Fluoxetine not working?

[lumpyspacesky]

Hello all, I have suffered with very severe depression for about 5 years and was put on fluoxetine after years of trying in January much to my delight after the first month or so I started to feel a lot more motivated and optimistic but this seems to be wearing off? 5 months down the line and trying to get out of bed is once again harder and my thoughts are easily confused and clouded. Would it be worth speaking to my doctor about upping my dosage?

[MedStudent1]

What dosage are you on?

[lumpyspacesky in reply to MedStudent1]

20mg a day

[MedStudent1 in reply to lumpyspacesky]

cool. sounds kinda like my situation. im currently on 20mg. been on it for almost a year. feel the anxiety/depression coming back, went to the doc, doc said if i wanted i could go up to 40mg. I think i will bump up soon.

[Lostinmyself]

It really can't hurt to speak to your doctor. Struggling along and trying to cope is never a good idea. I hope you feel better soon and things start to look up again for you. X

[lumpyspacesky in reply to Lostinmyself]

Thank you for your kind words

[Photogeek]

Hi there definitely talk to your GP. Also do things for yourself that will

Help you, lots of sleep, good food and excercise. Tablets help but we still

Have to do lots ourselves to make us feel good.

Good luck and hope you feel better soon.

Hannah x

[lumpyspacesky in reply to Photogeek]

Thank you very much Hannah for your advice I try my best to eat healthy and roughly get 10 hours of sleep a night, although I find excersize very hard due to ongoing knee problems sadly I think regular excersize would benefit me a lot x

[Hidden]

Generally if your medication is not working after an extended period of time you need to see your GP. Only He is able to decide if it is not the depression or you need a new medication or talking therapy

Good luck

BOB

[lumpyspacesky in reply to Hidden]

Thank you x

[Hidden in reply to lumpyspacesky]

If you are having pain management problems, you may need further treatment with a physio, also an appointment with a Rhumatologist (excuse spelling). That may help you if NSID medications are given.

You need to treat the whole and a physio will arrange a course of treatment and exercise.

Have words with your GP see what He suggests, regarding knee

BOB

[Hidden]

hi there i'm on fluoxetine 10mg how do you take yours my doctor said both in the morning but i have one in the morning and the other at night, I've been on them now for just over six years and i find it better doing one in morning and one at night. i will be honest i feel better doing it this way than what my doctor told me, i did tell my doctor about the way i was taking it and his said whatever works best, ask your doctor before doing what i do and if he says it's ok then try it. please keep in touch just to see how you are doing. my name is Alan look forward to your reply.

[lumpyspacesky in reply to Hidden]

I take mine around lunch time although i get prescribed them ready in 20mg capsules so i cant take one twice a day i used to take them after i got home from work about about half 5 but i found they they gave me horrendous vivid nightmares that made me feel very anxious and worried all the time so switched to midday as when i took them on a morning i found i felt crappy around late evening

[Hidden in reply to lumpyspacesky]

hi thanks for getting back to me do you think it would help you if you took your first one before going to work and then your second one just before you go to bed, the reason i'm saying this is how I've find it works better for me that way than what the doctor said. would it be ok if you tried it that way just to see how you get on. please let me know if by trying it that way makes any difference look forward to your reply speak to you soon Alan.

[secondhandrose2]

Increasing your meds is one way of dealing with the depression - an alternative way would be to try to understand what is causing your depression - in other words WHY you are depressed. Once you understand why then you will be able to come to terms with the causes and move on. If that way feels good to you then counselling or psychotherapy are likely to be of more use and will probably be the only treatment that will bring long term relief and not leave you needing ever-increasingly higher doses of meds.xx

[lumpyspacesky in reply to secondhandrose2]

I would love to try psychotherapy but have never been reffered and do not know if it is a service that is provided where i live as for councelling i saw several from the age of 11 up until late last year (i am 17 now so it was around 6 years i went for) and never found it effective, meds was my very last option after trying many different councellors and CBT along with group therapy/art therapy I would like to think i wouldnt need a higher dose of meds but unfortuneately I feel it is the only way for now xx

[secondhandrose2]

Sorry to hear you didn't find therapy helpful, it isn't always, it really depends on whether the client is ready and the kind of therapy/ length of time that is offered, and then ultimately upon the kind of relationship that is formed with the therapist.

You saw people from the age of 11 which suggests your problems go back a long way and it may be that meds provide sufficient lift for you to cope with life without becoming lower. Often when problems go back to such an early age the only thing that really makes a difference are life experiences and relationships that provide support. Use the website for as much support as you need, it is great for that. My problems went back to childhood and from age 11 I was struggling to cope but it wasn't until I had children and realised I needed help that I was able to use it and move on from the past. Now I do sometimes feel low but NEVER feel depressed like I used to.

So there is hope and meds may enable you to keep emotionally at a reasonable level.

Suexx