Should I up meds?

[Mrs2B]

Hey all,

Ive been on 20mg of prozac for nearly four weeks now, the anxiety seems to have calmed a bit, but still experiencing mild attacks and low level anxiety generally, even when trying to watch tv or reading...is this normal or should I up the meds? Thanks in advance :-)

[alankay]

I'd give it another 2 weeks until trying 40 mgs unless your doc thinks 4 weeks is enough. Alankay

[Mrs2B]

Cheers Alankay will do that :-) also do you think if I do have to up them, will I have the side effects I did at the start?

[DustingMyselfOff]

Cheers Alankay will do that :-) also do you think if I do have to up them, will I have the side effects I did at the start?

I've been on 20 mg. for about 20 years and lately it's not quite doing the trick anymore. Rather than up my dosage right to 40 mg I called the doc and asked him for some 10 mg. pills so I could go up to 30 mg, see how that goes for a month or two, and then go to 40 if needed.

I don't know about anyone else but I had some side affects with the increase. Nowhere near as severe as when I first went on them but I was a bit more anxious and agitated for the first week or so. Little sick to my stomach, too, but both of those symptoms could have been caused by something else so who knows.

Sue

[alankay]

Yeah you might. True, 30 mg is an option to ask about as well. Alankay

[Mrs2B]

Thanks Sue and Alankay,

Had very bad heartburn/reflux with the prozac too especially when I havent eaten, which was hard when I lost my appetite at the start,

Did either of ye find this with it? Thanks

[alankay]

Nope. No real side effects for me. Alankay

[MMA_Matthew]

I wouldent consider upping your meds. More is not always better. I would speak to your docotor about additional things you can try oin addition to your current doseage. Don't forget pills just mask anxiety. In my opinionm the answer to your increased anxiety isn't to increase the dosage of medication. Sometimes this can cause more harm then good. Just food for thought.

[Mrs2B]

Thanks Matthew,

I would love to try the natural route and will do in time if possible, however at the moment with my wedding coming up, losing my job (which was also my Dads business which went under after thirty years, we were in property..) and financial strain along with the fact that panic is a very new thing to me, I was so scared I would never feel okay again that I went the meds route, hopefully when I learn more about managing my thoughts and panic I can taper it off and really start to deal with the issues, thanks for advice :-)

[DustingMyselfOff]

I had horrible and varied side affects for the first several weeks but none of them were heartburn. We're all different..... anything is possible.
Sue

[Mrs2B]

Thanks Sue, do you find they are working for you now?

[DustingMyselfOff]

They worked wonderfully for over 20 years and probably would still be right now if my thyroid (hyper) hadn't gome into overdrive again in February. I've upped my Prozac to 30 and that was only 2 weeks ago so I will know better in another 2 weeks or so if the increase is helping.

All my doctors agree that nothing is really going to help much until we get the thyroid under control, so for the bad times right now I'm using beta blocker and/or tranquilizers.
Sue

[Hemispheres]

Hi,,, I was on 20 mg Prozac for about a month. And I felt as tho I needed to bump it up a little. At the time, I lived in a lower apt that had a famil of 5 upstairs! 2 adults and 4 children under the age of 5!! And all I would hear none stop was "thump, thump thump" running up and down the hall... I had a nervous breakdown and got on Prozac, it did help and helped me cope with the constant stomping.. Tho 20 mg is a low dose so don't be afraid to mention to up it..
Good luck,,
Jen

[Mrs2B]

Thanks for the advice Jen :-)

[half2teach]

DustingMyselfOff, Do you still feel like your meds are working going on 20 years? I have been on Paxil for 13; I feel like they may have pooped out. Not sure what to do. Having a lot of panic. How are things going with you and your meds?

[DustingMyselfOff]

DustingMyselfOff, Do you still feel like your meds are working going on 20 years? I have been on Paxil for 13; I feel like they may have pooped out. Not sure what to do. Having a lot of panic. How are things going with you and your meds?

Hi there. I upped my Prozac to 30 mg. about 3 weeks ago and I think it's starting to help. Actually the 20 might have still been working but not only have I had one hell of a year (many bad things happened) but my thyroid is still racing. I won't really know if it's working for a few more weeks (took 8 weeks when I first started Prozac) and by then I HOPE my thyroid will be under control.

13 years of Paxil at the same dose may have caused you to build up a tolerance or cause it to poop out. Have you had any traumas or extra stress lately?
Sue

[half2teach]

Hi there. I upped my Prozac to 30 mg. about 3 weeks ago and I think it's starting to help. Actually the 20 might have still been working but not only have I had one hell of a year (many bad things happened) but my thyroid is still racing. I won't really know if it's working for a few more weeks (took 8 weeks when I first started Prozac) and by then I HOPE my thyroid will be under control.

13 years of Paxil at the same dose may have caused you to build up a tolerance or cause it to poop out. Have you had any traumas or extra stress lately?
Sue

She,
Yes, many events. Mom passed away last July, started doctoral program, relationship ended (dating) , single mom, and I work a part time job. This may have all pushed me over.i do work as a teacher which is my full time job. Thx for responding. I just want to feel good agai

[Judie]

DustingMyselfOff, Prozac, all of the SSRI's have a burn out, they stop working, or certainly working as effectively. My husband has been on Prozac for about 15 years. What he does to maintain the effectiveness is wean himself off slowly for a period of time and then reintroduces the Prozac later and this works quite effectively, however he does NOT have an anxiety disorder so he doesn't have to deal with full blown panic. My advice given that I was on Prozac for 10 years and have been successfully off for 5 years is to take 2,000 mg of Fish Oil ( omega 3's they are your brain function vitamin as well as protect your heart.) They work remarkably well on anxiety and depression and you may just find you can maintain on 20 mg of the Prozac :) They work on achy joints as well ! Good Luck ( give it two weeks you will see an improvement in anxiety and mood. 2,000 mg - keep in frig, take at night, buy odorless ) try it