Experiences/opinions about Prozac..?

Question

Hello-
Would anyone be willing to share their experiences and opinions about the antidepressant Prozac? I have been on and are currently on antidepressants, and Lord it seems as if nothing will help me. I have never been offered to try Prozac by my psychiatrist... these docs. always prescribe patients the current popular antidepressants, I think, because they get kick-backs from the companies that make them.. but anyway.. I have heard pretty good things about Prozac. Some say it's a miracle medication. I just want to be on one medication, that's all. So, if anyone can tell me about Prozac (even though everyone is different, I know) and how long it takes to work, I will be so grateful. Thank you all for your time. I am desperate.

Answer 1

I took Prozac in 1989 when it was new. It picked me up out of the doldrums and then, wasn't hard to stop taking when the time came. It is BETTER than the current crop of anti-depressants BECAUSE they are many times addicting. By that I mean very difficult to stop taking them. Is this by design? I do think the drug companies want steady customers don't you? You can also get Prozac in generic form now and it's less expensive than the others. But ideally, we should not depend on a pill but should be working on our issues...

Answer 2

It sounds like you may have treatment-resistant (or refractive) depression. I'll bet you're taking a cocktail of anti-depressants that aren't working as well as you'd like.

Prescribing andi-depressants is as much an art as a science. Some people have to try a variety of different medications, and combinations of medications, before they see satisfactory results. There aren't a lot of silver bullets out there that work equally well for every patient.

And, as you probably already know, andi-depressants (including Procaz) can take up to six weeks to become effective. Unfortunately, it isn't like taking an aspirin for a headache. So make sure you give your medication enough time to work before trying to have it changed.

In addition, other underlying physical conditions -- such as thyroid problems -- can cause symptoms of depression. In those cases, identifying and treating the actual problem will have a better outcome than treating the symptoms alone. You may benefit from a physical checkup and some blood tests. (I know, it's a pain in the neck, especially if you're depressed already. But the more information you have, the more successful your treatment can be.)

Prozac was considered something of a "miracle drug" a few years ago, but now there are others on the market that are considered just as, or more, effective and that have fewer side effects. On the other hand, Prozac continues to be very effective for some patients.

I suggest discussing all this with your psychiatrist -- including a physical and blood tests to rule out any other possible problems. He or she should be open to your suggestions -- if not, you may want to see another psychiatrist for a second opinion.

Answer 3

hi there, i tried prozac for 2 years, it seemed to make me happy for awhile but i became quite dependant on it and didnt want to poison my body and brain with the synthetic man made substance, so i stopped... I started using a supplement called 5htp which u can get from health food shops, it works quite well without the side effects experienced with prozac, it comes from a seed grown in africa which is natural and not synthetic like those antidepressant drugs and its alot cheaper als0, 5htp is a serotonin precursor which may help with a better sleep as well, i have tried many antidepressants and feel this one is the best i have experienced so far...another tip that may help u with ur moods, i have also noticed that exercise or any physical activity like brisk walking for about 30 mins a day helps me alot with my moods as well, i hope my experience helps, god bless

Answer 4

Prozac was the first of the SSRI class of anti-depressants to come out in the mid 1980s. All of the latest anti-depressants are also in the same family as Prozac such as lexapro and paxil - chemically they are similar. They've came out with another type of SSRI which are called SNRI serotonin / norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors such as effexor. The older class of anti-depressants, before the SSRIs came out were the tricyclics such as Elaivil. Although claimed to be very effective in treating depression if not even better, they had more serious side effects. The first anti-depressants were the MAOI class (nardil) these are not commonly prescribed anymore. Mainly due to toxicity issues.

Answer 5

I was put on prozac becasue I found out i had some severe medical issues, and they knew it was going to take a toll on me mentally! It sucked getting used to it, i was dizzy as hell, lightheaed, and felt a bit of nausea. But once i got that out of my system, it has made life a lot better for me. I think its a good drug.

Answer 6

hi yes i have tried several different types including prozac.For the first month i felt bad with headaches dizziness and sweats and also had a few nitemares but when i got used to it it was ok.
im still on anti-depressants but nothing seems to work for me.in my opinion the doctors should be offering other things not just sticking us on pills.i have asked for help with exercise and diet and my doc just says it doesn.t really help and gives me another prescription.don't let them do this.try get counselling too.good luck.

Answer 7

I had to be taken out of proxac because I was having anger/rage attacks while on it. It has been about 8 months since I got off and I'm starting to feel less jumpy...

Answer 8

medication without psychotherapist's treatment won't be efficient,
otherwise it can become an addiction on medicament.
isn't better way to try to find a cause of depression?

Answer 9

I think it's poison.
It made my depreshion worse to the point of trying to take my life.
tell you dock to take it him self if he thinks it's so wonderfull.