Should only be prescribed by a psychiatrist....but other doctors have been prescribing it for depression - not good.

It is prescribed for depression. Don't know about psychotic. IMO it is *greatly* overprescribed. Some mental health self-help sites claim only about 20% of those taking it show major benefits. Wonderful IF it works, of course.

It can be difficult to wean off Prozac.

"Is this used for depression or psychotic disorders?"

Both. It is an antidepressant but is often used in conjunction with other medication for psychotic disorders.

Unbelievably doctors often prescribe other drugs to counteract the side effects caused by Prozac. A vicious cycle. A dangerous practice. Best to avoid.

Been on it, not too long, 1 year...for depression. Worked well, little side effects.

Vickey-MN

I've been on it since June for anxiety. It worked for me. One of the side effects for me was yawning and being a little sleepy but it has helped me tremendously. It's difficult to wean off of any of the prescriptions used for anxiety or depression.

It has been very helpful for one of my best friends for quite a long time, and DH has been on it for a while now, and it has helped him, too.

I have been on it for about 12 yrs for depression and it has helped a lot. But I'm afraid to quit...

What Monica and Dilly said. Not a drug to be taken lightly. Much over-prescribed and extremely dangerous for those who may have a "hidden" tendency to mania.

I have been on it for about 4 1/2 years. I was off of it from last Jan. until this past Sept. I didn't have that many problems while off of it and certainly didn't have any when I started it up again. Yes, it does make me sleepy some times but thats only if I sit down and get very relaxed (like while watching TV).

williamsburgjane -- Would you mind saying why you went back on Prozac after having minimal problems being off it for nine months? How high a dose do you take?

DH has been on 20 mg for 15 years. He went off for four months several years ago and was fine until we had a crop of family problems all at once and he was advised to resume taking 20 mg. IMO it does *nothing* for him that a placebo would not do.

Maybe I misunderstand, but it seems to me that if you have a chemical imbalance (supposedly helped by Prozac), you need to re-balance that all day, every day. Like you, DH was fine without Prozac long after it had completely washed out of his system. If you get anxious or depressed once in a great while (years between events) it doesn't seem to me that you have an ongoing chemical imbalance that Prozac could help. The depression or anxiety is not an ongoing daily problem, but *event* triggered.

I answered a TV advertisment one night about probable PMS, only to be asked "Can you hold?" (wasn't a good night...) This was for a clinical study which I couldn't do, as I take pain meds for chronic pain. They said I could get the same thing from my Dr., ask for Prozac. (This was trying Seroquel, or Serefem, unsure of the name, same drug.)
Made my life bearable again. Even got rid of my abnoxious SIL. She finally told me one day she was going home. Couldn't even get a good fight going anymore...lol. Fine by me...Life was even better....

Last year, I was suffering from extreme anxiety. I was unemployed and getting over the death of my mother and it eventually evolved into a series of panic attacks. My life was miserable.

I was prescribed Prozac to help take the edge off, but I only take 20MG a day. I've often stopped taking it for a week or two due to prescription refill delays with no side effects, so I don't know whether that's because my dose is relatively low or what.

I'm 26 and I don't want to be on them longer than I need to be. Honestly I don't even know if they're working or if it's the fact that I now have a very secure job and a happy life.

Maybe I misunderstand, but it seems to me that if you have a chemical imbalance (supposedly helped by Prozac), you need to re-balance that all day, every day. Like you, DH was fine without Prozac long after it had completely washed out of his system. If you get anxious or depressed once in a great while (years between events) it doesn't seem to me that you have an ongoing chemical imbalance that Prozac could help. The depression or anxiety is not an ongoing daily problem, but *event* triggered.

Absolutely. Chemical imabalances don't suddenly go away. Well perhaps a child could possibly grow out of them but an adult with a fully developed neural system? Unlikely.

I believe too many people are put on medication to get them through "event" triggered depression/anxiety. I also believe that using chemical intervention could actually change the brain chemistry to the point where there is no going back. In layman's terms when you take SSRIs one pathway shuts and another may be opened. Once shut that pathway may never open again.

When I say I didn't have many problems while off of it, my definition of many problems and others would probably be different. The reason I was off of it was because of the pain meds I was on because of a pinched nerve in my back and all the way down my leg to my toes. I could tell a difference in my attitude and my mental state and anxiety too while off of it. This whole process has been while I was under the care of my regular Dr and my spine specialist.

Had menopause, hot flashes, was prescribed a generic for Prozac, took it about 2 years then decided it wasn't doing anything anymore and I just quit taking it. No side effects, nothing. That was several years back.

I was also prescribed a generic for Hot flashes. I put off taking it for months and finally got it filled. I hated to take it but was looking for some relief. I took it for a week and stopped.

Aparently it is very common to prescribe it for hot flashes. I just didn't like the idea of it and after a week I didn't notice any change so just stopped.