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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 14 of 14. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by blueberry on May 12, 2006, at 5:11:36
8 years of prozac with decent results. Weaned off in Sept 2005 due to other complications such as anxiety or akathisia (still not sure what it was).
In the last couple weeks I have been trying to restart it. I swear, on each day I take it, it takes about 6 hours to really get into the system, I start feeling really a lot worse...more depressed, actually considerably more depressed. This is weird because in the past, what I liked about prozac was that it had me feeling better already in just 2 days. But now it has me feeling a lot worse in just hours, and then because of its long halflife I stay feeling a lot worse for several days after.
Weird. I wonder why one med that worked so well in the past now does the opposite.
Posted by Paul on Long Island on May 12, 2006, at 7:05:05
In reply to Prozac not my friend anymore., posted by blueberry on May 12, 2006, at 5:11:36
> 8 years of prozac with decent results. Weaned off in Sept 2005 due to other complications such as anxiety or akathisia (still not sure what it was).
>
> In the last couple weeks I have been trying to restart it. I swear, on each day I take it, it takes about 6 hours to really get into the system, I start feeling really a lot worse...more depressed, actually considerably more depressed. This is weird because in the past, what I liked about prozac was that it had me feeling better already in just 2 days. But now it has me feeling a lot worse in just hours, and then because of its long halflife I stay feeling a lot worse for several days after.
>
> Weird. I wonder why one med that worked so well in the past now does the opposite.Hey Blueberry, I'm really sorry you're having problems getting back on the prozac. I've heard of this kinda situation in rare cases. Definitely talk to your doctor. Maybe it's your body just trying to re-adjust. Your posting certainly came at the most likely time to make me very nervous. I'm about to start back on prozac on Monday, and like you, I'd always had (and hope to continue to have) a really quick, good response to it. I had been on the emsam patch recently, which is why I was off ssri's in the first place. The description you gave of how you're feeling now is prtty much how I felt on the emsam: Profound depression, Severe anxiety, I'd wake up (and still do) at 4 in the morning in terror. Needless to say, I didn't last very long on the emsam.
When you went off prozac back in September, if you don't mind me asking, what were the reasons? Had you ever gone off prozac before that? My experience is that I've been off prozac multiple times, all for stupid reasons like wanting to lose weight, to ease the sexual side effects, etc. It was never because of an unusual or new side effect. Every time I've ever gone back on, it's clicked in pretty darned quickly, more quickly than the doctor ever says to expect results.
Were you taking any other medications while you were on the prozac back in September? Have you taken anything between September and now? And are you taking anything else aside from the prozac now?
I'm sorry to ask so many questions. I'm just afraid of having the same result that you're experiencing.
Have you spoken to your doctor about possibly taking something along with the prozac or instead of the prozac? When I was on the emsam patch, and going through that hell, the doctor gave me lithium to kinda boost me up, along with xanax (switched to ativan). They've helped me a lot. Possibly the doctor might be able to help with that kind of thing.
One thing that's very important, Blueberry....you're gonna get through this. If you responded to ssri's in the past, even if for whatever reason your body chemistry has changed enough that the prozac might not do it, one of the others will work. And we're all here for you. Hope you feel better really soon, and please respond back regarding my questions soon, so I can put my mind to rest. Thanks, feel good and I'm praying for you. Paul
Posted by honeybee on May 12, 2006, at 8:55:02
In reply to Re: Prozac not my friend anymore. » blueberry, posted by Paul on Long Island on May 12, 2006, at 7:05:05
Ugh. Blueberry, I'm sorry. I was in the same situation having been on Effexor for nigh on 5 years (enduring side effects like night sweats but feeling like a "regular" person). Went off for various reasons and tried to go back on twice and had bad reactions both times. (Increasing anxiety one time; tachycardia the other time.) Keep hope alive and stick with the process. If you find out the reason that these kinds of reactions happen, please share with the board, as well. It's a mystery for many of us, but sometimes our bodies don't like the med the next time around. Don't know if that's due to drug metabolism, our changing brains, or what. I'm sure that someone else on the board has a much savvier and scientific way of saying it. At any rate, I'll be thinking of you.
Take care.
Posted by paul on long island on May 12, 2006, at 8:59:59
In reply to Re: Prozac not my friend anymore., posted by honeybee on May 12, 2006, at 8:55:02
> Ugh. Blueberry, I'm sorry. I was in the same situation having been on Effexor for nigh on 5 years (enduring side effects like night sweats but feeling like a "regular" person). Went off for various reasons and tried to go back on twice and had bad reactions both times. (Increasing anxiety one time; tachycardia the other time.) Keep hope alive and stick with the process. If you find out the reason that these kinds of reactions happen, please share with the board, as well. It's a mystery for many of us, but sometimes our bodies don't like the med the next time around. Don't know if that's due to drug metabolism, our changing brains, or what. I'm sure that someone else on the board has a much savvier and scientific way of saying it. At any rate, I'll be thinking of you.
>
> Take care.Honeybee, I'm sorry you too went through what Blueberry is going through. How did you handle it? Did you just stick it out until the effexor kicked in, or did you go to a different ssri?....Paul
Posted by honeybee on May 12, 2006, at 9:10:16
In reply to Re: Prozac not my friend anymore. » honeybee, posted by paul on long island on May 12, 2006, at 8:59:59
Hahahah.
I went without for a long time, bathing in cortisol, feeling more and more psychologically distressed, and trying to willfully manage "on my own." Then I tried Cymbalta. Then, do to a (perhaps depression/anxiety induced paranoia about psych meds) went off the Cymbalta and onto SAM-e. Had a partial response to that, but much more anxiety, and have been getting a TON of accupuncture, which I believe has helped me a lot. Tried to go on Lexapro last week and it's been just as Blueberry describes--I've felt more depressed, hot, and *exhausted* than I've felt in my life. Currently have a meeting with my psychiatrist at noon and will talk to him about my options. May just hop back on SAM-e.
I admit, I envy that you're able to hop back on prozac without problem. I wish it were the same for all of us--and that all of us had drugs that work! Alas.
I bet you'll be fine, though. Don't let others' experience make you anticipate something that is unlikely to happen for you.
Posted by paul on long island on May 12, 2006, at 9:39:07
In reply to Re: Prozac not my friend anymore., posted by honeybee on May 12, 2006, at 9:10:16
> Hahahah.
>
> I went without for a long time, bathing in cortisol, feeling more and more psychologically distressed, and trying to willfully manage "on my own." Then I tried Cymbalta. Then, do to a (perhaps depression/anxiety induced paranoia about psych meds) went off the Cymbalta and onto SAM-e. Had a partial response to that, but much more anxiety, and have been getting a TON of accupuncture, which I believe has helped me a lot. Tried to go on Lexapro last week and it's been just as Blueberry describes--I've felt more depressed, hot, and *exhausted* than I've felt in my life. Currently have a meeting with my psychiatrist at noon and will talk to him about my options. May just hop back on SAM-e.
>
> I admit, I envy that you're able to hop back on prozac without problem. I wish it were the same for all of us--and that all of us had drugs that work! Alas.
>
> I bet you'll be fine, though. Don't let others' experience make you anticipate something that is unlikely to happen for you.
>
>Hey Honey, thanks for the very kind words of reassurance at a time that I really need them. The emsam left me such a wreck that I'm honestly barely hanging on. I sure hope and pray you're right and the prozac kicks in for me as it has in the past. I only hope the things I tried in between haven't somehow screwed me up. You and some other people on the board are a large part of what's gotten me through these past two weeks (sorry, still a little emotional here). Of course, Blueberry's post was very scary for me and the situation must be very disheartening for him/her. As much as I hope for a good outcome for myself, I also pray that Blueberry will end up responding well to the prozac or something else soon. One thing that I want you and everyone on the board to know: I've really learned to appreciate how good I had it, and with God's will, I get the same response as usual with the prozac, I'm NEVER going to lose sight of how good I have it compared to others. And I pray for all of us that we can all find the help and peace we deserve. Paul
Posted by honeybee on May 12, 2006, at 12:58:11
In reply to Re: Prozac not my friend anymore., posted by paul on long island on May 12, 2006, at 9:39:07
Truer words have not been said.
Please keep us posted on how the prozac works out. And keep hope alive. Really and truly. It gets us all through.
Posted by blueberry on May 12, 2006, at 13:45:12
In reply to Re: Prozac not my friend anymore. » blueberry, posted by Paul on Long Island on May 12, 2006, at 7:05:05
Hi Paul on Long Island,
To answer your questions...
I was on 20mg prozac along with 5mg zyprexa up until Sept.
This time around I am on 2.5mg zyprexa (about a week now) after being off meds for 10 weeks.
In Spring of 2005 I was not depressed but rather flat and socially withdrawn. My GP said add st johns wort to the prozac and zyprexa, but reduce prozac to 10mg. I did. It worked fantastic. Best I ever felt. After a couple months it pooped.
Upon weaning off sjw, all hell broke loose. Massive anxiety, emergency room panic attacks, severe body tremors and shaking, very scary. I could no longer handle coffee, or prozac, or marijuana, because they all became extremely overly stimulating. So all of a sudden I was withdrawing from sjw, prozac, and coffee all at the same time cold turkey.
Later I found out more about sjw. It binds strongly to benzo receptors and is also a gaba reuptake inhibitor. Of the 30 or so symtpoms of benzo withdrawals, I had every one of them.
I also found out sjw increases zyprexa blood levels by 300%. I should have known. My appetite had increased a lot, I had a strange tongue twisting thing happening, weird head twitches, just overall heavy antipsychoticness. My zyprexa dose was actually around 15mg - 20mg even though I was only taking 5mg. So in addition to withdrawing from eveything else, I was also cold turkey withdrawing from an antipsychotic.
Put it all together and no wonder I was going 1000mph, tremors, and everything.
Got on 7.5mg lexapro and 500mg depakote and 2.5mg zyprexa. Things calmed down, but I was considerably depressed. Doc weaned me off all of them hoping to go natural...5htp, tyrosine, all that jazz...which was a flop. Then 10 weeks with nothing.
And here I am, now on 2.5mg zyprexa to end the aweful physical symtpoms...total anorexia...loud tinnitus, intense acoustic startle response, terror filled sleep. Prozac just doesn't feel at all like it used to.
Posted by honeybee on May 12, 2006, at 16:01:59
In reply to Re: Prozac not my friend anymore. » Paul on Long Island, posted by blueberry on May 12, 2006, at 13:45:12
Blueberry,
My heart aches for you.
Sending as much happiness your way as I can.
Take care,
b
Posted by bassman on May 12, 2006, at 16:08:03
In reply to Re: Prozac not my friend anymore. » Paul on Long Island, posted by blueberry on May 12, 2006, at 13:45:12
Sounds awful, Blueberry. I rememeber one of your older posts where you were taking 2.5 mg Zyprexa + Prozac and seemed to be doing really well; and praising low-dose Zyprexa. I was taken out of panic disorder like a rocket with Paxil for 3 years-it was great! I stopped the Paxil and then went back...oops, didn't work at all (other than making me asexual). I've started Prozac and what I've learned from these posts is that if it works, I'm going to leave it alone! I've been miserable for the last 9 nine months and if I get some relief, I'm not going to get uppity and say, "well, maybe I don't need these meds". Ooof.
Posted by linkadge on May 12, 2006, at 19:18:16
In reply to Re: Prozac not my friend anymore., posted by bassman on May 12, 2006, at 16:08:03
When I came of SSRIs for the first time, they never worked again. Multiple trials for good lengths of time have proven that.
But in reality, (when I look in hindsight), when I initially decided to come off the SSRI it really wasn't working as well as it was when I first responded to it.
I think that I really quit it because it had probably pooped out at that point anyway.
Linkadge
Posted by linkadge on May 12, 2006, at 19:20:31
In reply to Re: Prozac not my friend anymore., posted by linkadge on May 12, 2006, at 19:18:16
Sometimes too, we store these flashbulb memories of how the drug acted. But are those flashbulb memories really representitive of how our day to day life was on the drug.
Ie. I think we attribute too much to a drug an not enough to the life circumstances.
Linkadge
Posted by Paul on Long Island on May 12, 2006, at 20:41:07
In reply to Re: Prozac not my friend anymore. » Paul on Long Island, posted by blueberry on May 12, 2006, at 13:45:12
> Hi Paul on Long Island,
>
> To answer your questions...
>
> I was on 20mg prozac along with 5mg zyprexa up until Sept.
>
> This time around I am on 2.5mg zyprexa (about a week now) after being off meds for 10 weeks.
>
> In Spring of 2005 I was not depressed but rather flat and socially withdrawn. My GP said add st johns wort to the prozac and zyprexa, but reduce prozac to 10mg. I did. It worked fantastic. Best I ever felt. After a couple months it pooped.
>
> Upon weaning off sjw, all hell broke loose. Massive anxiety, emergency room panic attacks, severe body tremors and shaking, very scary. I could no longer handle coffee, or prozac, or marijuana, because they all became extremely overly stimulating. So all of a sudden I was withdrawing from sjw, prozac, and coffee all at the same time cold turkey.
>
> Later I found out more about sjw. It binds strongly to benzo receptors and is also a gaba reuptake inhibitor. Of the 30 or so symtpoms of benzo withdrawals, I had every one of them.
>
> I also found out sjw increases zyprexa blood levels by 300%. I should have known. My appetite had increased a lot, I had a strange tongue twisting thing happening, weird head twitches, just overall heavy antipsychoticness. My zyprexa dose was actually around 15mg - 20mg even though I was only taking 5mg. So in addition to withdrawing from eveything else, I was also cold turkey withdrawing from an antipsychotic.
>
> Put it all together and no wonder I was going 1000mph, tremors, and everything.
>
> Got on 7.5mg lexapro and 500mg depakote and 2.5mg zyprexa. Things calmed down, but I was considerably depressed. Doc weaned me off all of them hoping to go natural...5htp, tyrosine, all that jazz...which was a flop. Then 10 weeks with nothing.
>
> And here I am, now on 2.5mg zyprexa to end the aweful physical symtpoms...total anorexia...loud tinnitus, intense acoustic startle response, terror filled sleep. Prozac just doesn't feel at all like it used to.Wow!!! You've really been through the ringer! My heart goes out to you and my prayers are with you. I'm not clear on one thing though. You mention several times that "prozac is not your friend anymore" and "prozac just doesn't feel at all like it used to". At this point, are you ON prozac?
If you are, how long have you been back on it and at what dosage? And what does your doctor say about all this?
I've been very lucky so far. I've gone off prozac quite a few times, even tried other things, but I've always come back to prozac (that sounds like a commercial). But the thing is, it's always worked for me. There've been times when I had to have a higher dosage and other times I had a lower dosage, but one way or another, it's worked for me. (This is as much to reassure myself as to inform you...). Something else that could have something to do with it besides body chemistry, is what each of us is being treated with prozac for. I tend to suffer from mild to moderate depression and OCD. When I get very anxious, the OCD gets considerably worse. I've taken prozac with xanax in the past, although I usually would only take the xanax on an as needed basis. Not knowing exactly what your exact symptoms are, I can't get too heavy into a "mr know it all" routine :) but I can tell you that for my symptoms in the past, before I ever tried Prozac, I found a good deal of success with anafranil (tricyclic). If you've never tried it and some of your symptoms are similar, talk to your doctor. Well, obviously talk to your doctor no matter what. One thing I will tell you is that there are sooooo many different medications out there, varying from slightly different to a world of difference, and then there are combinations. You're gonna be fine, but it may take some experimenting. The only one of the other drugs you mentioned that I have any experience with is st johns wort. I took it for ONE day. Apparently, I was very lucky, in that I was not on anything else at the time. The reason I took it only the one time is that I immediately noticed myself getting kinda confused and losing focus. I'd really like to find out more about you and your situation. If you want, you can email me at: mattonLi@optonline.net I think it can never hurt to have a friendly ear or two (or a thousand). Feel good and take care of yourself. You're a very important person. Paul
Posted by Phillipa on May 12, 2006, at 22:25:21
In reply to Prozac not my friend anymore., posted by blueberry on May 12, 2006, at 5:11:36
Blueberry same thing happened to me with cymbalta and luvox and paxil. Love Phillipa
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