What are the side effects of Prozac?

Question

Also are there any ways to get around them while still getting the benefit of the medication?

DRAGON 2008

"I BELIEVE IN U.S."

Answer 1

you will feel tired, will keep yawning, your legs and arms will feel heavy . you will lose your appetite, you will feel like your not really there. but it will make you feel more relaxed  

Answer 2

I took Prozac brand for a few years, and here are the symptoms that I remember

Difficulty getting interested in s*x, or maintaining an erection

Difficulty sleeping soundly

Feeling of "butterflies" in the stomach most of the time.

There are better pills out there now.  Zoloft is bad too

Good luck

Answer 3

It depends on ones tolerance and if it is the right medication for that person's condition.

Prozac is the harsher of all the SSRIs and so its side effects can be the most pronounced. But, it is still prescribed because its formulary seems to work well for certain people with Depression and Anxiety Disorders.

The main side effect a family member of mine described was intense agitation. She had that horrible feeling one gets when someone scratches their nails down a blackboard all the time. She said that it almost made her homicidal she got so agitated. She also could not sleep.

Other people feel like they have been 'Zombified'. I had this feeling taking a cousin to Prozac called Paxil. I felt numb and incapable of expressing emotion...though I still felt just as anxious and sad all the time.

Prozac can also interfere with digestion and have sexual side effects, especially for men.

My best advice is that the person continue to see their doctor and be monitored while on Prozac so that a correct dosage can be administered or different SSRIs can be used instead. If the Primary Care Physician is not willing or unable to work with the patient then I strongly suggest that they see a Mental Health specialist.

Also, one should not just come off an SSRI. If the decision is that the person needs to come off of one they need to be weaned off to lessen withdrawls. I had very hard withdrawl symptoms when I stopped taking my Paxil. I felt odd rushes like the feeling like you get when you are scared out of sleep...except I was AWAKE! I also went slightly bipolar for a while where I would go high and then crash. I would not recommend this approach in getting off of SSRIs. Cold Turkey is very dangerous.

Good luck DRAGON. I hope your 'someone' does ok.

Answer 4

My side effects began two days after I started on prozac.

1. I stopped crying all the time.

2. Everything seemed brighter.

3. I was happier.

4. I began to enjoy being around my kids again.

Other than that.... no side effects.

Answer 5

Prozac has many side effects as do most drugs in that catergory.

There are no ways to get around them, the trick is that benefits of the drug have to outweigh the side effects

For more info

http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/fluoxe...

Answer 6

Depression.

Answer 7

you have to take xanax after-wards

Answer 8

All psych meds effect different ppl differently.  The point of them is to improve life, not create a bunch of miserable problems.  If the side effects are significant, then the drug isn't right.  That's when it's time to work with the doc on something else.  If the doc is a GP and not familiar with other meds, it's time to work with a psychiatrist.

Prozac improved my depression a little while making me aggitated, irritated, OCD-like with racing thoughts, too much energy, couldn't sleep, could barely function cognitively and still needed to die.  Turns out I have manic depression, not major depression.  If I had a psychiatrist maybe this would have been recognized much sooner.  Instead I put up with the side effects while I lost my job and messed up my life because I couldn't think clearly enough to recognize my state or that my doctor was not competent enough to deal with the real problems that I had.

Answer 9

it made me tired, and less sensation on my p***s during s*x, to get around it just go to bed earlier, and take the smallest dose possible..

Answer 10

Hi,

The problem with prescribed; specially PROZAC, or over the counter medicines is not only their lack of effectiveness, but also the detrimental side effects. The combination of Frankincense, Lavender, and Lemon Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade essential oils, taken internally, is an effective natural solution to anxiety or other related problems. Applying Lavender to the bottoms of your feet before going to bed can ensure a better nights sleep.

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Email me at : [e-mail]

Good Luck,

CB

CAUTION!!! Even though there are hundreds of essential oils available, even at the health food store, they are not all of the same standard in purity and potency.

Answer 11

They vary from person to person. I do well on Prozac, no side effects for me. I have been on Zoloft, which made me cry ALL the time and Lexapro which changed my personality, it made me mean, nasty and quick tempered. If your friend is having problems, a different anti-depressant may help. they should talk to their Doctor about the problems they are having with the Prozac. Best wishes for your friend, depression is no fun.

Answer 12

Thoughts of suicide.