i've been on a st johns wort and 5-htp supplement for a couple of months, but haven't noticed much of a difference. my doc recently recommended that i take prozac. of course, the side effects are what bother me...anyone have any experience to share? good or bad?

I'm not one of those pro-prescription drugs type of people. I am as skeptical as anyone, but your post caught my attention. My boyfriend has been on Prozac for the past 4 months, and we've both noticed a distinct change in his behavior. He doesn't want to stay on it indefinitely, but he loves the way that it's allowed him to move past some negative thought patterns. It probably has a lot to do with the fact that he dove into a few different kinds of self-help at the same time as beginning the Prozac. So here's one example of somebody who Prozac has really worked out for.

I've never taken prozac before and i take SJW from time to time just as a mood enhancer. I don't think SJW or 5-HTP can "treat" depression (I am assuming you are trying to treat a depressed mood), but I think that they can definitely help boost mood. There are many studies out there that support this.

And though I can not give you my opinion on Prozac, one way or the other, I would recommend looking into some other methods that might help you to improve your mood and provide long-term support for treating depression.

The NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health) indicates that prescription medications are not supposed to be long-term treatments for disorders like depression and anxiety. They recommend a combination of therapies to take along with meds, like cognitive behavior therapy. There are definitely other coping strategies that can go along with CBT, but this is one of the most effective.

Really, it boils down to you taking your desire for happiness and health into your own hands. If need be, take a prescription med to help you find that initial balance in the short term, but ready yourself for long term challenges.

Did that answer your question about Prozac?

haha.. sorry, i decided to just keep typing.

I'm sure someone will come along with a relevant answer

Stefford

Wow, while i was typing someone had a relevant answer! good answer courtney!

Stefford

Hi Fonz!! I love that show!!

So, I have had an amazing experience on the drug Prozac. I started taking it because I just had a mental shift or something happen one day. I got so depressed and the usual stuff didn't help me get better. You know, usually I could talk myself out of feeling a certain way or whatever. Anyhow. I went to my doc and she told me that I should try Prozac. I felt really nervous just thinking about it. I mean, what it would do to my body. Would I want to commit suicide if I got on it. Stuff like that and it was really really scary!! I didn't tell my doctor I was scared. I didn't want her to think I was a baby or something. Thinking back, I think I should have told her that I was afraid it would make me go crazy or something. Anyhow. So the first wekk I was taking it wasn't much. Second week, I could feel a change. Third week I could really feel a change. Then it was smooth sailing from there. I stopped snapping at people so much, I had more energy, I actually wanted to go to exercise and get moving!! Work wasn't as hard. My relationship got better with my family and my husband. I had no idea that I was depressed. Taking Prozac helped me realize that I had been depressed for years and years and years and didn't even know it. Now I'm glad to be the person I am on it. Some people might say, "Oh well that's not the "real" you, that's the drug." That sounds so silly to me. So, the "real" me should walk around being all depressed all the time? That's not who I want to be!! To me, I am what I want to be now and that's what really matters. So if you have someone talking to you like that just ignore them and go with what you think is the best thing to do for you.

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I Love Teddy Bears!!

IT's not like Prozac rewired anything in your brain. Of course it's the real you! I'm glad it's working for you and that you feel better about life. That is the whole point, right?!

Steff

thank you to everyone for sharing. i have started on prozav and i don't really feel a difference yet. butmy doctor told me it would be a little while. i did have some initial anxiety before i took my first dose. i stopped and asked myself if this was what i really wanted with the potential for side effects and all. i told myself i would give it a good try and so i decided to take the first dose and use the product for 3 months if i don't have any side effects. i'll let you guys know how its going!