Any experience of upping the dosage of fluoxetine?

[PrawnSacrifice]

I'm on 20mg a day which has always been fairly effective - certainly enough to give me side effects (killed libido etc) but I've noticed the last few months it's not quite hitting the mark and some anxieties and very low mood has been creeping in.

Has anyone experienced this and upped their dose, if so how did you find it?

Did it increase the side effects? Did it help with the anxiety or depression once more?

I went up to 40mg in November and more recently to 60mg. The first two weeks were really hard but I feel great - better than I have done in a long time. I have been doing other things in conjunction with the medication increase though. I was vitamin D and iron deficient so got this sorted and I’ve been exercising. It’s all helped I think.

Thanks - can I ask why you went so quickly from 40 to 60? Did 40 not make any difference?

Any change or increase in side effects?

It was on my GP’s advice. I didn’t see much difference with 20mg or 40mg and at our last consult she suggested an increase. I’m finally seeing some real changes. I’ve had to make some lifestyle changes too; not just what I’ve described below but I’ve had to change jobs.

Side effects - sorry, forgot about that. I don’t have much appetite, I think I’ve lost the ability to get excited about food. I’m overweight so I’m positive about this one! My libido has decreased, that’s not so great but I’m single so I can deal with that.

On 40mg I was exhausted all the time. I would sleep but not feel refreshed. The GP suggested that an increased dose might help. I was dubious about this and for the first two weeks I was still really tired and napping a lot. This is week three and I feel more energised. I definitely feel happier, like a switch has flicked. I am far less anxious, but in a dull, I don’t give a fuck way about the thing I’d usually get really anxious about.

I’m quite sweaty too, and get dry mouth at night.

I will put up with it all to be honest!

I went up from 20mg to 30mg back in January. Haven’t noticed much different, although I have overall had less anxiety my panic attacks have been worse. Like PP I was exhausted all the time when I was on 20mg but less so on 30mg (although that might be due to sleeping a lot more as nothing else to do in lockdown!)