Re: 5 weeks on fluoxetine, feeling very low
Hang in there Piano - just give it some time
I've heard quite a few people talking about 'therapeutic doses' on this site, but I wouldn't say that one size fits all. I have a couple of books about OCD - one of them (Tormenting thoughts and secret rituals by Ian Osborn) states on page 99 that:
A few people with OCD respond to ultra-low doses of medication. I have patients doing well on just 2 milligrams a day of Prozac
I would argue that there is no reason why low doses could work for other disorders too.
I also found an interesting article at http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2003/...ffects_01.html
Meanwhile, troubled by the reactions I saw, I searched the medical literature for explanations. I found more than I anticipated. A study published before Prozac'sŪ approval showed that just 5 mg helped 54% of patients, while 20 mg-the recommended dose-helped 64%.6 In other words, quadrupling the dose only improved efficacy 10%. To me, this meant that 5 mg was a reasonable starting dose, yet doctors were told to start everyone at 20 mg, even the 54% who needed only 5 mg! I was shocked and appalled.
It essentially mentions that some people need 80mg of prozac to feel better whereas others only require 2.5mg - response to medications can vary "4 to 40 fold" between people. Although I would discuss any dose related queries with a doctor, its certainly something to think about.
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