How many people in America take Prozac?
91816
35 million people have used Prozac worldwide. 17 million people have taken Prozac in America. this is about 5.73% of the total estimated US population of 296,496,649.
351585
Yes, you can. Everyone seems to totally freak out about taking other medications when you're on Prozac, but in reality, no over the counter medications apart from St John's wort are likely to interact with it.
268063
Prozac is a SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, now that's a mouthful).  Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is thought to be in inadaquate amounts in the brain contributing to depression.  Initially by preventing the existing serotonin from being put away so quickly (re-uptake) it hangs around and affects more action...sort of a bigger bang for the buck.  This is the effect that occurs in the first couple of weeks and actually can cause people to be more impulsive and can improve negative symptoms (being tired, slow, no energy) very quickly - but perhaps still depressed.  There are actual programing changes that happen with time and true effects are usually starting to be felt in 2-3 weeks but you should give it 6 to 8 weeks before deciding it is not effective or consider a dosing change, unless you are having intolerable side effects.\n\nSSRI medications have been around since the late 80's and most primary providers are competent in prescribing and using them.  It is like anything else, though there are exceptions.  It has been my experience that those who went to medical school before the late 80's and work in primary care are sometimes less comfortable than others.  Since depression is such a huge part of day-to-day practice in primary care, most providers are well informed on the subject. \n\nBy the way, it is unethical to provide a sugar tablet to a patient under the guise of treating a condition.  On the other hand many medications do not intend that you have some dramatic feeling from them.  If they are working you don't feel particularly happy, or euphoric, just normal.
177330
i haven't, but be careful.  i'm assuming that the "pro" is prozac?  if so, this is very similar to the fen-phen diet, and there were some serious complications with that one (as you probably know).  make sure your doctor is a real doctor..ask for references if necessary.  make sure you see the "doctor" every time..not just some medical assistant.  and make sure they know what they're doing.  you would be much better off just watching your diet and exercising.
872628
Yes, researchers know how they work, in detail.  Most of the newer drugs are designed at the molecular level to perform specific functions.  Prozac is a perfect example.  It was the first of what has become an entire class of drugs known as SSRIs, or Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors.  Prozac is used to treat Depression.  by design, it increases the amount of available Serotonin, (a neurotransmitter) in the synapses of the brain, by slowing the rate at which the cells that excrete the serotonin can reabsorb it.\n\nThe man who led the design team has said that he did it just to prove he could.
218763
I don't know about Prozac specifically, but I would worry about taking any drug for that long, unless it was something like blood pressure medication, where there is simply no choice.  Do you feel you can get a second opinion on this without damaging the relationship you have built up with your doctor?  You might go so far as to ask him whether he would be offended if you wanted a second opinion.  Most doctors don't mind that at all, because they expect to be confirmed.  \n\nThe other thing you should probably do is read the formal drug information on the Prozac which the manufacturer puts in every package.  Look for "long term effects," and for any "contraindications."  I would hope that, in the last nine years, you have already read this information, but it is worth it to review it now.\n\nI would talk to a neurologist if you do go for a second opinion.  If the Prozac is going to do you any harm, I would think that is the place where it would happen.
1058025
Unfortunately, there is no absolute best. Each person metabolizes medication differently, and reacts to medication differently. Prozac might be the absolute best thing for one person, but another person is allergic to it or it doesn't do anything for them. Trial and error is still the best way to find an anxiety medication that works.
25684
About 10,000 people will be diagnosed with Schizophrenia in the US this year.  There are currently 2.2 million people suffering from Schizophrenia in the US today.  Worldwide, the disease affects about 1% of the population.
1123853
Consult with your doctor. And dont just go ask for prozac... talk to your doctor about your depression symptoms, he may recommend a different drug thats more appropriate along with a therapist or he may give you multiple drugs... prozac isnt always the answer. You should tell your parents if you live with them so that they dont find it on their own and think you got it illegally. Everyone you live with needs to know what you are going thru.
459112
I took Prozac in 1994 for depression.\nIt took about 4 weeks to take full effect, but when it did, I lost 40 lbs. in 3 months!!!\nI really felt like exercising and keeping my life very active every day! \nI didn't eat much; the medication took my appetite away.\nI felt very happy and energetic!\nI saw things in life very vivid and optimistic.\nI wish that I could have stayed on Prozac, but when I had lost all of that weight, my brain and body started to work overload.  I found out, after a manic episode, that I really had Bipolar Disorder!!!  \nWow.\nI would highly recommend Prozac, however, for depression.  It really took my blues away and then some.\nGood luck.  Be patient.
752356
I love Prozac!  I can not live without out. I was told to stay on Prozac for nine months as well. This drug works good, well before the ninth month, with me anyway. I guess that is when you will get the complete effect of it.  The only thing I did not and do not like (the one that sticks out in my mind the most that is) is the lack of sex drive.  That is a bummer.  I have been on it now for 15yrs.  I tried to ween myself off a couple of times with my Doctors awareness but I would start to go down hill after a month or so. So back on it and feeling good again. Guess the other side effects were not worth remembering or just were not that bad to be burnt in my mind. Good luck.
619655
No.  Paxil is an anti depressant, and prozac is a anti depressant/anti psychotic, so if you are taking prozac, then you dont need paxil.  but if you are taking paxil you can switch to prozac, but stop taking the paxil first.
589984
I am on Effexor and am in the process of coming off of it.  I was on 300mg, now am on 225mg.  So far I really haven't noticed any debilitating symptoms, and I feel like I have more energy.  Not too much dizziness, which is good.  I do experience the 'shocks' but not much.\n\nI've been told that the last small doses are the hardest to get off of -- when you get down to 37.5mg.  I'm not looking forward to it, but my psychiatrist tells me that most people actually do not experience severe symptoms like people complain of on the internet.  And if you are having a hard time and your doctor offers you a small dose of Prozac to relieve your symptoms, take it!  It won't be hard to get off of like Effexor, and it really will help with your withdrawal symptoms.  At least give it a try.\n\nGood luck!
342435
Zoloflot,Lexapro,Paxil,ProZac,Wellbutrin,Effexor, Elavil,Imipramine,Desipramine,Nortriotilyne,Serezone,Sinequan, Lithium, Cymbalta
323932
Well Prozac is a medicine used to treat depression.  It takes a while to work, since instead of being a direct medicine that would increase the amount of the neuro-transmitter that makes you happy, it is a medicine called a "re-uptake inhibitor" meaning that when the happy neuro-transmitter would normally leave the nerve endings, the Prozac medicine keeps the transmitter there, meaning that the next time your brain would send out a happy signal that it sends out a larger dose of happy.  The drug Klonopin is used to treat several types of seizures.  Prozac is not normally used for post-mortem or post-partem depression.
836311
Prozac stays in your system for a long time, and if I remember correctly, it hits peak levels in your blood at about 6-8 hours after dosing. What that means is if you took some at noon, the levels of Prozac in your system will be highest between about 6 to 8 p.m. If that's the case, I would strongly advise you to not drink alcohol, or if you absolutely must, to limit yourself to one drink only, and then stick to soda afterwards.\n\nI take anti-depressants, and I called my uncle, who is a pharmacist and really knows about all this stuff, several years ago on New Year's Eve to find out if I could drink. He said it's safer to have the alcohol BEFORE the medication, and then wait 'til the last possible time to take the medication, so when I drink, that's what I do. He also said I shouldn't have more than two drinks if I was drinking liquor. The reason he gave me that advice was because the liquor would be mostly out of my system before the drug was at peak level in my system. Here, you have a reversed situation, so I think you need to be very, very careful.\n\nGood luck!
1175463
I think you better get yourself to the Mental Health ER, if your area has one, of just the regular ER if it doesn't.  That isn't a side effect that I have heard of from Prozac.  Either way, you should NOT stop those kinds of meds cold turkey EVER as that can cause you worse problems.  \n\nSo, get offline--Call 911 right now and tell them you think you might be having a med reaction to the Prozac, as you are having these symptoms.  You need to go now--gl.  Our thoughts are with you.