I thought I had it beaten

Where do I start?

I have been quite unwell recently, well for approx 9 months now (no i'm not pregnant lol). Finally after a blood test came back as inconclusive, I've been prescribed anti depressants!!!

10 years to the almost month since I voluntarily stopped them last time, In many ways it feels like a kick in the teeth, and to cap it all off I just found out they are Prozac (Fluoxetine Hydroxide).

I dont feel depressed, but I'm lethargic, feeling very very run down and i'm suffering mood swings, one moment I'm ready to rip someones head off with my teeth the next I wanna sit quiet and chill out. Not much good when you work in tech support and in a call centre environment. Perhaps I'm simply stressed, I dunno, hopefully whatever the final outcome may be, as long as I feel I have at least any energy then I shall be 100% better than now.


Anyone had prozac before? what are the side effects REALLY like?

[Matt D]

Sorry to hear that, TW


I was on fluoxetine around 6 years ago. It's one of the better anti-depressants in the "SSRI" class. Certainly better than paroxetine ("Seroxat")!

I didn't really suffer from any side effects, from what I can remember.

[Bex]

Originally Posted by timewarrior2001

I dont feel depressed, but I'm lethargic, feeling very very run down and i'm suffering mood swings, one moment I'm ready to rip someones head off with my teeth the next I wanna sit quiet and chill out. Not much good when you work in tech support and in a call centre environment. Perhaps I'm simply stressed, I dunno, hopefully whatever the final outcome may be, as long as I feel I have at least any energy then I shall be 100% better than now.

to me, that does sound like stress.... stress has a tendency to make you lethergic.....

dunno about prozac, i know a few people who have been on it, my flatmate was on it and it made her better (until she drunkanly took a whole packet, and ended up in hospital )

[Mick]

Originally Posted by timewarrior2001

Anyone had prozac before? what are the side effects REALLY like?

Only side effect I had was that I burst into a fit of laughter for no reason.

[Shaun]

Originally Posted by Matt D

Sorry to hear that, TW

Ditto

I was on fluoxetine around 6 years ago. It's one of the better anti-depressants in the "SSRI" class. Certainly better than paroxetine ("Seroxat")!

You can say that again Seroxat made me worse, the only one I found that worked was Lofepramine.

Looks like were a right bunch between us

[paulyoung666]

Originally Posted by timewarrior2001

Where do I start?

snip

Anyone had prozac before? what are the side effects REALLY like?

i have just started taking it , have you seen the thread i started link there might be something in there for you

Thanks for all your concerns guys

I'm hoping these are gonna work, last time I was on Anti depressants I stopped after I think it was 3 days. But this time I have more to lose, My health really has deteriorated over the last 3 weeks and some days I barely have the energy to get dressed yet alone go to work.

Still, I'm not actually grumbling, I feel fine atm, tired yes, but this is the time at night when I perk up.

I guess we are all just looneys in here, I never realised that so many people had been prescribed these powerfull drugs.

[paulyoung666]

Originally Posted by timewarrior2001

Thanks for all your concerns guys

I'm hoping these are gonna work, last time I was on Anti depressants I stopped after I think it was 3 days. But this time I have more to lose, My health really has deteriorated over the last 3 weeks and some days I barely have the energy to get dressed yet alone go to work.

Still, I'm not actually grumbling, I feel fine atm, tired yes, but this is the time at night when I perk up.

I guess we are all just looneys in here, I never realised that so many people had been prescribed these powerfull drugs.

stick at it , i am something like 3 weeks into it and i am starting to feel the benefits, i am a lot less snappy , and am starting to feel as if i have more interest in things , keep it up

[martinell]

have a joint, natures way of chilling you out and alot less of the side effects that manufactured chemicals can give you. just look out for the short term memory loss it can give you
now wot was i doin...
*edit dont take that wrong please, im not taking the pi*s. i had suffered depression for 4 an a half years or so and tried a few of the solutions that "normal" medicine had to offer but found that none of them suitable for me, side effects,low esteem etc.. was gettin kinda desperate with the situation when i tried a combo of cannabis, physical and mental exercise and it has perked me up no end. cant say i'm cured but i feel one helluva lot better in myself

[orangebird]

Originally Posted by martinell

have a joint, natures way of chilling you out and alot less of the side effects that manufactured chemicals can give you. just look out for the short term memory loss it can give you
now wot was i doin...

I'm with Martinell on this one.... The physically addictive qualities of medication like Prozac far outweigh the pros IMO..... Doctors do seem to prescribe pills as an excuse for not knowing the real reason behind peoples problems....

[SMHarman]

Have you tried getting more excercise too, I know it helps me sleep and boost my energy levels. My back has been a bit dodgy since lugging too many heavy suitcases back across the atlantic 2 weeks ago and I have not been running and am really feeling the effects.

[orangebird]

Originally Posted by SMHarman

Have you tried getting more excercise too, I know it helps me sleep and boost my energy levels. My back has been a bit dodgy since lugging too many heavy suitcases back across the atlantic 2 weeks ago and I have not been running and am really feeling the effects.

very good point - even if it's just a 10 min walk round the block in the morning before work, exercise (especially in the morning), is so much more beneficial for not only your physical health, but also your mental health than people give it credit for

Originally Posted by SMHarman

Have you tried getting more excercise too, I know it helps me sleep and boost my energy levels. My back has been a bit dodgy since lugging too many heavy suitcases back across the atlantic 2 weeks ago and I have not been running and am really feeling the effects.

spot on, people feel lethargic and then think a rest will help, eventually it snowballs. To be blunt about it you just need to snap out of it and do something. Sitting at a screen all daty and night is not going to help either, you need to get outside and do something physical.

[Shaun]

Originally Posted by martinell

have a joint, natures way of chilling you out and alot less of the side effects that manufactured chemicals can give you. just look out for the short term memory loss it can give you
now wot was i doin...
*edit dont take that wrong please, im not taking the pi*s. i had suffered depression for 4 an a half years or so and tried a few of the solutions that "normal" medicine had to offer but found that none of them suitable for me, side effects,low esteem etc.. was gettin kinda desperate with the situation when i tried a combo of cannabis, physical and mental exercise and it has perked me up no end. cant say i'm cured but i feel one helluva lot better in myself

If you have any form of mental illness (like depression) then that's one hell of a bad idea, the "natural" chemicals increase the chances of suicide and self harm. I read a study about it somewhere, I'll have to dig a link out.

Originally Posted by orangebird

I'm with Martinell on this one.... The physically addictive qualities of medication like Prozac far outweigh the pros IMO..... Doctors do seem to prescribe pills as an excuse for not knowing the real reason behind peoples problems....

SSRI medications (of which prozac is one) are NOT addictive, however I do agree that some GPs are very good at dishing out pills to all and sundry but saying that they are a very useful tool in combating many forms of illness.

[Shaun]

Originally Posted by gary_580

spot on, people feel lethargic and then think a rest will help, eventually it snowballs. To be blunt about it you just need to snap out of it and do something. Sitting at a screen all daty and night is not going to help either, you need to get outside and do something physical.

Have you ever suffered depression Gary, I hope not but I'm afraid it's not as easy as you make out. Do you think people like feeling deprest, if it was that easy surely no one would be depressed!