Just an update. Started week 5 of 40 mgs yesterday & have felt terrible for 3 days. Taken 1/2 lorazepam 2 out of 3 days to try & keep the panic attacks under control. I’m willing myself to hang on. Hopefully about to turn the corner. I was having the odd beer with dinner but I think I’ll give that away for the time being. Don’t know if it was helping matters!
Probably not.
Anxiety and depression are the symptoms of atrophy of parts of the hippocampal regions of the brain caused by high brain stress hormone levels, particularly of cortisol, killing brain cells and inhibiting the growth of replacements (neurogenesis). ADs work by stimulating the growth of new cells. It is the new neurons and the interconnections they form which produce the therapeutic response, not the meds directly. For a more detailed explanations see: Depression and the Birth and Death of Brain Cells (PDF) and How antidepressant drugs act.
The problem is alcohol is a CNS depressant which has the same affect on hippocampal neurogenesis as cortisol. Even relatively moderate drinking can reduce hippocampus neurogenesis by nearly half (see also: Morris SA, 2010; Crews FT, 2003).
The other thing to be aware of is that the AD+alcohol combo can produce unpredictable results. Some days you may be able to drink a herd of alcoholic elephants under the table without raising a sweat, on another half a pint might turn legs to rubber. Alcohol may also increase fluoxetine side-effects.
The opinions expressed above are based on my observations and, where applicable, interpretation of cited data and are general in nature. Consult your physician before acting on anything stated.
Hello everyone, I have been taking paxil 20mg for 6 years.
I arrived at 2mg then I did not manage to go down lower; so I made a prozac direct switch;
when I did I had balance losses and today I enter in my 5 weeks and I am still not stable. I still have balance losses and anxiety.
I wonder if the dose of 2mg is sufficient .
Thanks
to NMP, velia,
So you switched from 2mg paroxetine (Paxil) to 2mg fluoxetine (Prozac) to make it easier to wean off antidepressants? If so, the switch should ideally have been done at 20mg. The problem is that at very low doses the impact of the drug is minimal, compounded by the very long fluoxetine half-life which means it takes a long time for blood plasma levels to stabilize - up to 30 days for fluoxetine itself and up to 80 days for its active metabolite norfluoxetine, which generates most of the therapeutic response. I think you need to discuss this with your doctor, but I don't see the point of continuing to take fluoxetine at such a low dose. Taking 5mg may ease the withdrawal effects, but whether it will make quitting easier in the long run is debatable, imho.I have been taking paxil 20mg for 6 years.
I arrived at 2mg then I did not manage to go down lower; so I made a prozac direct switch;
when I did I had balance losses and today I enter in my 5 weeks and I am still not stable. I still have balance losses and anxiety.
I wonder if the dose of 2mg is sufficient .
BTW-how are you taking the fluoxetine, in liquid form?
The opinions expressed above are based on my observations and, where applicable, interpretation of cited data and are general in nature. Consult your physician before acting on anything stated.
Hi
thank you for your answer, I take prozac 20mg for 5ml . unfortunately, I don't trust my doctor.you think the 2mg are not enough .I took it precisely because I could not wean the paxil. I don't understand very well when you say "but I don't see the point of continuing to take fluoxetine at such a low dose. Taking 5mg may ease the withdrawal effects, which is the goal whether it will make quitting easier in the long run is debatable" sorry I'm French
Hi everyone. I see there are some recent posts and therefore there are still some people accessing this page!? I’m 4 weeks back on Prozac and been really struggling. This forum has been very useful and I will stick it out. I’m keen to chat to people at a similar point as I am. Also there is someone with a username called peachy. Do they still see this forum? X
Your post is encouraging
The opinions expressed above are based on my observations and, where applicable, interpretation of cited data and are general in nature. Consult your physician before acting on anything stated.
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