Has anyone found Fluoxetine helpful?

[707smile]

I have debilitatingly severe OC-disorder (I realise you're supposed to write OCD but it's so commonly misused on here!) and episodic clinical depression. I have had years of therapy but mostly avoided medication. I did try Fluoxetine for a few days a decade ago (in my early 20s) but found that my blood pressure went up significantly and I had suicidal dreams/nightmares (no suicidal thoughts in the day though).
I have considered taking Sertraline but I'm worried about the side effects (e.g. weight gain: [I have a BMI over 30 so cannot put on more weight], and nausea/stomach pain as I'm emeto/vomitphobic]. It's possible that I might have a congenital heart condition (needs ruling out but this has not possible due to my OCD!) so I am avoiding Citalopram due to the potential for heart problems.

So I think my only option would be to try Fluoxetine again. I just wondered whether anyone else had found Fluoxetine helpful? (or particularly unhelpful?). Thanks!

YANBU- it really helped me
YABU- it didn't help me

Yes, it's kept me alive.

You have to persevere with these drugs though, they won't have an effect in a couple of days.

Yep, it took a little while to settle down but it’s made such a difference- I couldn’t have carried on as before.

Yep, changed and saved my life. It started working within a few days. It was like a miracle...

Are you outside of uk?
If not and in uk discuss your questions with your gp or a pharmacist ( you can go into pharmacy and ask for private consult in their private room)

I echo PP - it saved my life. It took me a bit longer than most to get used to it but I wouldn’t be without it

Made absolutely no difference to me. Took it for around 2 months but no change. But l appreciate everyone’s reactions to medications are slightly different

I took it for PND after both my children. Took two weeks to even start to feel better some of the time, but it really helped. I was also on it last year for six months for anxiety, and again it really helped. I was never suicidal though, although was in a really bad way after ds was born

It made my anxiety much worse

It worked for me but it wasn't instant. I was on my around 8 months and I don't know how I'd have managed without it.

• on it for around 8 months

I was on it for about 30 years, brilliant stuff. But had a stroke a year ago, so have been taken off it. There are very few for me now, and none of them work

My sister struggled nearly all antidepressants (exacerbated suicidal thoughts etc), can't remember what she eventually was settled on

I miss it x

Thanks for the helpful replies everyone.

Did anyone put on weight on Fluoxetine?

@MayMorris , thank you- I might try to phone a chemist and speak to the pharmacist (I can't even go into pharmacies at the moment due to my OCD).

I have been on Fluoxetine a few times. It does end up pooping out on me after a while. I always lost weight on it though, as it just halted my appetite.

Saved my life and that was the lowest dose

Yes. It has and does keep me afloat.

Thanks all!

Fluoxetine worked brilliantly for me. Within 3 days it was like someone opened the curtains and let the light shine in again.

I took it for four months and stopped with no issues at all. Fluoxetine gave me the headspace to get things back in perspective and then I didn't need it any more.

Fluoxetine gave me the headspace to get things back in perspective and then I didn't need it any more.

This sums my experience up too.