Prozac and Insomnia: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Anonymous
• August 17, 2010

For Anxiety and Stress "I started Prozac after a bout with anxiety and depression with insomnia. I had probably depleted myself nutritionally and emotionally after a really rough year. Lost my Dad, on-going struggles with eating disorders, chronically ill husband, etc... What a difference. I have been on it for almost a year and I am fine. I feel great - like myself. Just need to give it time in the beginning. I think the medication and eating healthy and exercising has helped greatly. My stress level is just as high - just able to take the problems now with normal reactions."

• Lau...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 15, 2015

For Depression "I can honestly say that fluoxetine has improved my quality of life to a great extent. I went from feeling extremely depressed on a daily basis, to feeling very happy and content with my life. I am a lot more open and honest with people, I feel like my inhibitions and anxieties (about some things) have been lifted. I am a lot more talkative and chatty, and for some reason enjoy trashy TV more (which I'm not sure is a good thing)! I have had several tattoos since beginning taking this drug (I had none before). I did carefully consider them though. The only negative effects to note were that at the start of the treatment I did have insomnia for a while and very intense nightmares."

• mg1...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 27, 2022

For Anxiety and Stress "I read every single review on this drug because I was terrified to start it. I suffer from anxiety, panic attacks, and OCD. I knew there was a possibility of worsening anxiety before taking it, and the thought of that was unbearable, so I put it off as long as I could. I ultimately decided I not only wanted, but also needed my quality of life back. I started low at 10 mg and slowly worked my way up to 40 mg over the course of 2 months. The startup effects included slight nausea and lack of appetite, night sweats, and insomnia. All of these symptoms got much better over time. I felt the biggest change when I made the jump from 30 mg to 40 mg. It was like night and day. My anxiety and intrusive thoughts have decreased significantly. I have not had a panic attack in over a month. I feel so much more positive, lighter, and like myself again. Everyone around me can notice the difference, and I've been such a better friend, family member, and spouse. I'm very happy with this decision."

• bet...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 9, 2018

For Anxiety and Stress "I started taking Prozac 3 months ago for anxiety. I started with 2.5 mg for two weeks, then 5 mg for two weeks, then 10 mg for two weeks, and finally my dose of 20 mg. I think this really helped mitigate possible side effects. I haven’t experienced any insomnia or weight gain, or any of the other side effects I read about before starting this medication. Prozac has worked wonders for me, and it’s honestly like my happy pill. It has rid me of the intrusive, anxious thought patterns and panic attacks, and I feel like a more reasonable and stable person. I still get anxious every day, but I just feel a lot more in control of myself and my state of mind, and my self-talk is more effective than it used to be. I definitely recommend Prozac for anyone suffering from anxiety and panic attacks!!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 10, 2012

For Depression "What a life saver! And I mean that in the very literal sense. I've now been taking 20mg of Prozac for about 18 days. The first week was hell. I couldn't sleep, I felt more depressed, anxious, and panicky than before. Nauseous and disorientated. But I stuck with it. Only now that I'm starting to feel better do I start to realize how incredibly unwell and out of control I've been for so long. I'm now starting to feel like I have my brain back and am in possession of rational thoughts again!"

• DDa...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• October 13, 2020

For Anxiety and Stress "I stopped my Prozac about 3 years ago on a doctor's advice as I have Bipolar 2. I have felt I was slipping back recently into anxiety and depression with poor appetite, poor sleep, etc. I restarted them yesterday and I have felt a different person today and enjoyed my lunch. I am also taking Sodium Valproate regularly as a mood stabilizer. Anybody else had such a quick response? I live in the UK."

• Dee...
• July 10, 2015

For Panic Disorder "I'm on day 25 taking this medication. I am taking the generic Prozac for anxiety and severe panic attacks. I started on 20mg. The side effects were horrible. I couldn't stop shaking, my heart was racing, I couldn't eat, sleep, it made my anxiety worse. I went to my doctor by the 10th day and he prescribed me klonopin. I only took klonopin once, it did help but I just didn't like the feeling. I wanted to stop taking fluoxetine because it made me feel worse but I kept taking it. By the third week I was able to eat again. It is now day 25 and I am starting to feel like myself again. My anxiety and panic attacks went from a 10 to a 3. I am planning on upping my dosage by day 30. I highly suggest trying out this medication. Don't be scared."

• Bli...
• January 15, 2016

For Depression "I am beginning my fourth week on 20mg Fluoxetine taken each morning. I am recovering from a long-term abusive relationship with a Narcissist. I have a head injury that predisposes me to fatigue. I asked the doctor to help me with my energy levels. I did not admit it, but the underlying feeling I had was that 'everything was too much' and 'nothing matters anyway.' But nobody would have guessed how hopeless I had become, and had been for at least 10 years. Initially, I experienced all of the symptoms people warn about in the first few weeks. Insomnia and occasional extreme anxiety were the worst. Now I feel enthused about taking things one at a time and am enjoying the process. I have begun to sleep normally again. So far, so good."

• GJa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 3, 2019

For Anxiety and Stress "I’ve been on Prozac for almost 2 months now, and I am really starting to feel a benefit from it. I read the reviews here before I tried it, and I was beside myself worried about the side effects. I didn’t have any side effects for the first 5 weeks apart from a lack of appetite. Around the 5/6 week mark was when I started to feel happier, less anxious, and lighter! This was also when I felt more side effects, such as dizziness at night, diarrhea, and waking up throughout the night. These side effects, while annoying, are minor compared to the anxiety and panic I have felt for my whole life. I would recommend this medication for anxiety and panic disorder. I feel like I can finally deal with my anxiety instead of it ruling my life. It took me years to give medication a go, and 7 weeks in, and I am still adjusting, but I would recommend to anyone who is uncertain to give it a try!"

• Bea...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 28, 2024

For Anxiety and Stress "I have tried several other medications for depression and anxiety. (Wellbutrin was okay, but didn’t help with my depression much. I quit smoking on day 3, which was an unexpected positive thing, but insomnia was too bad, and I almost wrecked my car from sleepiness, so I stopped after a month.) Tried a few others, but I always have a debilitating headache and can’t get past day 2. Not even Advil helps, and I can’t operate with those kinds of headaches. Finally, I tried Prozac 10 mg, and I tolerated it, which was a shock (no headache, just a mild weird feeling in my head the first few weeks), but totally manageable. Then suddenly my depression got so much better. I had been in a life crisis over some issues, and suddenly I could see the issues with clarity and without agitation. I am a lifelong nightly sleepwalker and have night terrors I act out, but Prozac completely stopped the getting out of bed stuff. I do have extremely vivid dreams now because of Prozac, but that is so much better than sleepwalking night terrors."

• pea...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 14, 2021

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "I was dealing with chronic and miserable anxiety for months and was losing hope that I'd ever feel at peace again. Did 10 mg Prozac for a couple of days, then increased to 20 mg for about a month. Didn't notice any differences, so increased to 40 mg for a little over three months. I noticed quite the change with that increase after a month or so and was finding myself less anxious throughout the day and feeling a little less guilty all the time. Just increased to 60 mg a couple of days ago and am feeling quite optimistic. While I still have my bad days, I really think this has saved me, and I am so glad I gave it a try. I was apprehensive at first because of all the horror stories I've heard and being anxious about trying a more intense medication, but I am so, so happy to have begun this journey and finding that there is hope. I dealt with minor insomnia after the first month for about a week, and for about a week after the first dose increase."

• OCD...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 21, 2016

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "I had been having anxiety and other symptoms such as weight loss. I was diagnosed with OCD and started on 10mg Prozac. I battled with side effects for the first month of increased anxiety, nausea, and sleeping problems. At about the 5-week mark, the negative side effects went away, and I started to feel some relief from the anxiety caused by the OCD. I was increased to 20mg, which seems to be enough for me. I have now been on it for over a year. I feel so much better. Like a weight is lifted off of my shoulders, and I no longer worry and obsess. I have gained some weight, but the anxiety had made me lose weight so I think I am able to eat now because I feel better. I don't sweat the small stuff in life anymore!"

• CLW...
• July 18, 2011

For Depression "I'm hoping my posts will help others who are on the fence about antidepressants. My story - in short - is anxiety has plagued me since my teens, depression joined the parade in my late teens/early 20s. I have tried several medications over the years and because they either made me flat or sick, I didn't stick with them. Recently decided Prozac would be my last attempt. I started taking 20 mg every morning 2 weeks ago. I have had very little in the way of side effects. Some mind shakiness in the morning, a little bit of difficulty falling asleep, mild fatigue, and dampened appetite. The benefits - to this point - are - surprising. I am much calmer, the anxiety is 80% gone, the depression is still present but not like 2 weeks ago and before. It's dissipating for sure. Life doesn't look so 'all or nothing', which is a nice change. My spouse said my 'fidgets' are gone. I was almost constantly moving in some form or another. I know some people think the medication reaction is 'all in one's head', but since my problems ARE all in my head, I don't care if it's the medication, me thinking it is, or a combination. All I can say is, for the first time in a very, very long time, I am able to run errands, be more social, and have actually gotten a full-time job in the past 2 weeks. I am able to better care for myself now, thus able to care better for my spouse. I have no plans to stop the Prozac. With 20 mg/once a day being a low dose and with it helping to this point, I'm going to roll with this as long as I can."

• Ros...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 16, 2019

For Panic Disorder "I am a 58-year-old female with depression, anxiety, and panic attacks. I tried a lot of different antidepressants during my bouts. Nothing really worked for the terrible panic attacks I was having. My doctor put me on 20 mg of Prozac. The side effects were bad for about 3 weeks, but by the fourth week, it really started to work well. I am still on it for 2 months now. It works. So don’t stop taking it because of the terrible startup side effects such as anxiety, low appetite, fatigue, yawning, terrible stomach issues, insomnia, and blurred vision, all cleared after 4 weeks. I feel good now, and I will continue to take it."

• Daw...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 10, 2016

For Anxiety and Stress "Taken for 9 days now. I take this with 1mg Ativan 2x daily as needed. First few days, I was tired, had a couple weepy moments, and nausea/full feeling that made me not want to eat. Day 6, I had a bout of insomnia, so I'm slowly moving the time I take my meds from the evening to afternoon, then the morning. No real insomnia since - just more of a hard time going back to sleep after waking (back to sleep within 20 mins). I've noticed I'm perkier and friendlier when I talk with people, just can feel some tiredness behind my eyes in the morning usually until the afternoon. I noticed I haven't experienced as many body aches I get from my anxiety as I have in the past. I'm hoping these are all good signs this medication is doing the trick for me."

• Daw...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 10, 2016

For Anxiety and Stress "Taken for 9 days now. I take this with 1mg Ativan 2x daily as needed. First few days, I was tired, had a couple weepy moments, and nausea/full feeling that made me not want to eat. Day 6, I had a bout of insomnia, so I'm slowly moving the time I take my meds from the evening to afternoon, then the morning. No real insomnia since - just more of a hard time going back to sleep after waking (back to sleep within 20 mins). I've noticed I'm perkier and friendlier when I talk with people, just can feel some tiredness behind my eyes in the morning usually until the afternoon. I noticed I haven't experienced as many body aches I get from my anxiety as I have in the past. I'm hoping these are all good signs this medication is doing the trick for me."

• bos...
• May 30, 2016

For Panic Disorder "I've been on this medication for a year. I haven't ended up in the hospital since for panic disorder and depression. It makes my mood stable and gives me energy and motivation to live life. I'm in my mid-20s and am lucky for how much this drug has helped me. My anxiety and panic disorder can be frightening, plus the depression aspects can make for a scared and crying disaster. The negatives I've had with this were when I first started, I could not eat. But that side effect did go away after a few weeks. The other side effect is not being able to fall asleep without some sort of drug to slow my brain down. I've been on a combination of mood drugs. I plan to stay on Prozac."

• Par...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 23, 2020

For Major Depressive Disorder "I've been suffering from severe depression and anxiety for three months now, mainly because of past traumatic experiences and my Hashimoto's disease condition caused by excessive stress. Even though I've been on levothyroxine, it doesn't help me with dealing with depression. My psychiatrist put me on 20 mg and asked me to double the dose if there isn't any effect in another 2 weeks, but this medication worked wonders in decreasing depression and anxiety and has uplifted my mood and spirits in life. I didn't need to increase the dosage yet. I've read a lot about side effects, but apart from less sleep, I have not witnessed any other side effects. I sleep better now as I take the medication every day at 10 a.m."

• Jen...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 1, 2016

For Anxiety and Stress "I have been on meds for depression, anxiety, and PMDD for over 10 years. Even on Zoloft, I would cry at work all the time over little things, taking everything personally. Finally, there was a suicidal ideation breaking point for me, and I went off Zoloft and on Prozac 20 mg. Within a few days, I felt the depression and sadness lifting. Two months later, still not depressed. My psychiatrist just upped my Prozac to 30 mg, and I'm having trouble sleeping through the night. Overall, I feel less emotions and don't care as much about work and other things. I don't react strongly to anything. However, I'm tired a lot and feel much less motivated in all areas of my life. It's better than being depressed and stressed."

• Goo...
• January 5, 2016

For Depression "I have been taking Prozac now for 20-plus years. Originally, I was told by my MD that it would be temporary, but my experience has been that after trying to be off it for several months, I needed to go back on it. I put myself under depression, but I had anxiety too, after the birth of my first child. I developed a real neurosis about sleep, i.e., I couldn't shut my brain off at night and had insomnia, I became afraid I'd never sleep again. Being on the lowest dose of Prozac helped me, I would say, completely. At three weeks, I despaired of ever feeling normal again, and by the fourth week, I saw a real improvement. By six weeks, I was very happy and relieved. It may be losing its effectiveness somewhat after all these years."

• Aud...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 3, 2016

For Anxiety and Stress "I was going through a breakdown and eating healthy and working out, but still, life was a mess and I couldn't cope, so my PCP prescribed this to get me through. I lost a bunch of weight, fine because I was a tad chunky, and became numb to so many things, but I was able to cope better and I had a bunch of energy. I couldn't sleep, but it was okay with my 75-hour work week. It was hard to concentrate on my medical studies because I would get confused a lot, but overall I adjusted and I would get on it again. Getting off it was smooth."

• Wil...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 17, 2022

For Anxiety and Stress "My experience on Prozac has been positive. My doctor started me on 20 mg, and I quickly moved up to 60 mg within about 8 months. I must stress that 60 mg is a very high dose for most people, but my symptoms were severe enough, so the doctor thought. Prozac definitely gave me a calming effect right away. Constant thoughts of suicide, negative intrusive thoughts, past trauma, and social anxiety went down to a minimum. And with 60 mg, they were basically gone completely. But as with all medicines, I did run into some side effects, which included excessive sweating, loss of appetite, and some trouble sleeping. But for once in my life, I feel more logical and less emotional (in a good way). Some of the negative reviews of Prozac can be due to people taking multiple psychiatric medicines that are causing horrible side effects, and the Prozac is negatively interacting with those medications. So don't base all of your fears on that."

• Eat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 19, 2024

For Panic Disorder "I was started on generic Prozac or fluoxetine 2 weeks ago at 20 mg for panic disorder, generalized anxiety, and depression. It’s still early in my treatment, but I am more energetic, experiencing fewer panic and anxiety attacks, and also feel less stressed and less worried about the future. The only major side effects I have are nausea and diarrhea, and sleeping less than normal since starting, but apparently these side effects resolve over time. This is a good med with fewer side effects than other antidepressants I took in the past."

• Hel...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 19, 2018

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "So happy this was invented. I feel like I am the person I was supposed to be my whole life but was too afraid/mentally ill to become. Was bumped up over time to 40 mg, and my OCD has been kept at bay. I've been going to therapy for years, but after starting Prozac, it was like I was finally capable of following my therapist's advice. She has since told me to stop coming so often because I am doing so well. Awesome. Prozac saved my life. Everyone around me has noticed. Some cons: I was a little nauseous whenever my dosage was upped and had sleep issues for a while, but they went away. In fact, I actually have an irrational fear of vomiting and was very nervous about starting because of this, but it was negligible at worst and, if I haven't said enough already, worth the brief amount of time I experienced it. The most noticeable issue was that it's significantly harder for me to achieve orgasm, but thankfully not altogether impossible. Please don't be afraid to try it out."

• Soc...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 17, 2019

For Anxiety and Stress "Started off at 20 mg Fluoxetine (Prozac), once daily capsules. Side effects the first few weeks are not fun at all. Shaking, jaw rattling, insomnia, the works. However, after those few weeks it gets 10x easier. About two months in, you notice a significant change. Anxiety is way down. Panic attacks are easier to manage. After 3 months, I moved to 40 mg capsules. Slight side effects again, but I know I’ll survive it. You’ll feel a little groggy from time to time, but it is changing your brain chemistry, so bear with it! As someone who has suffered panic attacks for years and ended up in the emergency room from a few of them, I highly recommend this medication for depression and anxiety. Just make sure to follow up with a counselor or a journal log!"