Prozac causing too much energy
Question:
Michelle, I also take 20mg/day of Prozac (one month now) and have used David Burns’ "Feeling Good" as my bible. He has another book, I think 10 days to self-esteem, or something like that which is similar but a good addition. Dr. Burns also has a private practice here in the Philadelphia area. It’s amazing how different things are when you write them down, isn’t it? Anyway, just had to write as I could really relate to your post. Take care, Marc – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Elizabeth, I also meant to say that Prozac has worked very well for me. I take 20 mg. a day, btw. Anyway, at first it worked so well that I stopped working so hard on the cognitive therapy part of it, but as time went on I did notice some depression that went away when I worked on the cognitive end of things. Have you ever tried cognitive therapy? I’ve been reading the book "Feeling Good" by either Beck or Burns, I can’t remember off-hand. It’s really helpful and teaches you how to recognize the thoughts lead to feelings lead to actions train and how to deal with the irrational thoughts we have. It’s proved invaluable to me! Anyway, just my 2 cents. :-) Michelle
Response:
No I have not tried cognitive therapy. I have not had any type of therapy yet and it’s going to be hard to get it. Maybe I will talk to my school counselor and see if she can convince my mom. Meanwhile my doctor also added trazadone but it made me feel more weird and wired up so I just started cheeking the pills. After a few days of this, I feel less hyper but now I worry about getting depressed again, especially with school starting and all that.
Let me second what Marc and Michelle have said about cognitive therapy. Not that it has ‘cured’ me but it has helped a lot. If you cannot afford therapy just buy one of David Burns’ books, ‘Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy’ is the oldest and cheapest (only $7.00 ?), ‘The Feeling Good Handbook’ is much more recent – and better – but costs a bit more, like $17.00. Either is worth it. Burns’ books are more than typical selfhelp books, they have exercises that you can do. _Written_ exercises that do help. And they are based on real research not some pop psychology guru of the month’s rantings. Several studies have shown that the combination of therapy and meds is more effective for depression than either alone. I do not believe depression in many cases is simply a ‘chemical imbalance’ and all you have to do is find the right medicine. Yes there are extreme cases where the brain chemistry is really messed up and that is it. Otherwise I think you must try to understand _why_ you are depressed. Use the relief provided by meds to work through issues you may have, use techniques such as congitive therapy, even if it is only self-therapy with a book. Many times meds wear off after a time, so it is important to make some progress while you are ‘up.’ I will call my doctor next week when he gets back about all these side effects. I am driving my mom insane and vice versa. I have wondered if I could have a problem with being bipolar or something since Prozac made me feel so hyped up but I don’t know. I guess I will keep reading more.
Prozac and all other meds have different effects on everyone. No being hyped up does not automatically mean you are bipolar. Maybe you need a different dose or need to try a different med that works for you. Hope you get it all worked out! BBJ — To email me, remove the "NOSPAM" from my email address above or email me at "bobbillyjoe" -at- "hotmail" -dot- "com"
Response:
Elizabeth, I also meant to say that Prozac has worked very well for me. I take 20 mg. a day, btw. Anyway, at first it worked so well that I stopped working so hard on the cognitive therapy part of it, but as time went on I did notice some depression that went away when I worked on the cognitive end of things. Have you ever tried cognitive therapy? I’ve been reading the book "Feeling Good" by either Beck or Burns, I can’t remember off-hand. It’s really helpful and teaches you how to recognize the thoughts lead to feelings lead to actions train and how to deal with the irrational thoughts we have. It’s proved invaluable to me! Anyway, just my 2 cents. :-) Michelle
Hi Michelle, No I have not tried cognitive therapy. I have not had any type of therapy yet and it’s going to be hard to get it. Maybe I will talk to my school counselor and see if she can convince my mom. Meanwhile my doctor also added trazadone but it made me feel more weird and wired up so I just started cheeking the pills. After a few days of this, I feel less hyper but now I worry about getting depressed again, especially with school starting and all that. I will call my doctor next week when he gets back about all these side effects. I am driving my mom insane and vice versa. I have wondered if I could have a problem with being bipolar or something since Prozac made me feel so hyped up but I don’t know. I guess I will keep reading more. Glad the Prozac worked for you, and the other stuff too. Thanks for writing, Elizabeth
Response:
Elizabeth, I also meant to say that Prozac has worked very well for me. I take 20 mg. a day, btw. Anyway, at first it worked so well that I stopped working so hard on the cognitive therapy part of it, but as time went on I did notice some depression that went away when I worked on the cognitive end of things. Have you ever tried cognitive therapy? I’ve been reading the book "Feeling Good" by either Beck or Burns, I can’t remember off-hand. It’s really helpful and teaches you how to recognize the thoughts lead to feelings lead to actions train and how to deal with the irrational thoughts we have. It’s proved invaluable to me! Anyway, just my 2 cents. :-) Michelle
Response:
Elizabeth, I had that same feeling for about 3 weeks; it was very helpful in getting housework done, but it certainly wasn’t a very comfortable feeling. It was like I was physically unable to sit down and rest but had to keep moving, which usually meant cleaning. Thankfully that and all of my other side effects, except the insomnia, have disappeared. I take 100 mg. of Trazadone at night to help me sleep and it works wonders. I hope your body calms down soon! Michelle
Response:
Hey there! I was on Prozac sometime last September and developed a really bad side effect to it, including vomitting, nausea, tension headaches and just really bad nervous reactions. Sometimes now, I still feel that tension headache or just simply like I’m wired up to a lightning rod, like NOW. My head feels like it’s throbbing with electrical pulses CONSCIOUSLY. If Prozac is supposed to be out of your system in a few weeks, does it still induce some side effects that might be PERMANENT??
Not that I’ve ever heard of before. Best to ask your doctor. pphil
Response:
I’ve been put onto 30 mg. of Prozac per day. After a five days I became very hyper, lots of excess energy. I’m not sure if that was the Prozac, uncertainty about my job situation, or the bad thunderstorm that passed through our city on Monday night. This is my third time on Prozac since 1995. The first time I was on it for only a month – could not afford the refills and did not want to anyone I was on it. Yet, I lost weight, exercised a lot, lost some of my fears and inhibitions. The next time was two years later, where I was kept on it for six months. My shrink retired, I felt better but know that I should have been on it for a lot longer. Now, anxiety over graduation, jobs, etc. seems to have set me back again. Any thoughts or support will help. Dave
Response:
Prozac made me always very snippy and short with people…..It gave me incredible "self-confidence", tho’….. (I was the ‘life of the party’ for the 1st time ever in my life…i.e exteremely outgoingl)….my hands prescription down the toilet for precisely this reason.) It may do wonders for you, tho’…Good Luck! Rice
Response:
I went to 10 mg of Prozac a day and it removed all that excess jittery energy yet worked marvellously on my mood. Your pharmacist should carry the 10 mg dosage. Be warned that they cost almost the same as the 20 mg capsules.
Response:
Hey there! I was on Prozac sometime last September and developed a really bad side effect to it, including vomitting, nausea, tension headaches and just really bad nervous reactions. Sometimes now, I still feel that tension headache or just simply like I’m wired up to a lightning rod, like NOW. My head feels like it’s throbbing with electrical pulses CONSCIOUSLY. If Prozac is supposed to be out of your system in a few weeks, does it still induce some side effects that might be PERMANENT?? – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Okay Here’s the deal (ears wagging like Ross Perot). It does take 60 to 90 days for the side effects to settle down to wherever they’re going to be for you. Then you decide if the side’s are worth the good effect of the med. Prozac does tend to make one a little speedy especialy at first. That’s why people often lose some weight early in the process. So… Lay off the caffiene and wait it out. And put that excess energy to something useful you put off when you were down. If you still have trouble sleeping after 90 days there are several mild meds that can help. As always-Ask your doctor. Hope this clears things up a little. Hang in there, don’t sleep in the daytime, get some exercise. pphil
Response:
Hi, I am wondering if it’s normal to feel really hyper on Prozac. Have been taking 20 mg for about a month for depression and now I’m not depressed but I can’t sit still most of the time. Not sleeping much either. My doctor says it’s a side effect that will wear off. I’m getting on my mom’s nerves but she goes along with what the doctor says. It’s this uncomfortable feeling, like my whole body is buzzing or something. Anyone know anything about this or have experienced it?
This is a very common side-effect of Prozac. Some people cannot take the hyperactivity and have to stop. For others it is not a problem. Everyone has a different brain chemistry, every anti-depressant medicine acts differently on every individual. Another med may work as well as Prozac for you with fewer or no side-effects. It is hit and miss with meds – not an exact science. There is a lot of try this or try that or try a little higher or a little lower. I have heard of people reducing their dose to as low as 10mg/day of Prozac. That can be enough for some people supposedly. A friend used to take one 20mg every other day to ward off the buzz, but I am unsure whether this was effective or not. Check with your doctor. BBJ — To email me, remove the "NOSPAM" from my email address above or email me at "bobbillyjoe" -at- "hotmail" -dot- "com"
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I am wondering if it’s normal to feel really hyper on Prozac. Have been taking 20 mg for about a month for depression and now I’m not depressed but I can’t sit still most of the time. Not sleeping much either. My doctor says it’s a side effect that will wear off. I’m getting on my mom’s nerves but she goes along with what the doctor says. It’s this uncomfortable feeling, like my whole body is buzzing or something. Anyone know anything about this or have experienced it? Thanks, Elizabeth Okay Here’s the deal (ears wagging like Ross Perot). It does take 60 to 90 days for the side effects to settle down to wherever they’re going to be for you. Then you decide if the side’s are worth the good effect of the med. Prozac does tend to make one a little speedy especialy at first. That’s why people often lose some weight early in the process. So… Lay off the caffiene and wait it out. And put that excess energy to something useful you put off when you were down. If you still have trouble sleeping after 90 days there are several mild meds that can help. As always-Ask your doctor. Hope this clears things up a little. Hang in there, don’t sleep in the daytime, get some exercise.
2-3 months for the side-effects to settle down? 2-3 months without sleeping well? Yikes! Unless the side-effects are mild, or unless you are severely depressed and suicidal without meds, I would never wait so long. Depending on how severe side-effects are I would give it two or three weeks at most. Everyone has a different brain chemistry, some people have different side-effects than others, some people get over them right away, others never get over them. If you cannot handle the side-effects at a given dose ask your doctor if you can lower it. You might find a lower dose that still helps the depression but reduces the side-effects – depends on the type of med and again on your brain chemistry. Or try a different med. BBJ — To email me, remove the "NOSPAM" from my email address above or email me at "bobbillyjoe" -at- "hotmail" -dot- "com"
Response:
Funny thing prozac, I needed coffeeall day to stay awake! Andrew Blake – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – When I 1st started prozac i couldn’t sleep and in the mornings I had so much nervous energy,that I literally had to walk around my house about 5 times to get it out.But it always came back.It wasn’t a nice feeling at all.<<<<<SLEEPY Hi, I am wondering if it’s normal to feel really hyper on Prozac. Have been taking 20 mg for about a month for depression and now I’m not depressed but I can’t sit still most of the time. Not sleeping much either. My doctor says it’s a side effect that will wear off. I’m getting on my mom’s nerves but she goes along with what the doctor says. It’s this uncomfortable feeling, like my whole body is buzzing or something. Anyone know anything about this or have experienced it? Thanks, Elizabeth
Response:
I am wondering if it’s normal to feel really hyper on Prozac. Have been taking 20 mg for about a month for depression and now I’m not depressed but I can’t sit still most of the time. Not sleeping much either. My doctor says it’s a side effect that will wear off. I’m getting on my mom’s nerves but she goes along with what the doctor says. It’s this uncomfortable feeling, like my whole body is buzzing or something. Anyone know anything about this or have experienced it? Thanks, Elizabeth
Okay Here’s the deal (ears wagging like Ross Perot). It does take 60 to 90 days for the side effects to settle down to wherever they’re going to be for you. Then you decide if the side’s are worth the good effect of the med. Prozac does tend to make one a little speedy especialy at first. That’s why people often lose some weight early in the process. So… Lay off the caffiene and wait it out. And put that excess energy to something useful you put off when you were down. If you still have trouble sleeping after 90 days there are several mild meds that can help. As always-Ask your doctor. Hope this clears things up a little. Hang in there, don’t sleep in the daytime, get some exercise. pphil
Response:
Hi, I am wondering if it’s normal to feel really hyper on Prozac.
yes, its like an "upper", tho the hyper ness will decrease after a few months. Have been taking 20 mg for about a month for depression and now I’m not depressed but I can’t sit still most of the time. Not sleeping much either. My doctor says it’s a side effect that will wear off. I’m getting on my mom’s nerves but she goes along with what the doctor says.
it wore off when i took prozac, after a few months. It’s this uncomfortable feeling, like my whole body is buzzing or something. Anyone know anything about this or have experienced it?
tingling? Like on speed, yeah… it goes away, don’t drink caffiene and try cammomille drinks. good luck. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Thanks, Elizabeth
Response:
When I 1st started prozac i couldn’t sleep and in the mornings I had so much nervous energy,that I literally had to walk around my house about 5 times to get it out.But it always came back.It wasn’t a nice feeling at all.<<<<<SLEEPY – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi, I am wondering if it’s normal to feel really hyper on Prozac. Have been taking 20 mg for about a month for depression and now I’m not depressed but I can’t sit still most of the time. Not sleeping much either. My doctor says it’s a side effect that will wear off. I’m getting on my mom’s nerves but she goes along with what the doctor says. It’s this uncomfortable feeling, like my whole body is buzzing or something. Anyone know anything about this or have experienced it? Thanks, Elizabeth
Response:
Hi, I am wondering if it’s normal to feel really hyper on Prozac. Have been taking 20 mg for about a month for depression and now I’m not depressed but I can’t sit still most of the time. Not sleeping much either. My doctor says it’s a side effect that will wear off. I’m getting on my mom’s nerves but she goes along with what the doctor says. It’s this uncomfortable feeling, like my whole body is buzzing or something. Anyone know anything about this or have experienced it? Thanks, Elizabeth
