Fluoxetine and twitching

[Bilbo]

Hello all,

First time posting on an anxiety forum here. I have been prescribed many things over the years (Effexor, zoloft, celexa, and many more) and am currently taking Fluoxetine. When I first went on it I was prescribed 20 mg and it didn't seem to be helping so I went on 40 mg. I developed muscle spasms and twitching (mostly in my legs but also in my arms, fingers, sometimes my abdomen, shoulder, etc). I thought it was Seratonine syndrome so I called my doctor and went down on it. Since then my anxiety has been completely unmanagable. Panic attacks weekly, crawling feeling in my skin, horrible obsessions about my future, etc. When I went back he said that the twitching was anxiety related and that the 40 mg Fluoxetine would help.

Well, after only 4 days of the 40 mg dose the twitching is back. Other than the twitching, I think I do actually feel better on the higher dose (I know, 4 days is not enough time at all) but I just hate the twitching.

Will the twitching get better over time? Is it bad for my body?

I was also prescribed Inderal but after reading a lot about it, I'm afraid to take it because of the way it affects your heart rate and blood pressure.

What do you all think? Do I stick it out with the 40 mg or drop to 20 mg and try to just get through the horrible anxiety?

[Enduronman]

Welcome Bilbo!

Prozac is awesome (many good reports here and abroad)...very mild, a few people here have been taking this and also just started this too. Good effects overall.
PLEASE take the propanolol!..That is what it's for...to stop the damn anxiety, stop the twitching, many, many people here take it, and stop reading side effects too!
(If I read my side effects sheet, you don't wanna know what they say..I'm still here)
Also, be sure that your diet is in check (not athelete levels) but solid and take a vitamin each day too (certain meds can deplete the body of certain vitamins and minerals) which sounds like your issue to begin with. Anxiety+depleted minerals+you're not taking your Inderal=The answer to your question...

Great to have a new member too!

Merry Christmas friend.

TAH...:)

[Bilbo]

Thanks for the advice. My Doc actually recommended taking the Inderal first and then going up on Prozac if that didn't work but the Inderall scared me too bad so I went up on Prozac. I might jut go back to 20 mg for a while and then up on Inderal and follow his original orders. Is it not bad that it is a Beta-Blocker? When I realized it was a heart medicine it scared me since I am only 29 years old.

Also, I eat very, very healthy. My wife cooks only organic (and very healthy!) foods. I exercise but probably not as much as I should. I am 6'2" 185 lbs so I am pretty healthy as far as that goes, but I do take vitamins as well as probiotics (again, my wife is a health nut and pushed them on me!)

Is the Inderal something I can take someone PRN? Like if I am having a bad bout of anxiety can I take it for a few weeks and then slowly taper off if I get it under control? The thought of staying on a beta blocker at my age scares me and I have been on medicine for so long that I don't want to add something new to it.

[SamC]

Hey Bilbo

I've been taking propanalol (beta blocker) for 6 years and its great, takes like 4 weeks + to regulate in your system but it really does work good and ive had no side effects. I understand your worry tho it took me 3 months to take it coz i made the HUGE mistake of reading the instructions but when i worked up the courage it was actually fine and did help, i've been pretty much anxiety free for 3 years but still take 40mg 1 time a day and its fine....

Dont know if its an option but you could always check with your doc see if you can split the dose? ie instead of taking 1 40mg tablet take 1 20mg morning and 1 20mg evening, might help to maintain the dose better as im pretty sure they hit there peak in 4 hours or something so spacing it out might help if you find 40mg too strong at once but 20mg too weak?

Do try and stick on it tho as it will help tremendously when it regulates in your blood usually 4-6 weeks for full effect, and your dose is not high so dont be afraid that its a beta blocker i started taking them at 22 years old and they really dont make you feel any different just take the edge of the anxiety, its a good thing and this comes from someone whos main fear is taking medication so please dont worry about it

I dont know anything abot inderal as propanalol was enough for me it is all i have ever taken but if the doc recommends it then might be worth a try but would try the 2 20mg a day first if of course your doc says its fine :)

[Enduronman]

Beta blockers are EXACTLY what 90% of this forums uses to help with their anxiety friend..honestly. It is not just a heart medicine, it (as well as all the other beta blockers) are used to treat anxiety..I will post a link for you when we're finished here. He didn't prescribe it because your heart is bad bruh. In fact, he's a sharp Doc from my perspective here.

Since you're starting out on the Prozac now, then go ahead and take the Inderall too and as he said, yes maybe stick with the 20mg Prozac and then the Inderall ...That may have been your ticket from the start. I take beta blockers daily, it stops the "panic" symptoms. Hence=blocking the adrenal dump into your system...

Yes, you can taper off at any time. Non addictive (except maybe psychologically) because you'll be less likely to panic at all.. Inderall is a great med, so is the Prozac too. This is what I think all MD's should start with anyway..LOL!

Beta blockers actually make heart attacks less likely too, does that sounf like a benefit bro? And, no chest pains either (angina)?....

I would take em, then you'll wish you had already! :)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propranolol

Have a great day Bilbo...

E-Man. :)

[backdoc]

Good advice E-Man