[willowbrook]

How did you do on Prozac? I've had a mania episode on Zoloft, and a Mania/Sertonin syndrome episode on Effexor. I'm seriously considering augmenting my Zyprexa with an AD and my Pdoc has suggested Prozac because it's an older med and more of its side effect profile is known. Also it apparently has a lower risk threshold for mania compared to other SSRI's.

Thoughts, feedback, opinions, stories to share. Anything would be great. I really want to give this a go as I think it could be beneficial to me at this time, but I'm terrified because of past experiences.

Coincidentally I was reading about this in dr. Breggins book. According to him any antidepressant can induce mania. It is likely if you experienced it you would experience it again. You can minimize the symptoms with other classes of drug (antipsychotics, Benzos) but the real answer is to stop the anti depressant. I think he would say it is causing you more harm than good. I had med induced mania on wellbutrin many years ago. I have taken two different ssri in recent years. Zoloft right now. But unlike with wellbutrin I am also taking Lamictal so I am not experiencing mania. I think I would though because too high a dose gives me symptoms of seratonin overload. Now I am experiencing severe apathy and cognitive problems which are most likely due to both drugs combined. I was almost in tears reading that chapter because I could recognize so much of it.

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Breggin's book on withdrawal is much more comprehesive but expensive. I got it on sale for 10 usd. These are some articles.

http://breggin.com/index.php?option=...d=28&Itemid=37

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[sewerrats]

Originally Posted by Michanne

Breggin's book on withdrawal is much more comprehesive but expensive. I got it on sale for 10 usd. These are some articles.

Psychiatric Drug Facts with Dr. Peter Breggin - Downloads | Psychiatric Medications

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MICHANNE are you planning on stopping all your meds like this guy Breggin tells you to, its not a dig I am just wondering why you keep mentioning him on all posts. He is so anti meds yet you take them I am not sure why you read this material , you don't need his book to understand meds , you either take them or you don't , you can read another book that says the exact opposite to what he says , and you still have the same answer take them or don't

[willowbrook]

Thanks for the info, Michanne, but I'm not actually on the medication right now, I've been considering it for over a year and right now I'm just trying to get a feel for how likely a manic episode would be. I know my Pdoc would be with me, and looking after me for my first dose, and he could help me if something went wrong. I just want to know what the likelihood of something going wrong would be. If I do end up saying no, I know at least my Pdoc won't push the medication on me, right now though I'm not doing very well and I feel like I need something extra med wise in order to continue getting the best I can out of complementary therapies.

That's how I felt last year. I went down the same path. You won't have the same experience obviously and I don't have the right answer. I cannot say if there would have been a better alternative at the time. I looked for one for as much energy as I had to do it. It seemed like the best choice at the time. I'm just saying for me I think I reached a tipping point. And my advice to you would be there is a tipping point.

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Originally Posted by sewerrats

MICHANNE are you planning on stopping all your meds like this guy Breggin tells you to, its not a dig I am just wondering why you keep mentioning him on all posts. He is so anti meds yet you take them I am not sure why you read this material , you don't need his book to understand meds , you either take them or you don't , you can read another book that says the exact opposite to what he says , and you still have the same answer take them or don't

You've never read the book. When you do I would be happy to discuss merits with you. I on the other hand have read the "opposite" and find the what Breggin says to be more substantiated.

And I AM in Trouble with these meds. Take your path and I would be heading towards disability. Perhaps that is something you can live with. You appear to have family close by if not living with you. I do not. I earn everything. I cannot afford to be unable to work. I therefore must deal with it frankly.

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[melania]

I had something like mania first days I took Zoloft. It was really cool. After one weak all simptoms faded.
I'm wondering why people don't like mania. I felt so full of energy, so happy, so active first weak on Zoloft. But it faded and I felt very, very depressed.

[willowbrook]

Originally Posted by melania

I had something like mania first days I took Zoloft. It was really cool. After one weak all simptoms faded.
I'm wondering why people don't like mania. I felt so full of energy, so happy, so active first weak on Zoloft. But it faded and I felt very, very depressed.

The type of mania I got wasn't the good sort. On Zoloft I was sprinting from one end of the house to the other, running head first into walls, screaming and spinning around in circles, throwing myself into thing, just completely out of my head crazy manic. It was too the point that I was a danger to myself, and ended up with a mild concussion and bruising. The way I flipped out though, it could have been a lot worse. That's why I'm so hesitant about taking an SSRI again, even though I trust my Pdoc 110% and I know he would look after me if anything did go wrong.

[BlackEagleFox]

I have met a few people who have been diagnosed with Bipolar affective disorder and who have experienced manic or "mixed states" (mania combined with depression simultaneously) as a result of SSRI antidepressant such as Prozac or Zoloft. It's one of those medications that must be monitored with Bipolar patients. I would highly advise against completely withdrawing from the medication. This can cause withdrawal and is dangerous. I would recommend immediately contacting your doctor and report the symptoms you are experiencing. They can schedule you for an immediate appointment or give you instructions over the phone. Make sure you give as much information to them as possible.

[sewerrats]

Originally Posted by Michanne

You've never read the book. When you do I would be happy to discuss merits with you. I on the other hand have read the "opposite" and find the what Breggin says to be more substantiated.

And I AM in Trouble with these meds. Take your path and I would be heading towards disability. Perhaps that is something you can live with. You appear to have family close by if not living with you. I do not. I earn everything. I cannot afford to be unable to work. I therefore must deal with it frankly.

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Take my path I don't understand, would you give me a list of meds your on and for what, I may have an answer for you that you like . I have always had family and many friends I never hid my illness be a it hard to anyway. PLUS I did work construction and was a high earning bricklayer till I was 59 so I know how to carry on working at high level in illness , with very little medication , like 2mg of Ativan in my pocket for extreme emergency , I have never taken more THAT 1 ad at a time and all on minimum dose so I am certainly no med head. Reading anti med books and taking in all the crap with the rest you already no, does not help. Posters are becoming bored with the your same view on meds , especially has you take them yourself. You have to be open minded about how other people think be 50 -50 you may not think it but I am.,

Originally Posted by sewerrats

Take my path I don't understand, would you give me a list of meds your on and for what, I may have an answer for you that you like . I have always had family and many friends I never hid my illness be a it hard to anyway. PLUS I did work construction and was a high earning bricklayer till I was 59 so I know how to carry on working at high level in illness , with very little medication , like 2mg of Ativan in my pocket for extreme emergency , I have never taken more THAT 1 ad at a time and all on minimum dose so I am certainly no med head. Reading anti med books and taking in all the crap with the rest you already no, does not help. Posters are becoming bored with the your same view on meds , especially has you take them yourself. You have to be open minded about how other people think be 50 -50 you may not think it but I am.,

Did you take a survey?

Do you know who I have and haven't told about my illness? Do you know about my history other than what I have ALREADY TOLD YOU? No you don't. You know absolutely nothing.

Do you know what I did for a living for 15 years until last year? I used my brain to solve problems and create technical systems. I did analytics. I am quite sure my salary was higher then yours. Now for the >first time in my life< I am failing technical interviews. Not even getting to the rest of the interview. You know the one where they want to know if you can do the work? Oh, brick layers don't have technical interviews do they? I can't get the job if I can't pass the technical interview.

You are a very hurtful and mean person. There is nothing open minded about you.

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[sewerrats]

Originally Posted by Michanne

Did you take a survey?

Do you know who I have and haven't told about my illness? Do you know about my history other than what I have ALREADY TOLD YOU? No you don't. You know absolutely nothing.

Do you know what I did for a living for 15 years until last year? I used my brain to solve problems and create technical systems. I did analytics. I am quite sure my salary was higher then yours. Now for the >first time in my life< I am failing technical interviews. Not even getting to the rest of the interview. You know the one where they want to know if you can do the work? Oh, brick layers don't have technical interviews do they? I can't get the job if I can't pass the technical interview.

You are a very hurtful and mean person. There is nothing open minded about you.

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How come I am mean when I ask a question , I haven a clue what you did for a living and why you don't do it now, I know your blaiming the meds but you can stop them but you dont . I looked on your profile there is nothing??? or I would not ask, and don't dish bricklayers its not just one brick on top of another, there are plan,s to be read , perfection in detail , setting out to the nearest millometer or your fired.And by the way I earned £2000 a week that's $ 2500 not bad for a working class depressive. Stop being defencive and stand off ish I asked about your meds and illness and you throw a fit. Maybe your job was to stressful and you had a breakdown , you may need something less stressful and no meds did you ever think of that. Reading books that are anti meds while taking them is mental torturing yourself .

[nummy]

Oh, please be careful. Work with your dr.
I have also had this, on both Prozac and Effexor. When I spun down , they wound increase the dosage. This was about 15 years ago. I went on a med known for low risk if induced hypo mania, and it was great, til people started dying from it.
But listen to these good people, don't go off without your doc overseeing it.

[sewerrats]

Prozac works just has good on 20mg as 40mg so why take the hike to side effects , OCD that's a hole new ball game Prozac at 60mg is used and luvox at even higher. I took Prozac for years at 20 mg and tried 40mg I few time but made me hungry ands sexless , I soon swooped back down to the magic 20mg . But I was taking it on its own I have never been given a combo in England not used unless scits , you get a mood stabilizer with an ad if bipolar but only 1

[willowbrook]

Again, I am NOT currently on ANY Antidepressants. I don't need to worry about coming off something I'm not even taking, or increasing the dosage of a currently NON EXISTENT medication. Sorry, I appreciate people taking the time to help, but I asked a specific question and I'm getting responses that have nothing to do with that question.

[sewerrats]

Originally Posted by willowbrook

Again, I am NOT currently on ANY Antidepressants. I don't need to worry about coming off something I'm not even taking, or increasing the dosage of a currently NON EXISTENT medication. Sorry, I appreciate people taking the time to help, but I asked a specific question and I'm getting responses that have nothing to do with that question.

Excuse me you stated you take the antiphycotic ZYPREXA in the thread post, not many posters are on it so you wont get to many answers to your question , if you are adding an ssri its trial and error on your part , but Prozac is used to get off some meds like Effexor so it could be a safer bet,

[-jimi-]

Many people will have a problem with all SSRIs if they had mania or hypomania on several. I'm not that way. I did only show those signs on two meds, celexa and zoloft. No one can predict if you will have mania on the new med, but given the history, you should probably be in a controlled setting if trying it.

[willowbrook]

Originally Posted by sewerrats

Excuse me you stated you take the antiphycotic ZYPREXA in the thread post, not many posters are on it so you wont get to many answers to your question , if you are adding an ssri its trial and error on your part , but Prozac is used to get off some meds like Effexor so it could be a safer bet,

Yeah, sorry, I didn't mean to snap, was just having a bit of an off moment.
Thanks for the input, appreciated.