Fluoxetine for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder User Reviews (Page 4)

• sea...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 25, 2022

Fluoxetine "I recently started on Prozac for Major Depressive Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, OCD, and insomnia after cycling through a number of medications for several disorders. I tried trazodone at first for anxiety and insomnia, then added quetiapine when the trazodone didn’t work. Then I started using Imovane, which made me feel awful. My psychiatrist started me on 20 mg Prozac to improve anxious and obsessive thoughts and depression. It has significantly improved those, and I no longer feel the physical effects of anxiety or depression. It has also significantly improved sleep, as I do not stress about not being able to sleep. Finally, it did cause a few side effects like headache and nausea for the first few days, but it is now gone."

• zin...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 4, 2023

Fluoxetine "This has been the most beneficial medication for my OCD and MDD. It really turns down the volume well, while not completely numbing me from feeling other feelings. I am grateful this drug was ever created because I probably would not be here without it."

• Fey...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 22, 2023

"Been taking fluoxetine for almost 6 weeks now and I can honestly say that it's changed my life. I've been suffering really badly with OCD/health anxiety, and my therapist has been telling me to try fluoxetine for around 12 months. At the beginning of last year, my doctor prescribed me a number of SSRIs, none of which were really suitable for what I needed, and none worked. I was nervous to try more meds as I'd reacted badly to the rest of them. I read a review on here on fluoxetine, and the reviewer had said to go and see a psychiatrist as your GP isn't a mental health professional - so I did. In the review, they described waking up one day and just feeling normal again. I wanted that so badly that the review made me cry and gave me the push to try the meds. I've only had a positive experience with this medication - it helped my intrusive thoughts no end, and I'm checking much less. It's still early, but it's helped enormously. Thank you to the person who wrote the positive review!"

• Bet...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 4, 2024

Fluoxetine "I was switched from Lexapro 20 mg since I couldn’t stop my OCD and at a higher dose, there are cardiac problems. It took 3 1/2 months for Prozac 80 mg to kick in. I’m still on Klonopin 0.75 mg for 6 months but slowly reducing my dose. Ask your psych, but I took some Benadryl (don’t drive) to stop rebound anxiety since I’ve been on Klonopin for 6 months. I also do a Zoom support group once a month and started ERP with an OCD specialist. My OCD involves rumination and contamination. I don’t wash my hands. I’m feeling back in control and realizing that I was keeping these thoughts alive. OCD demands a lot of fear and anxiety. You need to control it since the disease will never let you use logic."

• hea...
• January 27, 2020

"I have been on this medication for 6 weeks due to a very bad flare in my generalized anxiety and OCD that left me barely functioning. When I first started, I felt very little relief and almost certainly felt worse. I felt uncomfortable and like my skin was crawling, OCD and intrusive thoughts got worse/more frequent, and I felt like I was going crazy. At 4 weeks, I started to notice some improvements, and now at 6 weeks I am feeling almost back to normal. I am able to live my life again, my sleep is back on track, and my appetite has returned. My OCD and rumination have reduced significantly, and I have days where I am feeling better than I have in years. If you are just starting, be patient! I know that I am still not even feeling the full effects at this point, and that I will continue to have ups and downs, but already it has helped so much. 6 weeks feels like an eternity when you are suffering, but you will get through."

• pur...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 8, 2024

Fluoxetine "If you're starting Prozac, I encourage you to read. Male (23) suffering from pure OCD. I came off Zoloft and started Prozac. I began on 20mg and reached 60mg within a month. In my experience and research, the maximum dose usually helps with OCD. I didn't experience 'things getting worse at first' until about 2 weeks on the meds. I quickly spiraled back into almost unbearable OCD thoughts and couldn't think straight when with my girlfriend. I thought Prozac wasn't for me. Despite this, my doctor kept me on 60mg. The improvement was dramatic, and now at 2 weeks on 60mg, I'm slowly feeling more relaxed. The thoughts are still present, but they are almost muted and don't demand the attention they once did. In my opinion, Prozac requires a high dose and time (8-12 weeks). If things worsen, stick with it. You might doubt its effectiveness, but time and dosage are key. I will update my review to 10/10 if I reach a state where I almost feel 'cured' as I have before. It's just over 2 weeks on 60mg now."

• mad...
• October 7, 2011

Fluoxetine "I've taken Prozac for 15 years, started when my husband was critically ill. It was a life saver, it stopped me from crying all the time. He passed away in 1998 and I continued taking it for depression. Was taking 40 mg a day, and yes, it takes all sexual desire away. I remarried 6 years ago. I weaned myself off of it because of that. I developed compulsive overeating, that's all I thought about. I gained a lot of weight, so I'm back on it. I could care less about sex. I don't like going to sleep, the dreams are vivid, but it does help me with my appetite. I don't think about food all the time like I did."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 28, 2015

Fluoxetine "First week was hell, more anxiety and panic attacks. Had to leave work early one day for the anxiety, also left a family event early. But now... starting second week and starting to feel like myself again! As long as things continue this way, will be happy on this drug! Without the first week's side effects would give it a 10."

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

Fluoxetine "In college, my counselor wanted to primarily treat my depression and anxiety with Celexa, then Lexapro. Each of these medications drastically worsened my symptoms, and I began experiencing suicidal thoughts (side effects of both). Naturally, I was too terrified to ever try medication again. However, when I was accurately diagnosed with O.C.D., my O.C.D. specialist recommended Lexapro, and it has changed my life (in combination with Cognitive/Behavioral Therapy). I experienced a mental and physical breakthrough and am thriving like never before. I literally thought feeling like this would never be possible. I have so much mental energy now that it's not being used up for my obsessions and compulsions. I am forever grateful for this one tool. But I firmly believe it's just one tool, not the 'cure-all.' Without the intense year of therapy leading up to medication and learning how to better communicate, I don't believe I'd be thriving like I am."

• Jus...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 15, 2018

Fluoxetine "I’m glad I finally decided to give Prozac a try for my obsessional OCD and GAD. I’m 29 and have been struggling with the disorders my entire life. Only 20 mg of Prozac has lessened my suicidal ideation and obsessive ruminations significantly; of course, I still need therapy. I never increased the dose because I experienced some undesirable sexual side effects (desensitization, lack of desire), and I’m glad I didn’t because 20 mg works just fine. It does take a while, however, to notice the change. My doctor added 150 mg of Wellbutrin to counteract the sexual side effects, which has worked. The combination has me feeling a whole lot better. The only annoying side effect that I have now is excessive yawning, but it’s a small price to pay."

• Ani...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 27, 2017

"This medication has saved my life. After suffering with OCD for 16 years, it has helped so much. I never thought I could be so happy and relaxed as I have been while using this medication. It has calmed my anxiety, anxiety about my OCD, my obsessive thoughts, and helped regulate my sleep. Can't recommend enough."

• Jam...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 5, 2018

Fluoxetine "I was prescribed Prozac 1 yr ago, and it has made a huge difference in my depression. I didn't even realize it was used for OCD, which I also have. I came to terms with my OCD years ago, so it wasn't my focus when seeking medical help. However, my counting episodes are few and far between in recent months. They used to be daily. No drug is perfect, and it's not the only one I'm on (sometimes combos are necessary), but I feel much better than I did while on Effexor, which I tried for more than 2 years."

• Dr ...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 28, 2014

"I went from 20 mg to 60 mg and felt tip-top. It curbed my obsessive-compulsive disorder and it no longer ruled my life completely. Unfortunately, I was feeling that good I started drinking too often, which stopped the medication from working. I then convinced myself it would no longer work even though I stopped drinking. I then went onto citalopram, which did nothing for me at all. I then missed a doctor's appointment and then decided I would get through it all without tablets. I was okay for a while until the anxiety, OCD started to bully me again. I was a nightmare to live with, countless arguments with my missus, I couldn't handle anything, shouting and screaming at my children. I'm back on fluoxetine now, and really regret coming off it like I did."

• Ocd...
• January 16, 2021

"I can say this drug fluoxetine is a lifesaver. I had Pure O OCD for the past 9 years, for which I tried to manage without any medications, and it was going good. But since last year, it was so bad that I wasn’t the old me and was really depressed. It was terrible for me. Then I decided to get a psychiatrist's opinion to start fluoxetine. My psychiatrist advised me to start from 20 mg daily, and starting 2-3 days, I actually felt better - may have been the placebo effect. Then after, the intrusive thoughts and my anxiety reached another level. I had an appointment with my psychiatrist, and I was told to increase the dose to 40 mg. I am on week 5, and believe me, this gave my life back. I feel more fresh/energetic and am now able to concentrate more. Most people stop using it in 2-3 weeks, but I would suggest you not to lose hope and trust fluoxetine. I know SSRIs work differently in different people, but you should wait at least 5 weeks to start noticing its effect. Just relax and trust fluoxetine."

• OCD...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 3, 2020

"I've been on fluoxetine for about two years now, and I've never been so pleased with something in my life. It really helps with the anxiety that OCD causes and the obsessive thoughts that I used to have. I now live a stress-free life!"

• And...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 31, 2020

"My son, age 12, suffered from severe OCD, but after 3-4 weeks on fluoxetine, he was almost cured. The first couple of weeks, he was more tired than usual, but apart from that, we haven't observed any side effects. He has been taking fluoxetine for almost one and a half years now."

• ste...
• June 12, 2013

"I have been taking fluoxetine for 3 months to treat sexual obsessive-compulsive disorder, and I felt 100%. There have been no thoughts of wanting to be a woman. I can think and feel that it is the best medicine I have ever tried."

• pig...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 25, 2020

Fluoxetine "I’ve been on Prozac for like 9 months. I’m actually at 80 mg, the maximum dose, and I’ve felt little to no relief of my OCD. I know that for some people it has worked, but for me it is not the case. I’m going to start taking Luvox tomorrow, and I hope I get better. With Prozac, my hands shake all the time, I gained weight, and I’m really sad about the outcome."

• Ana...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 22, 2020

"I have been on this medication, fluoxetine, for a little over a month. I should’ve been on it sooner, but it sat in my kitchen cabinet for weeks after reading all of the bad reviews and side effects online. I wish I hadn’t done that and wish I had just started it because it has helped me so much. I started on 10 mg and increased my dosage to 20 mg after 3 weeks. I honestly started to feel better after a week and a half of taking it. Yes, the side effects suck. I had panic attacks, nausea, night sweats, headaches, but most of the side effects went away within 2 weeks. My psychiatrist put me on this medication because I have OCD, GAD, mild depression, and some phobias. I was terrified to take this medication because of the side effects, but I’m so glad I started taking it. It’s improved my life more than I ever thought it could!"

• DPe...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 13, 2013

Fluoxetine "I had my first major depressive episode in the late '80s when my first child was a toddler. I was put on 20 mg of Prozac and felt like I got my life back. However, it seemed to quit working, and for the next 20 years, I went through almost every SSRI there is, as well as a couple of common anti-anxiety drugs, and none of them seemed to work very well. About 4 years ago, I went back on Prozac, and this time I was taking 60 mg for OCD. It has worked quite well, but I think my body is getting used to it again. My doctor wants me to consider changing to Lovox. I had thought I had already tried that in the past, but I have to do something because I feel like I am slipping into the abyss again."

• Anonymous
• December 28, 2010

Fluoxetine "I've been on Prozac for about 4-5 months. My doctor started me on the lowest dosage (10 mg), and we had to increase it. Currently, I've been on 40 mg/day for about 5 weeks or so. It seems to be helping me with my OCD somewhat. I've noticed that I haven't been quite as bad as I used to be, but I'm also seeing a counselor, which is helping as well. I've heard that for OCD, you may need to go as high as 60-80 mg for people with OCD. We may change my dosage in the future."

• Ben...
• August 18, 2013

"I started taking fluoxetine after running through a lot of SSRIs. My Obsessive Compulsive Disorder was so severe it was debilitating. I tried Zoloft and Seroquel, as well as Luvox and Anafranil (Anafranil had awful side effects). After taking 300 mg of Zoloft and just not feeling right, I went to my doctor and we switched to fluoxetine. I was 100 percent better in 5 days. This saved my life. However, please be patient, it may take some trial and error to find the right medicine for you. Don't give up, keep at it."

• Iva...
• July 25, 2019

"I’ve been on Prozac for almost a year now, and I love it so much. Before Prozac, I was spitting compulsively every day for hours on end throughout the day. I would even wake up and spit compulsively sometimes because I thought that poison would go into my mouth, and I needed to spit it out to rid my body of it. I also wear a medical mask on my face most of the time to “protect” me from poison in the air. After being on Prozac 80 mg for two and a half months, I began to slowly stop spitting as much. My compulsions went from happening 5-6 hours a day or sometimes the whole day to less than an hour a day. I still wear my medical mask, and it’s certainly not a “cure-all,” but I’m very grateful for it. I do want to add that the first two or three months, there was increased agitation and anxiety, but that faded away eventually. Prozac took me about 3-4 months to really get full benefits from it. Give it time to work before you decide it may not be right for you."

• Hop...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 15, 2022

"I have OCD, depression, anxiety, and PTSD. I had tried fluoxetine in my early twenties, and it seemingly caused me suicidal thoughts, so I had to stop taking it. Now I'm in my later twenties, my psychiatrist and I decided to try it again, and I am so thankful. It is helping me so much with my mental health-especially my OCD. I'm on 60 mg right now, and starting tomorrow, I will increase it to 80 mg. I had tried about a dozen meds before this one, and nothing was helping. I was exhausted and losing hope. Please don't lose hope. Even if fluoxetine isn't the one for you, there will be one."

• que...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 6, 2012

Fluoxetine "I love Prozac. It really helped with keeping me relaxed and in a decent mood and severely lessened my need to feed the OCD. For some reason, my doctor recommended that I should try Zoloft instead. For the first two weeks on Zoloft, I had diarrhea, and now, after six months on it, I am starting to have moderate to severe pain in my legs. My leg muscles always feel as if they need a good stretch."