[purple orchid]

Hi everyone,
I just wanted to ask, how do you know when you need to increase your medication?
Hope it's not a stupid question...!
I've been taking Prozac 20mg for a few months now, initially after about six weeks I felt much better.
But now I've noticed that I've stared feeling low again in the evenings and early morning when I wake up. I take my tablet with my breakfast and usually feel much better by lunchtime. Is it possible that the medication wears off by evening?
Of course I will talk to my Dr about this when I see him in a few weeks but just wanted to hear you ideas, experience.
Thanks..

[sewerrats]

Originally Posted by purple orchid

Hi everyone,
I just wanted to ask, how do you know when you need to increase your medication?
Hope it's not a stupid question...!
I've been taking Prozac 20mg for a few months now, initially after about six weeks I felt much better.
But now I've noticed that I've stared feeling low again in the evenings and early morning when I wake up. I take my tablet with my breakfast and usually feel much better by lunchtime. Is it possible that the medication wears off by evening?
Of course I will talk to my Dr about this when I see him in a few weeks but just wanted to hear you ideas, experience.
Thanks..

Well it should last 24hours , I suppose it peaks at some time if you can stick it stay has you are because another 20mg may just add side effects , well that how it worked on me.

[unaluna]

I like 30 mg myself, 40 mg would be too big a jump for me to take. I always have to increase even the 10 mg very slowly like every other day over a few weeks.

[sewerrats]

Originally Posted by hankster

I like 30 mg myself, 40 mg would be too big a jump for me to take. I always have to increase even the 10 mg very slowly like every other day over a few weeks.

How do you manage that , 10mg over a few weeks every other day, ??????? do you count every bead out of a capsule you must have some patience. Why not every day at a lower bead count that way its even safer. ME I would bang in the other 10 mg overnight , sit back and wait for the effect or the fireworks

I think your doc will probably only add another 10mg. Either that or another drug to combine with Prozac but it seems to make more sense to just up the Prozac a bit since you're doing better on it. Good luck, hope it helps. Till then, perhaps you could schedule to do something fun and relaxing at the time the "low" starts to kick in to avoid feeling too bad? Walk time with my dog is a picker upper for me. Hugs, let us know how it goes

Originally Posted by sewerrats

How do you manage that , 10mg over a few weeks every other day, ??????? do you count every bead out of a capsule you must have some patience. Why not every day at a lower bead count that way its even safer. ME I would bang in the other 10 mg overnight , sit back and wait for the effect or the fireworks

I think that probably meant take a single 10mg pill every other day?

[unaluna]

Originally Posted by sewerrats

How do you manage that , 10mg over a few weeks every other day, ??????? do you count every bead out of a capsule you must have some patience. Why not every day at a lower bead count that way its even safer. ME I would bang in the other 10 mg overnight , sit back and wait for the effect or the fireworks

Okay im confused! What i meant was, in going from 20 to 30 - my pills are all 10s btw and i take them at night - i take the new 10 every other day, then 2 days and skip 1, then every day. I have a monthly pill organizer. My pdoc once recommended splitting a prozac by dumping it in half a cup of water and drinking half each day but that sounded like too much trouble to me, refrigerating it etc!

I thought that was it, my mom was on a similar schedule. It's kinda reverse from tapering off. I think there are also 5mg doses available so upping or downing is less dramatic. I do fine on 40mg, I just take them at bed time and that keeps side effects at bay for me but some people are extra sensitive to side effects I guess so it sounds wiser to up the dosage gradually.

[Lauliza]

I would add another 10mg, as 40 mg overall is a high dose. Better to go slow.

[gayleggg]

I'm on 60mg, very few side effects. My pdoc raised it 10mg at a time. I didn't have any problems other than it may be making me a little sleepy at work. I take mine in the morning. I can't say it's done a lot for my mood but it got me above the suicidal stage so that is a blessing.

[purple orchid]

Thanks everyone for your replies and sharing your experiences.
It's so nice to know there is someone out there.
I take 20mg capsules.
As far as I know that's the lowest dose here. How do you take half a capsule?
Do you all count the beads in your capsules, that seems very complicated to me.
I think 30mg would probably work better for me.
I'll see what my Dr says when I see him next.
Take care

[sewerrats]

Originally Posted by purple orchid

Thanks everyone for your replies and sharing your experiences.
It's so nice to know there is someone out there.
I take 20mg capsules.
As far as I know that's the lowest dose here. How do you take half a capsule?
Do you all count the beads in your capsules, that seems very complicated to me.
I think 30mg would probably work better for me.
I'll see what my Dr says when I see him next.
Take care

Some honestly count the beads, but a rough guess is good enough Now if it was EFFEXOR I would count every 1 twice

[Altered Moment]

Nah with effexor I have just been spitting the beads in half. Reminds me of chopping up a line.