Prozac effectiveness?
Posted , 7 users are following.
I just started Prozac 40mg about four weeks ago and though initially, I thought it might be helping, I'm not so sure lately. I've been experiencing irrational fears, and an increase in crying spells. I'm so worried that nothing will work as I don't feel like myself. I've been suffering with anxiety and depression now for eight months. In April of 2016, I was finishing up grad school when I had a panic attack. The doctor put me on Klonopin and I returned to him a few weeks later to get off the benzo. He placed me on Lexapro and I had a reaction to it (uncontrollable crying). I then foolishly took myself down too far off the Klonopin-from 1 1/2 mg to .5; this threw me into a tailspin-no sleep for days and dp/dr feelings. I went to another doctor who placed me back on Lexapro as she knew I had had success with it years ago. Again, the incessant crying and brain fog would continue. PCP kept pushing me to 40mg. I could not take it any longer and tried to find a psychiatrist but all were booked except for a telemedicine practice. This psych PA lowered my Lex to 10 and added Buspar...didn't work; then CT'd me....I went to a clinic about four weeks later where they did a battery of tests: low vit D, B12, Folate and testosterone....They placed me on Prozac 40mg...I've been on it now four weeks with little let up in symptoms. I've never had this much trouble with meds...they always worked in the past. Now, I feel alien-spacey, afraid, tearful...The genetic test I did while at the clinic showed that ssri's would pose an intermed risk with me...Effexor and Wellbutrin were better matches but I was afraid to try them. My question is...is it worth staying on the prozac in hopes it will eventually work or is this a lost cause? I'm truly so desperate and frustrated.
0 likes, 122 replies
monica62597 kim31778
Posted
Hi!I feel for you!I was on celexa for five years and got weaned off when I was pregnant and two years later all my anxiety OCD came back!!I tried celexa again and had an extreme reaction to it,burning hot flashes,extreme panic,racing thoughts,unable to sit still,pacing..I lasted two days and quit!I am now on 5 weeks of Prozac!My doc started me on 5 then to 10 a week then 15 a week and now 20 for the past ten days!I have been on it 5 weeks tomorrow!Lethargy has been my main symptom with some chills and shaking on occasion and bad crying spells!I have anxiety and OCD,w I guess depression!I was training for a half marathon and had a panic attack out of nowhere and it's been downhill from there!I feel like I am fighting for my life!I have four kids and am trying to be their mom and fight my head at the same time!Its horrible to be in this place!I lost my mom and grandma to a drunk driver when I was a teen and I am 40 now and my mom was 40 when she was killed!Her birthday is Christmas too so this is a bad week anyways!I am scared Prozac won't work!Dont notice it helping yet!I guess I should of seen this coming!They thought my husband had stage 4 cancer last ur but he didn't Thank God!I survived this anxiety in 2007 after a miscarriage and Bieng poisoned by flagyl within weeks of each other!Cant understand why celexa didn't work for me again!Scary!!
kim31778 monica62597
Posted
Hi Monica...I'm sorry about the many losses you've had. I've had so many too; lost my dad and both brothers; one this past summer. I had a panic attack while in grad school and never finished thanks to being on this dead end merry go round of meds that haven't worked. I'm not sure the Prozac is going to work for me either. I feel very disassociated on it which is super scary. I've never tried Celexa.. You might try having a genetic test to see what meds best suit you. I did and ssri's obviously don't mesh well with me but I opted for Prozac b/c I thought it might help the derealization I've experienced. I feel so odd in my head. Every day is a struggle. I understand about being a mom-I am one to a 14 year old and can barely take care of him-my mother does it all. I feel horribly b/c it's my duty but I can't function. I'm hoping the prozac will work for me too. Hang in there and prayers your way.
monica62597 kim31778
Posted
I did do the genetic test this time after my reaction to celexa and celexa was in my yellow category as a caution med but I took it for five yes no problem and loved it!!Prozac was in my good column!I don't know how much I believe in these test but I know something will work for you!I was so bad last time because I was poisoned by an antibiotic that I wasn't supposed to even be on,they thought I had an infection from my miscarriage but I didn't and I had a seizure on the antibiotic and it messed up my nervous system bad and gave me CNS toxicity!I was solo bad and lost so much weight and didn't sleep at all and barely made it !I went through five different meds to find celexa last time!But I completely recovered and that was ten years ago!I think my recent bout of stress brought my anxiety back after all this time!You will recover I know you will!
lookingonwards monica62597
Posted
Hi Monica..
I was on Celexa for 16 years and it pooped out on me. I came off it for a year somewhere in that time and felt when I went back on it I was never the same. My Doctor told me that now that I was in my 40's other things start coming into play and my body chemistry may be different. I would suggest you ask for a full hormone test to be done on you. I have been on Prozac for about 15 weeks and slowly increased to 40mg. I feel a million times better than I ever did on Celexa and have even managed to lose approx 25 pounds in that time. It did take a while to get into my system and my doc said that he knew 20mg would never be enough when he started. Do not give up!
monica62597 lookingonwards
Posted
Oh thank you so much for the reply!I am glad it worked for you!!!Did you feel any better when you were on the 20?I have OCD and need a higher dose I am sure!My doc is raising me up five mg at a time so I am doing 25 next week!I haven't noticed any real improvement yet.
monica62597
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kim31778 monica62597
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I don't know Monica...this has been so long and I feel so off. I have a terrible doctor too who doesn't listen...My anxiety is sky high and I can't function. I was so hoping that genetic test would prove worthy. I'm sorry about the problem you had with the antibiotic. I am sensitive to meds too...
monica62597 kim31778
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kim31778 monica62597
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Thank you Monica...I've been everywhere; even to a clinic...thought I would get help but it didn't work
monica62597
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kim31778 monica62597
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lookingonwards monica62597
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lookingonwards monica62597
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kim31778 lookingonwards
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I so hope so...I'm so afraid....I've never felt so off mentally in my life and super high anxiety; just feels this nightmare will never end. I don't have a good doctor or psychiatrist....they don't seem to know what to do. Every day that passes, I feel I inch closer to insitutionalization. I've never had mental illness in my life until these meds...so afraid.
monica62597 lookingonwards
Posted
Thank you for the positive insight!I hope Prozac will work for me!I have only been on the 20 for two weeks!I have been on it five weeks total!My week 4 was really bad!!!!!I was crying so badly and felt bad!!So glad you like it though!I don't know if I will have the same luck!It has been fairly gentle to me so far though!