I just got a 'scrip for prozac... and I am a little freaked out

[FirstLight]

at the risk of becoming locked - mods : Please know I am not taking any medical advice here, just asking about experiences.

So...who has ever had to take this stuff? and have you taken it with other meds? did you feel drugged?

i have been feeling SO bad lately, thought my hormones were all over the place or I was dying of something awful, turns out I am just really depressed to the point of not handling walking through life.
I am not suicidal, never have been... just exhausted and in pain ALL the time. Cymbalta only does so much.
I am a single mom, domestic violence survivor and have just been scratching by in life for the past 5 years. I wonder if there is even some residual PTSD going on, I am hell jumpy and get really mad when my one raw nerve gets pulled by the kids or whatever... like walking a tightrope just "living" life... and I have just had migraines and been wanting to crawl UNDER the bed for the past couple months its got worse.

the doc is reccomending a yoga or tai-chi class I HAVE to show up for. Finding a specialized therapist in women's issues, and taking disability for the next 6 mos at least until I can find a balance point.

I hope to channel what little strength I have into the positive siolutions, but a new med is always a little scary. so just came here to shoot the breeze and see what your experience has been...

[whathehell]

1. Hi Journalgrrl

I've been where you are. I suffered a clinical depression about twenty years ago -- like you, I wasn't suicidal, but I just kind of "collapsed"..could barely talk, was totally miserable.

I found that meds definitely helped. My only problem was that, in my case, it took a whole month for them to "kick in"...Now that was twenty years ago, so things may have improved.

As for prozac, yes I was on it...It lifted my mood to "normal" but it caused gastrointestinal problems, so I was put on Paxil...And it worked!

Sometimes it takes time to find the RIGHT meds and adjust to the right dose...These meds were all but miracle workers for me.

[FirstLight]

2. It bugs me that I may have to take these for "life"

it would be easier to see this as a bump...but the reality is that I can se periods of 'self sabotage' that were like depression and the physical pain that goes with it...but I am stubborn and have had to really trust by allowing this to become a medicated thing.

Isn't it funy that we can have high blood pressure or diabetes and sya okay to taking meds for that - but depression is something that makes me feel like I am weak, like it is MY fault...

I've been taking Cymbalta for 8 mos and it has helped, but I just seem to have hit another wal, so I am hopin it will help. But the mixing of meds is scary too...

I am SUCH the Holistic-girl...if there is an herbal thing to do or a meditaitonal way to approach things, I am there..but this is truly too big now, it has been to many years in the stresspoint and now I am broken and need to mend.

thanks for the input and support, it helps :)

[whathehell]

3. Hi again...You're very welcome for any support I can give...As to

feeling bugged at the idea of having to take these "for life"...I know the feeling...

Just about everyone (myself included)feels this way at first..But a couple of things worked to get me, at least, over that.
One -- You feel SO much better, that you really don't care...That's the way I felt, but occasionally, this "why am I on this FOREVER"?..feeling would creep up, and I remember saying to my shrink..I feel good, but I feel like it's not my "real self". She had an interesting answer, I thought...She said..No, this is your true self --It was your DEPRESSED self that wasn't "real"...This is who you are without the "faulty chemistry" screwing up your moods.

I know some people may dispute that, but it seems more and more, people are seeing it as a "chemical imbalance"...I had had depressive episodes since childhood -- starting at eight years old, so I really think that the "chemical thing" may be real...Also, it seems to run in our family -- My father and uncle suffered from it and my niece -- who shares a lot of my personality traits -- has it as well.

My advice?...Don't worry about it -- at least not at this point -- Just enjoy feeling better...You can work out how long you may or may not need it later..Good luck:-)