Prozac Antidepressents.

XBabycakes · 08-19-2008 20:11

I wasn't sure where to post this (either here or in the mind/emotions forum) but i decdided to put it here.

I was just wondering whether any of you lovely bimbos have ever been prescriped this type of antidepressent (Prozac)? If so, did it work? were they any side effects?

I've had depression for as long as i can remember, and my doctor and counsellor have got to a stage where they need to put me on drugs. I'm not all that sure what they are, or how i will react to them. My aunty has taken antidepressents since she was 15, and she got really bad side effects.. i was just wondering if any of you had experienced similiar outcomes. I'm going to a meeting on thursday to discuss in more depth with my doctor, but sometimes what a doctor says could be the complete opposite to what everyone experiences.

thankyou in advanced for your replies.
Laura x

TrixieB · 08-19-2008 21:09

hi babycakes! good for you for taking care of yourself and always seeing a doctor and a counselor. and proud of you for wanting to educate yourself about plans regarding your medical health. these are the links given to us in medical school in case we ever want to look up a medication or learn more about a med.
http://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/about.cfm
http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/c … /index.cfm

i hope they are helpful to you. if you have any questions about the medical lingo i'd be happy to help you with it, just pm me smile

Tikachu · 08-19-2008 21:16

I myself tried different anti-depressants, and what worked for me best was Cymbalta. I have tried about 4 others, cannot remember the name though specifically. Cymbalta was the only one that did not make my depression worse because it turned out I need an SNRI as opposed to an SSRI which I believe Prozac is as well. I did vomit quite a bit the first day, and I had a bit of nausea for a week but that passed.

It really depends on the person how their body will react to it. The one thing I can say is it is best to stick with it even if it doesn't get better right away. Do not get discouraged! There are many options available so it is never a dead end.

Virago317 · 08-19-2008 21:23

I was on Prozac for a while when I was in high school. I remember that during the first weeks on it, I felt pretty spacey a lot (I went home from school quite often due to this)... and I think I actually had a hypomanic episode toward the beginning (which was pretty fun smile ... and thankfully went away shortly). The big downside to Prozac, in my opinion, is that it is pretty destructive to your libido/non-frigidity. So if that matters to you, be forewarned.

I'm about to get married and my fiance and I are very much in love (i.e., Prozac or another SSRI is out of the question now), so my current antidepressant is Wellbutrin/bupropion. I like it pretty well, and it seems to have few side effects to speak of (once I got past the initial jitteriness and nightmares).

Virago317 · 08-19-2008 21:26

But I should add, Prozac was TERRIFIC for my depression and really helped me on the road to recovery -- I'd been getting so bad that I was hospitalized for about a week. It sort of felt like I was learning how it felt not to be depressed (since I'd just always been that way, it seemed), and it really did the trick, together with some good therapy.

XBabycakes · 08-19-2008 21:29

thanks for your answers already, they've been great to read. I'm really taking your answers on board. smile

BeautyXRush · 08-20-2008 00:08

I was prescribed it as a child, and really I didnt notice any side effects, but there could have been. I was young, so you dont really notice those kind of things. Id say antidepressants should only be used if necessary, because they can have some bad side effects. One thing I have noticed with all antidepressants, is that they tend to make you feel nothing, I describe it as feeling like a zombie, or a robot. Thats something I got sick of, I stopped taking them a few years ago and I'm much happier not taking them. Id say its a good idea for those who are really having a bad time with their depression and its really ruining their daily lives, making everything not seem enjoyable. Then id recommend it I guess, but no one knows better than yourself. I just took them because my parents insisted, and thats never the right reason to take something.

BeautyXRush · 08-20-2008 00:14

I'm sure you dont drink, but anyways...never drink while taking those type of medications, I did once...never drank again. I wasnt thinking at the time anyways, but basically most people know alcohol is a depressant, and both just counteract eachother, I got really sick, and dehydrated, and needed IV fluids to rehydrate my body. So just from personal experience, don't drink.

Nemaine · 08-20-2008 02:12

I don't know much about the different types of drugs but I DO believe Prozac is one of many different types of SSRIs.

SSRIs are probably the most popular antidep/antianxiety med on the market, and I know Lexapro, at least, is becoming more popular because it apparently has the fewest symptoms and drug interactions.

Couple warnings:
--READ THE MED INFO before you start taking the medicine, even if you have already talked to your doctor. Doctors SHOULD be "up" on all that stuff, but I found out the hard way that taking a benadryl or a sudafed with my SSRI was a BAD IDEA (you are NOT supposed to take these together, EVER). Even after discussing this with a different doctor ("Hmm... are you on any drugs?" "Just Lexapro and BC." "Then just take Sudafed" "Sometimes I get knocked out by it, I don't know why, I just literally can't move the whole day." "Hmmm... strange..."), I had no idea what the problem was until I re-read my medicine packet the same day I looked over some OTC allergy meds. You are not supposed to take them together. I have no idea how bad the particular reaction can be, but for me, the combo made it so I slept. All day. With a roaring headache. And I'd get a mini fever. Every. Time. So yes, DO NOT take allergy pills with it unless you have not only approved them with a doctor but researched it VERY thoroughly yourself.

--You will most assuredly begin acting weird. I've had two roommates go on low doses of lexapro, and before their brains were seretonin happy, they were a little addled. I'm guessing I was too. Nothing bad enough to warrant a med switch, but aside from some tummy pain and sleep issues, you might get a little weird.

--Tummy problems are common, both going on and off the meds.

--Once you're on the meds, your reactions may differ. Personally I just had no sex drive and got tired more often, but it was preferable to what life was like prior to meds. And when you get off the meds (some people stay on them forever, but most go off) you'll suddenly have the best of both worlds--energy, sex drive and a positive attitude!!! big_smile

all these things being said, GOOD FOR YOU. Its good that you and your doc have talked and found a good way to get you healthy. Good luck! :3

Last edited by Nemaine (08-20-2008 02:16)

Sweetasanut · 08-20-2008 10:35

Hey,
There is some really good advice in here thanks alot.
This is what Miss Bimbo is all about - good friendly advice dished out between bimbos of all ages.
We know our limitations ie we are not qualified doctors so to babycakes - please make sure you take profesinal advice ahead of ours but thanks everyone for good informative postings. Thansk to babycakes for being mature enough to ask such questions

XBabycakes · 08-20-2008 10:47

thankyou all so much for your advice, especially Nemaine, it's given me a good insight into the world of antidepressents. And to sweetasanut, I completely understand that i will need to take professional advice also, and thankyou for recognising this topic. It means a lot!

Umai · 08-20-2008 15:43

hi! i'm a med student, so thought i'd post my reply here as well! nemaine is right: prozac is the most popularly persrcibed SSRI. it's "generic" name is fluoxetine, so if i tend to refer to it by that name. SSRI's, in general, don't have as many serious side effects as the tricyclic antidepressants (the older drugs), and among the SSRIs fluoxetine is the safest. fluoxetine is also the ONLY one approved to treat children (in the US at least).

antidepressants take a while to work to their full abilities (a few weeks), so if you feel "not yourself" at first, it may fade with time.

as to your question: depression is an ongoing field of study, and unfortunately many of the side effects, though known, are unpredictable in any one patient. the scariest side effect is called "suicidal ideation," meaning (you guessed it) thoughts of suicide. patients who were previously NOT suicidal begin to have these thoughts. if you have these thoughts, CALL YOUR DOCTOR IMMEDIATELY. it's not all THAT common, but it DOES happen, so be aware.

other, less serious side effects, include a reduced appetite, GI upset (nausea, diarrhea), and anxiety. MAKE SURE YOUR DOCTOR KNOWS if you're taking any other drugs or drug-like things (multivitamins, birth control, or herbal remedies like st. john's wart), because there are a whole lot of drug-drug interactions associated with fluoxetine. also, if your prone to seizures or are bulimic, tell your doctor... and you'll probably be put on something else. people who have had seizures in the past (or bulimics, who have an unstable electrolye balance) are more likely to seize again while on prozac. however, you're not going to all of a sudden start seizing, so if you've never had a seizure and are not bulimic, it's nothing to worry about!

when you STOP taking prozac, you may experience some side effects from that too. just let your doctor know you're a little worried, and contact him/her if anything happens that you don't feel comfortable with. remember, drugs work differently in different people, and if YOU don't feel like prozac is working for you, then your doc can try something else!

good luck, and congratulations on taking steps toward a healthier you!

Layla47 · 08-21-2008 00:18

I have been off and on antidepressants since I was 7 and they do not work well with me at all. Prozac has been the most recent try and I really did not like it. Especially since after I went off it it has been incredibly hard for me to walk.. I don't expect that to be a normal experience, but I do not have a good opinion of prozac for myself.

Always start at a low dosage and slowly increase it so your body doesn't have as much of a reaction if you're prone to that. Maybe talk to your doctor about cutting the pills in half for the first week?

I had my worst reaction with Wellbutrin when I was 12 (I actually can't remember my life from 9-12 because of it, but thats a whole 'nother story) with the "suicidal ideation" Umai is talking about. That effect is more common in children and teens, so be especially careful.

Remember that it takes a few weeks for your body to get used to it, so don't give up on it until you've waited that out. Good luck! I hope it works well with your body!

P.S.
Don't get freaked out by this post, my body has odd reactions. Just be careful and pay close attention to what is happening in your body. Antidepressants can be amazingly helpful things, you just have to find the one that works for you.

Apollotrigger · 08-21-2008 04:06

I'm one of the "been on meds more than half my life" group. The big thing to remember is anti-depressants are a series of trial and errors. And, at any time, your body can begin to react differently to the medicine. That's why it's so important to communicate with your doctor about it. I've had medicines that worked fine for months, then suddenly stopped working. I'm on Prozac right now, which I find amusing because I had a very bad reaction to it when I was younger. But it works wonders now.

Don't get discouraged if the first medicine you try doesn't help you. If you feel like nothing has changed ask some of your friends. A lot of the time I feel like my prozac isn't doing a thing for me, but my friends and family assure me it is helping. Good luck sweetie!

Umai · 08-22-2008 05:22

excellent advice apollo, so true

XBabycakes · 08-22-2008 06:44

This advice has all been great. Well, i went to the doctors yesterday, and we spoke for about 2 hours about the depression, the seritonin (sp?) levels and and other chemicals, genetics ect, and the antidepressents. As Umai said, Fluoxetine has been prescriped to me, and as i read your post Umai, it sounded just like a neat little sum up of what the doctor said, so thankyou for that. smile

I'm just a bit worried, because i have been told to take them on a morning with my breakfast (as i can't sleep properly at night, and my doctor thinks the drugs will make this worse), and the thing is i don't have much breakfast and don't eat a lot anyway (i also suffer from anorexia) so having the drug on a virtually empty stomach will make me feel quite sick. This happened with vitimin tablets i took, even if i still had my breakfast, and it's not the pleasantist of feelings. I was just wondering if this is definately going to happen? I'm taking my first one this morning. and do you think if i sopke to my doctor then she might change it to having the drug with my tea, as that meal is more substantial than the rest?

Thinchy · 08-22-2008 09:11

i was in the same situation at some point. being anorexic, and on meds. i never had problems with taking pills on empty stomach, but i wouldn't suggest you that, since it depends from person to person. if you already felt sick with vitamin pills, i'd say eat something anyway.
i used to take pills with orange juice or something like that when i had to take lots of them. and that worked fine for me smile

btw, prozac is one of the meds i actually liked. no bad side effects, just decreased appetite, for what i was more than happy about.

Umai · 08-22-2008 13:42

the idea of "taking meds with food" is because the drug will absorb slower from a full stomach than it will from an empty one, thus causing less irritation. i would suggest doing what your doc said: if you find your stomach gets upset anyway, ask him/her if you should change it to a more substantial meal. docs prefer to schedule things with breakfast cuz it doesn't interfere with your day as much: you're usually at home, so it's easy to grab you meds... less chance of forgetting you know?

on that note, vitamins sometimes make ME sick to my stomach, and i LOVE breakfast! if you find you just can't eat enough to avoid feeling sick, try eating just a little bit of something with a high (unsaturated) fat content: like a spoonful of peanut butter. your stomach takes extra long to digest fats (it requires calling in some extra enzymes) and this delay may keep the small bit of food in your stomach longer. it's best to actually just EAT MORE, but if you can't you can't.

good luck, keep us posted! smile

(edited for poor sentence structure wink )

Last edited by Umai (08-22-2008 13:44)

Expired · 08-22-2008 14:07

The very first antidepressant I was put on was Prozac. It didn't work very well and since then I've been on countless others. It probably took about six or seven years to get a combination of two antidepressants that works for me. I'm on wellbutrin(sp?) and Cymbalta. It's important to remember that these pills will not make you happy, it will just make your life bearable enough so that you're able to work through your problems with a psychiatrist.

HairyToes · 08-23-2008 03:17

I had difficulty with prozac and cymbalta. Prozac made me suicidal, and cymbalta actually made me hallucinate. Zoloft works great for me, combined with trazadone. I take the trazadone to suppress the OCD a little, but mostly as a sleeping pill

Cryzilla · 08-23-2008 04:55

I was put on Zoloft when I was in middle school. They kept raising the dosage when I wasn't showing as much improvement as they expected. And at 50mg, it was enough that I didn't feel right. So I stopped taking it.
The reason I was depressed: daily harassment at school. Once I moved, I became better (still never perfect, though).

Adacatcher · 08-23-2008 05:04

xBabycakes wrote:
I'm just a bit worried, because i have been told to take them on a morning with my breakfast (as i can't sleep properly at night, and my doctor thinks the drugs will make this worse)

I'm by no stretch of the imagination a doctor, but I saw that you mentioned issues with sleep and I thought I would share my story:

I have been a night owl all my life. I joined the military at 17 and suddenly became really depressed. It wasn't homesickness or anything, I was just pissy and sad. It got to the point that when I was driving I would think to myself, "I wonder what would happen if I just cranked the wheel to the left and let go?"

After I got out of the military I started feeling better about myself, and I couldn't for the life of me figure out why. Then I finally saw a doctor who correlated my sleep issues with my depression.

It turns out that I have a sleep disorder, and waking up somewhere between 4:30-6:00am for years had seriously screwed my worldview. (In a nutshell). I have delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS). All it took was the occasional dose of melatonin and exposure to bright light upon waking to 'fix' me. After being depressed for most of my life, I haven't had to take an antidepressant for four years.

If you have chronic sleep issues, you should get with your GP and see if you can get to the bottom of it, or at least get a referral to someone who can help you.

BeautyXRush · 08-23-2008 05:21

Hmm, some people are just born with sleeping issues. I've been an insomniac since birth. My mother thinks it is somewhat due to the medication she was on during the whole pregnancy. Anyways, ive been taking prescribed sleep medication and it really does help, but ive had to up the dose quite a bit as time goes on, with the addition of tylenol pm. I know its not due to depressed, because I am not depressed what so ever. Anyways, did you have any sleep studies done? Oh, and ive even tried melatonin, since that is the natural hormone in charge of sleeping among other things. It didnt help one bit, lol. Its getting to the point where I just have to live with not being able to sleep naturally. Which blows. Genetics suck sometimes.

Adacatcher · 08-23-2008 05:22

I don't wanna hijack this thread, but I've explained my sleep issues in more detail here. I think the pertinent part begins on page 18.

BeautyXRush · 08-23-2008 05:53

lol k, thanks..

Prozac Antidepressents.

#1 08-19-2008 20:11

Prozac Antidepressents.

#2 08-19-2008 21:09

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xBabycakes wrote:

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#25 08-23-2008 05:53

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