Prozac. When to increase dosage?

[Yanni]

I was taking 10 mg of Prozac (Fluoxetine) for two weeks and it wasn't making a difference. I moved up to 20 mg and I still get onset panics. It's been three weeks and I've felt crappy and washed out the entire time. Is this a side effect of the Prozac, or is it time to increase to 30 or 40 mg?

[alankay]

Now. Many folks need more than the base dose of 20mgs for relief. I was on as high as 60mg. I went back to 40mg as it helped about as much as the 60mg dose so stayed there. On lexapro now but both help for anxiety no doubt. Alankay

[Yanni]

Prozac makes me feel the same as I did before taking the drug. I'm due back for a doctor's appointment this week. Should I increase the dosage, or switch to a different med like lexapro?
I had a very bad panic attack in school on Friday Morning (before posting this) and I had taken BuSpar to quell some of the feelings. It didn't work well at all. I just became more alert and on edge. In addition to that, it took almost an hour and a half to show that feeling. I was taking a quarter Miligram of Xanax for one shot relief, but that didn't work and 3 out of the 6 times I took the drug, I passed out. I don't do well with flying or getting blood drawn, which were the three times that I took the Xanax.

[alankay]

If you've given it a long enough trial and the higher dose maybe another med is in order.
.25mg of xanax is darn low. Ask about the OK to go a tad higher or even go with ativan(lorazepam) 1mg. At a high enough dose, xanax should reduce your anxiety for sure.
SSRI's take time to work(2-3 week minimum) and may not work fully until 2 months or so so be patient and I'd get an OK to go a tad higher on the xanax because of how long it takes for ssri's to really work fully. Alankay

[bhamlaxy]

In my experience ativan works wonders. I have stuck to even as low as .5mg (while prescribed 1mg doses) and it knocks the edge right off. I dare say it is impossible (for me at least) to have a panic attack while on ativan.

[alankay]

I had good results as well with ativan. It's a fine med. Alankay

[Yanni]

My doctor won't let me take Xanax again because she thinks it makes me faint. My sister takes Ativan and she says it works very well for her. My quarter mg of Xanax took almost nothing off of my anxiety and just made me feel wobbly. I ahd to take BuSpar again last night and by the time it kicked in, my attack was gone.
Last night I took half a miligram of Xanax and my anxiety was quelled, not gone, and it acted faster

[10x10]

Yanni,

Is this the first time you have taken an SSRI? If it is, you may want to ride out these feelings. Prozac is a drug is a slow release drug, and some people report not feeling the drug kick in until 8-10 weeks. Hopefully you can ride it out, and you will start to feel the benefits!