Fluoxetine for Major Depressive Disorder User Reviews (Page 4)

• Insom...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 9, 2017

Prozac (fluoxetine) "I'm 18 and have suffered from major anxiety and depression causing frequent panic attacks for roughly two years. I've been on Prozac for four nights now and whilst it is to early to tell if the drug will help me, I am experiencing some side effects. In the last four nights I've had about eight hours of sleep and constant head aches. On my first day I felt drowsey and unfocused and after that I think it was a combination of depression, Prozac and lack of sleep. I'm hoping these will wear off in time like I've been told but don't know if they will come back again (if they go away at all) if my GP ups my dosage from 1/2 a tablet to 1 a night. I don't know if anyone else has experienced this but I plan to ask my GP at my next appointment."

• Livin...
• March 29, 2018

Prozac (fluoxetine) "I have been on this medication almost a year taking 60mg once a day. These are the side effects I have noticed. It seems to cause memory loss (I had a photo graphic memory) and insomnia. This may be what is causing the fatigue. I have gotten so fatigued since starting this medication that it interferes with my ability to function normally. I feel like it has also taken away my ability to truly feel my emotions. NOTHING bothers me anymore and if it does, it is for a very short time then I seem to forget it bothered me at all. This is good in someways and not in others. I now have to take other medications to counteract the side effects of this medication. Not sure what I’m going to do as far as staying on it. It has not caused weight gain for me and the side effects I listed are really the only I have noticed but they are severe and effect me on a daily basis."

• Rayqu...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 31, 2018

Prozac (fluoxetine) "Similarly to big pharma's lies about drug efficacy these reviews are the same allowing only positive responses almost like white washing... Well after 8 months on prozac 20mg I had some motivation, enough to stay in the house every day and do basic things. I suppose a numbed brain is a positive, & hypersensitivity, hypomania, impulsiveness, depersonalisation. The list is endless.. This medication was not for me I tried 40mg it caused severe gastric reflux."

• Mothe...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 3, 2018

Prozac (fluoxetine) "Prozac did relieve my symptoms of depression fairly quickly (within 2 weeks) upon beginning administration, and noticeable improvement of my overall mood and wellbeing occurred. However, I experienced a significant decrease in sexual desire, and also was completely unable to achieve sexual climax while taking the medication. I then experienced 3 episodes of "esophagitis" or horrible pains in chest/throat/stomach that felt like a bolus of food trapped in my throat. The pain was so debilitating that I was forced to discontinue use. I would recommend this medication for the treatment of depression, however the side effects are personally too painful for me."

• Jim
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 3, 2021

Prozac (fluoxetine) "Was going through nasty divorce...insomnia hit, sleeping 5hrs & slumped into bad depression. I think breakdown followed. Went on Prozac due consensus was easiest drug to come off. Mindful of withdrawal & after bad time w/ Paxil 20 years ago, took 15 mg/day in liquid form. Liquid would allow me to taper when ready. 1st month was tough - severely stressed & offered beta blocker by doctor. Turned it down, which was right thing - in time (2-3 months) & as divorce progressed, started to recover. Was on 15mg 9 months before tapering..very slowly - 1mg at a time I would only take next step when felt ready. Then covid came making it more difficult but 2 years on am off fully. I sleep well & feel pretty good, few tips of my own: 1) try avoid >20 mg/day (tougher to withdraw), 2) take liquid - easier to taper, 3) eat well, exercise & do everything that will help withdrawal (don’t drink more than small amount..stops it working), 4) w/ discipline & will power you can do it! Mood might waver at times tho!"

• Silen...
• January 11, 2017

"Ok so I love Prozac ... My doctor had me on 20 mg then he wanted to try 20mg of trintellix. I didn't really like trintellix. No side affects but I still was irritable and not focused. I also have ADHD and worry about everything. Yesterday my doctor put me back on Prozac. Yes lord. I cant wait to feel normal again. This summer that is how I felt, normal. Like, is this really what the world is like. I like it!!!!! "

• addic...
• September 29, 2015

"Today is my 7th day on generic fluoxetine for Major Depressive Disorder (of the apathetic type) most likely due to high stress. Last night I had odd thoughts. I couldn't finish a sentence in my head. I would consider it flight of ideas. Then I wake up this morning feeling refreshed even though I'm still not sleeping well. I got right to doing stuff. I can't stop doing stuff. I'm a bit shaky, but I thinks that's because I'm not eating much today. I don't have much of an appetite. Normally at this time I'd feel starving if I hadn't eaten since breakfast. The only unfortunate thing is although I'm getting stuff done, I can't focus on one thing for a long period. I'm trying to read but I read a couple paragraphs and then rearrange the fridge."

• Well
• January 27, 2019

"I've been on this medication many years. tried several medications before this one with no relief. My dosage can vary depending on where my head is at. My doctor also gives me a couple other medications for the side effects, which help. Without it I am completely unable to function normally. If you're just starting on your mental health journey, have patience with the process and be honest with your provider so they can get you where you need to be. The first year was not easy, but I had a great doctor who walked me through the whole process (doing a lot of hand - holding). This gave me hope. If your doctor is a jerk find someone else. When you start on these medications there can be some really funky side effects. You should be able to call your doctors office any time you need to discuss them. Ask for more frequent appointments of you feel like you need them. A good provider will offer them and keep asking you tons of questions to help you get better."

• Stard...
• February 16, 2017

Prozac (fluoxetine) "This medication was terrible. The warning about "initial" anxiety was concerning , but I figured I would give it a go anyways. This was a horrible mistake. My anxiety was so bad that I had tremors in my arms and legs and lost 2 lbs in only 2 weeks of taking it."

• Happy...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 28, 2015

"It has changed my life. I have been taking 20 to 40 mg for about 2 years. I was feeling so good for so long, that I thought I'd be fine without it and stopped taking it..... Within 2 months, I had fallen back into a horrible depression. I then started taking the medication again, feeling much better, no crying, within a week. And feeling great again within a month or 2. I have felt some of the side effects, insomnia being the worst, but not bad compared to how much better I feel."

• musta...
• September 11, 2019

"I don’t really know what normal is. I have only actually been happy for probably 10 of my 35 years. Always been a quart low and when I get dumped it gets really, really bad. Not suicidal literally, but passively with alcohol and other nonsense. Tried Cymbalta... nope. Zoloft... nope. But this Generic prozac well I have had a positive response. Every 5 to 10 minutes or so a painful memory or some other negative thought enters my mind, and I am now okay with it. Two months ago it would render me agonized, almost non-function for minutes, it could alter a day with a veering tangent of negativity, nervousness, and fear! Now... it is okay. The pain is going away. My long term goal is to feel no negativity. This helps! Side effects are near nothing at 20mg. The one big one I have noticed is the sexual function thing. I was masturbating 1 or 2 times a day. Now it is every 3 to 4. I can still get an erection whenever, but it takes a lot to get to the end result."

• t1mmy...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 14, 2021

Prozac (fluoxetine) "Took prozac for MDD, OCD, & anxiety for a few months at about 20 mg (so maybe that’s why I didn’t really notice that much of a difference haha) but the upside is that I didn’t notice any cons either"

• Meech
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 18, 2021

Prozac (fluoxetine) "This has been a roller coaster of a year and I’m glad I’m going to stop taking Prozac for multiple reason. Prozac helped with my mood, but I still have bad days. The major reasons are fatigue/low energy, anti-social, and irritability. I can’t believe I’ve been taking it for a year because it has caused major problems in my life. Obviously it works or it doesn’t. This medication was a nightmare for me."

• enska
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 15, 2021

Prozac (fluoxetine) "I've only been taking Prozac for a week, but I'm really cautiously optimistic and today I feel pretty good. I haven't been able to say that for a long time. I took it almost 20 years ago for a time but didn't like it. I decided to try it again because I'm increasingly having treatment-resistant depression. I have tried MANY antidepressants. Some don't affect me at all and some give me extreme muscle spasms. But this doesn't seem to have any bad side effects. Again, cautiously optimistic!"

• stevie
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 21, 2022

Prozac (fluoxetine) "SIGH. Yet another antidepressant that made me worse than ever before. I sleep all day and have no motivation or pleasure (anhedonia), so thought after 9 years I'd finally try Prozac. 20mg. Nope. It made me extra irritable from the beginning, made me hyper and HUGELY socially anxious and with a huge excess of nervous energy. My OCD motor tics worsened due to the extra nerves, as did my "self soothing" behaviour of skin picking and biting the inside of my mouth. My stutter also returned after being much improved over the last few years. I endured all this for almost 8 weeks, to give it time to really work. Finally, it stopped me sleeping. I've always had insomnia but take an antihistamine to sleep, which has worked for 5 years. This stopped it working and I had to stop taking the Prozac. It took a month to be able to sleep ok again. It DID give me more energy, but nowhere to channel it as I still had no interest in anything."

• Rage...
• December 20, 2017

Prozac (fluoxetine) "I had been on Fluoxetine intermittently across 7 years since aged 18. I have quit this sugar-coated poison for 2 years, enjoying the same effects benefits from Fluoxetine(Prozac) by: -Going to church( just for socialising) -Get a job that can give you a sense of satisfaction -Having intermediate degree of exercise( 90-min walk a day) -Simple jokes My best advice would be: 1. Never stay on it over 2 months, normal side effects: -Extremely thirsty(I got waked up regularly for a can of coke...) -Larger appetite (eating every 3 hrs) -Extremely hyper, talkative -Worsened memory/learning Upon quitting, you'll expect the following: -Sweaty palms -Panic attack after mid-night -Regular nightmares -Chaotic mind -Suicidal thoughts"

• Alan...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 19, 2017

Prozac (fluoxetine) "I'm still trying to find a medication that works for me. But this is one that the doctor prescribed me about two years ago, and I took it for very close to a year. It did not help. They kept adding more dosage until finally I quit seeing my psychiatrist altogether and stopped taking the medication."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 3, 2023

"3 hrs after taking the first dose, I noticed a small sensation in my chest which felt like a slightly elevated (positive) feeling, as well as some sort of sensation in the centre of my brain (the part Fluoxetine works with) which suggested it was doing something. After taking for a few weeks, I upped the dosage with advice from treating medical professionals to two tablets a day, I continued on this dose for around 5.5 months. I weaned off the medication after 7 months as it had lost its noticeable benefits and had left me completely unable to handle any heat!!! It's been 2 years since I stopped taking Fluoxetine and my body temperature regulation is STILL STUFFED! Be very careful when weighing up taking Fluoxetine as it seems if you're unlucky like me, you'll lose your ability to regulate your body temperature, leaving you unable to do anything without out feeling like you're going to pass out from heat exhaustion on any day over 22°C. Fluoxetine has ruined my body!"

• Boonm...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• August 8, 2014

"I was on 20mg for a few years which worked well. Still had some stressful periods with relationship issues. I then went to 40mg and I kinda felt more confident - the stress proof feeling. Some people say this is only a placebo effect but its not entirely. Drawbacks are slight zombie feeling sometimes - and probably a bit more restless - but normally results in me getting more work done. My doctor said to try to go down to 20mg. When I varied the dose, I had a cold and some work stress at the same time and it wasn't very good. I would recommend having some psychologist support for changing doses. You need a proper plan. My family doctor didnt really give me a plan."

• Anonymous
• February 10, 2022

Prozac (fluoxetine) "It worked the first year taking two 20mg tabs at night and then one 20mg tab at lunch then I developed a routine where I couldn't sleep at night so we had to change it to two 20mg tablets in morning and one at dinner after about 6 months I started sleeping in the day time and was able to sleep thru the night also. So I was sleeping about 17 hours a day after three weeks I called Dr. And we made a switch and been switching about every two months next visit I'm going to see if we can't try the Prozac at a lower dose maybe 20mg twice a day"

• A...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 25, 2022

Prozac (fluoxetine) "This review is about how prozac worked for my teen. He started on 10mg prozac to treat depression. My husband and son and myself were nervous because we do not use a lot of medications. The 10 mg prozac worked quite well for him for a couple of months and we could tell a positive difference in his mood in less than a week after beginning to take it. He did have some mild digestive side effects. Eventually his dr moved him up to 20 mg prozac and the digestive side effects became worse, so he went back to 10mg but the digestive side effects continued and he eventually quit taking prozac because his stomach was bothering him too much—diarrhea, gas, and nausea. His depression returned in a month, so he restarted prozac, his mood improved and his stomach troubles returned. His dr next suggested lexapro. It took several weeks for the lexapro to help his mood, and when it finally started working, the digestive issues began again, so he weaned off."

• Bananas
• June 19, 2019

"I first stated taking prozac about 8 years ago. It worked great with minimal side effects and life was pretty wonderful for the most part. Then a few years ago I had a breakdown after giving birth (triggered by hormonal changes) and tried many other meds but they all have severe side effects. So I went back on what I knew worked: prozac. However it has not been the miracle drug it once was. I was feeling worse. I chalked it up to being due to various other external reasons until I ran out of my pills and just didn't refill them. Almost a week off and I am feeling so much better! My mind is clearing of the constant fog, I am gaining interest in things I used to love, my anxiety is down SO much. I feel more level now than I have in a long time. Prozac, for me, was a wonderful drug until it turned on me and made me feel worse. Who knows the reason why, but it is what it is. I'm grateful it was there for me during times when I needed it most :)"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 5, 2019

"I found the longer I was on them, the more forgetful I became with slurred speech, always biting my tongue. I'm still on them at 60mg and I don't know what I'm supposed to feel like or who I have become it's strange .."

• theon...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 3, 2022

Prozac (fluoxetine) "It is hard to say how effective Prozac was in my experience. There definitely were periods of time in which I had a higher mood than normal, but there was also a consistent feeling of numbness (which some refer to as Emotional Blunting). At least for me, since it didn't really help and just brought the feelings of numbness, I can't say that I don't like it but I definitely don't love it."

• Trish
• February 25, 2020

"Took the fluoxetine pill for around 4 years along with generic cymbalta what a weight gain! A good 68 pounds. And I still felt bad.. although I had 2 major surgery's back and hip replacement. The depression and anxiety was severe. My very very dark time. And they stopped working I was glad to get off them losing the weight and changed meds that work!"