Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Mental health

Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you have medical concerns, please seek medical attention.

Original poster

Fluoxetine Buddies!! - there will be a group for every AD at this rate!

170 replies

NattyThomasandEllen · 21/01/2008 17:58

hey guys
saw there were some other "buddie" groups but couldnt find one for Fluoxetine. if there is one point me in the direction and i apologise for taking up cyberspace lol

i went on these a week ago, and was told they take three weeks to kick in, anyone else out there on the same ones?

OP posts:
Original poster
NattyThomasandEllen · 04/02/2008 21:18

i havent put weight on ive had the opposite problem, ive dropped loads of weight. gone down 2 dress sizes in the month ive been taking them. this is down to the lack of appitite side effect though, i just cant bring myself to eat at the moment.
i def hear u about the drink or drugs, and b4 taking these i was drinking rather alot in the evenings, which im sure being a depressant WASNT helping at all..

i would say im using the AD to improve MY interactions with my family, because it was MY behaviour causing alot of the family troubles, i just didnt realise until i stopped behaving like it! (IUSWIM!)

OP posts:
mizzmum · 04/02/2008 21:34

Hi, I'm new to this too! Currently into 2nd week. Feels rather bizarre, little improvement and no side effects which I can't get my head around! Are they working??Good to find this thread, very reassuring thanks!

GrinningSoul · 06/02/2008 00:32

sometimes i worry that the thing that caused me to have this problem is already affecting my children. because even though i'm happy as the day is old, (at 12.30am), my dcs are very miserable. my dd is 4 and wakes up, reluctantly, every morning by crying and roaring I HATE YOU. STUPID. leave me alone. come back. i don't want you. go away. stay here. after about half an hour she's ok, but in the meantime it's like walking on eggs. is that the phrase? and my ds is 8 and cries a lot in utter rage when things (eg homework, psp games) go wrong. i don't think these are normal and i don't think i'm causing them (any more) though about 2 years ago i might have felt iw was the cause. any views?

Divastrop · 06/02/2008 22:35

GS-i dont know,but my ds1 has anxiety problems and has been seeing a child psychologist etc.i always think its because of me being depressed when he was small.he also gets upset and/or angry when things go wrong.i think its partly his personality,but i am going to do play therapy with him later in the year when ive finished my CBT group.

is your 4 year old just not a morning person?my dd1 is 9 but she always takes ages to wake up,and before we go to school you can guarantee she will have told me she hates me and that i'm the worst mum in the world at least once!if your dd is fine for the rest of the day then i would just put it down to not liking waking up,and dont worry about it.(i dont speak to my dd1 in the morning apart from reminding her of the time or giving her direct orders like 'get out of the bath' or 'get your coat on').

LilRedWG · 20/02/2008 09:06

Hi - can I join you please? My dose has just been upped to 60mg for the short term.

I had possibly one of my worst days ever yesterday and poor DD found me sat on the kitchen floor, cleaning up some spilt water, crying. The poor little love is only 21 months, but she came up to me and started to stroke and pat my back and then peeked at me under my hair and smiled - I am so blessed with her and need to beat this for her sake!

Phatmouse · 21/02/2008 23:23

Hi people, I have been feeling down since I had my daughter in December 06 but didn't relise I was depressed until I was 20 weeks pregnant with my son who I had in january this year, so I now have a 14 month old and a 4 week old.

I'm on day four and am not suprised to see there has been no improvment yet but I am starting to wonder if i'm just not a very nice person anymore. I'm fine with the kids but DH gets it in the neck every day and I hate everyone in the world, i'm so angry all the time, everyones an idiot, am i actually depressed or just a right cow, I used to quite like people.

whateverhappened · 25/02/2008 16:15

hello - I'm on day 1. Feeling sick, but I felt sick anyway, and wonderfully good at giving myself symptoms if I think hard enough about something. on 20 mg, but would like to have a third child, but not sure if that's advisable on this. Thought i'd better get myself sorted first though - not much point in having three kids and being a basket case... Feeling pretty bleugh though - mega fed up. Convinced my doctor thinks I'm a dysfunctional freak, though I'm sure he sees lots of those... Just keeping my fingers crossed I feel better soon really. I'm not hanging, but not v good either.

SlugsNSnails · 25/02/2008 16:20

I was on fluoxetine before having DD. I can't remember what it did though - I don't remember if it just stopped me feeling so low, or if it let me feel the highs too.

Does that make sense?

I am low, very low a lot lately, but I am wary of going back on ADs if it just makes me even out completely because I would rather put up with the lows and keep the highs, than float along mediocre all the time.

bluefox · 26/02/2008 14:17

Hi can I join? Am on 2nd day but seen on the news and in the papers that these dont work except in the worst cases of depression. Are some of us wasting our time then?

SlugsNSnails · 26/02/2008 14:23

I know it helped me, and I was on the lowest dose possible.

At the end of the day - does it matter how they work (placebo or otherwise) as long as you feel they are working?

Can anyone answer my mediocre question below - trying to make decisions

whateverhappened · 26/02/2008 20:37

HI Slugs, I was on lofepramine previously - was convinced it wouldn't work but it did - so bang goes the placebo theory. I just remember feeling so much happier - I definitely felt highs, and wasn't mediocre at all - just not miserable, which was actually a very nice change.

SlugsNSnails · 26/02/2008 20:42

Thank you I think I may make that appointment...

Kaz1967 · 26/02/2008 21:25

whateverhappened I have been on Fluoxetine/Prozac for 5 yearsand I am nearly 19 weeks pregnant. My consultant says I don't have to come off them but I would like to. It is obviously best not to take anything while pregnant but if you are on something then this is one of the safer ones. The main problems that have been recorded are the baby can be a little twitchy after delivery and may need some extra support.

I have been reducing the dose with my GP and now on half of what I was at Christmas (yipee ) although the depression was coming back so I have stopped for a while at least.

When you first start taking them it is very common to suffer from some of the side effects and an exacerbation of the symptoms you have been having normally this lasts about 7 days and then these tend to reduce. The literature says you feel better from about 2 weeks most people including me it was more like 4-6 weeks but they do not suit every one so keep in touch with your GP and if your symptoms become distressing ring them and talk through.

wiggleit · 27/02/2008 18:21

I've been on fluoxetine for years and honestly believe they have saved my life. I was soooooo depressed, suicidal at times. I was too worried about the stigma of being on them to stay on them at first but now i don't give a stuff! My doctor quite rightly pointed out that who needs to know you are on them for a start but also if they help with your depression then why stop taking them? If i had something like arthritis or a heart problem and had to pop a pill everyday no-one would bat an eyelid! So what's the difference apart from this illness is in my head and not an organ or limb. If it helps take it. I have no intentions of coming off it any time soon. It keeps me on an even keel.

monkeybutler · 27/02/2008 21:38

Hello Slugsandsnails (and everyone else). I took Prozac from Jan last year to Jan this year and they saved my marriage and my relationship with children. I came off them slowly over the last few weeks as the situation at home has improved so much (dropped the night shifts and getting much more sleep). Felt sick going onto them and sick coming off them but fine now. Slugs - in answer to your mediocre question. I was just the same, felt like my ability to FEEL anything had been affected. Like the drug was letting my brain have time off to recover from its 'trauma'. When I felt ready to feel the lows as well as the highs I weaned myself off. Sex drive back with a vengence, I lose my temper more than when I was on prozac but I also feel more of the positives again.

There is a lot written about the limbic system in the brain which is very carefully balanced system of hormones and elcrtical impulses etc. Repeated 'trauma' like extreme stress and hormonal changes (ringing any bells??) can 'break' this system like any other part of the body. Prozac felt to me like my head was having some time off to heal. The trick seems to be knowing if and when you are healed as such.

monkeybutler · 27/02/2008 21:43

Also all this about 'talking' therapy being better is fine if the patient has time to spend doing it. One of my problems was having no help with DC - I would have had to find two hours and have my therapy whilst laying on couch with a 4 and a 3 year old! how relaxing - and waiting list was 8 months. I couldve lost my marriage and childrens respect in that time never mind the other thoughts I was having. Rant over, off to eat toast.

Kaz1967 · 28/02/2008 01:20

monkeybutler me too all the anti d's I have been prescribed have evened out my emotions a bit Prozac and the other SSRI I was prescribed did not do it to the same extent as molipaxin which I was on years back. One thing that never went though was my sex drive depression made me want it more (I wonder if it was a reassurance thing) and so did Prozac and pregnancy well

twinsetandpearls · 02/03/2008 20:55

I am on my second day and feel worse than I did before.

I have a pain/tightness in my chest, a funny tingling in my fingers and I just can't keep still. Dd had some friends round to play before and it made me so stressed that I could feel my heart pounding.

Dp is quite worried and wants to go to A and E.

sherby · 02/03/2008 21:02

twinset, could it be anxiety?

I used to get the tingling in my fingers and manic kind of feeling when I was very anxious

Hope you feel better soon

Kaz1967 · 02/03/2008 21:15

twinsetandpearls this could be side effcts or increased anxiety give NHS direct a ring 0845 46 47 or as DP suggests go to A&E

twinsetandpearls · 02/03/2008 21:39

I did not know that tingling in fingers could be due to anxiety.

Am putting off calling NHS direct as they always just send you to A and E and I can't face going to the hospital again.

sherby · 31/03/2008 09:32

Is this thread still going?

Took my first tablet last night (they've been sitting on the bathroom shelf since Oct!)

Really feeling quite positive about it, there are no medals for suffering I suppose!

sherby · 31/03/2008 15:42

Am I the only crazy left then

sherby · 31/03/2008 20:05

no, no takers

whateverhappened · 31/03/2008 21:21

nah, I'm crazy too - been 5 weeks now, and doing ok, though my stomach is still wrecked.