[winter-blues]

I'm looking to others who are on Luvox (fluvoxamine). I've been taking it now for close to 16 years. But was always on a lower dose between 100-125 mgs. My panic disorder started when I was in college for many years I did very well. I've never had any side effects and only occasionally ever had a panic attack. My panic disorder started up again about 7 weeks ago, but for many months leading up to then I was more and more stressed and anxious and to be honest I'm not surprised it came back. I'm currently taking 250 mgs (although I've only been at 225 mgs for about 3 weeks now)

So anyhow, I've been slowing increasing my dosage now and although have had a few good days, but i'm dealing with a weird eating phobia and feel anxious and panicky when ever I eat now, so I can't tell if it's working.

I'm also taking 1/2 a .05 Ativan most days to help me relax some.

I'm looking to hear from others who on Luvox and would be curious if that it stopped working for you or changing your dosage took a long time to yield results.

[-jimi-]

I'm 10 + years on Luvox on a low dosage. The key to not getting an SSRI poopout is keeping the dosage down.

Unfortunately I can get anxiety and panic on this med, why I also take Xanax. Even if upping the Luvox dosage would have taken care of anxiety, I simply cannot risk a poopout. All my other SSRIs did and I've basically been through them all, and I'd rather not plunge into depression.

[TheWell]

I'm on 100 mg Luvox. It's been about 2 years. I'm doing pretty well on it. No complaints which is rare for me because I've had so many side effects on so many medications.

[SingDanceRunLife]

Originally Posted by -jimi-

I'm 10 + years on Luvox on a low dosage. The key to not getting an SSRI poopout is keeping the dosage down.

Unfortunately I can get anxiety and panic on this med, why I also take Xanax. Even if upping the Luvox dosage would have taken care of anxiety, I simply cannot risk a poopout. All my other SSRIs did and I've basically been through them all, and I'd rather not plunge into depression.

What if keeping the dose low also means keeping your symptoms? For example, I had to be on 200mg of Zoloft (high dose) in order to not be depressed, super anxious and riddled with OCD. I started low at 50mg, but that did practically nothing for me so we upped it until it did.

[-jimi-]

I was on 200 mg Zoloft as well which lead to a quite violent poopout a few years later with symptoms much worse than they were before meds. For me it was not worth it. For me I accept some symptoms and have a med that lasts. But also Luvox worked much better than Zoloft ever did, so being on the right med for you is important as well.

I'm terrified this med will stop working because I really don't have more to try.

[SingDanceRunLife]

Originally Posted by -jimi-

I was on 200 mg Zoloft as well which lead to a quite violent poopout a few years later with symptoms much worse than they were before meds. For me it was not worth it. For me I accept some symptoms and have a med that lasts. But also Luvox worked much better than Zoloft ever did, so being on the right med for you is important as well.

I'm terrified this med will stop working because I really don't have more to try.

That didn't really answer my question. Are you saying it's better to be on a low dose of something and have it not be effective rather than to be on a high dose of something and have it actually make a difference? If you are, I don't understand that at all. Why waste your time taking something that's not helping when you could take something that does? Going back to my example, 50mg of Zoloft was like I wasn't taking anything at all...100mg made a little dent in my symptoms, but not enough, and 200mg made me functional again.

[-jimi-]

If a low dosage doesn't help at all sure then it makes no sense taking that med on that dosage. That is not what I am talking about. I'm talking about having enough help but being symptomatic on one dosage compared to be almost symptom free on a higher one.

Also people are different. Some people don't experience poopouts to a big extent. I do. I had meds quit on me after just six months. It has a lot to do with the person's brain chemistry.

I tried 12 different meds aimed at obsessions and depression before finding Luvox. Some didn't work. Some worked for a while. When a med stops working it is generally because your brains withdrew receptors which makes nerve cells less sensitive. That means for us who get constant poopouts, every time that happens, the brain is in a worse state with brain cells working in a worse way than before.

[SingDanceRunLife]

Ok, so we're on the same page. I thought you were saying point blank that high doses are bad. I think my brain chemistry is such that no matter what I'm on or how much I'm on, I'll still be symtomatic.

[-jimi-]

LOL. No, I'm just bad at explaining, but not really stupid.

[Miswimmy1]

I've been on 200mg for about three years. I've had to slowly increase because after a while, it feels like it's becoming less effective. I'm not sure what your diagnosis is, but I know with OCD (which is what I am on it for), it is easy for it to obsessions and fears to morph, so yes - it is hard to determine whether the medication is working.

Luvox does take some time to build up in your system, I believe.

Would upping the Ativan make any difference for you?

[Rx11]

Hi there, friend!
I'm currently on luvox 200mg, mirtazapine 30mg, and buspirone 45 mg.
This combo is Magic!
Mirtazapine blocks 5HT2a & HT2c receptors -- both implicated to be the nasty culprits behind SSRI side effects.
Buspirone blocks 5HT1a autorectors which allows for increased serotonin release once they down regulate.