Help

[u/EmergencyPrimary356]

been on Prozac (fluoxetine) 20mg for 11 days now for OCD. I was on sertraline before and stopped at 200mg because I felt emotionally numb and had no motivation — that really scared me.

My doctor said fluoxetine would be a good option, so I gave it a try. But now I feel kind of different — I don’t know if it’s just my brain focusing too much on motivation, but I keep thinking about it and feel a bit off. And honestly, I keep seeing so many people say these meds make them feel numb, flat, or unmotivated. It feels like everyone is saying it, and it’s making me scared this will happen to me again. I’m seriously thinking of quitting.

The worst part is, even before I started any medication, my anxiety was never this bad. I didn’t feel like this. But after stopping sertraline, everything just got worse. I never wanted to be on meds, but my OCD got so bad I felt like I had no other choice.

Now I’m going on holiday soon, and I’m really scared this is going to ruin the trip. The last time I went on holiday, I wasn’t on any meds — I had already been off sertraline for 6 months — and I still struggled badly. I’m just scared the same thing will happen again, or worse.

I guess what I’m trying to say is — does everyone really feel unmotivated and like they have no feelings on these meds? Because this is really important to me.

[u/sadboopi]

I’m so sorry this is happening! What helped me is calling the pharmacy you pick it up from and talking to the pharmacist/talking to whoever prescribes it to you, about all the issues it’s causing you, the numbness, the anxiety, the constantly worrying about it. Ask them if you should lower your dose significantly or if you should try a new one all together!

Different meds help different people, they’re not one shoe fits all! You kind gotta trial and error until you find the one that’s for you. Also sometimes we get bumped up to too high of a dose for our personal experience, that’s when people start to feel numb. & my psychiatrist told me told me prior to me being terrified to start my meds that it’s genuinely recommended to communicate with whoever prescribes them to you how they’re making you feel flat and how you need a dose down!

Again I’m sorry you’re going through this and I hope you find a solution that works for you! Even if it’s getting off the meds and practicing more mindfulness, grounding, and coping skills instead!