Just took my first Prozac

[adelia]

I hate the thought of taking a pill, that makes your reality seem bearable. it's like shutting off your honest human thoughts, and making you not care . but if it stops you feeling sorry for yourself and gets you out of bed and fight for a purpose and gives you a reason to want to be on this earth then it's worth getting hooked right ?

 

If it gets that bad yes it is worth it. Trouble is I'm not at that point but could use something to help

[Debbie2508]

I woke up at 5am, shaking and panicking in my bed. I couldn't get back to sleep, I felt so lonely I was in a ridiculously dark place in my life at that moment, I've never felt like that ever in my life. I really don't like this medication so far. don't do anything stupid ever.. life's all just a game it'll work itself out in the end.

 

Bizarre.... I've woken at 5am each day this week! Monday was the worst, felt really panicky and sick and didn't want to get up. Took day off work and stayed home feeling sorry for myself and sobbing! Felt the same yesterday, but forced myself to go to work and the day was bearable. Today was similar, bearable, but not "good". It's early days for us both to see any results yet , I'm gonna stick it out at least 2 weeks. Hopefully the nausea and early waking will improve.I have first appointment with counseller tomorrow. Think I'm hoping for something miraculous to happen, without me having to do any work!!!

 

I guess we both know that our recovery is down to us....no one can do it for us.

[calgary]

Bizarre.... I've woken at 5am each day this week! Monday was the worst, felt really panicky and sick and didn't want to get up. Took day off work and stayed home feeling sorry for myself and sobbing! Felt the same yesterday, but forced myself to go to work and the day was bearable. Today was similar, bearable, but not "good". It's early days for us both to see any results yet , I'm gonna stick it out at least 2 weeks. Hopefully the nausea and early waking will improve.I have first appointment with counseller tomorrow. Think I'm hoping for something miraculous to happen, without me having to do any work!!!

 

I guess we both know that our recovery is down to us....no one can do it for us.

are you experiencing any joint ache or stiffness? my fingers feel hard to bend, I feel like im getting some sort of flu, maybe it's unrelated but it's making me even more lethargic. the wake ups are the worst, my dream last night seemed so vivid in comparison to most dreams I've had.

 

yea the morning panic attacks need to stop, they make me feel so bad, I lay there twitching my legs and stuff.

 

youre right it's down to us, I feel messed up. we can do this! i'm glad I've made a friend who is going through what i'm going through, we'll pull each other through!

 

 

my days just feel pointless, it's like other people need things doing so I do it for them, somebody needs caring for. I just never get any favours from anyone and I don't want anything from anyone. I have no goals or targets

[Debbie2508]

are you experiencing any joint ache or stiffness? my fingers feel hard to bend, I feel like im getting some sort of flu, maybe it's unrelated but it's making me even more lethargic. the wake ups are the worst, my dream last night seemed so vivid in comparison to most dreams I've had.

 

yea the morning panic attacks need to stop, they make me feel so bad, I lay there twitching my legs and stuff.

 

youre right it's down to us, I feel messed up. we can do this! i'm glad I've made a friend who is going through what i'm going through, we'll pull each other through!

 

 

my days just feel pointless, it's like other people need things doing so I do it for them, somebody needs caring for. I just never get any favours from anyone and I don't want anything from anyone. I have no goals or targets

 

Haven't had any joint aches or stiffness but definitely suffering from lethargy and lack of motivation. I do things because I have to, not because I want to . I guess it's a good sign that we're both doing stuff, albeit mostly for others . We'd be far worse off just refusing to get out of bed in the mornings.

 

I also don't want anything from anyone. Everybody means well, inviting me here and there, suggesting things I could do etc, but they don't understand that nothing is enjoyable anymore.My brother invited me out for his bday on Sat but I said no, mostly because they were going to one of "our" favourite restaurants. I would have been the only single one amongst 6 couples. So I explained and he understood BUT..... then all the happy couples turned up on my doorstep afterwards!! They came in and sat on my sofas holding hands and smiling at each other, while my heart was breaking.

 

I know we both have to try to toughen up. Hopefully once the meds start to kick in, we'll be in a better place to cope with it all.

 

 

Like you said, it's good to know there's someone else going thru the same thing. Chin up

Edited March 6, 2013 by Debbie2508

[Kefka]

I personally never use medication if i don't have a "total crisis situation" like i get a panic attack while i should be able to do something else, then i might take something if i have. I've also tried anti-depressants but it was quite a time ago, they sure help a bit, but then again there is side effects... Like they can make you careless. And i also felt how it feels to stop taking them too quickly, makes the depression even worse than it was. So if possible, i will at least suffer my depression without pills - Sometimes i do drink thought ...

[adelia]

I personally never use medication if i don't have a "total crisis situation" like i get a panic attack while i should be able to do something else, then i might take something if i have. I've also tried anti-depressants but it was quite a time ago, they sure help a bit, but then again there is side effects... Like they can make you careless. And i also felt how it feels to stop taking them too quickly, makes the depression even worse than it was. So if possible, i will at least suffer my depression without pills - Sometimes i do drink thought ...

 

This is what scares me is coming off a medication for anti depression. Would I know who I am anymore? Would I then be worse than I was?

I do suffer depression and have for years but it's hard for me to gauge. Some say they didn't realize how bad they suffered until they took the meds and wondered why they hadn't sooner. Then there's the horror stories of how they tried to come offthem and became suicidal. I've never been so depressed that I felt suicidal. In that situation I'd definitely take meds you have no choice.

It's the mild depression where you feel unenergetic or motivated and lose interest in everyday things that others seem to enjoy. Feeling bored by most things. Where you'd rather sleep at times. The worst part is tge guilt that you bring others down who are around you.

I'd definitely not want toe "numbed" emotionally by a med. But it'd be nice to have an occasional mood lifter.

[Kefka]

This is what scares me is coming off a medication for anti depression. Would I know who I am anymore? Would I then be worse than I was?

I do suffer depression and have for years but it's hard for me to gauge. Some say they didn't realize how bad they suffered until they took the meds and wondered why they hadn't sooner. Then there's the horror stories of how they tried to come offthem and became suicidal. I've never been so depressed that I felt suicidal. In that situation I'd definitely take meds you have no choice.

It's the mild depression where you feel unenergetic or motivated and lose interest in everyday things that others seem to enjoy. Feeling bored by most things. Where you'd rather sleep at times. The worst part is tge guilt that you bring others down who are around you.

I'd definitely not want toe "numbed" emotionally by a med. But it'd be nice to have an occasional mood lifter.

 

Well i guess i dropped the medication of too quickly myself, even if i had the medication only for few months... so you do get to addicted to it relatively quickly - But yeah, it was like long emotional hangover - i was confused, i was anxious and more hysterical about everything i would have normally been, i was also afraid if the medication can leave me some problems that stay... But then again, if you feel like you really need medication - like serious suicidal thoughts or have been harming yourself, in that case i would suggest it of course.

 

And they don't really numb your emotions, but they can make your emotions act bit different...

Edited March 6, 2013 by Kefka

[CudLRoo]

I've suffered from mild depression and my doctor prescribed Prozac but I'm deathly afraid to try any meds incase they're habit forming.

 

That's the nature of the beast, if you go on ADs, you have to take them long-term, daily, over a period of several months. They don't act in the same way benzodiazepine drugs like Valium do, which are used as a quick fix for panic attacks and anxiety (this class of drug is EXTREMELY hard to wean off if you get addicted to them, so when prescribed, at least in the UK, you'll only get a handful per prescription.) Yeah, Valium you can take as and when but stuff like Prozac takes a LOT of time to get into (and out of) your system, it's more subtle and longer term than a drug like Valium (which is like two glasses of red wine in pill form), hence you gotta be *really* careful when you quit, the withdrawal system is VERY rocky if you go cold turkey after a long period on them, as I can thoroughly attest! I'd say at least a month or two of tapering.

 

Another 'quick fix' type of anti-anxiety med is the humble beta-blocker - most commonly prescribed one is Propranolol. Not so great at mental anxiety but brilliant for physical symptoms, such as the shakes etc., they slow your heart down a bit so you simply aren't as agitated, they're quite subtle, non-addictive, and can be taken as and when, plus they have very few side effects. They're often given to people who are stressed about giving a speech. Snooker players use them, if that helps, or they used to in the 80s!

[Feelin Frisky]

I never did, either, though some of the stuff I get on Citalopram is NUTS! It's odd, because they're both a very similar class of drug. Anyway, I ain't complaining, I always like fun dreams.

 

I used to get some terrific geometric light shows from the tricyclics "like Elavil and Anafranil". Waking up from sleep was often like stepping into a vestibule between sleep and waking state where I would be dazzled by activity. It wasn't a dream which had protagonists or anything just amazing flashes of imagery and bits of geometry. Nothing is as lucid dream-producing however as Suboxone. It's so real and often macabre. A doctor errroneously gave me it for benzo addiction when it is only made for opiate addiction. The jackass caused a secondary addiction I had to kick. But whoa, what a mind fkr.

[adelia]

Thnks for this info. I more than likely won't take anything but it's good to know and also hear from ppl that have and how it's helped them

 

 

That's the nature of the beast, if you go on ADs, you have to take them long-term, daily, over a period of several months. They don't act in the same way benzodiazepine drugs like Valium do, which are used as a quick fix for panic attacks and anxiety (this class of drug is EXTREMELY hard to wean off if you get addicted to them, so when prescribed, at least in the UK, you'll only get a handful per prescription.) Yeah, Valium you can take as and when but stuff like Prozac takes a LOT of time to get into (and out of) your system, it's more subtle and longer term than a drug like Valium (which is like two glasses of red wine in pill form), hence you gotta be *really* careful when you quit, the withdrawal system is VERY rocky if you go cold turkey after a long period on them, as I can thoroughly attest! I'd say at least a month or two of tapering.

 

Another 'quick fix' type of anti-anxiety med is the humble beta-blocker - most commonly prescribed one is Propranolol. Not so great at mental anxiety but brilliant for physical symptoms, such as the shakes etc., they slow your heart down a bit so you simply aren't as agitated, they're quite subtle, non-addictive, and can be taken as and when, plus they have very few side effects. They're often given to people who are stressed about giving a speech. Snooker players use them, if that helps, or they used to in the 80s!

[CudLRoo]

^If you want to try the mildest, Propranolol, it's really useful for those times when you've got like a huge, stressful hour of activity coming up, they chill you for 2-3 hours and are a pretty un-dirty med compared to most. I always have a couple on me when I'm out n' about.

 

I used to get some terrific geometric light shows from the tricyclics "like Elavil and Anafranil". Waking up from sleep was often like stepping into a vestibule between sleep and waking state where I would be dazzled by activity. It wasn't a dream which had protagonists or anything just amazing flashes of imagery and bits of geometry. Nothing is as lucid dream-producing however as Suboxone. It's so real and often macabre. A doctor errroneously gave me it for benzo addiction when it is only made for opiate addiction. The jackass caused a secondary addiction I had to kick. But whoa, what a mind fkr.

 

I just attempted to quickly n' cheaply Naked Lunch-ise that neat, quality bit of text there. Suboxone sounds like HELL. I'm allergic to Cipro, what a brain-f*cker, hallucinating worse than 'shroomz, and BAAAAD!

[unknow]

i ve taken fluoxetine once but not for long on medium dosage..i changed before it actualy made effect and start takinn paroxetine ...ive been taking it for years at maximun that is 80mg per day far as i know they are kinda similar and they work great from ppl with "soft" depression and moderate depression...ive stop taking it for inumerous times the most comom side effects are...lower mood..feels disoriented when make fast movements witn the head at first...after a week it gets a bit worse and you also get a fever like sensation...but its not that bad as it soundss...i got into a deep depression after breaking up and i had to change to a more powerful one now called efexor XR (venlafaxine) ... If you need have any questions about those medications i would be glad to help

[cavalier99]

i ve taken fluoxetine once but not for long on medium dosage..i changed before it actualy made effect and start takinn paroxetine ...ive been taking it for years at maximun that is 80mg per day far as i know they are kinda similar and they work great from ppl with "soft" depression and moderate depression...ive stop taking it for inumerous times the most comom side effects are...lower mood..feels disoriented when make fast movements witn the head at first...after a week it gets a bit worse and you also get a fever like sensation...but its not that bad as it soundss...i got into a deep depression after breaking up and i had to change to a more powerful one now called efexor XR (venlafaxine) ... If you need have any questions about those medications i would be glad to help

 

Do you like efexor? My doctor mentioned this and maybe celexa (i took this before but didn't like sexual side effects)

 

Do you have more energy with efexor (SNRI) compared to ssri?

[unknow]

Do you like efexor? My doctor mentioned this and maybe celexa (i took this before but didn't like sexual side effects)

 

Do you have more energy with efexor (SNRI) compared to ssri?

 

until now is hard to say..im very down yet and is been only 15 dayz that i started take it ..i do 75 mg and today i must double it to 150..maximun of this med is 225.....if i wanst so depressed i would say that i felt a lil bit more energy..during the first days i take it just before sleep and i used to woke up just a few hours later with no reason but feeling like i was rested ..but i got used to it and now im sleeping more normaly...i know that feeling because when i used to take bupropion during the treatment with paroxetine it made exactly the same thing if i take before sleep and bupropion i know that made me feel with alot of energy..i was prescribed bupropion that is also an anti depressed but is more commonly used to stop smoking and to cut off the paroxetine sexual side effects or other medications that causes it...until now i dont have any other feedback on efexor

[cavalier99]

until now is hard to say..im very down yet and is been only 15 dayz that i started take it ..i do 75 mg and today i must double it to 150..maximun of this med is 225.....if i wanst so depressed i would say that i felt a lil bit more energy..during the first days i take it just before sleep and i used to woke up just a few hours later with no reason but feeling like i was rested ..but i got used to it and now im sleeping more normaly...i know that feeling because when i used to take bupropion during the treatment with paroxetine it made exactly the same thing if i take before sleep and bupropion i know that made me feel with alot of energy..i was prescribed bupropion that is also an anti depressed but is more commonly used to stop smoking and to cut off the paroxetine sexual side effects or other medications that causes it...until now i dont have any other feedback on efexor

 

Thanks for the info. Id be curious how you progress. Hope you feel better. Cav

[calgary]

nothing feels different at all. situations in my life got worse and I feel worse now than ever.

[cavalier99]

nothing feels different at all. situations in my life got worse and I feel worse now than ever.

 

Bummer. Sorry bro about your situation. Double wammy. Cav

[Coping Vortex]

Well after the toughest week yet. My ex and I broke NC on my birthday Wed. She wished me happy birthday and we texted throughout the day. I needed answers to questions. I'm sorry I asked. She is in total love with her new bf. Won't see me even to say goodbye because she is committed to him totally. It's been 3 1/2 months and its still so surreal that her love is not for me. Still hard to accept she is devoted to someone else. Just a few weeks ago she was still keeping the door open for us. It's shut and locked now.

 

Well I can't deal anymore time try meds again. I tried Paxil and Lexapro. I couldn't get past one day of them without severe headaches and being stoned and sleepy and dry mouth. My pharmacist friend recommended Welbrutrin. Said she got no side effects from it. The side effects listed are scary. One of the few that can cause death.

 

I need something I need to get happy. I'm not a drug taker but I can't take the pain anymore. It's been 3 1/2 months and I'm spinning over her constantly. I need my life back.

 

So does anyone have any feedback on Welbrutrin? Any other recommends?

[LaBa]

For all of you on antidepressants I really suggest you tick in youtube antidepressant documentary and really learn what this is about.

Please watch this:

Making a Killing: The Untold Story of Psychotropic Drugging - Full Movie (Documentary) - YouTube

 

I have been struggling with depression lately too, but there are plenty other ways to cope with this.

[cavalier99]

Well after the toughest week yet. My ex and I broke NC on my birthday Wed. She wished me happy birthday and we texted throughout the day. I needed answers to questions. I'm sorry I asked. She is in total love with her new bf. Won't see me even to say goodbye because she is committed to him totally. It's been 3 1/2 months and its still so surreal that her love is not for me. Still hard to accept she is devoted to someone else. Just a few weeks ago she was still keeping the door open for us. It's shut and locked now.

 

Well I can't deal anymore time try meds again. I tried Paxil and Lexapro. I couldn't get past one day of them without severe headaches and being stoned and sleepy and dry mouth. My pharmacist friend recommended Welbrutrin. Said she got no side effects from it. The side effects listed are scary. One of the few that can cause death.

 

I need something I need to get happy. I'm not a drug taker but I can't take the pain anymore. It's been 3 1/2 months and I'm spinning over her constantly. I need my life back.

 

So does anyone have any feedback on Welbrutrin? Any other recommends?

 

Cool this is GREAT news!!! Now you can finally give up and stay NC. I guess you must be tired of it all?

 

I'm sure my ex is totally committed to her new guy. She is a good girlfriend for the most part in every serious relationship she's had. I just avoided having a front row seat by staying NC. Why bash our heads in all the time. Both our exs are gone forever. The sooner you accept this the sooner the pain ends.

[Coping Vortex]

Cool this is GREAT news!!! Now you can finally give up and stay NC. I guess you must be tired of it all?

 

I'm sure my ex is totally committed to her new guy. She is a good girlfriend for the most part in every serious relationship she's had. I just avoided having a front row seat by staying NC. Why bash our heads in all the time. Both our exs are gone forever. The sooner you accept this the sooner the pain ends.

 

Yes she strung me along I guess she couldn't finally let go of me either until a few weeks go.

 

This had been the toughest bu in my life. I feel I made so many mistakes not keeping her. But now I need to move forward.

 

I am tired of it all.

Edited March 16, 2013 by Coping Vortex

[Coping Vortex]

For all of you on antidepressants I really suggest you tick in youtube antidepressant documentary and really learn what this is about.

Please watch this:

Making a Killing: The Untold Story of Psychotropic Drugging - Full Movie (Documentary) - YouTube

 

I have been struggling with depression lately too, but there are plenty other ways to cope with this.

 

Wow I Think I'm going to cancel my appointment.

[Feelin Frisky]

I've suffered from mild depression and my doctor prescribed Prozac but I'm deathly afraid to try any meds incase they're habit forming.

 

Prozac is not habit forming and has no "abuse potential". It does nto cause a "high" and most people find it "transparent"--as if they haven't taken anything at all. Some experience side effecs and move on to a different medication in the same family--the objective being a medication that works with subtlety to help you understand how to put your feelings into more favorable proportions. The SSRI's of which Prozac is one, don't give you feelings of their own like other drugs that can get you high and create an addictive want of that high. As I said earlier in the thread I've used Prozac for 23 years and never had any hint of a withdrawal during the periods I went off the medication for a while. They would not prescribe it in rehabs if it has addictive properties or abuse potential. And it is prescribed in rehabs and psyche wards all over the world.

[Feelin Frisky]

nothing feels different at all. situations in my life got worse and I feel worse now than ever.

 

How long did you use the Prozac? Some situations are out of your control and can get worse regardless of your efferts to cope better. But those are temporary externals. If the medicine is contributing to your bad feelings, you need to speak up to your doctor.

Edited March 16, 2013 by Feelin Frisky

[calgary]

How long did you use the Prozac? Some situations are out of your control and can get worse regardless of your efferts to cope better. But those are temporary externals. If the medicine is contributing to your bad feelings, you need to speak up to your doctor.

2 weeks today.. incidentally the same day my ex and my friend started flirting with each other.. until he stayed over at her place Thursday night.

 

i'm pretty destroyed i was really hoping maybe i'd feel something by now. i could really do with it.