Fluoxetine for Panic Disorder User Reviews (Page 3)

• Buz...
• April 26, 2017

Fluoxetine "Tried Zoloft and Lexapro but had stomach problem side effects for months. I tried the generic Prozac 20 mg and had a month of horrible side effects until, at 6 weeks, it finally worked. Helps so much, no attacks, and only have a little anxiety once in a while. Worth it!!!!"

• edd...
• August 25, 2015

Fluoxetine "Cured my panic disorder, which was huge. Also leveled me off emotionally. But... sexual dysfunction is definitely an issue. I also seem to have a lack of empathy for others that I don't like. Overall, though, I've been helped by this med."

• Bri...
• June 11, 2017

Fluoxetine "Omg, I'm glad I stuck to this medication. Words can't describe how much better I feel after 3 weeks of taking it. I had to boost myself up to 40 mg, and I will be honest and let my doctor know. Now I feel so leveled, clear-minded, and naturally happy. I feel like myself. I even have more energy. I take Gabapentin 3 times a day, Prozac as soon as I wake up, and Seroquel for sleep. If you are really mentally ill, Prozac is the PERFECT medicine. It's a MIRACLE!"

• Gwe...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 8, 2019

Fluoxetine "I took 10 mg of Prozac for 12 days. Days 1-9 were pretty good. I was nauseous and threw up a few times, but I expected that. Day 10, the first of the panic attacks hit. It lasted for 6 hours. 6 hours of uncontrollable crying, shaking, and vomiting. My doctor took me off the Prozac 2 days later. Today is 1 week without the Prozac, and I am still having intense panic attacks and vomiting almost all day, every day. I have no idea how long this will last, but it's ruining my life. I can't drive or take care of my children. My husband has had to take time off of work, and I've lost almost 10 pounds. Worst thing I ever did."

• Gue...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 14, 2019

Fluoxetine "Prozac made me crazy, 13 days on it, and landed in A&E with seizure-like panic attacks where I couldn’t move my arms or face. After 5 days off, I’m still in the highest anxiety crisis I’ve ever been in. I was prescribed it for panic attacks, but the panic attacks before were nothing as bad as when I started taking Prozac. I ended up with depersonalization mixed with severe panic attacks and insomnia. It gave me problems I never had before. My doctor had to put me on diazepam just to counteract the side effects! This drug may work for some people, but it can cause massive suffering for others, and with its long half-life, it’s not easy to come off."

• Pan...
• September 15, 2015

Fluoxetine "I have been taking Prozac, going on week 2 now. The symptoms are almost unbearable. My stomach gets upset, can barely eat. I can't even sleep at all. It's like I am tired... but I can't sleep. And I feel tired all day. The one thing I can't stand... is the lightheaded feeling, and I am shaky all the time. It gets bad..... I'm about ready to throw this medication in the trash. The symptoms are almost as bad as my anxiety attacks. In fact... it makes it worse."

• Emi...
• September 30, 2020

"I am on week 4 of fluoxetine 20 mg for panic attacks and agoraphobia, and I can say my panic has started to become less. The first and second weeks were the hardest: upset stomach, heartburn, tiredness, I couldn't stop yawning, and my appetite was so terrible, I lost about 8 pounds. After the 2 weeks, things started to slowly get better. I eat so much now, never get an upset stomach, sometimes I get heartburn, but I noticed if I take the medication with a full glass of water, then it helps. I am still tired, but not hardly as much now. I feel so much happier and have been able to leave the house, go shopping, and take my children to school again. I walk places, I can get into cars. The panic doesn't scare me as much anymore. I would say to stick it out because it does take time, but the benefits are amazing. I still have some panic thoughts now and again, but I am only on week 4, I am still adjusting. Fluoxetine has really helped me."

• Fre...
• December 3, 2013

"I started on fluoxetine about 4 years ago in high school. My panic attacks came sparingly, and I fought it out for around 6 months. I noticed a difference 2 weeks into starting fluoxetine. I used to get a panic attack and almost always throw up. This is not the case anymore. I'm on 20 mg, and I do great. I'll get heightened anxiety maybe once every couple of months. The best I can describe panic attacks now is a 'buzzing' feeling in my brain. Most of the time, I can just breathe, and it will go away. I have noticed no side effects."

• mar...
• November 14, 2020

"I have taken multiple SSRIs, SNRIs, benzos, and many other variations of drugs for my diagnosis of panic disorder, agoraphobia, generalized anxiety disorder, and OCD, along with a few others in its detrimental 'circle.' This medication, fluoxetine, has finally begun its effect. I've been able to resist the need for clonazepam for daily function (3 days now), and as someone who has previously been on Ativan, Valium, clonazepam, Zoloft, Effexor XR, Xylac (and many others)... this fluoxetine has taken 2 months to begin its effects, but it has been a lifesaver these past few days. Currently on 60 mg fluoxetine daily. It has been a long journey, and time for it to work. Albeit, I'm happy again. Or it's just me thinking it works; it just takes more time than you think it will compared to other medications. All I can describe it as is patience, and one day you will wake up with the world full of colors again and deep relaxation."

• Ins...
• July 13, 2016

"I was on fluoxetine for years and felt numb, so I switched to another medication, which was a huge mistake. I'm back on fluoxetine, and it saved my life. I can go places again, I'm losing weight that the other medicine caused, and I have so much energy. I have depression, anxiety, and agoraphobia. Fluoxetine is what makes me a person again, and without it, I don't know if I would be alive. I did have stomach bug symptoms in the beginning, but it went away, and I feel great."

• SBC...
• August 7, 2015

Fluoxetine "The things that bothered me before Prozac were greatly enhanced once I was on Prozac. If a normal panic attack was a 5 out of 10 before Prozac, then after, they were 100. My thoughts became very irrational, as well as a sense of overwhelming doom. I have been off the meds for three days, and I am just starting to settle some."

• gea...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 18, 2023

"I can’t say enough positive things about this medicine! Before fluoxetine, my anxiety was debilitating. I was having panic attacks multiple times a day. My whole body would shake, and I’d have the worst feeling of dread, it was horrible, and I started to feel like I was going crazy. I began missing work and saying no to plans with friends. I stayed in the house as often as possible. Then, I reached out to my Dr., and she put me on 10 mg to start. The first few weeks were hard, I was having less panic attacks, but a lot of generalized anxiety. After 4 weeks, she bumped me up to 20 mg, and that was a game changer. Almost every symptom I had went away over the course of the next few weeks. I started to feel lighter, happier, like I could go about my day without panicking and shaking like a chihuahua. I feel 1,000 times better!! Fluoxetine really saved my life! To anyone else who’s struggling, I hope you give this medicine a try, maybe it can help you too!"

• 13c...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• June 29, 2017

Fluoxetine "Worked very well for me for about ten years, then for some unknown reason, it just stopped doing its job. This drug and Elavil are the only two out of the handful of meds I have used that actually work and have no nasty side effects. I would recommend this to anyone suffering from panic, and if it does not work for you, try Elavil next. If it wasn't for these two meds, life would be absolute crap!"

• Crv...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 30, 2022

Fluoxetine "Prozac is a lifesaver. But it didn’t feel like that at first. The medication can actually increase anxiety in some people, and thankfully, I had some Klonopin to soothe the transition. It took me four full weeks before I actually felt a change. No panic or excessive thoughts. It’s a great feeling. A sexual issue is delayed orgasm, but I don’t consider that a negative. No other side effect to speak of."

• Emm...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 19, 2019

"I have been on fluoxetine 20 mg for about 2 years. Helped me 100% with my anxiety and panic disorder. A recent breakdown has caused me to up my dosage to 40 mg, and I am currently going through the initial side effects again. Staying strong because it does help and will be worth it. Main side effects for me were/are shaking, loss of appetite, and severe nausea. If you're going through this, please stick with it. Fluoxetine saved me the first time, and now hoping my dosage being put up will pull me back up again. Never give up."

• JPa...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 3, 2019

"I am a man in my mid-fifties, former military and have worked in law enforcement and corrections for the past 25 years. In this line of work, we experience situations that often make us feel overwhelmed. I started having nocturnal panic attacks about 2 years ago and was absolutely terrified to go to sleep. Prozac literally saved my life, thank God for good doctors and modern medicine!"

• can...
• March 29, 2019

"I started having disabling panic attacks 3 years ago, to the point where I went to the ER multiple times-ruined my social life and negatively affected my career. I tried therapy, exercise, diet change-all of it helped some but did not cure it. Finally, I caved and started Prozac at 10 mg. I had a panic attack the first time I took it because I was so worried about the side effects. But I actually experienced zero. Yes, I had an upset stomach and headache, etc., for the first few days-but I already had those things! (From the anxiety). Within a week of taking fluoxetine, I was feeling better, within a month, worlds better. I titrated up to 20 mg over the next six months and have been on 20 since. I have had maybe 1 true panic attack in the last 2 years, and it didn't last but a few minutes, and I was quickly able to calm down and go back to my life. This has been an absolute life changer for me: back to my old social life, sleep better, traveling, less headaches and stomach issues, significant drop in resting heart rate."

• Sam...
• August 1, 2013

Fluoxetine "One of the few antidepressants I can tolerate. Most cause major sleep disorders, but with Prozac I don't have a problem. Not really sure if it helps much with panic attacks, I've tried 20 mg and 40 mg, sometimes 40 mg seems to be a bit much."

• Bon...
• April 25, 2012

"I have been on fluoxetine for many years. I tried to switch to another medication, but found quickly most of them did not compare to fluoxetine. The only other two medications I have been successful with were Cymbalta, mirtazapine, and Seroquel. I took the Seroquel with the fluoxetine, but I stopped it about a month ago because of the weight gain and high risk of diabetes. I have gone back to the mirtazapine in combination with the fluoxetine, and it is working just wonderfully! I too have begun to see what it is to live a life without so much sadness, worry, and obsessive and compulsive thoughts and not wanting to live anymore. I wish all of you the very best of luck."

• ric...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 27, 2022

Fluoxetine "Thought I would share my experience as I also came here to look for an answer. I've suffered with panic attacks since I was 18, I'm 33 now. It seemed to have disappeared the last few years, but in January, it came back worse than ever. I really thought I was having a heart attack on multiple occasions. I could not tell myself this is a panic attack, even though deep down I knew it was. The pain in my chest was a squeezing pain, it's the worst feeling I've ever felt. Fluoxetine does work. It's been around 6 weeks now, and I'm feeling good. The first 2 weeks are pretty bad, it is like getting a tattoo, it is bearable. I was honest with my work, and they let me come and go over the first 2 weeks. I kept diazepam in my pocket for the first 2 weeks, as the fluoxetine does not help straight away. I was prescribed 40 mg a day, but I took 20 mg before bed. Very real strange side effect, but sometimes funny dreams! Hope this helps someone get through the start of this medication. 10/10 for panic disorder."

• add...
• May 14, 2020

"I was put on this drug (20 mg daily) to help control my panic disorder. My doctor told me to expect a bumpy first few weeks, and the reviews I read confirmed this. The first weeks were completely awful. Specifically, the worst I have ever been. My panic skyrocketed, and I was unable to leave the house completely (not something I have ever had a problem with before). I was dissociating and started experiencing tremors. My eye would twitch incessantly from the anxious thoughts, and my pupils were constantly dilated too. I stayed on it because I was told it would eventually get better, but I should have listened to my instincts sooner. My sleep patterns were non-existent, I had gastrointestinal upset, and I felt like I was living in a haze. I went to the doctor after 3 hellish weeks, and it turned out I had mild serotonin syndrome. I am glad this drug has helped so many people, but please consult your doctor if you have concerns."

• Kit...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 3, 2021

Fluoxetine "I am currently on my second week of Prozac/Fluoxetine, and honestly, I can already start seeing the changes. The first 4 or 5 days were very emotionally draining, I had heightened anxiety and trouble staying asleep, along with the common side effects such as headaches, nausea, and lack of appetite. But now I feel like my body is getting used to it. The headaches are slowly disappearing, the nausea is subsiding, and the heightened anxiety isn’t such a problem anymore, and I can successfully say I haven’t had a panic attack since I started taking it. It’s hard in the beginning to stick to, trust me, I thought of quitting many times! But it’s worth powering through!"

• Anonymous
• October 26, 2012

"I have suffered everything from obsessive-compulsive disorder to bulimia to panic disorder to depression. Prozac (fluoxetine) has been my miracle. I have been on and off it since I was very young but have stayed on it regularly for many years now. It helped me back to myself and gives me the motivation I need. It saved my life."

• sic...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 6, 2023

Fluoxetine "I was on Zoloft 250 mg/sertraline for 3 months, and it didn't help my anxiety and panic attacks. I'm on day 4 of Prozac 20 mg, and I have had severe anxiety and had one massive panic attack on day 3. Just want to know what other sufferers experienced on Prozac."

• Mic...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 5, 2019

Fluoxetine "I took Prozac in my 30s for what was thought to be panic disorder. Years later, I was diagnosed with Asperger's and weaned off the Prozac. Now, 10 years after that, I am in perimenopause, and my GP prescribed the Prozac again to help with mood swings, IBS, and insomnia. And it does, but for the last couple of periods, and only during the period week, I have had several panic attacks every night, even when 'Aunt Flow' did not show up. They are worse than when I was younger. I have been to the ER by ambulance several times with heart attack-like symptoms. The panic attacks wake me up every couple of hours, and on my Sleep Cycle app, it looks like it happens on the upswing of the REM cycle. But one day I did not drink coffee, that night I did still wake up a couple of times with a racing heartbeat, but it subsided quickly with deep breathing, and there were no other symptoms. If quitting coffee doesn't help, then I will have to get back with my psychiatrist on what to try next."