Prozac: evil or helpful?

Prozac, also called Fluoxetine is an SSRI (Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) anti-depressant manufactured by Ely Lilly Company.

It is mainly used to treat depression but is also used to treat other ailments including social anxiety, eating disorders and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder.

Prozac made it's debut in the 1980's and quickly became a joke to most as being a "happy pill" or "chill pill".

As with any medication it does have possible side effects including:

* anxiety
* headache
* nausea
* diarrhea
* drowsiness
* insomnia
* decreased appetite
* increased sweating
* decreased sexual drive
* heart palpitations

Of course with all medications, everyone's bodies react differently to the chemicals in them. From the research I've done online I've also read personal stories of people claiming side effects such as: night terrors, increased anxiety, weight loss, weight gain, lactation in women and others.

On the other side of the spectrum I've also read many success stories where patients have claimed that Prozac completely changed their life for the better and that they are so happy that they tried it!

This lens will share my experience with Prozac. The good and the bad!

I'm 31 years old and have suffered depression for as far back as I can remember. I've been overweight, self conscious, see myself as being fat, ugly, disgusting, unlovable and worthless. I am very shy.. almost TOO shy for my own good. I get very self conscious when meeting new people and most of the time would prefer staying in my own comfortable house than interacting with others.

Two years ago I went on the anti-depressant Cymbalta. My husband and I had separated and my depression had gotten a lot worse. I didn't have a good experience with it at first.. For the first two weeks or so I was extremely exhausted.. No matter how much sleep I got I just felt like a zombie! On top of that I also had really, really bad migraines every single day. I finally called my doctor and the nurse informed me that it was just my brains way of adjusting to the medication and to just try to get through it! Those side effects went away eventually. Although the medication did help me feel a little better, I don't think it was a significant change.. At the same time, my husband and I were also trying to work things out so I really didn't know if it was the medication or things looking up that was making me feel better. I finally decided to wean myself off of the medication myself.. which probably was not a good thing to do on my own, but I did it hoping that I could control my thoughts and emotions on my own.

That didn't work too well. Finally, a few months ago I decided it was time for me to try and do something to change my life around. I was tired of hating myself and hating everyone around me and hating the world! I wanted to enjoy life. I want to be one of those people who wakes up in the morning happy and ready to start the new day! My depression was causing problems in my marriage. I was extremely moody and when I was in a bad mood I could be very hateful towards others. I could go from being happy one second to having smoke coming out of my ears the next! I cried all of the time.. sometimes for no reason at all and sometimes I just couldn't STOP crying.

My husband and I started going to Marriage Counseling and the therapist told me that I need to be on something for my depression. My doctor put me on Prozac. I was a bit worried at first. I came home that day and did a lot of research online. Read both good and bad effects of Prozac. I was a bit nervous starting it, mainly because of all of the negative stories I read and also because of how horrible I felt when I first started Cymbalta! I was afraid Prozac would effect me the same way. I have 3 kids and can not be exhausted more than I already am! I just kept in mind the positive stories that I read and hoped that one of those stories could be mine, so I went for it...

I've been on it for about two months now. So far, so good. Had no negative side effects in the beginning. Then I started to feel this sense of calmness. I don't cry for no reason (even during PMS!). My mood swings have decreased significantly.. no more smoke coming from my ears! I actually feel.. content! I'm hoping the feeling lasts! I will post updates on my experience on this lense as time goes on!

Unfortunately, I have recently started to notice what could be a side effect of this medication. Heart Palpitations. I noticed them a few days ago and then last night I felt short of breath and felt as of my heart was racing. Just a little while ago I was in the shower and began to feel the same thing.. felt as if my heart was wanting to jump out of my chest.

As soon as I finished up with my shower I went straight to google and found quite a few websites stating that Palpitations can be a side effect of Prozac.

I'm a bit disappointed today. I was really excited about how much Prozac seemed to be helping me. I have an appointment with my doctor Wednesday morning. I will see what he has to say about this. I am praying that I am not going to have to wean myself off of this and start something new?? Blah.

Here is a list of what some patients who have been on Prozac have listed as other side effects. These are real people not just medical text book listings!

* Mind racing and unable to control thoughts and processes of the mind.
* Panic attacks worsening.
* Hot surges running through body.
* Horrible nightmares.
* Obsessive thoughts. (Going to lose it and kill somebody)
* Just can't seem to feel any more.
* Feeling like a zombie. Absolutely emotionless.
* Physically numb. Could not even feel the water hit my body in the shower.
* Lost all taste of food.
* Severe dizziness. Felt like going to pass out or lose control.
* Sleeping with light on because of the fear.
* Feel disconnected. Really drugged out most of the time.
* Heart palpitations and tightness in the head.
* Flashes of memories and images from the past. (Uncontrollable)
* Drugs have taken personal identity away, made feel unable to function like a normal human being.
* Completely lost grip and hate to go out and be around people. Don't even feel comfortable with family.
* Feeling foggy and drugged out.
* Urge to jump out of a fast moving car.
* Feeling like I need to take life to end all of this.
* Extreme head pain.
* More depressed than before starting SSRI's.
* A feeling of unreality.
* Hormones go completely wild during menstruation. (Never happened before SSRI usage)
* fatigue and problem in hands (predominantly left)
which has become less tremors, more pain and slight stiffness and is
spreading up (left) arm and into shoulder.
* Head and body seem to feel detached from each other.
* Bleeding from the nose, heavily.
* Nausea
* Feeling like electrical current is running up and down spine
* Memory loss with apathy
* In a fog, can't concentrate
* Nipple discharge
* Loss of sex drive
* Manic/depressive episodes
* Weight gain of over 40 pounds
* (List of side effects from one individual since starting SSRI's) Mind racing, nightmares, obsessive thoughts, can't "feel" anymore, zombie, disconnected, memory flashes, hate to be around people, feeling like it will never end, foggy, urge to jump out of fast moving car, more depressed, not sure will ever be old self again, feeling of unreality, numbness in pinky and ring finger on left hand and sever chills.
* Head jerking and muscle spasms
* Numbness in genitals
* Memory loss
* Loss of sexual drive
* Sudden and excessive weight gain
* Hating people, do not want to be around people anymore
* Tremors, sudden jerky movements of muscles, extreme sensitivity to sound
* Out of control, divorced husband that was loved and now can't even explain why. Hopeless
* Suicidal
* Inner restlessness
* Can't focus, hard to read words
* Worsening of acne
* Falling asleep at random times and not even remembering it (people telling the person this is happening)
* Severe hot flashes while asleep
* Difficulty having an orgasm
* Very aggressive dreams, dream of having battles with people from past
* Severe mood changes, tremors in hands more hyperactive
* Heavy sweating and electrical shocks that seem to come from within the side of the head
* Milky discharge from nipples and very hot flashes and sweating while asleep
* Awake several nights of the week all night and have gained 30 pounds in less than one year
* Urge to drink excessively, never had this problem before. Feel like in pure hell, manic one moment, deeply depressed the next, severe headaches, sweating, nightmares, panic and fear
* Feet stay cold and can't seem to get them warm
* Sleepy all of the time
* Dramatic weight loss
* Manic depression, numbness of body, tremors, racing thoughts, hot flashes, hallucinations, voices and echoes
* Excessive or "fake" happiness-not able to feel "normal" sadness or cry at all
* Cold for hours after jogging
* Extremely paranoid, feeling like someone is standing outside of the shower with a knife-ready to kill me, constantly looking over my shoulder all of the time and jumping at every noise
* Muscle and joint pains
* Strange and vivid dreams with erratic sleep patterns
* Nightmares, flashbacks, severe night sweats and feel sense of unrest
* No emotion and brain twitches
* Felt like on a come down from acid for the whole time taking SSRI, saw tracers (shadows when things were moving) could not sleep, felt suicidal and more depressed than before
* Itchy, rashes on inside of legs, knees, under arms and back, hot sweats and flushes, very depressed, being very rude and short tempered
* Severe mood swings, angry most of the time and violent
* dizziness and low blood sugar
* Just don't care anymore
* Flash anger, verbal aggression and uncontrolled bouts of swearing
* Pain in the lower left hand side of the stomach
* Sleeping A LOT (13 hours a night)
* Self mutilation
* Cutting self
* Tongue pain at night
* Total inability to have an orgasm (I am female). This never happened to me before I took Prozac
* Breathing Difficulty
* Uncontrollable bouts of anger during which I can't even talk to anyone- totally overreacting to different situations.
* Delayed sleep pattern, 1 hour later each day, turning the clock around during one year
* Craving for sugar or protein or vitamin c
* Changing my mind every minute, completely paranoid
* Completely paralyzed by not knowing what to do or where I was going or what I can do when I feel like this
* Delayed ejaculation and subtle loss of genital sensitivity--still persists 3 years after finishing medication
* Alzheimer's Condition dramatically accelerated in my 82 year old mother immediately following Paxil
* Hot flashes and profuse sweating
* Lethargic
* After two days, woke up with left hand and arm numb, feel disconnected, headachy and anxious
* Heard noises that weren't real: electronic humming/buzzing, doorbells, and voices. Would look for source, but find nothing. Sometimes, just moving my head would make the noises change or go away.

Do these side effects happen to everyone?? Probably not.. but seems to be far and few between that are lucky enough not to suffer through any of these!