Fluoxetine

[Shit Good Nose]

Thanks Shit Good Nose!

You're welcome, however I need to reiterate that it is still early days - no one can say for sure that by the end of this (in two, three or four years - however long it's going to be) that she will back to "normal" or that she won't need to go straight back on them.

I daresay there will also almost certainly be an element of Your Mileage May Vary...

But, at the same time, both Mrs Nose and her GP are optimistic and confident.

[fat_abbott]

Is it easy to switch from one type to another? I'm on Prozac and I don't think it's as good as it maybe could be. And the teeth grinding and clenching is doing my head in.

[Shit Good Nose]

Is it easy to switch from one type to another? I'm on Prozac and I don't think it's as good as it maybe could be. And the teeth grinding and clenching is doing my head in.

It might depend on how long you've been on prozac, and I can only speak from our experience, but when Mrs Nose was first prescribed she went through several different ones over the course of about a year before they eventually settled on one that didn't make her feel incredibly ill (which ended up being a cocktail of the maximum permissable dosage of sertraline and an opiate to help her sleep).  Typically, the one side-effect that she did get with this combo was it completely killing her libido (we've not had sex for about 5 years). 

But going back to the original question - she didn't have any problems switching, it was just the respective side-effects of each one that she suffered with.

[fat_abbott]

Thanks for the info, I started with Mirtazapine, before switching to Prozac, I would say I've been on that about 6 months. Someone put it perfectly earlier up thread, I thought it would stop me chucking an absolute benny, but it's not working like that, dunno whether it should. Maybe nothing can, and I need that solution to come from somewhere else.

[Sherringford Hovis]

Just another affirmation from me that the SSRI age thing is complete bollocks.

I've got two relatives in their 70s on sertraline. One of them it is a blessing: it gave them their life back after difficulties with grief; the other one it's hard to tell whether there's any benefit at all but it'd be so difficult to manage their tapering off due to their general demeanour that they may as well stay on it.

[itsfredtitmus]

Fluoxetine did me good for a decade but billy, oxy and codeine are just like, better, man

[Dr Rock]

There's a sleeping pill called Zaleplon or Sonata is the marketed name. Is there anyway to get this legally, or is it prescription only? The last doctor I asked wouldn't prescribe it but it really helped my insomnia and felt amazing at calming my anxiety. It's got weird with prescriptions, because years ago doctors would hand out valium like sweeties and I'd mix them with booze and get into a right state. I don't mix things anymore, but I bet you can't get valium as easily these days.

You can't get Zaleplon prescribed in the UK any more. Zopiclone is similar but you'll have to convince your doctor that your insomnia is ruining your life and even then many doctors won't put you on it.  Things have changed over the years, they won't give out much these days, the cunts responsible people that they are.

[Shit Good Nose]

You can't get Zaleplon prescribed in the UK any more. Zopiclone is similar but you'll have to convince your doctor that your insomnia is ruining your life and even then many doctors won't put you on it.  Things have changed over the years, they won't give out much these days, the cunts responsible people that they are.

That's right.  Mrs Nose was only given an opiate (can't remember what it's called, but on the sleeping pill scale it's on the milder side) with her Sertraline because she was one step away from lithium and a nervous breakdown that would have (apparently) affected her physical health too.

[Custard]

Been on them a decade and they've not done me no harm. I think they mainly stop me fixating on something and overthinking things

That said, lately I've been thinking about slowly coming off them. I still have mild bouts of depression, but nowhere near as much as I used to.  But obviously this could be cos the pills are working!

But no, I've never had any obvious side effects. I think they can make you feel overly tired when you first start taking them, but this eventually subsides

Do let us know how you get on

[Puce Moment]

I generally 'acquire' zopiclone as GPs refuse to re-prescribe unless there is very good reason. I take it no more than twice a week, and usually once, to help me sleep. I never take more than half a pill.

I came off Fluoxetine about 3-months ago after experiencing extremely problematic side-effects that negated its positive effects on my OCD. I'm much more happy for it overall, but I also have a decent handful of friends who depend upon to live a normal life so...

[Shit Good Nose]

That said, lately I've been thinking about slowly coming off them.

If you do, please do it in conjunction with your GP - Mrs Nose was told some right horror stories when she first proposed it to her GP.

[Custard]

If you do, please do it in conjunction with your GP - Mrs Nose was told some right horror stories when she first proposed it to her GP.

Ah yes, I can imagine

Thanks, I certainly will

[GoblinAhFuckScary]

Gotta be soooooooo gradual with coming off.

I was on a pretty high dose of sertraline and I tapered off for what felt like a reasonable amount of time and still got the bastarding brain zaps.

[bgmnts]

Waking up at six and falling back asleep at mid morning. This drug is mad.

[Shit Good Nose]

Gotta be soooooooo gradual with coming off.

I was on a pretty high dose of sertraline and I tapered off for what felt like a reasonable amount of time and still got the bastarding brain zaps.

Yep.  Mrs Nose was on the maximum allowable dose and her draw-off started about a year ago and she's got at least a couple of years to go yet.

[JaDanketies]

I generally 'acquire' zopiclone as GPs refuse to re-prescribe unless there is very good reason. I take it no more than twice a week, and usually once, to help me sleep. I never take more than half a pill.

jfc zopiclone is some hardcore stuff to use to sleep. If you're only doing it twice a week, a short-acting benzo might be an idea? Etizolam is incredibly easy to buy on the internet. Zopiclone kills the whole weekend cos it works so well. And it gives you that nasty metallic taste, and has very limited recreational potential.

I used to sell benzos back before I decided to be a moral person. Friend of mine who used to buy them for shift work  - in fact he was one of the reasons I stopped, because I thought I was gonna be responsible for his demise - once asked me, "have you ever tried nytol? Really helps me get to sleep!" And I thought, "jesus fucking christ mate, maybe you should've tried those first."

[chveik]

Waking up at six and falling back asleep at mid morning. This drug is mad.

used to sleep at least 14 hours a day with my first happy pills cocktail. it was quite nice actually

[itsfredtitmus]

Stopped taking prozac 6-7 months ago after 7 years to avoid SS - GP kept at arm's length of course, because I'm mad.
Noticed little out of character (important imo) changes in mood, anxiety or cognition, although I do sometimes get OCD meltdowns but I definitely had those to varying degrees before the cold-turkey quit

[Zetetic]

Have rapidly discontinued several SSRIs without any substantial side-effects from doing so on any occasion. So it might be a piece of piss.

You still talk to your GP before doing so, if only so they know.

[bgmnts]

No joke in response to being an utter piece of shit, I had the overwhelming urge to self harm in penance.

My depression has NEVER truly manifested itself in those thoughts, ever. Suicide ideation yes but cutting my hand/arm/wrist? No. Freaked me out.

Needless to say, I'm ringing docs tomorrow as it runs out anyway. Def going to explore other medication.

Did anyone else have those kind of negative side effects?

[Small Man Big Horse]

Sorry to hear that bgmnts, how long have you been on it now? As sometimes the side effects can be really severe when you first start taking something (ie 1 - 4 weeks) but then level off. Due to insomnia I started back on Paroxetine two weeks ago and it's sent my anxiety through the roof, the last couple of days have been a bit better but before that I was waking up each day feeling ridiculously stressed and anxious about the state of the world, and that's something I'm normally quite good at ignoring. Either way, it's definitely a good idea to get in touch with your GP and tell them what's happening, and I hope they're able to give you something which does actually help.

[bgmnts]

Yeah i thought it'd level off but its been 6 weeks now. So I think its just not happening or not strong enough doses or what. My fatigue is through the roof n all. It's hard to gauge what proper energy levels are being a chronic fatty, whats just lack of movement and whats the drug, but good god i'm needing to sleep a LOT lately.

I hopw this Paroxetine starts levelling off for you.

[lankyguy95]

When I was on Fluoxetine I started getting big panic attacks, seemingly triggered by any car trip that was longer than about 20-25 minutes (a feeling of being trapped I think it was). I'd never had that before; needless to say it was horrible. Slightly spoiled my roadtrip to Turkey family holiday last year.

I'm on Sertraline now which seems to be giving me some stability (although also appears to be speeding up my hair loss - when one door to self-esteem opens, another closes).

You're doing the right thing telling the GP. When it gets past that initial 1-4 week stage that SMBH mentioned, it does often become clear the effect(s) the medication is having, which gives you the comfort of an assessment point. Personally I certainly found it a comfort knowing it was pretty obviously the Fluoxetine causing my panic attacks; I knew it was 'just' a chemical trigger and something could be done about it.

[Glebe]

Aw no sorry to hear it bgmnts... hope you're feeling a bit calmer and glad you're getting straight on to your doc.

[bgmnts]

Aw no sorry to hear it bgmnts... hope you're feeling a bit calmer and glad you're getting straight on to your doc.

Cheers. Your posts are going a long way to keeping me above water!

On Sertraline now anyway whoop!

[Glebe]

Cheers. Your posts are going a long way to keeping me above water!

On Sertraline now anyway whoop!

Best of luck. I'm on Faverin (as I'm sure I posted?).

[Pingers]

Cheers. Your posts are going a long way to keeping me above water!

On Sertraline now anyway whoop!

Just watch the side effects on the Sertraline for the first couple of weeks, they can get a bit intense. People I know who have taken it either found they levelled off and it was fine afterwards, or tried another SSRI instead.

I'm no massive advocate of herbalism, but I do shake my head when the critique is "it's just try this, try that". SSRIs mate.

[bgmnts]

Yeah i've done sertraline before, the side effects were not too bad in my memory. I'm excited for it again.

I feel half the power of medication is placebo anyway, so I have no gripe with any kind of homeopathy or herbalism or traditional medicine.

[drummersaredeaf]

There's been a few times in my life I feel I should have gone on SSRIs and never have - I've feared the side effects (someone close to me was made much worse) as well as being unable to get off them. Am I being a big silly sausage? Because now is one of the times I think I'd really benefit from some new brain chemistry.

[Pingers]

There's been a few times in my life I feel I should have gone on SSRIs and never have - I've feared the side effects (someone close to me was made much worse) as well as being unable to get off them. Am I being a big silly sausage? Because now is one of the times I think I'd really benefit from some new brain chemistry.

I put it off for years. I'm overall glad that I tried them in the end, the two biggest negatives are that I feel a bit emotionally neutered, the meds have done for the extreme emotions both good and bad, and the reliance on them, which can result in mini panics if I think I'm going to run out. Overall positive though.