NationStates Jolt Archive

Past couple weeks I've been taking Prozac by perscription, 10mg a day. A week ago I began taking 15mg like the doctor told me to.

Well 2-3 days after I upped the dosage to 15mg my appetite began decreasing to me eating about 1.5 meals a day, I also had stomach problems and it took me 2 hours longer to fall asleep (Falling asleep at 5-6 a.m., waking up between 1-2 p.m.).

Also, I went from about 130 lb. to when I first started to around 122-124 lb.

On Thursday the doctor told me to decrease the dosage to 10mg a day and wait 2 more weeks until I up it back to 15mg per day.

But the problems persist. Insomnia, stomach problems, weight loss.

Also, I don't feel any less depressed with Prozac, nor is my OCD any better.

Is this normal???

Good God here I am at 4:23 am asking NS this and I half-desire to run a mile right now.

Exercise may help. Your liver may not be processing the metabolites quickly enough. Exercise may speed up your metabolic rates.

BTW, I'm no M.D. Nobody sue me if you drop dead, ya understand me?

Past couple weeks I've been taking Prozac by perscription, 10mg a day. A week ago I began taking 15mg like the doctor told me to.

Well 2-3 days after I upped the dosage to 15mg my appetite began decreasing to me eating about 1.5 meals a day, I also had stomach problems and it took me 2 hours longer to fall asleep (Falling asleep at 5-6 a.m.).

Also, I went from about 130 lb. to when I first started to around 122-124 lb.

On Thursday the doctor told me to decrease the dosage to 10mg a day and wait 2 more weeks until I up it back to 15mg per day.

But the problems persist. Insomnia, stomach problems, weight loss.

Also, I don't feel any less depressed with Prozac, nor is my OCD any better.

Is this normal???

Good God here I am at 4:23 am asking NS this and I half-desire to run a mile right now.

Yes.

Absolutely normal.

It could be that the needed dosage for Prozac to have enough of an effect on you, would need to be increased to 20 mgs.
However, the side-effects might not be worth taking.

Is this the first medication of this type youve been on?
A different one entirely may be better.

Also, very importantly...how long have you been on this medication?
It generally takes about 6 weeks for these things to have noticeable effects.

Yes.

Absolutely normal.

It could be that the needed dosage for Prozac to have enough of an effect on you, would need to be increased to 20 mgs.
However, the side-effects might not be worth taking.

Is this the first medication of this type youve been on?
A different one entirely may be better.

Also, very importantly...how long have you been on this medication?
It generally takes about 6 weeks for these things to have noticeable effects.
Yeah this is pretty much the first type of medication I've been on. When they perscribed Prozac to me I requested Zoloft since it worked wonders for a friend of mine, but the doctor said that all they were allowed to perscribe was Prozac.

I've been on this for roughly 2-3 weeks now. Yeah I didn't expect a change this early but I figured I'd change a little...

SSRIs are known for having a delayed effect, so that you're not feeling better after three weeks, and after a failed attempt at upping the dosage, is not uncommon at all. Stick to the regimen your doctor gave you, and, really, do not listen to what anyone here writes. :)

Also, the side-effects you mention (insomnia, anorexia, stomach upsets) are pretty common in the beginning, but usually subside after you've gotten used to the SSRI you're taking.

Yeah this is pretty much the first type of medication I've been on. When they perscribed Prozac to me I requested Zoloft since it worked wonders for a friend of mine, but the doctor said that all they were allowed to perscribe was Prozac.

I've been on this for roughly 2-3 weeks now. Yeah I didn't expect a change this early but I figured I'd change a little...


Well, if after a few months, if you arent feeling better...I would ask about other medicines, or finding another doctor for a second opinion.

I was on Paxil, then Zoloft, then wellbutrin, then Celexa, and finaly stopped taking anything of the sort all together.
The side effects, for me, outweighed my need for the drug.

Even after the meds start working, they arent going to "cure" you.
All they will do is help a little...take the edge off.
For some people..this is al they need to cope.

Most of the different meds are pretty similar,'
Seratonin Reuptake inhibitors, the difference in the side-effects, however, can be very different.

Well, if after a few months, if you arent feeling better...I would ask about other medicines, or finding another doctor for a second opinion.

I was on Paxil, then Zoloft, then wellbutrin, then Celexa, and finaly stopped taking anything of the sort all together.
The side effects, for me, outweighed my need for the drug.

Even after the meds start working, they arent going to "cure" you.
All they will do is help a little...take the edge off.
For some people..this is al they need to cope.

Most of the different meds are pretty similar,'
Seratonin Reuptake inhibitors, the difference in the side-effects, however, can be very different.
Hmm, well all I really need is a safe way to cope. I'm pretty much rejecting the therapy they try to give me. I try to tell them what the problem is and they think the problem is something else. I've given up.

I can handle all this, I just need a way to cope with it all. Aaaaand that's what I'm using Prozac for I suppose. I doubt it's healthy but it's simple and I believe it'll work.

SSRIs are known for having a delayed effect, so that you're not feeling better after three weeks, and after a failed attempt at upping the dosage, is not uncommon at all. Stick to the regimen your doctor gave you, and, really, do not listen to what anyone here writes. :)

Also, the side-effects you mention (insomnia, anorexia, stomach upsets) are pretty common in the beginning, but usually subside after you've gotten used to the SSRI you're taking.
Hmm well the sudden weight loss kinda freaked me out. I've always had a lousy appetite and ate like, 2 meals a day at most.

Hmm, well all I really need is a safe way to cope. I'm pretty much rejecting the therapy they try to give me. I try to tell them what the problem is and they think the problem is something else. I've given up.

I can handle all this, I just need a way to cope with it all. Aaaaand that's what I'm using Prozac for I suppose. I doubt it's healthy but it's simple and I believe it'll work.


Well..I suppose you could say we're in the same boat.
I did the same thing, but eventually abandoned the meds as well as the therapy.
The result is that Im doing very well, but its never, ever easy.

The idea, is to make things easier to cope with, while rooting out the sources of your depression.
Thats where the therapy comes in.

I would recommend both, until youre sure you dont need either anymore.

Past couple weeks I've been taking Prozac by perscription, 10mg a day. A week ago I began taking 15mg like the doctor told me to.

Well 2-3 days after I upped the dosage to 15mg my appetite began decreasing to me eating about 1.5 meals a day, I also had stomach problems and it took me 2 hours longer to fall asleep (Falling asleep at 5-6 a.m., waking up between 1-2 p.m.).

Also, I went from about 130 lb. to when I first started to around 122-124 lb.

On Thursday the doctor told me to decrease the dosage to 10mg a day and wait 2 more weeks until I up it back to 15mg per day.

But the problems persist. Insomnia, stomach problems, weight loss.

Also, I don't feel any less depressed with Prozac, nor is my OCD any better.

Is this normal???

Good God here I am at 4:23 am asking NS this and I half-desire to run a mile right now.
To answer your question, yes it is perfectly normal. The decreased appetite, insomnia, etc. are all side-effects of Prozac. You may also feel decreased sex drive as well, and initially you will not feel any less depressed. Most doctors allow for 1-2 weeks for Prozac (if taken daily) to begin working. If the problems persist, your doctor may put you on another anti-depressant that may work better with your body chemistry. Unfortunately, not all anti-depressants work the same on everyone.

Well..I suppose you could say we're in the same boat.
I did the same thing, but eventually abandoned the meds as well as the therapy.
The result is that Im doing very well, but its never, ever easy.

The idea, is to make things easier to cope with, while rooting out the sources of your depression.
Thats where the therapy comes in.

I would recommend both, until youre sure you dont need either anymore.
Well, I'll take the meds, at least I'm bound to get SOME kind of change to the status quo.

With the therapy, eh well it hurts more than it helps I think. I feel confined thanks to me being a minor and their "confidentiality" policy.

Well, I'll take the meds, at least I'm bound to get SOME kind of change to the status quo.

With the therapy, eh well it hurts more than it helps I think. I feel confined thanks to me being a minor and their "confidentiality" policy.


Thats the bitch of therapy.

You have to dig into any painful shit they ask about, to get at the root of any problems.
The bigger bitch is that this is often exactly what it takes.

The upside is that this is a person who gets paid to listen to you bitch, so...
If you feel like telling him exactly what you think of the therapy...hes gotta listen to it!

I don't know which is worse - depression or the drugs doctors give their patients.

Thats the bitch of therapy.

You have to dig into any painful shit they ask about, to get at the root of any problems.
The bigger bitch is that this is often exactly what it takes.

The upside is that this is a person who gets paid to listen to you bitch, so...
If you feel like telling him exactly what you think of the therapy...hes gotta listen to it!
:D

I just sorta sit tight and try not to say anything that would cause problems for a good 30 minutes.

I don't know which is worse - depression or the drugs doctors give their patients.


For me...eventually it was the drugs.

The last one I was on, was Celexa.
Aside from a little bowel discomfort, the side effects werent so bad.
However, if I stopped taking it, for even as short of a period of time as three days...I would keep getting what felt like small electrical shocks to the brain.

I would be reading, or something..and *ZOT*..

I suppose they felt like very quick, seizures.

I decided to stop taking it.

:D

I just sorta sit tight and try not to say anything that would cause problems for a good 30 minutes.


I would throw the poor guy for a loop.

Tell him your into albino eskimo midgets, who wear animal costumes....

and then completely change the subject.

Oh, I've got copies of E-MIMS ... tells you about drugs and the things doctors don't want to tell you. Prozac or Fluoxetine hydrochloride is REALLY NASTY.

Past couple weeks I've been taking Prozac by perscription, 10mg a day. A week ago I began taking 15mg like the doctor told me to.

Well 2-3 days after I upped the dosage to 15mg my appetite began decreasing to me eating about 1.5 meals a day, I also had stomach problems and it took me 2 hours longer to fall asleep (Falling asleep at 5-6 a.m., waking up between 1-2 p.m.).

Also, I went from about 130 lb. to when I first started to around 122-124 lb.

On Thursday the doctor told me to decrease the dosage to 10mg a day and wait 2 more weeks until I up it back to 15mg per day.

But the problems persist. Insomnia, stomach problems, weight loss.

Also, I don't feel any less depressed with Prozac, nor is my OCD any better.

Is this normal???

Good God here I am at 4:23 am asking NS this and I half-desire to run a mile right now.

it's normal to have some side effects, if they are bothering you or interfering with everyday life, you need to talk to your doctor.

All SSRI's are not created equal, if prozac doesn't sit well with you there are a lot of different brands of the same type of drug that can (celexa, effexor, zoloft, ect.)

It can (and usually does) take 6-8 weeks for SSRI's to get into your system enough to see a difference, most of the time you just have to wait it out. If you can NOT wait it out (bad side effects, become suicidal, ect.) you need to call your doctor and get something that will help you faster, most of the time it will be another prescription piggy backed on your anti-depressant until you can expect it to work, but the side effects from those are double nasty and should only really be used if you are going to hurt yourself otherwise.

Well, I'll take the meds, at least I'm bound to get SOME kind of change to the status quo.

With the therapy, eh well it hurts more than it helps I think. I feel confined thanks to me being a minor and their "confidentiality" policy.
like the meds, the therapy will take a while before you notice results.
And if they break that confidentiality policy, even if it is to your parents, then you have the right to legal action (exceptions being if you are seriously planning to kill yourself or others). This is no different from any other doctor...your medical records cannot be released without your concent.

*snip*

Explains a lot... :rolleyes:

*snip*

I started on prozac at the beginning of this year after having a breakdown. I experienced similar side-effects as you for about 4 weeks and then they kinda disappated.

I suggest you do what I did when I began to worry about the unpleasantness of it all, stay away from advice on internet forums and use your doctor, thats what he's there for. Explain your problems and worries and if he can't help seek a second opinion.

Past couple weeks I've been taking Prozac by perscription, 10mg a day. A week ago I began taking 15mg like the doctor told me to.

Well 2-3 days after I upped the dosage to 15mg my appetite began decreasing to me eating about 1.5 meals a day, I also had stomach problems and it took me 2 hours longer to fall asleep (Falling asleep at 5-6 a.m., waking up between 1-2 p.m.).

Also, I went from about 130 lb. to when I first started to around 122-124 lb.

On Thursday the doctor told me to decrease the dosage to 10mg a day and wait 2 more weeks until I up it back to 15mg per day.

But the problems persist. Insomnia, stomach problems, weight loss.

Also, I don't feel any less depressed with Prozac, nor is my OCD any better.

Is this normal???

Good God here I am at 4:23 am asking NS this and I half-desire to run a mile right now.
An anti-depressant such as prozac should take more than just a few days to kick in. Full effects should happen after about a month or so...It's old for your appetite to decrease however, but I'm sure that's a normal side effect, especially if your doctor knows about it and has not taken you off...At least your doctor is putting Zoloft and got put straigh on 100mg insead of being worked up to it.

SSRIs are known for having a delayed effect, so that you're not feeling better after three weeks, and after a failed attempt at upping the dosage, is not uncommon at all. Stick to the regimen your doctor gave you, and, really, do not listen to what anyone here writes. :)

Also, the side-effects you mention (insomnia, anorexia, stomach upsets) are pretty common in the beginning, but usually subside after you've gotten used to the SSRI you're taking.

You will also have side effects any time you change dosage in the future - whether it's to up your dose or to lower it, or even to stop taking it.

Don't do ANYTHING without talking to your doctor.

Why could your doctor only prescribe prosac? That sounds kind of fishy. From what I know a lot of other SSRI's typically have less severe side effects than prozac.

like the meds, the therapy will take a while before you notice results.
And if they break that confidentiality policy, even if it is to your parents, then you have the right to legal action (exceptions being if you are seriously planning to kill yourself or others). This is no different from any other doctor...your medical records cannot be released without your concent.
Well I wouldn't want to do that. Waste of time and legal action is just yucky.

Yeah I'd rather just not say anything that could break confidentiality.

Why could your doctor only prescribe prosac? That sounds kind of fishy. From what I know a lot of other SSRI's typically have less severe side effects than prozac.
Medical doctors and psychiatrists both have the ability to prescribe SSRIs to patients. Prozac generally has the least severe side effects based on studies, although body chemistry is naturally different for each person.