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Hello friends
I am not sure if this is the place to discuss this, but I wanted to reach out on this forum. I was at the doctor yesterday discussing depression issues and she prescribed to me to begin taking Prozac. She prescribed small doses at first (10mg). Honestly, I am a bit scared of the side effects of the medication. Especially the side effects pertaining to the loss of libido and potential sexual disfunction. I was wondering if anyone on the board here could share with me any experiences that may have had and share their thoughts with taking Prozac. I know there is a reason the Doctor prescribed it, but the prescription was unexpected. I just went in for a yearly physical and she asked about my mental health. I was frank with her and that discussion in combination with a discussion I had with her on my last visit prompted her to prescribe the anti-depressant. I have never taken any meds on a regular basis for anything before.
Any assistance you could help provide would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance for your anticipated dialog on this subject.
-Tiff
All anti-depressants run the risk of side effects. Some of the variants include impacted sex drive. One anti-depressant I took impacted me that way. It sucked. Some side effects do die down over time. Talking to your pharmacist about potential side effects would also be helpful. There are also other anti-depressants that have a much less potential impact on sex (Wellbutrin for example). If this risk is a concern for you then I’d encourage you to talk to your doctor about it ASAP. May also be helpful to ask why your doctor choose Prozac.
Sivvi
Thank you for your reply. I did ask the why Prozac question. The response to why Prozac was because of Prozac’s long record of usage and known track record (both good and bad). I did not touch on the subject of libido/sexual disfunction with her due to my lack of knowledge about the drug and also due to the fact that it could be a “potential” side effect. Accordingly, at this point I truly do not know how it will effect me. At the end of the day, hopefully it effects me in a positive manner. I
I guess one of the things I wanted to explore in this discussion was what the experience others had with the medication or any meds. Hopefully sharing these experiences will help me at least have more knowledge about the “path I am walking down”
20 years ago my GP prescribed Paxil for some anxiety I had been experiencing. I took it for three days and felt terrible, disconnected almost zombie like. My anxiety was stress/work related and I found a way of managing it and have been fine ever since.
Thank you for sharing this. Oddly enough one of the ways that I side step medication to make me feel better is to cross dress. Unfortunately, my life dictates that I only rarely get to dress. Further, there is the additional negative emotional baggage that always comes with cross dressing. Thus another portion of the depression spiral. That said, like you Michelle, the main crux of the depression is work related. Thank you for the advice and input on your experience with anti-depressant meds.
I take a collection of meds for bipolar 2 (primarily depression). Had ups and downs. Some pills sped me up (great feeling when your depressed but not healthy). Another was a new side effect every day. For about 2-3 years I’ve had a good rhythm with my doctor. Just slight variations here and there. Pills have had a positive impact on my life overall. They are just one part of my journey. I’ve found that pills can give me the extra boost I need to do healthy activities (walks, work, parent, etc…). I also enjoy mental health apps. My preference is Woebot.
Sivvi
I have been seeing a counselor. I too think the prescription might be a quick reaction to our discussions. That said, I would really like to curb these feelings of depression. In my conversations with the doctor, I actively resisted taking meds. After lots of cajoling, the doc convinced me to let her prescribe them for me. I do trust the doc and have no reason to go against her expertise. I am worried though.
About 25 years ago I was put on Zoloft, similar to but less potent than Prozac. The purpose was to smooth out the ups and downs and depress the libido. At first it did as described but after a few months it no longer depressed the libido, which I was happy about. I was ready via therapy to resume normal sexual behavior. The medication continued to about the two year mark. Having no ups or downs actually made life boring but about this time my therapist took a different job and I got a new therapist with better credentials. She immediately cancelled the Zoloft and I quickly felt better. After three months she said I was fine and didn’t need therapy.
My opinion is it can be helpful in the beginning but the doctors tend to drag it out too long. I would have saved a lot of money if I had been cut loose earlier instead of dragging it on needlessly.
❤
Beth
Hmmm… while I’m no doctor I’m sufficiently practiced in the usage of anti-depressive medication to give an appraisal.
I was first medicated in 1996 for Atypical depression and went on a regime of different meds that were trialing me… Zoloft, Remeron etc..
None were at all helpful and some were counter productive!However, since then I have been constantly taking a Prozac alternative that is also a Serotonin replacement therapy! Bingo!
For the past 15 years this medication has helped me determine whether I’m depressed or not… even depressed people get depressed!
What a miracle drug!I know I’ll be on this until I die but so what?
That God for Prozac! Polly
Tiffany.
I was finally diagnosed with depression just after Christmas. I eventually gave in and went to my doctor..I just couldn’t understand what was wrong with me!!…grace depressed, never….
i had a really long consultation, and after much pleading, I was put on a course of mental remedies instead of drugs. Okay, it was diagnosed as mild depression, but I wanted to attempt to cure it by physical actions and thinking clearer and more optimistically….rather than drugs. I don’t do drugs anytime, apart from the odd asprin or antacid!!!
I really have managed to turn this around, I’m just thinking happy…and keeping busy, even being in the pink fog forces the darkness back……and it’s working for me….
I’m not saying it works for everyone, there are lots of girls in despair so much deeper than I am/ was…but no drugs!!!!
Guess I was really lucky….good luck to you xxx
and to end with….I need to make you smile….
Last Christmas, my dear old gran made her famous fruit cake, but without her glasses on!!!
She topped it with Temazepam instead of Marzipan…..gosh, that definitely was our quietest Christmas….
Smiles, grace ❤️
Ladies
Stepping in with my professional hat on,
This subject is something that is very medical related and any advice on this should be given by a qualified medical practitioner. Comments and advice on here is only from an individuals persecutive and should not be used to adjust medications or treatments with out discussing with your GP/Dr.
If you have any worries about specific medications or treatments, then please talk to your Dr, and if still not happy then ask for a referral and have a specialist review.
Mental health care is a very complex area and there are many variables in how what and why treatments are given.
So , bottom line is asking on here is ok for some ideas but you need to discuss with your Dr before making any changes.
Hope that helps
Dawn
x
I get this and it is good advice. The reason I posted here is not to get medical advice. This is a unique community and I wanted to get real world perspective from people who have and are walking the same path as me (at least in terms of the dressing thing and the joys and baggage that comes with it). You are right, however, true medical advice should be only given by a professional. Thanks for the reminder.
One thing to consider is that most of the meds on the market for that purpose take time to load in and settle out. A side effect that occurs when you start may not last long, but to get the effect of the medication, you have to be on it for a period of time. Three days or a week are not long enough. For some it takes a month. Follow the advice of medical professionals. My experience is as an observer, as my wife takes a great many, as did my mother. When I was depressed, I was in the service, and if I had gone to medical about depression, I would have lost my job and perhaps been processed out of the service. My job did not allow any of those meds. I found other ways out of the depression, not all of them healthy. But it was what it was.
Bridgette
Thank you for the advice. Unhealthy outlets on curbing depression is what I fear the most. In fact, that is one of the reasons I posted here. There are many in our society that would say cross dressing is an unhealthy outlet. I think the people who post here at CDH do not think that way. That is why I value their (yours included) advice.
Cross dressing is perfectly healthy, nothing wrong with it. Lots of other things that are…less healthy. ‘Nuff said.
B
Tiffany;
Having heard it from more than one person over the last few years as the best cure for their depressions:
Perhaps your anti-depressant drug of choice may be estrogen rather than prozac, bring up your concerns with your medical professionals, but give them all the information that they need to do the best by you, at least they may be able to moderate their responses if they understand what’s actually going on in your head rather than thinking it’s entirely physiological.
– Molly
Tiffany;
Let me say I’m not a doctor, or medical professional. Please don’t take my comments as anything more than hearsay.
Estrogen is not an anti-depressant unless the reason you’re depressed is dysphoria, (either suppressed or overt).
I made the comment a little “tongue in cheek” simply because I’ve heard more than one CD who has become Trans say that the best thing they’ve ever done to resolve some of their depression is to start taking estrogen. It is common for transgender individuals to suffer depression, and to find that starting HRT has helped them in ways that all the sessions and anti-depressants have not (up until that point). By adding this to the comment here, I thought that we/you might get get some to chime in (or not) and give you more to consider accordingly.
I don’t have anyway of suggesting or advising that this is the case for yourself. You, simply being here, may be a person that could have the same issues and may possibly benefit from a similar response. In any case if it’s something that’s living in your thoughts, then bringing those up with the Medical professional treating you will almost always give you a better chance of getting the outcome you need.
I hope this helps clarify my original post, and truly hope I have not caused you any offence.
-Molly
(adding to the post to ensure the clarification is there for others who may stumble into it)
Tiffany,
First, 10 mg Prozac is an extremely low dose, which makes sense because finding the correct dosage is a process, often time-consuming. Better to start with a low dose and gradually increase it if needed.
Some potential alternatives to prescription medications are exercise, meditation and cognitive behavioral therapy. All three combined couldn’t hurt. Regarding CBT, check out the book “Feeling Good – The New Mood Therapy” by Dr. David Burns. It’s all about learning how to recognize your negative thinking and get in the habit of nipping it in the bud.
Psych meds are very hit and miss. What works well for one person’s depression can make somebody else’s depression worse. Sometimes a “cocktail” of several meds does the trick. But as indicated, it can be a time-consuming and…well…depressing journey of trial-and-error.
In addition to decreasing libido, many anti-depressants cause weight gain. Which can make you depressed, which then requires experimenting with a different type of med. It’s a vicious cycle.
Finally, be certain that you are not bipolar instead of “just” depressed. Do you ever experience mood swings from high to low and back again? Do you ever at times feel manic, with high energy, racing thoughts and reduced need for sleep? Bipolar cycles can be seasonal, monthly, weekly or even hourly (so called rapid cycling).
Meds designed to treat depression by itself can sometimes make bipolar episodes worse. So just be sure to check on that with your physician.
Hope this helps, hang in there sweetheart.
Hugs, Mona
Hello Tiffany here a pretty good article found on the internet on side effects and usage.
Prozac Side Effects: What are they? – Drugs.com
I know my older brother use to be on it and what noticed when seen him was restless alot said was complaining of sweats and such.
Suggest talk to the DR. and tell him or her concerns on this
Donna
Starting generic Zoloft in a couple days. Doc wants to address my anxiety and depression. Sounds like I might be able to resume spiro and estradiol after i get established on the zoloft, pending lab results later this week. A little concerned about side effects. Starting on low dose. Don’t care about sexual effects, but don’t want to be a zombie or feel overly blunted. Wants to reduce my use of a certain benzo to achieve low anxiety. I get it, can’t take as much as i have been lately for long.
I was on it for a while. I loved it. It definitely helps with anxiety and depression. It helped me with dealing with crowds. I would panic while shopping and just have to leave. It is not a permanent solution. It will relax you enough to see that what you were doing before was silly. I was only on it for six months and believe me the old feeling still come up but I know that my instant reactions are not the right way to handle it. I have talked to other people that were on it and they did not have the same experience. Hope that this helps.
❤️
OctaviaI was on Prozac twice. For me, it didn’t keep from functioning, but finishing.
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