Depression and anxiety affect a lot of people, and not everyone has access to advanced medicine like the Prozac Pill or Xanax. Those who do, and who choose to take it, should learn more about what they’re taking.
According to the ADAA, depression and anxiety affect 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older.
While the Prozac Pill is an effective way to treat depression and anxiety, it does come with a pretty lengthy list of side effects. Most medicines do, but ignorance isn’t blissful especially when these are daily medications.
If you’re considering Prozac (or any other similar medication), it’s healthy and downright smart to start by reading the associated side effects it could have on your body.
Let’s look at where Prozac comes from as well as some of the common side effects.
The drug-free way to curb your anxiety!
What Is Prozac?
LY110141 is the chemical compound that makes up Prozac. The compound also goes by the name of Fluoxetine. It first came around the 70’s to replace the then-commonly prescribed Valium.
Valium, which was under heavy fire in the media for causing addiction, started to really scare people away. Prozac was the shiny new alternative and it was prescribed all over the world as the cure for anxiety and depression.
People referred to it as “wonder drug.”
Originally, the compound for Prozac was tested to see if it could treat high blood pressure. The medicine seemed to work on a few animals, but it didn’t have any apparent effects on humans. So the scientists scrapped that idea.
Next, fluoxetine was tested to see if it could do any work as an anti-obesity agent. But it turned out that Prozac wasn’t doing anything for the overweight patients, either.
So the scientists moved on to the next patient group: those who had been hospitalized for their depression. Still no luck.
Prozac was destined to find its use, though. It finally hit home once the medication was used to help treat patients with mild depression. It showed to improve moods and stabilize anxiety, making people happier.
But how does it work?
Prozac corrects and balances the chemicals in the brain that make people depressed and anxious among other things. It replenishes areas that are lacking in the brain.
The medication has grown in popularity ever since it hit the market. Currently, the Prozac Pill is prescribed to more than 50 million people worldwide. And it doesn’t look like it’s going anywhere anytime soon!
Side Effects of Prozac Pill
Patients who are prescribed Prozac should understand what exactly they’re putting into their bodies and what the common side effects are.
Here’s a list we’ve put together of eight of the most common side effect symptoms of the Prozac Pill:
1. Hives, Itching, or Skin Rash
Some people experience hives and itchy rashy skin that may go away in the night and return by day. Human skin is sensitive and could start to react differently with the added chemical compounds in the medication.
If reddening or skin rashes occur, as with any of the symptoms that follow, you should discuss it with your doctor.
2. Restlessness
When patients are prescribed medications, they’re usually also prescribed a time to take it. That could mean a pill with breakfast or even a pill right before bed. While taking Prozac, some patients noticed a general lack of restlessness, day and night.
This could mean restlessness as they lay in bed at night, or an agitated state in a place as comfortable as a couch. Prozac may affect sleep and the ability to rest.
3. Chills or Fever-Like Symptoms
Patients may also feel fever-like symptoms across their body without actually having a high temperature at all. The body can feel achy or sensitive to temperature and prone to chills.
Chills and fever-like symptoms are sporadic and can come up at any time.
4. Upset Stomach or Nausea
Just like with many other common medications, a Prozac Pill may not agree with the patient’s stomach. That could mean that they have lost their appetite, have a “turning stomach” or have grown nauseous.
This is common with almost anything ingested, but it could indicate that the chemicals in Prozac just aren’t agreeing with patients’ stomach at times.
5. Drowsiness
Some of the patients who were prescribed the Prozac Pill also experienced drowsiness. Just like with Dramamine or NyQuil, the chemicals can make reality a bit foggy and make the patient more likely to fall asleep.
6. Dizziness
When taking Prozac, users should be aware that dizziness or lightheadedness can occur. This can affect performance in multiple areas including working, driving, and performing responsibilities.
Patients should test Prozac in safe environments before they attempt to do more demanding tasks and actions.
7. Dry Mouth
It’s common for antidepressants (also called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) to cause patients to have a dry mouth.
Why does this happen?
Antidepressants inhibit the uptake of a molecule that helps the glands in the mouth produce saliva. Prozac commonly makes patients seem like they’re not producing any saliva.
8. Changes in Weight
Patients might experience a decrease in weight or a change in their eating habits. This could go hand in hand with the upset stomach symptom we mentioned earlier, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that.
Some patients experienced a loss of appetite and others just a change in their eating preferences.
Consider Options
Prozac isn’t the only antidepressant on the market. Besides that, there are plenty of other ways to relieve stress and calm anxiety.
- Beta Blockers
- Acupuncture, and
- 5-HTP
Patients looking to take the Prozac Pill should understand the associated symptoms and should discuss options with their doctor.
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If you found this article helpful or if you’re looking for other advice on calming anxiety and ridding depression, check out the Curb Anxiety blog!
We consistently feature new articles on ways to treat and deal with anxiety, depression, stress and other important health factors. We also feature explanations and comparisons of current medications.
When it comes to medicine, don’t gloss over the details. Learn as much about them as you can!
