[melinda7.5]

Hi velvetunderground
My son took prozac for a long time for anxiety issues...it really helped him a lot..
when you get up in the morning take a deep breath and say to your self this is going to be a good day ...
and run with it let us know how it goes...
talk to you soon, Melinda

[velvetunderground]

I didn't really feel any difference at all.
It was like nothing had changed.
I know you have to wait about a month before it starts to make a difference but I guess I was just really hoping that it would be a magic pill and take away everything gray and monotone.
And so there is nothing.

Tomorrow is another day.

[velvetunderground]

Ok so I have been on Prozac for about 3 weeks.
So far I have notices a dramatic decrease in my daydreaming, I am able to focus alot more at work and I'm also a lot less tired throughout the day. BIGGEST noticable change would be the fact that I've lost over 7lbs in the past week and a half. The weight is just melting off of me. There was a big decrease in my appetite. You know when you aren't really hungry but you eat anyway because you're bored or because it tastes so good you go back for seconds even if you're full. Well I don't at all now. I just stop eating when I'm not hungry. I don't have to be full really, just satisfied. It really is weird. 7lbs doesn't really sound like a lot but I'll put it into numbers for you. When I came back from college for summer break I weighed about 130-135lbs and was between a size 4 and 6. Now I weigh 123lbs and I am able to fit into my size 2 pants, my skinny pants. My mother is even noticing. She can't believe I'm losing weight so fast and not exercizing or even dieting. I'm just not over-indulging I guess. My headaches are also a lot less frequent and definately not as bad. I feel like my life is slowly comming back together piece by piece. I'm also detoxing my body right now too so that along with the anti-depressant is helping alot. I have been sober for 175 days today. AA is also helping alot. For depression I guess you sort of have to approach it from all angles. It's never just one thing but really a number of facets that are causing you to feel this way. Don't get me wrong I still get depressed and there are still a lot of things that need work, but it has only been a short time, and if the pill is ALREADY making such a noticable difference than I believe in it for now. I think the biggest relief is just knowing that I'm doing something to help myself and not just sitting on the sidelines as I watch my life fall apart.

[nevergiveup]

Hi Velvetunderground,

I just got prescribed prozac today and am supposed to take it in the morning as well. It is funny because I specifically asked the dr if it would cause weight gain. He said it affects everyone differently and only time will tell. Also, he said that since prozac has been around for the longest in comparison to zoloft, etc. I should try that first. Weight gain is definitely not what I need. Let me know how it is working for you in regards to alleviating depression. I have depression and post traumatic stress disorder.

Originally Posted by velvetunderground

Today I was prescribed prozac.
I begin taking it tomorrow morning with my breakfast and coffee before I head off to work and start my day.
I was prescribed prozac for depression, lack of ambition, apathy and past eating disorders.
I am reading all of these posts and doing other research and now I am disappointed with the pill.

If I am ALREADY feeling apathetic to life then why would I need to take a pill to further influence this lack of any emotion?

If I am ALREADY having body image issues and suffer from an eating disorder that while currently is under control it still never truely goes away, then why would I take a pill to further encourage weight gain and worse, relapse?

If I am ALREADY depressed and unmotivated then why would I take a pill that makes me feel even more despondent and miserable?

I hope that I have a positive reaction and that there is light at the end of this dark tunnel that I have walked through for years now. I am just so tired. I feel like I could sleep forever I'm so tired; but I'm not ready to close my eyes yet. I have so much more of the world to see.

[velvetunderground]

I think you should try it. Prozac affects everyone differently. You never know, prozac could be the one that ends up working for you.

[mybudgieloki]

I think you just gave me hope... My therapist just told me to get a presecription from my doctor for Prozac while continuing my therapy and I was scared to go. I have Obsessive Thought Anxiety Disorder which occassionally results in Panic Attacks and this is what he wants me on to help me while I'm getting help.
I'm also on a diet which has been so-so already and I finally lost 10 pounds. I'm afraid to gain it back, and feel depressed and apathetic.
Reading your positive reaction and your suggestion to "try it" has made up my mind to go to the doctor tomorrow and try my luck. I hope I'm as fortunate as you to lose weight and feel better.
Thank you for updating.

Originally Posted by velvetunderground

Ok so I have been on Prozac for about 3 weeks.
So far I have notices a dramatic decrease in my daydreaming, I am able to focus alot more at work and I'm also a lot less tired throughout the day. BIGGEST noticable change would be the fact that I've lost over 7lbs in the past week and a half. The weight is just melting off of me. There was a big decrease in my appetite. You know when you aren't really hungry but you eat anyway because you're bored or because it tastes so good you go back for seconds even if you're full. Well I don't at all now. I just stop eating when I'm not hungry. I don't have to be full really, just satisfied. It really is weird. 7lbs doesn't really sound like a lot but I'll put it into numbers for you. When I came back from college for summer break I weighed about 130-135lbs and was between a size 4 and 6. Now I weigh 123lbs and I am able to fit into my size 2 pants, my skinny pants. My mother is even noticing. She can't believe I'm losing weight so fast and not exercizing or even dieting. I'm just not over-indulging I guess. My headaches are also a lot less frequent and definately not as bad. I feel like my life is slowly comming back together piece by piece. I'm also detoxing my body right now too so that along with the anti-depressant is helping alot. I have been sober for 175 days today. AA is also helping alot. For depression I guess you sort of have to approach it from all angles. It's never just one thing but really a number of facets that are causing you to feel this way. Don't get me wrong I still get depressed and there are still a lot of things that need work, but it has only been a short time, and if the pill is ALREADY making such a noticable difference than I believe in it for now. I think the biggest relief is just knowing that I'm doing something to help myself and not just sitting on the sidelines as I watch my life fall apart.

[yoodler117]

Eighteen months ago I was prescribed Prozac after being diagnosed with general depression, anxiety and a minor case of OCPD (Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder). This diagnosis was made by a psychiatrist I saw while spending 30 days inpatient at a rehab facility for alcohol abuse.

I was taking 60mg once a day for the first 6 months and then we lowered that amount to 40mg. The good news is that the depression has lessened to a great degree, I've been sober for 18 months, I'm working, productive and basically happy. The bad news is that in this time I have gained 37 lbs.

Keeping in mind I was 15 lbs underweight when I first went into treatment, that still leaves 22 pounds unaccounted for. My diet has remained conservative and consistent. Maintaining my proper weight was never a problem the 28 years preceding my 3-year drinking binge.

Now that my life has started to come back into focus I've started exercising even more and I've started dating as well. It has become obvious that my waistline and weight is not shrinking AT ALL. I am also experiencing decreased libido and poor erectile performance (also not a previous problem).

Questions that come to mind are as follows:

1. How much (if any) of my depression was relieved from taking prozac? I started taking prozac at the very same time I decided to change everything else in my life (not drinking, location, friends, job, etc.). SSRI's and psychology can be pretty soft science.

2. Now that my life has found a good deal of stability, how do I (or anyone else) accurately weigh the pros and cons of prozac to make an educated decision on eliminating prozac from my life without knowing the answer to question 1?

Is simple trial and error the only obvious solution?

Thoughts, feelings?

-E

[ginalmarie]

i went to my doctor to find a medicine to help with my anxiety and depression. i was originally told to take paxil, but after reading about the severe side effects and the addictions, i chose prozac instead.

i'm not going to lie, i was hesitant to try, but i figured it was worth trying if i could truly be happy and feel better.

it's day three of taking prozac, and i feel incredible. i've worked 20 hours at my job in these three days, and i'm full of energy. i'm in such a great mood, and i feel as if a weight has been lifted. i am no longer hungry, and i feel so full if i eat a small meal. as of right now, being three days in, i've only lost a pound (if that).

apparently a cause of the weight gain on prozac is due to the fact that when people take anti depressants, and begin to feel happier, they start eating normally (if they didn't eat a lot when they were depressed), and visa versa.

please don't go by what people say on these websites, take it into consideration, but don't NOT take something based off of what has happened with other people. people react individually to prozac, i have had a good experience, and you won't truly know what will happen to you until you try it.