Fluoxetine for Major Depressive Disorder User Reviews (Page 4)

• San...
• March 26, 2015

Fluoxetine "It's a good antidepressant for mild depression and food-related issues. Took it long ago, was not enough by itself, so I needed to combine it with other antidepressants. Sexual effects, sense of nothing really matters, mild happiness, long time, 3 weeks to kick in, and tends to pop out in about 2-3 months."

• add...
• 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 a flight of ideas. Then I woke 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 think 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 of paragraphs and then rearrange the fridge."

• ens...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 15, 2021

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!"

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

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."

• Wel...
• 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 of 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 doctor's office any time you need to discuss them. Ask for more frequent appointments if you feel like you need them. A good provider will offer them and keep asking you tons of questions to help you get better."

• Liv...
• March 29, 2018

Fluoxetine "I have been on this medication almost a year, taking 60 mg once a day. These are the side effects I have noticed. It seems to cause memory loss (I had a photographic 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 some ways 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 ones I have noticed, but they are severe and affect me on a daily basis."

• Hap...
• 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."

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

Fluoxetine "This has been a roller coaster of a year, and I’m glad I’m going to stop taking Prozac for multiple reasons. 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."

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

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

• Sil...
• January 11, 2017

"Ok, so I love Prozac. My doctor had me on 20 mg, then he wanted to try 20 mg of Trintellix. I didn't really like Trintellix. No side effects, 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 can't 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!!!!!"

• mee...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 22, 2024

Fluoxetine "Prozac cured my anxiety, depression, irritability, anger problems, lack of getting along with friends and family, and adult movie addiction (because of lower sex drive and unable to climax). Normally I can finish in 30 seconds. Prozac takes 30 minutes or longer. Not okay. But my biggest problem right now is fatigue. I'm often fatigued all day and not productive, but Prozac seems to make me more fatigued. It's been several weeks and I'm not getting better. I might have to switch my medicine soon. The fatigue isn't getting better."

• mus...
• 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-functional 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 20 mg. 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."

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

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

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

"I was on 20 mg for a few years, which worked well. Still had some stressful periods with relationship issues. I then went to 40 mg, and I kind of felt more confident - the stress-proof feeling. Some people say this is only a placebo effect, but it's 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 20 mg. 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 psychological support for changing doses. You need a proper plan. My family doctor didn't really give me a plan."

• t1m...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 14, 2021

Fluoxetine "Took Prozac for MDD, OCD, and 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."

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

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 too 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 headaches. On my first day, I felt drowsy 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."

• Anonymous
• February 10, 2022

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 the morning and one at dinner. After about 6 months, I started sleeping in the daytime and was able to sleep through the night also. So I was sleeping about 17 hours a day. After three weeks, I called Dr. and we made a switch, and I've 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."

• GG8...
• August 18, 2016

"I began taking Prozac in January 2016. I started out on 20 mg. I noticed a positive difference in my mood (less irritable and happier) after only 1-2 weeks. After about a month, I bumped up to 40 mg and things were still great. I did really great on it as far as side effects go, I had none. Things were great for 6 months, and then it sort of just stopped working. My doctor bumped me up to 60 mg, but it did nothing. I built a tolerance for it and recently switched to Trintellix. Overall, Prozac worked really great until I built a tolerance for it."

• Tri...
• 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 surgeries, back and hip replacement. The depression and anxiety were 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!"

• Dd3...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 17, 2017

Fluoxetine "I started taking Prozac January 19th, 2016. I ended Prozac April 19th, 2017. It did nothing but horrible things for me! I had major behavioral issues, I could not control myself or my actions or thoughts. I was feeling down constantly, always had issues. When I was taken off of it, my behavior changed! I'm a completely different person. No suicidal thoughts, nothing. Yeah, I have depression here and there, but I just have to get through this on my own. I suggest you don't take this medication."

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

Fluoxetine "This review is about how Prozac worked for my teen. He started on 10 mg Prozac to treat depression. My husband, son, and I 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 doctor moved him up to 20 mg Prozac, and the digestive side effects became worse, so he went back to 10 mg, 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 doctor 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."

• Sta...
• February 16, 2017

Fluoxetine "This medication was terrible. The warning about 'initial' anxiety was concerning, but I figured I would give it a go anyway. 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."

• Ban...
• June 19, 2019

"I first started 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 :)"

• Kat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 4, 2016

"I am taking 450 mg Bupropion daily and was still hitting the wall. Crying, fear, anger. Had lots of therapy and been on lots of antidepressants. Felt like my life was over. Saw my doctor four days ago and told her I wasn't doing well. We talked, and she decided to prescribe Prozac 20 mg in addition to Bupropion. I am tolerating the side effects... no appetite, nervous feeling, sketchy stomach, head feels too big... seriously! One thing: I have less body pain. Fibro was active but less so now. That's great. I am an artist, and I cannot concentrate or keep my focus. Hoping that clears up soon. Will be back to report on my progress."

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

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."