My Personal Experience with Prozac Side Effects

I have been a long term consumer of Prozac, for diagnosed clinical depression. The medication helps, but there are side effects involved with this, and any prescription medication your physician may prescribe. I am here to share with you my personal experience with Prozac and it's side effects, however the experience is mine alone. If you wish to locate every potential side effect of Prozac, I encourage you to ask your physician for a flyer, contact your pharmacy, or locate a nursing drug guide. I will remind you that the list is comprehensive and can be intimidating, but rest assured that most people don't encounter many or
every side effect listed. Sometimes too much information can be overwhelming and confusing, and there are literally eons of side effects listed for every prescription and non prescription medication on the market today.

I chose to use Prozac. I chose it because I discussed it with my health practitioner, who would have been willing to prescribe the next new thing on the market. The problem with this is that the next new thing might be the next warning and class action lawsuit because it hasn't been studied enough to know all of the potential dangers associated with it. Prozac has been around for a long time, and most of the side effects and dangers are well known to the medical community, which is the reason I decided to try it. I felt comfortable in knowing this, as well as comforted by the fact that there have been no cases of a person growing a third eye while taking this medication. I prefer to stick to the "known facts", however intimidating they may be.

Prozac has been widely known as the medication that causes people to commit suicide...I do have to question though, were those thoughts and plans in place prior to treatment with Prozac? After all, the medication was prescribed for depression. It has also been associated with dry mouth, constipation, diarrhea, sexual impotence, anxiety, headaches, and several other side effects.

The side effects I have experienced with Prozac are not bothersome enough to stop taking the medication, in fact it is possible that they are not even directly correlated to the medication at all. Painful menstruation is one of those....well, I suppose menstruation can be painful without Prozac. This can be easily managed by taking a pain reliever. Constipation and diarrhea are also issues I have had while taking Prozac, but again, could I have eaten something that didn't agree with me? Simply taking a fiber supplement or laxative can easily manage this problem. Sure I get a headache once in a while....doesn't everyone? I take something and it goes away. My point is, I am not entirely sure that all of the side effects listed can be directly correlated to the use of Prozac.

The only real side effect that I am positive was caused by Prozac has been dryness of mouth. This has lessened, however after many years on the medication it sometimes causes a problem. I cope with this by making sure I get plenty of fluids, keep a lip balm handy, and chew gum. This is a manageable side effect, and it certainly isn't enough for me to discontinue use, however it was quite bothersome at first. In fact, most of the side effects of Prozac are very manageable with the help of your physician or nurse. Call for advice if needed, they will let you know if there are any life threatening conditions that you should be aware of. I also encourage you to share your use of any antidepressant with someone close to you, in the event that they notice unusual mood changes or see that you are unable to make a wise decision, they can provide feedback to you and your physician if necessary.

As always, check with your physician before taking any herbal supplements or over the counter medication while on Prozac, and do not consume alcohol during use of Prozac.

Wishing you the best!