Well, this is a problem.

[Verità]

I have been diagnosed with severe anxiety disorder, and I've recently been prescribed Prozac to help with it. I've been dealing with it for as long as I can remember, but I've never been prescribed anything for it, as I could usually manage it. That being said, I've run into a bit of a roadblock... I'm anxious about actually taking the medicine.

My family tends to be known for having weird allergies. My younger sister is allergic to red dye, and at one point, I had a skin allergy to water. Recently I tried melatonin to help me sleep better, but one of the inactive ingredients didn't agree with me, and I ended up having an allergic reaction to something in the pill. The reaction itself wasn't too bad, I could still breathe, but it was a terrifying experience.

I know it will take a couple weeks for the pills to work, so I know it's the sooner the better in this case, but I'm just so afraid. I keep worrying over the side affects, possible medicine interactions, and anaphylactic shock. (I probably spelled that wrong.) I just don't know what to do.

[Thirteen]

Honestly, first of all I find it strange that an Anxiety Disorder is being treated with Prozac, consider the usage for Depression, and Panic Disorder (which is different than Anxiety).

Second, can you get an allergy test? I'm sure your doctor would approve if there is an ingredient that could potentially be an allergen. Some medications have lactose, for example, which wouldn't be good if you've got an allergy to it. Whereas other medicines don't use lactose as a "filler", so to put it. Knowing what's in it, and what could set you off, would be a good idea.

[Ghost On The Highway]

I agree that Prozac is a strange choice for anxiety. Have you taken the medication yet? In general, the physical or any negative mental side effects should appear immediately -- significant improvement takes much longer, usually a couple months.

I don't want to recommend Effexor (it's a hell of a drug lol), but I'm on it and it has helped with both my depression and anxiety. Withdrawal from this AD is horrible though -- I've experienced nausea, vomiting, weird nerve sensations (skin feels like rubber), "spinning" as if I were drunk, etc.

Do you suffer from depression as well? If so, be prepared to "bottom out" when you start the drug. It doesn't happen to everyone, but SSRI's usually make me more suicidal for a few days; the feeling passes with time.

[Verità]

First off - thank you guys for replying.

I haven't tried the medication yet. I believe one of the big factors in him selecting that specific medication was that it is apparently easier to get off of it once you are done with it. Once I can persuade myself to try it, I'll see how it affects my anxiety levels, and if it doesn't help, I'll definitely switch. However, I'll feel bad if I don't at least try it, even if it isn't necessarily for anxiety.

I did speak to him about that, and he told me there were no allergy tests available because allergic reactions are really uncommon. However, like I said, my family is prone to allergies, and strange ones at that. Allergic reactions are also one of my biggest fears. There was a point in my life where I almost stopped eating because I was so petrified of having an allergic reaction, even if I had eaten the food before with no previous reaction.

And I do suffer from depression. It's been better recently, and I've never been suicidal. But I really appreciate the warning, and I will be sure to keep an eye on my emotional health if I can get myself to take it.

[Dr.Bobby]

Wait.

Prozac IS the correct medication for anxiety, and you'll please note my qualifications to say so. Besides, it's unhelpful to question or contradict the advice of a physician who has the benefit of training as well as the application of that in assessing the person IRL. Sorry, I know how that all sounds and I don't intend it that way, but there's a limit to what people should be offering as advice or opinion, when it's downright incorrect and potentially harmful to the OP, that's it.

OK, back to the OP's original question. I'm assuming your doc is aware of your allergic reactions and other concerns, so in his assessment, the chances of your experiencing them aren't significant, or at least, not significant enough to warrant not using the Prozac. If he wasn't aware of your medical history, please call him and discuss them before taking the meds, he should be aware of them!

If he gives you the green light, rest assured that reflects a confidence in the safety of Prozac in your situation.

[Thirteen]

Originally Posted by Dr.Bobby

Wait.

Prozac IS the correct medication for anxiety, and you'll please note my qualifications to say so.

Uhh, to be fair, your "qualifications" are "Yes I am a psychologist" in your signature. Yet, you also tried to label a teenage girl with Bipolar Disorder, when she didn't have the symptoms.

Besides, Prozac isn't even listed as being used for Anxiety. Never said it couldn't be, two people just agreed it seems odd. I've been diagnosed with Anxiety, and am being treated with anti-anxiety medication. When my options were being presented to me, names came up, and Prozac was not one of them.

[BlueWolf]

I was prescribed Prozac to help with my depression and anxiety when I first started seeing a psych. I have been told by multiple psychs that Prozac CAN help with anxiety TO AN EXTENT. That is simply what I have been told. It is not mainly used for anxiety but has been known to take the edge off. The same goes for Celexa too. However, it is mostly only for depression. I am not a doctor, so don't take my word for it. This is the information given to me by my psychiatrist when I asked about it.

My personal experience with Prozac wasn't great, but wasn't bad either. It made me very sleepy, but no other side effects. Everyone is different so you may or may not have an allergic reaction to it. If you do not feel comfortable taking it, talk to your psych about trying something you do feel comfortable taking or you can always try the all natural route. I've heard good stories about taking all natural medicine, but different things work for different people and you need to do what works best for you!

I also wanted to add something... I didn't know psychologist deals with medicine I thought that was a psychiatrist? Just a bit confused. I never heard that a psychologist can have the qualifications to deal with medicine... But I could be wrong?

[Dr.Bobby]

Originally Posted by Thirteen

Uhh, to be fair, your "qualifications" are "Yes I am a psychologist" in your signature. Yet, you also tried to label a teenage girl with Bipolar Disorder, when she didn't have the symptoms.

Besides, Prozac isn't even listed as being used for Anxiety. Never said it couldn't be, two people just agreed it seems odd. I've been diagnosed with Anxiety, and am being treated with anti-anxiety medication. When my options were being presented to me, names came up, and Prozac was not one of them.

Actually, my credentials are based on a Doctorate and 30 yrs of clinical experience. The signature (and nick) just alert the reader to that. And although the actual credentials might be hard to "Prove", it should be fairly easy to recognize, it's unfortunate that you cannot. Don't confuse that inability with accuracy on your part. As an FYI, I'd be subject to arrest for impersonating a psychologist (even online). I'd also be an idiot, which clearly I'm not.

The information I offer is based on more than just good intentions and mere opinion and personal life experience. I believe there's a place for all that, but one's experience doesn't necessarily generalize onto others, and it also doesn't give the authority to speak with certainty on issues far too complicated and removed from yourself, like diagnosis or medications. Your own experience with medications is useful most to yourself, it doesn't give license to state with authority what might be appropriate for someone else, or for that matter, to openly challenge someone with the actual ability to offer what you cannot.

[Ghost On The Highway]

U mad bro?

According to the Gospel (Wikipedia), Prozac was originally developed to improve upon the antidepressant properties of diphenhydramine, a drug more commonly known as benadryl, which I take to help me sleep at night when I'm wired or overly tired.

[Verità]

Just thought I'd give you guys a general update.

After awhile yesterday, I finally convinced myself to take it yesterday, but the actual action of taking the medicine more or less induced an anxiety attack. I sat it out, and I took it again today, and now that I know I'm not allergic to it, it was a lot easier to take. So far, I haven't had any side affects that affect me too much, and I have a meeting with the doctor who prescribed me Prozac on Friday, so if anything does come up, I'll be sure to tell him about it.

Thank you to everyone who replied, your responses meant a lot. This thread can be closed.