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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Lynne on March 8, 2000, at 13:27:20
Hi,
One of my friends at a support group I go to suggested I ask y'all about this. I just went to see a new pshychiatrist and she has taken me off desipramine, 20 mg, and put me on prozac, 10mg to start, and Ambien, 10 to 20 mg, and I have been taking these two for a bout a month, and just finished weaning myself off the desiprimine...about a week ago. I've been getting horrible headaches and nausea, both of which get worse as the day goes on, I can't hardly see straight sometimes and light hurts my head. I was told that meant my prozac had reached a steady state? and it would start getting better now, but I am still very depressed, more depressed than I've been in a long time. I"m not looking forward to slowly stepping up this prozac, reaching this nasty steady state each time till I get to a dose that relieves my depresion. I have an appointment for the 17th. Alot of my worries are that I've had lots of troubles finishing my first draft of my thesis.....many semesters overdue, can't concentrate, get depressed because I can't concentrate, can't sleep (now I can, that ambien is wonderfull!), was always exhausted. With this Prozac, my concentration is even worse, along with being sick, so, I'm just really worried. Anyhow, if anyone knows anything about what to expect, I'd be glad to hear it.
Thank you,
Lynne
Posted by Linda on March 9, 2000, at 11:57:50
In reply to Prozac, posted by Lynne on March 8, 2000, at 13:27:20
> Hi,
>
> One of my friends at a support group I go to suggested I ask y'all about this. I just went to see a new pshychiatrist and she has taken me off desipramine, 20 mg, and put me on prozac, 10mg to start, and Ambien, 10 to 20 mg, and I have been taking these two for a bout a month, and just finished weaning myself off the desiprimine...about a week ago. I've been getting horrible headaches and nausea, both of which get worse as the day goes on, I can't hardly see straight sometimes and light hurts my head. I was told that meant my prozac had reached a steady state? and it would start getting better now, but I am still very depressed, more depressed than I've been in a long time. I"m not looking forward to slowly stepping up this prozac, reaching this nasty steady state each time till I get to a dose that relieves my depresion. I have an appointment for the 17th. Alot of my worries are that I've had lots of troubles finishing my first draft of my thesis.....many semesters overdue, can't concentrate, get depressed because I can't concentrate, can't sleep (now I can, that ambien is wonderfull!), was always exhausted. With this Prozac, my concentration is even worse, along with being sick, so, I'm just really worried. Anyhow, if anyone knows anything about what to expect, I'd be glad to hear it.
>
> Thank you,
> LynneLynne,
Your side effects do not mean you have reached a steady state. If you are not developing a separate health problem, either you don't tolerate Prozac and/or Ambien well or your symptoms are coming from tapering off desipramine (which is doubtful - 20mg is a very low dose). If you have just developed these symptoms in the past week, you may have a separate problem. If these symptoms developed when you began your new meds, then they may be the problem. You need to give your doc a call. The symptoms you describe may be serious. Let us know how you do, Linda
Posted by Lynne on March 9, 2000, at 13:28:57
In reply to Re: Prozac, posted by Linda on March 9, 2000, at 11:57:50
I meant 200 mg Desiprimine......silly 0........ So maybe that's it. I have called the doc, but only talked to the receptionist (who may be more than a receptionist, I don't know) She's the one who told me that is was normal to have these symptoms, and that she had them when she started taking Prozac....though she didn't say she stayed on Prozac after that.... My headaches are less severe now, though my back seems to have been triggered into spasms, maybe from my scrunching up over the headaches (I have a bad back) nausea is still there and now I'm getting muscle cramping in my legs some. This is aggravating.
Thanks for repsonding. I think I'll call my psychiatrist back..but I hate to be a bother, I don't know
Lynne
Posted by medlib on March 9, 2000, at 19:15:17
In reply to Ooooops, posted by Lynne on March 9, 2000, at 13:28:57
Lynne-
The literature list nausea, headache and general malaise as possible symptoms of withdrawal from desiprimine after "abrupt discontinuation or long term use." I have experienced nausea at the onset or increase of any SSRI. If it doesn't disappear within 2 wks, it may indicate Prozac's not the one for you. Your headache symptoms sound very familiar--like migraines. Try this little test: immerse your hands in very warm water for several minutes; if your headache seems slightly better, it is vascular in nature, and may be relieved by antimigraine medication. Your pdoc should be notified re muscle spasms.
Changing psych meds is the pits!
Good luck--medlib
> I meant 200 mg Desiprimine......silly 0........ So maybe that's it. I have called the doc, but only talked to the receptionist (who may be more than a receptionist, I don't know) She's the one who told me that is was normal to have these symptoms, and that she had them when she started taking Prozac....though she didn't say she stayed on Prozac after that.... My headaches are less severe now, though my back seems to have been triggered into spasms, maybe from my scrunching up over the headaches (I have a bad back) nausea is still there and now I'm getting muscle cramping in my legs some. This is aggravating.
>
> Thanks for repsonding. I think I'll call my psychiatrist back..but I hate to be a bother, I don't know
> Lynne
Posted by Lynne on March 9, 2000, at 20:21:44
In reply to Re: Ooooops, posted by medlib on March 9, 2000, at 19:15:17
Thanks medlib!
I'll try the really warm water trick, and call and tell the doc that I'm having muscle cramps.
Lynne
Posted by medlib on March 10, 2000, at 11:35:19
In reply to Re: Ooooops, posted by Lynne on March 9, 2000, at 20:21:44
> Thanks medlib!
>
> I'll try the really warm water trick, and call and tell the doc that I'm having muscle cramps.
>
> LynneLynne-
What I should have added to the "warm water trick" info is that it is sorta diagnostic, not therapeutic. If your headache is vascular in nature, any relief lasts only as long as your hands are warm. (That's because blood flows away from your head--and the over-dilated arterioles therein--toward your hands, to take away the heat build-up.) Anti-migraine meds work by constricting the over-dilated cerebral arteries.
(I have been known to use one of those stadium handwarmers while waiting for migraine meds to kick in, tho.)
Hope your side effects subside soon!
medlib
Posted by Mark H. on March 10, 2000, at 20:02:15
In reply to Re: Ooooops, posted by medlib on March 10, 2000, at 11:35:19
I'm astounded at the number of people on this list who tolerate "getting worse" as a necessary part of adapting to a new medication. If a drug makes you MORE depressed, LESS functional, etc., it is a PROBLEM, not a solution. Four to six weeks of misery and despair is not necessary or useful in finding the right mix of medications for you. Don't put up with it! You're the consumer!
Posted by medlib on March 10, 2000, at 20:33:16
In reply to Re: Ooooops, posted by Mark H. on March 10, 2000, at 20:02:15
> I'm astounded at the number of people on this list who tolerate "getting worse" as a necessary part of adapting to a new medication. If a drug makes you MORE depressed, LESS functional, etc., it is a PROBLEM, not a solution. Four to six weeks of misery and despair is not necessary or useful in finding the right mix of medications for you. Don't put up with it! You're the consumer!
And your alternative would be....?
medlib
Posted by jane on March 11, 2000, at 21:51:47
In reply to Prozac, posted by Lynne on March 8, 2000, at 13:27:20
Ambien, 10 to 20 mg
lynne- I too sometimes get migraines and muscle spasms when changing from one med to another, but I seem to settle out in about ten days. Just thought you might want to check with your pdoc on the max dosage of ambien. I thought it was 10mg but not sure. good luck - jane
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