Prozac

I just started taking Prozac and I have a horrible headache, I'm sick to my stomach and I can hardly stay awake. I am paranoid because I don't like taking anything the messes with my brain and I lay here at night and think it might make me stop breathing or something.

I am going to continue to take it, but this is going to be a rough 2 weeks. I have never taken medication like this before.

I don't like it.

Just venting,

MG

[Juls]

MG,

I didn't like the way anti-depressant's made me feel when I started taking one. Your body does adjust to it, and you probably won't feel that way long. But you should definitely let your Dr. know (if you haven't already), how it is making you feel.

Some people do have reactions and are unable to tolerate certain kinds of anti-depressant medication.

Good luck, I hope you are feeling better soon.

Juls

[sweet angel girlfriend]

MG,
I've been on Prozac for three years, 20mg for PMS. OOOOO I wasn't so nice during the week before my cycle. I was nervous also, but WOW! when my first cycle came, I was myself still!
Are you sure your headaches aren't stress related to the uncomfortableness of taking meds? Some people need to adapt to a lower dose.
I agree to keep you doctor abreast of your symptoms, but I also know Prozac takes 3 months to have it's full effect.
My partener couldn't feel the difference when he was prescibed prozac for his mild depression for a time (and he is also a recovery alchoholic (23 years!)But the children and I saw the differnce, and let him know. Also his occasional dry drunks didn't happen.
One other thing, I was stressed at work so I went in to see if an increase would help. I went up to 30mg, way toooo much. I became even more anxious. I let my doc know and she put me back tothe original dose immeadiatly.
But there are other drug options out their.
Good luck. <img border="0" alt="[angel]" title="" src="graemlins/../graemlins/angel2.gif" />

[krazeegirl]

i dont normally log on to this board, but i saw that word...prozac, and had to check it out. im having a lot of depression lately so maybe i will check out this board more often.

im going back on the prozac soon also. just have to get back into the dr. im in the same boat you are sweet angel, my pms is out of control. the dr thinks i have that pmdd.

i didnt like it at first either. it made me feel funny. and although i wasnt able to take it for long, (money) my h did say he noticed a difference, even if i didnt. i hope this works, my marriage is counting on it.

Thank you all for your replys. I think I'm going to take it at night instead of morning. Then I will sleep through the worst of the side effects.

When I get used to it, I can start taking it in the morning again.

I hope that is ok to do. I don't see the doctor again for 2 weeks.

I'll ask her all the questions then. Headache is one of the side effects and I don't usually get this kind of headache. Kind of around my eyes. And my eyes feel a little cross eyed. The focus is a little off.

This too shall pass,

Hugs to all,

MG

[sweet angel girlfriend]

I used to take my prozac at night also, I was afraid I'd run off in the morning and forget to take it. But conciousley switched to the day, someone had told me it keeps you awake longer. Not sure if it's true, I was able to stay up till midnight. I never checked with the doc, but she has given me leanway.

When dealing with PMS or PMDD, one is supose to give up cafine also. I love my coffee, and have chosen to keep it.

Morning Glory, are you sure it isn't your siniuses? I've had serval painful sinus infection with headache and pain BEHIND the eyes. and are over the counter headache medicine working?

Sweet <img border="0" alt="[Coffee]" title="" src="graemlins/../graemlins/coffee.gif" />

Krazygirl, I hope your husband learns about Pmdd and Pms. I hope money isn't a issue this time, but in case it is, there may be a local free clinic to assist you, and let your doc know, she can give you free samples. Here, there is a clinic that asist people with meds, it's funded thru United Way, so you could also call United Way to see if they give a Grant to such a health organization.

[krazeegirl]

well i went to the dr today. this one is putting me on zoloft. luckily he is able to give me samples of that. thanks for the info though, i will keep that in mind if the zoloft doesnt help. i really hopes this works. every day is getting harder and harder, but i have to get better for my daughter. its just so hard, i have no one in this state except my husband, and he has left. he hasnt even called to make sure the house hasnt burned down or anything. (lol) not really funny, but.. i understand he needs to work on his recovery, but he knew that i would be alone here. if he couldnt handle it, why did he bring us here? why couldnt he just have left us alone? (please no lectures about my choices, i believed all the things he said, and i meant my vows. i took care of him when he was sick, now hes running when its his turn)
sorry ignore me, im cant think straight enough to make any sense right now. give the meds a few days to work.......

Hey guys,

Zoloft would have been my first choice, but Prozac is what they start out with.

And I do get a lot of sinus headaches and I did take sinus medication this morning and it helped for awhile, but it is deffinately the Prozac causing this headache. It is such a strange headache. I've never had one like it before.

I took it at night last night and it was much easier to deal with today.

I would usually just stop taking medication that made me feel this way, but I'm going to stick this out. It is giving more anxiety right now too.

What joy,

MG

Ok, now my lip is twitching and it just won't stop. <img border="0" alt="[Smile02]" title="" src="graemlins/../graemlins/smile02.gif" />

[sweet angel girlfriend]

<img border="0" alt="[Rat]" title="" src="graemlins/../graemlins/anirat.gif" />
MG: Hope your lip has stoped twitching, my lower eylid did that all day Sunday and no I wasn't winking at the __________. At least it stoped. Life isn't life unless you can laugh at yourself.
Love your humor. <img border="0" alt="[Jumper]" title="" src="graemlins/../graemlins/ukliam2.gif" />

Krazee Girl,
Wedding vows aren't ment to be taken literally. I went through that in my first marraige. I finally I understood afer my x tried to stangle me. Verbal, emotional abuse is the hardest to overcome.
Remeber, God wants the best for you and your children. Krazee Girl you deserve to be treated with mutual respect and honesty. Concertrate on yourself and the kids. take it a day at a time and make no rash decisions. Have you thought about moving back? Or moving where you would like to be?
If you decide to work on your marriage, I would urge professional counceling either by a therapist or by a minister. You can always email me privatley if you would like.
I hope the zoloff take the edge off for you and gets you back to you soooooon.

Much love and prayers to you and the kids.

Sweet <img border="0" alt="[angel]" title="" src="graemlins/../graemlins/angel2.gif" />

It's better now. I only feel bad when I first wake up. I feel a little strange the rest of the day, but it is not too bad.

I hope it reaches the point where I feel normal again. Or maybe better than normal!

Have a great day all! <img border="0" alt="[Head Banger]" title="" src="graemlins/../graemlins/banger.gif" />

MG

[sweet angel girlfriend]

Morning Glory,
Feeling normal again, what's that?????? Anyways who defines normal?
Since I all most lost my life seven years ago, I've been waiting to feel normal. I know now life wasn't normal before and now I see life for the reality it is. Perhaps you are now experienceing life normal.
Just a thought, I remeber chanting those words after my coma. <img border="0" alt="[angel]" title="" src="graemlins/../graemlins/angel2.gif" />

Oh I should have said "my normal". Heaven forbid that anyone should be like me. I am deffinately not "normal".

I've learned to accept that, but I can't seem to find anyone to talk to?

My thoughts are so deep. I analyze everything and tear it into a hundred pieces and then put it back together again in a way that I can understand it.

It takes me forever to get from point A to point B. But when I'm done I can explain it, but not in a way that anyone can understand.

Oh Boy,

MG

[sweet angel girlfriend]

<img border="0" alt="[Rat]" title="" src="graemlins/../graemlins/anirat.gif" />
You make me laugh!!!! I'm always challenge to explain my insights. Believe it or not , college helped with some of that. I love my "normal", its so, so, what's the word I'm looking for? Oh yeah NORMAL!

Have a great weekend! <img border="0" alt="[angel]" title="" src="graemlins/../graemlins/angel2.gif" />

[Terryb39]

Morning Glory,
I have taken prozac for 8 years(40-60mg) and take remeron with it at night. When I first started taking prozac, I noticed a difference in my attitude immediately. I was so much more optimistic about life, and I probably will never go off of it, I have tried in the past when I was feeling good, and it always ended up in disaster. The only bad side effects for me is extreme thirst and eating too much, and tiredness, but that can also be from years of alcohol abuse. I know now if I drink, the meds don't work. Some people have bad reactions on prozac, you might just have to experiment till you find the right med. I tried wellbutrin and it made me shaky, so I quit taking it. If it makes you feel bad, quit taking it!

[joeyf1232002]

people react different to differnent medications. one may work awesome for one and horrible for another. side effects usually subside after two weeks for just about any anti-depressant. I've been on ten different ones, ya, I know. You may still feel some side effects that linger after those two weeks..you never know, I mean, that's why they call it a side effect. There is no norm. You may feel like you are worse than off than others and nobody else feels like you. Try this...whenever I pass by anybody I think that they are thinking and analyzing me and then I become anxious and all kinds of self descrepencies appear in my mind to the point where I play with my hair for two hours to get it just right and then start analyzing the situations over a million times like you and then become severly depressed, want to kill myself, and then try and find reasons why I shouldn't live..only makes it worse..then I will hid from society for a bit...don't become close or affectionate to anyone for weeks because I think I am the worse scum of the earth..

ya, you're worse off than evberybody else

oh ya, anti-depressants prescribed for PMS...ok I think they need to lay low on prescribing so many drugs...especially when it's for something that naturally occurs

Hey Joey,

I struggle with all the feelings you described every day. The only difference between you and I as far as emotions go is that I'm older and have learned to accept the way I feel and I know where the feelings stem from.

Where do you think your feelings of shame and self condemnation come from? Were you abused as a child? Maybe if you talked about some of these things, you could get past it. Or just plain anxiety can make you feel this way and that could come from the drugs you've used.

MG

[Terryb39]

Joey,
unless you have ever experienced PMS, you have no clue how terrible it can make you feel, and then to go through that every single month of your life, men have no clue! I first started taking prozac for PMS, and later on had a hysterectomy and went through alot of pain. So don't go and bash something you know nothing about!

[sweet angel girlfriend]

Hey joey,
okay come live with me for the week!!!!!!!You may get out all intacked, but you will be glad you could leave.
Research on PMS is that it is a mild depression. Anger is one of the outwards signs of depression.
I am an extrovert, very happy, smillie, ect. But when my week before my period hit I was Ms. Hyde and that isn't a joke. It wasn't fun for my spouse, kids or my self. I talked to the kids about my PMS (before I knew I could have something prescribed) and asked them to please back down on me that week. They couldn't because they are kids. I usually broke at least one <img border="0" alt="[Coffee]" title="" src="graemlins/../graemlins/coffee.gif" /> coffee mug over the messy house, rooms and stacks of dishes to do, and also;"does any one else take out the garbage around here!"
I need prozak, I still have a full set of dishes and yeah, others take out the garbage.
I do agree with you Joey that drugs can get over prescibed, but if it works, take them!

Sweet <img border="0" alt="[angel]" title="" src="graemlins/../graemlins/angel2.gif" />
<img border="0" alt="[angel]" title="" src="graemlins/../graemlins/angel2.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[angel]" title="" src="graemlins/../graemlins/angel2.gif" />

[krazeegirl]

omg, sweet angel. i thought i was the only one that was like that. thats me to a tee, without the medicine. <img border="0" alt="[Devil]" title="" src="graemlins/../graemlins/devil.gif" /> any other time, im happy and can handle just about anything that comes my way. but catch me on the week before my period, and look out. <img border="0" alt="[Mad!]" title="" src="graemlins/../graemlins/mad3.gif" /> (i totally relate to the garbage thing.LOL) and the 'you cant walk two more feet the the hamper?' i try to control it, but i cant. its like you said, mrs. hyde. and my husband gets the brunt of it. <img border="0" alt="[Fight]" title="" src="graemlins/../graemlins/fight.gif" /> theres no way a man could understand. bless my husband, he tries, but with him in his early stages of recovery....ill take the medicine. and im not one to take medicine, usually i wont even take an asprin, just because they dont seem to work for me. but the prozac did, and i hope the zoloft will too.

[sweet angel girlfriend]

tHE POSITIVES OF pms IS THINGS DO GET DONE, iEVEN HAD A COUPLE OF EDITORIALS GET PRINTED, THANKS TO MY PMS (undercontro with meds) THAT I CAN FOCUS MY THOUGHTS AND SAVE MY PART OF THE WORLD(lol). JOEY NEVER CAME BY MMMMMMMMMMMMMMM.
GLAD I'M NOT ALONE <img border="0" alt="[angel]" title="" src="graemlins/../graemlins/angel2.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[angel]" title="" src="graemlins/../graemlins/angel2.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[angel]" title="" src="graemlins/../graemlins/angel2.gif" />

[Kitty]

Hey everyone...........
I certainly can tell you that you have to be patient with any anti- depressent ...anti-anxiety drug. YESSSSSSSSSSS you will have side effects for a time...sleepy, headaches...and others. And if you go off them you will have them too.You will fell rotten! I have been on Zoloft, I currently take Klonopin which is for Panic disorder. This(Klonopin) was originally prescribed for me by my Psychiatrist along with Zoloft. Seriously I was a zombie for about a week or more. Then I started to come around. BUT, it made me able to function in the world once again.I can't begin to tell you how awful full blown panic is.......... I did not stay on the anti-depressant..........but I must stay on the Klonopin.
If you feel you need this drug...then take it. Be patient...and soon your symptoms will pass.
If you feel VERY weird call your doctor at once.
Love Kitty <img border="0" alt="[Hey Kitty]" title="" src="graemlins/../graemlins/heykitty.gif" />

The side effects are much better now. I still feel a little anxious and my teeth feel nervous, but other than that, I feel pretty good and I'm sleeping much better.

Thanks for all the support,

MG

[Kitty]

MG...good news soon you won't even know you are taking them. Except your little internal alarm will go off if you forget....you will feel icky, fluish or get a headache. It is good to take them right before bed.
Love,Kitty <img border="0" alt="[Hey Kitty]" title="" src="graemlins/../graemlins/heykitty.gif" />

I was on Zoloft for a year, then prozac for six years and then Celexa for six months. Each affected me very differently and all I can say is that you have to find the one that makes you feel the best with the least side effects. Just because Celexa was the one for me does not mean that it will be better for you.

Prozac has a tendency to work faster at treating depression than Zoloft does. To even feel Zoloft you have to be on it for over a month and it has a tendency to create more stomach problems than Prozac does.

Prozac on the other hand works faster but it creates more headaches and has sexual side effects for both men and women.

Celexa did not seem to give me any side effects at all so after six years of sexual side effects with Prozac I switched. Hope this helps it is merely a personal diary of what I have experienced and everyone is very different like I said. But doctors have told me that the side effects that I listed are very common to many people. They are not quick to tell you that because they want to hear that coming from you. If a doctor told you everything that could happen every time you took a Tylenol you probably would tweak out and sign off from Tylenol.

Doctors need your imput to help you help yourself - without that all they are is someone that is writing scrips. Communicate with your doctor it is his job to help you and it is your job to tell him what is wrong. They are not mind readers.