Fluoxetine

[Cardboardkettle]

My GP has prescribed me fluoxetine. Having googled about it and read lots of threads about it I’m scared to start because of the side effects. I want to start taking it tomorrow, that’s the deadline I’ve set myself, and I know I need to because I’m not in a good place at all. Does anyone have any positive stories about taking it?

Hi @Cardboardkettle,

I started fluoxetine in June and I can honestly say they have changed my life!

I was sick once or twice in the first few days but nothing too bad. Has shakey hands for a good few weeks.

Aside from sometimes feeling a bit too happy and upbeat they have agreed with me well.

One strange side effect is unexplained bruising but this might not even be the fluoxetine.

Good luck and I hope they help you x

Thank you Anon, it’s good to hear a positive story. I took my first one this morning, so probably a little early for any side effects. I’m trying to reassure myself anything I do feel is just a physical side effect of the drug and not anything I need to be scared of.

Honestly it saved my life I've had no weird side effects apart from weight gain. It's stopped my raging mood swings alongside quetiapine and given me back a life.

Me! I tried Citalopram. Made me like a zombie. Setraline. Upset my stomach. And another one I can’t recall as I took it once and was wiped out for most of the following day.
I’ve been on fluoxetine for a few months. I feel much more like me. My mood is better. I feel much more able to cope with things life throws at me and less overwhelmed.
I really hope it helps you.

I'm on fluoxetine and it's fantastic - has totally changed my life. I've had no side effects at all, I take it on a morning before I go to work.

I have tried various other ADs in the past, sertraline and citalopram were horrific for side effects in my experience so I was dreading trying fluoxetine but I've read in a few places a lot of people experience minimal side effects with it, whereas other antidepressants are known for bad side effects.

Good luck, I hope it works for you x

Really can’t say I’ve had side effects at all. Completely unlike all the others I tried. Good luck.

I took after having my third child, I had diarrhoea for about a week then was fine. If I missed any tablets though I would get dizzy, they saved me.

Both my dh and dd have taken it for shorter and longer periods and it's really helped them through tough patches where they were struggling mentally. It's not for everyone but neither had side effects and was a helpful addition to talk therapy not a replacement

Slightly buzzy and 'up' feeling in the first month or two. No other side effects.

Most importantly, it was extremely effective, and I'm well at the moment.

Good luck.

I’ve recently come off fluoxetine for PND.
I felt really, really queasy for maybe two or three days about 5 days after starting them. No vomiting of diarrhoea though.
No noticeable changes in my mood for a good 8 weeks, but then I started feeling lighter, that I didn’t hate myself and the world around me quite so much. I’ve had a gradual reduction in dose alongside having a coil inserted in Order to addres what myself and my GP thinks is PMDD

Worked really well for me. Got me through a tough few years.

I only really noticed effects if I forgot or was late with a dose. It was also quite difficult to come off it, I had to step it down gradually over months.

It was brilliant for me the first time I took it - the second time I didn't give it long enough as I didn't really want to take it, it did make me VERY tired (second time round).

Didn't agree with me and you do need to take it with a full glass of water as it burns a bit on the way down if it's not well washed down. Paroxetine (Seroxat) worked better. Now on Sertraline with no side effects other than a bit of chattering teeth for the first month. It's changed my life.

@Faster

I’ve had a gradual reduction in dose alongside having a coil inserted in Order to addres what myself and my GP thinks is PMDD

If it's not intrusive, please could you tell me more about the coil helping with PMDD? I'm sure I have PMDD but I thought progesterone caused it?

If the coil helps, that's amazing news as I've just had a Mirena fitted (for awful periods) and I've been so worried about the PMDD affects.

Thanks

@Cardboardkettle

I took Floroextine (Seroxat) for several years. I didn't have any side effects, apart from sweaty palms in the first couple of weeks. Good luck! Hope it goes well for you 😃

Hi OP.

I was on fluoxetine and found negatives and positives with it.

Positives

Within days, I felt like the big black cloud over me had lifted and I literally couldn't stop smiling. I felt great and found myself not worrying and feeling anxious over anything.
I suffer with psoriasis and it cleared my skin up near enough instantly.

Negatives

I piled the weight on as my appetite hit the roof. This was a negative for me as i was already a stone over my usual weight before starting.

It affected my sex life as it killed my libido. I literally felt numb down there. When we did get intimate, I could not orgasm.

I hope my negatives do not put you off as everyone is different and what affects one person does not necessarily effect the other. Good luck!

It has literally saved my husbands life. He went from having a breakdown and being unable to work to now been in the same job for 3 years and enjoying life. He takes 40mg (he started on 10mg and has gradually upped it to this dose which seems to work for him). He hopes to stay on it forever. He had mild side effects for a few days when he first started and none since.

I have been taking it for six years. I had a breakdown and it saved me. I was very very volatile before and I am now much calmer. I don't have the meltdowns anymore. However, sometimes I think I do feel sort of numbed to life. I also have put on weight. I have no problem in having orgasms though 

Whoever had the unexplained bruises you need to talk to your GP tomorrow.

It's a rare but serious side effect and means your blood is not clotting (from memory)

When I showed mine the bruises he took me down from 60m to 0 overnight. That was fun.

Please get them checked out.

Honestly I'd say try it for a few month and see how you feel. I was on it nearly a year before I noticed side effects, but before they kicked in it made such a difference to my life (I have mildly abnormal physiology so the side effects I had were rare and scary but unlikely to affect you). I could actually live.

That was me with the bruising. It's quite sore today :(. Called GP and the next app is Wednesday. Not sure what to do. Might call NHS 24

Weds should be fine. I had them for a few weeks before I saw the GP.

I used to play spot the new random bruises that have appeared overnight.

Mine were circular and a sort of muted purple and not like a normal bruise if that makes sense.

Got them on my arms and legs.

Showed them to him in a kind of this is weird way and he sat up straight.

Hope all goes well.

I was prescribed fluoxetine whilst pregnant and I don't recall any side effects and also no problem with the baby once born (withdrawals).

Thank you for all the replies. It’s really helping to hear positive stories and the few side effects people have mentioned seem like something I could cope with. It’s so hard with health anxiety and depression.
I really appreciate you all taking the time to reply.

Anon I hope you get on okay with the GP.

Hi @Cardboardkettle I've been on fluoxetine since I was 13. (I'm 19 now and just nearly off it!) I had no side effects as they started me off on a low dose. (20mg) then worked me up to 60mg. The only side effects I've had are inability to orgasm during sex and low sex drive.

Never had any sickness when I first went on it, however, coming off over this past month I've felt very nauseas and dizzy.