Help Meds no longer working?

[cookiencream]

I've been on fluoxetine for nearly 2 months. I was previously on lexapro for a month. I started feeling better on fluoxetine but recently I feel like I'm going back into that bad mental state. I'm a woman so my period (which ended yesterday) could be contributing to this but I still felt fine on my last period so I'm a little worried. Is it possible for it to stop working so soon?

 

[MissAbyss]

I'm sorry to hear that you're slipping back into that bad mental state.

"Tachyphylaxis" (where a medication loses effectiveness after initial improvement) does happen, but it's usually after many months or years, not within 6-8 weeks.

It's common to experience mood fluctuations during the early months. Recovery isn't a straight line, so ups and downs are normal. Hormones, like around your period, can also affect your mood.

Hormonal fluctuations (especially drops in estrogen and progesterone around menstruation) can transiently lower serotonin levels, which amplifies mood symptoms. The fact that you were okay last cycle doesn't rule this out. Hormonal sensitivity can vary month to month, especially as your body adjusts to SSRIs.

Another factor, external stress or fatigue, or the body still stabilizing serotonin balance.

Fluoxetine often takes 8-12 weeks for full effect, especially for depression and anxiety. Honestly, give it another month to really determine whether a next step is necessary, such as tweaking the dose or switching medications. But don't wait if things get worse.

I wish you much strength