I just come off cymbalta and my doctor has put me on prozac 20mg daily. The cymbalta worked wonders. I've been on the prozac for only four days, and yesterday was one of the worst days I can remember in awhile. My anxiety, ocd, irritability and whatever else has been awful. I know it takes awhile to regulate, but after yesterday I was ready to all my doctor and tell her something was bad wrong. Help!
How long does it take prozac to begin working for anxiety?
Question posted by RENEEA on 6 Dec 2012
Last updated on 1 February 2021
22 Answers
"Sleep, energy, or appetite may show some improvement within the first 1-2 weeks. Improvement in these physical symptoms can be an important early signal that the medication is working. Depressed mood, anxiety, and lack of interest in activities may need up to 6-8 weeks to fully improve."
I would avoid the benzodiapezines because they are now generally only prescribed for severe panic attacks. This is because besides being habituating they can actually CAUSE increased depression, anxiety, sleep disturbances, and memory loss.
When it comes to antidepressants that are also used for anxiety it's mixed group bubbles per say. Act like there are two bubbles (circles) one bubble anxiety one bubble depression. When you put them next together they overlap in the middle. Therefore it's treating both. It takes at least 30 days to get into your system &u have to take it everyday!! and again it's for both it will help with your anxiety but doesn't completely illuminate it to make it go away completely. It lowers the feeling of anxiety but not enough(still feel anxiety and uneasy) in my experiences the anti-depressants/anxiety reducers,the docs claim, lowers anxiety but does not cure it. I would ask for Valium, Klonopin or Xanax. Valium and Klonopin stay in your system for a longer time where as Xanax is in and out quickly. I like Xanax because you can take it only when and if needed. Not dependent on it. Just when needed
I know this was asked a long time ago but I’ll answer anyways. As someone who was put on Prozac for my extreme anxiety disorder at first it didn’t do anything (the first 3ish weeks). It honestly made it worse. I felt terrible and was practically trembling with anxiety. After the first 3 weeks I started feeling better but it wasn’t until around 7 weeks where I started feeling really really good. Way better then before I started. It honestly changed my life for the better. It takes time. It’s not an overnight thing. I definitely got impatient at some point but once the time passes everything is better.
Zoemmm, I have been on Fluoxetine for 28 days now. I also take a low dose of trazodone to sleep. I still have bad anxiety. Should I start noticing some relief in the next couple of weeks. Feeling not hopeful.
So looking forward to the time when the medication really helps!
If the Cymbalta worked wonders, why did you come off it?
I agree with some of the responses to your question: specifically, why take a person off an antidepressant that "works wonders" for their anxiety? Antidepressants are like automobiles. I would be upset if a sales person tried to talk me out of buying my favorite car. Everyone reacts to medications in their own way. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
I take Prozac and have been since I was like 18. The doctor told me to give it like a month before it starts really working good. It helps me alot I had to go up on my dosage once, but I guess cause I have been taking it for so long. if your taking Prozac stay with it, it works you just have to give it time to be in your system regularly.
I was having panic attacks and given Prozac.wk 1 I had no appetite.i felt sick and found it hard to sleep.still had anxiety.wk 2 dizzy spells.vacant.slept better.woke up groggy and yawned constantly. Still had anxiety.wk 3 appetite returned.slept well.still yawning but not as much anxiety.no sex drive.wk 4.all the above and really bad panic attacks brought on by thinking the tablets aren't working and I'm going to feel like this for ever.scared of everything??? Do I hang in a few more weeks or so I give up on these and try something else? I feel worse than before!!
I have been on 20mg of generic Prozac too, I'm on week 4, I had the exact same symptoms as u 100%, but I was having bad headaches the whole second week, my mom takes the same stuff and so do both my female cousins who are around my age (38), they all told me to give it 6 weeks for it to work 100% and that what I'm feeling is normal. I have been a waitress for 20 years at the same restaurant and am all of a sudden having a fear of talking to people, I was in the Albertsons line with the whole rubber mat full of food, (this was a week before I went on Prozac), all of a sudden the checker looked at me and said,"hi, how are you today?"...
I felt my whole body going numb, my face and hands, I couldn't breathe and looked at the lady behind me and said," I'm so sorry I'm not feeling well you can go ahead of me and I jetted to the bathroom and dropped to the floor, I was having a full-blown anxiety attack, I sat there for 20 minutes trying to tell myself I was freaking out about nothing, I'm going to Albertson's twice now and I soon as I get up to the line I think I'm going to have another anxiety attack and I freak out and grab my stuff and act like I forgot something and leave... I haven't been back since, I have my husband go... so I pray at week 6 I'm back to myself again cause this is horrible, I hope you try to stick it out too, hopefully it works for both of us ❤️
I have been on Cymbalta for almost 9 years I am wanting to get off.Alll I ever hear about is about people getting off Cymbalta is the only way out, is being on Prozac??? I am so scared to get off of it... how r things with you?
Hi there, I'm not sure why the physician took you off the Cymbalta which was working for you! Prozac is FDA approved for panic attacks and depression but is generally a terrible choice for acute anxiety problems. Prozac has been out since 1987 and I have heard thousands of stories since then that say how bad Prozac made different individuals' anxiety. Prozac takes about 3 to 4 weeks to start working depending on the individual. As a result, many physicians will put patients on a short course of a benzodiazepine ( Xanax, Valium, Klonopin etc) until the Prozac kicks in. Best of luck to you! Take care!
Chris
I am in the same boat here, Day 3 on Fluoxetine (Prozac) 20mg. Headaches for the last two days and dizzy spells when I attempted to exercise this morning. Also feeling very fuzzy headed, but then that's depression for you. I don't think that's a side effect.
4 years ago I came off Citalopram 20mg after taking it for about 18months, now my depression has relapsed but my Doc decided to prescribe a different SSRI, despite the Citalopram working for me at that time, without really explaining why. Could this be another monetary thing? The Doc who originally prescribed me the Citalopram was at a different practice to the one I am at now, different NHS Trust. Could it be something else? Any ideas?
I have been on prozac, the generic brand for 10 days now. Day 7 and 8 were better days then 9 and 10 had difficulty falling asleep and waking up nervous. I do take .25 Xanax if need be, which helps but is this going to end?? Just when I think k i. Getting through the hump I feel a bad day. My doctor wants me to stick with it, but how long do I have to endure these horrible side effects?
How do you feel now? I'm in the same boat you described in your post above. I hate it!
I have now been on fluoxetine for 16 days but wake up with headaches.
Nothing seems too work for the headaches... maybe afternoon i will start to feel better.
Has anyone else had this and should i stick with it.
I dont want to withdraw and change as that causes more side effects.
Thanks
Prozac is an antidepressant and takes a few weeks to start doing anything. I know that Cymbalta is one as well. I had very horrible reactions to both of these. It could be that your symptoms of anxiety are effects of stopping the Cymbalta. Unfortunately with meds like these they stop working with long time use. You should talk to your dr or pharmacist because w/o knowing why you're taking it, most of these types of drugs can be used for a number of different ailments but if you can't get an RX for Ativan or something try Vistaril or Buspar. If you can't get to a dr, try taking Benadryl it will help the anxiety.
My nephew started taking Prozac recently. How long does it take to have effect?
There has been a lot of reference to the price of Cymbalta. It's ridiculously expensive! I went straight to patient assistance program. I believe that one is Lilly. They come to me every 3 months at no cost.
As far as the change in medications go. I would never let that happen. I have a feeling that part of the problem was withdrawal! I know. I have been there.
Cymbalta is the worst drug I have ever taken. I have been on a lot of different meds but coming off cymbalta was extremely distressing. Crying, rages, brain zaps, anxiety. Never again. I am in Prozac 20 mg and I am doing so much better. It may be an old drug but it works well.
Did you have any anxiety when you started Prozac? I've been on 20 mg for two weeks, Dr. raised me to 40 yesterday. I'm waking up with anxiety every morning. Some say it takes 4-6 weeks for this to get in your system good. I don't know if I'll be able to hold on that long with the anxiety. Taking klonipin too but it's not helping a lot.
KTMarsh711,
I would love to hear how you are doing on 40 mg Prozac. I noticed you posted in March of 2017
Mat1 I ended up going to a psych. He took me off Prozac and back on the lexapro I'd previously been on. He added gabapentin. It works well for me but I don't think the lexapro is doing anything. I think the gabapentin and klonipin are what help me.
Thanks for the update!
Re: Cymbalta or Prozac
i couldn't take Cymbalta. I have fibromyalgia and serious depression and anxiety. I find the best thing for me is exercise, preferably walking along with medication. For the 3 years I worked out at Curves (now closed) 3 x a week I did not have one depressive period. I was also under extreme pressure because at tat time my husband was diagnosed with prostate cancer. I was taking a combination of wellbutrin and paxil.
I will never be off antidepressants so I am told. Tried it and ended up in psych ward. Not fun. I am now on a cocktail of wellbutrin, prozac, and lamictal. Been on the ptozac (20 mg ) of prozac twice daily for about 2 weeks. Feeling better but very unmotivated. Hang in there. I know from 30 years experience how debilitating depression and can be. My last 3 years have been hell. Hopefully this cocktail will work. Please don't have your GP manage your meds. I tried that for years wth little success.
A psychiatrist will be able to help you more if you can find a good one. No shame in seeing the right specialist.
Good luck. Gracie
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cymbalta, prozac, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, hot flashes, anxiety and stress, doctor
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