Posted by Geezer on July 18, 2002, at 15:13:29
In reply to Re: Hi Geezer-cost difference, and etc., posted by Fuscia on July 18, 2002, at 12:11:36
Hi Fuscia - very glad to hear from you. Like you, I am an "rx" fiddler, have also done the research. Must admit, however, I am not nearly as knowledgeable as many on the board who are well versed in neuro. chemistry. Also agree on the Effexor - three different pdocs have tried to get me to take it....I would rather take Drain-O! I did question one pdoc (researcher with the Stanley Foundation) about the terrable withdrawal symptoms of "Side-Effexor" - he agreed the symptoms were probably due to serotonin changes and the way to get off it would be slowly decrease then substitute Prozac for the long half life benefit.
Your titration schedual for Prozac is very, very interesting. Most pdocs would automatically increase dose rather than decrease.....I will go over to Dr. Bob's tips and read that.
Your family history is also fascinating. Lots of anger problems there. Is it possible the anger results from depression or does it look more like an impulse type of reaction? In any case it must be one hellish problem to live with. I believe my mother is Unipolar/Major/Recurrent, with mild somatic delusional symptoms that occur with the depressive episodes. She is on maintenance dose Depokote, Trilifon, and Celexa. She has EPS (hands only) from the Trilifon. My younger sister is Unipolar/Major/Recurrent with mild persecutory delusions when depressed, she is in complete denial and untreated. I have been treated since 1962 for Unipolar/Major/Recurrent - have never been told I have delusional symptoms, never suggested I take AP's but I did have an anger problem like your family. It was the rising anger that led to my complete disability in 1998 - scary stuff when you think you might loose control of anger I had also been hospitalized 9 times. My DX....who knows; I have seen 4 pdocs in the past year 2 say Unipolar/Major /Recurrent and 2 say Bipolar II/Depressive/Atypical. I have had bad substance abuse problems but clean and dry since 1985.
On the issue of Prozac cost. I am 58 (thus the name Geezer) so I qualify for AARP discount med. plan. AARP sells Prozac 20mg caps #90 cost $238, for Fluoxetine 20mg. caps #90 cost $63.00. They don't show prices for tabs. but I have taken them too. My wife is buying meds from a Canadian pharmacy but they don't supply anthing I am taking.
Your comments "pharmacopia......Barnum and Bailey world.......physician do no harm", all brought a warm smile.
Thanks so much for your kind words,
Geezer
P.S. If I repeated myself from my previous post please forgive.....still a little foggy.
poster:Geezer
thread:112254
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020718/msgs/112809.html