I would welcome opinions about taking Prozac....I have been on and off this since my daughter was born and she is now 13. My weight has gone up by at least 70 pounds since then (up and then down and up again u know how it can go). I take it when I am really low, then I come off after say six months, I do ok for another 6-9 months then the creep comes and I get lower and lower...
This latest time I've been off meds for about 9 months and feeling low for the last few. Been trying to fight the feelings every way I know how but have been getting worried about dipping so low that it will affect work etc.
So went to docs and he gave me a script for prozac... Then I came home and did some research on the medicine and what I read really worried me. I have never had bad side effects on it myself. BUt I was reading about it messing with weight/insulin and causing long term problems and now I am stuck in a place thinking, can I just carry on til I feel better or should I just get on and take it.
I am low, but not in any way suicidal or anything like that., just tearful a lot, feel like I can't cope and also a bit worthless type feelings which isn't pleasant. But I am wondering if I go back on them will I just yo-yo on and off them for ever?? I am pleased to be off them and am not sure what to do for the best.
Any of you who have any experience here please any thoughts would be welcome.
I've been taking prozac for about a year and a half. I will say that it has helped tremendously with coping with stress and the hormonal mood swings of perimenopause.
Its interesting the mixed feedback on the side-effects of prozac. I had my GYN tell me that it definitely is linked to weight gain. Another doc said that it has been proven to help in weight loss given that it helps reduce reactions such as stress eating. I did some research online and I found both messages in the same report. One sentence said weight gain and in another paragraph, it lists weight loss as a common side effect. I can say that it has not helped me lose weight. I can't say whether it has helped me gain weight though as I'm at a stage in life where weight gain is common (over 40 group). My conclusion is that each person is going to be different so while it may cause weight gain in some people, it may really help those who do heavy emotional eating thus resulting in a loss.
I'm not a doc so I can't confirm or offer medical opinions. Just my own interpretation of the messages I've been given.
I just had a conversation with my new doc this week and she said that there wasn't any long term detriment to staying on the meds. I was asking about coming off since I am in a much less negative stressful period of life and am thinking about coming off them.
I didn't want to go on it in the first place but my old doc prescribed it when I was sitting in her office with my heart jumping around due to high levels of stress. I made the choice to take it because life just wasn't fun and the toll it was taking on me was too much.
For you, questions to ask yourself are how much the lows are impacting you and have you tried other alternative behavioral mods that maybe could help. Such as exercise, talking, journalling, meditation, etc. I think it really comes down to what you can live with and feel good about yourself.
Its not an easy decision for you to make. I'd go back and talk to the doc about the possible side effects and long term effects. Good luck!!
I have tried a lot of meds like this. I finally said, I don't need medicine THIS strong! I don't need medicine this dangerous. Because like you, I am not suicidal, I just needed that extra lift.
So I went and talked to my doctor about that, and we tried a few different things, more mild meds that were newer and less drastic. after about 4 months I didn't need them anymore, and I learned coping skills from them. They just gave me a very naturally feeling lift that i needed to scoop myself out of the pits. Now I'm not on anything!
I would talk to your doctor about how you feel about the medicine, and do some trial and error on new stuff. I found that if a medicine wasn't for me, I could tell really soon.
I hope you find the right one for you, that will help you cope and make you feel good. <3<3
Did you know the NIU Shooter was on Prozac before he stopped taking it the three weeks before his massacre? His girlfriend admitted he was taking it in an interview with CNN. He told her he was going to stop because it made him, 'feel like a zombie'.
Better a zombie than the withdrawal symptoms he went through after getting off it... cripes...
I have never felt like a zombie. Meds can be adjusted if they are too strong. And going off the meds is not always like that. That's why its best to consult the doctor and discuss the possible issues. Maybe he just quit taking them cold turkey and was on a high dosage.
Not fair to post something scary like that when someone is seriously considering taking the meds. Especially when we do not know what this other person was taking or at what dosage or what combination of other meds.
I'm not trying to scare anyone. If I was considering taking something, I would want to know something like this. I would want to research all reactions, from good to extremely bad so I knew the ranges as a investigative consumer.
He did indeed stop taking them cold turkey. I don't know what dosages he was on, and you are correct that everyone takes to something differently - just like birth control. Two women of the same height, weight and outlook on life might become two different people on the same pill. One could become depressive and bipolar, while the second is not affected at all. Different drugs react differently with each person's unique biochemistry.
The NIU shooter had a history of mental illness and used to cut himself, but it wasn't recent. I just find it of note that three weeks after going cold turkey off Prozac he did he what he did. It probably wasn't the main factor, but a contributing one.
Hi Emily, I've been on Prozac several times over a period of years (long story-cut it short-abusive NOW Ex-hubby, disabled child..etc) I've found it made me a bit jittery BUT each time it's affected me differently.
You could have a chat to your Dr or someone at work? I don't know about weight gain or loss but it stopped me eating through sadness & pepped me up enough to get on with life (stuck down a deep well of despair & no light in sight) though you do have to cut down slowly, it only takes a week or two to do that.
I'd say try it, give it 2-3 weeks, sometimes our chemicals just go 'weird' (you'd know more about serotonin, brain imbalances & stuff like that than me) other times life gives us too much to cope with, either way you want to enjoy life again rather than dragging yourself out of bed, dreading life in general or feeling unable to cope with everything, no matter how trivial?
pm me if you need a chat, we're in the same countryxxxxx
xxxxsharon
I took prozac for a very short time over 10 years ago. I got jittery, nervous, and then paranoid on it. I was afraid for the kids to even open the door or curtains. I obviously went off it fast. I had also been on inimpramine about 20 years ago after my dad's death. That seemed to work better, but I discontinued it when I felt better. From working with my husband and his friends, I know that everyone reacts differently to different meds. See how you feel. If you want to increase or decrease doses or try something different, just work with your doctor. There's no point in being miserable if something can help.
emilymay I can only comment from a professional point of view I was a psychiatric nurse up until I was dx with MS in 1999 ( but that is another story). I have not taken any antidepressants for depression but only for low doses of the older antidepressants for pain.
Every drug that we that we are prescribed or buy off the shelf has side effects but just because the side effect is known it does not mean that you will "suffer" from it. Side effects are gathered data from patients who have taken it and doctors report side effect to the powers that be and if enough complaints about the same side effect then it is then reported as a known side effect. Some of the side effects can be very alarming even to me and I am medically trained so I see how untrained members of the public will react.
The best bit of advice that I can give is go along to your GP and discuss your worries about long term effects on weight and insulin. They then should allay your fears and maybe suggest one which does not have such side effects.
Advice requested re Prozac
