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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 Anna Laura on April 24, 2001, at 5:00:21
Should i stick to Prozac?
Hi everybody!
First of all, please pardon me for my english: it's getting worse since i can't concentrate in these days.Hope this mail makes sense.
I've been taking Prozac for three weeks along with 100 mg. of Tofranil and still no effect.
Moreover, Tofranil, which i've been taking since December, seems to be pooping out somewhat (it grows more and more ineffective as time goes by). The only positive effect i can register is an appettite increase. Side effects: agitation and jaws involuntary movements.
My pdoc told me to quit prozac since it seems not be working much. My personal opinion is that i've got a slow metabolism and i usually take a long time before meds start working :Tofranil kicked in after a month, even if i registered "evidence of well-being"(like few hours of positive mood change) after a couple of weeks.
I've seen another pdoc 10 days ago to get a second opinion and i was prescribed with effexor.
The problem is that i'm afraid of quitting Tofranil (before it started working in December i was getting psychotic, like thinking that the world was about to end and stuff like that).
The pdoc doesn't know about that 'cause i'm too scared to tell.
Any advice? Drop Prozac and increase Tofranil dose? Starting with effexor?Thanks for listening
Anna Laura
Posted by SalArmy4me on April 24, 2001, at 7:21:47
In reply to Should i stick to Prozac?, posted by Anna Laura on April 24, 2001, at 5:00:21
It would be a shame if you didn't give the Prozac at least a 6-week trial, because it works well for so many people. You may be able to quit the Tofranil if Prozac works.
Posted by Joy on April 24, 2001, at 7:38:43
In reply to Re: Should i stick to Prozac? » Anna Laura, posted by SalArmy4me on April 24, 2001, at 7:21:47
I agree with Sal. Prozac works very well for me. You just have to give it a little time and then you and your doc/pdoc can assess your dose. I went from 10 mg few days to 20 mg 4 weeks and felt better, but still had anxiety and blusey feel a little. I went to 40 mg Prozac and within a week or so I was fine. Don't give up too quickly on the Prozac. Good luck.
It would be a shame if you didn't give the Prozac at least a 6-week trial, because it works well for so many people. You may be able to quit the Tofranil if Prozac works.
Posted by Snuffy on April 24, 2001, at 11:36:41
In reply to Re: Should i stick to Prozac?, posted by Joy on April 24, 2001, at 7:38:43
I also agree. I started taking prozac 7 years ago. I started off @ 20mg and progressed to 100mg by year five. It was wonderful while it lasted. When it started to poop out, celexa and Wellbrutrin were added along with Seroquel. My pdoc gave me different meds every two weeks ... nothing worked and I went back on prozac to stablize. I have now stopped prozac and have recently started effexor. I plan to work very hard to give it a chance to work, 3-5 weeks before I throw in the towel. I would try to ride out the prozac and even up the dose (just my opinion). Good luck !
> I agree with Sal. Prozac works very well for me. You just have to give it a little time and then you and your doc/pdoc can assess your dose. I went from 10 mg few days to 20 mg 4 weeks and felt better, but still had anxiety and blusey feel a little. I went to 40 mg Prozac and within a week or so I was fine. Don't give up too quickly on the Prozac. Good luck.
>
>
> It would be a shame if you didn't give the Prozac at least a 6-week trial, because it works well for so many people. You may be able to quit the Tofranil if Prozac works.
Posted by Anna Laura on April 24, 2001, at 12:02:46
In reply to Re: Should i stick to Prozac?, posted by Snuffy on April 24, 2001, at 11:36:41
Thanks everybody for answering my mail. I think i'm going to follow your advices and stick to prozac.
Anna Laura
> I also agree. I started taking prozac 7 years ago. I started off @ 20mg and progressed to 100mg by year five. It was wonderful while it lasted. When it started to poop out, celexa and Wellbrutrin were added along with Seroquel. My pdoc gave me different meds every two weeks ... nothing worked and I went back on prozac to stablize. I have now stopped prozac and have recently started effexor. I plan to work very hard to give it a chance to work, 3-5 weeks before I throw in the towel. I would try to ride out the prozac and even up the dose (just my opinion). Good luck !
>
>
> > I agree with Sal. Prozac works very well for me. You just have to give it a little time and then you and your doc/pdoc can assess your dose. I went from 10 mg few days to 20 mg 4 weeks and felt better, but still had anxiety and blusey feel a little. I went to 40 mg Prozac and within a week or so I was fine. Don't give up too quickly on the Prozac. Good luck.
> >
> >
> > It would be a shame if you didn't give the Prozac at least a 6-week trial, because it works well for so many people. You may be able to quit the Tofranil if Prozac works.
Posted by missliz on May 1, 2001, at 15:59:13
In reply to Should i stick to Prozac?, posted by Anna Laura on April 24, 2001, at 5:00:21
> Should i stick to Prozac?
>
> Hi everybody!
>
> First of all, please pardon me for my english: it's getting worse since i can't concentrate in these days.Hope this mail makes sense.
> I've been taking Prozac for three weeks along with 100 mg. of Tofranil and still no effect.
> Moreover, Tofranil, which i've been taking since December, seems to be pooping out somewhat (it grows more and more ineffective as time goes by). The only positive effect i can register is an appettite increase. Side effects: agitation and jaws involuntary movements.
> My pdoc told me to quit prozac since it seems not be working much. My personal opinion is that i've got a slow metabolism and i usually take a long time before meds start working :Tofranil kicked in after a month, even if i registered "evidence of well-being"(like few hours of positive mood change) after a couple of weeks.
> I've seen another pdoc 10 days ago to get a second opinion and i was prescribed with effexor.
> The problem is that i'm afraid of quitting Tofranil (before it started working in December i was getting psychotic, like thinking that the world was about to end and stuff like that).
> The pdoc doesn't know about that 'cause i'm too scared to tell.
> Any advice? Drop Prozac and increase Tofranil dose? Starting with effexor?
>
> Thanks for listening
>
> Anna LauraFind one Psychiatrist you like, tell them Everything! Mixing drugs from different doctors is just asking for trouble. Not every drug works for everybody- Prozac was not that great for me. You may need a neuroleptic for a while, you may need to try another antidepressent. Treatment for depression can be a tough road sometimes. The most important thing for you now may be to find the right doctor. When you keep secrets about your mental state from your psydoc you hurt yourself.
I have a great psychiatrist. I can ask questions, argue, and say I don't wanna do that, as long as I tell why. He offers me options instead of giving orders, 'cause I told him that would work better. Some people go from doctor to doctor to doctor and never really make any progress. Don't fall into that trap. You deserve to feel better but you'll have to do the work to get there.
I hate med changes. They make me much too nervous. I understand why you don't want to change anything, and this is why you need a doctor you totally trust to help you along. There are better drugs out there.
All the luck!!
missliz
Posted by Michele on May 8, 2001, at 3:47:28
In reply to Should i stick to Prozac?, posted by Anna Laura on April 24, 2001, at 5:00:21
I just saw a commercial by Lilly advertising the new "weekly" prozac. Has everybody already heard of this? Probably.... I'm usually slow at getting information.... but I thought I'd post just in case someone out there hasn't heard. Should be good.... and hopefully it'll bring the cost down?!?!
Posted by pjhess on May 9, 2001, at 15:45:48
In reply to Re: Prozac lovers, posted by Michele on May 8, 2001, at 3:47:28
> I just saw a commercial by Lilly advertising the new "weekly" prozac. Has everybody already heard of this? Probably.... I'm usually slow at getting information.... but I thought I'd post just in case someone out there hasn't heard. Should be good.... and hopefully it'll bring the cost down?!?!
Hi, I started taking this 2 weeks ago with samples given by my shrink. I liked it and called the pharmacy to see how muc. $85.76 for 4 pills!! Cheaper--no way. I think they did this because the patent will go off prozac in august and they still need to make money!! Right. It is alot easier to only take one pill a week and I don't feel so tired all the time but the cost is ridiculous and in august I will go back to everyday if the generic is really cheap. Just my 2 cents..
Posted by Michele on May 10, 2001, at 0:40:57
In reply to Re: Prozac lovers, posted by pjhess on May 9, 2001, at 15:45:48
Wow.......... that is crazy!!!!!!!!!! I'm so glad you told me.... so I don't go requesting it. I thought the whole reason they did that was to bring the price down a little because of all the competition out there. Thanks for the warning!!
Posted by rod on July 22, 2001, at 7:29:23
In reply to Should i stick to Prozac?, posted by Anna Laura on April 24, 2001, at 5:00:21
> Should i stick to Prozac?
>
> Hi everybody!
>
> First of all, please pardon me for my english: it's getting worse since i can't concentrate in these days.Hope this mail makes sense.
> I've been taking Prozac for three weeks along with 100 mg. of Tofranil and still no effect.
> Moreover, Tofranil, which i've been taking since December, seems to be pooping out somewhat (it grows more and more ineffective as time goes by). The only positive effect i can register is an appettite increase. Side effects: agitation and jaws involuntary movements.
> My pdoc told me to quit prozac since it seems not be working much. My personal opinion is that i've got a slow metabolism and i usually take a long time before meds start working :Tofranil kicked in after a month, even if i registered "evidence of well-being"(like few hours of positive mood change) after a couple of weeks.
> I've seen another pdoc 10 days ago to get a second opinion and i was prescribed with effexor.
> The problem is that i'm afraid of quitting Tofranil (before it started working in December i was getting psychotic, like thinking that the world was about to end and stuff like that).
> The pdoc doesn't know about that 'cause i'm too scared to tell.
> Any advice? Drop Prozac and increase Tofranil dose? Starting with effexor?
>
> Thanks for listening
>
> Anna LauraHi Anna Laura,
Time has passed by and now my question is: Did Prozac kick in? Is it better than on Tofranil? I am in a similar situation right now, and do not know if I schould keep taking Prozac.
Hope this message reaches you.
Bye
Posted by Anna Laura on July 22, 2001, at 9:18:59
In reply to Re: Should i stick to Prozac? » Anna Laura, posted by rod on July 22, 2001, at 7:29:23
> > Should i stick to Prozac?
> >
> > Hi everybody!
> >
> > First of all, please pardon me for my english: it's getting worse since i can't concentrate in these days.Hope this mail makes sense.
> > I've been taking Prozac for three weeks along with 100 mg. of Tofranil and still no effect.
> > Moreover, Tofranil, which i've been taking since December, seems to be pooping out somewhat (it grows more and more ineffective as time goes by). The only positive effect i can register is an appettite increase. Side effects: agitation and jaws involuntary movements.
> > My pdoc told me to quit prozac since it seems not be working much. My personal opinion is that i've got a slow metabolism and i usually take a long time before meds start working :Tofranil kicked in after a month, even if i registered "evidence of well-being"(like few hours of positive mood change) after a couple of weeks.
> > I've seen another pdoc 10 days ago to get a second opinion and i was prescribed with effexor.
> > The problem is that i'm afraid of quitting Tofranil (before it started working in December i was getting psychotic, like thinking that the world was about to end and stuff like that).
> > The pdoc doesn't know about that 'cause i'm too scared to tell.
> > Any advice? Drop Prozac and increase Tofranil dose? Starting with effexor?
> >
> > Thanks for listening
> >
> > Anna Laura
>
> Hi Anna Laura,
> Time has passed by and now my question is: Did Prozac kick in? Is it better than on Tofranil? I am in a similar situation right now, and do not know if I schould keep taking Prozac.
> Hope this message reaches you.
> ByeHi Rod,
I read this message by accident.
I don't know if Prozac it's better then Tofranil: it depends on how bad you feel. If your problem is major depression, then a TCA woud be the drug of choice; if you're anhedonic/dhysthymic, then an SSRI would be the best.
I quit Prozac a couple of months ago: i felt better just for a couple of days, then it pooped out. Since everybody's brain chemistry is so different i would advice you to stick on it, because what didn't work for me it might work for you instead.
You asked how i'm doing: i'm doing crappy unfortunately: i'm taking a "fatal" mixture of TCA, benzos and Atypical Antypsichotic which made my depression worse (i slipped back from anhedonia in to major depression again).
I think the the guy who gave me the combo is a jerk....well, pray for me Rod: i'm gonna try to jump on to another boat: switching to effexor...
Good Luck for Prozac and all my blessing
Anna Laura
This is the end of the thread.
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