Prozac

[paulr13]

i have just started taking prozac to help my panic attacks. how long does it take before i start noticing a change and what does it feel like?

[Meg]

About 2- 4 weeks and slowly things won't seem such a marathon to cope with anymore.
A bit like the ready brek glow myth.

Whilst settling onto it , you may feel more uneasy than usual.



Meg

Watch your thoughts, they become your words...
Watch your words, they become your actions... Watch your actions, they become your habits... Watch your habits, they become your character... Watch your character, it becomes your destiny...

[nomorepanic]

My doctor told me to give it at least 3 months to see if it helped me or not.

Good luck on it, let us know how it goes.

Nicola

[jonny]

When i started taking Prozac i didn't notice anything at all. For months i didnt feel great, happy or anything you'd expect to feel like. I expected that all of sudden i would feel like superman but i didn't.
But after a while ( about 2 months ) i started to notice that i wasn't feeling so low and the panics were getting further apart - i wasn't that superman, i was just normal again.

Don't expect something dramatic because you only get that kind of buzz from illicit drugs. Prozac will only make a sad person to happy to the point of normality. And as you are feeling just normal you wont really notice any effects.

I loved the drug, it worked wonders for me. However after neraly 10 years use it seemed to loose its effect on me.

Best of luck

Jonny

I used to be extremely indecisive but now I am not so sure...

[BrazilBill]

This is my first real post!!!

After a complete mental blowout a couple of years ago, I was given some counselling for my HA (which was immensely helpful) and put on Prozac (which saved my life).

It took 4 weeks for me to realise that I was actually getting out of bed in the morning, making coffee, and not feeling instantly like running back to bed and crying/hyperventilating/dying. The thing with Prozac is: there's no 'rush' with it, but it slowly builds up and prevents the 'feel good' hormones (seretonin) from being reabsorbed by the liver. This means you retain more of the peaceful stuff day by day and train your brain not to go into overdrive and panic all the time.

I wasn't really told this when I was prescribed it.

Prozac will help you Paul, but you may have to be a bit patient with it to start with.

[paulr13]

i've been taking the prozac for over a week now and i've started feeling sick all the time. it feels like an aching in my belly. will this go away?

[twister]

I felt sick the first week - it should go soon

Emily

[nomorepanic]

I am interested in the replies about Prozac cos I took it for 9 months and never felt any better. The panic was just as bad as ever and I still felt miserable as hell.

Perhaps it works well with certain people and not others - I guess what is good for someone is not so good for others.

That was the last ant-depressant I ever took - 6 years ago.

I know someone that takes it for Depression and swears that it has helped them a lot, so stick at it Paul and see how it goes for you ok?

Nicola

[Rennie1989]

is prozac an antidepressant?

nic, i was looking through ya medication page and most of the medication there dont seem nice like dizziness, diarrheoa, etc, i dout ill be taking medication now, lol

[jonny]

Jade, prozac is an anti depressant.

Dont let the long long list of side effects put you off medication.....they are only POSSIBLE side effects and it doesn't meen you will get any of them.
I find it something of an oddity that drug companies bring the the attention of people like us all these possible side effects. Surely they must know that people in a nervous and depressed state will convince themselves that they are developing all these effects! I am sure if i didnt read them i would never get them.

I used to be extremely indecisive but now I am not so sure...

[nomorepanic]

Jon

How very true - I get them all once I read the leaflet!

Nicola

[Meg]

During a series of clinical trials which all medications have to go through, it is a legal requirement to list every medical event that all patients have throughout the trial.

Each investigator has to assess whether they think the side effect is due to the drug or not.

At the end of the trial all the data is submitted to the Medicine Control Agency and they decide whether the drug is effective enough , the benefits outweigh any potential problems and the safety profile.

All the medical events reported as possibly/ probably being related have to go on the Patient Information Leaflet by law . Most doctors with new drugs err on the side of caution - thus everything appears on it.




Meg

Watch your thoughts, they become your words...
Watch your words, they become your actions... Watch your actions, they become your habits... Watch your habits, they become your character... Watch your character, it becomes your destiny...

[Lottie32]

Dear Paulr13

I started taking fluoxetine three weeks ago.

I don't really feel any different. However, if I think back to how I was four and five weeks ago, then it has definitely made a difference.

For the last two or three months, each weekend (free time to think) have been a battle to struggle through. I've been very weepy, felt desolate, and burst into tears for no reason - I felt such a t**t the other day - my friend Jan rang me up, said "Fancy a dog walk - it's a lovely day. Are we still going out for a pint tonight?" I burst into tears and had to put the phone down and text her back!!!!!

Whilst I don't feel "happy", "elated", "bright" or any of the other things I was half imagining/half wanting, I DO feel much more stable.

I can chill out a bit more. People can talk to me without me bursting into tears / getting ratty or impatient, and generally I feel calmer and more relaxed.

I'm hoping that as I continue with the medication I just become more "normal". On the plus side - I'm not as panicky as I was, so hopefully you will notice a difference soon.

Meg is totally right - it's a gradual thing. I never suffered any physical discomfort as a result of taking it though. Hope you feel better soon

Charlie

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

[Meg]

So pleased to hear its kicking in and stabilizing you, Charlie. That was what you were needing first and foremost.

It's been quiet on email so presumed it was good news and you were out and about.


Meg

Watch your thoughts, they become your words...
Watch your words, they become your actions... Watch your actions, they become your habits... Watch your habits, they become your character... Watch your character, it becomes your destiny...

[nomorepanic]

Charlie

I used to cry all the time too - emotional release I guess.

Glad to hear that you are feeling better on it though. I have just been talking to that mate's hubby I told you about and he says that he has tried 4 different drugs so far and they all seem to work for about 3 months then he feels as bad. I should have asked him if he had tried Prozac - will do next time we talk.

Nicola

[Lottie32]

Hi Nic

Yes, I definitely feel more "stable". I can cope now when the web site goes down!!! LOL. Got my month review in a few days time, so will see what the doc says, but think these basically suit, and will continue for a further month (they seem to like to do three monthly reviews, then give you a repeat at our practice)

Hi Meg

Yes - busy at work - BSi due in for Bi-annual assessment tomorrow, and I was behind! Also, staff on holiday and having to cover. And been trying to keep busy at weekends too!

Will be in touch soon - feeling better and braver on the tablets, and would like to do Costco soon if the offers still on

Hope you are both well

Love

Charlie

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

[jonny]

Do you know what i thought about when i started taking Prozac?

'If its good enough for princess Di then its good enough for me'

She took it for a while and sang its praises so if a truely outstanding lady as her needed a little help then there was no shame or dreadful reason i shouldn't give it a whirl.
Certainly turned my life around.

Jonny

I used to be extremely indecisive but now I am not so sure...

[Meg]

Name your day !!

Meg