i just started taking prozac for depression. how do you know when they start to work and does it change you or your mind in any way? also does it make anyone else feel really sick for a few hours after taking it?
2006-08-29 03:16:22 · 16 answers · asked by uklady26 1 in Health ➔ Mental Health
takes about two weeks to start to work...I was on it for about 6 months then they changed it to another one... but my advice get off it as soon as youcan...
2006-08-29 03:18:07 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hi - The first 3 or 4 weeks are quite uncomfortable when first taking Prozac. You can experience headaches, nausea and a dry mouth.
It is really worth persevering with these symptoms because at the end of the 3 -4 week period you do really start to feel better. Your mood will be lifted and you will learn how to manage your feelings.
Prozac is not a magic cure but it goes along way in helping you cope with your feelings and makes you feel positive in dealing with issues that perhaps you couldn't deal with before.
I have been on Prozac - once for 2 years then came off it but had to go back on it again this year. My GP told me that there is no shame in having to take Prozac and that sometimes there is a need to go back onto it and is part of managing the condition.
Because people can't see anything physically wrong with anyone suffering depression, they do not realise it is an illness just the same as having a cold, measles etc. We all need help sometime and Prozac is just another medication for an illness.
Hope you feel better soon - take care
Kind regards
Birdie
2006-08-29 06:18:18 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You may not get any side effects, if it causes side effects you may be taking it at the wrong time of the day.
If used correctly it works.
Take it as the doctor advises and also it is important to come off it as the doctor advises, do not suddenly stop taking it.
No it does not change you or your mind.
A gradual recovery is far better than a quick fix.
There is not a drug that suits every one, so if it does upset you tell your doctor then he can change it.
Doctors usually know who Prozac can help.
Prozac as had a bit of bad publicity, mainly through miss-use, but as usual only bad news gets reported. The good results are not mentioned.
Hope you are soon well.
2006-08-29 06:46:32 · answer #3 · answered by Brian J 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It takes a couple of weeks to work. I was told to take it with food to stop the upset stomack feeling. I found that in the end Prozac wasn't the best thing for me. It definately change me and my mind though not in a good way. I had difficulting focusing and at one point I couldn't drive because of the way it was making me feel. This is just how I reacted to it though. It all depends on the person what kind of reaction you have to it and how long it takes to kick in
2006-08-29 04:03:20 · answer #4 · answered by storygurl_05 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The first several weeks are the toughest because many (but not all) people are getting used to antidepressant medication and suffering the symptoms of depression at the same time. Until the patient feels the full effects of the antidepressant (this usually takes 4 or more weeks), even mild and temporary side effects may cause them to feel discouraged and stop taking their medication. Talk with your doctor about resolving mild side effects.
Depression is not fully understood, but a growing amount of evidence supports the view that people with depression have an imbalance of the brain's neurotransmitters, the chemicals that allow nerve cells in the brain to communicate with each other. Many scientists believe that an imbalance in serotonin, one of these neurotransmitters, may be an important factor in the development and severity of depression.
PROZAC may help to correct this imbalance by increasing the brain's own supply of serotonin.
Some other antidepressant medicines appear to affect several neurotransmitters in addition to serotonin. PROZAC selectively affects only serotonin.
While PROZAC cannot be said to "cure" depression, it does help to control the symptoms of depression, allowing many people with depression to feel better and return to normal functioning.
2006-08-29 03:27:44 · answer #5 · answered by EDtherapist 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Prozac starts to work after 2 to 3 weeks. It works in a way that stops the niggly things that normally worry you. The effect is so gradual, you will hardly notice. You should not have many side effects and any that you do have should subside fairly soon.
2006-08-29 03:29:58 · answer #6 · answered by Polo 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
pretty much everything that everyone else said is pretty true,, for me I switched from something else to prozac but I could feel the difference pretty much within a few days.
If this is your first time ever taking a anti depressant it can take up to 6 wks to fully kick in. But you should begin to feel something sooner.
remember anti depressants don't take away all of your sad feelings it just makes them managable. And that some type of theraphy, (talk is usually the easiest) is also needed to help you understand your depression. and help you work though the real issues.
2006-08-29 03:29:40 · answer #7 · answered by B V 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
When I started taking prozac they worked immediately. The first three days they made me feel horrible but then after that I got the sense of well being that I never had and I was able to wake up.
No it doesn't change you or your mind I was scared of them at first of what they will do or won't do.
2006-08-29 03:25:27 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Virtually all anti-depressants take between 4-6 weeks to get some noticeable effect. You will be to be on them for a minimum of 6 months to gain some benefit. You GP should have explained this when giving them to you.
The sickness may just be an initial side effect which hopefully will settle as your body get use to the medication. If not you may need to be changed to a different anti-depressant.
2006-08-29 03:27:41 · answer #9 · answered by andyp2904 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i have had depression on and off for years. i have been on many anti depressants before prozac but i can honestly say i think they are great!!!! everyone is differnt though. i started to feel better within myself after only a week or so and actually gained a lot of confidence which i had lacked for a long long time.i didn`t have any side affects atall but all i can advise is to keep taking them for atleast 6 weeks to fully get the benefits before deciding if they are for you or not. take care.xx
2006-08-29 08:01:07 · answer #10 · answered by nicola 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I was on it a couple of years ago and after about 4 weeks on it I came out in a rash all over my body - it drove me insane I just came off them right away. Stupid body rash is just what you need when you're depressed right?!!
If you feel sick after taking them though you should talk to your doctor...
The whole point of them is that they help you while you temporarily need it - once you start to feel like you can cope well again you know they are starting to work and you can start sorting things out so you can come off the prozac.
Good luck! x
2006-08-29 03:30:00 · answer #11 · answered by kezls_79 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋