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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 12 of 12. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Roo on September 17, 2001, at 12:35:13
What's it feel like when your med "Poops out"? Does it
have to be a complete and total poop out where it just
isn't working at all, or can there be a kind of "partial"
poop out, where the drug is supporting you somewhat, but
it dosen't seem as good as when you first started it?
I've been taking prozac for 6 years or so, and can definitely
feel a BIG drop when I go off it, and an improvement
when I go back on, but I still find myself experiencing
a modicum of depression and wonder if it could be better.
Does anyone relate to this? Am I just being perfectionistic?
Also, I've had a tough year emotionally--me and my boyfriend
just broke up, etc., but sometimes I feel like my meds should
be working better than they are. (PS. I've tried taking
higher doses of prozac, but I don't seem to notice much of
a difference with a dose increase--I take 20 mgs).
Posted by Cindylou on September 17, 2001, at 14:51:51
In reply to Prozac Poop out, posted by Roo on September 17, 2001, at 12:35:13
Hi,
I've experienced Prozac "poop-out" 3 times now. All three times it happened after about 2 months from when I started taking it.For me, the effect was drastic. All of a sudden, out of the blue, I felt extremely exhausted, foggy-headed, teary, etc. Almost as if the Prozac was backfiring and making me worse. This would be after a couple months of feeling pretty good. I kept trying again because I thought "maybe this time it won't happen...."
Anyway, I recently reduced the Prozac to 5 mg. (I was on 10 mg) and it helped ease the bad side effects. Now I am going to add Risperdal, which I've heard can enhance the effect of Prozac and perhaps prevent poop-out. Zyprexa is an even better choice than Risperdal, but I'm trying the Risp. since I have bad side-effect problems and Risp. should be less sedating to me than Zyprexa.
It does sound like your Prozac is ceasing to be effective -- maybe you could talk to your pdoc about adding Zyprexa?
good luck,
cindy> What's it feel like when your med "Poops out"? Does it
> have to be a complete and total poop out where it just
> isn't working at all, or can there be a kind of "partial"
> poop out, where the drug is supporting you somewhat, but
> it dosen't seem as good as when you first started it?
> I've been taking prozac for 6 years or so, and can definitely
> feel a BIG drop when I go off it, and an improvement
> when I go back on, but I still find myself experiencing
> a modicum of depression and wonder if it could be better.
> Does anyone relate to this? Am I just being perfectionistic?
> Also, I've had a tough year emotionally--me and my boyfriend
> just broke up, etc., but sometimes I feel like my meds should
> be working better than they are. (PS. I've tried taking
> higher doses of prozac, but I don't seem to notice much of
> a difference with a dose increase--I take 20 mgs).
Posted by jay on September 17, 2001, at 16:46:57
In reply to Re: Prozac Poop out » Roo, posted by Cindylou on September 17, 2001, at 14:51:51
Yes, I have read actually lowering the dose, and then augmenting can work some wonders. Liquid Prozac seems quite valuable, since I understand you can get doses close to exactly 1 or 2 mgs? Dr. Michael Norden in his book 'Beyond Prozac' talks about this, and the standard "20 mg" capsule not being nearly as useful as they thought.
A number of docs have been talking about 'micro-doses', and I wonder if maybe they have a different effect at such small doses. Not just less side effects, but say instead of 're-regulation' of receptors, they just add a very tiny boost of whatever chemical they target.
For 'treatment resistance' (which seems more and more common), this may be a new route. It wouldn't hurt to try!
Jay
> Hi,
> I've experienced Prozac "poop-out" 3 times now. All three times it happened after about 2 months from when I started taking it.
>
> For me, the effect was drastic. All of a sudden, out of the blue, I felt extremely exhausted, foggy-headed, teary, etc. Almost as if the Prozac was backfiring and making me worse. This would be after a couple months of feeling pretty good. I kept trying again because I thought "maybe this time it won't happen...."
>
> Anyway, I recently reduced the Prozac to 5 mg. (I was on 10 mg) and it helped ease the bad side effects. Now I am going to add Risperdal, which I've heard can enhance the effect of Prozac and perhaps prevent poop-out. Zyprexa is an even better choice than Risperdal, but I'm trying the Risp. since I have bad side-effect problems and Risp. should be less sedating to me than Zyprexa.
>
> It does sound like your Prozac is ceasing to be effective -- maybe you could talk to your pdoc about adding Zyprexa?
>
> good luck,
> cindy
>
>
>
> > What's it feel like when your med "Poops out"? Does it
> > have to be a complete and total poop out where it just
> > isn't working at all, or can there be a kind of "partial"
> > poop out, where the drug is supporting you somewhat, but
> > it dosen't seem as good as when you first started it?
> > I've been taking prozac for 6 years or so, and can definitely
> > feel a BIG drop when I go off it, and an improvement
> > when I go back on, but I still find myself experiencing
> > a modicum of depression and wonder if it could be better.
> > Does anyone relate to this? Am I just being perfectionistic?
> > Also, I've had a tough year emotionally--me and my boyfriend
> > just broke up, etc., but sometimes I feel like my meds should
> > be working better than they are. (PS. I've tried taking
> > higher doses of prozac, but I don't seem to notice much of
> > a difference with a dose increase--I take 20 mgs).
Posted by stjames on September 17, 2001, at 18:46:03
In reply to Prozac Poop out, posted by Roo on September 17, 2001, at 12:35:13
> I've been taking prozac for 6 years or so, and can definitely
> feel a BIG drop when I go off it, and an improvement
> when I go back on, but I still find myself experiencing
> a modicum of depression and wonder if it could be better.James here.....
Have you been starting and stoping Prozac ? Why ?
This can cause poop out.james
Posted by HenryO on September 18, 2001, at 1:54:21
In reply to Prozac Poop out, posted by Roo on September 17, 2001, at 12:35:13
I've experienced poop out on prozac maybe. Maybe once in a while our disease level rises and overwhelms the amount of med we are taking. These drugs work much better at preventing depression than curing it so stay on it when your not depressed. I have felt that very same sense that things are better than they were but... I have gotten over that guilt of wondering if maybe I ought to be feeling better or maybe I am becoming a whiner junky. Trust your intuition. You should feel truly good. It has taken me years of trial and doubt but I have a cocktail now and it works. I don't care about anybody's opinion who hasn't had my experiences with depression and meds. For me Risperdal was good but that means nothing for anyone else really. I take Ritalin, Prozac, Pindolol (aka Visken) and Risperdal. It works I am alive again after years of feeling lazy, ashamed and crazy or defective. It seemed like a lot of pills to be taking untill I realized it is just a packaging issue. Like multi vitamins. Good luck, stay with it untill you feel like you think you are supposed to feel. You're right.
Posted by Peter S. on September 18, 2001, at 11:29:32
In reply to Re: Prozac Poop out, posted by HenryO on September 18, 2001, at 1:54:21
I've been on Prozac a number of times. The first time it pooped out after 2 years. Since I've been combining it with Mirapex, the effect seems more robust and so far it hasn't pooped out. I'm still not completely "well" but a lot better than I used to be.
Peter
Posted by Kat26 on September 19, 2001, at 21:45:04
In reply to Prozac Poop out, posted by Roo on September 17, 2001, at 12:35:13
Hello all
I have a question. Have SSRIs been heard to "poop out" for OCD too? I have been on Prozac since the beginning of this year, and it works wonderfully for my OCD (taking 40 mg). I wouldn't mind to just continue taking it (after years of suffering with no meds!). Now, do I have to worry that someday it will just stop working?Kat26
Posted by Mitch on September 20, 2001, at 0:42:13
In reply to Re: Prozac - question about OCD, posted by Kat26 on September 19, 2001, at 21:45:04
> Hello all
> I have a question. Have SSRIs been heard to "poop out" for OCD too? I have been on Prozac since the beginning of this year, and it works wonderfully for my OCD (taking 40 mg). I wouldn't mind to just continue taking it (after years of suffering with no meds!). Now, do I have to worry that someday it will just stop working?
>
> Kat26Hi Kat26,
I heard *one* person (a psychologist), who has OCD in an interview on TV (who was taking 120mg of Prozac/day) say she was doing substantially better with Prozac, but that it was starting to "poop-out" (for her). That is highly anecdotal of course, but given there are several other SSRI meds that are also effective for OCD and clomipramine (Anafranil), I wouldn't get too concerned with all the talk of "poop-out syndromes". If that *should* happen to you,you have a lot of alternatives available that would likely restore good control of your symptoms. It also seems that particularly with SSRI meds, that switching around between them for some folks seems to maintain efficacy for depression.
Mitch
Posted by Cindylou on September 20, 2001, at 7:47:42
In reply to Re: Prozac - question about OCD, posted by Kat26 on September 19, 2001, at 21:45:04
Hi Kat,
I'm the one who always crashes on Prozac (and other SSRIs), however, even though I feel physically horrible and the depression comes back, my OCD is still pretty much under control ...My guess is that the SSRIs cause hypoglycemia in me (I've heard that this can happen from several sources) -- so that's why it "poops out" and I tend to "crash." But for whatever reason, the component of the SSRI that helps the OCD seems to keep working.
That may make NO SENSE, but it seems to be the case with me! Maybe someone out there has a more professional way of explaining this ...
Sounds to me like you're fine on the Prozac if it hasn't pooped out on you yet...
take care,
cindy
> Hello all
> I have a question. Have SSRIs been heard to "poop out" for OCD too? I have been on Prozac since the beginning of this year, and it works wonderfully for my OCD (taking 40 mg). I wouldn't mind to just continue taking it (after years of suffering with no meds!). Now, do I have to worry that someday it will just stop working?
>
> Kat26
Posted by Kat26 on September 20, 2001, at 13:23:26
In reply to Re: Prozac - question about OCD » Kat26, posted by Cindylou on September 20, 2001, at 7:47:42
I thought it would be wise to stay on 40 mg as long as it works and IN CASE it starts to "poop out" I can maybe increase the dosage.
Kat
Posted by Joy on September 22, 2001, at 22:50:40
In reply to Re: Prozac - question about OCD, posted by Kat26 on September 20, 2001, at 13:23:26
I think it is wise also to stay on the Prozac. Many people take a higher Prozac dose for OCD, so you should be okay if you have to increase your dose. Also another med may be added to boost the Prozac in the future should you need to do this if the next level doesn't work for you. I take 40 mgs also and I don't have depression any more; I am calmer and happier most of the time. Occasional I get slightly tense and hyper...a little Xanax takes care of that. Good luck.
Joy
> I thought it would be wise to stay on 40 mg as long as it works and IN CASE it starts to "poop out" I can maybe increase the dosage.
> Kat
Posted by KarenRB53 on March 13, 2004, at 14:46:16
In reply to Re: Prozac - question about OCD, posted by Joy on September 22, 2001, at 22:50:40
Just wondering if anyone had any new ideas on what to do if Prozac "poops out"? Also, I read that if you stop a med and then go back on it, it will work for you again. Does anyone know how long you have to be off a medication before you can go back on it with good results? Karen
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