Side effect question

[Halo_miles]

Hmmm. Prozac is one of those drugs that can either be, "amazing", or, "Jesus Christ is that man trying to kill me!?" When in reality, said man is currently waiting at the crosswalk. It can cause suicidal thoughts, but that's actually quite common with a lot of anti depressants.

I'd say give it a shot, you'll know fairly quickly if it isn't for you. My doctor threw me on a variety of SSRI's until he found one that worked (I got horribly ill with every other one), and I've never had an issue with this one.

[Seshat]

Psychoactive drugs are really, really difficult.

When you have the right ones for your condition, they're brilliant, they can literally save lives, they can certainly save quality of life.

Get it wrong, and they can produce horrible, horrible side effects, and possibly not the desired effect at all.

Having seen how well they can work - with me, with my husband, with my best friend - I would seek for the correct drug/drug combo for anyone I loved who needed them. Even if it took a while to find the right one. Because when it's right, it's so very, VERY right.

But that's purely me, and purely my experience. And I would absolutely, definitely, be getting professional help to find the right drug and dosage. Because getting it wrong can be so nasty.

[fireheart]

OK, new question: has anyone been on this for social anxiety disorder?

I ask because that's the diagnosis I left the clinic with today. (the irony was that it's a weight disorder clinic!) I have about 3 weeks to look up medications before I return.

[Seshat]

I have (among the other things) generalised anxiety disorder. Any of the anti-anxiety drugs has the possibility of helping with any of the anxiety disorders.

Many anti-depressants do double-duty as anti-anxiety drugs. Apparently Prozac is among them (or they wouldn't be talking about using it). Again, I would recommend discussing this with a pharmacist.

[pollywog]

I have been on celexa and loved it, but I gained about 80 pounds in a year and a half. So I wanted to try something different. My doc put me on prozac. Boy, was that an interesting month and a half. It did nothing for my anxiety and made me homicidal. I was angry and on edge all of the time and the urge to hurt people was overwhelming at times. One time my son either dropped or knocked something over in the kitchen and needed help. I had to have my husband help him because I knew that I would just start hitting him and never stop if I walked in there. It was a terrifying feeling. My doctor didn't try to wean me off of it. She had me stop cold. She even has it listed as an allergy on my chart because of my reaction. So be very careful and pay attention to how you feel.
Now I'm on effexor and clonazapam and am doing okay, but I may go back to the celexa because it worked so much better, and changing meds hasn't helped with the weight.

[fireheart]

One of the criteria I stated to the doctor flat out was that if I do go on any antidepressant, I will under these conditions:

1) I'm on an eating plan that will bear in mind any potential weight-related side effects.
2) I am monitored for anxiety symptoms (a number of the antidepressants can make the anxiety worse during the transition period) and if it gets to the point of borderline agoraphobia, then I stop or switch.
3) I am fully informed about any medical decisions made around therapy or medication as well as diagnoses.

On the positive side, I was told yesterday as well that I no longer meet the criteria for borderline personality disorder (the doctor doesn't think so based on the case notes and the meeting). Looking back, I think I may have struggled with social anxiety for a LONG time, with what triggered my initial depression exacerbating it.

[Seshat]

There's a program (Australian) at the moment where mental health nurses are being govt paid for providing long-term therapy. I, of course, only know of nurses in my area who are doing it; but it's worth asking your doc.

I've been seeing mine for ... goodness, most of three years now.

[fireheart]

There's a program (Australian) at the moment where mental health nurses are being govt paid for providing long-term therapy. I, of course, only know of nurses in my area who are doing it; but it's worth asking your doc.

I've been seeing mine for ... goodness, most of three years now.

I'll have to ask. It might be state-wide.

My therapist is thinking Schema/IPT rather than CBT.

[Seshat]

I believe it's Federal.

I don't know anything about Schema/IPT, but if it works for you, then it's doing its job.

[fireheart]

I believe it's Federal.

I don't know anything about Schema/IPT, but if it works for you, then it's doing its job.

IPT

Schema

Sort of a combo between the two. She wasn't too keen on keeping me on CBT, partially because my social anxiety is more specific, and partially because my thoughts always aren't linked to my feelings (for instance, I might be both happy and sad that I ate a slice of cheesecake-happy because whoever did it is a good cook or similar, sad that I ate it and will probably gain weight )

[fireheart]

So a quick bump just for an update.

I emailed the doc I spoke to about meds and asked him about Wellbutrin. He said that its legally only licensed as a stop smoking aid in Australia. I'm wanting to ask him about off-label use but I have a feeling it's going to be expensive if prescribed for that, even with a healthcare card. (Seroquel, which I've also been on in the past on a very low dose, was also used off label to take the edge off)