Should i go up on my dosage?
Currently on 40 mg of prozac a day but my anxiety and OCD is so bad i dont know what to do?
Question posted by dawniebabie26 on 17 Aug 2009
Last updated on 5 October 2021
The information on this page reflects personal experiences shared by our community members. It is not reviewed for medical accuracy and should not replace professional medical advice.
48 Answers Page 3
RemSupreme
30 March 2010
I would definately go with the benzodiazipines such as xanax,ativan but I would go with a long half-life benzodiazipines such as valium,Klonopin or tranxene. I take klonopin and find the risk(addiction)outweigh's the negative features such as addiction,so if you go on a benzodiazipine if you choose to get off it and find a taper schedule.Hope this helps
AJ011872
21 Feb 2010
You could go up with the prozac. I've known patients to take 60 and 80, however 20, 30 and 40 seem to be the most common dosage. I might consider going on an additional anti anxiety med like lorazepam and keeping the prozac at 40.
teal
22 Jan 2010
I was on prozac once a long time ago,but i stopped taking it due to the fact it didnt help with my ocd nor my panic attack. everyone is different,some it helps and some it doesnt. I suffer severe ocd and panic disorder,alway anxious,plus depression,anyway,when i was put on xanax(after we tried alot of the other lower meds)my anxiety/panic was gone,just gone,i couldnt believe it,however it's something i will always have to take,we've tried going off and i was back on. they gave me luvox for ocd,and right now im on zoloft,and i cant tell you much about that because i just started it,however,xanax will take your anxiety away and you dont obsess as much either.
talk to your doctor about other meds,things you learn here,write it all down,look it all up and take it with you,thats what i did last week,after being here and asking my questions,learning,other's experiences,and looking some of the meds up that were mentioned,i had a few that i wanted to try,so i took the sheet to the doctors and we went through them together and picked what we thought would work,and also what i felt comfortable taking. good luck to you,as i know how you feel and its not any fun,and can really be debilitating. hang in there,and keep working with your doctor:),T
jdoggt
22 Jan 2010
i will tell u what helps me which i have heard nobody mention and that is ativan it works pretty quickly and is not as addictive as xanax.you can also get the tablets that dissolve under your tounge for quick action i have to have them for seizures..Klonopin is a slow acting benzo and it last longer but the ativan would get to you quicker
kathyll28
21 Jan 2010
I know what you are going threw i,m the same way but i take zolft and ativan and i still get them bad tell me what you do for yours thanks kathy
bartenderce.hotmail.com
15 Jan 2010
I suffer from depression and anxiety as well. What I take and works for me is 60 mg. of prozac daily plus as needed a 1mg Ativan. Good luck! Let me know if you try out this remedy.
Dalaina
8 March 2013
Im currently taking 40mg of prozac and 1mg of lorazepam 3 times daily as needed but i only take it at night to help me sleep i have horrific anxiety and panic disorder i havent had a panic attack in 4mths but my anxiety is still out of control im terrified to switch meds or higher dose because of the panic disorder ive been to therapy and psychiatrist
tobydozer
9 Jan 2010
Sometimes more mg is as bad as not enough prozac,it could make you go the other way . I was on prozac it took about 3 to 4 weeks. before I felt a differents, after 5 years it quite working.
lynnette10
3 Dec 2009
I also was on 40mg of prozac for four years. My anxeity got out of control. I was also crying all the time. I finally switched medication, it was for the best. There is better meds out there that might help you with your suffering. The hard part is finding the right ones. Good luck I hope this helps.
Inactive
17 Oct 2012
I agree and there certainly are. Appreciate your response.
babyangell
1 Oct 2009
I suffer from anxity and ive been takein paxil and lorazepam
and i couldnt be more happey on this mix try talking to your doctor
about the meds listed above it helps me
well goodluck on your way to getting well
Lola Katherine
19 Sep 2009
I would speak to my psychiatrist first. How long have you been on prozac? If it's been several weeks (4-6) it might not be the right drug for you. Sometimes a doctor will increase to what they feel is a "theraputic" dose- but leave that up to them. Try to stay away from adding on Xanax or any benzos as they are highly addictive and can actually worsen depression. I have a friend who takes Zoloft (she has a mild OCD condition) and it's worked well. My doctor gave me Anarax which is a histhimine that has a calming effect and is non-addictive. Please read Change Your Brain Change Your Life by Daniel G Amen, it's very infomative. Also remember, to all of you who have depression, you can't just pop a pill- therapy is also needed, especially Cognitive Behavorial Therapy. Our constant negative thoughts or traumatic events can affect our brain chemistry.
Learn better ways of coping and don't try to "tough it out" seek help when you need it! Just make sure they're qualified- google depression/cognitive therapy and write the centers for a qualified therapist in your area. Some will do a sliding scale if you don't have insurance. Also highly recommend Louise Hays "You Can Heal Your Life" on dvd.
"If you can correct your mind, the rest of your life will fall into place." Lao -tzu
Lola Katherine
20 Sep 2009
For those of you with fibro anf arthritus, read Stop Depression Now. It goes into all the benifits of SAM-E an alternative to AD's and also benefits fibro/arthritus/the liver.
Why not cure the anxiety instead of becoming addicted which causes even more problems. Benzosshouldnt be taken for more than a few weeks. I was on them for years and it was hell getting off
CBT does not go into rehashing old memories but teaches you a new way to look at and think about events, a great benifit to anxiety- notice what youre thinking before you have those feelings and how it loops around - once you can change thhe WAY you perceive thigs you can gain control over your feelings (in addition to meds)
Lola Katherine
20 Sep 2009
A few more ideas for anxiety (used to have horrible panic attacks- now I'm fine) Cut out, this is tough for some people, all caffeine( coffee, sodas "energy" drinks) Wean off, switch to de-caf (there's a good mocha one) , whatever it takes. You will feel lousy, but not intolerable, for about a week then you will be AMAZED at how good you feel (and how much real energy you have! We live in a caffeine, high adrenaine culture, we're sold this. Don't buy in, especially if you have anxiety to begin with. Also try yoga- Maya Fiennes Kundalini for Stress will leave you feeling wonderful (it focuses on breath mainly- no yoga poses). And there' s no substitute for exercise. Start small until everything becomes a habit you look forward to :)
Inactive
25 Oct 2011
i agree to the caffiene bit, i just switched to half caff, and one soda weekly, and no chocolates cause i too read caffiene makes anxiety worse, and its actually settled down a bit
Psyched
5 Sep 2009
Hey everyone,
I think you guys ALL gave great advice here on this question! I really like to see these types of responses. I realize that we all aren't going to solve anyone's problems, BUT I think it's awesome that people can rally around one another here and talk with complete strangers about their problems. Believe it or not, I think simply by listening (reading) and responding to one another in this community that we are doing good for someone somewhere. I want to encourage all of you to keep coming and being supportive of others that you can relate to. Sometimes, just knowing that we aren't alone in something is big relief. Kudos to everyone!
jpandmp1
11 Sep 2009
Hi Psyched: I love what you wrote and I totally agree!!! I was just recently diagnosed with depression add that to Lupus and Fibro and rhumatoid arthritis. Now i have the complete package. I feel like my husband who I have been with for 21 years. I'm 40 does not quite understand the pain i'm in. When i can't even walk up our flight of stairs or brush my hair or help my son's get ready for school. It's really nice to read everyone's notes knowing that I'm not alone out there and there are other people out there like me. Some days I feel all alone in a living hell. So thank you everyone for writing, I will continue to keep reading everyones notes! :)
angie46
17 Oct 2012
I couldn't agree more !! in fact, many of the problems that one person might be having, normally is a problem that many are having, and brainstorming together and pooling of knowledge is vital to empower us to a better way of life. The small bits of information put together, is a greater chance of making informed decisions . LOVE TO ALL ~~
wellbalanced
5 Sep 2009
Dear dawniebabie26,
I have read the responses and see you got some good questions and information. I would add, it is very important to communicate with your doctor about how you are feeling, and of any changes since being prescribed prozac. Has your anxiety and/or OCD increased? Do you have depression with anxiety? Do you know the cause of the anxiety and OCD? Something you can do is keep a journal of how you feel during the day and what triggers your feelings. Once you recognize your triggers, it will help you get control over your life. I know that it is frustrating to try to explain to someone else what it is you are feeling. I suffer from chronic pain, and I struggle with explaining to a doctor or anyone just how excruciating my pain is. A good medical professional would have discussed with you the issues raised in this chatroom before even prescribing the medication. Along with medication, therapy is vital for recovery.
Too often, people are just prescribed pills without proper tests or evaluations and not given additional resources to improve quality of life. If your doctor isn't listening to you, then address your issues with your therapist. Remember, you are the consumer and you're paying for a service. If you're not satisfied with the service, then maybe you need to look for another doctor. And if you are experiencing severe side effects, you may need to seek emergency medical care. There are great support networks throughout the country to help advocate for patient's rights, such as NAMI. Some states have warm lines that provide free phone counseling and support. Your therapist should know about resources in your area that you can access.
Good Luck, and Best Wishes.
WellBalanced
dollme
3 Sep 2009
hi friends, i am so glad i found this spot, just reading and trying to help with some answers has brightened my day a bit. i'm not on the meds you take, but my newest combo workes most of time. right now i'm really in the sucky place you talked about. this is almost like therapy to me. i live in calif. and on ssi/medi-cal. the state no longer covers mental health, therapy, so i bet you can guess where i'm at right now. i know what people mean when they say nobody understands. if you have never battled depression,you can't know what it feels like. you can't just pull yourself up by the boot straps, as the old saying goes. oh, do i wish i could. hope you dont think i'm being a wimp, but the last few days have been very bad for me and noone to talk to that understands, so thanks for reading this and please feel free to e-mail me anytime,bye
inpain777
3 Sep 2009
hi.. im glad you came and dont stop coming. ( i felt like that statement was from an AA meeting ) lol... yeah, no one understands, thats pretty much why i dont associate with others. im really sooooo tired of trying to explain to others why i feel the way i do, that i just dont anymore... wow, are you serious that cali doesnt cover mental health care ??? how can that be ?? if youre on ssi, then it automatically covers it. why is cali different ? im so sorry for that... geezzzzz, i dont know what else to say. dont they have an alternative ? well, just know that i think i can speak for others also, that we know what youre goin through, even though we all suffer from other stuff, we DO suffer ! so, you are NOT alone !!
dollme
3 Sep 2009
hello thanks for the response to my note? i almost wish i was in aa, that might be easier than this. i totally understand the bad days trick, haha, this isn't agood time for me either. too many anniversiries like to creep up on me. some i almost forget them ,but like right now, i'm in a flood zone. yes, our great governor has cut all kinds of health programs here in ca. i'm on ssi, but so far, all i have is state medi-cal. i'm still a couple of years away from medicare. this is one time i really wish i was a little bit older. my mom always added an extra year to my age until i told her that only made her older, lol, i think she haunts me over that one. this does seem to help me, being able to spill my guts out for a while, again, thank you. hope to talk to you soon, carol. by the way do you know what the point thing is on this site, i'm nosy.
indianangel1232
15 Jan 2011
I am right there with you on the SSI medical. I am in Las Vegas and I only have 30 days before they take my insurance away becasue the guidlines of income are dropping 1000 and I had to pay 200.00 for my medical card. I cant buy personal insurance becasue nobody will cove me becasue I had cancer so I am trying to ge3t on the right meds in 1 month so every time I have a side affect i try to call my doc but seeing that she works for the state you can never talk to her so I utilize my pharmacist. I need somthing fast I havnt been to work in 3 weeks probably lost my job I am very depressed and full of anxiety. I took myself off of paxil boy that was a trip now I am dying was thinking about going back on it but I doht wnat to go thru all the withdrawl symptoms again. If the doc decides to put me on somthing else and yes I said doc... I am going to marry my ex so i can get on his insurance. I have no other choice.
I know that is not good for the thrapy side of it but I have to do what I have to do. the medical sucks in this town and none of the docs in my experience care. i added you as a friend
teresaloum
17 Jan 2018
I am someone who also knows that people don't understand depression. They say you have to do this or that. Way easier said than done. I've had depression and anxiety most of my life and I'm 59 yrs. old. I have tried several anti-depressants and anxiety meds. Most work for awhile, then I have to change. I'm on Prozac now and a booster, although I can't remember the name right now. To add to my already depressed condition, my husband has had Alzheimers Dementia for about 6 years now. Also just found out someone got my debit card number and has been using it, so trying to get that resolved. I still work full time and try to deal with all of this with little to no help. People just do not understand.
Tears9
6 June 2018
I'm just like you, in 2018.
unhappy09
3 Sep 2009
I'm also having a tough time getting something to relieve my anxiety. I don't have constant anxiety, but when I get it, it comes on immediately and I need instant relief which I found that xanax works best for me too. It seems that most doctors won't prescribe that long term because it can be addictive. My doctor just prescribed me .5 mg klonopin "as needed" that is a joke because it idoes not give the instant relief I need at that point. I even tried taking 2mg and it did not help. I'm told that It is something you need to take on a regular basis for it to work. But he told me that you can also get addicted to that and I researched it online and it appears to be true. I'm going to see a pyschiatrist on Tuesday because my primary doctor has exhausted everything he can for me. Hopefully he will be able to help me find something for the anxiety. I will keep you posted!
inpain777
3 Sep 2009
no, most docs will not prescribe xanax, cause of its addictive, which i think is really sad, because if thats what only helps, then the doc is 'refusing ' to treat you ! i have been on it for bout 30 years and yes, its addictive, just like most of the other stuff they give ya anyhow, but buspar did not for me except make me more anxious and sick. klonopin made me so tired and in a worse fog than im in already. they wanted to try and ween me off, but nothing else helps. they even tried different antidepressants on me, but im not really depressed, my anxiety/fibro/cfs/pain..etc, is makin me depressed... the way i feel, is that we are all guinea pigs... please let me know what happens on tues.
chastesin
28 Sep 2009
most reasons that doctors have for not perscribing Xanax depends on if you have an addictive behavior or not. They determine that on your first visit with them and your medical history. Just so you know :)
tammydonny
7 Nov 2009
Glad to see you are going to psychiatrist. I just think pcp's are not as up to date on the current meds, etc. (I know they are taught all of this, but it's just not their "specialty") Only my opinion. Klonopin is an instant relief, not something that needs to be taken over time. Most people usually feel the effects even off .5 ... Good Luck, Curious to see what new Dr has too say.
pixienohio
21 Jan 2010
I've been on xanax since 2002... In 2008 when my dad passed away my dr. up my dosage to 2.0 mg 3 x a day. My family & friends are constantly on me about my drug use yet they know I don't take it 3 x a day or for that fact any of my meds like I should because I get tired of hearing them complain that I'm a drug addict & the dr. only prescribes me meds to shut me up & cuz they get a kick back from them... I know as well as anyone that I'm never gonna beable to quit taking the xanax because I've been on it so long..
My dr. has prescribed me Prozac for my depression but I haven't taken it yet cuz of the grief I get from family & friends about my other meds. My depression is getting worse & is affecting my life & marriage... Do I start taking the Prozac or keep listening to my family & friends?
spadonna
11 Feb 2010
I've been on prozac for about 10 years, low dose of 20 mg. til resently my depression has gotten bad they dr. bumped up to 40 mg. doesn't seem to be helping, but i told her about my anxiety, so she added xanax .25 mg 3 x day, helps with the anxiety, but my depression is still no better I started to take another 20 mg of prozac to sleep at night this week. I think you should try the prozac it does work and does make you eat alot, so you might loose a few pounds also it lowers sex drive. Hope this helps.
Inactive
3 Sep 2009
i take prozac, buspirone and ultram.
xanax or valium helps me the best for anxeity... but my doctor will not write a script for anything addictive... so i take buspirone... it helps me alot but you will get more results with valium or xanax.
hernandaz123
12 May 2010
i agree, xanax helps me ALOT with anxity.
hernandaz123
12 May 2010
but it also can be VERY addicting.
caringsonbj
10 Jan 2012
Oh you better believe it I take it just as it is prescribed but I have an extended (friend family member) who takes more than prescribed so it's a good medicine but unless you follow instructions then you have a rough road to travel. I wish you the best. caringsonbj (Billy)
Related topics
prozac, depression, post traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, panic disorder, anxiety and stress
Further information
- Prozac uses and safety info
- Prozac prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Prozac (detailed)
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