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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Janelle on July 12, 2001, at 19:39:55
Having been on Paxil (and Klonopin) for 7 years, then it seemed to poop out, I'm kinda freaking that it might have permanantly changed/altered my brain. So, I'm wondering who among the posters here has used SSRI/A-D's for long term use (let's say 5 or more years) and do you think (or know) they cause permanent changes? Thanks
Posted by susan C on July 12, 2001, at 20:08:25
In reply to Who out there is LONG-TERM user (5 yrs or more)?, posted by Janelle on July 12, 2001, at 19:39:55
I don't know about permanent change, but I do know meds can stop working after awhile. I was on a combo of prozac and trazadone for 5-6 years and boy, it was wonderful. I crashed, worse than when I first started treatment and have since found out there is a good chance I am bipolar II, so the prozac SSRI made my mania worse...I am still learning. Others may have references to studies, but I think it is pretty widely accepted that meds can stop working, and as a side note, if you take it, then stop, and start up again, it may not work as well again....it is a good thing all those Pharmasutical companies have lots of investors that want to make money,and are continuing to come up with more and different drugs for us, huh!?!
> Having been on Paxil (and Klonopin) for 7 years, then it seemed to poop out, I'm kinda freaking that it might have permanantly changed/altered my brain. So, I'm wondering who among the posters here has used SSRI/A-D's for long term use (let's say 5 or more years) and do you think (or know) they cause permanent changes? Thanks
Posted by Janelle on July 12, 2001, at 20:54:12
In reply to Re: Who out there is LONG-TERM user (5 yrs or more)?, posted by susan C on July 12, 2001, at 20:08:25
SusanC - thanks for your response. What med(s) are you taking now?
I have also found out there is a good chance I am bipolar II, so the Paxil SSRI probably made my mania worse...I am still learning too!
Thanks for the tip about how if you take a med, it stops working so you stop it, then eventually you start it back up again, it may not work as well. I'd thought about doing that with Paxil, but after the withdrawal I went through and it's finally gone, I'm very leery to go near Paxil again, especially since it might not even work the second time around.
Thanks for your thoughtful response.
Posted by susan C on July 12, 2001, at 21:54:13
In reply to SUSAN C ... thanks, more:, posted by Janelle on July 12, 2001, at 20:54:12
> SusanC - thanks for your response. What med(s) are you taking now?
>
Hi, Here is a message that has about all off it except I also take 30mg of ambien for sleep. Oh, boy, it is so wonderful to sleep at night. I even slept through the neighborhood fireworks on the 4th. I know the recommended dosage is 10mg, but it is working and so far, have not found any reason to be concerned. I think we are all more special and individual in ways that we never image.http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010708/msgs/69912.html
I think that will get you there it is just the fifth post above this one.
> I have also found out there is a good chance I am bipolar II, so the Paxil SSRI probably made my mania worse...I am still learning too!
>
> Thanks for the tip about how if you take a med, it stops working so you stop it, then eventually you start it back up again, it may not work as well. I'd thought about doing that with Paxil, but after the withdrawal I went through and it's finally gone, I'm very leery to go near Paxil again, especially since it might not even work the second time around.
>
> Thanks for your thoughtful response.
Posted by Hunter77 on July 18, 2001, at 13:46:05
In reply to Who out there is LONG-TERM user (5 yrs or more)?, posted by Janelle on July 12, 2001, at 19:39:55
> Having been on Paxil (and Klonopin) for 7 years, then it seemed to poop out, I'm kinda freaking that it might have permanantly changed/altered my brain. So, I'm wondering who among the posters here has used SSRI/A-D's for long term use (let's say 5 or more years) and do you think (or know) they cause permanent changes? Thanks
I was on Prozac and trazadone for about 7 years. I
was taking for fibromyalgia, not depression, but looking
back i suspect i had low-grade depression for years. I didn't
have any problems with those meds, but did develop full-blown
clinical depression and am using other drugs. Obviously whatever
anti-depressive effect they might have had wore off. Actually
it was a problem for me in a way because I denied that I could
be having depression because I was already on anti-
depressents.
I'm still dealing with this (aren't we all?), but
my thought is that meds or not it's a lifetime journey. like
some other posters, I wonder what's normal anyway?
After all, if "normal" was before I started taking meds, that
was when I was in my 30's and life was a lot different. Have
you considered that "changes" might be a reflection of getting
older, especially if you have been dealing with illness for years?
Posted by Fenka on July 20, 2001, at 4:38:00
In reply to Re: Who out there is LONG-TERM user (5 yrs or more)?, posted by Hunter77 on July 18, 2001, at 13:46:05
I have wondered this myself. I had taken Prozac for 10 years at 20mg per day. Then over a short time I developed fibromyalgia. I have often wondered if my long term prozac use in my 30 and early 40's contributed somehow to my inability to sort through pain. Any ideas out there?
Fenka
Posted by Joy on July 22, 2001, at 3:49:27
In reply to Re: Who out there is LONG-TERM user (5 yrs or more)?, posted by Fenka on July 20, 2001, at 4:38:00
Usually 20 mgs of Prozac after a certain amount of time will 'poop out' and a higher dose is called for. My friend is on Prozac and Trazodone for many years [she is currently at 80 mg Prozac and I know has taken this med over 10 years]; she takes Trazodone for several years at night. She has had no weight gain, no major problems except fatigue at times. She is slim and has kept her weight stable, and does not seem to have any bad side effects after all these years. She gets a headache sometimes but has a high stress job. I am on 60 mgs of Prozac [from 20 mgs 6 months ago]. It has really helped insulate me froms situations that would have freaked me out before Prozac. I also take Xanax at night for sleeping, and eventually may try Trazodone. I was on Paxil for a few months and was hungry all the time, though it worked well [just fatigue]. I went back on a couple of months later but it did not work as well at all. If you come off an AD it may not work the 2nd time around for some reason.
She had Wellbutrin added to 60 mgs of Prozac some time ago, but it agitated her so she stopped it after a few weeks and now just takes Prozac in the day time. I know everyone is different but many people have taken Prozac many years.
Joy> I have wondered this myself. I had taken Prozac for 10 years at 20mg per day. Then over a short time I developed fibromyalgia. I have often wondered if my long term prozac use in my 30 and early 40's contributed somehow to my inability to sort through pain. Any ideas out there?
> Fenka
This is the end of the thread.
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