Fluoxetine advice please ?

[ohcarriemathison]

Hi
I've been prescribed Fluoxetine mainly for anxiety but also low mood too.
I've just been feeling overwhelmed and have quite a few challenging things going on.

I've been taking fluoxetine for 5 days but have been feeling quite weird as each day goes on. Feeling a bit spaced out. A bit detached.
I decided last night that I wasn't going to continue but this morning I do feel a little better. A little bit brighter.

I'm just wondering is this normal ?

If I keep taking them will it get better ?

Will I go back to feeling more like me but without all the anxiety ?

Feeling really confused 🤷🏼‍♀️

Any advice would be great, thank you 🙏

Hi i am on sertraline
But they take 4weeks to kick in
Really helps my anxiety
I was really troubled
Worried about everythink
Much better now x

"Will I go back to feeling more like me but without all the anxiety ? "

that's definitely how they worked for me. Sadly I think you need to factor in a couple of weeks of feeling a bit odd - I think that's standard advice but for me there was a improvement within a week.

Exactley
Its what suits you
Took advice from my gp lovely lady doctor
My kids say i"ve actually stopped going on and on about what they think are dtupid things
But to me made me really worry x

That's great.
Thanks for the replies and glad things are feeling better for you both.
It's my DD's party next week and just worried I'm going to be a bit spaced out but also really, really want to feel better and so feel I should persevere.
Her party is only 90 mins so hoping I can manage it.

Word of warning can't drink much on them
As you get drunk /tired really quick..
But go and have fun x

Thanks 123, it's her 5th birthday and in the morning so not a boozy one.
I did read that about alcohol.
I've not been drinking at all as the hangovers kill me with my anxiety so will definitely stay away from booze just now.

Oh great
5 is a lovely age
It will be a fun party
X

Thanks 123L.
It is a lovely age and she is a lovely girl.
Part of the reason I want to persevere is that I've been finding her so hard to parent and want to be better so hoping the tablets help.
I don't feel I've been the best mum to her

Well my kids are grown up and looking to move out
Trying to find them a studio/flat locally
Is proving near on impossible!!
But it was my grown up daughter who persuaded me to go on anti depressants
As she could tell my anxiety was making me really sad
So kids really do undetstand x

Aww sounds hard @123L
My oldest is at uni and know most of her money goes on her rent.
Hope you find something soon x

Hope so
Many thankd

Thinking I'm
Going to stop.
Lay awake last night from 2am until I had to get up to get my kids ready.
Really, really can't deal with insomnia.
I think that's worse than anxiety.

ohcarrie sorry you’re not sleeping. I take Fluoxetine and found the first couple of weeks really hard. However once they settled down I really believe that they’ve given me ‘my life back’. I take them for anxiety that was so bad I could hardly function, but now I feel a million times better. Wishing you all the best

Hi guys
All antidepressants have side effects
I'm on sertraline
But i sleep welll
Really helps with anxiety x

Hi @Pannalash did you find in the 1st couple of weeks it effected your sleep and has that settled down now ?
Do you sleep ok now ?
I'm so torn as really, really want to feel better as I've been battling low mood and anxiety for years but I'm finding this really rough !
Not sleeping is so so mad for my mental health.

They make be tired
But i tend to let things go over my head more
And i don't worry what people think anymore
I'm much more happier
Have put on weight
But that could be because i'm more relaxed
Now
So i'm eating better
X

I would try to persevere - you need to try for at least 4 weeks on any of the anti anxiety meds. Side effects are very common but should settle. Although it's tiring, if you're getting at least 5 hours sleep or can nap then you'll get through. Have a search for some of the other Fluoxetine threads on here or look at the No More Panic website.

Great thanks @Lightsabre
Will check those out.
Think I'm just panicking about my daughters birthday and not wanting to be totally weird.
But I'm so desperate to feel better.

Hi ohcarrie, yes I sleep fine now.

I really found the first weeks very hard, and was tempted to give the tablets up quite regularly, but truly they were absolutely worth it for the benefit in the end. Hope you're feeling better soon.

I've been on fluoxetine for about 10 years. They've truly saved my life. After the first couple of weeks you'll just feel normal again. Except much happier in yourself. I wouldn't be here without them. Give them time x

@Pannalash thank you, so glad they are working for you.
I'm on day 8 today and persevering.
Definitely don't feel as wiped out as I did at the weekend and feeling more motivated.
Still feeling really anxious and I'm definitely glad I've got another week signed off from work.
Hoping in another week to be feeling more like me.

Thank you @onetiredmum so glad that they have helped you.
I'm really hoping to be able to say the same.
Definitely slept better last night so hoping with each day I start to feel things improving more.

Just wondering do people think I will feel better by a week on Saturday ?
That's my daughters party ?
I've been taken fluoxetine for 8 days today and I can feel an improvement.
By her party I'll of been taking it for 16 days.
At the moment everything feels an effort. I'm feeling exhausted by minimal interaction.

Yes will defo need at least 4weeks
I went from 50mg to 100gm
But that was on advice of my gp
👍

I had at least 3 weeks of tiredness, constant yawning, insomnia, shakyness, bad dreams, dry mouth, feeling strange and 'distant', and it actually heightened my anxiety too. I felt scared, unsure, it felt like every day I debated with myself whether to continue the tablets or not. I stuck it out, and amazingly things slowly improved and then suddenly 100% better, it's been fantastic for me. It definately took a few weeks, I think it was probably around 4 weeks until I felt kind of 'normal', i.e. side effects eased off, and by about around 6 weeks I felt really great with my anxiety under control and feeling calm and peaceful.

I came off it after a year, but went downhill during the next 6 months (my anxiety returned), so went back on it. I'm feeling great again.

Everyone reacts differently but for me it was worth sticking it out.