Fluoxetine for Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder User Reviews (Page 4)

• hop...
• November 26, 2019

"Well, I tried taking this in desperation after a very bad period. I took 20 mg for three days and was hopeful about it after reading positive experiences here. However, my own experience with it was very bad. I got a whole bunch of the side effects and spent two nights not sleeping at all, marching up and down with very wired energy, having panic attacks. My mouth was so dry, and I had to drink water all the time. It was pretty unbearable and frightening, and under the advice of the doctor, I stopped taking it immediately. The shock of all this and my partner telling me they can't cope with me anymore has pushed me to focus on getting my life really sorted out - meditation and going to the gym every day. I will be talking to my doctor about trying a contraceptive pill, as I read on the website that there is one called YAZ that is recommended for treating PMDD. Good luck to all you PMDD warriors out there! One way or another, we're going to get through this!!"

• zfl...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 7, 2014

Fluoxetine "One week ago, I started Prozac, and side effects have been bad for me. Fatigue, headaches, body ache, forgetful, sleepy, nightmares, yawning. My doc told me to give it another week. Hopefully, everything will work out. I am tired of PMS."

• Deb...
• February 10, 2014

"After having tried everything available - natural/diet/hormonal - fluoxetine is the only thing that combats my severe PMS. The downside is complete lack of sex drive and blunted emotions. Going to try to reduce from 20 mg every day to 2 weeks before the period."

• Nab...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 19, 2022

Fluoxetine "I tried 5 mg of Prozac for PMDD after reading peer-reviewed data and reviews. I started when my luteal phase started. I felt nauseous and drowsy after about day 3. Weird effect on my sleep: I was sleeping, but it wasn’t restful. My mood after about day 6 was noticeably more stable, but nausea and drowsiness still disrupted my day. The 48 hours before my period starts are usually the worst as far as my mood and ability to function. The Prozac did not seem to help during the most intense part of my PMDD. After my period, I wanted to continue with the Prozac to see if the side effects might ease, but then I realized I had lost my sex drive, sex response, and ability to orgasm completely. I stopped on about day 20. I encountered an entire week of intense migraines and bouts of long crying. I’m on week 3 of not taking Prozac and am so depressed I don’t care about anything. I can barely eat or get out of bed. I can orgasm now again, so that’s a plus. Bottom line: not worth it for me."

• Pmt...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 20, 2016

"I wonder how others are finding taking Prozac for only two weeks in their cycle? I have been taking it in tiny doses: Wednesday 20 mg and Saturday 20 mg throughout my cycle. It takes the edge off, but last month wasn't enough. I was considering taking it, as stated, every day for those two weeks prior but was worried about side effects following those two weeks. I don't want to take it every day as I have side effects that my husband doesn't like! My PMT became severe after stopping breastfeeding. It was so odd; it worsened each year following. Six years later (and approaching 40), it gets worse. I have also heard that low carbohydrate diets help, something to do with the effect of insulin on estrogen."

• Tma...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• August 7, 2019

Fluoxetine "I was diagnosed with PMDD a little over 20 years ago, and Sarafem is the only thing that works for me. The side effects for me are low libido, loss of appetite, slight hand tremble. Sarafem does stop my anxiety, severe depression, rage, and irritability goes away, and I can focus when I'm on it. These things affect my everyday life, so the side effects are durable. The only reason I'm not taking it on a regular basis is because, with work insurance, it went from $40 to $700-$900, then back down to $70 with a doctor's paper to the pharmacy/insurance company, back to $700+ if there are any issues. I don't care what anybody says, but when it comes to me, fluoxetine doesn't work for the same for me."

• Ebo...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• January 19, 2014

"Great for the PMDD, but at what cost? My other emotions are blunted. My ability to love is blunted. My libido is gone. My husband is miserable. I have tried stopping, and I got so emotional and crazy, I had to resume. I have tried only 10 mg a day, every other day, and still the side effects. I am going to back off further. It is truly a balancing act. I wish I could say something better. It helps."

• Anonymous
• February 6, 2010

Fluoxetine "I have taken fluoxetine for PMDD for 3 months, and the results have been remarkable. I take 20 mg daily. I still get a bit down around my period, but I am able to control myself. I do experience some side effects. I wake up around 3-4 am and have difficulty going back to sleep, my legs are restless at night, and during the first few weeks only, I lost interest in personal grooming and became lethargic. I can live with the side effects. My quality of life has greatly improved since taking fluoxetine."

• Sus...
• December 3, 2017

Fluoxetine "After years of suffering, I decided to try meds again for my PMDD. Zoloft made me feel like a zombie, and my body had many side effects to Prozac. I had electric shocks in my brain, paranoia, which I don't normally have, feeling out of it/forgetful, anxious, dry eyes, moody, thought people were plotting against me, and my depression got worse. On top of all that, I went from being 5' 11" and 155 pounds to weighing 195 lb in ONE month without changing my eating habits!! My doc convinced me to give it some time for the med to work, so I stayed on it for 3 months-wish I had quit sooner. I have now been off of it since February, but still feel slight effects of the Prozac. Eventually, Wellbutrin ended up helping me tremendously, so I have stayed on that."

• Per...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 8, 2017

"I'm 51 and premenopausal - for a few days each month around ovulation, I'd go from my normal self to an 'Eeyore' state.... The smallest things could set me off into an increasingly downward spiral of depression. When I finally told my amazing doctor about this, he explained that if it was truly PMDD and menopausal related, a very, very small dose of Prozac for just a few days per month would help the problem tremendously. If it was actual depression, it would not work so well or so quickly. He was absolutely right! I am only using 5 mg, which is a dose so small that I have to get a 10 mg pill and break it in half. I take it for approx 3 days. It's critical that I take it at the very first sign of that depression before it is able to take root."

• Mom...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 18, 2017

"Starting it, I had a bad headache for about 8 days. On day 3, I contemplated stopping, I felt unfeeling, like I wasn't myself, but stuck with it. Those feelings passed, as well as the headache. I didn't feel any symptoms of PPMD the first 3 months. After that, I would say I feel 80% better during my episodes. I fear it will get worse each month, but it is tolerable. I feel that dark cloud want to return, but it never gets too bad. Will be asking my doctor if I may need a bump up in dose from my starting dose. So glad this medication has evened me out."

• Jth...
• August 20, 2017

"I'm 18, and I had horrible PMDD from the first time I got my period. Depression, suicidal, panic attacks, uncontrollable anger. For two weeks, my life would stop, I'd take off from school and work and sit in my room for days on end. I went on fluoxetine 20 mg when I was 17, and it has changed my life! I've suffered from a lot of mood swings and outbursts typical of a teenager, but mine were so out of control. Fluoxetine has allowed me to take control of my life and be the best person I can be. No negative side effects besides some sleeplessness when starting the drug."

• Meg...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 8, 2016

"20 mg/day of fluoxetine works wonders for my PMDD. I found it to be so beneficial that I asked for a daily prescription, rather than 2 weeks per month. Only drawback was the inability to orgasm, which I felt was detrimental to my physical relationship with my husband. I switched to Wellbutrin as a daily antidepressant. Found it to be very motivating and with no sexual side effects. After 6 months on Wellbutrin, though, I started to notice that my PMDD was creeping back in, and I was more irritable/snappy than before on a daily basis. Now I am experimenting with daily Wellbutrin plus 2 weeks per month of fluoxetine. Last cycle went really well. I think fluoxetine is a miracle mood stabilizer. If only it weren't for the sexual side effects!"

• She...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 25, 2013

Fluoxetine "Been on the medicine for a week now. Had a partial hysterectomy and have been going through menopause for 8 years now. Ovary/hormone symptoms have been tougher to deal with this past 2-3 months. One positive so far, appetite has decreased (usually increases at this time). Had been taking Viibryd for about 5-6 months now; told to stop taking it while taking this medicine; luckily no withdrawal since stopping Viibryd (knock on wood), depression has not worsened. Hoping that more positive things come of taking this PMDD medicine."

• Dan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 30, 2015

Fluoxetine "A renowned medication to help PMDD, but it barely helped me. Helped with my anxiety and depression quite well (despite a lack of emotion), but I always got hormonal monthly, which was confusing. It actually made some symptoms worse. I'm on Lexapro now, so hopefully that helps!"

• Dom...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 11, 2020

"Fluoxetine is amazing for premenstrual dysphoric disorder! I tried citalopram and felt awful for a year on them, so I was reluctant to try antidepressants again, but I am so glad I tried fluoxetine. Within a day, I felt better. I have been taking them for over 3 months now, and I think they work well for PMDD. I still have down days and feel tired and unmotivated when due on, but I am not hysterical or full of rage like I used to be. I take them every day, and I feel a lot better for it. It's not a cure for PMDD, but it helps me manage it so much more. My PMDD was much worse after having a baby, and fluoxetine has allowed me to feel happy again. I sometimes get insomnia, so I make sure to take them first thing in the morning to avoid it. If I take them on an empty stomach, I can feel a bit gross too, but I just take them with breakfast now. If I forget to take them, I feel really rubbish pretty quickly, so I recommend taking them at the same time every day. Give them time to work, but they worked very well for me."

• LL_...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 28, 2016

"I posted in June 2014 after being on this Rx for about 7 months. It has now been 2 years. I am still on 10 mg for the first week after ovulating and 20 until my period starts. I have forgotten how 'bad' it used to be! I have had months (rare) when I've messed up the timing on my meds and it messed with my head a bit. I try real hard to time at the same time each day. I've also noticed that around days 3 and 4 (after my period started and being off the Rx) that it appears the remaining meds in my system have worn off and I have a day of being 'sad'. The kind of sad you'd get when PMS seemed normal and you were just sad, but not depressed and anxious and out of body. But after that, I feel normal again."

• Kri...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 1, 2019

"I was diagnosed with PMDD in my mid-20s, was on meds back then. I was on 40 mg fluoxetine back then. I, however, got off of it and have been off it for many years. I have now been back on 20 mg daily for the last 7 weeks. However, I feel as if I need to go up in strength after my husband asked if I was still on my meds. I, however, now also think I know why I got off of them before. I really do struggle with sex. I, however, know I need the meds. It really works for me and makes me feel better. If I'm not 100%, I think it's really helped me to be back on it. The pros and cons of being back on it are both good and bad."

• Liz...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 4, 2017

Fluoxetine "My doctor told me to take this to ease premenstrual syndrome - one week before my period - the second time I used it, I felt very strange - I couldn't stop crying. I called my doctor and broke down in her office. Before this, I had not spoken more than a few sentences to her, she got upset with me and told me to see a shrink who put me on Prozac. Three weeks of use, and I had a manic episode and was informed I had become chemically bipolar and that SSRIs can cause this to happen. It took two years to feel okay again."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 14, 2024

"I started off taking 5 mg in my luteal phase. The day I started I was extremely depressed and low mood. I'm not kidding, within a couple of hours, it felt like the dark cloud was lifted. The days following I was thinking clearer, handling adversity better, and just overall more level-headed. It definitely takes the edge off. No side effects to speak of at this point."

• Kat...
• January 9, 2017

"So I was previously on citalopram, and it reduced my depression but made my PMDD more noticeable. A psychiatrist recommended Prozac, as citalopram is not effective for PMDD. The month that they weaned me off citalopram and onto Prozac was HELL. Now I'm fully taking Prozac at 40 mg, it is working already. I have more energy and can get up and do things more often. I've not had a period on my full dose of Prozac yet, so I'm not sure how it will work then, but from what I feel now, I think it will be great. Side effect: I have incredibly vivid and unpleasant dreams (but had that on citalopram at first), and they are so vivid I often confuse them with real life momentarily. I also have bruised and itchy legs."

• dg...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 10, 2016

"I am a 50-year-old woman going through pre-menopause. Still have it, but very little. I was on Prozac a long time ago and then went off of it because I didn't like taking pills. Just recently had to go back on, it was affecting my work life (not that great anyway). But I can deal with it now that I am on it. Waiting to find another job soon. Anyway, it's really making me gain weight. I was working out for a while, doing pretty good. Then (the job took our gym benefit away), which was a perk at one time for now almost 8 years that I have worked here. Anyway, I don't feel that I overeat. But everyone is telling me that Prozac makes you gain weight. If anyone has any ideas? I am so tired of yo-yo dieting and am thinking of meal replacements now..."

• ric...
• April 27, 2021

"I was diagnosed with PMDD a few months ago, but it's something I've struggled with for most of my life. I've taken Zoloft before, and it made me feel so nauseous and like a zombie. I thought Prozac was going to do the same thing, but it didn't at all. The first few weeks of taking it, there were some mild side effects, like headache, fatigue, insomnia. I've been on it for about 7 weeks now, and I have no more side effects. I take 20 mg of Prozac for my general anxiety every day, but need 40 mg of Prozac for about 4 or 5 days a month to manage my PMDD symptoms. I feel so great, I never thought I would get here. It feels like a miracle, truly. I do notice the 40 mg makes me a bit manic when I'm experiencing PMDD symptoms. I would way rather have mania than this crippling anxiety/depression. But for those 4-5 days, I'm way less inhibited, which is not necessarily the greatest thing for every situation (mainly when I'm at work). But overall, I'm very happy since I've started taking it. I feel so free."

• vsx...
• November 23, 2010

"This medicine did a great job in 'leveling' off my emotions. I didn't cry nearly as easily when I was going through PMDD. I also handled some serious crises in life much easier. The negative part was that I was so very tired all of the time. I had very little energy, and I couldn't get enough sleep. Prior to taking the medicine, I had been working out on a very regular basis, however, after taking the medicine, I lost all interest in it. I quickly put back on the 15 lbs that I had worked so hard to get rid of. After speaking with my physician again, I'm going to try Wellbutrin instead. Hopefully, the energy will return, and I can resume my workout regimen."

• Hol...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• December 17, 2020

Fluoxetine "Prozac worked well for me for a number of years. It helped my moods to the point I didn't even think about them anymore. I was functional! Unfortunately, it makes me extremely constipated, so I'm not sure I'll be staying on it."