advice on prozac?

Question

has anyone else found prozac helped them for depression and how long did they take to make you feel better?

also did you get any side effects?

Answer 1

Prozac has helped many people, but many others haven't responded to it and needed other medication.

If you have recently started taking Prozac or another anti-depressant, give it some time. They usually take four to six weeks to become fully effective.

Side effects of Prozac and other andi-depressants in the selective-seretonin-reuptake-inhibitor (SSRI) class include dry mouth, nausea, nervousness, insomnia, sexual problems and headache. Depending on the invididual, many of the side effects don't last very long or pose much of a problem. Some people, however, have had to discontinue one medication and switch to another because of one or more of the side effects.

Answer 2

I was prescribed Prozac after the birth of my second son, and I'm a better person now. I was depressed and very angry and hated everything, now I take a little pill in the morning and most days everything is cool. I still have the odd day when I want to stay in bed but Prozac helps me cope. I don't feel high or anything, I just feel less blue and able to cope better. I never want to go back to what it was like before, and Prozac keeps that 'heavy blanket over my head' feeling at bay. I would recommend anyone to try some kind of help as it's bloody awful feeling depressed. It took about two weeks to work and I had a headache for a few days but it soon wore off. Good luck and hope your feeling better soon. x

Answer 3

Different medication works for different people. I know Prozac is hugely successful for a lot of people, it worked for me for a time but then some of the side effects became more of a problem.

Firstly, you need to allow any anti-depressant time to work. 3-4 weeks is about right before you'll feel any different. One of the side effects I personally had from fluoxetine (prozac) was increased anxiety. It can also lower libido. The thing is almost any drug has side effects, you may have no side effects with this medication.

If it's not working, you have to tell the Dr, and they can try you on something else. It can be frustrating going through trial and error to find the right meds, and the depression could get worse in the mean time, but if that's what it takes to get it right, so be it.

I've been on Citalopram and Fluoxetine, which are both SSRI's (see link below), but finding they weren't working any more I've been switched to Mirtazapine (Zispin) which is a NaSSA (again see below). This group of drugs work (I think, I'm not a medical professional) on different receptors in the brain,and generally have less side effects, including the loss of interest in sex being less common than in SSRI's.

I know I've rambled, but just want to add one more thing about anti-depressants. I noticed one answerer said 'just say no'! I've also heard ridiculous talk about anti-d's, people say they're addictive, or that it's wrong to be dependent on drugs. How many of these people would tell a diabetic they shouldn't be dependent on insulin? Depression causes a chemical inbalance in the brain, so people with depression take chemicals to replace them, just like some people use insulin for their chemical inbalance.

Anyway, good luck!

Answer 4

I had sertraline many years ago, which is similar to prozac in that it helps the body absorb seratonin better. These types on anti-depressants are known as SSRI's (Selective Seratonin Reuptake Inhibitors).

I didn't have any side effects, although I know that some can include headaches and insommnia. These are, I think, quite rare.

These types of anti-depressants can take a few weeks to START working, this is why some people give up after a couple of weeks and think they don't work; as they haven't given them long enough to take effect. People tend to take them for as long as they need to; from a few months to several years. You cannot get chemically addicted to them, but some people can become psychologically dependant.

Talk to your doctor for more information.

Answer 5

i was on Prozac for bout 6 months! when first went on them i was ill for about two weeks. but once they where in my system they where good! they helped me to get some sort of life back! i had days i didn't want to get out of bed! I refused for ages to go on Prozac, but one thing lead to another and i did end up on it! it did take alot of the pain way, kinda blocks it out!They let you think again.
I took Prozac and also work through my depression with a professional!
You cant just take pills you need to sort the problem inside you! and professionals help you with that!
i came off Prozac back in June! and also got discharged and at the moment living a great life! don't even know why i let myself get that bad!
Good luck! keep smiling!x

Answer 6

The important thing here, is that you take professional advice. You, or the person you are talking about, must see their doctor, to report any side effects, and to tell them if they are feeling better.

Medicines of this type(SSRI's) take a long time to build-up in the system, so it can take 2 to 4 weeks to even feel a bit better.

Prozac is only one of many drugs of the same family. If this one is not working, or causing unnecessary side effects, such as making you feel sick, ask your doctor if you can try a different type. It is very much trial and error sometimes, to get the right drug to help you.

Stick with it. You will get better.

Answer 7

When I started taking it, I got some weird dreams and felt that I was less tired in the mornings. I tended to think more about people I care about etc. It was actually a good thing as it helped me to find myself.
All in all it took 4 weeks to get a more steady result. Of course this is different for everyone as you can see on the previous answers. A good side effect was also that I lost weight, but there is always the fear of becoming dependant, so I kept taking 20mg, never more. It is important to stay on the same dosis for a couple of weeks and also to take the pills always at the same time.

Answer 8

I have taken Prozac (or its generic, fluoxetine) for years now.

It was perscribed to me when I was in therapy. At that time I was taking a relatively large dose, but now I take a maintenance dose of 10 mg/day.

I have found it very effective (and notice it immediately when I do not take my daily dose).

It brings my brain chemistry into balance and my mood to where it would be if my brain were not malfunctioning in that particular area.

It has been years but it seemed to me to take anywhere from 2 weeks to a month to fully kick in, so you need to not skip doses or give up.

The only side effect I have experienced is a dampening of sexual desire, and that has not been severe or affected my sex life to any degree.

If it is effective for you, you will see an improvement in mood, and in affected aspects such as memory and concentration.

If it does not seem to be working after a month, you should consult your doctor.

Not everybody has to take Prozac for the rest of their life (I think it depends on how severe the depression is and how long it has been going on), but it so happens that I do.

And I don't have any problem with that.

Prozac, and talking psychotherapy, saved my life.

Answer 9

Usually the doctor will give you an suitable dosage of antidepressent. He will also advise you that this dosage takes over a month for your body to get used to and starting to work.

There is no point of going on and off this type of medication. You need to be persistant and take the recommended dosage each day.

Usually there will be an information sheet inside, stating the side effects of that type of medication(also it will state whether you can drive or work heavy machinery). Some people find anti-depressants make them drowsy and sleepy, whether this is a cause of side effect, it also can be caused due to a high dosage.

You need to speak with your doctor if you are having lifestyle problems with the medication.

Answer 10

If you are under 21 and having serious depressions, I would avoid Prozac - go onto Google or any search engine and read the research. My daughter was offered it aged 18 and she became note BECAME suicidal after a month. Thank God my research and her anger at being given such a dangerous drug seemed to propel her out of her sickness. We did lots of work on her self-esteem and she rested and ate very good food, then we went off to the Sun. I thank God she escaped death, but I am very wary of any drugs at all now, even aspirin.