a month I went back to the gp for review and discussed this with him. He said that to treat the anxiety I should try therapy, which I have started and have learned some good tips already.

In your position I really would take the sleeping tablet.