Prozac and Tiredness: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Daw...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 10, 2016

For Anxiety and Stress "Taken for 9 days now. I take this with 1mg Ativan 2x daily as needed. First few days, I was tired, had a couple weepy moments, and nausea/full feeling that made me not want to eat. Day 6, I had a bout of insomnia, so I'm slowly moving the time I take my meds from the evening to afternoon, then the morning. No real insomnia since - just more of a hard time going back to sleep after waking (back to sleep within 20 mins). I've noticed I'm perkier and friendlier when I talk with people, just can feel some tiredness behind my eyes in the morning usually until the afternoon. I noticed I haven't experienced as many body aches I get from my anxiety as I have in the past. I'm hoping these are all good signs this medication is doing the trick for me."

• Anonymous
• May 17, 2015

For Anxiety and Stress "Great for anxiety. I find that I like life a lot more - I like people more. Finally got off Klonopan, which I couldn't live without. The problem is major lethargy. I've tried taking it morning and night, but the tiredness is still there. I'm hoping that goes away with time. I have been on it for 5 weeks."

• Anonymous
• May 17, 2015

For Anxiety and Stress "Great for anxiety. I find that I like life a lot more - I like people more. Finally got off Klonopan, which I couldn't live without. The problem is major lethargy. I've tried taking it morning and night, but the tiredness is still there. I'm hoping that goes away with time. I have been on it for 5 weeks."

• Ano...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 8, 2013

For Anxiety and Stress "Started taking Lexapro about a year ago. Made me so tired I couldn't function. Felt like a zombie, would sleep for 2-3 hours every afternoon (not normal for me)...then started having 'breakthrough' anxiety attacks. I also suffer from obsessive compulsive disorder. Doctor switched me to 20 mg Prozac and life became better. My OCD became manageable, anxiety attacks became almost obsolete. I decided I didn't need it anymore so I stopped taking it. I am now going through a divorce and custody battle (unrelated issues) and my anxiety attacks are very bad. I have resumed taking Prozac in hopes of better days. Day 4 now and have only had 1 attack. Fingers crossed."

• awa...
• April 3, 2014

For Anxiety and Stress "I started Prozac 20mg on Friday 3/28/14. It's been 6 days. I feel weak, tired, anxious, depressed, and my appetite is out of control, I'm eating all the time. I am going to give this more time. Hopefully, it works for me like it has for all the others on here. I would give anything to not feel this way anymore. I've struggled with it my whole life."

• sea...
• March 22, 2018

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "I was only given Prozac for my OCD because bipolar meds and antidepressants can be a nightmare. Prozac is my life now. I've been on it for years. I tried Trintellix to see if it was better, and that experience scared me. Prozac is so far the best for me. Amazing because it is so old. But it literally saved my life. I had to try lots of other SSRIs before Prozac. Prozac took a long time to kick in, but all good things are worth the wait. I was definitely crawling before I walked again. I just want to say that I'm so happy Prozac was invented. It made me feel normal again. It's given me myself back. It didn't change me or numb me, it made me feel alive. I owe all my progress to Prozac in terms of OCD. I was on the verge of ECT. I don't have any side effects except some weight gain (I was so skinny before) and being tired when night comes (I take it at night). Prozac is one of the best things that happened to me in life, and I can't wait to take it tonight."

• rac...
• November 18, 2014

For Depression "I've battled depression for five years and anxiety since I was a kid. The first two weeks on Prozac, everything got ten times worse. I couldn't function or stop crying or hating myself. But after that, the depression subsided. I'm more confident, calm, and I shy from negative thoughts and sadness rather than welcoming those things like I used to. It has helped my depression an incredible amount, but I have seen a little less improvement in the anxiety (even with cognitive behavioral therapy). Side effects for me are lots of yawning and loss of appetite."

• Jen...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 1, 2016

For Anxiety and Stress "I have been on meds for depression, anxiety, and PMDD for over 10 years. Even on Zoloft, I would cry at work all the time over little things, taking everything personally. Finally, there was a suicidal ideation breaking point for me, and I went off Zoloft and on Prozac 20 mg. Within a few days, I felt the depression and sadness lifting. Two months later, still not depressed. My psychiatrist just upped my Prozac to 30 mg, and I'm having trouble sleeping through the night. Overall, I feel less emotions and don't care as much about work and other things. I don't react strongly to anything. However, I'm tired a lot and feel much less motivated in all areas of my life. It's better than being depressed and stressed."

• Yes...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 9, 2022

For Anxiety and Stress "I was 'anti' anti-depressants until my anxiety became horrible/unbearable during the COVID era (summer 2021). I finally went to the doctor, where she prescribed me Prozac-which I thought was crazy, but she provided legitimate reasons why it would work for me as an adult. I decided just to try it out. I did feel a bit funky the first couple of weeks and decided to take it at night as I was starting to get tired from it. I started feeling much more like myself during the day when I began taking Prozac at night. I feel so much more relaxed and like someone else said, 'a nicer person' now. I enjoy forgetting things or not feeling the need to be a perfectionist 100% of the time because of this pill. Give it a whirl!"

• Ebb...
• February 6, 2012

For Depression "After 4 years of trying alternatives for my depression/anxiety, such as meditation, yoga, and exercise, I had returned to a very black hole and a very hopeless feeling. I spent Christmas all alone in my house, angry, vulnerable, and lonely. I have returned to medication and have been on Prozac for 2 weeks. It has not fully kicked in yet. I feel a loss of appetite, very tired at times but on the flip side, I am slowly starting to become involved in more activities. Today I completed all my ironing, which laid on my chair for 6 months, cleaned the house and could actually concentrate on reading a book."

• ckr...
• September 10, 2014

For Depression "I have been on this medicine for 7 months. I first started on 20 mg, now increasing to 40 mg. I am taking it for depression and anxiety. It takes about a month before I see some effects. My mood was lifted and I feel calmer, but I can't stop yawning. In the beginning, I did feel increased anxiety before this subsided. I will continue to take this medicine and hope to get better."

• Gre...
• February 15, 2016

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "Had to switch to this after sertraline didn't work when I tried to go back on it. OCD blew up as soon as I stopped my previous SSRI, and I ended up sick. Always consult your doctor, and if you have severe OCD, it's an SSRI for life. Fluoxetine had the usual side effects: suicidal thoughts, anxiety, worsening of depression, and tiredness. Unfortunately, you just have to work through this with these meds. After a few weeks, I started to see some slow progress, and my obsessions decreased. I was still severely depressed, and I augmented this with risperidone. That too made me a bit crazy for a few days, but after a couple of weeks, I was able to return to work after 3 months off. These meds take time. 18 months on, I'm just on fluoxetine 60 mg and feel great!"

• Anonymous
• April 1, 2012

For Panic Disorder "I've been hesitant to try Prozac as I didn't want to be a zombie or overly sedated. But after 5 years of dealing with Panic Disorder/Generalized Anxiety and countless antidepressants not working, I decided to give it a try. The first month was pretty rough. I was always tired, my brain was foggy, and I continued to have anxiety. But I stuck with it and after increasing to 30 mg, I felt absolutely NORMAL. I could feel emotions and even a normal amount of anxiety without freaking out. It has also helped with social anxiety. DOWNSIDE - I find it almost impossible to get any deep sleep on this medicine, and no sleep medicine seems to work (I've tried them all)."

• Mar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 17, 2021

For Anxiety and Stress "I've been on Prozac for 3 months now, 20 mg for bad anxiety and depression brought on by the menopause and losing my beautiful mum 3 years ago. I tried sertraline first for 8 months but didn't feel right on it, though it did help with depression, but I was more anxious and took off last year when COVID started up, bad palpitations and panic attacks, waking up through the night like I was choking, still grieving for my dear mum. I decided to phone doctors, and he advised me to try Prozac. I wasn't too sure but knew I had to have something to calm me down as I felt like losing the plot, so tired, wound up, angry, irritable, etc. So glad I did now, much better, no more palpitations or panic attacks, sleeping a bit better, feel calmer and able to cope with things now, don't get so worked up or stressed out, only positive for me, staying on these for at least a year or two."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 1, 2012

For Depression "Started taking this a week ago for moderate depression and anxiety. I've been on Zoloft and Paxil before, but the Zoloft made me exhausted and the Paxil made me gain weight, and missing doses caused 'brain zaps' like mini electric bolts. I felt better the very first day, and I knew the exact moment it came on. Even a coworker noticed my smile was like nothing before. Every day thereafter, my mood has been amazing. My doctor told me to start with 10mg, and then 20mg after a week, but I jumped right into the 20mg because I know my tolerance for medicines. I still have some social anxiety, so he may bump me to 30mg next visit, but right now even at this dosage I feel like life is worth living and is manageable."

• Mel...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• March 30, 2015

For Depression "Let's see. When I first started this med was for depression and anxiety. Within a month, I felt good, after two months, great! I stopped taking it, thinking I could manage, and that made me worse after 3-6 months. I had to get back on it, plus Klonopin for the anxiety. Well, I did it again. I started running out and couldn't afford to go to the doctor, so I was taking it every other day... I think it made it less effective. I've been so depressed, tired, anxious, dizzy, etc. I was able to afford to go back a few weeks ago and get my refills... So I'm three weeks in... Still feeling down and out. But I know I've got to give it the full 6-8 weeks. Just never get off! It works well if taken right."

• Par...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 29, 2024

For Major Depressive Disorder "I’m on 30 mg Prozac for severe anxiety and panic attacks, for PTSD and for MDD. This medication helps with almost all of my mental health symptoms and does a really good job of addressing my anxiety and panic attacks as well as PTSD flashbacks from sexual assault. It does make me feel a little tired and gave me some constipation at the start, but the benefits outweigh the side effects. I recommend."

• Bet...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• December 3, 2013

For Depression "It obviously affects everyone differently. I've been taking fluoxetine for about 10 years, 20 mg per day. Yes, it has some side effects which are difficult to anticipate and manage. It can make me overly excited, and at times a little euphoric, which arrives quickly, making it difficult to contain. On the other side, I suffered from manic depression, and I used to happily go into a black hole in a blind rage, and the medication just stopped that completely, so I feel like it's a very positive trade-off. I do get very sleepy and tired, so honestly, I just sleep more. I tried reducing my dosage a couple of times over the years I've been taking this but could not handle the withdrawal."

• Nan...
• January 22, 2020

For Depression "Had to quit after just a few days. First couple of days felt calm. I yawned a lot. Day three I started to feel anxious and reclusive, and by day four, full-on dark thoughts and manic behavior. This is not for me. No way."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 20, 2012

For Depression "I have been taking Prozac for 9 months and have constantly had to experience the tiredness it causes and lack of motivation. I have now supplemented it with 150 mg of Wellbutrin and notice a huge difference. I am more alert, energetic, can concentrate and want to get out of the house instead of lying around. I can still feel the serotonin effects of Prozac, so it's the best of both worlds."

• tha...
• April 5, 2011

For Bulimia "I'm going to make this short and simple. Pros: I felt better within the month of taking it, it slowed my bulimia way down. Cons: I had to up the dosage a month ago. So far, so good. I yawned the first 2 weeks straight all day long, but it's over now. I've been taking it for 2 months now, and I love it! I'm 24 years old and have had my depression and bulimia for 13 years, and I have never felt this good. Also, I'm on 1 mg of Klonopin (clonazepam) at night. I like that too. Hope this helps."

• don...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 9, 2020

For Depression "Went on Prozac for anxiety. I had horrible side effects, couldn’t eat, I was so nauseous, headachy, tired. It wasn’t doing much for me, so I missed a day or two, then would take one, and that was a big mistake. It completely sent me downhill. Out of absolutely nowhere, I was crying every second of the day, having suicidal thoughts. It took 2 weeks to be somewhat back to normal, but after that, I never got any better. Prozac made me feel suicidal and gave me depression that I didn’t have before. 2 months off of it, I still feel the same. It seriously messed up my head. My brother took it and also became suicidal out of nowhere. DO NOT TAKE."

• bug...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 6, 2017

For Anxiety and Stress "I started taking Prozac in April of 2016 for anxiety and depression. It took about a month to actually start working. I feel better going into public and don't freak out and go into the bathroom. I'm still depressed, but it's improved so much. It gave me side effects like loss of appetite. I lost 10 pounds my first month taking it, and I was always tired but had trouble falling asleep. Another negative is if I miss it a day, I have painful headaches and lash out on everyone and treat them terribly."

• Cha...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 20, 2019

For Depression "Been on Prozac for about 3 months. Been able to sleep without waking up at 2 a.m. worrying about silly things. Which is awesome, however, I am exhausted all the time. I never used to nap, now I can nap at will. Everyone is different, glad to know this doesn't happen to everyone. Gonna try something else..."

• Kez...
• February 5, 2020

For Anxiety and Stress "I had a baby a few months back and have been experiencing a bit of post-natal depression with anxiety. My doctor prescribed these Prozac, and I started them 4 days ago. I just yawned a lot the first few days, and last night I had such bad anxiety and sweating and felt completely out of it. I feel worse taking these tablets. I don't know if I should carry on. Do you have to feel worse to feel better, or do these not agree with me?"