# Prozac - week 4 - MORE anxious - quit or stick?



## KT86 (Mar 20, 2017)

Hi all,

*tl;dr - on prozac, on week 5, feeling more anxious. Stick with it or stop?*

Over the past 10 years I have been on everything from beta blockers, benzos, SSRIs, to recreationals and pretty much everything else.

I tried to be "clean" for a while but ended up become a hermit (I work from home). So right now I'm back to good old Prozac from the family doctor (instead of my psych). It was given to me because I have been on/off escitalopram for about 5 years. But, it made me tired, gave insomnia and blanket sexual apathy (and inability).

So, I've been on for weeks 4 plus 4 days today. My mood feels good on prozac. I don't seem to have the ruminating thoughts about embarrassing social mishaps, or other trauma inducing issues in my life as much as I did previously. So great. Of course, I admit that I have no idea if this is placebo or circumstantial or not.

The bad news is that I am asexual again, but right now I am split from my other half, so it doesn't really matter.

The other bad news is that I am reasonably confident that, while depression is down, anxiety is UP. I find it almost speedy. Sure I have energy, but I am so anxious socially. I find it hard to hold eye contact, stutter, socially avoidant, and am scared to leave my hotel.

I want to make a quick decision because right now I'm alone in a hotel in a foreign country studying another language! (I am an extremely shy person who tries to force themself out of their comfort zone.... no matter how painful it is... and right now I'm in the DEEP END). Yesterday I took 1mg xanax because I was scared to leave my room and was high, confident, went shopping, smiling, talking, but I DON'T want to go down the benzo road again. I want to give prozac an honest effort but it's really screwing me up..... benzos are my best friend and enemy.

I have read pages and pages on this forum about prozac (fluoxetine) and it's so inconclusive I started a new thread.

*Given my situation - should I start or stop? Please.*

Thank you for any advance you may offer me, and thank you again if you managed to read it all.


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## KT86 (Mar 20, 2017)

I am so sorry, I meant to post this in "Medication", not "Therapy". Could it be moved please? Sorry


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## Uniqueme (Mar 22, 2017)

Im not sure if its 4 or 6 weeks till full effect. You are getting there though. Maybe the dose is not high enough to work for anxiety and only high enough to work for depression. Sometimes this is the case with drugs.


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## KT86 (Mar 20, 2017)

Thanks, I have read both 4 and 6 weeks as the time. 

But I am also reading that 40mg can be even more activating (and anxiety inducing) than the 20mg I am on.

I guess what I have to do is just see for myself..... so I'm deciding to stay on it and reassess at week 7. Even if I need a bit of xanax every now and again while I hope it to settle.

If anyone has any thoughts (i.e. "in week 4 I was anxious but in week 6 I felt better") then it would be appreciated.


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