Fluoxetine

[discocole]

I started Fluoxetine 5 weeks ago...this is the first medication I have ever taken for anxiety/panic attacks. The first few days I had a few physical side effects, which subsided. Now, I've been dealing with mood swings ever since. Typically, my mood is pretty consistent. Being on meds, I've noticed I fluctuate between having a really good day(feeling really calm and like my old self), to feeling so depressed I want to die, to feeling anxious. This is not normal for me...I expected the mood swings within the first couple weeks of starting the medication, but I would think that after 5 weeks I should have balanced out by now. I hate this fluctuating back and forth crap. I would almost rather be anxious and depressed every day, instead of being teased with a really good day and then crashing into feeling so depressed that I have suicidal thoughts. Has anyone else ever experienced this on an SSRI? I should also probably add that I'm only taking 5mg of Fluoxetine, because I'm very sensitive to medication. I'm thinking of increasing it to 10mg, but I'm worried it's just going to make the mood swings and depression worse. I'm starting to wonder if it was a big mistake starting meds and if I should just go back to doing everything naturally. I should have known feeling better on meds was too good to be true.

[alankay]

Give it about two more weeks. Then rethink it all. Alankay

[Christopher H.]

I just want to quickly say that I agree with alankay. Try and fight through it and give it some time.

Hi discocole, my very first anxiety medicine prescribed to me was Fluoxetine. I'm not trying to rub anything in your face or anything I just want to give you my experience of when I first started taking the drug. Basically this is the magic wonder drug that turned my life upsidedown for the better. It allowed me to finally be a lot lest anxious and not really care what other people thought about me. However, even though it really improved my life it made me dead emotion wise. I was at a constant state of being happy, nothing made me sad nor happier, and I can no longer enjoy the things that once brought me so much happiness like I did before. During the first couple months I also would stay up for 3 days straight because the medicine did not let me sleep no matter what I did. But after a couple of months most of negative side effects went away that like the doctor said. The insomnia went away but the deadened emotions are here to stay unfortunately for me. Anyways, I am now on Celexa and although it is not as efficient as Fluxotine it allows me to feel more emotions. Maybe Fluoxetine isn't the drug for you? Meds can make you feel better you just have to ride the drug train, which is taking a bunch of different meds until you find out which one works for you. There are also different ways of tackling your anxiety without the use of meds, just do whatever works for you. Hang in there and I hope everything works out for you medication and anxiety wise!

[calimel]

Sometimes the first medicine they give you is not always the best one for your particular body chemistry. I would suggest talking to your doctor. Maybe this one isn't right for you? Or maybe the dose needs to be adjusted. Sometimes too little is worse than not enough.

[Kevcules]

Fluoxetine is Prozac. That was the first SSRI I was given years ago after trying many of them and it worked for my depression really well. The side effect of these drugs for most guys any ways is a decreased,to no sex drive at all. Getting an erection wasn't even possible sometimes.
I tried that drug for years now , going off and on because of the sexual side effects and finally am now on Wellbutrin which is supposed to have zero sexual side effects. It's working OK.... I just wanted to mention like what was stated above , try other drugs. Everyone is different.
My doctor told me many times that out of all the depression and anxiety drugs he gives out, Prozac was the the very lowest on the list. That's an old drug and most of the new ones work way better. Effexor comes to mind but my body didn't like one either... Good luck and try something new, you will have good results!

Take Care!

[Vickyclare]

I started Fluoxetine 5 weeks ago...this is the first medication I have ever taken for anxiety/panic attacks. The first few days I had a few physical side effects, which subsided. Now, I've been dealing with mood swings ever since. Typically, my mood is pretty consistent. Being on meds, I've noticed I fluctuate between having a really good day(feeling really calm and like my old self), to feeling so depressed I want to die, to feeling anxious. This is not normal for me...I expected the mood swings within the first couple weeks of starting the medication, but I would think that after 5 weeks I should have balanced out by now. I hate this fluctuating back and forth crap. I would almost rather be anxious and depressed every day, instead of being teased with a really good day and then crashing into feeling so depressed that I have suicidal thoughts. Has anyone else ever experienced this on an SSRI? I should also probably add that I'm only taking 5mg of Fluoxetine, because I'm very sensitive to medication. I'm thinking of increasing it to 10mg, but I'm worried it's just going to make the mood swings and depression worse. I'm starting to wonder if it was a big mistake starting meds and if I should just go back to doing everything naturally. I should have known feeling better on meds was too good to be true.

I have recently been changed from Fluoxetine to Cipralex because of the mood swings I was having. I could be on top of the world one minute and the next my world was ending. The doc did try me on an increased dose at first but I was worse so im in the dreaded process of tapering off and changing atm. If this particular medication isn't suiting you speak with your gp. There are loads of different ones and everyone is different. Xxx