Fluoxetine

[Emily1998]

Hello, im 26 with three kids, im a worrier by nature but last year 2023 around mid way through my pregnancy with my 3rd child i began experiencing anxiety and quite possibly depression too, fastforward to my daughter having been born 4 months ago and its just fot worse and worse, ive had periods of feeling ok and quite good but not myself who i was before the pregnancy, especially when my period has came, this time around have gone downhill quite fast, ive been toying with the idea i might have PND / anxiety for some time and had concinved myself otherwise for a while and told myself id get through it without medication, as in the past back in 2020 i was put on sertraline, mirtazepine, citalopram, and a few other meds and had extremely bad reactions to all of them and ended up suicidal unable to care for myself or my daughter (it was only her at the time she was 2), my husband had to take the reins while i got off it all but it made me unwell and quite traumatized for quite some time, but was happy and completely myself from early 2021 (through my sons pregnancy) until mid 2023. Ive decided i cant go on feeling like this becuase its affecting my family so much as im so miserable and anxious and just sometimes awful to be around (believe they call it postpartum rage im not sure) but i dont want to be that stressy, shouty mum anymore becuase i feel like im failing my kids who are 6, 2, and 4 months. My eldest is suspected ADHD / ASD and it quite violent towards us at times in meltdowns so is especially hard to deal with, and im seeing alot of her behaviours such as hitting rubbing off on my son, which is especially hard, but i cant help them learn to regukste their emotions unless i have it all together myself, most days i feel like an absolute failure of a mother and that im doing everything wrong which is exhaustinv, im petrified of trying antidepressants after previous reactions and not being able to be there for my kids how i should be but i had fkuoxetine when i was 17 and didnt have any side effects except geartburn so this is kinda ny last resort in the hope they'll help me back to my normal self, just writing this to see if i can get some support really as i have 0 family support whatsoever exceot for my husband but emotionally we all know men arent great but he tries his best bless him but those who have never experienced this will never understand, is there anyone whos been through similar that can support me through this? Ive taken the 1st one this morning and so far nothing in the way if reactions or sidr effects but i know the worst is yet to come

@GoodVibesHere what if i go through all this though, and they dont even work and i have to then go through withdrawal? Ive been there before and it wasnt nice at all im so scared 😭

@GoodVibesHere ive also got bad sweats, i just feel absolutely dreadful and not sure how im going to manage looking after the kids for weeks with these side effects

I've been on them, for the first couple of weeks I felt really tired and groggy and had a headache and felt more anxious so they exasperated my symptoms initially as part of my depression was sleeping so much. After that they made me feel much better. You may need them increased as 20mg is quite low. Stick with it op. In comparison my dd was put on sertraline and they also made her suicidal she had two attempts and never has any other time. I've tried to get her on fluoxetine but the docs are shit.

I started them in the February and in the October I went on holiday and forgot to take them, for a few days I felt a bit shit but not severely then I got some from a pharmacy and took 10mg then I took one every other day then every three days then every four then stopped. They weren't bad to withdraw from at all in comparison to my daughter on sertraline and since then I feel back to myself again and I've even gone through a horrific last year. It doesn't mean you'll be on them forever but give them a chance and hopefully they will help.

I thought that too, but I decided to take the risk and hope that it would be worth it in the end. I had sweats too and a shaky feelin, with a strange feeling of impending doom and a bit paranoid/scared. Not nice at all. Keep reminding yourself it's your body and mind adjusting to the medication and it will pass. Slow down, take deep breaths, look after yourself.

@GoodVibesHere how bad were you before you started taking it can i ask? Feel like an absolute failure of a mother atm, my kids deserve so much better 😭

I used to be like this. I still am. It worked within a few weeks for me, I am on 60mg but my stupid brain has relapsed and I'm getting ECT. Are you involved with perinatal mental health services since your baby is only 4 months?

Isnt ECT pretty extreme? & nope, they said i wasnt unwell enough like 4 times becuase i was functioning, now im barley functioning so might ask GP for another refferal xx

I mean I was suffering pretty badly with anxiety and panic attacks, I had to stop work for a while. My DH pulled his weight with my kids but I was definately not functioning fully before the Fluoxetine and struggling to manage work, housework, kids. There's a 2yr gap between my DC and it's hard when they're young - you're in the hardest stage now with a 2yr old and 4month old, If I'd had another one aswell I'd have been a nervous wreck so I can imagine it is hard for you.

Im feeling so much worse not sure i can go on feeling this bad tbh, ive had to get my husband out of bed becuase i feel like i cant function

Stuff this, i cant tolerate feeling this bad im not taking any more xx

Well yes your husband needs to step up and help you out even if it means him taking over for a few days while you rest.

Yeah it's basically a last resort 🥹 if you feel you are at risk to yourself or that then please go up to A&E xx

Im so awful to my kids atm proper shouting constantly becuase they are fighting im considering being put into a mother & baby unit until im better

Your just unwell hun. My youngest is now 7 and I had bad PND with him. It does get better, even though I'm still being brain zapped twice a week 😅

Be kind to yourself, get back on the phone to perinatal, your GP or even take yourself up to hospital if your feeling your a risk to yourself.

If it makes you feel any better my house is like a wwe wrestling ring sometimes, im forever shouting at mines because of their cheekiness xx

I hope you're ok OP. I know you're in a tough place right now. It will get better.

@GoodVibesHere i dont think this is gunna get better, ive been awake since 2:30am heart beating fast, palpitations, sweats, my whole body feels awful

Have you contacted nhs 24 or an emergency app?

I went to my local MH centre and was assessed by the intensive team who are asling perinatal MH to contact me asap, i didnt take one yesterday and felt abit better for it, but today i feel awful like im not even on this planet

That's good, I'm glad you are getting the help you need and deserve hun ❤️

Im extremely agitated, restless, panicking