Prozac 40mg reviews
Effectiveness, Ease of Use, and Satisfaction
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3.7 Overall Rating
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Most voted positive review
110 People found this comment helpful
I just need to share this because it may help someone. I didn't want to have my daughter on meds but every year she complains about darkness and anxiety in the winter. Straight A student, driven, attractive girl seems to have everything all together, but I just found out she has been suffering for years. At day 2 on Prozac- she broke up with her boyfriend and finally heard what I have been tryi...
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Most voted negative review
20 People found this comment helpful
I see from reviews here a lot of people had good results, I am not one of those people. . Everyone reacts differently.. I took one pill a long time ago and I actually had side-effects that lasted for 10 years. It gave me panic attacks and the taste of burning plastic in my mouth... My first day on Prozac I ended up calling 911, cause I thought I was having a heart attack, but it ended up being my ...
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Shared reviews and ratings
SORT BYCondition: Anxiousness associated with Depression
Overall rating 4.3
EffectivenessEase of UseSatisfactionAfter a really hard initial feeling weeks of side effects, this medicine has given me my life back. The first five weeks were tough with an increase in anxiety, restlessness, nausea and not eating but once the end kicked in, I am back to my old self. I am able to relax which I couldn’t do before. I just had a kid free weekend at a wedding and was able to enjoy every second without feeling intense guilt or anxiety.
It’s amazing. If you’re in the first few weeks, keep going. It does get better, I promise. Read More Read Less
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Fill 3Created with Sketch.Condition: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Overall rating 1.7
EffectivenessEase of UseSatisfactionI’ve been dealing with sexual intrusive thoughts for more than a year now. My doctor prescribed me this drug and said that I will be able to see improvement in 2 months. Unfortunately, this drug did not do any improvement to my condition. When I discussed this with my doctor, he increased my dose to 60mg and still did not improve my symptoms. Day by day my anxiety and intrusive thoughts got worse. I finally came off from this drug and currently taking anafranil.
I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS DRUG.
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Fill 3Created with Sketch.Condition: Repeated Episodes of Anxiety
Overall rating 5.0
EffectivenessEase of UseSatisfactionI have only been on this medication for a short while, however long enough for my body to adjust and respond. I can think clearly, I can sleep now, I can slow down without feeling out of control—the best part is the way other people are also noticing. My husband said to me the other day “I haven’t seen you smile in two years, this medicine helped me get my wife back”. I’m so grateful for this medication, I feel like I got my life back.
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Fill 3Created with Sketch.Condition: Other
Overall rating 5.0
EffectivenessEase of UseSatisfactionI have tried all of the SSRIs for my ADHD and anxiety. Prozac is by far the best for me! I wish I had started with Prozac in June of 1996, when I first was diagnosed with ADHD. I also have great results with Ritalin. Two old meds that are now available as generics!! I have no side effects with Prozac! Good luck, everyone!!
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Fill 3Created with Sketch.Condition: Depression
Overall rating 2.
0
Took for depression. It basically turned my depression into irritability. Then when I weened off it I had EXTREME withdrawals. My doctor had even said their weren't any withdrawals to worry about. I would NOT recommend prozac.
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Fill 3Created with Sketch.Condition: Repeated Episodes of Anxiety
Overall rating 3.0
EffectivenessEase of UseSatisfactionI started taking Prozac due to having severe anxiety. It helped for a year, the only side effect was constipation for days. It made me have no appetite and I ended up losing a lot of weight, around 50 Pounds in one year (note I was overweight when I began taking it.
) around a year and a half, I noticed it slowly stopped working. I was at the highest dosage at that point. I ended up stop taking it which made my anxiety even worse, so I began taking it again. I woke up nauseous and headaches, no appetite. Not the best antidepressant. It varies from person to person, but I did not have a good experience with it, Read More Read Less
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Fill 3Created with Sketch.Condition: Depression
Overall rating 4.7
EffectivenessEase of UseSatisfactionI am a mother of 2 and after I had my second child I had a very hard time I had very bad intrusive thoughts and anxiety and depression so bad I couldn’t even be alone with my kids or get out of the house .
I hate every single day I was so depressed I couldn’t get out of bed or do daily task. At first when my psychiatrist prescribed me Prozac I was not very confident I lost hope I was just done trying. I was on 20mg for 2 weeks seen no change then we went up to 40mg for 4 weeks and omg i am so glad I started this medication I feel stable now I can go out to stores and be able to be a mom to my babies. The depression and intrusive thoughts got better but there is still room for improvement so im not on 60mg . Im on day 5 and side effects were not the bad just a little insomnia. So please try this medication it might work for you and change your life . Please keep trying . I was diagnosed with ppd postpartum ocd , anxiety, depression, ptsd . Don’t give up !!??Read More Read Less
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Fill 3Created with Sketch.Condition: Depression
Overall rating 5.
0
Gained 50 pounds on Prozac. SAD and anxiety went threw the roof. Grandma was right. Drugs may treat a symptom, but the Amino Acid L-Tryptophan treated my whole system.
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Fill 3Created with Sketch.Condition: Depression
Overall rating 3.3
EffectivenessEase of UseSatisfactionI first went on prozac when I was 22. Worked good for a while. Stopped it. Went back on it when I was 40. It gave me panic attacks more than 10 a day. I was in a hospital then. I thought it was the environment making me have the panic attacks. Well when I got out. I was still having them.
Got a new Dr right away he took my off it. Gradually the panic attacks stopped. I won't take it again. Yet I wish I could because it did work for me really good.
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Fill 3Created with Sketch.Condition: Bipolar Depression
Overall rating 4.0
EffectivenessEase of UseSatisfactionI was put on Prozac because the Effexor I had been taking for about 5 years stopped working. Prozac has been a pretty good add on for my bipolar depression and I think it helps a lot. I have been on a fairly low dose because Prozac can possibly trigger mania. My depression had gotten bad one winter so we went up and a month or so later I had a manic episode so now we are going back down to the lowest dose I had been on.
I have no issues with it as long as I monitor my moods
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Fill 3Created with Sketch.Condition: Posttraumatic Stress Syndrome
Overall rating 2.3
EffectivenessEase of UseSatisfactionI suffer from panic disorder. Getting on this med was so rough. Such bad side effects. I have done 10mg 20mg 30mg and 40mg and honestly the drug isn’t worth it for panic at least. Yes it did stop the panic but I now feel lifeless and I am having intimacy issues.
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Fill 3Created with Sketch.Condition: Depression
Overall rating 4.
7
It took awhile for this to work and I was skeptical that it was working at all or even just making me worse. However, I stuck it out after being on a 10mg and upping to 20mg and after 6 weeks I feel like the change is night and day. I'm happy again for the first time in my life in at least a couple of decades.
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Fill 3Created with Sketch.Condition: Repeated Episodes of Anxiety
Overall rating 5.0
EffectivenessEase of UseSatisfactionI’m taking 20mg prozac and 150mg wellbutrin I have pmdd and severe social anxiety and panic attacks. It was impossible for me to make eye contact and I felt like I always looked weird when I walked or talked.
So I would barely speak or look at people. I felt like I was living in a very lonely world all on my own. Today marks two weeks that I’ve been taking prozac and I’m amazed at the difference. Like most other people said, it does make anxiety worse for around a week, give or take. Probably just the body and mind getting used to the change in chemicals. I now notice a huge difference in my anxiety and mood, and I feel like I finally have a chance to live a normal life and not feel like an alien. I was so stubborn and tried every natural way to “heal” myself, but that did nothing but give me healthier habits, which I’m still grateful for of course. I can make eye contact and talk now without thinking about it, and I don’t feel so crazy and weird anymore. Whoever made this drug saved my life, for real. I wish I would’ve taken it sooner but I’m glad I finally decided to take the chance. I hesitated before because I felt like taking this would be admitting that I’m “mentally ill” and less-than.
But that’s definitely not the case. Sometimes your brain doesn’t produce enough of what you need & it’s all good cause there’s things that can fix it. No one needs to know that you take meds Read More Read Less
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Fill 3Created with Sketch.Condition: Panic Disorder
Overall rating 5.0
EffectivenessEase of UseSatisfactionI started having anxiety when I was about 13, and panic attacks began when I was 15. When COVID hit when I was 16, the panic attacks worsened and became consistent. I would have panic attacks daily, sometimes more than twice a day, and the only days I did not have a panic attacks where the days before I had three-five panic attacks. It disrupted my life.
Depression became to creep in. At 17, my parents finally agreed to put me on meds, so I was prescribed Prozac. I was diagnosed with a panic disorder. Panic attacks worsened for the first few days. One sleepless night. By the next week and a few days I felt so much better. After almost a year, I went to college away from home, made a deans list first semester, got in a healthy relationship, and enjoyed my job. Never in my short time have ever been happier, and could imagine I could be so happy. Hold in there for a week or two, I promise you it WILL get better. I can count on one hand how many panic attacks I had since a year on the prescription. I used to have 5-10 panic attacks a week, now less than 5 a year. Please do it for your own sake. Read More Read Less
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Fill 3Created with Sketch.Condition: Depression
Overall rating 1.
7
My daughter was prescribed Prozac a week and a half ago and it made her feel much worse. So much so that she attempted suicide for the first time this past weekend. She’s a junior in college hours away from home so that makes it even harder. I’ve always heard bad things about Prozac and now my family has personally experienced its negative effects.
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Fill 3Created with Sketch.Condition: Depression
Overall rating 3.0
EffectivenessEase of UseSatisfactionThe medication did what I needed it to do but to an extreme. My relaxed attitude was multiplied x10, I couldn’t get upset at natural things to get upset about and to others I seemed like a “robot” or “zombie” at times.
I never wanted to lose my feelings and emotions I just wanted the bad ones out of my head. I stopped taking it after a month or so.
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Fill 3Created with Sketch.Condition: Panic Disorder
Overall rating 5.0
EffectivenessEase of UseSatisfactionProzac has been a literal life saver for me. I've dealt with anxiety and depression since I was a small child. In about 2000 I started having panic attacks and my doctor prescribed me Klonopin. It helped, of course, but I didn't like taking something I could become addicted to, so I stopped it in 2009. For a couple years everything was fine, but then the panic attacks came back even worse than before. I developed agoraphobia and by 2015 I was in a near constant state of panic and became suicidal.
Finally, I was able to make it to my doctor (the 20 minute drive was a sheer living hell). I broke down in his office and told him that I couldn't keep living like this. He prescribed me Prozac and BuSpar. I was skeptical of whether it would work or not, but I had to do something about my severe panic attacks. The BuSpar helped a bit while the Prozac took effect. I am now on 60mg per day of Prozac and 30mg per day of BuSpar and it has given me my life back. I still deal with low-grade anxiety, but the panic attacks are gone. I can shower and cook and drive without being thrown into panic. I know we all react differently to medications and our bodies are all different, but I'd recommend that anyone with severe panic attacks give it a go. As I said, Prozac has been quite literally a life saver for me, and I couldn't be happier with my results.Read More Read Less
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Condition: Major Depressive Disorder
Overall rating 4.7
EffectivenessEase of UseSatisfactionI was put on prozac at 20 mgs when i was in a psychiatric hospital, after leaving the following months were a bit wishy washy and the dose had to be heightened to 80mgs. I love being on this med, im on prozac with a combination of bupropion xr and it definitely has helped me function like a normal human being again
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Fill 3Created with Sketch.Condition: Depression
Overall rating 5.0
EffectivenessEase of UseSatisfactionI just started back on Prozac again for about 11 days now.
Very bad depression and anxiety my whole life. It just started working some but remember I was on 60 to 80 mg for years. I thought I was all better so I weaned down and off. Big mistake , after about 6 months off everything came crashing and felt worse than ever before. Please don't do that like I did. Hopeful now just in the waiting room waiting for 20 mg to kick in more, but better now but to early to get full effect.
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Fill 3Created with Sketch.Condition: Depression
Overall rating 5.0
EffectivenessEase of UseSatisfactionI take it for anxiety and depression. It stops anxiety cold in its tracks, depression symptoms are much better.
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Effectiveness, Ease of Use, and Satisfaction
Show ratings & reviews for
3.8 Overall Rating
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Most voted positive review
45 People found this comment helpful
I had made the decision to start taking fluoxetine 20 mg because my mood was really getting in to poor shape, and I was letting the stress I was under bury me.
I had no energy and was overeating, which made me gain weight, which in turn added to my poor mood, and low self confidence. I slept whenever I wasn't working, had a short fuse with my step daughter and fiance... Since the drug started taki...
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Most voted negative review
12 People found this comment helpful
I just started this drug an hour ago (20mg) and I noticed my jaws starting to hurt and a slight headache. I'm falling asleep reading the reviews. I was feeling fine just before taking the medication. I hope I sleep tonight. Is this just happening to me?
Shared reviews and ratings
SORT BYCondition: Anxiousness associated with Depression
Overall rating 4.7
EffectivenessEase of UseSatisfactionI was on 20mg for a long time and it worked amazing for my anxiety and depression.
I had little to no symptoms. However, it KILLED my sex drive to the point my marriage was not in a good place. I made the decision to move down to 10mg to see what would happen (as I don't want to go off them), and for me, it is a good balance. While some of my anxiety symptoms have come back, they are still better and I have my sex drive back! Worth it.
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Fill 3Created with Sketch.Condition: Panic Disorder
Overall rating 5.0
EffectivenessEase of UseSatisfactionI have been on fluxoetine for 3 years it's honestly saved my life I was in a very dark place and constantly anxious .. having multiple panic attacks a day it was a living hell.. I started of on a low dose of 10mg as I was terrified of the side effects .
.. I had previously tried a couple different AD but didn't get passed one day on them as the side effects where brutal.. fluxoetine side effects wernt as severe for me so I stuck with it and each day that passed I started getting back to my old self.. finally escaping the obsessive thoughts in my mind.. I went up to 20mg it was great but felt like there was more room for improvement so went upto 30mg .. have felt amazing but recently I had a relapse in my mental health due to a few different health problems and an absorbing problem due to other medications.. my doctor then upped my dose to 40mg .. side effects were bare able but I felt like nothing was happening I was back to the obsessive thoughts and panic attacks.. I'm now on day 12 of my increased dose and I'm starting to feel and notice a difference in myself thank god.. I woke up this morning and actually forgot all about panic and anxiety.. as the day goes on the thoughts slip into my mind but iam able to pass over them and not panic.
.. so far this increased dose has been great.. I will check in with my doctor again in a few weeks to see if they would like to keep me on this dose or bump me up a bit more... but anyone out there that is struggling.. everyday will get better just stick with it!! There really is light at the end of the tunnel!! It definitely takes at least 2 weeks to get Into your system.. keep a dairy of how u feel each day.. uve got this!Read More Read Less
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Fill 3Created with Sketch.Condition: Panic Disorder
Overall rating 5.0
EffectivenessEase of UseSatisfactionI was really nervous to start this medicine only because I had previously tooken Lexapro and it made my anxiety worse.
I have been diagnosed with generalized anxiety and panic disorder, FLOXUTINE GAVE ME MY LIFE BACK and I am forever greatful. I started on 10mg, The first week I had a mild headache and still experienced dizziness from my anxiety until I was able to be put on 20 mg. Now that I'm on 20 mg and have been for awhile I can definitely see a difference and I no longer experience dizziness. My tip for you is FIND A PHYACTRIST THAT LISTENS.. mine started me out on a low dose due to me being skeptical cause of Lexapro and I'm happy I waited it out and gave it a shot because I feel so much better. No more late night hospital trips Read More Read Less
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Fill 3Created with Sketch.Condition: Panic Disorder
Overall rating 4.7
EffectivenessEase of UseSatisfactioni started taking prozac 23 days ago.
.... and to be honest the first week was super hard, i suffered from nausea, dizziness, flu like symptoms and i wasn't able to get out of bed..... now after 23 days i can tell that i feel much better ..... this medication literally helped me get through my panic and anxiety disorder
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Fill 3Created with Sketch.Condition: Major Depressive Disorder
Overall rating 4.3
EffectivenessEase of UseSatisfactionSo far so good! I have been on it for 23 days. I am taking 40mg.
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Condition: Depression
Overall rating 1.0
EffectivenessEase of UseSatisfactionNOT FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE PANIC ATTACKS. I put my reason for taking this medication as depression but it was actually anxiety. I have medication anxiety in addition to a mild panic disorder (1-2 panic attacks a month) at the time, and i say at the time because taking this medication caused my mild panic disorder to become a full-blown panic disorder (3-4 panic attacks per week that were way more intense than before) after taking the first and only dose i ever took. in addition to my GAD & panic disorder, i have medication anxiety. i had tried lexapro before this medication & got just about every side effect possible after the first dose which made my medication anxiety worse. to deal with the anxiety of trying this medication for the first time, i got the smallest dose possible, and CUT IT IN HALF.
about 45 minutes after taking it i was hit with a sickening wave of anxiety that caused the longest lasting anxiety attack i’ve ever had, about 3 hours. i threw up multiple times and was completely unable to get food down. the anxiety exhausted me until i could nap and that would help to reset me for awhile, but eventually i would have another anxiety attack once i woke up. this went on for 3 days & i had extremely heightened anxiety for weeks afterward where i struggled to even go on car rides without having a panic attack (i found out later that fluoxetine can last up to a month in your system after you take it). i started to feel somewhat normal after that, but the damage on my psyche was done & i now understood i was not safe from these horrible anxiety attacks in my own room, hence now having a full-blown panic disorder. i definitely think that my existing anxiety enhanced the side effects of this medication, but the medication definitely played a significant part in it because im on a different medication now & didn’t have nearly the same effects despite having more anxiety about taking it.
i purposely avoided looking at side effects before i tried it to avoid my anxiety creating the side effects i read, but i did find out heightened anxiety is a side effect of this medication after recovering from trying it. so unbelievably not worth it if you are wanting something to help with panic attacks: talk to your doctor about buspirone or Buspar if you have medication anxiety & panic attacks, steer VERY clear of this horrible medication.Read More Read Less
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Fill 3Created with Sketch.Condition: Depression
Overall rating 2.3
EffectivenessEase of UseSatisfactionI took this for a few weeks about 20 years ago, and it was the worst experience in my life.
I was suffering with depression (still am), and was prescribed this drug to help. Within 2 weeks of taking it, it unlocked what I can best describe as a darker version of myself. Less caring, rough and menacing. I felt like I was watching myself do things that I couldn’t stop or control. One particular incident made me come off the tablets immediately because I did not like the person Fluoxetine had turned me into. It put me off trying other antidepressants for 20 years. (I have just started taking a different one) So while I am in the 45-54 bracket now, I was in the 19-24 bracket back then. Read More Read Less
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Fill 3Created with Sketch.Condition: Depression
Overall rating 2.0
EffectivenessEase of UseSatisfactionThanks for the suicide thoughts and voices in my head never will I ever touch fluoxitine ever
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Fill 3Created with Sketch.Condition: Depression
Overall rating 3.0
EffectivenessEase of UseSatisfactionI just started to take Prozac. The first 4 days I was sleepy and dizzy! On the fifth day I got indigestion and heart burn. I am sure it’s a side effect! Question is does it pass , or is it here to stay! I feel so sick on it! I’m willing to give it a try and stay longer, but I hope it will pass. I did not know it had to be taken at the same time everyday. Can anyone tell me if this has happened to them and does it pass !!
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Condition: Depression
Overall rating 5.0
EffectivenessEase of UseSatisfactionI have tried most antidepressants and others haven't agreed with me, only fluoxetine, the first week I felt a bit tired, but after that I had no negative symptoms what so ever , I never gained no weight, it really made me a calm person and feel like a normal person, I look forward to things now, I'm more confident since taking these. Only on 20mg aswell for now not upped it in the 2 years I've been taking them, which is good.
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Fill 3Created with Sketch.Condition: Depression
Overall rating 5.
0
I have anxiety, depression, and ocd and this medicine has made living so much easier I feel normal
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Fill 3Created with Sketch.Condition: Depression
Overall rating 5.0
EffectivenessEase of UseSatisfactionThese tablets changed my life. Before I was depressed, was in hospital, bad anxiety attacks, missing work, couldn’t laugh. tried sertraline no joy, citalopram, seroxat and nothing worked. These gave me a bad stomach for 3 days, after 1 month I noticed that my emotions were all still there, I’m exactly the same person but just…..have a buffer against panick and anxiety/low mood I used to experience, I no longer feel like I’m going to die every day, and when I get bad news it doesn’t floor me.
Im no longer irritable and I’m a lot more patient than I was before - highly recommend :) Read More Read Less
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Fill 3Created with Sketch.Condition: Posttraumatic Stress Syndrome
Overall rating 1.0
EffectivenessEase of UseSatisfactionI am just starting.. Although a little weary as I don't do anti deps. My main concern is weight gain.. Prescribed 29 mg one a day zydud flyoxetine? Feedback would be greatly appreciated
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Fill 3Created with Sketch.Condition: Repeated Episodes of Anxiety
Overall rating 5.
0
This is going to be a long post, but I really hope that anyone thinking about taking this medication who is scared to start will read it the whole way through. I am a therapist, and I have Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and some OCD tendencies, like listing, checking, and intense intrusive thoughts about harm, health, and safety. I have had anxiety since as early as I can remember but it wasn’t until my 20s that it really started to interfere with my life. Even as a therapist I had stigma about taking meds, and fears that it would dull my personality, or dull my creativity, or dull the positive emotions I feel. I was scared it would fundamentally change me and my sensitivities to life, which can be a source of pain but also a source of joy. I started on 10mg, and had a hard time for a month, I experienced insomnia, intense moments of anxiety, fogginess, fatigue, and mild dizziness.
Then I had a few great weeks on 10mg. I decided to up the dose to 20mg, and I actually experienced a hard time for about 5 weeks while I adjusted. I kept wanting to throw in the towel and go back to 10mg but something kept me waiting to see if things would feel better. During the five weeks adjusting to 20mg I experienced fogginess, fatigue, dizziness, mild disorientation, and anxiety. I really just didn’t feel like myself and it was scary and really hard. After 5 weeks everything changed. I now feel like I have been given a huge gift, kind of like I have been given a version of my life I didn’t know I could have. I can lay on the couch and feel safe in my body and safe in my mind instead of worrying what catastrophe could be lurking around the corner. I can go to sleep at night excited to sleep instead of fearing it will be an insomnia night. I can turn off the stove and check that it is off once instead of keeping going back to check over and over while my body gets all tight with anxiety.
I can hug my people and animals I love without immediately feeling a pang of anticipatory grief that one day I will lose them. I can lay on my deck and look at the sky and trees and feel the breeze on my face and feel grateful for my life, instead of immediately looking for a problem or thinking about a worst case scenario situation that could rob me of my happiness and contentment. I am someone who is deeply committed to doing my own inner work and I have worked for years and years on my head. I have journaled, I have become a therapist, I have been in therapy for years, I have learned to meditate, I have done anxiety workbooks, read self help books, learned about the mind body connection, learned how to really take care of myself from resting, to exercising, to learning yoga etc, taken courses on anxiety, and the list could go on and on. I didn’t want that to stop on Prozac, and that was one my fears about taking this medication. I did not want to completely lose the highs and lows of life, I wanted to keep doing my inner work, but I also did not want to have to work so hard just to function sometimes.
I can say now that Prozac does not diminish my inner work at all, instead it facilitates it. I still see my habitual response to a peaceful moment is to look for a problem, but now I have some distance on that pattern and I can see it without immediately getting lost in fear thoughts. The distance allows me to work with fear thoughts rather than just getting hooked. This medication allows me to notice when I am happy and safe, and trust those moments and enjoy them, without fear crashing in and ruining it. I have spent so much of my life thinking about darkness, pain, and fear. This medication has allowed me to notice peace, happiness, and contentment, and connect to the love in my life without the fear of loss ruining a moment. I still feel all the subtle changes in moods and emotions that I always did, but when it is around something irrational I can see what is happening in my mind and work with it, rather than getting swallRead More Read Less
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Fill 3Created with Sketch.Condition: Major Depressive Disorder
Overall rating 4.7
EffectivenessEase of UseSatisfactioni started this medication over a year ago (coming up two years) i recently had come off a drug that had not worked for me so i was referred to a psychiatrist after my gps recommendations were not working for me. I was being treated for PTSD, bulimia nervosa, anxiety and major depressive disorder. However as this SSRI took 3 weeks to a month to start fully working, it worked. I am much happier and it has stopped my negative thoughts. Although this drug has given me side effects such as weight loss, feeling numb, and very decreased sex drive. I am coming off SSRIs soon, but i will definitely say it saved my life.
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Fill 3Created with Sketch.Condition: Depression
Overall rating 5.0
EffectivenessEase of UseSatisfactionThis medication was a godsend for me. The only real side effects for me was that it somewhat blunted my emotions and it really lowered my sex drive, but other than that, it was great --no weight gain, no nausea, no dizziness, no anxiety, etc. Then after 3.5 years, it suddenly stopped working for me. Pretty upsetting for me.
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Fill 3Created with Sketch.Condition: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Overall rating 5.
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So when we were put into lockdown round 2 in England I was working on my own in the office, overtime, through breaks, hour train and back it was highly stressful especially at 20 and other factors in my personal life led to a massive mental breakdown. I had depression, ocd and anxiety in the past quite badly as a teen so I thought if I could get myself out of that I could get myself out of anything my brain challenged me to. Not the case. This time it hit me like a tonne of bricks. Overnight I went from a normal happy, all though stressed individual to an absolute wreck. I eat less then 100 calories a day on the days I could get something down. Physically shaking from the second I woke up to the second I went to sleep I was written out of work by my dr. On the days I didn’t have nightmares I’d wake up in the early morning heart racing body shaking and no matter what I tried it did not stop.
Meditation, herbal remedies, teas, video therapy…nothing. I was adamant I didn’t want to take any medication as all the times in the past I had got through it on my own and so I didn’t want to give in but after only a month of the same intrusive thoughts, racing heart, nausea that couldn’t be stopped I reluctantly gave in. Best decision I ever made I truly believe I would still be ill if I hadn’t taken anything. I remember going through this and other review websites for hours on end reading good reviews wishing this was all I needed. After 2 weeks I had seen a tiny amount of improvement however I had been told by family members who take this medication they felt much better after 2 weeks so I was at a point wondering if it would work. It does. after 2 weeks my heart wasn’t pounding out of my chest. After 4 the intrusive thoughts started to quieten and now I don’t hear them at all. I know you’re thinking 4 weeks! I can’t live like this for that long but you can and you will nothing lasts forever and this too shall pass!Read More Read Less
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Fill 3Created with Sketch.Condition: Major Depressive Disorder
Overall rating 4.3
EffectivenessEase of UseSatisfactionI began on fluoxetine again about a year ago (20mg) and that dosage was fabulous until about 4 weeks ago. I began to have some more intense depressive symptoms and asked my psychiatrist if it would be ok at up my dosage to get me over the hump. She approved 40mg; I chose to begin at 30mg. Didn't help much for the 2 weeks I used it. I just upped my dose to 40mg and am going to ride this out for a month or so to give it time to fully get into my system. I have a feeling that this might be my necessary dose for a while. I've gained about 15lbs from my lowest weight during COVID; still down about 40lbs total from my highest weight so that has been a good thing.
Will update in a few more weeks. Praying for really good results!Read More Read Less
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Fill 3Created with Sketch.Condition: Repeated Episodes of Anxiety
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EffectivenessEase of UseSatisfactionProzac (fluoxetine) is a wonder drug for me! It massively helped in treating my anxiety & panic attacks. I started taking 10 mg and was titrated up to 40 mg without any negative side effects. For the first time in my life, things feel more manageable, and I'm enjoying everyday activities. Hopefully, this review helps someone else out there.
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Fill 3Created with Sketch.Condition: Repeated Episodes of Anxiety
Overall rating 5.0
EffectivenessEase of UseSatisfactionProzac (fluoxetine) is a wonder drug for me! It massively helped in treating my anxiety & panic attacks. I started taking 10 mg and was titrated up to 40 mg without any negative side effects. For the first time in my life, things feel more manageable, and I'm enjoying everyday activities. Hopefully, this review helps someone else out there.
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do they help, treat or relieve symptoms, are they addictive, do they make you gain weight
Daniil Davydov
medical journalist
Author profile
human.
At the same time, the cures for this disease are surrounded by many myths. Antidepressants are accused of ineffectiveness and severe side effects, but often the problem is not with the drugs themselves, but with their misuse.
We collected 8 myths about antidepressants and found out how close they are to the truth.
Go see a doctor
Our articles are written with love for evidence-based medicine. We refer to authoritative sources and go to doctors with a good reputation for comments.
But remember: the responsibility for your health lies with you and your doctor. We don't write prescriptions, we make recommendations. Relying on our point of view or not is up to you.
Myth 1
Antidepressants almost never helpMost likely, this myth arose due to the fact that antidepressants do not work in all patients - so even some doctors and scientists doubt their effectiveness. However, antidepressants cannot be called ineffective, there are just important nuances in the use of these drugs.
Antidepressants are a class of drugs that normalize the level of neurotransmitters, that is, chemicals that help nerve cells in the brain exchange information.
What are Antidepressants - International Drug Database RxLis
What Medications Help Clinical Depression in Adults - International Primer for Physicians UpToDate
How Antidepressants Help Pain - Mayo Clinic Bulletin
All Antidepressants Used to Treat Depression in Adults , work - The Lancet
Who Antidepressants Help and Who Don't - Clinical Guidelines for British PhysiciansPDF, 141 KB
These medicines help people whose problems are due to a deficiency or excess of neurotransmitters.
Antidepressants reduce symptoms of depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and bipolar affective disorder.
There is evidence that antidepressants are effective for chronic pain. Antidepressants increase the amount of neurotransmitters in the spinal cord, which reduces pain signals.
Most specialists have no doubts that antidepressants work. For example, according to the British Royal College of Psychiatry, 50-65% of people with depression who take antidepressants feel better - compared with 25-30% of those who take a placebo.
However, there are situations where the benefit of antidepressants is questionable. For example, antidepressants are good for treating moderate to severe depression, but do not work well for people with mild depression - psychotherapy is more suitable for them.
And there are situations when these medicines were prescribed by mistake. Then antidepressants really won't help.
When antidepressants don't help
Sergey Divisenko
psychotherapist
There are three cases when antidepressants most often cause problems.
The antidepressant didn't work because the doctor prescribed the wrong dose. Minimum doses of these drugs do not help in half of the cases. Then competent doctors increase the doses to those recommended in clinical guidelines, while illiterate ones refuse them.
Sometimes, in order for antidepressants to work, they need to be augmented—i.e., enhanced—with other classes of drugs. For example, second-generation antipsychotics, or normothymics, that is, drugs that stabilize mood. If this is not done, the person taking antidepressants will not feel relief.
The antidepressant didn't work because the doctor misdiagnosed and was trying to treat a condition that these drugs don't work for. To help a person, one had to either use other drugs or use non-drug methods of treatment: for example, psychotherapy, transcranial stimulation, or electroconvulsive therapy.
For example, in bipolar disorder, symptoms can be very similar to depression or anxiety. But with bipolar disorder, antidepressants help only if they are used together with other drugs - mood stabilizers. By themselves, they will either work for a short time, or they will not work, or they can cause a phase inversion - that is, a person will switch from a depressive phase to a manic one.
The patient was not helped by a particular antidepressant, but another might. Antidepressants differ in the principle of action - on this basis they are divided into classes. It happens that one antidepressant does not work, but another from the same or another class helps. If the treatment does not work, you should not stop drug therapy, but continue to look for a drug that will help this particular patient.
Myth 2
Antidepressants only relieve symptoms, but do not eliminate the cause of the disorder In most cases, this is not a myth. However, in some situations, antidepressants act on the cause of the disorder.
Depression is a heterogeneous disease. Experts identify a different number of subtypes of depression - from 4 to 12. But for our purposes, depression can be divided into two large subtypes.
American Criteria for Depressive Disorders - A Handbook for Psychiatrists DSM-5PDF, 32 MB
Understanding Depression - An International Primer for Physicians UpToDate
associated with depression. Disorders that can be attributed to this group are more common.
If these causes affect a person long enough and he does not understand how to deal with them, depression may develop. In this situation, antidepressants act as drugs that alleviate the symptoms of the disease. To influence the cause of the problem, psychotherapy is needed.
Depression provoked by internal causes. Approximately 7% of people with depression have the right way of thinking, no internal conflicts and injuries, and no serious illnesses. In this situation, the cause of depression is the lack of neurotransmitters: serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine in the synapses of brain nerve cells.
In such people, the antidepressant acts precisely on the cause of the disease, that is, it corrects the production of serotonin in neuronal synapses.
Myth 3
As soon as it gets better, you can stop taking the antidepressantThis is also not entirely a myth - it would be more correct to call it a belief that is true only for some, but not for all patients with depression.
It is generally advised to continue taking antidepressants for at least six months after remission. If the duration of the disease is short, that is, the person was ill for about two weeks, then for the onset of remission, one or two months usually need to take medication. If the duration of the disease is long, from several months or years, then more time is required for the onset of remission. It’s impossible to say exactly how much: different people with depression have different recovery times.
Some people have recurrent depression. In this case, the period during which you need to take the medicine depends on how many bouts of depression have already been during your life.
If more than three, it is recommended to take antidepressants for several years or for life.
Myth 4
Antidepressants cause addictionPerhaps the roots of this myth are that some people need to take depression medication for life. And at the beginning of treatment, some patients have to increase the dose. But in fact, antidepressants do not cause either true physical or drug dependence.
True physical dependence on a drug is a situation where a person becomes so addicted to a drug that when it is withdrawn, the symptoms of the disease sharply increase. People who are dependent on the drug have to increase the dosage, otherwise the drug stops helping.
What is True Drug Addiction—Bulletin of the National Institute for the Study of Drug AbusePDF, 7 MB
What is Drug Addiction—Bulletin of the American Psychiatric Association
Drug dependence may include physical dependence on a drug. But this addiction has a unique feature. Dependence can also develop in a healthy person who used the drug not to recover, but to enjoy it.
But when he tries to quit the drug, he still experiences physical suffering, which is called the withdrawal syndrome. As a result, a person is forced to look for a new dose of a drug.
Although a person who takes antidepressants to treat depression gets better, the drugs themselves are neither pleasurable nor addictive. Taking them as drugs is useless.
Of all the drugs that are used in psychiatry, true physical dependence can only be caused by psychostimulants that activate mental activity and anti-anxiety, that is, benzodiazepine tranquilizers. Antidepressants are not included in this list, because there is no need to increase the dosage of correctly selected drugs from this group.
However, some people who stop taking antidepressants early sometimes experience withdrawal symptoms such as nausea, hand tremors, and some feel “shocks” in the head, similar to the sensations of an electric shock. Depressive symptoms return to patients who need to take the medicine for a very long time.
Antidepressants are sometimes abused, but they cannot cause addiction - Journal of Modern Psychiatry
To avoid unpleasant consequences, stop taking antidepressants only if the attending physician says that they are no longer needed. But even in this situation, it is necessary to cancel antidepressants slowly, that is, gradually reducing the dose. This will help avoid unpleasant side effects.
Myth 5
A person on antidepressants becomes lethargic and loses interest in lifeThis popular myth is based on real but outdated data.
These mental changes are seen in patients taking first-generation tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline. It has a sedative, that is, a sedative effect. A person who takes high doses of amitriptyline can indeed become sleepy and indifferent to the outside world.
Amitriptyline - Sedative - Drugs.com International Drug Database
SSRIs do not sedate - Drugs.com International Drug Database
Current second-generation antidepressants that are recommended to start treatment with, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs almost never cause drowsiness and apathy.
On the contrary, in most people with depression they return interest in life.
Sometimes SSRIs do cause drowsiness, but this has not yet been proven
Sergey Divisenko
psychotherapist
It is believed that in rare cases, modern antidepressants can provoke SSRI-induced apathy. But this condition is extremely rare.
And even then psychiatrists still doubt that the cause is precisely in the drugs, and not in the patient's condition. After all, some people during the time of taking antidepressants may develop other adverse mental states in which apathy occurs: for example, schizotypal disorder, which was not noticed before.
Myth 6
Antidepressants have many side effectsThis is partly true: both SSRIs and antidepressants from other groups have side effects. But it is quite possible to deal with them.
At the beginning of treatment, when people first start taking antidepressants, many complain of increased anxiety, dry mouth, nausea, and trouble sleeping. But after a few days or weeks after the start of the course of treatment, these symptoms usually disappear. If the side effects do not stop, it makes sense to consult a doctor - he will replace the antidepressant.
Dealing with antidepressant side effects - advice from the Mayo Clinic staff
Here's what to do before the side effects go away:
- take your antidepressant with meals, unless the instructions say otherwise, so the antidepressant will be less annoying stomach;
- put a bottle of clean water on the desktop - if your mouth is dry, you can take a sip. Unsweetened lollipops and chewing gum also help with dry mouth;
- take a walk for at least half an hour before going to bed to make it easier to fall asleep. If you can’t sleep at all, you can ask your doctor to pick up sleeping pills.
The second most common side effect is an increase in anxiety at the beginning of antidepressant use. To avoid this problem, psychiatrists resort to two effective methods:
- titrate the dose - that is, start with the minimum dose of the antidepressant and then gradually increase it;
- at the beginning of the reception, sedatives - tranquilizers are prescribed together with the antidepressant.
The third common side effect of SSRIs, especially sertraline, known as Zoloft, and escitalopram, better known as Cipralex, is decreased libido. Approximately 20-30% of people taking antidepressants from this group experience a decrease in sexual desire to one degree or another. At the same time, it is difficult to say how much the drugs are to blame, because approximately 35-50% of people with depression have already experienced sexual dysfunction.
Many people with depression experience sexual dysfunction before starting antidepressants - Harvard Medical School Bulletin
Switching to another antidepressant usually helps, but many people prefer to wait until the medication can be stopped. In some cases, psychiatrists prescribe antidepressants from other groups in addition to the libido-lowering antidepressant. Sometimes it helps to regain interest in sex.
Myth 7
Weight gain due to antidepressants This is not a myth, but a half-truth. There are both antidepressants that contribute to weight gain, and those that do not have a similar effect.
The most common complaint about weight gain during treatment is people taking the tetracyclic antidepressant mirtazapine, which actually increases appetite. Another weight gaining antidepressant is paroxetine, better known by the trade name Paxil. But "Zoloft" and "Cipralex" do not contribute to weight gain.
If a patient feels that an antidepressant is causing them to overeat, it is wise to consult a doctor and discuss a change of drug.
Myth 8
Antidepressants are expensiveTrue, but not for all patients. Most people can cure depression and not go broke.
Antidepressants from different groups vary greatly in price. There are both very expensive drugs and relatively low-cost drugs among them. At the same time, both of them work equally well. However, there are situations when a cheap antidepressant cannot be dispensed with.
On the left - inexpensive "Zoloft" for 327 R, a drug based on sertraline, on the right - the most expensive antidepressant "Ixel" based on milnacipran for 2453 R For example, there is a good antidepressant venlafaxine. The maximum dose of venlafaxine can reach up to 375 mg per day. If these are inexpensive tablets of a domestic manufacturer, then a course of treatment for a month costs about 2000 R. But sometimes inexpensive tablets are not very well tolerated: they cause headache, nausea, sweating, tachycardia, that is, rapid heartbeat. In such cases, you need to switch to a prolonged form of venlafaxine - "Venlafaxine Retard", or "Velaxin XR". But this drug is more expensive: a course of treatment will cost about 5000 R per month.
The cost of a course of treatment with another good drug, Ixel, based on milnacipran, which is tolerated with minimal side effects, can reach up to 12,500 R. But, unfortunately, there is nothing to replace it, because this medicine does not yet have generics.
For comparison: on the left is a drug based on venlafaxine with immediate release for 443 R, on the right - with a delayed release in the same dosage for 1756 R. The price varies very much| 💊 Ingredients of Prozac ® ✅ Use of Prozac ® Save Search for analogues Interaction Description of the active ingredients of the preparation Prozac ® (Prozac ® ) The scientific information provided is general and cannot be used to make decisions. Renewal date: 2020.06.09 Marketing authorization holder:ELI LILLY VOSTOK, S.A. (Switzerland)
Made:PATHEON FRANCE, S.A.S. (France) ATX code: N06AB03 (Fluoxetine) Active substance: fluoxetine (fluoxetine) Rec.INN WHO registered Dosage form
Release form, packaging and composition Prozac®Capsules hard gelatin capsules, size #3, opaque, green/cream, imprinted with the "LILLY" logo and the identification code "3105"; the contents of the capsules are white powder.0003
Excipients : starch, dimethicone. Composition of the capsule shell: patented blue dye (patent blue V dye), yellow iron oxide dye, titanium dioxide, gelatin, food ink (for identification printing). 14 pcs. - blisters (1) - packs of cardboard. Clinical and pharmacological group: Antidepressant Pharmacotherapeutic group: Antidepressant Pharmacological actionAntidepressant, propylamine derivative. The mechanism of action is associated with selective blockade of neuronal reuptake of serotonin in the CNS. Fluoxetine is a weak antagonist of cholino-, adreno- and histamine receptors. Unlike most antidepressants, fluoxetine does not appear to cause a decrease in the functional activity of postsynaptic β-adrenergic receptors. Helps improve mood, reduces feelings of fear and tension, eliminates dysphoria. Does not cause sedation. When taken in average therapeutic doses, it practically does not affect the functions of the cardiovascular and other systems. Pharmacokinetics Absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. Weakly metabolized during the "first pass" through the liver. T 1/2 fluoxetine is 2-3 days, norfluoxetine is 7-9 days. Excreted by the kidneys 80% and through the intestines - about 15%. Indications of the active substances of the drug Prozac®Depression of various origins, obsessive-compulsive disorders, bulimic neurosis. Open list of ICD-10 codes
Dosing regimenThe route of administration and dosing regimen of a particular drug depends on its form of release and other factors. The optimal dosage regimen is determined by the doctor. Compliance of the dosage form of a particular drug with indications for use and dosing regimen should be strictly observed. Initial dose - 20 mg 1 time / day in the morning; if necessary, the dose can be increased after 3-4 weeks. The frequency of admission is 2-3 times / day. The maximum daily oral dose of for adults is 80 mg. Side effects From the side of the central nervous system: anxiety, tremor, nervousness, drowsiness, headache, sleep disturbances are possible. From the digestive system: possible diarrhea, nausea. From the side of metabolism: may increase sweating, hypoglycemia, hyponatremia (especially in elderly patients and with hypovolemia). From the reproductive system: decreased libido. Allergic reactions: possible skin rash, itching. Other: joint and muscle pain, shortness of breath, fever. Contraindications for useGlaucoma, bladder atony, severe renal dysfunction, benign prostatic hyperplasia, simultaneous administration of MAO inhibitors, convulsive syndrome of various origins, epilepsy, pregnancy, lactation, hypersensitivity to fluoxetine. Use in pregnancy and lactationContraindicated in pregnancy and lactation. Use in hepatic impairmentUse with extreme caution in patients with hepatic impairment. Use in impaired renal function Contraindicated in severe renal impairment. Use in childrenThe safety of fluoxetine in children has not been established. Use in elderly patientsElderly patients require dosage adjustment. Special instructionsUse with extreme caution in patients with impaired liver and kidney function, with a history of epileptic seizures, cardiovascular diseases. In patients with diabetes mellitus, changes in blood glucose levels are possible, which requires correction of the dosing regimen of hypoglycemic drugs. When used in debilitated patients while taking fluoxetine, the likelihood of developing epileptic seizures increases. With the simultaneous use of fluoxetine and electroconvulsive therapy, prolonged epileptic seizures may develop. Fluoxetine can be used no earlier than 14 days after discontinuation of MAO inhibitors. The period after the abolition of fluoxetine before the start of therapy with MAO inhibitors should be at least 5 weeks. Elderly patients require dosage adjustment. The safety of fluoxetine in children has not been established. Do not drink alcohol during treatment. Influence on the ability to drive vehicles and mechanisms During the period of treatment, one should refrain from potentially hazardous activities that require increased attention and rapid psychomotor reactions. Drug interactionsWhen used simultaneously with drugs that have a depressant effect on the central nervous system, with ethanol, a significant increase in the inhibitory effect on the central nervous system, as well as an increase in the likelihood of convulsions, is possible. With simultaneous use with MAO inhibitors, furazolidone, procarbazine, tryptophan, serotonin syndrome may develop (confusion, hypomania, restlessness, agitation, convulsions, dysarthria, hypertensive crisis, chills, tremor, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea). With simultaneous use, fluoxetine inhibits the metabolism of tricyclic and tetracyclic antidepressants, trazodone, carbamazepine, diazepam, metoprolol, terfenadine, phenytoin, which leads to an increase in their concentration in blood serum, an increase in their therapeutic and side effects. With simultaneous use, inhibition of the biotransformation of drugs metabolized with the participation of the CYP2D6 isoenzyme is possible. When used simultaneously with hypoglycemic agents, their action may be enhanced. There have been reports of increased effects of warfarin when co-administered with fluoxetine. With simultaneous use with haloperidol, fluphenazine, maprotiline, metoclopramide, perphenazine, periciazine, pimozide, risperidone, sulpiride, trifluoperazine, cases of extrapyramidal symptoms and dystonia have been described; with dextromethorphan - a case of the development of hallucinations is described; with digoxin - a case of increasing the concentration of digoxin in the blood plasma. When used simultaneously with lithium salts, an increase or decrease in the concentration of lithium in the blood plasma is possible. With simultaneous use, an increase in the concentration of imipramine or desipramine in the blood plasma by 2-10 times is possible (may persist for 3 weeks after fluoxetine is discontinued).    Copyright © · The Wright Initiative · Articles · Site Map 
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