Fluoxetine side effects

[Guest sloopy]

Hello all,

I have been on 20mg of fluoxetine for 3 weeks so far. I was just wondering if anyone has had any similar side effects as me. I know they take 4 - 6 weeks to properly kick in but the last week or so I have felt emotionally dead. If I get intrusive thoughts, my lack of feeling for anything makes them seem much more realistic and that I would do something bad as I feel nothing whatsoever.

Other than that, I have usual tiredness but just seem to feel like hiding away each day. I am lucky enough to be starting a new job next week and have to be more with the living for it. I just can't find a way to snap out of feeling like a zombie.

Any thoughts or experiences of fluoxetine are most welcome

[taurean]

It made me feel like a zombie with permanent diarrhoea, and I couldn't get above 20mg so felt no benefit - the psychiatrist said I would need to get up to 40mg in due course but the side effects for me precluded it.

I believe they are very individual though. My blood relative sister has no trouble with this medication and finds it really helps with her OCD.

Edited September 22, 2014 by taurean

[Imhotep]

I've been on for 4 weeks now, I can see an improvement. It hasn't changed my obsessions (in fact they have got more disturbing, but that's not due to the meds I believe). It's true that the numbness is rather troubling at first, but then you realise that it is just the meds doing their work at alleviating the anxiety. Imagine how you'd be without them? I would be shaking all day if it weren't for the pills.

[Guest AJ45]

All I can remember of my time on fluoxetine is sitting on the sofa completely zoned out . Def relate to the zombie description.

Citalopram suited me better!

[Guest lizinlondon]

Funnily enough I got loads of energy from it, so much that I have to take.something else to calm me down!

You need to give it 3 months for it to work properly and get to 40mg which is the right dose for OCD.

At first I had loads of side effects and no benefits but 3 months on it has started to help. It makes me stronger to resist my compulsions and I do not get as stressed when I am triggered.

If you find it too difficult to tolerate check in with your doc. Good luck!

[Guest heartplace]

Don't be surprised if you start having crazy dreams or disturbing nightmares! I'm on 40mg of it, was just on 20mg a couple of weeks ago, and it's definitely the most troubling side effect to me. Other than that I feel better on fluoxetine than I did paroxetine, but I'm wondering if there's something out there that might work better for me.

[Guest Tricia]

You need to give it 3 months for it to work properly and get to 40mg which is the right dose for OCD.

At first I had loads of side effects and no benefits but 3 months on it has started to help. It makes me stronger to resist my compulsions and I do not get as stressed when I am triggered.

I agree with Liz about the three months. Unfortunately the unpleasant, unwanted effects, seem to appear quickly, but the beneficial ones can take many weeks. Also, the side effects we notice early on usually improve or go away altogether. Most people I know need 60 mg at least to help with their OCD - 40 is often not sufficient. Obviously the dose is increased gradually.

I found the drug helped my OCD, but I did experience an unusal side-effect of hair loss.