![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 12 of 12. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by g_g_g_unit on February 7, 2010, at 23:15:32
hi, sorry to be a pain and start another thread, but i'm trying my best to stabilize on an AD before i head overseas in 6 weeks.
so far prozac (been taking 10mg for a week) is causing some akathisia. it's nothing as bad as i had on low-dose Seroquel (felt like i was trying to claw my way out my own skin), but it's there, and makes activities requiring prolonged concentration difficult.
i was guessing that side-effects might be more intense at first, until blood levels of the drug normalize, so was just wondering if it's worth sticking out the akathisia, or if i should make a switch now? is it usually transient? thanks
Posted by Phillipa on February 8, 2010, at 0:19:36
In reply to prozac - akathisia, posted by g_g_g_unit on February 7, 2010, at 23:15:32
In my opinion only I would get off it. If your depression isn't bad. Phillipa
Posted by Phillipa on February 8, 2010, at 0:28:31
In reply to prozac - akathisia, posted by g_g_g_unit on February 7, 2010, at 23:15:32
I just google akathesia. Seriously do the same didn't want to post the links here. Phillipa
Posted by g_g_g_unit on February 9, 2010, at 2:50:50
In reply to prozac - akathisia, posted by g_g_g_unit on February 7, 2010, at 23:15:32
well, a lot of people complain about start-up anxiety and restlessness on SSRI's so i was wondering if it might just be unrecognised akathisia, and therefore something worth sticking out. it's definitely milder than on Seroquel, etc. though unpleasant nonetheless. i mean i've even had some days where i felt a little hypomanic, so it seems like it's really hard to distinguish what's happening
my pdoc was meant to call and check up on me today but didn't for some reason, so i'm still curious
Posted by conundrum on February 9, 2010, at 7:41:31
In reply to Re: prozac - akathisia, posted by g_g_g_unit on February 9, 2010, at 2:50:50
Weird i recently just started prozac again and its making me very tired. This is a low dose 5mg every other day.
Remember that the side effects often fade after a couple of weeks. Maybe even longer with prozac cuz it takes awhile to get to a steady state.
Posted by janejane on February 9, 2010, at 7:57:52
In reply to Re: prozac - akathisia » g_g_g_unit, posted by conundrum on February 9, 2010, at 7:41:31
> Weird i recently just started prozac again and its making me very tired. This is a low dose 5mg every other day.
>
> Remember that the side effects often fade after a couple of weeks. Maybe even longer with prozac cuz it takes awhile to get to a steady state.I also recently restarted at 10 mg/day. No AD effect yet, but I've got early morning wakening (been getting less than 6 hours most nights) and have been more tired during the day. I didn't want to take less because of that thread stating that serotonin doesn't kick in below 5 mg. (Are you taking it to boost serotonin?) When I took 20 mg before (along with 150-300 mg wellbutrin xl), the insomnia and daytime sleepiness was worse (also developed apathy), which is why I'm trying a lower dose now. I hope 10 mg isn't too low for an AD effect for me since it doesn't seem to be kicking in. (Of course, it may just no longer be effective for me at any dose.) I'm going to give it a couple more weeks, so far it's been only 2. I'm pretty sure when I first tried it I felt something sooner than this, though.
Posted by conundrum on February 9, 2010, at 8:05:00
In reply to low dose prozac » conundrum, posted by janejane on February 9, 2010, at 7:57:52
I'm not taking if for the serotonin. I'm trying to increase catecholamines via 5-HT2C antagonism. So far don't feel much, but I seemed to feel more motivated when i tried this before. I also take 10 mgs buspar per day, but i can't remember if i was taking 10mgs or 15mgs buspar when it seemed to be helping before. If i take 5mgs of prozac I feel totally flat.
Posted by g_g_g_unit on February 9, 2010, at 15:47:40
In reply to low dose prozac » conundrum, posted by janejane on February 9, 2010, at 7:57:52
i'm a prozac (and SSRI) virgin - i've never stayed on one longer than the allotted 8 weeks, so i guess that might explain my vagrant reaction.
for the first couple of days i saw a glimpse of what a therapeutic effect might feel like: it was soft, soothing and motivating at the same time. it felt nice.
but since then i've just experienced this constant internal anxiety, agitation and physical restlessness. i'll give it a couple more weeks at 20mg anyhow.
Posted by conundrum on February 9, 2010, at 18:30:54
In reply to Re: low dose prozac, posted by g_g_g_unit on February 9, 2010, at 15:47:40
I would think you'd notice something before 8 weeks anyway.
Posted by Phillipa on February 9, 2010, at 20:17:34
In reply to Re: low dose prozac » g_g_g_unit, posted by conundrum on February 9, 2010, at 18:30:54
Me also as noticed first day. In me it caused horrible panic after three days. Phillipa some do get tired also strange?
Posted by conundrum on March 5, 2010, at 23:44:35
In reply to Re: low dose prozac, posted by Phillipa on February 9, 2010, at 20:17:34
For those of you not following this thread, I have been taking low dose prozac for a stimulant effect. Basically Prozac is considered the most stimulating SSRI because it is a 5 HT2C antagonist. At moderate-high doses it strongly blocks the reuptake of serotonin. HOwever at low doses it mainly acts to release Dopamine and Norepinephrine via 5 HT2C antagonism. I have been taking a low dose of an 8th of a 10 mg pill every other day to achieve this effect.
2.5 mg of prozac every other day feels way different than taking 5mg everyother day. It is like taking 1.25 mg per day.
For one thing there is no serotonergic feeling. Generally an SSRI will make me somewhat tired in the afternoon and kinda lightheaded. Also I don't have headaches that SSRIs often give me and I'm not rushing to the bathroom after breakfast. Its almost like I'm not taking anything. The only exception is some slight anxiety or agitation. The other day I felt like I was on ritalin, which didn't feel particularly good, kinda weird, stiff feeling. But even this was slight and could have been due to some situational factors.
However I don't feel any of the improvement in motivation I felt taking 5mg every other day which is like taking 2.5 mg a day. At 2.5 I can feel the serotonin via the symptoms listed above. I guess this means I need serotonin unlike what I had thought in the past. Maybe there is some NE coming into effect too since I'm taking buspar 5 mg bid(pretty low dose though), but i think the main positive effect is serotonergic. Who would have thunk it? Serotonin can help with motivation. If I increase to 5 mg everyday, it causes blunting of emotions and motivation though.
I guess I don't need dopamine. In the past I have tried ritalin, wellbutrin, NADH, caffeine, L-Tyrosine(w/B6 & VitC) on an empty stomach, and mucana puriens, and they didn't do anything at all for my mood, motivation, or anything.
I'm gonna wait a couple of days with this low dose since I said to myself I'd try it for 6 weeks. Maybe I'll just wait 5 weeks to see if there is any benefit. I know I felt a benefit by 5 weeks with the slightly higher dose of prozac.
Posted by Franz on July 7, 2014, at 8:13:20
In reply to Re: low dose prozac - my experience thus far, posted by conundrum on March 5, 2010, at 23:44:35
> For those of you not following this thread, I have been taking low dose prozac for a stimulant effect. Basically Prozac is considered the most stimulating SSRI because it is a 5 HT2C antagonist. At moderate-high doses it strongly blocks the reuptake of serotonin. HOwever at low doses it mainly acts to release Dopamine and Norepinephrine via 5 HT2C antagonism. I have been taking a low dose of an 8th of a 10 mg pill every other day to achieve this effect.
>
> 2.5 mg of prozac every other day feels way different than taking 5mg everyother day. It is like taking 1.25 mg per day.
>
> For one thing there is no serotonergic feeling. Generally an SSRI will make me somewhat tired in the afternoon and kinda lightheaded. Also I don't have headaches that SSRIs often give me and I'm not rushing to the bathroom after breakfast. Its almost like I'm not taking anything. The only exception is some slight anxiety or agitation. The other day I felt like I was on ritalin, which didn't feel particularly good, kinda weird, stiff feeling. But even this was slight and could have been due to some situational factors.
>
> However I don't feel any of the improvement in motivation I felt taking 5mg every other day which is like taking 2.5 mg a day. At 2.5 I can feel the serotonin via the symptoms listed above. I guess this means I need serotonin unlike what I had thought in the past. Maybe there is some NE coming into effect too since I'm taking buspar 5 mg bid(pretty low dose though), but i think the main positive effect is serotonergic. Who would have thunk it? Serotonin can help with motivation. If I increase to 5 mg everyday, it causes blunting of emotions and motivation though.
>
> I guess I don't need dopamine. In the past I have tried ritalin, wellbutrin, NADH, caffeine, L-Tyrosine(w/B6 & VitC) on an empty stomach, and mucana puriens, and they didn't do anything at all for my mood, motivation, or anything.
>
> I'm gonna wait a couple of days with this low dose since I said to myself I'd try it for 6 weeks. Maybe I'll just wait 5 weeks to see if there is any benefit. I know I felt a benefit by 5 weeks with the slightly higher dose of prozac.conundrum, do you have any update on low dose Prozac? Anyone else using 5 mg or less?
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.