Fluoxetine and Anxiety: What Users Say (Page 5)

• Pas...
• November 25, 2013

For Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder "I have suffered from Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder ever since I had my period. I would cry for no reason, lose focus at work, get anxiety attacks. It affected my daily life with mood swings, I would be this way for around 14 days before starting my actual period. The doctor prescribed me fluoxetine 10 mg to take 14 days before my period. I had taken Prozac in the past for what I thought was depression, which was really bad PMS PMDD. So I took the Prozac for 14 days before my period, and I was feeling much better. Prozac truly does help."

• Lov...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 20, 2020

For Anxiety and Stress "So I’ve been on fluoxetine 10 mg for 13 days now. Week 2 has been my worst anxiety/panic days. I wake up feeling so bad: anxiety, no appetite, headache in the evening, and some diarrhea. It’s so scary, I’m so close to stopping the med, but what gives me hope is seeing the reviews here... so I’ll keep pushing and come back for another review. Fingers crossed for a better tomorrow..."

• Mar...
• January 26, 2020

For Anxiety and Stress "After a month of debilitating anxiety that was interrupting my daily life severely, I got back on Prozac with a side of Lorazepam to help during attacks. The first week was awful, worsening anxiety, little sleep, waking up to panic attacks. I called my therapist and told her I couldn’t go on like this, but I knew my kids needed me. She let me know the side effects (which I must have not experienced when I was younger or forgotten about), so I hung on for a couple more days and went for a very hard run, and all of a sudden, it felt like a massive weight lifted off me. I figured I was just getting some endorphins and knew my anxiety would come back in a couple of hours, but it never did. I’m on day 3 of being 97% anxiety-free. I say 97 because I can still feel it creep mostly in the morning, but it just kinda passes now. It’s very liberating, and I can enjoy my family and children again. Very effective if you can make it through the initial storm. Hang in there, you can do it."

• Nan...
• January 22, 2020

Fluoxetine for Depression "Had to quit after just a few days. First couple of days felt calm. I yawned a lot. Day three I started to feel anxious and reclusive, and by day four, full-on dark thoughts and manic behavior. This is not for me. No way."

• Kay...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 19, 2024

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "I can't begin to tell you how much Prozac changed my life for the better. I have done so many things I dreamed of doing but was held back because of my crippling OCD/anxiety. It was destroying my life. I started on 10mg of fluoxetine for 6 weeks and felt a little better at the 5-week mark. I then went up to 20mg and have stayed at this dose for 3 months. I literally feel so much better - my personality hasn't changed, I feel more myself than ever, just without the horrible anxiety and intrusive thoughts that I used to have constantly. First 3 weeks I was super anxious, sweating more than usual, had no appetite (can't complain), and just felt out of it. I feel great at this dose without many side effects. You have to stick with it - it's so worth it even though it takes long, just trust. I tried a few meds before this and couldn't handle getting on them. Things will get better. I can't believe I'm writing this! Stay strong, you will beat this. I also have previously done ERP alongside the meds."

• Anonymous
• September 29, 2015

Fluoxetine for Panic Disorder "I have been taking generic Prozac 20 mg for 17 days now, 10 mg for 10 days before that. I have been reading all of the comments and am starting to have hope! My anxiety has increased a lot since I started this, I take Ativan when needed, which is every day! Other than the daily panic attacks, I don't seem to have any side effects, which is great! I've been thinking that maybe this drug is not for me, but after reading other people's experiences, I will ride it out and hope that everything works out after I'm on it for 6-8 weeks. Hoping and praying it does cause I need my life back!"

• ang...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 9, 2025

Fluoxetine for Anxiety and Stress "After being on citalopram for 10 years, I took a year to wean myself off, as it never lifted my mood. When I finally weaned off, I had really bad anxiety and major panic attacks. My doctor prescribed 20 mg of Prozac. The first few days, I could not sleep as I was taking them at night, I changed to morning. I couldn't eat the first few days and felt a bit nauseous. I did feel that something was changing, though, my mind was starting to feel a bit clearer. I'm now into my fourth week on 20 mg, and I'm getting less side effects. I can sleep at night now, no more constantly shaking when I try to relax, little blips of anxiety, nothing to what I've been used to. Every day just gets better. I'm looking forward to getting my life back again. Mine started with a lot of work stress and family worries. I'm sticking with Prozac, I wish I had years ago."

• kiw...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• May 1, 2016

For Hot Flashes "I knew years ago when I started on fluoxetine for depression and anxiety how it helped my hot flushes (as we in NZ call them), not only that, but it helped my fibromyalgia. So it killed not two birds with one stone, but three. I tried to come off the drug last year by weaning myself for eight months. Wasn't successful, so I went back on them. More so, just recently, I was given Lovan at the chemist and never thought much of it being another generic of Prozac. But, I started to go downhill, with anxiety, sore bones, headaches, and worse of all, hot flushes. Finally, I put two and two together and realized it was the Lovan. So now I'm back on fluoxetine. So being generic doesn't mean the same for everybody! This should be published more for all."

• Anonymous
• February 3, 2017

Fluoxetine for Anxiety and Stress "Prozac (10 mg) worked great for my depressive symptoms. I had energy and was motivated. I had no issues with weight gain or my sex drive. It did, however, significantly increase my anxiety. I had scary obsessive, intrusive thoughts, along with bad episodes of panic that came out of nowhere. I was scared to drive, go over bridges-there was always this fear of 'what if?' Everything that I could be anxious about, I was. I had a very difficult time quieting my mind, and at times I thought I was going crazy. Very scary experience overall. For those suffering from depression, I'm sure this RX is a godsend, but much too 'speedy' for my body."

• Sup...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 5, 2014

For Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder "I was prescribed fluoxetine for premenstrual dysphoric disorder. For the last 5 years, I took Remeron for depression, which did nothing to help with PMDD. I gained 60 lbs within a 3-month period of being on it. Well, 2 months ago, my doctor switched me to 10 mg fluoxetine. The side effects were a nightmare for the first two weeks: excessive drowsiness, nausea, increased anxiety, especially in the morning, diarrhea, completely lost my appetite. Well, I'm glad I hung in there because the side effects went away, my mood improved tremendously, and on top of that, I lost 20 lbs in the first 1.5 months. My appetite has improved. Very happy about the weight loss, but I feel that 20 mg would be a little more effective in treating PMDD symptoms. Overall, it's great."

• Amb...
• December 11, 2019

Fluoxetine for Panic Disorder "I started taking Prozac 9 days ago. I had my first ever panic attack 2 days ago in which I thought I wasn't going to live. Since the panic attack, I haven’t been able to sleep, eat, or drink. I haven't stopped thinking about dying once. So for these 2 days, I have been throwing up, nervous feeling in my tummy, dizziness, feeling scared and panic, and it hasn’t stopped. It’s been here constantly. I’ve spoken to my doctor and my counselors, and they said to ride it out. But I’m not going to do that. I had a suicidal thought last night, which has never happened for me. I’ve had to move in with my mom for the next couple of days so I’m not alone because I’m that scared of dying. I hope that after the tablets leave my system, I’m back to my old ways. I just don’t know what to do or say to anyone anymore. Doctors have even had to give me diazepams so I can stay calm, and half the time, they only work for around 15-20 minutes, all of this is torture. PLEASE DO NOT TAKE THIS."

• lir...
• January 5, 2014

Fluoxetine for Anxiety and Stress "I started to take Prozac several months back to get off Effexor. It really made that transition smooth. I take 20 mg every other day. I find it helps with anxiety, but not enough to wean off Klonopin. I know I'm normally oversocial, and Prozac makes me antisocial. I don't mind because I'm only antisocial with people I don't need to be associated with. I believe my ability to orgasm has improved from Effexor to Prozac. I tend to sleep more than I should, but it's better than tossing and turning. My motivation is at an all-time low right now, I don't know if it's the Prozac or work. I gained weight initially, but it's coming off slowly and evening out. I would recommend Prozac, it's not as feeling/responsibility numbing as other meds."

• rad...
• February 12, 2016

For Hot Flashes "I didn't want to take hormones for hot flashes, but the hot flashes were bad enough that I was going to try hormone therapy anyway. My family doctor suggested fluoxetine or Prozac for hot flashes. I had never heard of taking an antidepressant for hot flashes before, so I studied before saying yes. It started working after just a few days. I have occasional hot flashes that are milder than before and way, way less frequent. 20 mg is the dose that works for me. I tried reducing to 10 mg for a few months, but it didn't work as well as the 20 mg. I have been on this for 16 months now. On the flip side, it has also helped with some anxiety issues I didn't realize I was experiencing. :)"

• Anonymous
• March 5, 2012

Fluoxetine for Depression "If you're reading this, you're probably wondering the same thing I was... when will I get better? Feel normal again? Prozac has brought me my life back. I'm a 25-year-old who has struggled my whole life with clinical depression. You name it: anxiety, nervousness, paranoia. I take 20 mg a day paired with 15 mg of Adderall for my ADHD. I feel great, and I can actually function now."

• Anonymous
• March 5, 2012

Fluoxetine for Depression "If you're reading this, you're probably wondering the same thing I was... when will I get better? Feel normal again? Prozac has brought me my life back. I'm a 25-year-old who has struggled my whole life with clinical depression. You name it: anxiety, nervousness, paranoia. I take 20 mg a day paired with 15 mg of Adderall for my ADHD. I feel great, and I can actually function now."

• Joh...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 1, 2022

Fluoxetine for Depression "I was very hopeful for Prozac as it helped my friend. But this hope was quickly squashed in a few weeks. Here’s why: turned my insomnia into extreme insomnia—being wide awake at 3 am. Impossible to sleep. Months later, still have issues with sleep. Turned my anxiety into extreme anxiety. I didn’t have panic attacks. Now I did all the time. It made me very sensitive to light. Now, six months later, I see halos around light. Gave me tinnitus. This is a constant ringing in the ears, from the moment I wake to the moment I sleep. I still have this! Gave me very bad brain fog. I would go into the kitchen, have no clue why or what I needed. If these things sound good to you, take it. But if you value your eyes, ears, your sleep, and don’t want non-stop anxiety, I wouldn’t give this poison to my worst enemy!!"

• Bri...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 3, 2020

For Anxiety and Stress "I am now 5 weeks and 3 days into Prozac. The first 2 weeks were fine. I actually started feeling a little happier by the end of week 2. Now weeks 3-4 were absolutely terrible. I went to the ER thrice. Headaches, horrible night sweats, shaking, weakness, nausea, bloating, insomnia, obsessive thoughts, ruminating, and feeling unwell. Excruciating anxiety, and I'm used to having anxiety on a daily basis. I would have panic attacks repeatedly. I called my doctor many times. She reassured me it would get better and to take hydroxyzine HCl. I had to take at least 25 mg every 4 hours, otherwise, I would start to get chest tightness, hot, sweating, pounding heart, etc. As soon as week 5 began, I feel better every day. Today was the first day I didn't stay on hydroxyzine HCl. I feel happier, motivated, not as irritable, loving, patient. I still have random headaches, shaking, weird dreams. From someone who had ALL the crappy side effects, keeeeep goinggg! Best of luck!"

• Jal...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• January 4, 2018

For Depression "This medication is a miracle drug. If a person does not take it on time each day, they are causing themselves to feel super down. This medication saved my life in 1989. My ability to function as a normal person was wonderful immediately after I took the first pill. If you cry too much, feel anxious when things do not go right, get agitated when others do things differently than you do, freak out at small things that can be fixed easily, and feel hopeless in many situations, this is the medication to request from your doctor. DO IT NOW! DO NOT WAIT! Find out how it feels to have balanced serotonin in your body and remember: it is NOT your fault. Do not be ashamed to tell others how it changed your life! :)"

• ril...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 6, 2016

Fluoxetine for Depression "Prozac was the first antidepressant I was ever put on, and it never really helped me. I couldn't eat normally for several weeks, kept throwing up, and while waiting for the side effects to go away, my doctor gave me a higher dose, and my anxiety seemed to get even worse. About a month in, my suicidal thoughts got worse, and I just got reckless with my life because I felt like nothing mattered. After an intervention with my friends, I decided to just stop taking it cold turkey, and I really didn't experience that bad of withdrawal effects, I was just glad I wasn't taking it anymore. I would say it made me the most suicidal I'd been in a long time, and while it may work wonders for some people, it just did not work with me."

• LSa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 23, 2018

For Binge Eating Disorder "I started taking fluoxetine a few months ago. I noticed I gained about 10 pounds, but I am dropping off now, and wow, the binge eating is gone! I take 20 mg every morning. I first started taking it at night and slept like a baby, but once it kicked in, I was up all night for 3 nights (which it did say it would do that). I am starting to feel a little crabby and on edge, and not sure if I should increase it a bit. I will check with the doctor. Definitely taking it during the day right after some breakfast works best for me."

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

Fluoxetine 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."

• Lan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 14, 2022

Fluoxetine for Anxiety and Stress "Prozac has changed my life for the better. Throughout my teen years, I really struggled with general anxiety, and it only got worse. I’ve been taking 30 mg for 4 months now. I can finally “be a normal person” and go out with my friends again, socialize effectively, etc. Prozac not only helped my anxiety, but it has helped me keep my home clean instead of getting overwhelmed by cleaning. I will say, starting this medication heightened my anxiety, I had trouble sleeping, appetite went away, but luckily those have all subsided."

• Diz...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 14, 2016

Fluoxetine for Depression "Been on Prozac before and worked well. Left it too long before seeking help this time, never felt this bad, extreme anxiety, depression, feelings of doom, and obsessive racing thoughts. First week in and making me worse, but this is to be expected, I guess. Docs upped them to 30 mg, so will see what happens. Cry all morning, wake early sweating and anxious, feel sick, lost a lot of weight. Want my life back."

• Anonymous
• February 14, 2012

Fluoxetine for Depression "I'm 16 and have been on Prozac for about 3 months, and I must say that it's a great antidepressant. There are very few side effects for me, including an upset stomach, feeling anxious, and a few others which kept improving over time. This medicine really helped me deal with my depression. Many symptoms, like inability to maintain concentration, panic attacks, losing control, brain fog, hopelessness, extreme negativism, and fear of death, improved within 2 weeks and kept improving onward. I'm still on it, and I just love it, and I think it can help anyone with depression. With the pace of time, Prozac really helped me stay positive about everything. Sometimes I feel like I have already overcome my depression. It's really helpful."

• Hon...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 9, 2020

For Anxiety and Stress "Been taking fluoxetine for 7 weeks now. I have suffered with anxiety on and off for years. Recently, it has been worse, and then I've been very moody at the time of the month. I've always been against medication, but I'm at a time in my life now where I needed some help. Got to say the first 3 weeks were hard. Anxiety was worse, sweating, insomnia, shaky-almost gave up a few times. However, I can honestly say, 'don't give up.' It just takes time for your body to adjust. I feel so good now. My mood has altered a lot, my anxiety is nowhere near as bad. I feel great in general and look forward to each day."