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Posted 10/24/2008 11:21 PM (GMT 0)
My daughter has just been prescribed Prozac by a doctor at a clinic. She is currently at school and does not have a family doctor. I am wondering if anyone can help me out with the pros\cons of this drug. I am also wondering if she should not be on Effexor, since both my adult son, who is 24, and myself have depression and are both on this drug, and it has worked well for both of us....
Anyone have any input?
Posted 10/25/2008 12:58 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Sara,

And welcome to the forum. I am so glad that you have found us. You will get a lot of wonderful advice here and the members are so kind and compassionate. I think that you will be glad that you have become a member.

I took prozac, but I gained weight from it. Not everybody does though. I think the the doctor worked my way up to effexor. I tried many other medications before I started taking it. I am taking it now too. I take 375mg each day. It works good for me. But maybe the doctor wanted to try other medications before that for some reason. I know that effexor is a hard medication to go off of. And maybe the doctor didn't want to try that yet for that reason. But that is just my opinion, and I am just guessing. Hopefully somebody will come along and tell you more about their experiences with prozac. It worked well for me except for the weight gain.

I hope that you are having a good evening,
best wishes,
Hugs, Karen
Posted 10/25/2008 1:08 AM (GMT 0)

Hello and Welcome to HealingWell.  You may want to call your own Physician and ask him why he chose Efexor over Prozac for you and your son.

Sometimes a combination using small doses of prozac along with Effexor seems to be the answer. No contraindication that I am aware of. Please remember I am not a professional.

Perhaps another member will have better input.

Again welcome

Kitt

Posted 10/25/2008 1:32 AM (GMT 0)

Prozac would be the easiest on your daughter.  I didn't gain any weight.  After some years on it, it stopped working and I am on Celexa now.  Celexa is in the Prozac family.  Effexor is very strong and may not be the first drug she should be on.

But, I am not a doctor.

Posted 10/25/2008 2:35 PM (GMT 0)

I'm currently taking both prozac and wellbutrin xl.  I've taken prozac on and off for 18 years, and it has never caused weight gain in me.  Same with the wellbutrin.  I just started taking them together a couple of years ago.  It's been awhile since I was able to only take one med for depression.  I know that when I tried effexor, after a week, it was making me feel very weird, and not in a good way. 

My mom takes effexor and prozac, her doctor jokingly refers to it as "rocket fuel", supposedly it really makes a person feel activated.  Finding the right meds for yourself (or your daughter) is really a trial and error process.  Sometimes the first med tried works, and life goes on.  Other times, you need trials on a couple before finding the right one.  I hope your daughter finds one that works for her soon. 

Brandon

Posted 10/25/2008 11:42 PM (GMT 0)
HI There
My Cait is a older teen who has been RX prozac and it has been long enough to get into her system
She is a straight honors student and is keeping that up
As well things are getting better with her and I
Cait did have a major medical problem last week but I dont blame it on the med


I really would talk over other issues you have about this with the doc that RX the med.....

I wish you and her all the best.........
Posted 10/27/2008 8:22 PM (GMT 0)
Prozac works differently than Effexor.  Prozac is an SSRI.  SSRIs are usually the first line of treatment, so it makes sense that the doctor would try an SSRI first (prozac, zoloft, paxil, lexapro) before Effexor.  I am on prozac now, and it's been a tough adjustment.  But I've taken it before and overall it has worked really well for me compared to other medications.  It all depends on the person.  But I would suspect if prozac doesn't work, your doctor will either try another SSRI (the usual course of treatment) or will maybe go straight to Effexor due to it working well for others in the family.
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