Fluoxetine hope please!

[Ceetee23]

Hi I started taking fluoxetine 6 days ago for PND and poss PMDD now and wanted some reassurance/support if anyone out there has experience?
I've taken it years ago with no side effects after the birth of my son. However since then have become v sensitive to meds for some reason!!
As such the perinatal psychiatrist at the hospital has started me on just 5mg of fluoxetine as they've realised I can benefit from much lower doses and also have bad side effects on higher doses.
Since beginning I've had drowsiness and slight nausea but it's the anxiety and agitation that's hard. I've got diazepam to get me through the rough days.
How long may this raised anxiety and agitation go on for?
I also feel v hot and get hot flushes? Is this all part of starting up on it?
Just need some hope and after 8 months of PND and various meds I know I'm nearly there and feel I just need a lift to help me get on with my life and try and enjoy life again. Thankyou xxx

I am really sensitive to meds (and caffeine) since kids too.
How do you take such s low dose? In the uk 20mg is the smallest pill.
I had all these side effects but battled through and feel so much better. I now love it, so much happier

It can take a week or two to settle down so stick with it. The first week I thought I had broken myself I was in such a state.

5mg is minuscule though. 20mg is a low dose. I can't see a dose like that having much effect? Side or other

It can take a week or two to settle down so stick with it. The first week I thought I had broken myself I was in such a state.

5mg is minuscule though. 20mg is a low dose. I can't see a dose like that having much effect? Side or other

I've got the liquid version, I think that's what they give to kids! The side effects are so bad on this I dread to think what they'd be like for me on 20mg!
Did you get hot flashes? I feel so uncomfortably hot all the time since 4 days in.

Thanks for your reassurances I'll try and stick with it x

I had the hot flashes when I started on it. I took 20mg tablets. Took about a month for everything to settle down and they really made a massive difference. It's worth battling through.

I can go up to 10mg after 2 weeks if the side effects settle

Thanks soupmaker. Glad they've made a difference for you. Fingers crossed. X

I couldn't tolerate the 20mg at all- wish I had known there was a liquid version. I too am v sensitive to Meds. Good luck but don't suffer - there are other Meds. Hope you feel better soon💐

You should start feeling better within 2 weeks from taking it, at which point you will have either developed a tolerance to the side effects or won't mins them so much if you feel a therapeutic benefit.

I'm v surprised at the dose but as someone who reacts to something else at a minuscule does I can empathise.

Thanks all I hope so. One week in so one week to go maybe!! It feels like I just don't know what to expect every day at the moment.x

Initially I was hoping for 5mg, as that's the dose in sarafem - a US drug which essentially is a low dose of this for pmt. (that's what I'm taking it for. I wouldn't have classed myself as depressed at all, just v impatient and angry around my period).

However: my dr prescribed 20mg every other day as that's the lowest dose pill you can get in the UK. I was yawning, spacey, insomniac for about a month. Also had weird jaw ache. Then after a month my life started getting so much better. The pmt has just gone. But the other effects have been do surprising. I am so much more relaxed than I was. I didn't realise how critical my inner voice was until it stopped. And how anxious I was. Now something happens that would have sent me into a spin of 'everyone hates me and I'm a bit shit' and now I note it, but it doesn't take me down.
I am a better parent, have a better relationship and am doing better at work than ever before. I think it's amazing and I intend to take it for the rest of my life.
(Though I don't tell anyone besides my husband cause people are a bit judgy about these things)

Hope it suits you - I know it's different for everyone but I'm so glad I stuck it out.

So you're kind of on 10mg daily? That sounds great and I'm so pleased it's worked out for you. It sounds like heaven! I really hope I can get there too xx

Dry mouth anyone? Will that go away eventually too? X

Oh yes, I'd forgotten the dry mouth - it was horrible - and such weird dreams, but stick with it.

I take 20mg. Previously had bad experiences of side effects on citalopram so I was nervous but fluoxetine has been great for me. Get hot flashes & they make me very tired so I only ever take them at night (bonus of that means I'm getting decent sleep) but it has rid me of anxiety & it's worth the trade off. All the best OP

Been on the 5mg fluoxetine for 19 days now. Things have definitely got better. The side effects have lessened I'm just getting very mild nausea first thing and feel a bit more tired than usual. I'm definitely seeing positive improvement, I haven't cried for over a week and definitely more relaxed. Not totally there yet though and hoping more to come as people say about 4 weeks.

Still getting random facial hot flushes, my body is absolutely fine but sometimes my face starts to tingle across my nose and cheeks and feel burnt and my cheeks go red. Sometimes for seconds sometimes for half an hour. Did anyone else have this? My mouth is really dry and figure the same thing causes both.