Fluoxetine and Headaches: What Users Say

• Liv...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 2, 2020

Fluoxetine for Anxiety and Stress "I have suffered from anxiety and panic attacks since high school. I’m a 21-year-old college student now. I was prescribed Prozac over 6 months ago, but didn't have the courage to take it. I initially came here and read the reviews which freaked me out. The past months I have been dealing with unbearable anxiety and panic attacks that I could no longer manage. I gave in and have been on Prozac for 1 month now. The first week I had no side effects besides a headache. The second week came and the symptoms I had were obsessive thoughts, one bad panic attack, increased anxiety, feeling out of body, etc. This continued into week 3, but eventually got better. The middle of week 3 going on week 4 I feel very good! I have had little to no anxiety issues and can actually function in the world! This medication, plus therapy once a week, has been a good combination!"

• sas...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 4, 2020

Fluoxetine for Anxiety and Stress "This drug Prozac has completely changed my life. A few months ago, I had to take the quarter off during my last year of college. I was so anxious 24/7 that I had developed a severe headache that lasted for two months and even affected my vision. After 5 weeks of being on Prozac, I began to feel lighter, and the headache went away. Increasing the dose to 40 mg made me feel happy for the first time in years. I have bouts of a few hours of anxiety usually twice a week, but they're usually triggered by something. I no longer have an impending sense of doom. I have not gained any weight and have had no bad side effects."

• Fra...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 20, 2021

For Depression "I hope this review gives hope to someone searching for it. I used to obsessively read these reviews every day. I take 20mg of fluoxetine. First 2 weeks, side effects were: headaches, vaginal bleeding, fatigue, yawning, no appetite. Weeks 2-5, worsening of anxiety, depression, increased suicidal thoughts. Week 6, my head became clearer, anxiety subsided, and I had motivation to get up in the morning. I began to see the beauty in the world again and appreciate the smallest things. The following also helped: running, being outside as much as possible, routine (getting up and going to bed at the same time), healthy diet, cutting out alcohol, journaling, reading, word searches, deleting social media, CBT. Find what works for you. Establish a safety plan for the first 5 weeks. Phone the Samaritans (I phoned them regularly). Remind yourself or get someone else to remind you that you won't always feel this way. This is temporary. Give this medication time, be patient, and be kind to yourself."

• the...
• January 20, 2017

Fluoxetine for Anxiety and Stress "I was prescribed Prozac generic 20 mg 2 weeks ago by my doctor. I had a rough patch with a family member which led to extreme anxiety/OCD. I had panic attacks and left work on several occasions. This led to depression, I felt like I was surrounded by a dark cloud. I am male in my late 30s and never suffered with this before, so it really scared me. I thought I was going crazy. Finally decided to get help after 2 months. I was very nervous to take it after some reviews. It's been 2 weeks and I feel SO much better. It seemed like one day I woke up and the depression and anxiety just faded. I had some side effects for the first 5 days: mental fogginess, drowsiness, headache, waking up early, but all went away. Hope this helps and stick with it!! Exercise helps too."

• Mam...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 25, 2024

Fluoxetine for Depression "Let me just start with saying Prozac has changed my life for the better. I started taking it at age 40. I have tried so many other medications and couldn’t get past the side effects in the first few days (headache, sleepiness, or insomnia), but I started on 10mg and I felt fine, just the slightest headache but was manageable. Over a few months, I went up to 40mg. Each increase bettered my life. I stopped sleepwalking on day 2, was able to forgive a relative that I’ve had a long grudge against, drove through busy traffic which before I was too scared, my sex drive came back, and for the first time in 2 years I kissed my fiancée passionately and I initiated it. My life was falling apart due to being hurt so deeply and my brain couldn’t recover. Prozac has made me enjoy life again and not be scared of everything and to stop pushing everyone away. I have also been able to think clearer at work and home and get out of my usual thinking patterns. So glad I tried this."

• LIL...
• March 7, 2017

Fluoxetine for Anxiety and Stress "I decided to post my experience with Prozac to support others as well. I was suffering from extreme anxiety and panic attacks. Prior to this, I had no prior history of mental disorders, so this was all new to me. It was also interfering with my life, work, and social life. I decided to see a psychiatrist. She recommended Prozac. The first 4 weeks were really tough. I had really bad nausea, constant headaches, felt like my brain was being rewired, felt out of it, and couldn't sleep well. Once I hit the 5th week and beyond, everything started getting better. I have been on Prozac for 4 months and feel like my old self. I feel normal again, all the symptoms are gone, and the anxiety and panic attacks are gone."

• Low...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 24, 2024

Fluoxetine for Anxiety and Stress "This really is a wonder drug. I’ve struggled with anxiety for years but never been. I had a few years tablet-free but decided to try Prozac after a big flare-up. I started on 20 mg and the first week was amazing, I felt so clear and my mind was totally free of worry. Then side effects started: headaches, distress, feeling panicked, etc. I went up to 30 mg thinking that was the answer-wrong, had a massive panic attack. So I stopped taking it altogether. This drug has a long half-life, 4-6 days. So after 4 days, when the drug would be around 50% in my body, I started to feel good again. So I started taking 10 mg a day. I now feel amazing: clear mind, no anxiety, more motivation, patient, more engaged in what I’m doing. It’s literally amazing. I found a big study online which showed 56% of people with anxiety respond to a 5 mg dose, yet only 64% respond to 20 mg. So by quadrupling the dose, it only helps 8% more people!"

• God...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 23, 2019

Fluoxetine for Depression "So I have had to take this medicine on and off for some time. It has worked in making me feel safe and able to enjoy doing things again. The longest I have been on it is 3 months. My advice would be to stay on it for longer than 6 months to see the full effects but if you feel healed then consider stopping it just so you are not dependent on a pill. Every depression episode is different. It may work faster sometimes, it may also make you feel worse at first. You may get headaches, feel sick from your stomach. Sometimes we tend to be stubborn and stop taking the medicine, making us go through suffering again. My advice is to take it, change your thoughts into positive ones, and try as best as you can to stop overthinking instead enjoy everyday life. God bless you all."

• Hky...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 13, 2020

For Depression "I have been on fluoxetine for approx. 1 month. I started with 10mg for the first 7 days, and then upped my dosage to 20mg. Initially, I was dealing with some side effects, such as light headaches, and on 20mg, I tended to yawn... a lot. But with all of that said, it has been a godsend. Generally, my depression fears its head by way of angry outburst, but I haven’t had an outburst at all since starting these meds (and believe me, I’ve been tested & tried - lol). Overall, fluoxetine seems to be a VERY good option for my depression and anxiety, I am so grateful to have found it and I hope you have the same experience, should you decide to start it."

• Jac...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 2, 2016

Fluoxetine for Depression "Fluoxetine/Prozac 20mg for depression/anxiety. Within 4 hours of taking it at 4 pm, I truly felt better by 8 pm and happier. Not sure if it was the meds at first or believing it to be working? Had done a lot of research before taking it, both positives and negatives, so I have an open mind about Prozac. Certainly felt better quickly after the initial dose! First 2 weeks: slight headaches, a bit spaced out initially, groggy, dry mouth, difficult to concentrate, but I did feel like this while depressed! Now on the 3rd week, it's kicked in after 2 weeks and I feel calmer, relaxed, able to think clearly, not a foggy mind, feel focused, happier, and motivated. This drug has dealt with anxiety & depression, 100%. I was worrying about everything. Sleep is okay now, no sexual dysfunction yet. Good luck."

• kne...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 29, 2016

Fluoxetine for Anxiety and Stress "I am 25 years old and I have been dealing with anxiety and depression for most of my life. My GP prescribed me Fluoxetine 20mg and I have been taking it for 2 months now. I could see results within the first 2 weeks - things that bothered me every day were slowly diminishing. It's not like they weren't in the back of my mind, but it's almost like a wall was keeping me from thinking about those issues excessively. Essentially, I don't care about petty things anymore, and I am genuinely happy now! I still have anxiety/panic attacks, but they are not as extreme as they once were. I did have side effects initially: indigestion, headache, fatigue, weakness, yawning, loss of appetite, and nausea. Those have diminished greatly now."

• Rel...
• February 1, 2015

Fluoxetine for Anxiety and Stress "I honestly feel that this medication saved my sanity and my life. After going through an extreme amount of stress in a short time, and then having a miscarriage, I started having extreme panic attacks out of the blue. I was having them almost every day; one night I was laying on the couch for four hours shaking uncontrollably and thinking I was going to die. Finally saw a psychiatrist who put me on 20 mg of Prozac per day. At first, it made me dizzy and gave me headaches, and I couldn't sleep. I was ready to give up and try something else, but finally after about 6-7 full weeks, I started to feel better and the panic attacks stopped. Haven't had an attack in over 3 months and I feel like myself again. I am also taking 0.5 mg of Klonopin to sleep."

• Aim...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 22, 2019

For Binge Eating Disorder "I’ve been taking fluoxetine for 2 months now. I started at 20mg and noticed a drastic decrease in appetite, where I could go a day without eating and not even realize, which was different from me binging every weekend. I also noticed the first two weeks of taking it I was tired all day even though I could get up to 12 hours of sleep. I started to notice my appetite come back after a month, so I upped my dosage to 40mg, which helped my appetite again. Since the two months, I’ve only binged once and it was not nearly as big of a binge as before. I’m starting on 60mg now, which is the dose for eating disorders, and I feel like I can stop eating whenever I want and don’t have an obsession over food anymore. I do have most of the side effects like nausea, headaches, vision changes, decreased sex drive, tired feeling, and YAWNING. Overall, it has helped my appetite decrease to a happy amount where I don’t feel the need to binge anymore."

• Chl...
• October 20, 2015

Fluoxetine for Anxiety and Stress "20mg a day changed my life. Head pain due to stress and anxiety is gone when taking this tablet and also OCD in the form of dermatillomania (finger) completely better. I had this for about 3 years and decided to stop, the weaning off was very tough. I had a good month or two of hit sweats, shakiness, and agitation. However, I went completely back to normal for over 2 years after that. I have now restarted Fluoxetine/Prozac due to having a very stressful year and struggling to get by day to day. 1st pill and I am mellow as a mellow thing once again, goodbye stresses!"

• Be ...
• July 2, 2016

Fluoxetine for Anxiety and Stress "Prozac for anxiety and stress: I started Prozac 20 mg on January 1, 2016. I feel great so far with no anxiety and panicky feeling. Not every day is perfect but that is life. The first two weeks on Prozac 20 mg, it made my anxiety high, it made me nauseated, unable to eat, and unable to sleep. Since I suffer from GAD, 20 mg suddenly stopped working, and I went up to 40 mg. Increased to 40 mg, it gave me a lot of anxiety and panicky feeling again. After one week or so, the anxiety was gone, and the panicky feeling was also gone. I have tried three other ADs, and they all gave me chronic nausea and headache. However, on Prozac, I feel great. I do feel nauseous but it is manageable. Give Prozac 7 weeks before you quit. Two thumbs up!"

• Har...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 27, 2015

Fluoxetine for Anxiety and Stress "Started with 20mg then after around 45 days increased to 40. Dry mouth, fatigue, lightheadedness, increased anxiety, headaches, were common at first, however in time slowly decreased. I now have good daytime energy, I'm sleeping well at night. Confidence level is becoming stronger. I pray the next few weeks at 40 mg takes me to where I want to be. So far, so good!"

• Fee...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 22, 2015

For Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder "Taking for 2 months. I have had some side effects...in the beginning just an overall weird feeling, exhaustion, waking up feeling like I hadn't slept, dry mouth, headaches. At the one-month mark, I started getting bad indigestion (now I take an acid reducer pill and half a glass of milk). But they have almost all gone away, and now I feel great! The anger, the negative thinking, the impulsive verbal reactions, the depression, the anxiety...all gone. This was hugely affecting my relationship (he almost walked away) and work life too. My relationship is now in the best place ever, and I am happy going into work. The little things do not bother me like they did before. I do not have blunted feelings, and I have not lost my sex drive! Hang in there!"

• Ris...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 7, 2020

Fluoxetine for Anxiety and Stress "I started a 10 mg dose of Prozac, then was increased to a 20 mg dose. I was on it for irritability for two months before it started inducing severe panic attacks, racing heart, and the inability to think. I had constant headaches and no feelings, I couldn’t even feel pain. I’ve been off it for two months now, and the withdrawal has just started. It has been horrendous: racing heart, anxious feelings, severe anxiety, loss of appetite, memory loss, foggy brain, feeling off, panic attacks every night. So far, two weeks of this. I don’t recommend this, it’s been the worst five months of my life."

• Dow...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 29, 2019

Fluoxetine for Depression "6 weeks on 20 mg of Prozac and having sinus/stuffy nose, earache, headaches, agitation, and nervousness. Raised dose to 30 mg and every side effect worsened. 12 weeks now and still suffering side effects, but not so bad. Anybody had these issues and did they eventually go?"

• Kat...
• November 14, 2022

Fluoxetine for Anxiety and Stress "Prozac has given me my life back. Hard first few weeks... stomach upset, headache, kind of drugged feeling. Then the fog lifted. I was no longer obsessing over things I can't change, no more irrational fears, increased mood, period came and went without a mood crash, improved sleep. This drug has worked for me."

• fay...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• March 6, 2014

Fluoxetine for Anxiety and Stress "Prozac worked well for me with no serious complications or bad side effects. A plus for me was very good memory! I used this medication for over 20 years and wish I was still able to use it. The only problem I did have with Prozac was at the end of 20 years, I started getting terrible, horrible headaches. So bad that I would cry! I no longer can take any SSRIs or any benzodiazepines. I think maybe after so many years your body isn't able to tolerate it. I began having severe breathing problems! I'm now on the trial and error time again, which most of us know that it isn't fun. Good luck to everyone."

• Bea...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 28, 2024

Fluoxetine for Anxiety and Stress "I have tried several other medications for depression and anxiety. (Wellbutrin was okay, but didn’t help with my depression much. I quit smoking on day 3, which was an unexpected positive thing, but insomnia was too bad, and I almost wrecked my car from sleepiness, so I stopped after a month.) Tried a few others, but I always have a debilitating headache and can’t get past day 2. Not even Advil helps, and I can’t operate with those kinds of headaches. Finally, I tried Prozac 10 mg, and I tolerated it, which was a shock (no headache, just a mild weird feeling in my head the first few weeks), but totally manageable. Then suddenly my depression got so much better. I had been in a life crisis over some issues, and suddenly I could see the issues with clarity and without agitation. I am a lifelong nightly sleepwalker and have night terrors I act out, but Prozac completely stopped the getting out of bed stuff. I do have extremely vivid dreams now because of Prozac, but that is so much better than sleepwalking night terrors."

• kin...
• October 12, 2018

For Agoraphobia "I have been struggling with anxiety attacks, panic attacks, and agoraphobia all my life. I used to vomit before school every morning, I had severe panic attacks, headaches, and lots more, and they turned to agoraphobia in my 30s. I fainted several times and became scared of driving or being out. I have been on Prozac on and off. I tried other medicines, but this one was the best. I always put on lots of weight when I am on antidepressants, so it makes me discontinue. This time I am going to stick on Prozac. The first weeks, the side effects are bad, but you start feeling better. I am still agoraphobic when I go out on my own, that's why I want to do neurofeedback. But comparing to what I used to feel before Prozac, I am feeling so much better. You will be a new person, I promise! Just stick to your medication and get as much support as you can. Keep yourself busy, stay positive. Search for anxiety support pages online. Little steps, little steps... tomorrow is a better day."

• Ban...
• October 13, 2020

Fluoxetine for Anxiety and Stress "I had a horrible experience. After losing my job due to the virus, moving out of my parents’ home and dealing with a lot of stress and anxiety, my PCP prescribed me 20 mg of Prozac to cope. I was only on the medicine for 4 days before I stopped taking it. Those 4 days were some of the scariest of my life. I had to miss 2 days of work, and I told people I thought I was going crazy. My head felt heavy, it ached, and at times I just felt 'off.' I couldn’t even accurately describe the feeling I was having. I was afraid to sleep for fear I wouldn’t wake up, I cried several times a day, my panic attacks worsened and happened more frequently, my heart rate was 120 while laying on the couch. I slept maybe 11 hours total over a period of 3 days. Finally slept on the 4th night because my body was so exhausted. My mind would race and was full of intrusive, unwanted, horrible thoughts...many times I believed something else was wrong with me. I would be cautious with this medicine."

• Jam...
• September 25, 2018

Fluoxetine for Anxiety and Stress "I couldn’t function at all in my daily life, and triggers were pretty much anything that is supposed to be enjoyed in life, and would cause further pain in my stomach. I lived in sheer hell for two years until I finally saw a psychiatrist who prescribed me fluoxetine. I didn’t cry thereafter, and within a week or so, I noticed a difference in how I felt. It appears to have put the thoughts more into the background, resulting in much less intense stomach anxiety. I had some bouts of diarrhea, dry mouth, headaches, and vivid dreams/nightmares which lasted 2-3 weeks. Still get the odd headache, but could be because I'm not drinking enough water. I feel more positive, more optimistic about the future, more able to think logically and deal with my issues better. It’s like everything has been toned down somewhat, and best of all, the pain in my stomach has settled down a lot. So far so good. Started on 20 mg, remain on 20 mg for the time being."