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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by jessers11581 on May 4, 2006, at 20:56:31
Well, I've been taking 20 mg. Prozac for about 2 weeks now. I was doing REALLY good for the first week and a half, but now all of the sudden I'm feeling depressed and anxious again, and irritable! I don't know if that means I need to up the dose some more or what. I'm also not sleeping well, and have been taking 3-6 mg. of melatonin at night to combat insomnia. I still wake up between 4:00-5:00 every morning, though. I've heard that melatonin can be bad for depression...but I've also heard that many depressed people are deficient in this particular hormone and can benefit from it. But anyway, that's what's up with the Prozac right now. I'm seeing my p-doc on Monday and will ask for some dosing advice. Any thoughts/suggestions?? Thanks! Jess
P.S. I started out taking the Prozac with my morning meal, and now I'm just taking it on an empty stomach first thing when I wake up (it's easier to remember that way). Can this affect the absorption, etc.? It seemed to work better when I took it with food...but maybe that's just my imagination.
Posted by Medusa on May 5, 2006, at 10:38:30
In reply to week three on Prozac... any thoughts?, posted by jessers11581 on May 4, 2006, at 20:56:31
first off, SKIP the melatonin. Get the meds in order and then, in consult w your pdoc, add some natural remedies if you like.
I don't think that food affects the absorption of fluoxetine, but check other posts and ask your doc.
Are you exercising at all?
Posted by B2chica on May 5, 2006, at 12:04:14
In reply to week three on Prozac... any thoughts?, posted by jessers11581 on May 4, 2006, at 20:56:31
just keep an eye on it. i was on prozac and went from bad to worse, exactly one month after starting on it i had my first hospital visit for suicidal depression.
and i agree with medusa on the melatonin.best wishes
b2c.
Posted by jessers11581 on May 5, 2006, at 16:36:01
In reply to Re: week three on Prozac... any thoughts?, posted by Medusa on May 5, 2006, at 10:38:30
> Are you exercising at all?Yes--I try to do some kind of aerobic exercise 5 days a week in 45 min. sessions (usually walking or jogging). I'm starting to feel really unmotivated though...
Posted by blueberry on May 5, 2006, at 17:19:38
In reply to week three on Prozac... any thoughts?, posted by jessers11581 on May 4, 2006, at 20:56:31
Melatonin depresses me bigtime, starting about the second day I use it.
My opinion goes against the grain, but I have always felt lower doses of prozac (10mg) worked the best. After months or years then up to 20mg. The problem is that the higher you go the more unmotivated and numb things get just like most ssri's in many people. That numbness isn't there hardly at all at 10mg. It's just that it takes 10mg longer to work.
I don't think taking it with food or on an empty stomach makes any difference. It would probably be easier on your stomach and all the vital bacteria doing their work there to take it with food.
Posted by blueberry on May 5, 2006, at 17:31:38
In reply to week three on Prozac... any thoughts?, posted by jessers11581 on May 4, 2006, at 20:56:31
I was wondering if you are taking generic fluoxetine or brand name prozac by Eli Lilly.
I've been on and off prozac for years, with varying doses, and always found brand name prozac to be considerably better than generic. It's hard to describe how it was better, but it just felt better somehow. Two weeks after my doctor switched me to generic, and I didn't know it, I went back and told him something wasn't quite right, something had changed.
Posted by jessers11581 on May 5, 2006, at 20:33:15
In reply to Re: week three on Prozac... brand or generic?, posted by blueberry on May 5, 2006, at 17:31:38
> I was wondering if you are taking generic fluoxetine or brand name prozac by Eli Lilly.
Hi! I'm taking the generic, mainly because my insurance is weird right now and that's about the best I can afford. I will definitely stop the melatonin. I just wish I knew of another way to get some sleep...any suggestions?Also, so you found that 10 mg. of Prozac is effective? I would love to be on a lower dose, but I just get the feeling that I need a lot more. I have OCD and terrible anxiety, as well as a binge eating disorder when things get REALLY bad. I'll see what my doc says on Monday. Thanks for the info!
Posted by Phillipa on May 5, 2006, at 21:21:30
In reply to week three on Prozac... any thoughts?, posted by jessers11581 on May 4, 2006, at 20:56:31
Switch back to taking it with food as you said it worked for you that way. See if that helps . Good luck. Or if you have to call your pdoc and ask even if it's the weekend someone should be covereing for him/her and that's what they get paid for. Love Phillipa
Posted by blueberry on May 6, 2006, at 15:34:50
In reply to Re: week three on Prozac... brand or generic?, posted by jessers11581 on May 5, 2006, at 20:33:15
Sleep aids could be lunesta or ambien. Of the two, lunesta worked better for me, though not perfect.
On the natural side, there are things you could take that would not interfere with the prozac. A combination of any two or all of these...taurine 500mg - 1000mg, gaba 500mg - 1000mg, magnesium glycinate 200mg -400mg.
There are some sedating herbs too, but I just don't trust them in terms of how they interact or poop out.
Posted by circusboy on May 7, 2006, at 13:51:54
In reply to Re: week three on Prozac... brand or generic?, posted by blueberry on May 5, 2006, at 17:31:38
> I've been on and off prozac for years, with varying doses, and always found brand name prozac to be considerably better than generic. It's hard to describe how it was better, but it just felt better somehow. Two weeks after my doctor switched me to generic, and I didn't know it, I went back and told him something wasn't quite right, something had changed.
>blueberry -- I came back to Prozac after it'd gone off patent, and Barr Labs was pretty much the only generic manufacturer of the stuff. I noticed no difference at all.
Came back to it again later, using a new pharmacy in a new state, and they filled my bottle with capsules made by Teva. It certainly did not feel the same! I started feeling...I don't know. Not depressed exactly, and not like an impending "poop-out." Just not as good. My mood darkened a bit, it was harder to concentrate...
For a time I was also taking the 10mg tablets made by Par, but that was alongside the Teva capsules, so I can't really judge their quality.
I also agree that lower doses of Prozac are better. For a very long time I felt stable at 20mg every other day. The apathy was manageable and I didn't experience the long-term cognitive decline that 20-30mg brought on.
Posted by circusboy on May 7, 2006, at 13:57:57
In reply to Re: week three on Prozac... any thoughts?, posted by blueberry on May 5, 2006, at 17:19:38
> Melatonin depresses me bigtime, starting about the second day I use it.
>Melatonin does the same to me as well, even at sane doses (200mcg). It's especially bad if I take it two days in a row, but I tend to get depressed even the very next day. It's a despairing, irritable sort of depression.
This is the end of the thread.
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