What is Prozac?

Prozac is the trade name under which the pharmaceutical companies sell fluoxetine. It is an anti-depressant and belongs to the class of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Doctors prescribe this medication to treat bulimia nervosa, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, major depressive disorder, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, premature ejaculation, and other conditions as determined by the doctor. One can avail of this medication only with a proper prescription from a doctor.

What to know before taking Prozac?

You should avoid taking Prozac if you are allergic to it or any of its components or have taken an MAO inhibitor in the last two weeks as a dangerous interaction could happen between the two.

To ensure that Prozac is safe for you, you should tell your doctor if you have or ever had the following health issues:

• Cirrhosis of the liver
• Urination problem
• Diabetes
• Narrow-angled glaucoma
• Seizures
• Epilepsy
• Bipolar disorder or manic depression
• Addiction to drugs ao alcohol
• Suicidal thoughts
• Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)

Expecting women and lactating mothers should consult their doctor before using this medication. You should wait for the next five weeks after stopping fluoxetine so that you can start taking an MAO inhibitor.

How to take Prozac?

Take Prozac exactly as prescribed by the doctor. Please don’t take it more often than prescribed. Consult your doctor before leaving this medication; otherwise, you may experience unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. Keep the medicine out of the reach of children and store it at room temperature away from heat and moisture. After the completion of treatment, dispose of the leftover medicine with the help of your pharmacist.

Prozac dosage

The dosage of Prozac prescribed by the doctor is dependent on several factors, such as :

• The age and weight of the patient
• Symptoms
• The seriousness of the condition
• Other medical issues that the patient is having
• Other medications that the patient is using
• How the patient reacted to the first dose of the medication

The doctor may prescribe the dosage of Prozac according to the different medical conditions of the patient. The following are the average dose of Prozac that a doctor can prescribe:

For bulimia nervosa

• For adults (above 18 years of age)

60 mg daily, once a day in the morning, The doctor will adjust your dose if he thinks appropriate.

• For children (below 18 years of age)

The doctor will determine the dose of Prozac for this age group after a full examination.

For major depressive disorder

• For adults (above 18 years of age)

20 mg daily, once a day in the morning, The doctor may adjust your dose as per your requirement. However, it should not exceed 80 mg per day.

• For children (above eight years and older)

10 mg to 20 mg daily, once a day in the morning, The doctor may adjust your dose as per your requirement.

• For children (below eight years of age)

The doctor will determine the dose of Prozac for this age group after a full examination.

For obsessive-compulsive disorder

• For adults (above 18 years of age)

20 mg daily, once a day in the morning, The doctor may adjust your dose as per your requirement. However, it should not exceed 80 mg per day.

• For children (above seven years and older)

10 mg daily, once a day in the morning, The doctor may adjust your dose as per your requirement. However, it should not exceed 60 mg per day.

• For children (below seven years of age)

The doctor will determine the dose of Prozac for this age group after a full examination.

For panic disorder

• For adults (above 18 years of age)

10 mg daily, once a day in the morning, The doctor may adjust your dose as per your requirement. However, it should not exceed 60 mg per day.

• For children (below 18 years of age)

The doctor will determine the dose of Prozac for this age group after a full examination.

For premenstrual dysphoric disorder

• For adults (above 18 years of age)

20 mg daily, once a day in the morning, The doctor may adjust your dose as per your requirement. However, it should not exceed 80 mg per day. Your doctor may prescribe you to take this medication only during your menstrual cycle.

• For children (below 18 years of age)

The doctor will determine the dose of Prozac for this age group after a full examination.

Overdose

There are no specific Prozac overdose symptoms, but if you ever feel uneasy while taking this medication, you can consult your doctor and seek a medical assistant. You can also call the poison helpline number at 1-800-222-1222

What to avoid while using Prozac?

You should avoid taking alcohol after taking Prozac, as the interaction between these two can be dangerous. Taking this medication can impair your thinking process or reaction to that. You must be very careful while driving and doing activities that require alertness.

Prozac side effects

Some of the common side effects of using Prozac are as follows:

• A problem in sleeping or Strange nightmares while sleeping
• Headache
• Dizziness or drowsiness
• Change in vision
• Tremors or shaking
• Feeling anxious or nervous
• Pain
• Weakness
• Tiredness
• Excessive yawning
• Upset stomach
• Nausea or vomiting
• Loss or change in the appetite
• Diarrhea
• Dry mouth
• Sweating
• Hot flashes
• Change in weight
• Stuffy nose or Sinus pain
• Sore throat
• Symptoms of flu
• Intimacy issues

It is okay to experience mild side effect symptoms, but if these symptoms bother you so much and are unbearable, you should immediately consult your doctor. You might experience a few severe side effects symptoms such as:

• Allergic reaction to Prozac
• Unusual Mood swings
• blurred vision, tunnel vision, pain or swelling in the eyes, or seeing halos around lights
• fast or pounding heartbeats, fluttering in your chest, shortness of breath, and sudden dizziness
• The low sodium level in the body resulting in confusion, slurred speech, severe weakness, vomiting, loss of coordination, feeling unsteady; or headache
• Severe nervous system reaction- lightheadedness, high fever, confusion, etc
• symptoms of serotonin syndrome such as agitation, fever, hallucination, sweating, etc

You should consult your doctor if you experience any of the above symptoms.

What drugs can interact with Prozac?

If your doctor is treating you with Prozac, he must be knowing all the possible interactions with other drugs. It is your responsibility to tell the doctor about all the over the counter medicines you take or taken in the past few days. Some of the following medications which can interact with Prozac are:

• Any other anti-depressants
• Products from St. John’s Wort
• Tryptophan
• Blood thinner medications
• Anti-anxiety medications
• Medicines to treat mood disorder
• Medicines to treat mental illness
• Cure for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Medication for narcolepsy
• Migraine medication
• Narcotic medicines
• Herbal products
• Nutritional supplements
• MAO inhibitor