Start up of Prozac giving me wicked Panic Attacks

[kimberlyc]

I recently weaned off Effexor Xr for ten days ....and during that taper started Prozac 20mg.  I'm on day 13 of Prozac and have been having really, really, really bad panic attacks.  It's completely insane.  I am reluctantly using Xanax for the past four days to prevent me from loosing my mind.  It wasn't so bad the first week....but as the Prozac gets in...it's making my anxiety sooooo bad.  Can someone please offer me some assurance that this will settle down and I will level out.  Anyone have any time frames for that.  I've had to me out of work a couple of days and it's really hard. 

 

Please some feedback - especially from people who have gone through this with Prozac.

 

Thanks,

KIM

[StormBeforeCalm]

I went through the same thing with Prozac. It did indeed go away after a while. I can't remember exactly how long, and I took Prozac at several different doses while ramping up, but the anxiety completely went away and I felt great. It's been a godsend to me in getting my depression and anxiety under control, even though it caused more anxiety when starting than I'd ever had in the first place. Hang in there and things should get better for you. And of course call your pdoc if you have concerns about the side effects.

[kimberlyc]

Thanks so much for the reply. I had been doing so well for so many years with just a maintenance dose of Effexor....then my sister died unexpectedly last year and a major depressive episode began.  I tried to increase my Effexor twice with no results.  After taking it for six years my psychiatrist told me it probably lost it's efficacy and started to taper and then to Prozac.  She also prescribed a Benzo in anticipation of anxiety.   I fight with myself about taking any Benzo's b/c of all horror stories about addiction.  But with much encouragement from my psychiatrist, she gave me Xanax.  I took one this morning to get through an intense panic attack and it helped tremendously.  My depression seems to be better...it's just the intense anxiety.  I have no intentions of giving up on the Prozac because it just means starting over with something else.  I just want some encouragement that it will get better with time.   I'm also seeing a therapist weekly, minister weekly, walking two miles daily and using supplements.  I want so desperately to get back to myself....and start enjoying my life again.  

 

Kim

[melissaw72]

I'm sorry for the loss of your sister.  Are you in therapy?  Sometimes talking things out can lower anxiety in some people.

[StormBeforeCalm]

I'm so sorry for the loss of your sister. It's no wonder that your depression has gotten worse.

 

I just looked through my blog for anything about my anxiety under Prozac. Turns out I talked about it in my very first blog posting. http://www.crazyboards.org/forums/index.php/blog/974/entry-31361-starting-over/  In case you're curious. Apparently I had anxiety with every dosage increase, but the Prozac helped the depression tremendously and the anxiety did go away (plus it got rid of most of the anxiety I had to begin with). I got through my anxiety peaks without therapy, but I don't know if therapy would have helped because the Prozac-induced anxiety was so general. I wasn't having anxiety about anything in particular, but rather just existing in a general state of heightened anxiety with no rhyme or reason to it at all.  Not sure if that's what you're experiencing but I suspect it is.

 

Feel free to message me if you want to talk more directly. I'm all ears!

[kimberlyc]

Another panic attack this morning!!!!!   ARGH...   Now have an overall feeling of anxiety ......hope this lightens up in the next few weeks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   Just finished a two mile walk ....but the anxiety is still there!!!!!

[Derek]

I'm somewhat curious if it's the Prozac, or getting off the Effexor.  Effexor has been really anti-anxiety for me.

 

Also, why did you switch?

[kimberlyc]

The effexor stopped treating the depression...but kept the anxiety in check.  I'm day 21 of the Prozac and my anxiety is so bad.  I've had anxiety attacks everyday....then two nights ago I woke up at 12am with a major panic attack.  I thought I was loosing my mind.  I have never had one of those.  I've got Klonopin....but doesn't seem to be doing anything for the anxiety.  I saw my psychiatrist yesterday and she wants to increase the Prozac to 30 to see if that helps.  I feel 100x worse than when I was on the Effexor.  I'd rather deal with the depression than the anxiety.  I've now taken a medical leave of absence from work because of this anxiety.  

[Derek]

Sorry to hear that, but the good news is you know the medication will help again at some point since it helped before.  That's what I always tell myself and it's right.

 

I know if I have to ever come off Effexor it's not going to be fun.

 

Good luck, inevitably your brain will level out again.

[kimberlyc]

Day 25 and the anxiety is not letting up.  Feel like I'm going insane.  Xanax not helping.  Anyone experiencing this?

[Ptolomy]

How are you doing? I am having a similar experience of anxiety with prozac, coupled with terrible akathsia. Propranolol seems to help slightly.

[melissaw72]

When I had anxiety on prozac my pdoc lowered my dose, and it really helped.

[kimberlyc]

Update:

 

So I had to get off the Prozac after 25 days of complete anxiety and panic attacks.  I switched to Cymbalta and that, too made my heart race and I could not sleep for three days.  I moved on to Lexapro and have been on it for 14 days.  What an amazing difference....the anxiety has let up significantly.  The depression is getting better, although I have good days followed by blah days....but I know it takes a while to level out.  My sister is on Prozac and it worked really well for her so my psychiatrist thought that it would be a good choice....but for me it really made my anxiety out of control.  I could not possible hold on any longer than the 25 days on it.  I really did not want to start another med...but it was unbearable.  I never imagined how hard it is to make medication changes.  I had been on a very low dose of Effexor for five years and after having another depressive episode...the dosage increase was not effective.  I was feeling so confident with effexor.  Hopefully, Lexapro will work for me.  I've combined it with therapy, ministry, exercise and nutrition.  Trying hard to get out of this episode.  I can't believe how difficult this episode has been for me.  Can't wait to get back to my old self.  I'm going to be more preventive about my mental health (ie. watching my stress level, taking on more than I can handle and allowing for more down time).