Prozac and Headaches: What Users Say (Page 2)

• bug...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 6, 2017

For Anxiety and Stress "I started taking Prozac in April of 2016 for anxiety and depression. It took about a month to actually start working. I feel better going into public and don't freak out and go into the bathroom. I'm still depressed, but it's improved so much. It gave me side effects like loss of appetite. I lost 10 pounds my first month taking it, and I was always tired but had trouble falling asleep. Another negative is if I miss it a day, I have painful headaches and lash out on everyone and treat them terribly."

• lul...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 24, 2017

For Depression "I used Prozac in the past for 3-9 months twice and had no side effects apart from some headaches for a few weeks. Now I have been on it again for 3 weeks and this time I am suffering SEVERE side effects. Physical ones include heavy fogginess/head pressure, sleeplessness, muscle tension, blurred vision, loss of appetite, and weight loss. Mentally, I have also worsened. Anxiety is really high, especially in the mornings, feelings of hopelessness, an inability to cope with life, suicidal thoughts (that I never really had before), inability to focus/read, and feel motivated. Now at 3 weeks, I have some moments in the afternoon of feeling calmer, but it is rather unpleasant numbness. I hope it improves going forward, but it has been very tough."

• lul...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 24, 2017

For Depression "I used Prozac in the past for 3-9 months twice and had no side effects apart from some headaches for a few weeks. Now I have been on it again for 3 weeks and this time I am suffering SEVERE side effects. Physical ones include heavy fogginess/head pressure, sleeplessness, muscle tension, blurred vision, loss of appetite, and weight loss. Mentally, I have also worsened. Anxiety is really high, especially in the mornings, feelings of hopelessness, an inability to cope with life, suicidal thoughts (that I never really had before), inability to focus/read, and feel motivated. Now at 3 weeks, I have some moments in the afternoon of feeling calmer, but it is rather unpleasant numbness. I hope it improves going forward, but it has been very tough."

• Eli...
• July 1, 2019

For Anxiety and Stress "My daughter took 5 mg of Prozac for four days before deciding to stop using it due to horrific side effects. Day 1 was wonderful, no anxiety with just a slight headache. Day 2 brought on severe nausea so bad it was painful and the dark feelings of depression and crying uncontrollably (she previously had zero depression), along with a “static” feeling in her brain. The morning of Day 3, she woke feeling as if she was on fire, nausea, and nightmares (again, she had never previously had nightmares). Day 4 included all of the above topped with a panic attack. She stopped taking it. The last 5 mg dose she took was a Saturday night at 6 pm. We ended up in the ER on Monday due to waking up Monday morning with such an extreme panic attack that she was inconsolable and almost passing out. After 5 hours straight of this, we ended in the ER where they gave her a shot of Ativan to calm her. We were told the half-life is 1-3 days since she had only taken 4, so praying tomorrow is better."

• Lil...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 28, 2021

For Depression "Day 2: headache, face sinus pressure, stuffy right nose, diarrhea. These symptoms each passed in about 7 hours. Day 3: runny nose, hot red puffy achy cheeks, racing heart (as in I felt like I had drank an espresso - not scary), headache back head/skull... these each only lasted 4 hours. Day 4: was yawning like crazy... like literally every 3 minutes. It was funny and annoying. Lasted 3 hours. Was super irritable then for about 3 hours. I feel depressed and tired still, but at the same time I got up and did housework and enjoyed it. I NEVER do this. Like I was organizing stuff and being all efficient. It's been YEARS since I was like that. It's too soon for this stuff to work, isn't it? It's not placebo effect because I did not think it would help me. I'm not grasping at straws. I had no expectation of a positive outcome, so it's bizarre... in a good way."

• Anonymous
• January 15, 2010

For Depression "I'm 16 and have been on Prozac for 2 weeks. It took 3 days for the side effects to come in - suicidal thoughts, headaches, and pain all around the body. After 2 weeks, the side effects seem to fade away, and now I'm really better. My mind seems less 'foggy' than it was before. Overall, I'm liking Prozac and hope it continues with a better life."

• Val...
• February 20, 2019

For Depression "Prozac levels have to build up in your body, so real effects don't show up for over 4 weeks. Of course, that doesn't mean it will agree with every body. The only relatively fast effect I had with this med was improvement in my ability to fall asleep, and the quality of the sleep I got also improved within 2 weeks. Early side effects were appetite loss, a slight increase in breakouts (face), excessive yawning, desire for alcohol decreased but increased interest in recreational marijuana, stomach upset, and headaches. Sounds like a lot, but every med has its acclimation period. This one is just particularly long. After about 2 months, it helped me recognize and face my depression, and manage my anxiety really well. But latent side effects for me were increased appetite, decreased libido, worsening brain fog, and stomach upset. Prozac did what it was supposed to do, and I would try it again, but for now, I'm testing the waters with other meds to lessen SEs."

• Mar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 20, 2022

For Anxiety and Stress "Prozac was a last-ditch effort for me with antidepressants-everything else had either caused terrible side effects or just didn't make me feel any better. I started on 10 mg, went up to 20 mg, then 40 mg, but 40 mg caused severe headaches, so I went back to 20 mg after about a month of tolerating them. A week or so ago, I had the realization that I was 'calm'-after a stressful day at work, I didn't feel like I had to go home and hide in my bed on the verge of a full breakdown. That is the first time this has ever happened to me with antidepressants before, and it's a strange but amazing feeling. It takes time to work, but stick with it!"

• Str...
• December 28, 2018

For Anxiety and Stress "I was prescribed Prozac at age 13, about 5 years after being diagnosed with OCD. Since then, my OCD had been moderate but stable, but I had developed anxiety, depression, and disordered eating habits after years of bullying in school. My psychiatrist was an arrogant older man who had zero interest in listening to the (serious) concerns of a 13-year-old girl. He prescribed me Prozac and failed to address the headaches I experienced on the drug. Needless to say, it didn’t even touch the symptoms of the mental distress I was experiencing. I went from mildly depressed to suicidal in a matter of months. Every psychiatrist I’ve seen since then has insisted on prescribing this glorified placebo, despite my insistence that no dosage of Prozac has EVER helped my anxiety, depression, or OCD. I’m now 19 and have tried this drug and varying doses 3 different times with ZERO success. I feel there is little hope that I will ever be completely happy and healthy."

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

For Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder "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."

• Kit...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 3, 2021

For Panic Disorder "I am currently on my second week of Prozac/Fluoxetine, and honestly, I can already start seeing the changes. The first 4 or 5 days were very emotionally draining, I had heightened anxiety and trouble staying asleep, along with the common side effects such as headaches, nausea, and lack of appetite. But now I feel like my body is getting used to it. The headaches are slowly disappearing, the nausea is subsiding, and the heightened anxiety isn’t such a problem anymore, and I can successfully say I haven’t had a panic attack since I started taking it. It’s hard in the beginning to stick to, trust me, I thought of quitting many times! But it’s worth powering through!"

• Oka...
• July 14, 2016

For Depression "Prozac was the worst for me. Wouldn't recommend it to anyone. I was using it for depression and anxiety, and when I first started taking it, I felt terrible. Stayed on it for another 4 months or so till my psychiatrist (who did absolutely nothing for me, spent a total of 15 minutes with me in 3 appointments) upped my dose to 20 mg. I started feeling really tired all the time, got headaches, felt sick, my head was ALWAYS foggy, couldn't remember much, drained me right out. So without my doctor's word, I stopped taking it, and I still feel depressed and anxious, but I feel much more alive and much better. Prozac didn't work for me at all."

• Gre...
• December 16, 2020

For Anxiety and Stress "Have had GAD and SAD since early adolescence. 22 y/o now. Was on Prozac 10 mg for 3 weeks, felt like I was drunk and high for the first 2 weeks, and not in a good way. Couldn't feel much, couldn't orgasm as easily, and wasn't getting any relief from my anxiety. I was so weak. I had to stop going to the gym when I got on them because I couldn't summon the energy and strength to lift like I normally could. After those 3 weeks, I got off the Prozac. The withdrawals hit 2 weeks later, and now I'm almost 6 weeks out from my last dose, and the withdrawals are still as bad as ever. Horrible headaches all day, bad anxiety, dizziness, ridiculous fatigue. I'm having a horrible time. Intense cardio gives me about 2 hours of clarity if I can muster the energy to do it. Alcohol gives me relief from the withdrawals, which has become a new problem for me that I'm going to address."

• Cat...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• June 25, 2018

For Major Depressive Disorder "I started on Prozac in 1990 and went off just over a year ago. So it was a total of about 28 years. I was on 80 mg a day, but at one time they had me on 160 mg! This is a great life-saving medication. When I first started, my family called it my 'chill pill.' It made things not seem so bad, sort of like, oh no, you cut your arm off. Let's just pick it up and go to the doctor's so they can sew it back on. You have to work at finding the time of day to take it so that it works best for you. The side effects that affected me the most were the headaches. They triggered my migraines in numbers and strength. At times I would forget and/or put off taking it, and I could definitely feel myself hitting below rock bottom. The original doctor prescribed Prozac and Phentermine at the same time. He wouldn't do anything unless I went through therapy too."

• Gma...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 12, 2021

For Anxiety and Stress "Ok, I just started taking Prozac, and it didn't help me at all. It made my anxiety worse, but it also made me feel numb. It didn't give me happiness, it's supposed to make people happier. I also got a headache and started to feel dizzy when I took it. Perhaps it has different effects on different people, but it wasn't for me."

• 29 ...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 5, 2021

"I suffer from PTSD. I have been in therapy for years, and nothing has helped the obsessive thoughts, nightmares, depression, and anxiety. In fact, I felt like I was getting even worse. I was very resistant to being prescribed medication for a long time, as I didn’t want to rely on it and was scared of the side effects, but finally did, as I felt it was my last resort and was having suicidal thoughts. My doctor put me on 20 mg of Prozac daily, and it’s only been a week, and I feel amazing. It is hard to put it into words, but I feel NORMAL finally! I still get bad thoughts, but I don’t obsess over them. My anxiety is gone, and I actually have interest and hope in the world and future. My friends and family have noticed the change in me! I have some mild nausea and headaches as side effects, but they may go away soon. If you are on the fence, please give it a chance. You deserve to have a good life!"

• Cat...
• August 8, 2014

For Anxiety and Stress "Today is only my first day, and I have to say I got really angry with something that happened at work, and normally I can shrug this off, but it's like I couldn't control it, and was super quiet that morning. Then, through the day, I felt better. I've had headaches and bad diarrhea. The headache happened before the medicine, so I'm not sure it's related, and very slight nausea. I'll blog again once a little more time has passed."

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

For Major Depressive Disorder "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."

• JoJ...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 3, 2022

For Depression "I was prescribed this first before I started my ADHD meds. I have been on SSRIs before. I don't really respond to them, good or bad. The only positive I noted during my time on this medication was less frequent/repetitive thoughts and more indifference to things. I was only 5 mg for 1 year. I couldn't take 10 mg because I am sensitive to medication, and even 5 mg gave me the side effects I will discuss below. Insomnia: I could not sleep. I had to be prescribed sleep medication while on Prozac. I used to be able to fall asleep fine, even if I was depressed, I would rather sleep than not. I would get maybe 6 hours and then wake up with energy, and I didn't like it. I always felt like my body was secretly tired if my mind would just let it be. Headaches, teeth grinding made worse, and in turn, neck pain, shoulder pain. Less appetite, no weight loss or gain. Vivid dreams, some violent in the beginning. Weird digestion. Felt on edge at times. My nose is no longer stuffy either, so allergies?"

• Kot...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 5, 2019

For Panic Disorder "I started Prozac for pain disorder, and the first two days were fine. After those two days, my memory got foggy, and I had insomnia and more anxiety attacks than I usually do, and horrible headaches. It also made me really jittery, so within a week, I stopped taking it. I'm currently still going through the side effects since I only stopped taking it three days ago. Hopefully, this anxiety goes back to being tolerable like it was before I got the meds."

• Ale...
• July 6, 2016

For Depression "I've been on Prozac only for a week now, but I've noticed a big change in my sleeping schedule and headaches. They've gotten so much worse! Can't think straight anymore, and my head's always pounding. My review on this drug will change if I begin to see positive effects, but as of now, I'm ready to ask my psychiatrist for a new drug!"

• Tax...
• August 23, 2015

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "I've been on Prozac 60 mg for 10 years. The drug is miraculous, it got me out of a hole. But as I suffer from OCD, I decided to self-medicate with drink and drugs, also, that led me to a 12-step fellowship! Now, 7 and a half years without a drink or drug, I'm self-medicating on Prozac, which is not very good! It got to last Friday, I had taken probably 4 tablets in 2 weeks and just crashed! I'm now back on 60 mg a day but having bouts of anxiety again and thinking it's not real. I'm hoping this is just the side effects of the Prozac again getting in the system. I'm tired, headache, and anxiety thinking."

• Sam...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 24, 2019

For Anxiety and Stress "Anyone thinking about going on Prozac, DON'T DO IT! Unless you plan to take one month off work. But trying to come off is a nightmare, so you become dependent on Prozac. I took it for seven days, then enough was enough, I had every side effect. I also lost my job, seeing as I couldn't focus on small or, let alone, big tasks. The first night not taking it, I experienced headaches so bad I thought my head was going to explode. I also had uncontrollable leg movement and jaw locking. I didn’t sleep until 6 a.m. in the morning and woke up at 3 p.m. I will say, though, I did experience myself becoming overly happy on the third day. Hopefully, I feel back to my normal self within a week."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 20, 2012

For Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder "Caused sweating, headache."