Fluoxetine and Tiredness: What Users Say (Page 5)

• Tie...
• October 8, 2016

Fluoxetine for Major Depressive Disorder "I know this is a process, but it sucks. I'm now taking 40 mg of Prozac, and it literally does nothing for me. I started with Zoloft, and at least that was an appetite suppressant. Both Zoloft and Prozac just make me tired, which is the opposite of what I'm looking for. My goal is to gain energy and be able to do...anything...other than sleep."

• Mel...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 26, 2018

Fluoxetine for Anxiety and Stress "Absolutely changed my life for the better after my thoughts were racing around. I feel like I'm another person on it. I'm on 20 mg twice daily. Wish I would have gone to the psychiatrist before the stresses started. Side effects are tiredness and very real dreams, which I sometimes don't know if I dreamt them or if they happened in real life."

• War...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 18, 2021

Fluoxetine for Anxiety and Stress "I was on Zoloft for 8 years, it changed my life. Eventually, it stopped working. I was put on Prozac and gave it several months to work. On just about 15 mg (I am extremely sensitive to medicine), I felt entirely drugged, tired all the time, etc. I ended up getting suicidal thoughts, intrusive, obsessive thoughts that I have never had before. I wondered if I was getting worse or if it was from the medicine. My doctor and my family believed it was from the medicine. I am now coming off of it slowly and having nightmares from it. I am hoping I feel back to normal, but I feel this medicine made me feel crazy."

• lew...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 22, 2024

"A close friend passed away young of cancer at 53. I'd never experienced grief and never knew I was capable of even feeling this way. I'm stoic, disciplined, blunt, strong-willed, which equals stubborn. I took the fight to the grief, exercised, my go-to didn't work. Describing how I felt, so down, life seemed pointless, life had sh*t on me and him. We've both been successful, then out of the blue, death. Thank you very much. All I could see was people's pain and suffering etched into their faces, it was weird. I wasn't suicidal but felt it. I'd already asked the doctor for help and took the fluoxetine back, never touching it for 1 year (stubborn). The effect of the medicine on me was remarkable, on day 4, I lay on the bed with my wife, with a deep exhale, I exclaimed, 'it's over, I'm free! It's gone, the pain has lifted, I'm free.' The fluoxetine has been remarkable, really really helped. It's not been pleasant at times, been a bit tired, lots of yawning. I'm starting to come off it now after just 5 months."

• lew...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 22, 2024

"A close friend passed away young of cancer at 53. I'd never experienced grief and never knew I was capable of even feeling this way. I'm stoic, disciplined, blunt, strong-willed, which equals stubborn. I took the fight to the grief, exercised, my go-to didn't work. Describing how I felt, so down, life seemed pointless, life had sh*t on me and him. We've both been successful, then out of the blue, death. Thank you very much. All I could see was people's pain and suffering etched into their faces, it was weird. I wasn't suicidal but felt it. I'd already asked the doctor for help and took the fluoxetine back, never touching it for 1 year (stubborn). The effect of the medicine on me was remarkable, on day 4, I lay on the bed with my wife, with a deep exhale, I exclaimed, 'it's over, I'm free! It's gone, the pain has lifted, I'm free.' The fluoxetine has been remarkable, really really helped. It's not been pleasant at times, been a bit tired, lots of yawning. I'm starting to come off it now after just 5 months."

• Oka...
• July 14, 2016

Fluoxetine 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."

• Gue...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 2, 2018

For Depression "Before taking the medication, I suffered from an extreme lack of motivation and didn't socialize. I was prescribed 20 mg, which started working after about two weeks. I felt more energetic when in social situations, and that lack of motivation to do anything was slowly disappearing. It did start to plateau, so my dosage was increased to 40 mg. After about 1 month on the medication, I was getting extremely tired. Some days, I would sleep for 18 hours. I also developed an issue with anxiety - I don't know if this was a side effect or just became more noticeable as the depression wore off. After about 15 months on fluoxetine, I finally decided to stop taking them, and within about two weeks, I noticed my sleeping issues disappear almost entirely. The meds worked very well when I was going through a dark time and allowed me to get the help I needed to cure the root cause. However, I feel a lot better since I've stopped being prescribed them."

• Lan...
• September 10, 2018

For Depression "Day 4 of 20mg fluoxetine, and I’m feeling physically and mentally lazy, but loving it because it feels incredibly pleasurable. I shall keep going and see how I am doing in 2 weeks around physical energy levels because I want to be more productive. On the plus side, I am no longer compulsively binge eating and/or purging occasionally, which was hugely self-destructive and stressful since I have MS and my symptoms flared up. My symptoms are totally less already, so I’m overjoyed. I plan to start swimming and getting my endorphins going again, if I get off the couch."

• Car...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 16, 2015

For Anxiety and Stress "I have titled this 'anxiety and stress,' but I also have been suffering from major depression, suicidal ideation, Pure-O OCD, and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder. I'm currently on 20 mg Fluoxetine, and can honestly say that this medication has saved my life. It hasn't been plain sailing. I've had periods when I felt so tired that I couldn't move, and I had the worst panic attacks and anxiety ever for the first couple of weeks. Hang in there! I purposely ensured that my dosages increased gradually (similar to the 'cranzac method'), so it's probably another 10-12 days before I get the full 20 mg effect, so I am expecting even more side effects. But I feel indescribably better than before. A true wonder drug, if you can stick out the bad days."

• hey...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 22, 2019

For Binge Eating Disorder "I'm 22, and I have been on this medication for exactly 12 days to treat BED, anxiety, and depression. The first few days, I was binge-free, then, on the 4th day, I started binging again. I've experienced panic attacks, more depression, and I still cope with food, although I feel lethargic (and I eat less amounts of food during an episode). I find it very difficult to go to work because I am having trouble concentrating and experiencing extreme sadness. However, I am PUSHING through because I read that it gets better! It takes time for the body to adapt to this medication."

• gib...
• December 6, 2015

Fluoxetine for Major Depressive Disorder "For the first time, I've been on Prozac. I talked to my provider, and we decided it was the best. This is my second week. I didn't realize I suffered from OCD intrusive thoughts. Now those are gone. I feel tired and sleepy, which is rare for me. I am taking other meds as well, so I do not know if I should attribute this to Prozac or not. So far, it seems like it was a good idea. I am monitoring my behaviors, being mindful about what I am doing, not in an OCD way, though."

• Anonymous
• March 25, 2012

Fluoxetine for Depression "I have been taking Prozac for two months. The first month, I did not notice a difference, but after six weeks, I was not obsessing or getting angry and noticed I was more relaxed around other people. Being a shy person from the day I was born, I am still not interested in any more social interaction, however, I have noticed that I am now extremely tired on the Prozac, which is debilitating and frustrating since I have an exam to write in ten days and have no motivation to study. I have lots of energy when I am exercising, so I don't think it's due to low iron or nutritional deficiencies. Went to the doctor today, and he recommended I stay on it for another month, so the medicine normalizes in my body."

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

For Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder "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."

• Anonymous
• January 12, 2011

Fluoxetine for Depression "I have been on Prozac for only 6 days. I noticed a mild improvement where my depression episodes weren't so severe. The thoughts of suicide are subsiding, but I'm beginning to feel a bit absent-minded. There are times of the day that I feel very tired or sleepy, but I don't feel like crying or overreacting for everything. My doctor said that the level needs to build up in my system. I hope I keep feeling better and the blah feeling improves. Decreased libido? I didn't have much to begin with. I noticed no change."

• Joa...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 10, 2019

For Depression "I think this drug has helped me, but I can’t understand why I’ve put a stone and a half on in one year. I put it down to this drug, and also I’m feeling very tired. I’m trying to come off it by reducing it to one every other day. Is there anyone else that has experienced this?"

• Lin...
• October 30, 2019

Fluoxetine for Bulimia "After more than two months, I stopped taking Prozac. Here are the pros and cons of this med (in my own experience): Pros: 1. My mood is always better than usual. 2. I no longer have death wishes. 3. The bingeing urges noticeably lowered down but never stopped completely. Cons: 1. NIGHTMARES, extremely terrible ones. They were just getting worse and worse. 2. Anxiety, and yes, it’s bad, but not too much in my case. 3. Tiring day all day. I would feel that I’m tired, so sleepy, and dizzy all day. 4. Stuffy nose, that I would always feel that I’m sick or having the flu. After I stopped the med: 1. I feel much energized and awake, less dizzy, yet it didn’t affect my sleep. 2. I dream normally and not too heavily. 3. No more stuffy/runny sinus. 4. However, I know my mood will lower down a bit, but I need to compromise because I just can’t stand the side effects, and the med in specific, after two months, couldn’t prove that it can ‘stop’ the bingeing urges I get."

• Sen...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 21, 2016

Fluoxetine for Depression "Having a history of family health problems, it was my time to develop one of my own, I was diagnosed with moderately severe depression and was placed on a moderate dose of Prozac. Weeks in, I became extremely lethargic, my mood hadn't stabilized one bit. I presumed I would need a higher dose, and that followed. Eventually, the dosage had quadrupled and showed no improvement. I began to view the world in a haze, nothing seemed real, and I didn't recognize myself. I was incredibly suicidal. If you are not feeling this drug is effective, do not continue using it, otherwise, suicide is a very genuine threat. I have found Sertraline effective as opposed to this freakish medicine."

• MSm...
• June 10, 2018

Fluoxetine for Anxiety and Stress "This antidepressant does help with anxiety and depression, but caused me to have side effects like stomach problems (mostly diarrhea), terrible acne, made me tired, yawning all day, constantly hungry, and bothered my sinuses. I was only on it for a few weeks and had to go off of it."

• Chr...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 29, 2021

For Depression "I started on fluoxetine 5 years ago as I was in a very dark place, had a horrible depression and felt suicidal. It felt like the world was a grey, dark place. I'm a mum of three teenage children, but married to an alcoholic, which brought so much stress. I reached out for help in the form of 20 mgs, had awful side effects for about six weeks: yawning, nausea, just felt weird, then slowly but surely felt better. I have never looked back until two months ago when all the original symptoms started creeping back. Felt sad, had that awful feeling in the pit of my stomach, couldn't leave the house, and once again everything went grey. I began to hate my husband as all the pain of the past seemed to enter my every thought. I felt irritable and had no energy, so had my dose upped to 40 mgs two weeks ago. I felt worse or numb, but now feel it's starting to kick in. I don't hate hubby, started cleaning, walking the dog, and eating healthy. So pleased that there is light in my life again."

• Amy...
• November 18, 2013

For Depression "I'm 19. I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety and told to take fluoxetine. I have been on it for 3 weeks, and since then, I have stopped having panic attacks but have experienced some horrible side effects, including headaches, vomiting, heartburn (that lasted hours), insomnia, fits of giggles, lethargy, muscle aches, loss of libido, dizziness, sensitivity to light, and a general feeling of not being altogether. So, the medication has stopped my low mood and constant anxiety but has made me feel ill."

• vsx...
• November 23, 2010

For Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder "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."

• clc...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 1, 2019

For Hot Flashes "I was prescribed this about 4 years ago as I started an early menopause. I was a bit reluctant with them being anti-depressants. However, after a few months, I realized that one of the reasons I can't sleep is that I am really tense. I suddenly became aware of my clenched fists and jaw when I was trying to sleep. I had the best sleep ever, but strangely woke up feeling really tired! I stopped taking these because of the stigma of being depressed. I'm now 51 and still suffering from hot flushes, etc., so am considering seeing my GP to give them another try, although prescriptions are so expensive!"

• Geo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 17, 2019

For Anxiety and Stress "Been on paroxetine for 17 years, but it pooped out. Had nightmares getting off. My psychiatrist suggested overlapping with fluoxetine. I currently take 8.5 mg paroxetine and for the past 4 weeks, 10 mg of fluoxetine. The plan is to increase to 20 mg and then come off paroxetine. At week 4 on fluoxetine, I feel anxious, shaky, tired, generally unwell, headaches. I am questioning whether to stop fluoxetine, but then I read the forums and the messages that say I need to give it more time. Is this the slowest-acting SSRI? Should I give it longer?"

• 92D...
• January 18, 2017

For Anxiety and Stress "I was taking fluoxetine on a 40 mg dose for just over 2 years for severe anxiety. I found it just made me extremely tired and quite numbed to daily life, which was no good for my 5-year-old child to see that I wasn't great at showing my emotions. I suffer badly with traveling as I feel enclosed, and I can't go to the toilet, which brings on sweaty palms, tense muscles, holding my breath without realizing it, upset bowels, and feeling I need to go both ways constantly. Fluoxetine didn't help reduce any of these physical symptoms, only the psychological side, making me feel zoned out from the world (not great when you have children). Now I am about to go on a different medication, citalopram, I am hoping this helps."

• use...
• June 20, 2014

For Anxiety and Stress "Great for me! Life changer. My day-to-day anxiety is pretty much gone. I take 40 mg every night. A bit more tired in the mornings, making it harder to wake up. Decreased sex drive. Still take 2 to 3 mg of Xanax only when giving speeches and presentations to large groups (only when needed, as Xanax can be dangerous)."