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

Oh no I had written more in this post and it's disappeared 🙄

@Maidenpink I'm sorry things have felt difficult for you with your period and the gel. I hope things do get better as your body adjusts. Dipping in the sea sounds like such a good grounding thing to do x

@sugarlost sorry to hear about your family issues and having a stressful time at work. How are you feeling now?

Sorry for the multiple posts 😂 don't know if it's because I'm trying to catch up on my phone.

So I still haven't went to the pharmacy to get the beta blockers, I just don't see how this will help me. So I'm still on 20mg and feeling like nothing is happening. Had my second full session on Tuesday night and it went well it just goes by so quickly and I'm left with a lot to process and reflect and don't find much time to do it! I'm making links already though so its helping.

Thanks for asking about my dad. Sadly he is still in hospital and not much further forward. Everything is breaking down around me as well. My car, boiler, washing machine and dishwasher. I still keep thinking someone is doing this to me to punish me but I've been talking about this with my counsellor so I'm hoping to find ways to stop this thinking!!

@FiloFaxx so good to hear from you. Thank you for your good wishes.

I don’t blame you for not fulfilling your prescription. Remind me how long you’ve been on fluoxetine now? If it’s over 6 weeks and you are plateauing/not having sustained breakthroughs in terms of your symptoms, even alongside the counselling (that’s great you are making connections already), then an increase dose seems to me entirely sensible to request or at least discuss. I know getting hold of a GP is easier said than done atm, especially when you have so much on your plate as you do.

You and I both struggle with self-blame and a sense that we deserve what is happening to us. We don’t btw ❤️ I wish I knew where this came from so I could in turn help you but I’m not there yet. My sense of over-responsibility (apparently very common in who have OCD tendencies like me) comes from having I believe to be self-reliant quite early, and many of my (to coin a @Maidenpink analogy) ‘greatest hits’ in terms of intrusive thoughts relate back to situations that I carry (necessarily or unnecessarily) guilt about so perhaps that’s why I feel I deserve the bad things that happen. My recovery is still very much placed on getting better for others rather than me so I need to centre me and show more self-compassion, which is a darn sight easier said than done!

I’m sorry to hear your Dad is still poorly too. Take care of yourself. X

Thanks for this thread. In waiting for the Dr to call because I've reached the end of what I can take re anxiety and I think they might prescribe something for me (they have to our I don't know how I can cope)

@MotherOfGremlins hello and welcome. I’m sorry you are at the end of your tether. Anxiety is so hard to deal with alone and it’s great you’ve contacted your GP and come on here. Fluoxetine (which I started a few months ago now) has been life changing for me and I’m starting to get better and am able to manage my anxiety and OCD tendencies so much better. This last 16 months has really taken its toll on everyone, and alongside other life stresses, I think for many of us it’s all come to a massive head. You will get better with help so hang on in there ❤️

Hi and welcome @MotherOfGremlins. Really sorry to hear you are struggling. I’m glad you’ve already contacted your GP and hopefully they will prescribe something to help. Please keep posting. I have found amazing support from everyone on here. Xx

@polelynn @BlueVelvetine thank you both for your welcome to the club no one wants to join, I really appreciate it.

I've been prescribed fluoxetine (don't know what dose yet because I haven't picked it up yet), and signed off work for a fortnight. I'm not okay, but I know I will be eventually.

This past year and a half has been unbearable - not just covid, we've had a lot of other things going on at the same time, and I just can't fix myself by cutting out caffeine, exercising, and playing with mindfulness apps.

The Dr said that I'm a good person and a brilliant mum and that I was right to seek help. She said that covid alone is destroying people's mental health, but adding in the family death, disability, constant legal battles and other things that I've been dealing with, she's not surprised that I've crashed.

So while I didn't want to be here, I'm glad that I've found you lot - none of us is alone

Hi folks,

A warm welcome @motherofgremlins. ❤ The club that nobody wants to join lol, I like you already. Well you've come to a safe space and hopefully this place will help you as much as it's helped me. Sorry to hear things have been so difficult for you. Agree, the past 16 months have been a shit show and sadly other life events don't automatically pause for a global pandemic. If only. And oh please ... mindfulness and cutting out caffeine doesn't touch the sides when you go past a certain point. It kind of annoys me the way the NHS gives out the old exercise more, cut out caffeine. As though if everyone just did that they'd be fine. I think it also allows others that aren't in the club to think if we just sorted ourselves out and got healthy our issues would magically disappear. Again, if only. You will be okay. You've done the right thing and reached out.

@polelynn glad therapy is going well. Agree with @bluevelvetine that it's a sort of waxing and waning of big bits of work then reflection and integration. You're doing so brilliantly. Maybe one day you will help others with this stuff. Aside from us lucky few you have supported on here. Hope you make it to the beach soon.

@bluevelvetine sorry it's been so bloody intense for you. You and I are on the cusp of greatness ... once we get the hold trinity of Fluoxetine, Oestrogel and Utrogestan working in harmony.

@filofaxx great to hear from you too. Great advice and perspective from @polelynn on over-responsibility and anxiety. I've done some deeper work around this and I know I felt responsible for my mum's happiness and in turn others, and a lot of my issues stem from there. It's a long story and will take a lot to unravel. I'm glad you're making connections already in counselling. It's hard work though and I can imagine how difficult it is to process and integrate with so much responsibility at the moment. Baby steps though.

I'm doing okay. Had a bad-ish day on Tuesday and wondered if it was the increase in Oestrogel. But I've been okay again yesterday and today. My Utrogestan prescription came through so that's a relief as I'm due to start on Monday. @motherofgremlins this not my first rodeo when it comes to Fluoxetine. I have been on it before. I'm the same amount of time on it as @polelynn**, also on 40mg. It has really helped me but I'm now into perimenopause so am also exploring hormonal treatments.

Sending love. X

How is everyone doing today? Any nice weekend plans?

Another first for me yesterday, I made it to the seafront to see my daughter. I think she was a bit surprised I made it. It was very very busy and I had a couple of tricky moments but the intrusive thoughts settled. In fact it was easier than I’d anticipated. Another step in the right direction for me 😊.

@polelynn

How is everyone doing today? Any nice weekend plans?

Another first for me yesterday, I made it to the seafront to see my daughter. I think she was a bit surprised I made it. It was very very busy and I had a couple of tricky moments but the intrusive thoughts settled. In fact it was easier than I’d anticipated. Another step in the right direction for me 😊.

Hello @polelynn, I'm really glad you've had a positive outing! It's been lovely weather for it, hasn't it?

I've not been to get my tablets yet. Can't seem to make myself get out of the house, and my kids will be home soon. I'll do it somehow though because I've got to.

The kids are going swimming tomorrow so there will be a couple of hours respite (they both have SEN and I'm just not coping very well with all the support needs at the moment), but other than that no plans.

When my DH couldn’t get down the pharmacy (I still cannot) I found out mine delivered for a small fee. Could that be an option for you @MotherOfGremlins? It was a same day service.

You really do have a lot on your plate ❤️

Morning all,

@polelynn whoop whoop you knocked another one out of the park!!! Amazing, so pleased for you! Easier than anticipated too despite being so busy. This is fantastic work. You really are on the road back to yourself now. Really pleased for you. Oh to be able to normal things, just makes you feel human again! How you feeling today? Any plans for the weekend?

@MotherOfGremlins you have a lot to contend with, it must feel very tough. Could @polelynn's suggestion of getting your tablets delivered be an option for you? I'm sorry it's so hard to manage these things. What ages are your DC? Is this your first time on ADs?

How's everyone else getting on?

I had a really good day yesterday. Went a dip for an hour in the water, beautiful weather, great company, beautiful place ... able to enjoy it which is such a blessing. My mood was buoyant the rest of the day and just felt that hopeful, optimistic feeling that things might be okay that has been absent for so long. I'm almost mid-cycle and definitely at my mood peak. I'm hoping the addition of oestrogen this month might keep me out of the hole. I start Utrogestan on Monday and have decided to start the ahem internal route first. I just want to minimise any adverse impact on my mood at this time. Off to get my 2nd jag today, hoping it won't be too bad.

Sending love to you all. X

Thank you @Maidenpink, I hope your jab went well today and it’s absolutely brilliant to hear of your optimism and that you are looking forward with hope once again. Things are most definitely on the turn 😁 🥂.

Glad you’ve got your prescription for Utrogestan sorted. Your plan sounds sensible, good luck and enjoy the lie down 😉.

Been quite emotional today, exacerbated by some family stuff and keeping everyone above water. I had no bleed this month during my period which is odd though on reflection had very little last month. Maybe those ovaries have finally run out!

Hope everyone else is having a good weekend.

Interesting no period bleed this month ... maybe you are nearing the other side you lucky thing. 😂 Sorry the family stuff is hard, it's challenging to hold a space for all of that alongside your own stuff. I hope today is a bit better.

Thankfully I have a quieter day today, I need a bit of space to think and rest. I caught up with a friend yesterday who I've worked with before and there are opportunities for work voluntary and paid in an area I'm passionate about. Committing to anything yet feels too soon because I haven't yet found my stride however it's in the field of mental health and recovery so he understands. I felt excited about working for the first time and could see a future for myself beyond getting through the days and it was a good feeling. So I will mull that over.

Hope everyone has a restorative Sunday. ❤

Hi all, hope everyone is doing ok x

Good to read the positivity lately @Maidenpink and @polelynn although I know family issues can be quite draining. A mum is generally the spoke that holds the wheel together and that it can be a hard position to be in. Hope things are better ❤️

I’m ok after my first dose of Utrogestan. Woke up feeling quite well after a few days of feeling crap with stomach problems. No shaking initially but I feel quite wired now. Heart racing a bit especially when sitting down. I’m on fluoxetine over 7 weeks and I’m honestly not sure it’s right for me. I expected to feel a certain calm at this point but it’s just not happened. Issue is if I change I then have to wean off it then go through side effects again. Not sure I’m up to it! 😐

Hey all…had chat with gp this morning and he has said that I should definitely have noticed a decent change in symptoms by this point and has suggested tapering fluoxetine and starting sertraline. I’m quite apprehensive as this will be yet another period of side effects/adjustment ☹️

Just wondered if anyone has any experience of sertraline or tapering/changing SSRI’s?

Hope everyone is doing ok ❤️

Hi @BlueVelvetine

I can completely understand your apprehension. I’ve no personal experience of this but there is a sertraline thread on the MH topic so it may be worth asking there or creating a new thread to ask.

Doing okay thanks. Another small step of my recovery overcome for the first time today, something I couldn’t have considered a few weeks ago. Absolutely exhausted after it though and returned home to chaos as my teenage son had decided to reorganise his room whist I was out 🤦🏻‍♀️.

Thanks @polelynn I’ll have a look for that thread on sertraline.

That’s amazing you’ve moved another step in your recovery. Each small step must give you confidence to take another. You really are doing great! 🙌👏👏👏

I’m very apprehensive about changing things just now as have a family wedding in a few weeks so it’s really bad timing to be messing with things. I’ve taken 10mg this eve so will see how I feel over next day or so. I think fluoxetine has a long half life so will take a while to get out of my system. Just wish I had a crystal ball to see how I’m going to react to the sertraline !

How’s is everyone else doing? ❤️

Hello 👋🏻

Quick update from me.

I’m definitely in the consolidation stage so no great progress but finding myself increasingly back to the old me in certain areas. Definitely my boundaries have improved, and my capacity for dealing with crap! I’m afraid I managed to fall into the hole which is the the C topic on here a few days ago, which most definitely was not in my best interests and had an escalation in intrusive thoughts the next couple of days.

Feel like I’m at my limit some days but still need to keep pushing on.

Hope everyone else is doing okay?

@BlueVelvetine what did you decide re your meds?

@Maidenpink how’s things? I know it’s early days but any improvement on the HRT?

Hi @polelynn, great to hear from you. I've tried and failed to write a post the past couple of days but thankfully less busy today.

Great to hear you say you feel you're consolidating at the moment. Sorry about being drawn into the C-hole ... maybe even that's a sign you're stronger as before you would've completely avoided. Uptick in intrusive thoughts to be expected. I wanted to ask you where you are with getting the vaccine, I know that's a real biggie for you. I know you'll be okay though, the progress you've made is excellent.

Where to begin with me! I'm still on a hormonal rollercoaster. I'm day 26 of my cycle and having felt better first couple of weeks pretty much the day after midcycle my mood crashed again. I had a GP call yesterday to discuss. She's advised me to come off Fluoxetine. Which was a blindsider as you can imagine. She was emphatic about the fact that my mood/anxiety issues at this time in life are hormonal, which is why the Fluoxetine hasn't worked very well for me. I said I really don't know if I can do without an AD though and she said an SNRI seems to be better in perimenopausal women and we can look at that. But she's given me a 6 week taper to come off and really stressed that my main issue right now is getting my oestrogen to a level that my mood is more stable through the month.

I feel as though I went through hell in those early weeks/months of Fluoxetine but in the end it didn't deliver. It's been 5 months now. The GP explained that SSRIs don't work well for hormonal mood and anxiety problem and Fluoxetine in particular as it's an activating kind can exacerbate anxiety. I have to say this squares with my experience of how it impacted on those premenstrual weeks throughout this, I've never known anxiety like it. I'm bummed because of course I stuck with it despite how hard it was and I haven't had the pay off. So now another new phase for me. @polelynn I wonder if because you were already established on HRT if it worked differently for you? It certainly worked better for me the time I was on it prior to being peri. I'm really nervous of doing this and placing a lot of trust in my GP. But I feel deep down I have to admit it hasn't been that great for me. Fear of change isn't a good reason to keep going with something that isn't working well.

Xxx

Wow, that’s certainly food for thought for you @Maidenpink, and to an extent me too, thus the delay in my reply.

Yes I was established on HRT for about 15 months before starting on fluoxetine and the anxiety most definitely pre-dates both. My OCD traits are certainly post HRT, however with a more educated mind I can see these traits in my daughter, though she is battling with hormones too. My God, they have a lot to answer for don’t they....

I’ve not had my vaccine however my son is eligible for his from next week so I’m 75% sure I’m going to go along with him to a drop in centre and have it done too. I’ll let you know. I still struggle with the coercion surrounding the vaccine and how we all seem to require it to get back to ‘normal’
but recognise that that’s partly due to my tendency to over-think.

Had a couple of challenging days but more able to manage those now which I feel is a combination of the fluoxetine and CBT and my as my therapist says, my bucket not being quite so full.

So the SNRI’s, are they a non-activating kind?

X

Glad to hear you're managing so much better @polelynn. I think your concerns over the vaccine are reasonable, it is not a 100% bullet proof solution. I guess I took it in the spirit of civic responsibility, it weirdly made me feel more connected and empowered because I was part of a wider attempt to change things. It's one of those 'on balance I decided to go for it ...' decisions I think.

I was conscious I didn't want what's happening with me to derail yours or anyone else's experience with Fluoxetine. Bit like the vaccine, I'm not super confident that coming off is the definitive right thing but I'm giving it a try because I've been advised to and I'm still not well. It's ironic that it wasn't too long ago that I was wondering if I needed to increase dose, now I'm coming off. Perhaps all of us have a tendency to a greater or lesser extent towards obsessions and these big hormonal events life birth and menopause can tip us into something unmanageable. I don't know. I did hear from a woman on another forum who was diagnosed with OCD at 50 during meno having never had it before. I don't think I'm done with ADs but I'm not sure what comes next for me.

Re SNRIs, this appears to be something my GP has seen in her work with menopausal women (she previously worked at a sexual/women's health clinic I think). I think Fluoxetine, even out of the SSRI family, is one of the most activating. But it is specifically licensed for OCD which is why I think I was prescribed it several years ago and you now. I don't know that SNRIs are hugely different, they are serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, the norepinephrine component must be what makes the difference. I wish I understood it all more but I don't know that doctors do either exactly.

Had quite a bad day yesterday, very low. Day 27 of my cycle now and 2 nights of Utrogestan to go. My sleep has been better on the whole so I think that must be a good sign. I went up to 3 pumps of gel on Tuesdsy too.

I'm off for dip this morning. I hope you have a lovely day. X

Good morning ladies, how are you?

Sorry again for being missing. As ever I have been trying to read when I can but haven't been on for ages.

Wee update from me - I started back at work this week, been up and down anxiety wise but got through it. My 6 sessions of therapy have finished and it has really helped.

My issue is still the fluexotine. I need to speak to the doctor about either coming off altogether or upping the dosage. I ended up not taking one on Wednesday as I'd ran out and needed to get my prescription after work. I noticed I was fine all day but the next day after taking one I felt quite anxious at work 🤔 maybe all in my head but it's making me question it.

Fluoxetine**