[Wander]

For the last month or so I have been hypo boarding on manic. Most of it was fabulous but towards the end I became very dark in the evenings then finally switched to depressed a few days ago. The depression is bad. i want to end it all and have lost all hope. Thankfully, I am IP, I guess but many times I want to run away and as it is a voluntary ward I can, although they will send the police after me. The staff (well most) are caring and nice but I am still scared of them. Paranoid they are trying to poison me with their drugs.

Now my pdoc wants me on another drug, an anti-depressant. I have been on them before and I often go hypomanic, then mixed, then depressed again but I am so longing to be hypo I am giving it a try. I cannot stand this depression even though it has been relatively short. Going from Hypo/manic highs to this is devastating. I just want it all to end.

So, do you think trying the med is the right thing to do? My doc is all for it as he wants to kickstart me out of depression. He is starting me on 10mg a day so very low and I will be monitored closely. Is it worth giving it a try to get me out of this hole, especially when I have a plan and am close to going through with it?

What are your experiences with an SSRI like Fluoxetine (Prozac)?

[Wander]

I should also add that I am on Sodium Valproate and Lithium so mood stabilisation is covered.

[Trippin2.0]

It worked well for me when I was on it, as long as the dosage was small, 20-40mg.

[treehugger727]

I was on Fluoxitine for a while and it helped me through some depressive phases. My son is on it currently. One good part of a low dosage for me was i could discontinue pretty quickly once me and P decided the time was right. I had no side effects.

Good luck whatever you decide.

[bizi]

What is the status of the stimulant?
I went full blown manic on prozac.
I was put on it for compulsive cuticle biting. Yes I felt almost immediately better and did not hurt myself anymore but unfortunately my pdoc dropped the ball in regards to monitoring me. I became manic and he decided I did not need to be seen so I went manic and admitted myself to the hospital with my GP orders and help and discontinued the prozac. Initially I told him that I was afraid to take it, and he said we will monitor you. AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR 4 MONTHS later! I was on a mood stabilizer, don't remember which one.
Sorry can't recommend prozac to you.
bizi

[wildflowerchild25]

Prozac was bad for me too. But I was in a bad place in my life and I abused it to reach mania. So I didn't take my mood stabilizer with it. It didn't end up well. At the time I wasn't aware enough of my mood states and didn't know I would go mixed/psychotic if the mania got out of control. Now I know.

It might be ok with a couple of stabilizers or AP on board. Since you're already IP it's worth a shot, if it ****s you up you can get off it quickly and safely.

Have you ever tried an maoi? I don't know what you have available in Australia but I started emsam, an maoi patch a little over a year ago and it's been a miracle for my depression. In combination with ect it got me out of a very black depression. And it's kept me out of serious depression this whole time. I've had maybe three short bouts. I'm on a very low dose; I'm on the 6mg patch but I take it every other day. At such a low dose the diet restrictions aren't necessary. If I were to go up to 9mg I'd have to follow the restrictions but so far that hasn't been necessary. You would still need an AP or MS on board to prevent mania.

Just a thought.

[still_crazy]

hi. prozac didn't do much for me. i didn't have major problems with it, it just wasn't all that effective for me. then again...i go to a public/community clinic. they don't spend a lot of time calibrating doses and such. maybe a different setting would have yielded better results?

prozac has a very long half life, so if/when you discontinue it, it kind of does a self-taper. on the downside, if you get major problems from it, it has a long half life...so you might require treatment for those problems for a while ((or not)).

it is one of the more stimulating ssri drugs. some people have stayed on it since the early 90s or so, so it clearly does work quite well for some people.

[BrittanyAnn2609]

Prozac made me go manic before when I tried it, but haven't had any issues yet and I'm on 40 mg now, been on it for like 3 months... I'm also on Vraylar (just started it) so.. I'm thankful I'm not feeling depressed at all anymore. Just stressed since it's the end of the semester and I have to move back in with my parents in like 3 weeks :/

[Sunflower123]

I'm on 40 mg of prozac along with 450 mg of Wellbutrin. You'd think I'd be bouncing off the walls but it has never made me manic. I'm bp2 with severe depression so that may be the difference. Yes give it a try since you already have a plan to checkout (have you told your doctor this?) and are IP. If it doesn't work you can come back off.

I'm sorry you are having such a hard time. I hope you feel better soon.

[Wander]

Originally Posted by bizi

What is the status of the stimulant?
I went full blown manic on prozac.
I was put on it for compulsive cuticle biting. Yes I felt almost immediately better and did not hurt myself anymore but unfortunately my pdoc dropped the ball in regards to monitoring me. I became manic and he decided I did not need to be seen so I went manic and admitted myself to the hospital with my GP orders and help and discontinued the prozac. Initially I told him that I was afraid to take it, and he said we will monitor you. AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR 4 MONTHS later! I was on a mood stabilizer, don't remember which one.
Sorry can't recommend prozac to you.
bizi

I am now completely off Ritalin. Thanks for your input. It h mDE Me hypomanic before but wasn't on such high doses if Lithium and low dose of Valproate. Guess it is worth a try to get me out of this depression.

[Wander]

Originally Posted by wildflowerchild25

Prozac was bad for me too. But I was in a bad place in my life and I abused it to reach mania. So I didn't take my mood stabilizer with it. It didn't end up well. At the time I wasn't aware enough of my mood states and didn't know I would go mixed/psychotic if the mania got out of control. Now I know.

It might be ok with a couple of stabilizers or AP on board. Since you're already IP it's worth a shot, if it ****s you up you can get off it quickly and safely.

Have you ever tried an maoi? I don't know what you have available in Australia but I started emsam, an maoi patch a little over a year ago and it's been a miracle for my depression. In combination with ect it got me out of a very black depression. And it's kept me out of serious depression this whole time. I've had maybe three short bouts. I'm on a very low dose; I'm on the 6mg patch but I take it every other day. At such a low dose the diet restrictions aren't necessary. If I were to go up to 9mg I'd have to follow the restrictions but so far that hasn't been necessary. You would still need an AP or MS on board to prevent mania.

Just a thought.

Thanks. Haven't tried an MAOI due to dietary restrictions. Will use it as a a last resort. I am on two mood stabilisers and two AP's should be ok. I am tempted to go hypomanic but my meds are being controlled as i am IP. At leat I can be watched over.

[Wander]

Well here I go. taking my first dose in two hours. Will keep you all up tp date. Kinda hoping for hypomania. But with Lithium, Valproate, Ability and Seroquel on board I should stay stable. IP team will be watching me like a hawk anyway. In the past it has taken 3-4 days to go hypo so we will see. Just want out of this depression.

[bizi]

Be careful, I quickly became psychotic while on it.
bizi

[Wander]

Originally Posted by bizi

Be careful, I quickly became psychotic while on it.
bizi

Thanks. I have been on it before and just became hppo/manic. Now I am on heaps of others meds the should cancel the out. I am being watched and starting gradually so all should be ok.

[Friend123]

I have a question for a friend. I am wondering just how much apathy is normal for someone using Prozac daily. It frightens me how much isolation and not getting anything done - just even simple chores, laundry, dishes, etc even basic cleaning or taking out the garbage. The social isolation, obsessive tv watching and gaming, no strong relationships with friends, family, coworkers. Is this normal to be that out of touch with everyone and just not care about having relationships at all?

[wildflowerchild25]

Originally Posted by Wander

Thanks. Haven't tried an MAOI due to dietary restrictions. Will use it as a a last resort. I am on two mood stabilisers and two AP's should be ok. I am tempted to go hypomanic but my meds are being controlled as i am IP. At leat I can be watched over.

The dietary restrictions scared me off of the maoi for a long time but beyond the rainbow on here helped me out a lot. Like I said at least with emsam the dietary restrictions are not necessary on the lowest dose. But it works so well for me that even if I have to up the dose in the future I am willing to give up my beloved cheese if it will keep me out of the horrible dark depression I experience.

But hopefully the Prozac works for you and you don't have to make that decision anyway!

[Naynay99]

Prozac didn't work for me and I think it made my sui idea worse- It was my first ever AD.
But Good luck wander- I really hope it works well for you!! I know somebody who has been on it a long time for Depression and doing very well.

Originally Posted by Friend123

I have a question for a friend. I am wondering just how much apathy is normal for someone using Prozac daily. It frightens me how much isolation and not getting anything done - just even simple chores, laundry, dishes, etc even basic cleaning or taking out the garbage. The social isolation, obsessive tv watching and gaming, no strong relationships with friends, family, coworkers. Is this normal to be that out of touch with everyone and just not care about having relationships at all?

Hey- that apathy and isolating and inability to do even simple tasks etc does not sound like a side effect of the Prozac. It sounds exactly like DEPRESSION to me. Maybe it's not working well for them?

[bioChE]

I'm with Naynay. What you describe is not side effects, its DEPRESSION. Pure and simple, the symptoms you're having are depressive symptoms.

[Trippin2.0]

Friend123 Some AD's actually list depression and suicidality as side effects... You may want to look into that.

[bioChE]

I spiraled into worse depression and suicidal thoughts on Wellbutrin. I know it's not an SSRI, but it can happen.

[Wander]

As I was increasingly irritable and agitated my pdoc decreased my dose to 5mg, a baby dose to see if I can get an AD effect without the side-effects. Hope this works. If not I have to go off it and find another way to deal with the depression. Right now I feel great (it is 4.30am). Might try to get some more sleep even though I have had 6 hours already.

[still_crazy]

not to play doctor, but prozac can boost blood levels of antipsychotics. when i was briefly on prozac, my doctor cut my abilify in 1/2.

[bizi]

Originally Posted by Friend123

I have a question for a friend. I am wondering just how much apathy is normal for someone using Prozac daily. It frightens me how much isolation and not getting anything done - just even simple chores, laundry, dishes, etc even basic cleaning or taking out the garbage. The social isolation, obsessive tv watching and gaming, no strong relationships with friends, family, coworkers. Is this normal to be that out of touch with everyone and just not care about having relationships at all?

Was this happening before the prozac addition or after?
bizi

[Wander]

Originally Posted by still_crazy

not to play doctor, but prozac can boost blood levels of antipsychotics. when i was briefly on prozac, my doctor cut my abilify in 1/2.

Thanks, I will ask y pdoc about this when i see him tonight. Frustratingly he is then on leave for 9 days but i have an on-call doctor should I need support.

[Wander]

Well, today I am going back up to 10mg of fluoxetine. The depression has just been worsening. I hope this small dose doesn't make me manic/irritable/SI ect. Just need to try something. In the past it has taken about 4 days for me to go manic so I guess I will find out. I could honesty do with some hypomania right now.