Fluoxetine (Prozac)

[Frenchielover97]

Has anybody taken fluoxetine for anxiety? My pcp just prescribed it to me...

[kenster1]

my mrs takes them.

[tjs2112]

My PCP also prescribed fluoxetine to me for my anxiety. I would suggest going over expectations with your PCP, as not everyone responds the same way. I took it for a few days and got off of it, as it wasn’t for me. I am not currently on any medication.

I would also suggest taking some time everyday to monitor your thoughts. Try to see if there are common thoughts that occur before your anxiety starts. Challenge those thoughts if you can. An example would be that you feel dizzy and anxious at work whenever you have to talk to your coworkers. Maybe before talking to them you are subconsciously telling yourself, “They think I’m stupid. I can’t talk to them. They don’t like me”. You could challenge that thought by asking for the evidence behind that.

You could also challenge that thought by constantly asking, “Ok, if they think I’m dumb, what does that mean to me”. And then you answer, “if I’m dumb they won’t respect me”. and do it again, “if they don’t respect me, I have no self worth”. Again, “if I have no self worth, I’m useless and life isn’t worth living”. At that point, you’ve reached the very worst scenario, and you can try to look at each of these thoughts, and see how they are distorted. “If these people at work don’t like me, do I REALLY have no self worth? What about my other qualities? What about other people who like me?” This is a form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and that has helped me.

I also suggest researching mindfulness meditation to see if it’s for you. There are studies where those with anxiety had an fMRI done, and the three areas of the brain responsible for holding onto negative thoughts, pain, etc., are the default mode network. Traditionally, on the other side of the brain, there are three areas responsible for awareness that are the default mode. Mindfulness meditation has been shown to (slowly) move your default mode back to the awareness network.

Long story long, I’m not a doctor, take my advice as just a friend who also has anxious tendencies telling you what worked for me. I wish you all the best luck with your journey. It really will all be ok.

[Hidden in reply to tjs2112]

Can I ask what your experience of fluoxetine was ? I came off it after a few days too and the results of me taking it ended in a huge argument with my neighbours, who I have previously always got along with, I was convinced they moved their fence, I turned into the neighbour from hell, I have a work place out of town that I have boot holes in, I haven't been home since, I'm so embarrassed, I keep thinking to write them a letter and explain that my outburst was a result of medication, but then I don't want them thinking I'm scary and unpredicateble. I will never forget the puzzled look on the neighbours face when I was raging saying they had moved the fence, he was like where has this come from ? But I was convinced I was right, I called them every name under the sun, demanded to see their planning permission the lot. The scariest thing is I argued with the woman and I actually think if she hadn't locked the gate after she shouted something from the distance I would have actually hit her, bear in mind I'm not a violent person, my rage was scary. I will never take another antidepressant again, ever. I would rather be depressed than a danger to others.

[ba2354608]

Yes for 15 years had abode run and helped with depression panic anxiety