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Hi AShip,

I look Prozac for about ten years from when I first was diagnosed with OCD around age 13.  It worked fairly well for me (though in retrospect I wish I had done some CBT alongside the meds).  One of the nice things about Prozac is it has a really long half life, meaning if you miss a dose you likely won't notice any significant effects (though its best not to miss doses!), and that coming off of it is generally easier than other SSRI's (though for the most part coming off SSRI's isn't particularly difficult for most people).  It also means the onset of relief can be a little slow, so you might have to give it some time to start noticeably working.  You might also need to adjust the dosage up or down over time depending on how your symptoms are going.  Personally I don't recall any significant side effects, though as I was a teenager and thus had terrible sleep habits its entirely possible that drowsiness was in there and I just didn't notice it, lol.  My advice is to try and be patient and give it time to work, keep in touch with your doctor and note any side effects you think you might be experiencing but don't panic if things seem a little off at first, it can take a little time for your body to adjust and even if you do have some mild side effects at first they very often fade in time.  And of course keep doing (or start!) any CBT work you are already doing.

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12 hours ago, dksea said:

Hi AShip,

I look Prozac for about ten years from when I first was diagnosed with OCD around age 13.  It worked fairly well for me (though in retrospect I wish I had done some CBT alongside the meds).  One of the nice things about Prozac is it has a really long half life, meaning if you miss a dose you likely won't notice any significant effects (though its best not to miss doses!), and that coming off of it is generally easier than other SSRI's (though for the most part coming off SSRI's isn't particularly difficult for most people).  It also means the onset of relief can be a little slow, so you might have to give it some time to start noticeably working.  You might also need to adjust the dosage up or down over time depending on how your symptoms are going.  Personally I don't recall any significant side effects, though as I was a teenager and thus had terrible sleep habits its entirely possible that drowsiness was in there and I just didn't notice it, lol.  My advice is to try and be patient and give it time to work, keep in touch with your doctor and note any side effects you think you might be experiencing but don't panic if things seem a little off at first, it can take a little time for your body to adjust and even if you do have some mild side effects at first they very often fade in time.  And of course keep doing (or start!) any CBT work you are already doing.

Totally respect what you're saying, but I have to disagree with the part about most people stopping easily. The latest report from the parliamentary group formed to investigate this found over 50% of people had such severe long term withdrawal that it left them unable to work. I'm not going to advise anyone on medications but I do feel it's important to make people aware of the risks, which are increasingly coming to light and more serious than first thought (my own doctor and cpn have agreed with this). So personally, I wouldn't touch medication with a barge pole unless you were literally at the point of immediate risk, and even then I'm not sure. But yeah, it's a tricky subject and ultimately the individual's responsibility whether they want to take those risks. 

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To the op, however, if you're thinking about medication all I'd say is to do your own research beforehand. It has to be totally your own decision. Also, make sure you have other things in place, focus on cbt therapy etc as a primary treatment, and use the meds for as minimal amount of time as possible if you do decide to use them (and at the lowest dose). Don't rely on doctor's advice, it's not always right. Best of luck whatever you choose

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11 hours ago, Saffie said:

Totally respect what you're saying, but I have to disagree with the part about most people stopping easily. The latest report from the parliamentary group formed to investigate this found over 50% of people had such severe long term withdrawal that it left them unable to work

Thank you for pointing this out, I reviewed the report that you mentioned (i was previously unaware of it) and it contains some important and significant findings that should be considered.  I hope that the relevant bodies will update their guidelines based on this information, that it will lead to more detailed studies, and that people will be able to make informed decisions about their medication choices.

The report indicated an average of 56% of people experienced withdrawal symptoms, that number includes ANY withdrawal symptoms and covers not just SSRI's but also other categories of anti-depressants such as TCAs.

Of those who indicated experiencing withdrawal symptoms, about 47% did indicate experiencing severe symptoms.  So combined thats about 26% of people in the studies indicated experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms.  That is alarming and should be taken very very seriously.

However, in addition to noting that the study covered not just SSRI's but other anti-depressants as well, a few other things to keep in mind.  First, many of the studies involved people abruptly stopping medication.  This is not recommended, gradual withdrawal is the recommended approach to reduce the possibility and severity of symptoms.  Second, some of the withdrawal symptoms (such as increased anxiety) can also be ascribed to the return of symptoms that the medication was helping prevent.  It may be that in some cases what the patient reports as withdrawal may be the return of the symptoms of their disease.  Third, due to its long half life, Prozac remains one of the least likely AD to result in withdrawal symptoms, and is used in some cases as an intermediary for people coming off other drugs.  They will first transition to Prozac and then taper off that rather than tapering/stoping their other medication directly.

So while my comment does remain true, that most people do not experience significant withdrawal symptoms, the degree to which some people do is unfortunately much higher than previously reported and you are correct to have brought that point up, thank you for helping me to be better informed.
 

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I've been taking it for 10 years, on and off. It takes time to first have any effects, 2 weeks to a month, but I've found it to be helpful overall. Depending on how I am, I take 2 when feeling not so good/bad, 1 when I feel sufficiently content, and some times skip days without it affecting me. It's about topping up my serotonin levels really, I exercise and meditate too which also help. Of course you can try going without, but I like the idea of controlling my serotonin levels.

Without them, not sure if I'd be here today honestly. Along with a diagnosis and CBT, changed my life. I hope they work for you, but if not, there are other alternatives to choose from.

Edited by Imhotep
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The British organisation on clinical excellence NICE does indicate that some SSRIs carry a significant risk for younger persons and their recommendations vary depending on age. The progress of patients on SSRIs should be monitored especially in the cases of a person coming off SSRIs But if my experience this does not occur. Personally I have had no problems with Prozac. I think dksea talks sense on this issue.

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On 21/12/2018 at 00:44, dksea said:

This is not recommended, gradual withdrawal is the recommended approach to reduce the possibility and severity of symptoms.  Second, some of the withdrawal symptoms (such as increased anxiety) can also be ascribed to the return of symptoms that the medication was helping prevent.  It may be that in some cases what the patient reports as withdrawal may be the return of the symptoms of their disease.  Third, due to its long half life, Prozac remains one of the least likely AD to result in withdrawal symptoms, and is used in some cases as an intermediary for people coming off other drugs.  They will first transition to Prozac and then taper off that rather than tapering/stoping their other medication directly.

So while my comment does remain true, that most people do not experience significant withdrawal symptoms, the degree to which some people do is unfortunately much higher than previously reported and you are correct to have brought that point up, thank you for helping me to be better informed.
 

Thank you for your honest reply, it is a tough subject and people can get quite defensive one way or another, so I appreciate this kind of openness. I agree, slow tapering is essential for coming off any medication. This in itself might not always work, but cold turkey can be very dangerous. Prozac is often used as a bridge, although many have also experienced just as severe withdrawal from it compared to other drugs. So again, it's highly individual.

I've attempted to taper of Prozac several times. I'm down to 5mg now, it took me almost 2 years to get there. According to the mods on survivingantidepressants.org, along with other research done by the likes of Dr Peter Breggin and Dr David Healy, there are certain ways you can differentiate between underlying illness and withdrawal. One being that withdrawal symptoms are much more severe, and another being that they will likely be alleviated to some degree very quickly after a small reinstatement. I found this to be true for me personally. The differences between underlying stuff and withdrawal (my original condition was mainly just OCD/anxiety, although again, I don't know how underlying that is because it was triggered by going on the contraceptive pill. My symptoms disappeared ten years later when I stopped it, and only returned in withdrawal) is a tough one. But I know intuitively that the majority of what I've experienced in withdrawal is just that, and not something underlying. These include things that appeared very suddenly and disappeared very suddenly, such as psychotic symptoms, physical panic that was like the entire body and nervous system violently shaking, some of the weirdest and disturbing physical symptoms, thoughts that have never even crossed my mind before, losing all sense of self, blind rage and violent urges...these were particularly disturbing. Early in withdrawal I raised my hand to my own mother, and was literally seething, I have never felt anything like it. I went into shock several times after these episodes, because it was like being possessed, and particularly distressing for someone with OCD who has a fear of harm. It was only when I went on the above forum and saw just how common this is, that I realised I wasn't a monster and far from alone. The number of direct correlations between Prozac use and homicide is very troubling. After going through the last year though, it all makes sense and doesn't surprise me.

As you say, I really do think it's important for people to be much more careful before they decide to go for medication. Apart from the countless similar stories on Surviving Antidepressants about lives completely ruined by psych meds, I know multiple cases personally, both with family and friends, where the same thing has happened. It almost makes you wish you just had to deal with your original issue. So yeah, caution is advised and I definitely think more research needs to be done into this. However, this too is unlikely as it's hardly profitable. The drug trials for the manufacturers of drugs like Prozac are highly biased, usually with hand-picked results and many reported effects left out. Their motivation is not their customers' health, and it would do us well to remember that. Do we really want to risk our already fragile mental states by trying drugs which are essentially experimental in nature?

It's good that people are finally having this discussion more openly. There's no shame in taking medication, I was a big proponent of them for years. But now we are getting access to more information, it is important to reconsider what we've always taken for truth. I hope everyone is able to do that before making these kinds of decisions health-wise.

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  • 1 month later...

I just wanted to update and say that Prozac has helped me so much. I don't get obsessive like I used to. It's so nice and I wish I'd started it ages ago, but late is better than never.

To anybody struggling, recovery is possible. You can do this!

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22 hours ago, ashipinharbor said:

I just wanted to update and say that Prozac has helped me so much. I don't get obsessive like I used to. It's so nice and I wish I'd started it ages ago, but late is better than never.

Thats fantastic!  I'm glad to hear things are going well for you.

My recommendation, as I mentioned before, is even if you are doing well on the meds, continue to include CBT in your recovery too.  It might not be as necessary to see a therapist often or to do exercises everyday, but its good to keep it in mind and to refresh yourself every so often.  It can be a valuable tool if you go through a rough period, such as extra stress or what not and the OCD kicks in a little more than usual.  In the meantime I hope things continue to go well for you!

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Hi ashipinharbour,

Great news the Prozac has helped - I have been on Prozac (fluoxetine) for almost 3 years. It did help me after I got over the initial side effects. I felt it balanced me out a bit more and enabled me to engage with my CBT in a slightly calmer frame of mind.  

I am due my yearly medication review with my doctor in the next few weeks I am on a 40mg per day dose currently. I will have to have a chat with her to see what we should do going forward.

Glad its helped you too :)

 

 

 

 

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