Side effects or more meds?

[needananswer75]

Hi, everyone. I recently started taking Prozac for my depression. Once it got into my system, I had a few really good days. I felt great, actually. Unfortunately, I don't get that all day good feeling now. I feel horrible in the morning. Is it possible that my dose needs to be split, so that I take it twice a day to feel more balanced? Maybe I need I higher dose? I am on 20 mg. Or is this crappy feeling in the morning a side effect of the medicine?

[whodunnit]

Hi there,

You describe a common reaction in that many of us feel good initially. This is more likely the placebo effect than the med. My partner told me she felt better as soon as she filled her prescription, before she took it. It's normal as we are filled with hope.

But it is short term and you need to wait for the med to take effect. And of course as Becky says it can take time for a med to start working for real.

The all day feeling good thing you mention is not likely to be the result of any meds I know. The term used by many who have never taken meds is "happy pills" but that's far from the truth and an all day happy mood is not the result of meds for anyone really. It is a slow, hard process to recover from the depths and an overnight transformation to "happy" is not likely or anything but a dream. Sorry.

I wish it were so but it's not the truth. Another thing people experience is going off meds. Often we feel really good for a few days or a week and think we're all cured etc. Again, another illusion.

Focus on long term improvement, not instant change. That's what really happens, slow steady upswings.

[becky808]

It's not a side effect. How long have you been taking it? It can take up to 6 weeks to start working properly.
You might need to increase your dose. 20 mg is a starting dose.

[Julie359]

How long have you been taking it for?  Not sure if you can spit it, i'm not a doctor, my advice would be ring ur local chemist and ask their advice or wait until ur doc's is open and ask to speak to the doc......