Fluoxetine/antidepressants

[Cloudd]

Hi. Need your advice/positive experiences...
Couple weeks ago I was diagnosed with severe depression and generalised anxiety disorder so started fluoxetine/Prozac for first time. It’s been 3weeks now, a did a week on 10mg and then to 20mg. I’ve seen an improvement in my mood and energy, from a 0 to a 4, but will this continue to improve over the following weeks or is this the best it’s going to get? I still feel down during the evenings, when did it start to work for you/noticeable improvements? Xx

Hi folks,

Good to hear from you @bookcrazy. That is an awful lot of responsibility. No wonder you're shattered along with your peri symptoms. I really hope you can take @polelynn advice and prioritise yourself as much as you can. So important when caring for others.

Sorry today has been rubbish @bluevelvetine. Those early weeks are so up and down, I felt (and still do at times) as though I could build up any good momentum. You think you're turning a corner then you have a bad day. You're never ever back to square one though, try to hold on to that. It helps me to tell myself I just need to get through today, or at times the next hour! It's hard though. As @polelynn says, keep digging in and the next couple of weeks things should edge towards something better.

@polelynn glad your session went well. You speak with so much clarity now, you've really come a long way. Sometimes we're so busy looking ahead we can forget how far we've come (stolen from a meme I'm sure ;-)). I could talk at length about over responsibility ... surely the first cousin of OCD. I can definitely trace this right the way back to early childhood, birth even, due to the circumstances of my connection. I've slowly been doing some personal work on this, trying to improve my autonomy and really weave into my fabric where responsibility starts and stops. It's a long journey. You didn't fail yesterday, you just learned another lesson. ❤ Thanks for the tip on mentioning the big-time toilet trips too.

Today's been okay for me, been feeling almost buoyant at points (so much time in the sea lol). I'm on day 16 of my cycle and tentatively waiting to see how this next bit goes. Xxx

Night time toilet trips! And should have said conception, not connection. 🙈 Why do the typos jump out after I send?

Thanks @Maidenpink ❤️
Lovely to hear you’re having a good day! The wild swimming sounds as though it’s having a really positive impact! 😊 Great advice from @polelynn. This peri menopause is no fun eh….
Have a lovely evening all….x

Hope everyone has managed some sleep or at least some rest and have had a day where there have been positive moments. X

Hi @polelynn hope you’re having a good day x
Hope everyone else is doing well also x
Yesterday morning was full of anxiety but the afternoon and evening were way better. I went for a cycle with a friend and I feel this helped lift my mood. I’m still getting the internal trembling/shaking and it’s really getting me down as the only way it goes is if I take 0.5mg of lorazepam. I really don’t want to develop a dependency on this drug but I just don’t know how to get rid of this feeling. I think some of you may have suffered this as a side effect and have offered some reassurance. I’m just hoping this feeling goes soon as it’s making me feel more anxious and I end up worrying that this is it for me and I need to just live with it 🤦🏻‍♀️. This is day 28, so officially 4weeks on fluoxetine….GP said 3 weeks for side effects to pass then 4-6weeks for it to properly kick in and start working. I’m certainly better than I was a fortnight ago so have to just keep on truckin’! ❤️

This is absolutely not it for you @BlueVelvetine, relief and recovery is possible. Nearly 4 months down the line I’m a world away from the petrified person I was who was too afraid to even go in my garden. I’m not familiar with the other medication you are taking but @Maidenpink may be able to help you with that as believe she was on another medication alongside the fluoxetine early on. Having a good couple of days thank you and fighting back against some of my compulsions which feels good. Can’t wait to go for a bike ride again and feel the wind blowing through my hair. Glad you enjoyed yours. X

Thanks @polelynn…really needed to hear this ❤️ I guess the anxiety just eats away at any positivity you have early on….the thought of waking of happy and content just sounds so good and is keeping me going xx
Love my bike! It helps blow the cobwebs away xx

Me again! Just wanted to ask at what time of day folks take their fluoxetine? I take mine in the morning but I noticed that both yesterday and this morning the shaking/trembling/restless feeling started about an hour or so later. Wondering whether I would sleep through these symptoms if I was to take at night instead?

I take mine first thing as was concerned about its impact on my sleeping (I had problems with this in the past when I was prescribed a different SSRI). It seems to work well for me but yes, it may be worth exploring a different time. A call to a pharmacist might be a good idea.

Hi folks,

@bluevelvetine sorry that this trembling is causing you such distress. I can hear that you are worrying about it and it increases your anxiety, which prob makes it worse and round you go. It will settle I think. As I said in a previous post, I think it took until after 5 weeks for that to settle down, so it's relatively early days for you. I took diazepam on and off in those early weeks. It sounds like you are being judicious about using lorazepam, and only taking it in the mornings. I think lorazepam is a benzo like diazepam so you do need to be careful and I really didn't like to feel I was reliant on it but as things settle down I think you'll find you can do without it okay. Hope that makes sense. Great you got out a bike ride, hopefully you'll feel able to do more of that as the days go by, that will help burn off the excess adrenaline a bit. I wonder if you could change your approach by acknowledging that it's just your body adjusting to the medication and it can't hurt you and it will pass. It's funny, it's not one of the things that troubled me, just everything else did lol. I guess you could try taking it at night and see how it goes. Or maybe even with your dinner. Cortisol levels are naturally higher in the morning so it makes sense that if you take an activating psych medicine at that time it might compound things a bit. Maybe dinner time when you feel more calm but it has time to work through a bit before you go to sleep. I do think it'll pass so try to hold onto that. I know it's so hard.

@polelynn glad you're having a settled couple of days and finding strength to work against the compulsions. ❤

I'm doing okay today. Busy day yesterday and exhausted last night but still didnt sleep well. 😫 I started reading Maisie Hill's book on perimenopause and it really struck me that this is in fact what is happening to me! I know we've been talking about it on here but the penny really dropped today. I think my reaction to these peri symptoms has been coloured by my previous experiences of mental/emotional ill health, that tendency to intrusive thoughts and obsessions flared up. But I do think this has more of a biological basis this time. Everything makes more sense to me. I just wish the GP had looked at my age and asked about other symptoms. Had I had some clue that the anxiety was connected to the changes in my cycle and other symptoms I might not have worried so much that I was actually losing my mind and falling apart. It's a learning process for sure.

Sending love ❤

Thanks @Maidenpink, you hit the nail on the head! I am absolutely judging myself about taking lorazepam as I feel I should be able to cope without it. It’s clear at the moment I can’t. My prescription a few weeks back said 1mg in the morning at another in the evening. When I got this refilled I said I was splitting these and taking 0.5mg in the morning and occasionally in the evening so GP reduced dose to reflect this. However I am only taking this in the morning (if really necessary) so yes, I’m probably being a bit harsh on myself.

….Just back in from a short cycle. I live on the coast so the sea air does me the world of good.
Your sleep issues absolutely sound as though they are due to peri menopause. It is frustrating that GP’s don’t seem to be able to connect the dots and consider a hormonal cause. Thank goodness for forums like this where experiences are shared as at least it gives us a little insight! I hope you manage to speak to your GP and try HRT to see if it helps ❤️
Have a lovely evening all x

Hello everyone, hope you're all doing OK

Sorry just another quick check in before I go to bed. My counselling session went really well so I'm pleased.

Had my gp appointment today and at first she wanted to prescribe diazapam but I said I wasn't keen so she's prescribed beta blockers?? I was thinking she'd up the dosage of my fluoxetine 🤔

Hi @FiloFaxx, I’m glad your counselling session went well. That is odd why your GP did not up your dose. I’ve said before on there that my GP told me the starting dose for OCD/anxiety is 40mg, whereas 20mg is often enough for moderate depression. Did they explain why? I’ve linked the BNF guidelines for this drug which might be worth quoting to your GP. Another good option is to ask a pharmacist.

bnf.nice.org.uk/drug/fluoxetine.html

Here

Thank you @polelynn that is definitely helpful. I am not keen on the beta blockers or diazapam but I've had a few panic attacks this past week so not sure if that's part of the reason for it.

I've just had another wobble over something a lot of people would find minor and wondering if something extra would help with moments like this.

I hope everyone is having a nice Saturday xx

Hi @FiloFaxx just wanted to say that I was initially prescribed beta blockers (propranolol) to help my anxiety. These merely dampen down the physical symptoms associated with anxiety such as palpitations, shaking etc but don’t actually treat the anxiety. They are good for social anxiety, interviews etc but not really a long term solution I would think. Diazepam and Lorazepam (which I have) are fast acting and treat the anxiety but they can only be used short term as addictive so totally understand why you’re reluctant to use these. I have them to get me thro the side effects until fluoxetine kicks in (any day now she said hopefully! 🤞) I think what @polelynn says makes sense and as long as you’re tolerating the fluoxetine ok then increasing your dose may be the most helpful solution. I hope you get it sorted. ❤️

Morning all,
I hope you slept well and have a good day☀️
I haven't read the above posts but will catch up.
Sorry I haven't been responding but Ive been feeling overwhelmed so I'm taking a break from online and trying to sort out different areas of my life. I'm ok and you are all in my thoughts wishing you well🌱🌾🌿🌼🌷

We will all get better but it's a journey and support and time will help us . So thankful there are lovely people like you all. Wishing you a lovely day and week ahead xxxxx

@sugarlost no apologies necessary. We all need to do what is in our own best interests and there is no expectation for you to check in, though personally I love to hear from you. We’ll be here 🌻💛.

Hope everyone has had a good weekend. My irrational fears are dissipating day on day. Really making moves forward against my anxiety/OCD and feeling like I can soon start work on the other areas that it is affecting me in the hope that I can get back to being a fully functioning (new and improved) me 😊.

Good evening all. I hope this weekend has been kind to you. @sugarlost I think it’s good to do a digital detox every so often and focus the mind on something else. I hope the feeling of being overwhelmed passes soon ❤️
What a lovely positive post @polelynn! It must be a relief to feel all your fears leaving you ❤️
After a rough Friday we headed away for a night and it was lovely to have a change of scene. Just booked last minute so no time to ruminate or worry. Just threw stuff in a bag and went. I couldn’t have contemplated this a week or so ago so taking it as a positive. Hugs to all ❤️

@BlueVelvetine that is a huge positive!! I’m so glad you had a lovely weekend away 👏🏻 . Onwards and upwards. ❤️

@Maidenpink how was your weekend? X

Hi folks, just catching up with messages now ... @polelynn that is brilliant to hear! So pleased for you. ❤ @sugarlost totally understand having a bit of space from online, but to reiterate what @polelynn says ... we love to hear from you and will be here when you feel like chatting again. ❤ @filofaxx I'm sorry things are still hard, I've been prescribed propananol before but never took it. I've taken diazepam in the early weeks of going on Fluoxetine and although you do need to be careful around benzos they can be really helpful as a short term tool to get through the anxiety. I only ever took a 2mg tablet once on a day. In the past I went through three weeks of taking one daily under psychiatrist direction. So, though you need to be careful try to keep in perspective the risk, they can be useful short term and I know plenty of people who are prescribed them to have on standby and don't have an issue using them now and again. I wonder though if increasing the dose of Fluoxetine would help you in the longer term. As @polelynn says, it's not unusual to go higher when anxiety is your main issue. @bluevelvetine how fantastic that you were able to be spontaneous and go away like that. Definitely a positive!

I've been pretty okay on the whole. I think I'm in a similar zone to you @polelynn, mind definitely quieter and things are more doable. I tackled a bit of DIY over the weekend which is definite progress! I was meant to go away this week with family camping but I decided it was just a bit too much too soon. It's worked out okay as one of my DC doesn't want to go, so DH will take the other DC and we'll stay here. It was good to say this won't be right for me at this time, instead of dragging myself through it and it possibly setting me back. So I'm planning a quiet few days, no pressure for family meals etc. Bit more swimming.

I spoke to my GP today and will speak to the women's health one on Thursday to make a plan hormone wise. My sleep is not good so that's been quite difficult. Waking at 3 and 4am despite being really tired. I was awake all day from 4am yesterday so didn't feel great with that. But didn't fall apart either so that's promising. Day 22 of my cycle and the thing that happened last month mid cycle hasn't happened this time. One day at a time.

Love to you all. X

Hi all, good to hear from you @Maidenpink. Glad to hear you are moving forward with the hormonal side of things. I’ve still not heard back from GP about my new prescription so we may well start around the same time!
I’m feeling a bit rubbish/tearful today. Possibly just coming down from our nice night away. Wish I could have bottled the feeling I had. Keep waiting for a rush of sustained positivity and motivation but it’s just not coming yet. I am applying for jobs but getting nowhere. Feel like a drain on our income rather than adding to it! Just a meh sort of day….sorry for the downer folks x

@bluevelvetine I know what you're going through, when you have a good day you can't imagine that it won't sustain and it feels crushing when you feel down again. It's just the crappy way things are in the early weeks. But those good days will start to outnumber the bad in time. You're still on an upward trajectory but it's a squiggly line if you see what I mean. Looking for work at the moment is a lot to contend with. You're not a drain, that's just your stupid depression telling you that. I was having those types of thoughts too but thankfully as the depression has improved that kind of thinking has dialled right down and it will for you too. Go gently with yourself, you got away and had a nice time, that's an achievement in itself. One day at a time. ❤

Would be cool to start hormones with you. @polelynn can mentor us. ❤ xxx

Thanks so much @Maidenpink…honestly so thankful I found this group as you’re all so supportive ❤️
I know I’m being impatient but I just want life to start again…I feel in limbo at the moment.

I’ve to schedule a review with my GP so might try calling tomorrow. Hopefully he’ll have an update on my new HRT regime 🤞
Thanks again ❤️