Thinking of Going on Prozac?
I was on anti-depressants for about ten years for generalized anxiety disorder and only went off once for about a 6-8 month period of time. Now I’ve been off of them for about one year. My experiences being on Prozac and now being off of it have shown me some very visible pros and cons about being on this drug.
First of all, I think Prozac is a good drug.
Everyone might react to it a bit differently, but overall, this was one of the anti-depressants that I had the least amount of side effects with and it really did its job: it reduced my anxiety by making it more manageable and definitely reduced depression that I had. My anxiety did not disappear, but I didn’t expect it to. I did have a few mild side effects that got better after a few weeks of taking it.
However, one of the reasons many people quit anti-depressants is because it’s hard to tell exactly how it might be affecting you – how it works in the brain, exactly – and it’s generally not fun or beneficial to be on a drug long-term unless the benefits truly outweigh the negatives. But overall, I’ve had both friends and family members go on Prozac with good results.
The Difference Between Life on Prozac and Life off of it
It wasn’t until I went off of it long enough that I really started to feel the difference between life off of Prozac and life on it. Mind you, I wasn’t even on a high dose. In fact I alternated between the lowest dose (10mg) and 20mg, but even a low dose has a very noticeable effect on the brain. Especially when you learn to recognize the differences of not having it in your system.
Oddly, they say it takes a few weeks or maybe a few months for Prozac to fully get out of your system (in particular after being on it for so many years), but each time I’ve gone off of Prozac, I actually felt exactly the same until at least around six months past that point. Then, suddenly something would be triggered that caused anxiety that maybe normally wouldn’t have, or I started to feel my thoughts becoming more obsessive. This same thing would happen to a best friend of mine that had also been on it long-term and would go off for a number of months at a time.
Stabilizing My Brain
Upon going off of Prozac for good, I thought to myself, “I’m really going to need something to stabilize my brain in this process, as it re-adapts to regulating its own serotonin.” I took a number of natural remedies and vitamins, but it’s difficult to say which helped, if any. The main help was that I was at a truly happy place in my life when I stopped, and had come a long way in developing my own mental tools in dealing with my anxiety after all these years.
Once I had been off the Prozac for a few months, I noticed that the world just seemed so colorful to me. This sounds positive, but it was really not a positive nor a negative thing. I just noticed that everything was more pronounced – my perceptions as well as my emotions. I also temporarily became a lot more aggressive and assertive in my personality. Aggression can be a sign of a lack of serotonin in the brain, which I don’t doubt was the cause after being on a drug that regulated my serotonin for so long.
To top it off, I also have petit mal seizure disorder, and researchers have found that those with a seizure disorder very often also have mental illnesses such as anxiety or depression due to abnormal brain activity. So in general, a tendency towards anxiety and obsessive thoughts was in my nature and not usually circumstantial.
My Brain’s Obsessiveness Kicks Back In
Prozac is approved for obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), which can overlap with anxiety disorders. So, Prozac is particularly good if you have a tendency towards obsessive or intrusive thoughts.
Many months later after going off of Prozac and after the aggression subsided, I felt myself balancing out a bit more chemically. But here is when I noticed a definite difference in my thought patterns. I would now easily obsess over things, and this was something that being on Prozac I didn’t really notice myself doing. I was picking and prying things apart, not letting things go as easily, and investigating things thoroughly anytime I thought something was wrong with ANYthing. I was sometimes blowing certain situations out of proportion that I viewed as threatening, out of fear. I still do this, as I think it’s the natural way of my brain. However luckily I’m much more cognizant of it now and have tools for defusing it.
My memory is also sharper now. I FEEL much sharper. I felt so fuzzy while on Prozac in comparison. My brain was just dulled somehow and I wouldn’t have realized this simply while being on it because it was so subtle. I had to see the comparison after going off for a significant amount of time.
On the upside, I felt a general stability while having the Prozac in my system. It was like I was living within invisible walls and I had a buffer for my emotions and thoughts. However, this turned out to be a double-edged sword.
Prozac Dulled My Creativity
I realized that this very buffer that was keeping my emotions and thoughts stabilized, also stifled my imagination (which is overactive by nature, I might add). I’ve always been a creative person, and this dulled my creativity. It muted what I consider the part of me that I really feel at times makes me different, that comes up with unique ideas; the part of me where a little bit of genius might be able to shine through. It makes sense, though, right? The genius in me can also be my madness if put to use in a way that isn’t productive but rather goes after itself incessantly.
The crazy thing is that all of this was so subtle that it was nearly impossible to see while being on it. That’s why I’m writing this post. It took years of experience of being both on and off of it to really be able to feel and see the difference, and some people may not ever detect the difference if they aren’t listening or watching themselves closely enough.
So…Should You Go on Prozac Despite the Downsides?
If you have been prescribed Prozac or even another anti-depressant and are still unsure about taking it, my short answer would be yes, try the Prozac, IF the following conditions are true for you:
- You have a chronic, recurring issue with anxiety or depression. You can tell that it’s something that is more of a product of how your brain works, how it’s “wired,” rather than one life event that triggered your only bout of anxiety/depression to date. Chemical versus situational.
- If you are barely functioning at the moment, OR
- If you have been steadily miserable for a long time despite trying other things.
On the other hand, if you feel your anxiety or depression is mild, it might be OK to go on it short-term and see how it helps you, but it’s kind of a pain in the butt going on and off meds. My first suggestion would be to try other things. Not just one – a combination. Look into cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) which has proven to be very effective. Or, if you can’t afford therapy (which many can’t), look for some CBT workbooks you can do yourself on Amazon. Make your attitude about learning to master anxiety. Become a student of it. A proactive attitude will win the battle. Fearing it and trying to escape it will never allow you to fully develop the tools that are so essential in keeping it under control.
And if You’re Already on Prozac…Should You Stay on It?
- If your side effects get to the point where they are changing your personality (even if maybe you can’t tell that they are, but other people are noticing) or consistently hindering your quality of life, then it’ll likely be time to make a change. For example, Prozac muting my emotions to the degree it did became unacceptable because it led to other things, such as reduced ability to feel compassion and empathy, which then led to having a shorter fuse with people and less ability to relate to the world. That’s a big deal.
- If you barely have any side effects and are just tired of being on an anti-depressant, then I’d talk to your doc. You’re VERY lucky if you take an anti-depressant and it not only works but doesn’t give you many or any side effects. However, it can be impossible to gauge how you will feel off of them and it will depend partly on your personal history with anxiety and depression.
I can’t stress this enough: the downsides/side-effects really will be different for everybody. There are certain listed side-effects of Prozac that will be more likely to happen than others, just based on how the drug works. But there won’t be any solid answer that will tell you what is or isn’t going to happen. It’s such a trial an error process – a jumping into the mystery of the unknown, and having to deal with that in regards to medication pretty much sucks.
Also, many people still do not truly understand anxiety disorders, depression, or anti-depressants. So do not let what other people think of you being on meds sway your decision. It’s not weak, and yes, some people really do need them. Do what you feel is best for you. I at one time in my life was barely functional due to my debilitating anxiety. I could barely sleep or eat for a long time, and I had school and work to plow through. That level of anxiety or depression is where these drugs can be honestly life-saving and totally worth it.
Work on Developing Your Mental Tools!
If you don’t feel you have great mental tools in dealing with the anxiety or depression just yet and tend to on external sources to ease it, you can maybe stay on the Prozac to take the edge off, but work on developing those mental tools. For example when anxiety comes, work on keeping yourself and your mind busy. Exercise more (this is a HUGE one!). Work on eating a healthier diet, and being mindful of your thoughts – it is a constant practice. But these are the things you are going to be able to rely on (and will NEED to rely on) if you don’t want to be on medication forever and if you want to dramatically reduce your anxiety and depression. There is no shortcut or easy way out.
It’s pure hard work and dedication to working on being observant and rising above your thoughts when they do not serve you well.
If you have been on it for a while and aren’t sure if you should go off, you can still try to go off for a period of time and see how you feel. A couple of things to note here though, it’s best to do this when you don’t have a lot of stress or general instability in your life.
Hi Liz,
Your post regarding the pros and cons of Prozac was refreshing, I was given fluoxetine shortly after giving birth to my 2nd child, they remain in my bedside drawer untouched, largely due to the fact the doctor very gayley told me I would get worse in these tablets before getting better, which to be frank, scared me more than how I was/am feeling! So I didn’t take them, however I have realised after taking more of an interest in my behaviour that I have been anxious, mildly depressed, aggressive sometimes, intolerant and very impatient most of my adult life, this has been exasperated since having my first child 3 years ago, so I have made an appointment with my doctor to discuss how I can better deal with all of this, and perhaps maybe try the fluoxetine, which led me to your post, thank you for your honesty, sorry for my ‘waffling’ and here’s to hoping I can regain some normality sometime soon for the sake of my family and me. Xx
Hi Louise! I know this is a bit delayed of a reply as I was traveling around Indonesia, but I was glad to hear your story. Did you end up going on fluoxetine? It is true that the first 2-3 weeks of taking an antidepressant are always worse as your body is getting used to the medication. I know how you feel. A few months ago I got another bout of anxiety and mild depression, and considered going back on medication. I didn’t end up doing so and eventually it subsided, but there’s a certain point at which it comes down to the thought of… what’s healthier? To continue to put my body through all the stress, or use the medication as a tool to handle the stress better. It’s never fun being on anti-depressants, but they certainly do usually help in times when we really need something!
Only someone who is aware of the fact that they are experiencing a mental illness is required. Motivation for relief of mental and emotional hell is prerequisite The signs are obvious . Most people do not know what the symptoms mean. Only a COMPETENT PSYCHIATRIST
will be able to analyze and diagnose what the problem may be. After all, that branch of medicine is a specialty.
Let the specialist do as they have been trained. Do not rely on cousin Billy’s diagnosis and treatment.
I believe anyone who just goes to their GP is only going to waste precious time and risk serious mental health problems. Even suicide.
Playing with medicine on your own ain’t real smart
I realize I’m replying to this comment months later, but wanted to chime in and say I generally agree with what you’re saying. My article is based on the assumption that the person has been diagnosed already and prescribed medication. However if not, I don’t see anything wrong with seeing a GP first. They are particularly well equipped to diagnose anxiety or depression, being that they are extremely common – the most common mental illnesses in the world, and GP doctors deal with people who have these all day long. They would not be worth much as doctors if they could not recognize symptoms of a particular mental illness and understand current treatment options (and I am not someone who has always wholly believed everything doctors say or think they know everything). Many people in medical school have serious depression and anxiety issues due to the nature of the curriculum and the pressure, and many doctors or even medical students end up committing suicide themselves. Perhaps many years ago before mental illnesses were really understood, seeing a GP would have been a risk. I DO however think that psychiatrists and psychologists are certainly better equipped to actually treat those with mental illnesses long-term. But GPs can recognize and diagnose properly, and provide medication. Many of my GPs over the years ask me if I am also working with a psychiatrist or psychologist in addition to seeing them.
Hello from the great Pacific Northwest, I have also been on and off fluoxatine over the past 15 years. Most recently, I have been off for 3+ months. I also just completed the whole 30 way of eating. I see a mental health therapist and an accupuncturist / Chinese medicine professional. I have been proud of myself that I have been so in charge of my health these past 4 months. I am turning 60 in February, and that has been part of my motivation to take charge of my health. Here comes the rub. I am not feeling very well. I have been exercising (45 minutes) of aerobics most mornings too. So….I am.considering going back in the fluoxatine. Sometimes people say, “If you were diabetic you wouldn’t stop taking your insulin”. I hate that comparison. It’s not like one of my internal organs isn’t producing a hormone necessary for the body to process food/energy. Or is it similar? I was hopeful to manage my depression with diet, exercise, journalling, and alternative medicine. Now I am contemplating the cost/benefit of putting in so much effort and energy to just maintain (at a precariously low level) without pharmaceuticals /fluoxatine. Perhaps acceptance is the key, which would probably mean going back on fluoxatine. I just wanted to be able to manage at a more acceptable level without medication. Contemplating.
Hi Susan, I apologize for replying to your comment so late! It looks like i missed it when it came in. How are you doing now, did you end up going back on the Prozac? I think it’s great that you began taking control of your health upon going off the Prozac. You can certainly often manage your depression with diet, exercise, journaling and alternative medicine, like you mentioned. Just depending on how severe it is. It is also normal to not feel that great upon going off of antidepressants – even for quite longer than you anticipate. Your brain does get used to the drug and especially with Prozac’s long half-life, it can take some time for you to really readjust to not having something regulate your serotonin levels anymore. When I went off Prozac, there were at least a couple months that my personality had minor changes – such as I felt much more aggressive, which can be a sign of serotonin imbalance. I tried to really aid my brain in this process too by exercising and taking supplements like amino acids. I can’t say whether the supplements helped for sure or not, but it’s always worth trying them. Exercise definitely helps.
Upon going off of Prozac, I ended up being off of it for a few years before going on another one which can typically better tolerated than Prozac (Lexapro) because there were too many things happening in my life and as hard as I tried not to be on any meds, it wasn’t working out for me. My stress levels were just too high for too long and it became healthier to be on the meds than not to.
Since I don’t know the nature of your depression I can’t chime in as far as which option would be best for you, but if you feel that your depression is mild when off meds, it may be worth continuing to try to work through it with alternative remedies and just give it some more time. I always think being off of meds is of course preferable to being on them, if you don’t necessarily have a super chronic problem. But then again, if your depression is more moderate to severe and you feel better on the Prozac without many side effects, going back on might not be a bad idea either. Do whatever you feel is healthiest for you. It’s a tough journey because I know it can take time and a lot of trial and error.
Best of luck to you!
Liz, your small world here is really helpful, although i am a doctor, you really helped me with many issues. Thank you.
I’ve been.on and off Prozac and other anti depressants for years, (15 at least). Whenever, I tried to come off it I felt so bad I ended up taking it again. And that was by reducing my dosage slowly too. I’ve now been off it for 10 months. I’m not through the woods yet but thought I’d share my experience in the hope it might be helpful to others.
This last time, I took coming off even more slowly. When off completely I felt fine. I actually had times of feeling great. Very bright and happy. Within around 3 months I started to feel really irritable. I felt snappy and short tempered which made me feel guilty when I acted on it as it wasn’t fair to others. At the time I didn’t put this down to coming off Prozac rather worried I was heading back to the depression. But I was determined not to go back on the cycle of taking Prozac, feeling better for a while and then feeling numb and dulled to the environment around me. So I rode it through. I’m pleased to say 10 months on that seems to have passed. However, I’m now finding I do
have some very low days where I am crying and unmotivated. Its not nice and makes me feel like I’ve been put through a mangle. Yesterday was one of those days and I thought of going back on Prozac. But instead Ive been reading up on long term use of Prozac and can see that there really is not a lot of credidible studies or research out there. This bothers me. In addition, do I really want to feel numbed again? Do I want to go through trying to come off again. 15+ years is a long time to be taking it so maybe 10 months is still not that long to be off it. I’m not convinced that enough is known about the long term effects of taking Prozac. Nor am I convinced that a “General Practicioner”, who prescribes them would be able to advise either. It concerns me that manufacturers make big money out of these drugs too. My experience of coming off Prozac does not match that of the published advice. And I have come off many times. This time being the longest by far. So what to do? Well I’m going to try other ways of managing those down days. Who knows, like the irritability I experienced, this may shift in time too. I’m not ready to give in yet and hope my experience is helpful to others. We all need to make our own choices about what is best for us. I’m not suggesting my way is the way for anyone else, but hope it may be of use to someone.
Thank you for sharing your experience, Rachael! I personally always think it’s best to try to manage depression and/or anxiety without medication if possible, too, and I’m glad you are staying strong through the natural ups and downs. It can be a difficult road with all of the trial and error many of us have to go through in order to figure out what’s best for us. So many of us are searching for answers with this stuff, and unfortunately not even the docs can really tell us what will end up being best. All we can really do is listen to ourselves and our bodies. Meds can be a savior for some and in other cases aren’t worth the side effects we might experience. Best of luck to you!