Sudden mood changes

[dcarr356]

I went on Prozac for about 6 weeks to deal with my adult daughter that has OCD and has ruminating thoughts for most of her 30 yrs. The stress of living with her and her constant legal and emotional issues has taken a toll on me.  I weened myself off it because it was starting to change my thought process. When I would get in a car i would be so out of it that I almost got into an accident. I felt a little like a zombie.  I was only on 10mg. I guess that I am very sensitive to meds.  I also tried lexapro but couldnt take that either. Now, after a week and a half off prozac I am very moody and depressed. Is this a side effect and if so, will it eventually pass?  I feel like I dont care anymore and dont even want to leave my house and getting up to go to work is a struggle.  

[Paxiled]

Prozac is of course well known for personality changes.  Can happen with any antidepressant, but again, well known with Prozac.  Withdrawal is less common than with other antidepressants. but also can happen, and can happen later than one expects because Prozac lasts in the body much longer than other ssris, which leave within hours, so withdrawal can happen at a later time.  But I would say, with nursegirl, that drugs won't solve anything, they just might make you not care as much.  While that feels better, it feels even better to learn to naturally handle a known cause of your problems.  I would exhaust talk therapy and try something like meditation and lifestyle changes before I'd turn to drugs given that you know what's causing this -- there is not free ride with drugs, those of us who take them would rather not but couldn't find another solution.

[Anneinside]

I am surprised that you didn't say that you had those symptoms, especially depressed prior to taking prozac since that is what it is for. Of course it returned after you stopped the prozac because you are no longer treating it. However prozac taking 4 to 8 weeks to start working and more time for some of the side effects to fade. I am not suggesting that you get back on it but if you truly depressed you should see your psychiatrist and ask about a more activating antidepressant.

Since your depression is likely to be situational, counseling would be a great help to you as you can learn how to deal with the problems your daughter is causing you. I find counseling really helps me deal with life.

[nursegirl6572]

So sorry to hear about what you're going through.

The way you feel could absolutely be related to the adjustment period coming off the Prozac.  I would recommend giving it some time, keep an eye on how you're feeling.

Clearly, you've identified where most of your stress and emotional angst comes from, the situation with your daughter.  The realistic approach would be to address that situation.  If you're bailing her out of situations, and allowing her to live with you, with little accountability, all of that can be changed, and that would benefit BOTH of you.  

It's tough as a parent in these situations, because you view what you're doing as "helping", when the reality is, there is a fine line between helping and enabling.  Enabling ends with one person left more dependent and less able to care for themselves, and another person feeling frustrated, unappreciated and resentful.  NOT a good situation.  Does that sound familiar?

I would encourage you to do whatever you can to remedy the situation with your daughter.  I think when you do that, most of your depressive symptoms will resolve.  I also would encourage you to seek out counseling to help you deal with not only how you're feeling, but also the situation with your daughter.  It would be so helpful for you to have a professional to make suggestions, bounce ideas off, and vent to about this situation.  It's hard emotionally for a parent to cut the strings and stop enabling.  There is a lot of guilt that comes with that, and I think having a professional to help you work through those emotions is paramount.

Very best to you, keep in touch!