Aa
to all my friends
ok so i been back to the doctors with hubby in tow and begged for help, told the doc everything about my heart anxiety the fact that it rules my life, that im petrified to do anything...and i mean petrified, cant even go upstairs if im on my own incase i collapse etc etc (most of you know my story) anyway i asked him for a heart scan as i think this would cure me for a while anyway, (it did when i was going through my brain tumour stage) but he refused told me i could go private which we cant afford. so he put me on 60mg prozac!!!!!!! told me the regular dose is 20mg,
anyone experienced prozac? i cant be a zombie due to teenage son and hyper-active dog not to mention not wanting to feel that way
im at my wits end literally i hate taking meds but cant go on like this im tired of it, jo`s official statement ANXIETY RULES MY LIFE
oh i forgot to add he has now diagnosed me as having a massive phobia of my heart and anything to do with it too
anyone experienced prozac? i cant be a zombie due to teenage son and hyper-active dog not to mention not wanting to feel that way
im at my wits end literally i hate taking meds but cant go on like this im tired of it, jo`s official statement ANXIETY RULES MY LIFE
oh i forgot to add he has now diagnosed me as having a massive phobia of my heart and anything to do with it too
I know it's hard for you to be alone...so maybe try to take advantage of some more restful, peaceful times this weekend? Get out and enjoy the sunshine...if it is there where you are. It is beautiful here.
One day you'll look back on this and wonder how it was so bad.
While we never FORGET how this feels.....when we have had some recovery time...it is amazing how put into perspective it becomes. The thought of it isn't NEARLY as frightening at that point.
Hugs to you....hang in there.
One day you'll look back on this and wonder how it was so bad.
While we never FORGET how this feels.....when we have had some recovery time...it is amazing how put into perspective it becomes. The thought of it isn't NEARLY as frightening at that point.
Hugs to you....hang in there.
thanks hun thats a nice thought maybe i could be imgoing4ashoweronmyownjo haha bit of a long one, i hope recovery is soon i was just day dreaming cause its nearly monday again back to bein on my own everyone at work or school thats when im worse i hate being alone i worry so much that something will happen to me and i wont be found in time!!! the chest pains etc are always worse on a week day.
anyway have a good day :-) hugs
anyway have a good day :-) hugs
Just think...one of these days we'll celebrate your recovery by christening a new name for you.....like maybe..."confidentjo"? Or...."NOTscaredjo"....... ;0)
Better days are coming...I know how hard it is to wait for the relief. It's very frustrating.
Take Care!
Better days are coming...I know how hard it is to wait for the relief. It's very frustrating.
Take Care!
hey jo... dont be scared.. i think you should just listen to your doctor.. im sure he's there to help.. take the meds and if you just still dont feel right.. tell him and get off of it... much love!
thanks everyone for helping me, the people on this forum are brilliant and so helpful give you yourselves a big hug from me :-) x
First of all...big {{{{{{hugs}}}}} to you, I'm feeling for you...I know what a rough time you're having. :0(
My honest opinion is that you should really give some consideration to trying both the therapy and the Prozac. As a rule....Prozac tends to have less side effects than some of the other SSRI's...and of course, everyone is different.
I TOTALLY agree with the above posters in that the BEST way to manage this would be thru a psychiatrist, who could oversee your meds AND the therapy. Not that family docs aren't capable of treating anxiety disorders...but sometimes it is just better to be treated by a specialist, ya know? If you had diabetes that was difficult to manage, you would be referred to an Endocrinologist...the same goes for your mental health, IMO.
The 60 mg of Prozac is somewhat high of a starting dose. Will it cause you to feel awful? Prolly not. But, here is a suggestion...until you can get a referral to a psych and get an appt to be seen, why not start yourself out slower? Ask the pharmacy if they dispense 20 mg caps, and you can start out with 20 mg a day for a week, then up to 40 for another week, and then to the 60 mg. I cannot understand why your doc is so against you working your way up to the 60 mg dose? He may be right in that you prolly WILL require a slightly higher dose to have the success you need....but generally, it's best to work your way up to that.
Call your doc again...tell him that you are anxious about the Prozac and WANT to try it, but are MUCH more comfy with the idea of working your way up to the 60 mg dose. Also, at that time, ask for the psych referral. If he still gives you a hard time...it is time to find a new doctor. Your therapist is most likely recommending going the therapy only b/c he(she?) knows your reservations about taking meds. Don't get me wrong....it CAN be done with therapy alone....but a LOT of people have tremendous success tackling it with both meds AND therapy.
Also...if you are being maintained by a pyschiatrist...some other options can be explored, like an anti-anxiety med. You may REALLY benefit from something like Klonopin or Valium...something you can use long term to combat the anxiety until the therapy or other med really starts doing the job.
Try going into all of this with an open mind. I know that is easier said than done....but if you try...you will more likely have better success. Get in touch with your PCP NOW....request the referral, and ask him to alter the Prozac Rx to work up to that dose. Honestly....you prolly wouldn't have TOO many problems starting out on the 60...but your concerns are very valid.....plus....minimal is best....you can always go UP in doses....and that goes for pretty much every med on the planet.
Best of luck....keep posting sweetie...let us know how you're doing okay?
We're here for you, you know that!
My honest opinion is that you should really give some consideration to trying both the therapy and the Prozac. As a rule....Prozac tends to have less side effects than some of the other SSRI's...and of course, everyone is different.
I TOTALLY agree with the above posters in that the BEST way to manage this would be thru a psychiatrist, who could oversee your meds AND the therapy. Not that family docs aren't capable of treating anxiety disorders...but sometimes it is just better to be treated by a specialist, ya know? If you had diabetes that was difficult to manage, you would be referred to an Endocrinologist...the same goes for your mental health, IMO.
The 60 mg of Prozac is somewhat high of a starting dose. Will it cause you to feel awful? Prolly not. But, here is a suggestion...until you can get a referral to a psych and get an appt to be seen, why not start yourself out slower? Ask the pharmacy if they dispense 20 mg caps, and you can start out with 20 mg a day for a week, then up to 40 for another week, and then to the 60 mg. I cannot understand why your doc is so against you working your way up to the 60 mg dose? He may be right in that you prolly WILL require a slightly higher dose to have the success you need....but generally, it's best to work your way up to that.
Call your doc again...tell him that you are anxious about the Prozac and WANT to try it, but are MUCH more comfy with the idea of working your way up to the 60 mg dose. Also, at that time, ask for the psych referral. If he still gives you a hard time...it is time to find a new doctor. Your therapist is most likely recommending going the therapy only b/c he(she?) knows your reservations about taking meds. Don't get me wrong....it CAN be done with therapy alone....but a LOT of people have tremendous success tackling it with both meds AND therapy.
Also...if you are being maintained by a pyschiatrist...some other options can be explored, like an anti-anxiety med. You may REALLY benefit from something like Klonopin or Valium...something you can use long term to combat the anxiety until the therapy or other med really starts doing the job.
Try going into all of this with an open mind. I know that is easier said than done....but if you try...you will more likely have better success. Get in touch with your PCP NOW....request the referral, and ask him to alter the Prozac Rx to work up to that dose. Honestly....you prolly wouldn't have TOO many problems starting out on the 60...but your concerns are very valid.....plus....minimal is best....you can always go UP in doses....and that goes for pretty much every med on the planet.
Best of luck....keep posting sweetie...let us know how you're doing okay?
We're here for you, you know that!
i agree with u 100% i dont want to shock my body with such a high dose it will just make me worry even more if thats possible!! i think im just gonna stick with the therapist and try my hardest to get better with out meds its so strange cause she came to see me on wed and i know its only been 2 days but in those 2 days since i have felt miles better. thanks
Did your therapist recommend anything else? Every therapist should have a Psychiatrist referral i.e. if they believe medication management is needed, they get with their Psych docs, explain what is going on and get a recommendation and have the Psych doc do the prescribing.
This is absolutely just my opinion because I can only speak from my own experience here, but an M.D. should not be decideing your mental health medication. They don't do the follow ups that are absolutely key. They simply refill. A Psych doc works in conjunction with your therapist who knows you best.
Again...my opinion...I don't understand how for one single moment you should start out with such a high dose! (In my experience again) A small dose is started typically and lets your body adjust, then if that works for you...that's it. If not, your body has adjusted to that foreign thing going into it and the side effects are less if they feel you need a bump up to the next dose. Only after working your way up (IF NEEDED) should you ever be on that high of a dose.
I just don't get some of these docs anymore. They send you home with a script and their job is done. Please know this is all just my own experience and opinion.
Trust your therapist.
Kindest regards
Feel better
This is absolutely just my opinion because I can only speak from my own experience here, but an M.D. should not be decideing your mental health medication. They don't do the follow ups that are absolutely key. They simply refill. A Psych doc works in conjunction with your therapist who knows you best.
Again...my opinion...I don't understand how for one single moment you should start out with such a high dose! (In my experience again) A small dose is started typically and lets your body adjust, then if that works for you...that's it. If not, your body has adjusted to that foreign thing going into it and the side effects are less if they feel you need a bump up to the next dose. Only after working your way up (IF NEEDED) should you ever be on that high of a dose.
I just don't get some of these docs anymore. They send you home with a script and their job is done. Please know this is all just my own experience and opinion.
Trust your therapist.
Kindest regards
Feel better
no one wants to be on medication hun, but if it helps you live your life, its very worth it, and after all who says you have to be on them forever? alot of folks use them for a while to help them regulate then never need them again!
What have you got to loose from taking them for a couple of months. If you don't like the side affects then you stop. Easy. You know they are actually good for your heart. I read that somewhere.
It is important to commit to taking them for at least one month though. I predict if you do, you will be so well you will rarely visit here.
It is important to commit to taking them for at least one month though. I predict if you do, you will be so well you will rarely visit here.
im so scared of takin prozac i cant win at all thanx 4 all your comments im still decidin what to do im not keen on meds at all i dont want any side effects to make me worry more but i cant cope with feelin like this, i feel like im lettin every1 close to me down cause i struggle with normal living, i know everyone is different but i found out today a girl on my street takes them so i had a talk with her and she said she cant get up out of bed with out them im so confused i wanna function and be happy cause im happy not cause of meds :-(
Don't drink alcohol with it. Some people do and get away with it but it is not recommended.
Good luck. It sounds like you are ready for this.
Good luck. It sounds like you are ready for this.
Prizma is right. You are in crisis mode right now! You need to start the Prozac and follow up with the CBT. There are underlying factors that affect your anxiety. Sounds much like a Somatoform disorder - look that up it might be interesting to you. The most common side effect of Prozac is feeling tired followed by clenching your teeth/jaw. You might experience nausea for the first two weeks but this can be reduced by taking your medication with food. You might notice headaches and a sore jaw - you might need to buy a mouth guard at some point to wear at night so that you don't grind your teeth while you sleep.
Hope that helps.
Take Care
Hope that helps.
Take Care
hiya yeah that makes total sense i already had 13 sessions of CBT but then she jus stopped them she said obviously i wasn ready to jus completly stop so im back on with the sessions
I would suggest doing both, honestly. Start off with the prozac at 60mgs. Keep in mind that the prozac right now is only a bandaid. Until you're in a frame of mind suitable for even starting CBT, it's hard to say just how effective CBT might be.
Prozac was the only thing that helped me get out of my depression when I was 16. It pretty much saved my life and I was on it for 4 years. The biggest regret I have about being on it, is not working on problems while being on it or even knowing about therapy such as CBT. You can temporarily fix a leaky roof, but at some point you're going to need to repair it. Same thing with the brain... if that makes sense.
Prozac was the only thing that helped me get out of my depression when I was 16. It pretty much saved my life and I was on it for 4 years. The biggest regret I have about being on it, is not working on problems while being on it or even knowing about therapy such as CBT. You can temporarily fix a leaky roof, but at some point you're going to need to repair it. Same thing with the brain... if that makes sense.
ok dilemma number 2!!!!!!! my therapist spent 2 and a half hours with me today and asked me not to go on prozac She thinks i can cure this by CBT im in turmoil who do i trust my therapist or doctor everyone keeps saying 60mg of prozac is high so i rang him and asked him for 20mg to start off with but he refused saying the state im in 20mg wouldn even touch me
i was on 60 mgs of prozac before i got pregnant, and i loved it, it helped me soooooo much!
everyone is different and prozac may not work well for you, but at least youve gotten started and if prozac doesnt seem to be helping you can go on down the list till you find what does help! really important thing though... stay on the prozac for at least a month, no matter the side effects, because it takes like a month for it to truly kick in and side effects almost always go away! good luck!
everyone is different and prozac may not work well for you, but at least youve gotten started and if prozac doesnt seem to be helping you can go on down the list till you find what does help! really important thing though... stay on the prozac for at least a month, no matter the side effects, because it takes like a month for it to truly kick in and side effects almost always go away! good luck!
Woops, got distracted and sent it out too soon. I meant to say it seams like a lot but it might be what you need. You might become very tired. But it might be great for you!
I have taken meds for anx before. Prozac is the one that worked, works best for me! 60 mg seems like a lot.
i have never ever taken meds before they scare me i only taken beta blockers, mind u i sweat at night already have weird dreams nightmares and feel sick permenantly so there would be no change xx
Well it sounds like you'd agree with that diagnosis right? Well done on taking matters further rather than continuing to suffer.
I haven't taken prozac but have been on paxil/aropax and I think they're similar. Have you never been on a SSRI before?
You will not be a zombie but you might get some side affects. Sweating, nausea, vivid dreams etc. I found them quite severe, peaking at day 7 or 8, but then they got less and by 3 weeks were minor and I was starting to feel a whole lot better. After 6 weeks I felt great, back to "normal".
Good luck to you and be kind to yourself. It is an illness you have not a weakness.
I haven't taken prozac but have been on paxil/aropax and I think they're similar. Have you never been on a SSRI before?
You will not be a zombie but you might get some side affects. Sweating, nausea, vivid dreams etc. I found them quite severe, peaking at day 7 or 8, but then they got less and by 3 weeks were minor and I was starting to feel a whole lot better. After 6 weeks I felt great, back to "normal".
Good luck to you and be kind to yourself. It is an illness you have not a weakness.
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