increase in dose of prozac/fluoxetine-how long before it kicks in?i'm not doing too well.

[divastrop]

i was on 20mg per day of fluoxetine for AND from when i was 12 weeks pregnant with dd3.when she was about 6 weeks old i started to feel really bad again,basically the doc said it had developed into PND.i tried switching to seroxat for a while but i felt so tired all the time i couldnt cope with it,so the doctor put me back on fluoxetine and told me to increase to 40mg per day after a week.

it will be 4 weeks on sunday since i started taking the 40mg,and,although i felt better to start with,this past week has been pretty grim.i cant see the funny side of things,i am getting stressed with the kids,i am convinced my dp is going to get fed up with me and leave,and i have had the odd thought of suicide and self-harm pop into my head when ive been feeling very bad(i wouldnt act on these thoughts,but thoughts like 'the kids would be better off without me'have crept into my head,and yesterday i felt alone and frustrated and felt like hurting myself,something i havent felt for a very long time).

how long will it be before the increased dose kicks in?i remember when i first started taking the 20mg i felt better at first then went through a really dark time then started feeling alot better at about the 5/6 week mark.could that be whats happening now?

I think it takes between 2 and 6 weeks for the increase to kick, similar to when you start taking it. obviously if you carry on feeling worse for much longer, go back to the GPs.

thanks.im also feeling very light headed on the higher dose.

I would get back to your GP on Monday as it should have started to take an effect by this time if you were already on a lower dose. It could just be that prozac isn't the AD for you and there are others they can try.

Sorry you are feeling like this, I'm in a similar situation and it can be very distressing. Are you seeing someone for some talking therapy or is it only the drug treatment?

Diva maybe they will start to work soon.
Lightheadedness- are you accidentally starving yourself?
You could do with a proper break too, but very hard to manage that I know

daisyboo-when i took prozac for AND in my last pregnancy and the one before it was great,although it took a good 6 weeks to work properly,it really helped.

actually,looking at my calendar,ive only been on the increased dose for 3 weeks tomorrow.

my gp referred me for CBT but they wrote back to her saying i'd been put on the waiting list for councelling,which neither i nor the gp feel would be of any help.she wrote back to them to explain this but they still wrote offering me councelling..

shrinky-lol@accidentally starving myself.even when i was starving myself a few years back i didnt feel light headed.

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I would get lightheaded if I miss a meal, so wondered because you are dieting. Also not getting enough 'good' fat in our diet can influence state of mind can't it?
Although I think you did say you were taking omega 3.
Maybe you could try a book about CBT in the meantime? Maybe your counsellor will be able to do CBT with you?
I've been struggling this week too and I'm not actually depressed.
So huge sympathy because I know it's an on going struggle for you and you are doing brilliantly. Don't underestimate how much you achieve every day!

a friend of mine told me that when she went up to 40mg from 20 it took 6 weeks to work.i think the lightheadedness is unrelated to the prozac,as i am starting to feel generally unwell so i am probabbly coming down with something.

i am not dieting in any serious way

i keep meaning to contact the councellor i was seeing befor ei had dd3,as she told me to give her a ring if i wanted to see her again after the baby,but i cant see the point in going round in circles talking about the same stuff.although maybe sif she was willing to help me go through a CBT book it may be worthwhile.

dior-when i have those thoughts i dont know what to do as i cant talk to dp because i cant put that on him,i would feel like i was emotionally blackmailing him to stay with me and that he would only be staying with me out of pity(which has crossed my mind a few times).it sounds silly but i dont want to bother anybody with those thoughts as i wouldnt want people worrying about me,when i know deep down that i wouldnt act on them iyswim.

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