side effects of Fluoxetine (Prozac)

[thedudesmummy]

Hi
I have been prescribed Prozac for postnatal depression (which has actually taken the form more of anxiety, specifically health anxiety, namely terrible fears that I have an awful disease and will not live to see my baby grow up). I have been in a really horrible state, but the Prozac appears really to have made things worse as I have started having muscle twitches and jerks (especially when trying to fall asleep, when my whole body jerks), which I keep fearing may be due to some dread neurological disease, even though they started about two weeks after starting the Prozac and of course can be side effects of this medication. Have other people had these side effects on Prozac or other SSRI antidepressants?

hi there.

I am no doctor, but have gained a bit of knowledge through my own research and experience.

I believe there are broadly different categories of AD - activating (useful for those who are very "low", sleeping all the time, lacking in energy etc.) and sedating (useful for those with agitated depression - ie. anxiety, insomnia etc.)

I was initially prescribed citalopram (this is the same class as prozac) - it sent my already bad insomnia and anxiety through the roof. It was really the worst thing they could have given me.

Eventually I was put on a more sedating AD (mirtazapine) and it was great - reduced my anxiety, helped me sleep etc.

Interestingly I have also heard SSRIs (such as citalopram, prozac etc) can make symptoms such as restless legs and muscle spasms much worse - I went to see a private psychiatrist back in June who told me I may have restless legs and that activating ADs make the symptoms much worse as the same neural pathways are involved.

I had Citalopram for one day and was so ill with nausea, slurred speech and the worst panic attack ever that I had to immediately stop taking it! Then I was changed onto the Prozac.

I know I am being ridiculous but my health anxiety is such that I am terrified that the muscle spasms on the Prozac are indicative of an already present underlying neurological disease, which is just being unmasked by the use of Prozac.

no, I don't think a neurological disease is at all likely.

The anxiety about your health is part of your depression.