Prozac for ADHD

Prozac (fluoxetine hydrochloride) is an orally administered selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) medicine used to treat major depressive disorder (MDD) in people over the age of eight. It can help with depression symptoms such as melancholy, problems sleeping, and changes in appetite and mood. Adults over the age of 65 may be prescribed a lower dose by their doctors.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in patients above the age of seven, bulimia nervosa in adults, and panic disorder in adults can all be treated with Prozac. Prozac, in combination with olanzapine, can be used to treat depressive episodes associated with Bipolar I Disorder, as well as treatment-resistant depression in individuals over the age of ten.

What is the Best Way to Take Prozac?

Read the medication guide provided with your medications before starting or refilling a Prozac prescription, as it may have been updated with new information.

This information should not be used in place of a discussion with your doctor, who has a comprehensive understanding of your medical history, diagnoses, and prescriptions. Before you start taking the drug, ask your doctor or pharmacist any questions you have.

How much Prozac should I take?

Follow your Prozac prescription directions to the letter, just as you would with any other drug. The ideal dosage varies depending on the ailment being treated, the patient's age, and their overall health. Your doctor may recommend a lesser dosage if you are over 65 years old or have certain medical issues.

• Prozac comes in two different forms:

• Pulvules are available in doses of 10 mg, 20 mg, and 40 mg. Orally, one or twice day, with or without food.

• Weekly Capsules: 90mg dose available. Once a week, take orally with or without food.

Patients should see some improvement in their symptoms during the first one to two weeks, but it could take up to five weeks for full effectiveness.

Your doctor may gradually reduce your daily dosage until you get the best results – that is, until you reach the lowest dose at which you get the most relief from your symptoms without experiencing any adverse effects

While using this medication, you should avoid drinking alcohol.

Patients should collaborate with a doctor to gently decrease the dose of medicine while terminating treatment or reducing dosage. Anxiety, irritability, mood swings, restlessness, difficulty sleeping, headache, sweating, nausea, dizziness, electric shock-like sensations, shaking, or confusion can all occur if you suddenly stop taking Prozac.

Prozac's Negative Side Effects

The most common adverse effects of Prozac are nausea, weakness, dizziness, anxiety, difficulty sleeping, sexual issues, sweating, shaking, change in appetite, dry mouth, flu symptoms, hot flashes, and rash, which are similar to those of other SSRIs like Lexapro.

Increased thirst, muscular spasms, nose bleeds, frequent urination, heavy menstruation, or a reduced development rate or weight gain may occur in children and teenagers. When starting or discontinuing Prozac, people with diabetes may have trouble controlling their blood sugar and may need to change their therapy.

Increased risk of suicidality or manic episodes, high fever, uncontrolled muscle spasms, stiff muscles, rapid heart rate, confusion, or fainting are all major adverse effects. If you suffer any of these symptoms, see your doctor right once. When initiating medication or adjusting dosage, patients should be regularly monitored and evaluated for increasing depression, changes in behavior, or suicidality.

It is possible that taking Prozac will affect your ability to drive, operate machinery, or perform other potentially hazardous duties. With time, this negative effect normally fades. Talk to your doctor if side effects are bothersome or do not go away.

The majority of people who use this drug don't have any of these negative effects.

All mental health difficulties, including any family history of suicide, bipolar illness, mania, or depression, should be disclosed to your physician. To avoid provoking a manic episode, the FDA recommends testing patients for bipolar disease before administering Prozac. Prozac might worsen or cause new behavior problems, bipolar disorder, or suicide ideation, particularly in the first few months of medication or following a dosage modification. If you have new or worsening mental health symptoms, such as risky behavior, panic, or sudden extreme happiness or anger, call your doctor right away.

Prozac raises serotonin levels in the brain and can cause serotonin syndrome, or poisoning, which can be fatal. Seek medical attention right away if you have changes in mental state, coordination issues, muscle twitching, racing heartbeat, high or low blood pressure, sweating, vomiting, or diarrhea.

Consult your doctor if you have any bleeding problems or if your salt levels are out of whack. Prozac can induce irregular bleeding and a low salt concentration in the blood in some people. These issues may be more common among the elderly.

This is not an exhaustive list of possible adverse effects. Discuss any health changes you find that aren't stated above with your doctor or pharmacist.

Prozac Side Effects and Precautions

Prozac should be kept out of the reach of children and kept at room temperature. Do not give anyone else your Prozac medication, even if they have sadness or anxiety. It is illegal and perhaps harmful to share prescription medications.

If you are allergic to fluoxetine hydrocholoride or any of the other ingredients in Prozac, you should not take it.

If you've taken a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) within the last five weeks, you shouldn't use Prozac since it can induce a significant, even life-threatening reaction.

If you are taking or have recently taken the antipsychotic medications Orap or Mellaril (thioridazine), you should not use Prozac since it might cause major heart rhythm problems or death.

If you have liver or kidney problems, heart difficulties, glaucoma, seizures, bipolar disorder, low blood sodium levels, a history of stroke or high blood pressure, or a history of bleeding problems, you should use caution when taking any SSRIs, including Prozac.

If you're thinking about getting pregnant, talk to your doctor about taking Prozac. It is unknown whether Prozac can harm a fetus when used during pregnancy. It is not suggested that mothers breastfeed while using Prozac because the drug's safety for infants is unknown, and it goes into breastmilk.

Prozac-Related Adverse Reactions

Discuss all other active prescription medications with your doctor before starting Prozac. Antidepressants such as MAOIs, the antipsychotic drug Orap, and Mellaril can have a hazardous, perhaps lethal interaction with Prozac (thioridazine).

When you use Prozac with blood thinners such Coumadin, ibuprofen, or aspirin, you risk irregular bleeding. Prozac can raise the risk of serotonin syndrome when taken with other serotonin-boosting medications, such as St. John's wort, SSRIs, tryptophan, or illicit substances like MDMA.

Certain medicines, such as atomoxetine, other antidepressants, cimetidine, fentanyl, metoprolol, pimozide, procyclidine, and tamoxifen, can affect how Prozac is used by your body. This could have an impact on how they operate.

When filling your prescription, provide the pharmacist a list of every vitamin and herbal supplements, as well as prescription and non-prescription medications you're taking, especially any drowsy medications. Before having any surgery or laboratory tests, inform all doctors and physicians that you are taking Prozac.

This isn't a comprehensive list of all medication interactions.