Prozac, Therapy, And Recovery

[Deleted member 28942]

Some background on me, I grew up with physically, verbally, and emotionally abusive parents. As a result I have CPTSD or developmental trauma. I am high function person most of the time. However, I have difficulties identifying and experiencing emotions and identifying internal states.

I've been working with a new therapist since January and she is very helpful for me. I also started Prozac 6 weeks ago. I am going through a very difficult time since I started remembering my traumas after 30 years of ignoring it and some other major changes that happened in my life. I cut off communication with my parents and some other negative people in my life. At the time being, I don't have emotional support. I want to work on that.

I've noticed significant improvements. Part of this is due to therapy but another part I am assuming is due to Prozac. My mood is significantly improved, I sleep better (no more sleepless nights), and I am improving on self-reflection, identifying emotions, and internal states.

I intent to continue Prozac for at least a year and to continue therapy for at least two years. Here are some concerns I have about Prozac and I want to hear about your experiences:

1. Have you used Prozac and therapy in combination? What was your experience?
2. If you discontinued Prozac, did your symptoms came back? That is did everything you have been working on fell down the drain?

As I said I want to hear you personal experiences in dealing with these issues.

 

[asldjfasldjf]

I'm not on Prozac, but I think your concerns can be addressed generally from others' experiences with other meds.

I used to take Wellbutrin and Zoloft in combination, now I'm only on a low-dose of Zoloft.

I suffered with depression for 12 years before finally trying medication, and and it helped me greatly.

I had many of the same concerns that you have. However, if you're in therapy and you are working through your trauma as well as making healing lifestyle choices, your brain ("the neural net") will change for the better over time. As you become more physically and emotionally healthy, it will be easier for your body to manufacture the neurotransmitters you need to be happy, and you can slowly decrease your dose.

Some people need to be on medication for life, and that's not a horrible thing. However, if you stop your medication at some point, you'll do so gradually. If you start to see unwanted side effects, you'll re-up the dose.

Nothing can undo the work that you do. If you have a severe neurological deficiency, then you may see a severe decline from stopping medication. However, you can always get back on medication or try a new one.

P.S. I also have CPTSD, as well as chronic fatigue and occasional fibromyalgia.

 

[VioletButterfly]

Hi there. I haven't taken Prozac, but have tried Lexapro (oh my goodness - horrible) and am now trying Zoloft as I am pretty much shaking apart from stress and trying to find a good therapist. That being said, it is my understanding that SSRIs work on your serotonin levels to raise them. So, there's a chemical component to consider. Then, there's therapy where we talk about and process, and heal what's going on inside. From what I've read, I think many people combine the two quite successfully as the SSRIs allow us to slow down enough from anxiety or to raise us up enough from depression to allow us to acknowledge, feel, and talk about what we need to address to heal inside of ourselves.

If you have trauma issues and do not have an on-going chemical imbalance, then I don't believe you take SSRIs for life. My impression is that you take them while you need them and then slowly titer off of them. They're a tool to help you cope better while working through your issues. Your issues won't come back because you stop the drug, but like I noted, if you have a chemical imbalance then that's a whole other issue to be discussed with a psychiatrist.

I hope that makes sense. Good luck to you in your therapy!! I'm glad you found someone helpful to work with and a medication to facilitate and support your progress!! :) VB

 

[Deleted member 28942]

@shero22 and @VioletButterfly thank you for sharing your experience and for your support. Your posts gave me hope.

 

[Aylion]

Hello UniversalBeing,

I took prozac for ptsd/anxiety last year, now I don't anymore.

From my point of view, prozac helped me at the begining when I was at my lowest point, but it was teraphy that allowed me to put to the outside everything that I was keeping in my inside for so long.

Now seeing the whole experience from today's perspective, and dealing with some remaining side effects that I got from prozac, I think I could have overcome it without prozac also.

I would like not having taken prozac, but when I first took it, I was glad for its help.

 

[Deleted member 28942]

Thanks @Aylion,

Prozac helped me with sleeping regularly and lowered my anxiety. However, it is therapy that helps me release the memories, feelings, and negative cognitions. Prozac helps to mitigate the symptoms but does not resolve the core issues.

I currently don't have any side effects from Prozac. I'm on 20mg a day. What kind of side effects are you experiencing?

 

[Aylion]

I experienced emotional anesthesia, loss of libido (which is a big deal since I am 22) and bouts of irritability and anger, mainly.
I also got allergy to some things that I didn't have before, but not sure if I can accuse prozac for that.

Not very serious side effects but they were there.

Glad to hear that you are not experiencing any, your body likes prozac more than mine did.

 

[PTSDbegone]

I only started Prozac about 2 months ago. My Psychiatrist originally had me taking it along with Celexa (which I was weaning off of), Seroquel, and Prazosin in the evenings. I found I was wired at bedtime, and couldn't sleep at all which left me feeling like a zombie the following day. Now I am taking the Prozac in the morning, Seroquel, and Prazosin in the evenings. I am still unsure about the Prozac as it gives me an upset stomach each morning. I'm hoping in time that goes away. I am in therapy as well, and attend a couple support groups. . I wasn't sure if medication was helping me at all. I did stop taking it for a couple of days because I had quit life at one point I think. I became so low, and miserable. I'm assuming it was a bit of withdrawal. I decided to slowly go back on the medication, and so far so good I guess. I believe it numbs me a bit to a point where I can handle the therapy, and other work I am doing. I guess that is basically what medication is supposed to help you with. It's hard to continue taking certain medications when it makes you feel so awful in the beginning. Like everything else I believe it takes time. Takes time for the medication to help.