Fluoxetine - Worse Before Better?

[Tempestteapot]

Hi, everyone!

I've not been around for a while as I had a major breakdown which meant I spent 11 days in hospital.

I was 'boarded out' of my own NHS area as no beds were available locally (not unusual) so I wasn't under my own psychiatrist.

He did however contact the hospital psychiatrist and agreed with her to SLOWLY titrate me up on liquid Fluoxetine.

Well - this didn't happen! The hospital psych. started 3 days at 10mg and then went straight to 20mg and then discharged me! I've seen my own psych. since and he was very dismayed that his instructions weren't followed.

So - I'm now day 18 on 20mg and my anxiety is through the roof, along with racing intrusive thoughts! I'm allowed just 2mg diazepam each morning to help (except it isn't) but will need to stop them soon so as not to create dependency (a joke really, as I don't feel you can become dependent on such a small dose)!

So - I'm very upset and struggling! I'm seeing my CPN today later who is coming to my home. I just don't know what to do - don't want to go back into hospital out of my area, so wondering if I can somehow stick this out and it'll get easier? Has anyone else got through the early start up of Fluoxetine and it helped? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated - thank you! xxxx

[1979ukmale]

Hi , I had Fluoxetine for 14 years , 20mg daily. Combined with Propranolol. Mostly to treat GAD, Generalised Anxiety Disorder. I swapped to Sertraline in 2013, 100 mg.... After visiting a private Psychiatrist, who confirmed that Sertraline was far more effective at treating Anxiety, especially Social Anxiety or GAD......

I also found from my research that Fluoxetine , although it improves mood, it also exaggerates the part of the brain connected to anxiety....

I found with Sertraline that i didn't need the propranolol any longer....Only for public speaking at work...

I had very bad sleeping issues in the past , like total insomnia , and also use occasionally Zolpidem (Ambien) .... which i recommend over Zopiclone (which causes horrible next day effects.)....

Disclaimer: Every human being has a different Genetic make up and psysiology , so SSRI's respond differently. You always get a period of bad anxiety for the first month... Then level our, you will find one day the lights come on, and your mood kicks in.

PS: Breakdown and 11 days in hospital should IMO be treated with 40 MG Prozac + 40*2 MG propranolol daily, tapering down to 20 mg prozac after 4 weeks , and then taken permanently.

10 mg is completely useless.

Please double check all of the above with your private Psychiatrist.

I would advise Sertraline instead of Prozac to anyone, purely based on research and my own experience.

Do not leave your mental health in the hands of the NHS, i was given the wrong meds for 14 years !! :)))

[Tempestteapot in reply to 1979ukmale]

Thank you so much for your kind reply, 1979! I am already suspecting that the fluoxetine is too 'activating'. I had previously tried Sertraline though at a low dose and had to stop after 10 days due to severe agitation including compulsive suicidal thoughts!

I'm finding this period of start up extremely uncomfortable! I was however at one time successfully treated for depression for 10 years with 20mg Fluoxetine, but anxiety was not the major issue that it is for me now.

I'm thinking of switching to a private psych. as although I like my NHS psychiatrist, I don't feel as if I've received proper treatment/diagnosis and my current situation has been on going for 4 years now under the NHS (mostly unmedicated apart from the attempt at Sertraline and now Fluoxetine).

Thank you once again for taking the time to reply!