Has anyone increased their fluoxetine dose temporarily to get them through a rough phase?

[Honey1975]

I've been feeling really low since christmas and very anxious, lots of work stress. My GP has suggested I increase the fluoxetine from 20mg to 40mg for 3 months to help me and then said I can lower it again.

Has anyone else done this? I'm just a bit worried that I'll get stuck on the higher dose which I wouldn't want.

I did this last year during a particularly bad period of anxiety. I then felt much better, started forgetting to take them now and then until I completely wasn't taking any at all, then about two months later guys a major anxiety episode obviously once the medication got completely out of my system.
My GP wouldn't start me back on them when I asked before Christmas but following this weeks crisis another of the GP's has restarted my prescription.
I think as long as you do so in a controlled way under medical guidance and don't be like me then hopefully you would only need the higher dose for a few months before dropping back down to the lower dose.

Yup. Worked v well

Yes here too and no major fall out. Good luck

Thank you. I'm thinking perhaps I'll alternate & take 20 one day & 40 the next. Funnily enough since I opened up to the GP I feel slightly better already and I haven't increased the dose yet.

Yes- I went from 40mg to 60mg and then to 80mg. But i went a bit agitated and hypomanic almost (but without the elation) on 80mg, so went down to 60mg. For a while it seemed to take the edge off....a few months later though and i am immune to it so was put on Cymbalta. I was on Fluoxetine for a mixture of Borderline PD, OCD and eating issues. did nothing for ther food stuff but helped my anxiety a little.

Didn't realise it was poss to take 80mg. Thought the max was 60

I've increased to 40mg every other day this week. I have been getting some horrible headaches. Could this be due to increasing even though it's only on every other day?
I don't feel much better but I guess it might take a while for the extra dose to have an effect?

Yes. I went from 40g - 60g for a month or so.

Was having a rough time at work and that combined with a few other things made it all a bit much.

It was fine. Honest.

Yup have done from 20 up to 60..... 20 is my "maintenance" dose but can increase when symptoms of anxiety and depression become intolerable combined with CBT x

Thanks TheQueen & Crazy - did you get any headaches when you increased the dose? Crazy, did you find it ok going back down again to 20 from your higher dose?

I got awful headaches when i increased from 40-60mg. Lasted about 7 or 8 days.

No headaches ... I alternated 20/40 for a week or so to get used to it

NICE guidance is that there is no discernible difference from doses between 20mg and 40mg. DD was strugglingvand her osychiatrist suggested an additional 5mg daily. It's only available as liquid and foul. It had an exponentially beneficial effect. Due to taste we discovered other options and there is a 10mg tablet but it's a special due to expense. It's about £70 for 30. DD takes 20mg every other day and 30mg every other day. She tried coming off the 10mg recently and went down. £35 a month and the difference between good MH and poor MH and drs want to argue over £35. It's a disgrace.