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I've just been prescribed anti depressants . When I looked up the name of the medication on the net it turned out that it is a generic form of prozac .
I haven't taken any yet , and to be honest I'm a bit scared to , the thought of taking anti depressants worries me to be honest .
I wondered ... have any of you taken anything similar ? Did it help ? Did you have any bad side effects ?
I take prozac daily. It works very well, give it at least 2 weeks before kicking it. It might work after a few days for you though. I've been taking it for several years, and I'm fine. The biggest problem I've had with it is that it disqualified me from the ROTC scholarship they had already awarded me, which was a major piss-off like you could not imagine.
It becomes a little harder to concentrate as well, and I sweat a lot more than I used to. Considering I've always sweated a lot that wasn't so great. You also will likely not be as horny, and might not fall asleep. When I first went on it I couldn't fall asleep until like 5am. All in all, it is MORE than worth it.
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Originally Posted by DoesntMatter [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]
Thanks for your help .
I have the pack of pills and I keep looking at them . I've had a good day today . Every time I have a good day I kind of think that maybe I shouldn't even think about taking them . Other days when I'm at work and my head feels like it's full of fog and I can't breath because I feel so panicky I think that if I don't take them I will end up not being able to go to work .
I live alone and have no family in the town I live in . I supposed I am most scared of ending up long term sick from work and claiming government benefits .
I wondered ( if it's not too personal a question ) , how has prozac you mentally ? How has it affected the way you think and feel about things ? What are you like as a person compared to what you were like before you took it ? Did people notice a difference in you ?
i've taken ecstacy before and damn. it put me in a different world. anti-depressants work in the same matter, just on a smaller scale. the only part that i would be hesitant about would be the come down. once you take this pill, will you become dependent on it??
raverboy
Yeah, I've taken ecstasy once before as well and also prozac, which I am currently on. Basically prozac is like ecstasy but on a magnitude 1000 times less. Prozac actually makes me feel somewhat touchy like, kind of like E. They never said that was a side effect and I couldn't find it listed as one, so I figured it was uncommon. I also didn't mention it can make you angry a lot of the time, but not a depressed anger at least. Again I think I have this side effect a little more than mostQuote:
Originally Posted by Illusional [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]
I don't know if people can become dependent on prozac. It's worth reading up on though, for me at least, considering I'm on it.
I've just been reading comments on forums dealing with people taking prozac . It seems to have dramatically different effects on different people .
Some people complained of -
weight gain
weight loss
Increased thoughts of suicide or thoughts of suicide where none had existed before .
Feelings of increased anger .
Complete lack of emotion .
Increase in panic attacks .
Lack of energy .
Increase in nervous energy .
lack of libido .
Black outs after even a small amount of alcohol .
It seems that more people had suffered quite bad side effects than have had a good experience but I suppose it's more likely that people who have had a bad experience are the ones looking at prozac forums .
ecstasy for the most part gives you a feeling of happiness. however, it will always multiply whatever feeling you currently have, so if you're angry, then you'd likely end up in jail for beating someone up.
raverboy
From my drug guide:
Side effects (more common ones in bold face) CNS: Headache, nervousness, anxiety, insomnia, drowsiness, fatigue, tremor, dizziness. CV: Palpitations, hot flushes, chest pain. GI: Nausea, diarrhea, anorexia, dyspepsia, increased appetite, dry mouth. Skin: Rash, pruritus, sweating, hypersensitivity reactions. Special Senses: Blurred vision. Body as a Whole: Myalgias, arthralgias, flu-like syndrome, hyponatremia. Urogenital: Sexual dysfunction, menstrual irregularities.
Interactions
Drug: Concurrent use of tryptophan may cause agitation, restlessness, and GI distress; mao inhibitors, selegiline may increase risk of severe hypertensive reaction and death; increases half-life of diazepam; may increase toxicity of tricyclic antidepressants; amphetamines, cilostazol, nefazodone, pentazocine, propafenone, sibutramine, tramadol, venlafaxine may increase risk of serotonin syndrome; may inhibit metabolism of carbamazepine, phenytoin, ritonavir; increased ergotamine toxicity with dihydroergotamine, ergotamine. Herbal: St. John's wort may cause serotonin syndrome.
Requires approximately 2–3 wk for therapeutic effects to be felt.
Monitor for and report increased anxiety, nervousness, or insomnia; may need modification of drug dose.
Monitor for seizures in patients with a history of seizures. Use appropriate safety precautions.
Supervise patients closely who are high suicide risks; especially during initial therapy.
I actually had a significant decrease in panic attacks. I used to get them fairly often.Quote:
Originally Posted by lin [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]
Sex drive went down for me, ya.
Definitely not blacking out with small amounts of alcohol, or even excessively large amounts of alcohol for that matter either.
I was suicidal before I went on prozac, but not after I went on it. So it didn't make me suicidal but helped get me out of it.
No weight change.
Increase in anger yes, but it may be because of this. Before, the anger would last for a few days or a few weeks, then I would crash into a hellish depression, and any additional anger would manifest itself as depression.
Rather than lack of energy, I had extra energy. And I couldn't sleep. Before I went on prozac and when I had depressive crashes I would sleep for waaaaay long periods of time.
I've taken tryptophan in pill form while on prozac. Kind of on an irregular basis though, they came in 500mg tablets and I tried taking one a day for a few days. I thought I felt slightly different, but I think it was mostly a placebo effectQuote:
Originally Posted by vashti [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]
I'm not an MD, but my understanding of these drugs is that they work best when combined with therapy to address the underlying issue. Otherwise, these drugs are basically chemical bandaids.
Make sure you are getting ALL the help you need. Longterm as well as short term. Don't let a medico just throw drugs at you & send you away.
Lin, have you tried anything naturopathic to address your symptoms? A lot of this anxiety and depression stuff can be helped significantly with herbs and changes to your diet. I'm concerned that you'll end up taking a medication that will have all manner of side effects that will ultimately be worse than what you're taking it for.
I'm actually on a waiting list to see a therapist . I initially turned down the prescription for the prozac . I went back to the doctors because I started having panic attacks at work .
I was off work sick with anxiety and depression for nearly a year in my early 20s . I ended up on government benefits which was very stressful and I'm sure it actually made me more depressed . I went back to the doctors because the thought of ending up in the same situation terrifies me .
I still haven't taken the prozac . I think for now I'll leave it in the cupboard . If things get worse I'll reconsider . I'm sure it's a medicine that has been a life saver for some people and at least a life changer for many ... but I really don't feel comfortable with the idea of taking it .
At the moment I feel very low and worried and lonely but I don't feel suicidal . Hopefully I won't have to wait too long to see a therapist ( I'm in England so it's the National health service , I could be waiting forever ).
Thanks for your comments , your thoughts and advice have been a big help .
Prozac really isn't bad, like I said I've been on it for a while. My initial dosage was 20mg per day, and the amount I take varies depending on the time of year (more in late winter months from Dec to April) and less in the summer. It really is a wonder drug and REALLY got me interested in the related areas of chemistry. Seriously, taking 20mg per day won't have you jumping off of bridges or blasting yourself like the media makes it look. It helped me stay productive when I otherwise would have been unproductive because when you feel like shit it's hard to motivate yourself to do a lot of mentally involved work.
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Originally Posted by DoesntMatter [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]
I've just taken my first pill . I think your point about staying productive is the most important thing to me . If I stay productive then I'm still in control of my life .
I've suffered most of the common side effects of prozac this week without actually taking it ... so I might aswell at least give it a try .
I'm still on the list for therapy so hopefully by the time the prozac starts to work ( if it does work for me ) then I'll be getting the two forms of treatment .
Regarding the suicide comments on this--according to my doctor, increased thoughts of suicide seem to most often occur in teenagers and people who were misdiagnosed with depression. I don't remember what I was on, but the doctor I had until I was sixteen spent five minutes in the room with me and gave me a perscription for anti-depressants--I was simply emotionally fragile, and had never considered suicide or injuring myself. After three days on the medication, I came into school asking people to kill me. Needless to say, they took me off that fairly quickly. My mom's been on an anti-depressant for years, though, and has stories about how she used to feel. She's a lot better now, and very in control of her life. I think she went on it before she met my dad, though, so I can't really ask him about changes. XD; But by what you're describing, I'm sure the medication will work wonders for you. =) Good luck with all this. It'll feel a lot better when you're not so anxious about everything.
Other tid bits about prozac that I left out...
After being on it for a while, you become more impulsive. Like when I said it becomes more difficult to concentrate and do work... Well, that's one way the compulsiveness shows. In other ways, I'd be more likely to just go and buy something on the fly (I used to and still rarely spend money unless it needs to be spent). Also more apt to get drunk or high without giving much thought, and just in general not caring that much about consequences.
At the end of the day it is so worth it though...
DM, are you saying you are *for* ppl taking Prozac? Longterm?
Soma.... anyone??
For me, prozac was a godsend. Depression runs in my family, my grandpa has been depressed for as long as anyone can remember, a good share of my cousins are depressed as well. All on my dads side though.
And my depression wasn't a result of anything, I was depressed late in elementary school and middle school for no reason.
And you have no idea how crushing some phases can be. During a crash I might sleep for like 14 hours per day for a few days straight. This was before I started taking prozac though
Oh yeah Lin, prozac changed my sense of smell a little, but for the better. People just smell better in general... It's so hard to explain
I've been taking it for six days now . The first day I just felt a bit fuzzy headed as if I'd had a couple of glasses of wine . The next couple of days I had a really tense jaw and freaky dreams . I've slept less but I haven't been awake all night . Also I heard music when there was none ( like someone playing a toy piano with one finger ) . My pupils are big all the time too . I look like I'm stoned lol.
Yesterday I woke up and I knew that it was starting to work . I just felt different . I spent the whole day on a bit of a buzz . I chatted , laughed and made eye contact with people . I just felt good !
Today I've felt a bit more on edge but still ok . I've just felt more sociable and friendly than I have for a long time . Because of that , people have been more friendly to me .
I've had a few times when the panicky feelings have come but they have gone away quickly .
I know it's early days but hopefully it is going to suit me .
I still feel a bit headachey and tense jawed but I think that a lot of people put up with a lot worse side effects than that and wait a lot longer than a week before they see any improvement . The only really weird side effect that I am having is that I don't feel hungry at all . I just eat at meal times as usual . I enjoy the food but I don't actually feel hungry . Weird .
A good dosage of prozac is like a very light "wave" of MDMA on the coming up. Yeah, it's good
what is it with everyone,u have all had depression.well in my family its suicide that runs,my mum is suicidal a lot now,and my second cousins and great aunt on my mums side have all committed suicide.funnily enough one of the side effects of antidepression pills is deppression,wtf?anyways I only had depression once about a year ago and I've had insomnia ever since,y does everyone else sleep more.I just didnt stop thinking about everything that was wrong
Yesterday I felt like I had to keep turning my volume down a bit . I think I was a bit loud and excitable , not too bad though . I managed to do my job ok lol . I've got a couple of friends who have promised to let me know if I start being " weird "Quote:
Originally Posted by DoesntMatter [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]
You say that things smell different .. I've found that things sound different . I can't explain it but music seems to sound different . Perhaps it'll just be a temporary thing .
Anyway , time for bed ( hopefully to sleep !! ).
I'm quite confident I'm going to be on prozac my whole life, unless something else comes along. Which makes me feel a little constricted in how I can manipulate my brain chemistry if I'm already on a program to correct it... I guess it helps keep me in checkQuote:
Originally Posted by IndiReloaded [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]
I used to be very wary of drugs for depression I've completely changed my mind . I've done years of therapy in the past which helped for a short time but I always seem to drift back into old ways of thinking and acting . I think sometimes if things have been put into your mind at an early age no amount of trying to make you think differently will help on a permanent basis .
I've found that Prozac seems to be working for me . I feel different . Now that it's settled down and started to work I feel more "normal" . I don't think that I've felt this relaxed and ok about things for years . I feel more sociable and friendly and less stressed and worried .
I've read things where people have said that they were like zombies with no feelings or that they didn't care about other people's feelings any more or had such extreme side effects that they couldn't carry on . I've been taking it for a week .. I've had a couple of days where I felt a bit ill and edgy and one where I felt actually high but other than that no problems at all . I'm even sleeping ok now . I've read about the sexual side effects ( low libido , lack of orgasm ) I've tested the orgasm thing ... I can still have them *cough*.
I feel like this is how I should have been feeling and I wish that I'd taken it when I was offered it years ago . I think it actually might be a life changer for me . Before I started taking it I wouldn't have believed that I would say that . The truth is that I was depressed ( not ever suicidal , a sort of functioning sort of depressed ) for so many years that I thought it was normal . When I woke up on Thursday morning I knew it was working . I just felt different , lighter .. I don't know how to explain it .
Sorry if i sound like some kind of evangelist !
Another thing... Be wary of drug interactions. Whatever you do don't try tripping off of DXM or taking certain amphetamines like MDMA while you are on prozac. I'm pretty sure I had a mild case of serotonin syndrome not too long ago from some other factors. So be mindful of that
Pretty much my whole family is on prozac. Depression "runs" through the family, not quite sure how truthful that statement is but I'm pretty sure I've got it. But if doubt I would want to take the medication. I see em' as invisible chains, it changes you. Plus, I find it pointless taking em' without some sort of cousnelling. Drugs aren't a soloution, just a temp patch up til' you find the root of the problem. But eh, my opinion.
I wish I'd taken it years ago , seriously . I've done the counselling thing without drugs . It only worked temporarily for me . I always drift back into the old ways of thinking about things .Quote:
Originally Posted by Kiechi [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]
I know it's early days for me but I don't think that Prozac seems to be changing my personality . I just feel like I normally feel on one of my rare good days . I feel more cheerful and calm . I can walk into a crowded room without panicking or feeling like people are staring at me .
This is a massive improvement for me and to be honest it's something that I couldn't have said about several years of therapy . I will be having therapy again so maybe the two combined will be even more helpful .
I'm interested to see if the effects of taking Prozac carry on changing . If it stays as it is at the moment I'll be happy . I don't seem to be having any side effects from it at all at the moment . I feel like I have more energy and I seem to be able to concentrate more . I'm sleeping ok aswell .
DM , I've never been much of a drug taker so I should be ok in that department . I haven't even had alcohol while I've been taking it . I've been so impressed with the change it's made to me in such a short time that I feel like I should treat it with a bit of respect . I've been cutting down on alcohol anyway . It's a depressant and it certainly seems to have affected me a lot more that way lately .
It can have (like many many drugs) very different effects in each person. It definitely didn't make me calmer, lol. What's also nice is that you can forget to take your prozac one day and not notice it. I haven't taken any in about 5 days, but not because I've forgotten ;)
I was talking to a friend at work today . She said that she was prescribed Prozac once . She had to be taken off it because she couldn't relax at all . She couldn't sit down for more than a few minutes and she couldn't sleep . She said that she was talking really fast and taking her dog for a walk at 2am . Sounds horrible lol .
I've had a letter to make an appointment to see a " member of the mental health team " , so I'll do that and see what happens next .