Prozac- What You Should Be Aware Of

Prozac was approved by the FDA in December 1987. Prozac is prescribed for treating depression and other conditions like bulimia, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). Prozac is also used with Zyprexa for treating resistant depression and depression that is associated with bipolar disorder. Prozac affects neurotransmitters, the nerves and chemicals in the brain that communicate with each other. Experts say that depression is caused by an imbalance among neurotransmitters. Prozac increases serotonin which stimulates the nerve cells in the brain, and it can help reduce your depression or eliminate it completely.

Dosing

Usually, 20 to 80mg is prescribed for people that have depression. For children that are depressed, the usual dosage is 10 to 20 mg daily. After 13 weeks of taking Prozac daily, one dose per week may be sufficient for some patients.

Bulimia is treated with 60 mg of Prozac daily. Studies show that taking this medication for up to 52 weeks is effective for treating bulimia.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is children and adults is treated with 20 to 60 mg daily, and panic disorder is treated with 10 to 60 mg daily.

For PMDD, 20 mg is taken every day when the woman's period begins or for two weeks before the period starts. For resistant depression, 20 to 56 mg is prescribed and 5 to 20 mg of olanzapine is taken once in the evening. For depression that is associated with bipolar disorder, 20 to 50 mg of Prozac and 5 to 12.5 mg of olanzipine is taken once in the evening.

Is Prozac Different From Other Antidepressants?

Prozac is just as effective as older tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) for treating depression. However, Prozac may not be suitable for some people. Tell your doctor if you have any medical conditions or if you are taking any kind of medicine. Generally, the side effects for Prozac are not as severe as the effects that people experience with TCAs. Prozac causes fewer heart-related events like a drop in blood pressure or rhythm problems. If you take TCAs, you may experience dry mouth, constipation, urinary retention, blurred vision and other side effects that you may not experience with Prozac. With TCAs, you are more likely to be drowsy, and your weight may be affected.

You will not need a special diet when you take Prozac, and it shouldn't affect your weight. Death that results from an overdose on Prozac is extremely rare, and physicians feel more comfortable prescribing newer medicines like Prozac.