Prozac?

[TinysMom]

Over the last few years I've taken Celexa and Paxil and they were a help - except for the fact that they made me very drowsy. I took them while they were effective and then got off them when they seemed to stop helping.

When I had my appointment last week and talked with my doctor, he decided to put me on Prozac. He wanted me to take it in the morning and not at night...because it is supposed to keep people awake.

Art finally picked up my prescription yesterday (they were out last week on base) - and I took my first one earlier today.

Twenty minutes after taking my first one - I was SICK....I literally went to bed and slept. My stomach didn't feel so great - but it could've been the fried chicken that did that. But my head...was spinning.

It is now 5 hours later and I'm slightly dizzy - but at least I'm awake. I'm not depressed...just...not feeling great. I feel drugged and punchy and um...not myself.

This is what the Paxil and the Celexa did to me the first few weeks.

Is the Prozac going to do the same thing? Should it ease off in a couple of days?

This is a "baby dose" of Prozac - the smallest he could give me.

 

[Tiger Lily]

My boyfriend takes meds like that for bipolar and i know when his doctor does a med change the first week or so is a little rough as he is getting used to the new med.I would say if it continues for a couple days then it may night be right for you but call your doctor and let him know what is going on just to be safe.

 

[Violet23]

Try asking about Citalopram, it's what Im on and I haven't had any side effects from it at any point really, or ones that I noticed.

 

[kirbyultra]

I really think that how medication like these affect each person differently. They always tell you that your doctor has prescribed Drug X for you as they believe the benefits outweigh the negative side effects and risks -- but if it's really beyond tolerable for you to function as a person or if you lose yourself in it, you should look into other options with your doctor. I did some research into anti depression meds at one point and there were certain identifiable symptoms for certain drugs but so often people reacted in so many different ways that I felt like it was a complete crap shoot on what to expect if I were put on any of them. Isn't Prozac one of those that you really need to be on for about a month before you fully realize its aid potential?

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

I'm sure you've seen my posts on this previous, I took Prozac years ago, was the best one I was on, no side effects for me. Sounds like it's not agreeing w/ u, but docs always say to give it a few days... They told me that w/ Paxil and I couldn't I was so nauseaus, I threw them all away.

See what your doc says, but if it were me, I wouldn't want to take it. Maybe a lesser dose?

 

[Nela]

Celexa is citalopram so that shouldn't make much of a difference I believe. It will probably take about a week or 2 for your body to adjust. Were you still taking anything just before starting the Prozac? I guess the switch over could also play a role if that's the case. Don't forget to check your BP and glucose (if you got the metre) especially when feeling unwell.

 

[TinysMom]

Well - I guess the reason I was asking was because the doctor told me that he recommended I take it in the mornings since it tends to keep folks awake and give them energy.

For me - it did the opposite. It put me to sleep within an hour.

However - when I got up about 5 hours later - I did have a big burst of energy....



I'm going to try to switch to taking it in the evenings and see if that helps.

My body is just really weird...Tylenol can put me to sleep.

 

[Nela]

Just wanted to see how you are feeling and if taking it in the evening helped any...

 

[Saffy]

WHen I first started taking Prozac I have to admit, I kept falling asleep. (I took it in the morning) My sister took it, and she COULDN'T sleep .. lol

It takes a good 3 weeks before you notice any difference - I went from being a mad, crazy lady who scrubbed her kitchen floor with a toothbrush and who turned friends and family away from the house because "I didn't want them messing it up" to someone who could at last relax and not insist on cleaning routines. (My OH says I've gone too far the other way and wishes I had more of a routine now .. oh hum)

I've been on it since 1995!

 

[Saffy]

Pst. Gotta admit .. I drink alcohol on it ...

 

[akane]

Paxil, celexa, and prozac are all SSRI's. They will do nearly the same thing as each other. If you've had the same reaction to 2 of them odds are the rest will be similar. SSRI stands for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor. They increase serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is what your body produces in response to light to keep you awake. However this same hormone is then altered to melatonin when you are in the dark to make you sleep. So the more serotonin the more melatonin. Depending on how much light you get during the day and how efficient your body is at converting serotonin could account for large differences in it's action on alertness and sleep. I was put on paxil and then zoloft (another ssri) for insomnia and ended up being wide awake, jittery, and after a few days of taking paxil it caused panic attacks. Complete opposite of what they are generally prescribed for.

There are tons and tons of meds besides SSRIs. The SSRIs are just being pushed and the FDA has approved them as the drug of choice for things like anxiety so doctors keep prescribing them whether they work or not. With every doctor you generally have to go through several SSRIs before they will move on. If you have good insurance a psychiatrist or other appropriate specialist for your condition is a much better choice than your general doctor. They will be more familiar with and willing to prescribe a wider variety of meds. SSRI's really are just the tip of the iceberg.

 

[Jaded]

Oh I should of edited my mistakes, you have to limit your aclhole while your on prozac, just like may other other medications.