Hand hold for fluoxetine increase

[overthinkersanonnymus]

I'm going for it tomorrow. Increasing my 20mg to 30mg after 10 years and I'm absolutely terrified.

I'm going to run a bit of a diary on this thread to hopefully look back on and monitor my progression and side effects

Wish me luck!!

@cookies92
Only since the start of 2021.
It has changed my life - seriously.
I was sick (physically as well as psychologically) with fear, panic and anxiety.

@cookies92
Just to add, I can relate to being physically sick in the night. It was definitely worse at night.

@BagpussBagpussOldFatFurryCatpuss that's so good to hear its changed your life. I know we are on different tablets but how long did your side effects last? Are they better now?

Yep that's me, physically and mentally ill right now :(

@cookies92
I remember feeling spaced out for about a month after starting fluoxetine. Luckily it was the school holidays and I have grown up DC so I spent a lot of time sleeping in the day.
I was ill with anxiety and panic disorder for several years before that and sickness was always a part of it.
I was ill in my late teens and late 20s too.
Wish I had been prescribed fluoxetine back then.

I hope you can find a solution- it’s not good is it?

@BagpussBagpussOldFatFurryCatpuss were you ever on anything else? The sickness is the worst part for me as it makes me anxious to leave the house 😔 my youngest is 3 which is hellish

@cookies92
No, I’ve never tried anything else.
I’m wondering if I’ve misunderstood you though re. the sickness.

My anxiety and panic caused me to be physically sick, not the tablets.

Since being on them I still feel generally unsettled and fearful but I no longer spiral into the state of anxiety and panic which made me vomit. I no longer have the crushing feeling in my neck /chest that comes with panic.

Honestly, I can cope with feeling a bit fearful and the sleepless nights. It was awful before.

You have a lot going on with a little 3 year old ! Take one day at a time. Please believe me when I say you will be ok.

Sorry to hear you did not sleep much at all.
I got decent sleep but mine is the fall asleep ok but then awake at 3am and unable to go back to sleep variety. I take quite a few medications in the evening and they do send me off to sleep reliably.

The fluoxetine really helped my depression. But has anyone had this too? It also numbs me a bit? As in I’m not getting as down and hopeless feeling any more but I’m also not getting any highs. The happiest I feel is a ‘meh that’s nice’?

Can I join? I've been on Fluoxetine for 2 years, and I think I need an increase. We'll do it together x

@Discovereads that's 100% expected to feel like that. I didn't cry once during 2020. A massive global pandemic and I couldn't work up a tear. I told my doctor, and she said, "Yeah, most people really like that aspect of antidepressants. They don't have the highs but they don't have the lows either."

I told her that I don't want to be a numb robot, so she adjusted the meds until I felt a bit more human-like. It seems like everyone needs quite a personalised dose/ type of antidepressant and it's normal to take a while to get it right.

My doctor also said it's completely normal to plateau after a while once your body gets used to the dose, and it's really common to need adjustments to your dose/ type after a while. I'm so sorry everyone is going through this journey. It sucks.

Also, I hope you are all being so kind to yourselves. It's called a mental illness, and you deserve the same care and compassion you would give to anyone else with an illness xx

I found this online the other day, and it's the most important message I needed to hear this week. Hope it helps you too x

@BagpussBagpussOldFatFurryCatpuss oh no my anxiety makes me sick too! I can't tell right now if I'm sick from anxiety or the tablets (I'm a week in) but then it's apparently common for anxiety to increase during the first few weeks. I just can't wait to feel normal again! I'm fed up feeling sick :(

@Discovereads maybe you need to come down a dose? My friend was like that but she was a really high dose of sertraline. She came down and said she was able to experience emption again.

*emotion

@LimeWire welcome! It is awful dealing with this, but we will get through it!

@Discovereads
You are right about it having a bit of a numbing effect.
I also feel ‘Yes, that was nice’ rather than really happy but that’s fine.
I’d rather that than experience the awful lows day after day.
I would describe it as ‘calm & content’ ! 😄

Maybe. I am overdue for a medication review…

Calm and content is a good way of describing it. It’s not a bad empty numb. It’s liked wrapped in cotton wool numb.

Morning all and welcome to the new comers.

Ive woken up with physical tension in my body and face again but my mind feels ok. It's a vicious circle being so focused on my body tension and trying to to stay calm. I'm going to try having my meds at night instead and hopefully sleep through most of the adjustment

I knew I'd get some side effects increasing it this is just awful

Does anyone know If we can take calms with SSRI?

@overthinkersanonnymus pretty sure you can as its just herbal

My doctor described it as a ‘hand-hold’ -
I thought that made sense too! 😊

I have a dr appointment today going to ask for propanalol

Brill. I've heard it's amazing for physical symptoms. Keep us updated!

What was this @BagpussBagpussOldFatFurryCatpuss? Calms?

Sorry no, I was replying to @Discovereads and forgot to link their comment :
Calm and content is a good way of describing it. It’s not a bad empty numb. It’s liked wrapped in cotton wool numb.

Fluoxetine/ Prozac x

Thank you for starting this thread btw @overthinkersanonnymus and for letting us join in/hijack! 😊