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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by sl on July 7, 2001, at 19:47:39
So, I went in and the stranger-doctor decided I should take Prozac with my Nortriptyline even tho Prozac alone did nothing but sedate me. And one week (to the day!) from the time I went up to 20mg of Prozac, I started feeling like I'm dosing with Benadryl instead of Prozac. That first day was the worst, I could have slept all day. It's slightly better, but I'm still drained and have no energy. BUT my awful afternoons aren't so bad anymore, I'm not miserable afternoons anymore.
So what do I do? It's weird it took this long to start sedating me, and I wonder if I should have stayed at 10mg, or if the sedation will keep getting better til it's gone altogether....?As always, input is welcome...
sl
Posted by SalArmy4me on July 7, 2001, at 19:57:10
In reply to Prozac AKA Benadryl???, posted by sl on July 7, 2001, at 19:47:39
Eventually you will develop a tolerance to the Prozac such that you won't feel tired with it anymore. In the worst-case scenario, you would have to have a stimulating drug like Buproprion or modafinil prescribed for you in order to wake up. For now, you may drink coffee to wake you up in the morning--there's nothing inherently wrong with that...
Posted by Sharon Renee on July 14, 2001, at 11:23:29
In reply to Re: Prozac AKA Benadryl??? » sl, posted by SalArmy4me on July 7, 2001, at 19:57:10
> Eventually you will develop a tolerance to the Prozac such that you won't feel tired with it anymore. In the worst-case scenario, you would have to have a stimulating drug like Buproprion or modafinil prescribed for you in order to wake up. For now, you may drink coffee to wake you up in the morning--there's nothing inherently wrong with that...
It seems that if it is making you tired then it is not the right medicine for you. I took prozac and
I felt more awake and alive than ever. They started me on something
else and I could hardly keep my eyes open. It may be that you're chemistry just doesn't respond to the prozac.
Posted by Zo on July 14, 2001, at 16:55:14
In reply to Re: Prozac AKA Benadryl??? » sl, posted by SalArmy4me on July 7, 2001, at 19:57:10
Or not. For me, there's a certain kind of genuine fatigue - as opposed to sedation side effect - that is a perfectly reliable indication, this med isn't for me. A while back, I wasted 3 months of my life waiting for the Serzone fatigue to lift - it never did - and now I need only a few days, a week at most, to know, for example, that Geodon and Risperdol were *not* for me. Pdoc agrees. . .never argues for my giving a longer trial to meds that badly exacerbate fatigue.
Zo
> Eventually you will develop a tolerance to the Prozac such that you won't feel tired with it anymore. In the worst-case scenario, you would have to have a stimulating drug like Buproprion or modafinil prescribed for you in order to wake up. For now, you may drink coffee to wake you up in the morning--there's nothing inherently wrong with that...
Posted by Elizabeth on July 15, 2001, at 16:48:32
In reply to Re: Prozac AKA Benadryl???, posted by Sharon Renee on July 14, 2001, at 11:23:29
> It seems that if it is making you tired then it is not the right medicine for you. I took prozac and
> I felt more awake and alive than ever. They started me on something
> else and I could hardly keep my eyes open. It may be that you're chemistry just doesn't respond to the prozac.How come you changed to something else? It sounds like the Prozac was doing you good.
I've read speculation that people who get tired on Prozac might be metabolising it either too rapidly (so the fatigue would be caused by the active metabolite norfluoxetine) or too slowly (in which case the tiredness would be the result of too high a ratio of fluoxetine to norfluoxetine, the assumption being that fluoxetine is causing the drowsiness). I don't know if anyone has investigated this further.
-elizabeth
Posted by Sharon Renee on July 16, 2001, at 22:00:20
In reply to Re: Prozac » Sharon Renee, posted by Elizabeth on July 15, 2001, at 16:48:32
> > It seems that if it is making you tired then it is not the right medicine for you. I took prozac and
> > I felt more awake and alive than ever. They started me on something
> > else and I could hardly keep my eyes open. It may be that you're chemistry just doesn't respond to the prozac.
>
> How come you changed to something else? It sounds like the Prozac was doing you good.
> Elizabeth,
I was unclear. When they started me on anti-depressants, before prozac, they put me on something that made me sleepy.
Prozac was great...for awhile. I am now in the process of withdrawel. I'm hoping this dizziness and the eye soreness goes away.
I also sincerely hope that I have not been permanently damaged from it. I've been off for about a month and a half now and I still feel like I'm living on the
tilt-a-whirl. I am not depressed. I have developed the necessary skills to cope with
anxiety provoking situations. The dizziness I am experiencing now seems to be purely physiological. If you have any information on these symptoms
it would be much appreciated.
Sincerely,
Sharon
> I've read speculation that people who get tired on Prozac might be metabolising it either too rapidly (so the fatigue would be caused by the active metabolite norfluoxetine) or too slowly (in which case the tiredness would be the result of too high a ratio of fluoxetine to norfluoxetine, the assumption being that fluoxetine is causing the drowsiness). I don't know if anyone has investigated this further.
>
> -elizabeth
Posted by Elizabeth on July 18, 2001, at 0:38:11
In reply to Re: Prozac, posted by Sharon Renee on July 16, 2001, at 22:00:20
I think that some people have had success using Benadryl or Dramamine for SSRI withdrawal symptoms. It's unusual for someone to have a hard time going off Prozac, though.
Can you say more about the eye soreness you mentioned? Just curious.
-elizabeth
Posted by Sharon Renee on July 19, 2001, at 16:08:39
In reply to Re: Prozac » Sharon Renee, posted by Elizabeth on July 18, 2001, at 0:38:11
Elizabeth,
Thanks for getting back to me. It feels as though I have an inner ear infection and my balance is completely off.
I have had pressure behind my eyes almost like a dull ache. The floaty feeling is really troublesome and keeps me from doing some things I would normally do.
I can't focus as well. This concerns me because I am about to re-enter school in the Fall. At times it feels as if I have the flu and my energy is low. The dizziness is what concerns me most.
Thank you again for responding.
Sincerely,
SharonI think that some people have had success using Benadryl or Dramamine for SSRI withdrawal symptoms. It's unusual for someone to have a hard time going off Prozac, though.
>
> Can you say more about the eye soreness you mentioned? Just curious.
>
> -elizabeth
Posted by Elizabeth on July 19, 2001, at 23:02:37
In reply to Re: Prozac, posted by Sharon Renee on July 19, 2001, at 16:08:39
> It feels as though I have an inner ear infection and my balance is completely off.
That sounds like something that might be helped by antihistamines. I'd try Benadryl or Dramamine. I'm not sure what to make of your other symptoms, but antihistamines might help with them too.
Hopefully, this will have passed by the time you return to school. If not, you might want to consider going back on Prozac at a lower dose.
-elizabeth
Posted by Sharon Renee on July 20, 2001, at 19:26:59
In reply to Re: Prozac » Sharon Renee, posted by Elizabeth on July 19, 2001, at 23:02:37
> > Thank You Elizabeth.
It feels as though I have an inner ear infection and my balance is completely off.
>
> That sounds like something that might be helped by antihistamines. I'd try Benadryl or Dramamine. I'm not sure what to make of your other symptoms, but antihistamines might help with them too.
>
> Hopefully, this will have passed by the time you return to school. If not, you might want to consider going back on Prozac at a lower dose.
>
> -elizabeth
Posted by Elizabeth on July 21, 2001, at 22:16:02
In reply to Re: Prozac, posted by Sharon Renee on July 20, 2001, at 19:26:59
> It feels as though I have an inner ear infection and my balance is completely off.
Huh. Well, antihistamines are supposed to help with vertigo. That's the way I would go. Have you talked to a doctor about this? They might know some tricks.
-elizabeth
This is the end of the thread.
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