Increasing Prozac Dosage

About Increasing Prozac Dosage

About Increasing Prozac Dosage in Questions

Has anyone ever had increased anxiety while increasing Prozac dosage? I just went from 15mg to 20 mg, I have been on 20 for 2 weeks and I am having moderate to severe anxiety. I take prozac for anxiety, and it has worked good thus far(4 months). Should I just deal with it and hope it gets better?

..... replied: "call your doctor and make an appointment. maybe it will get better..just ask the doctor just to make sure."

Connie B replied: "theres something wrong there"

MSpsych replied: "Yes. Prozac can be a double edged sword when it comes to anxiety. It works well for it, but until you get stable and used to the higher dosage it can cause anxiety. Every time they up it it can cause anxiety. Usually it will go away or you may need to try another anti-depressant. Lexapro is really good for anxiety. If your Prozac was working well, why was the dosage increased? Some people have to do an increased dose every other day or take something like a low dose of Xanax until their body gets used to it. Talk to your doctor ASAP - there is no reason to make yourself suffer,"

I'm currently taking Prozac and recently asked my doctor to increase my dosage to 120mg.? I'm currently Prozac and asked my doctor to increase my dosage to 120mg, but she said that wouldn't give me any higher than 80mg, but a dosage as high as 120 would cause problems with heart arrhythmias. How does Prozac cause this problem with the heart?

WiserAngel replied: "If the prozac at 80 mg is not working for you, Prozac is not the right anti-depressant for you and your doctor should be taking another course of action in treating your symptoms. Most people respond very well to prozac at 20mg or 40mg if its the right drug for them."

JB81 replied: "The maximum dose for Prozac is 80mg. You should not go any higher than that. If you feel you need to, Prozac is definitely not the right medication for you. Make sure that you don't just stop taking the Prozac cold turkey though. Just start decreasing the amount you take until you don't take it anymore."

Why would my doc increase my fluoxitine (prozac) dosage? I've only been taking it for a few weeks. She prescribed me 10 mg. to begin with, and just increased it to 20 mg., after saying that the initial prescription seemed to be showing a result. If 10 mg is showing a result, why would she increase? I just started taking the 20mg., and I've noticed a bit of a headache, and my back teeth hurt, like I've been grinding my teeth.

Jane replied: "20mg is still a very low dose. Try it."

Mo Fayed replied: "20 mg is a normal dose. Sometimes when you start on fluoxetine it can make you feel rough for a day or so, so that could be why they tried you with 10 mg for a starter. It takes about a month to build up to the right level in your system when you start taking it."

Aidan Connor replied: "Just because something 'shows a result' doesnt mean it's at it's peak. For example, say you have a headache, and one Tylenol helps a little bit, but the headache is still there, so you take another one and the headache is gone completely. If the psychiatrist thinks that your depression is getting better from the Fluoxetine, but it's not as good as it should be, this indicates that the prescription WILL work for you (Prozac doesn't work for everyone), and that you just need a higher dosage. Good luck, and there is nothing wrong with asking your doctor about your prescription as she is writing it, and there is also nothing wrong with asking your pharmacist about it as you fill it. They may be intimidating, but they're there to help you."

r0ckah0l1c replied: "I might switch to a psychiatrist or somebody well trained in the field. My mother almost died from various doctors messing with her medicines carelessly. Research your doctors and take your medicine usage seriously!"

Senerity replied: "I've taken Prozac before. I don't remember any Dr. increasing the dosage of Prozac. I took the once a week 90mg. It wasn't effective. The 10mg worked a lot better. I guess, increasing the dose would make it more effective. I wish I could help you more."

Argentox2 replied: "Don´t worry the doctor knows what he´s doing. At the long run you will feel so much better. My doc also increased the dosage of my med. :)"

what would happen if i increase my dosage of prozac the doc gave me? Ok so some things happened to me a while back about 3 months ago and ive gone really down hill since then and its got me really down and badly effected me. its caused me to be really depressed and i have had suicidal thoughts because of it but id never do that so dont worry. but anyway i got prescribed some prozac from my doc and im on 1x 20mg capsule a day. ive done loads of research on prozac, how it works, how long it takes to work etc. see ive read that some people get prescribed bigger doses depending on there depression and some people take 60 or 80mg a day of prozac. what ive been doing is actually taking 1 20mg capsule every 12 hours since last friday. obviously that means im going to run out twice as fast doesnt it. will that have a better faster effect on me though or should i really actually only take one a day as prescribed? i dont know if theyre going to work or what effect they will have on me im not just a bit down or depressed and need cheering up im actually depressed about situations that i can do nothing about and the outcome they have had on me and im down about that too. i think im getting better tho but im still well upset about how my life is now and the way i am. also do they help you gain weight? i hope so.

Bama Girl☮ replied: "Death maybe?"

kristina replied: "You really need to discuss increasing your dosage with your doc. Tell him the feelings you have (including the suicidal thoughts) and tell him that you took it upon yourself to increase the dosage and see what he says...he will more than likely tell you not to do that!"

workingclasshero replied: "Go back to the Dr. and explain your concerns. Perhaps he can tweak your dosage - it's much better for the Dr. to do it then for you to go messing about with it, as you will be out of meds twice as fast - and then what? Even though you've done tons of research it's probably not enough to qualify for a medical or pharmeceutical degree - so ask the expert and not us bunch of wannabees"

K replied: "If you feel that you need a higher dose then you need to contact your doctor. You cannot go over the dose by yourself. While you may be knowledgeable in how prozac works there is a lot more to it then that. Doctors per scribe medication based on so many factors that you would have to be well educated in that to up your dose on your own is dangerous. I would not suggest it."

critter52 replied: "you need to tell your doctor what you are doing and that you need your dosage increased ,they will most likely up it for you till you get to a level that works for you. take it once a day like you are supposed to."

PRGfUSMC replied: "Antidepressant loses effect after a few months. This could be why you're having to up your dosage. People feel 100% better with the 40mg dosage. I wouldn't recommend upping your dose on your own, because it might have unwanted side effects. Go to your doctor and explain you're still feeling really low he or she is likely to suggest you increase the dose anyway. It causes significant weight gain!"

love2B replied: "the Best thing to do would be to Consult your Doctor ... I take Prozac, too, but it is always best to consult with the doctor. I am on three 20mg capsules of Prozac for anxiety, and it is always best to consult with the doctor before upping yourself. You could be taking them wrong too. I was informed to take them all together, right before bed. I have been taking Prozac now for 3 years. There is a lot of conflicting information out there, and consulting a professional is always the best - and yes, you will run out of meds sooner. You should set up an appointment with the doc, and until you meet you have several options: one, you could go back to the prescribed dose or two you can call the doctor, explain the situation, and ask for a mail in prescription if the doctor thinks it is the right thing to do. Best of Wishes :D"

phoebe replied: "No, do not take more prozac then your doctor recommended. what that will do is cause your body to create less serotonin, making you more dependent on prozac. the more drugs you take the less your body will be able to produce its own pleasure chemicals. If you feel you need a stronger dose do not do it your self for 2 reasons: your doctor knows what they are doing and knows the risk so talk to them they always have your best interest at heart. Second if you take twice as much with out your doctors consent you will not be able to refill your prescription until your regular dose would have run out. so you be without meds for a while. since the things that are causing your depression are out of your control I suggest you find an alternative outlet. Its as simple as going for a jog or doing some yoga on your floor. sound silly but exercise releases endorphins and gives you something else to focus on even if its for only 20 minutes it will still be a nice break from your situation."

boogeywoogy replied: "SSRIs, like Prozac, can take up to 3 weeks before any appreciable benefit is felt. You really need to be patient about waiting for it to start working. If no benefit is seen after 3-4 weeks, it's your doctor who needs to assess whether or not a higher dosage is warranted. Another option is asking your doctor if a different drug, such as Effexor or Lexapro, would give you relief sooner than the Prozac will."

Prozac dosage question...? My mohter, who is in her early seventies has been taking Prozac for about 2 decades. I know that she takes a high dosage and it has been increased over the years. Lately, she has been "too happy". She doesn't seem to have any control over her actions, or what she says. She talks contantly, either to stangers on manipulating every family conversation. Everything is a joke to her and we are constantly having to treat her like an hyperactive toddler, telling her to sit down, lower her voice etc and to stop making a fool out of herself. Please understand that I am not trying to deny her happiness, but she is taking it to the extreme and we are concerned about her. We are concerned at the conversations she has with complete strangers and we are concerned about how she acts at family events. I am at a loss of how to handle this and am wondering if perhaps her Prozac dosage is now too high- it just seems like a explaination for how she is acting. Any help appreciated.

Sven B replied: "Just let her be happy!"

sunshine replied: "talk to her doctor if you that concerned...and let her doctor know what your seeing and how you are concerned...thats your best bet."

mytwodogs60463 replied: "they did the same thing with my dad and found out that when you get older you need to reduce the dosage as it can become to strong. they ended up reducing my dad's dosage as it was too stong because he got older and they left it and didn't think it would interfer with age but it does. see if they can do a blood level as they did that with my dad and then decreased his level."

ivory_harlow replied: "I know people taking anywhere from 10mg to 160mg a day. It depends on A)tolerance B)body mass"

Prozac (Fluoxetine) for bulimia...if 40 mgs is making me gain weight, should I ask doctor to change dosage? I've been slowly increasing intake of fluoxetine over the past few months. I started on 10mg, then 20, 30 and now 40 mg daily. I have gained 20 pounds in that period of time. Should I keep increasing dosage to the average level of 60-80mg recommended for my condition (bulimia nervosa) or should I start decreasing and get off it?

da_hammerhead replied: "Yes. Explain all this to your doctor."

What kind of secondary effects have you had with Prozac? I'm a first time Mom.. and I was prescribed with Prozac for Postpartum Depression.. Recently I had to increase dosage, and I feel like weakness, and nausea 1 to 2 hrs after I take the capsules.. Have somebody feelt like me? or it's only that I'm feeling nervous? What are your seconday effects taking Prozac?

hatingmsn replied: "I had a friend who had the same thing happen..she was switched to a different brand"

moongoddess209 replied: "Definitely sounds related. My big problem with Prozac was major loss of libido! Those are side effects of Prozac. Side effects: (most of these fall under the extremely rare but possible category) Nausea, drowsiness, dizziness, anxiety, trouble sleeping, loss of appetite, weakness, tiredness, sweating, or yawning may occur. unusual or severe mental/mood changes (e.g., agitation, unusual high energy/excitement, thoughts of suicide), uncontrolled movements (e.g., of the lips/tongue), shakiness (tremor), restlessness, inability to keep still, decreased interest in sex, changes in sexual ability, blurred vision, numbness/tingling. bloody/black/tarry stools, vomit that looks like coffee grounds, easy bruising/bleeding, fainting, fast/irregular heartbeat, muscle weakness/spasm, seizures, change in amount of urine. hallucinations, unusual restlessness, loss of coordination, fast heartbeat, severe dizziness, unexplained fever, severe nausea/vomiting/diarrhea, twitchy muscles. A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is rare. However, seek immediate medical attention if you notice any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, including: rash, itching, swelling, severe dizziness, trouble breathing."

Prozac anyone on it? Has your dosage been increased? I've been on Prozac since 1992, I take 20 MG a day. I've been having some problems, and my doctor says 20 is a low maintenance dose, and thinks I should go to 40. What has been your experience?

Race Relations Today replied: "whoa!! are you okay? but yes I believe I will be on prozac soon, what should I expect?"

How much is too much of antidepressents? I`m 15 and have been on antidepressents for a while now. I am currently taking 60mg prozac and 30mg remeron however i would like to increase my prozac dosage to 80mg [and reduce the remeron to 15mg]. I have been on my meds for almost a year and feel as if they are not working, but 80mg is the highest prescribed amout for adults [and i am only a 5ft, 100lbs teen]. Please advise on what you feel should be done. My parents&doctors are giving me all the responsibility. Well, they havent given me ALL the responsibility, but i can choose for myself what i would like to do.

searcher replied: "Whoa! That doesn't sound right. Why would the doctor allow you to choose your own dosage!!!! I'd call your doctor and ask him/her for your options. It's very dangerous to choose these levels and you could send yourself in a downward spiral because you think you don't need them."

Cheryl E replied: "don't fool around with your own meds..i really don't believe that dr or parents would give you that responsibility...drs don't give it to adults in your situation."

K K replied: "I think you're are already taking too much. I'm recovering from depression REALLY slow, but with Dr. Kathleen DesMaison method. All natural, at my pace, NO COST, because is based on food. Check her web site and let me know: . Take it easy, slow, and take very food care of yourself. Start drinking a lot more water NOW! If possible distilled water. It is NOT easy to be depressed, and we feel alone, ignored, isolated and out of place. Most of the feelings ARE real, but they are in function of hormonal/chemical imbalance. Balancing your chemistry will give you a very different view of life. Take care, KK"

apes replied: "First, I would find a new doctor and talk to your parents about placing too much responsibility on you. I do not think a 15 year old should be taking any addictive medications and I think a doctor who is having you regulate your dosage is being very negligent."

Is it safe to take more than 20 mg of Prozac a day? My psychiatrist prescribed me 20 mg of Prozac. For the most part, it has worked really well, but some of the depression symptoms are starting to make an appearance again. I was wondering if it would be safe if my doctor increased my dosage. Does anyone know?

Gefilte Girl replied: "If your doctor increased it, yes. They prescribe up to 40mg. Do not do it yourself."

dynamyta21 replied: "go to walgreens.com read the label on prozac and reccommended dosage. Or call pharmacy and asked a pharmacist, or ask ur doctor or try and see what happens. Its not going to kill u, I know that much."

noitall replied: "new flash: we're not pharmacists nor physicians. sometimes depression is a natural response to life. don't start relying just on drugs when you should perhaps be doing your "homework". it's called walking the walk"

DRAGON replied: "Only your doctor would know for sure, I know I do not need to tell you this but I would do anything based on on answers from here. Just be safe and be careful. I hope the symptoms go back down. DRAGON 2008 "I BELIEVE IN U.S.""

Raven Eyes JPA replied: "Yes, it is safe, but ONLY if done by your doctor."

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