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Fluoxetine - Anti depressants

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
Any here had experience with these - and what did you think?
I've just been prescribed them. While I'm not suicidal I've got a few problems at the mo (health, money, men, the usual really), I'm feeling very low and need a boost.
I know these pills can take 2-3 weeks to work but I've never been on anything like this so I'm wondering what to expect?
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Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    If they are a low dose (which they should be) you shouldnt really get any major side effects, at least not after the first week. Orgasms are likely to get a lot harder to achieve, and of course MDMA wont work anymore, but if you are feeling fragile then you dont want to be doing pills.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    My mum's on fluoxetine and she's now all normal and happy. She's a genetically depressed type person, it's in her blood (ADHD too) so it levels her out to normality.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    budda wrote: »
    If they are a low dose (which they should be) you shouldnt really get any major side effects, at least not after the first week. Orgasms are likely to get a lot harder to achieve, and of course MDMA wont work anymore, but if you are feeling fragile then you dont want to be doing pills.
    They are 20 mg, is that low?
    I didn't realise MDMA wouldn't work but it's not a problem as I need a break.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I was on them for a while.

    They're ok, but they made me feel quite distanced from everything - like in a bubble being insulated. I didn't like that too much, but it might be what you need. :)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    My mate was on them and he had 30oddmg if i remember correctly, he said they made him feel happier and generally more at ease after a couple of weeks of taking them with no reported side effects.

    However,then he just ate them like sweets to get a kick off them, bit silly but that's the way he was, a stint in rehab sorted him out in the end.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    VinylVicky wrote: »
    They are 20 mg, is that low?
    I didn't realise MDMA wouldn't work but it's not a problem as I need a break.

    20mg is reasonably low I think, so obviously the side effects will be minimal if any.

    Yep, it totally blocks the action of MDMA, it just plain wont work.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Hey, I've been on them for about five months now, and for me they haven't helped much at all. Im on 30mg.

    My doctor is reluctant to change them though, as i got no side effects whatsoever.

    Everybody is different however, and what works for one, may not work for another and vice versa. I'd say, give them a shot for at least six weeks and see how you feel on them.

    x x x
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    The standard dose of fluoxetine is 20mgs, sometimes people take 2 a day, but it can even go up to 60mgs a day although thats not common.

    Works differently for everybody. Along with citalopram, its a common starting place for anybody start on AD's. Some find they experience side-effects for the first couple of weeks-nausea,sickness,dizzyness,sleepyness,maybe more depressed, but you've gotta give it 2-3weeks to get over the side-effects and see if you're noticing a positive effect. Most people get on fine with it and it helps them a lot.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I was on Prozac years ago. I assume you are taking it as a temporary thing; I actually thought that Prozac was one of the medications with the least side effects when coming off. Others caused me to be physically sick, while that one was quite gentle.

    (Kind of the opposite side of the scale of the original question, but I just thought I'd say :))
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    side effects

    yeah these medications SSRI's can take 2-3 weeks to start to work. When you start up on them they can sometimes make you feel very agitated, cause sickness, diarrhea etc. All these problems go fairly quicly. The one side effect that seems to stay is the inability to reach orgasm - or it takes a lot longer and desn't feel as good. When I was on an SSRI that was the side effect I hated the most. They can be unpleasent to withdraw from too but with fluoxetine it does have a long half life so should be easier.

    If you want a good antidepressant without many side effects and no sexual dysfunction I'd ask your dr for Zispin (mirtazapine).

    Hope you're ok. take care

    PS I had an horrendous time withdrawing from the SSRI seroxat so I'd stay clear of that one!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    mirtazipine isnt an ssri as such. Its also probably not a drug you'd give someone as a first treatment, it has sedating qualities, like trazadone.
  • SkiveSkive Posts: 15,282 Skive's The Limit
    I hope they help you, just don't rely on them too much or put too much faith in them.
    Weekender Offender 
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    20mg fluoxetine is the smallest dose it comes in, its what they start people on to see what happens. I ended up on 40mg dose, and it did do me good in the short-term, they certainly saved my life by stabilising me enough to get the help I needed.

    Don't expect them to work miracles because they won't, but they can take the edge off the worst of the sad feelings. Some people find they work really well, and others find they don't work so well, mostly because its still a very inexact science.

    The worst side-effect I had was being unable to come through sex. It did mean I lasted hours though :D
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'm a medic so I do agree that Zispin isn't an SSRI but I don't agree that its not a good 1st line treatment. True it can be sedating *at the start of treatment* this effect soon wears off and you take it at night.

    I think it has a better side effect profile than the SSRI's, though it has to be said, none of these drugs are without problems. I mainly mentioned it as I know personally, and professionally from speaking to patients, that the sexual dysfunction part can be horrendous. Now if you are on them for only a short while that is not so much of a problem. Remember, however, that a lot of people end up on these drugs for a long time. This can be for various reasons: some just can't get off due to withdrawal reactions (what the drug companies like to call "discontinuation syndrome"), some find that they need them long term for ongoing mood disorders, some have poor GP's who don't review the medication often enough.

    Point being that a healthy sex life (with a partner or on your own!) is important for a lot of people. Personally I would never gain take a drug that inhibited sexual function as there is usually always an alternative that doesn't
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I took fluoxetine for about 9 months and the only side effect I had was I couldn't orgasm, which was quite frustrating when I had just started going out with a new bloke. Still, the side effects were worth it in the end. :)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    BumbleBee wrote: »
    I took fluoxetine for about 9 months and the only side effect I had was I couldn't orgasm, which was quite frustrating when I had just started going out with a new bloke. Still, the side effects were worth it in the end. :)


    See, everyone's talking about this side effect, and i totally don't remember that. Either i didn't get it, or i wasn't getting any while i was on it :confused:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I actually had quite a rough time on Fluroxatine, It didn't like me at all, and after 7weeks I had to come off, doctor said leave it for another 4weeks after my initial 4weeks of getting it into my system but it got so bad, BUT i have heard from many other people it is a good AD and one of the most common. I think it may have just been me :p well i guess everyone reacts differently

    I wasn't sexually active when on it, so I never noticed that side effect but it did make me dizzy and feeling sick (although never sick) at times.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    True, for a long term perspective, these drugs affecting your sex life isnt ideal, but really, if you need anti-depressant treatment then surely thats more of a priority than having an orgasm.
    Commit suicide vs have an orgasm?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I've been on these now for 2 months and for a while i didn't see any real benefits just side effects but for me after 6 weeks i started to feel better just things didn't bother me so much or get me down. I wouldn't say they made me estactically happy but i do think that now they are benefitting me as i am much happier these days.
  • SkiveSkive Posts: 15,282 Skive's The Limit
    Sikorah wrote: »
    True, for a long term perspective, these drugs affecting your sex life isnt ideal, but really, if you need anti-depressant treatment then surely thats more of a priority than having an orgasm.
    Commit suicide vs have an orgasm?

    There's some evidence to suggest that SSRIs can actually increase suicidal thoughts.
    Weekender Offender 
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    yeah, we all know the side effects etc etc etc anti-depressants.

    But whats that gotta do with having an orgasm?

    Evidence also suggests that people commit suicide after starting of AD's because theyre starting to get their motivation and energy back and are physically and mentally able to plan and carry through suicide.
    But what do you do, live a miserable existance? But hey-least if someone will put up with u then ull get an orgasm!
  • SkiveSkive Posts: 15,282 Skive's The Limit
    I'm still a bit cautious of the way SSRI's are used, and I think they're relied upon too much nowadays.
    I wouldn't write them off completely but I think they're effectiveness is greatly exaggerated, or at least people put too much faith in them.
    Weekender Offender 
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    iv been on them for 6 years havnt done me ne harm bt yeh not much good either hmm dnt no if that helps?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Sikorah wrote: »
    True, for a long term perspective, these drugs affecting your sex life isnt ideal, but really, if you need anti-depressant treatment then surely thats more of a priority than having an orgasm.
    Commit suicide vs have an orgasm?

    You say that but have you seen the stats on SSRIS on suicide over placebo. I always think be acareful on what's precsribed and what you take. I'm not against SSRIs per se, and think they have theoir place, and in their place they do a while heap of a ogod and there's a few peple from there's boars who would woul give examples of that, the grrn one has been around and down and up and has good things to asyt about SSRIs. Thing is, the trials that SSRIs unxdertook to get tehir license were only short term trials, also there really are side effects to SSRIs , and GPs are under pressure to prescribe the cheapest drugs to counter the sympotms adn if theywer followed up as closely as the y7 wer in teh trials it would be ok. Only I think to many people get prescribed drugs and then forgotten baout or lost in the system ore are too depressed to get tehmselves the follow-up care they need.

    They onlky exMple I have is my brother who reall yeeds some psychotherapy adn some-I-really-don't-know=-what therapy to get him oput of te rut he's in, but is just given a six monteh prescription for SSRIs and basically fcked off nad told to go away. And these things do have reall and documented side effescts that are bad, even worse than the orgiuoingal symtoms, side-effects.

    I believe in SSRIs. I believe in the chemisrty and the science behnind them, I believe they worlk, but I sonr'tr thing they work when soemeone is too depressed to stand up ofr themseles that ythey can't report negative siede eeffects that are wosreset han tyhe orignonal sympotomes. Remenber that toe get teh license thaye were sunbnjwectg to short term trials and they are being prescribed outsied of short term measueres. I dont' think it's teh doctor's fau;t, but I do believe that whoever is being prescribed SSRIs need to ether have the strength at that tim,e themselves to be able to make their GP aware if they are experiencing negatiee side effects, or neefd to have siomeone else llooking ouit for them to make their GP awa re that the side effects ar eworse than the origonal depression. The GPs can try other stuuff, but only if thwey know what;s gpoigno n. and depppressed people are not realluy ion tye position to heklp themselves stand up for themelves or make them stand up for themselves.

    One of my brothers is so fucked. man, he;s fucked, and he's on pills. and never tells me wha pills he's on. and I worry so bad. Tehse pills have real and documanted side effecgs. UYou really have to be careful. s far as I know from ther eading I've donr is that the side effects arfe worse in hormonal pre-pubescents whwere ther is a higher friosk of suicude, but if you hae the prescence of mind (which you see3m to have ) to monitor this soert ytof thing yourself you should hive them a try but make sure you hva a reguklar appointmant with you GP, in case the side effects rae bad 2ith you or there is some thing bertttter for you to try.
  • SkiveSkive Posts: 15,282 Skive's The Limit
    I'm not ready to believe in SSRI's just yet. When there's good evidence to suggest that they really are as effective as often claimed, and when there's good evidence to support the fact that low serotonin levels are the CAUSE of depression, then maybe I'll change my mind.

    As it is, I wouldn't have much faith in them.
    Weekender Offender 
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Skive wrote: »
    I'm not ready to believe in SSRI's just yet. When there's good evidence to suggest that they really are as effective as often claimed, and when there's good evidence to support the fact that low serotonin levels are the CAUSE of depression, then maybe I'll change my mind.

    As it is, I wouldn't have much faith in them.

    Low serotonin might not be the cause but depressed people routinely have lower levels of it, and if you raise it they feel better. Same really as MDMA, raise the serotonin levels and you feel a whole lot better.
  • SkiveSkive Posts: 15,282 Skive's The Limit
    budda wrote: »
    Low serotonin might not be the cause but depressed people routinely have lower levels of it, and if you raise it they feel better. Same really as MDMA, raise the serotonin levels and you feel a whole lot better.

    Still, wih the evidence I've seen I wouldn't put much faith in them - certainly not as much as most people seem to.

    It's become a mainstay of popular culture that depression is caused by a chemical inbalance in your brain, and that SSRI are good at treating it. In reality the evidence for it is pretty patchy.
    In many some cases placebo's have been found to be MORE effective than the SSRI, and when you take the data from all SSRI trails placebos have been foudn to be as effective 75% of the time. That's a pretty serious figure.
    When include the side effects that SSRI cause, are they really worth it.

    There are studies that show Ketamine and older type sedatives to be more effective in the treatment of depression.
    Weekender Offender 
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Older types are more effective but have more side effects. Tricyclics are dangerous to a patient at risk of overdose, and MAOI's are a last resort as they require you to make dietary adjustments(you can't eat cheese for example)

    No-one would have Ketamine.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Mrs Ninja is on Fluoxetine for her baby blues and we've both seen a huge difference in her moods. She doesn't freak out over small things anymore and more patient with everyone.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Sikorah wrote: »
    mirtazipine isnt an ssri as such. Its also probably not a drug you'd give someone as a first treatment, it has sedating qualities, like trazadone.

    I have heard mirtazipine refered to as the best AD there is, but like you say, it's usually from pretty severe depression. It also makes you put on weight....I know, bigger picture and all that, but it's true
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