Octopuppy Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 Hi, How likely is developing a resistance to Prozac? I tried to find some information, but couldn't seem to find anything. I wondered if anyone has any experience in this. I've been changing from 20mg to 40mg and back every few months for a couple of years(my doc likes to see if i can cope without), but this time when I've gone back to 40mg, it hasn't had any effect. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hensley258 Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 Not unusual at all. Most antidepressants only work so long until my system gets so used to them that they slowly fade in giving any positive or theraputic effect. 20 years and 30 med changes for me because of this problem. It's called medication resistance, Some people call it "poop out." I have now even become resistant to high dosage MAOI-A with Lithium augmentation. I burned out on all SSRI's and SNRI's and tricyclics long ago. They simply have no effect on me. Some people can take the same antidepressant for 15 years and it keeps working for them (lucky dogs) I am now almost 100% medication resistant. My system has become so efficient at eliminating the theraputic effects of all classes of antidepressants that taking them is like taking a sugar pill. With anti-anxiety meds such as Xanax or Klonopin, I can taper off them for a few weeks and when I start them again they will start working again for a couple months, but antidepressants are different. I have tried going back to antidepressants that once worked for me before they pooped out and for some reason my system remembers them and I get no theraputic effect back even years after stopping a particular AD. I must find a new chemical compound or mixture of antidepressants to bounce back. It's a never ending cycle and my Psychiatrist is out of answers. When a Board certified psychiatrist looks at you and tells you there is nothing he can do then that is when you lose all hope. The best have told me this is intractable and beyond treatment. Then you know you have hit rock bottom and science has nothing left to keep you alive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SashaSue Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 Octopuppy, usually, when one AD stops working, switching to another will do the trick. Hensley, if your pdoc is telling you he's out of ideas, it's time to see a new pdoc. And you might want to try therapy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnowFlake Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 I had the same problem with antidepressants. I had to change about every 18 months because they just stopped doing their job. Generic doesn't work for me either. I know "they" say it's the same thing, but they just do not seem to work for me. Definitely see another Pdoc if yours is not listening to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Velvet Elvis Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 It's not uncommon for SSRIs to not work as well the second time around if you go off them and then go back on them. I assume the going back and forth on the dose could do the same thing. What you want to do with SSRIs is slowly increase the dose until it works and then STAY THERE. It might not work the second time around unless you wait a long time in between attempts. I'm basing this on anecdotal evidence gathered from crazyboards users over the past six years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Octopuppy Posted July 10, 2011 Author Share Posted July 10, 2011 Oh, I didn't know it could happen, let alone was common! I've never heard of treatment resistant depression before CB, but my friend suggested I might have become tolerant to my beloved Prozac. I'll try to get an appointment with doc tomorrow and she what she can do for me. She really doesn't like giving me medication (which I find wierd) so I don't know what she'll say about it. Hensley, that sounds really bad. Isn't there a different combo you can try? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notfred Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 I do not think it is common for people to become used to/AD's poop out in the general population. This site and others like it do not represent the general population. People who do well on psycomeds don't have a reason to post about their experiences with psycomeds. nf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 well, my sister has had poop out and she doesn't post on cb. It happens more often than one might think, actually. Happens at my work, etc. They don't all post on cb. It would be best to try a different AD. And honestly... a doc who doesn't like medicating severe depression.... um.... are you sure you want to keep this pdoc? Anna usually the words "i find weird" I don't want associated with my pdoc...ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Octopuppy Posted July 10, 2011 Author Share Posted July 10, 2011 Notfred: I suppose so, I don't really think logically like that, but that makes sense. I meant more that it's not totally abnormal. I don't know if it makes a difference, but it's my GP that i see for anti-depressants, and she has previously refused me anti-psychotics becuase it's very minor psychosis, which I understand, becuase an AP might be a bit overkill for a whisper of a hallucination, I don't know, I never pushed that one. She also won't give me sleeping tablets of any sort, period, or anything for anxiety becuase again, my panic attacks are minor, and while it freaks me out, it doesn't affect my day-to-day life (of course until I panic at work then have to have a breather, but my bosses are lovely, but it doesn't happen too much). Changing my doc becuase I feel undermedicated doesn't sound valid to me. But then again, I know I routinely undermine my own MI. I feel like a traincrash in my head, but if the doctor says that i'm okay, well she's the professional? Does it make a difference if i see a GP instead of a pdoc for psychmeds? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 Um yes it matters. Most Gps don't know that much about psych. Given your propensity to minmize yr sx (i think a lot of us do that) you'd be way better off with a pdoc. I would allow a Gdoc to prescribe my meds.... never. Although he's actually the best Gdoc I've ever had and probably wouldn't do a bad job, heh. But he would refuse as it is not his area of expertise. Anna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcjimjam Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 I think I've developed tolerance to SSRI's before. Quickly too. Have you tried higher doses of Prozac? The max is 80mg, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimpmaster Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 Yep thats right. I personally am on 60mg. Ive heard of people taking up to 120mg, but this is not standard. I would suggest talking to your dr about either inrceasing the dose of prozac, or changing to another ssri such as lexapro, zoloft etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Velvet Elvis Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 Notfred: I suppose so, I don't really think logically like that, but that makes sense. I meant more that it's not totally abnormal. I don't know if it makes a difference, but it's my GP that i see for anti-depressants, and she has previously refused me anti-psychotics becuase it's very minor psychosis, which I understand, becuase an AP might be a bit overkill for a whisper of a hallucination, I don't know, I never pushed that one. She also won't give me sleeping tablets of any sort, period, or anything for anxiety becuase again, my panic attacks are minor, and while it freaks me out, it doesn't affect my day-to-day life (of course until I panic at work then have to have a breather, but my bosses are lovely, but it doesn't happen too much). Changing my doc becuase I feel undermedicated doesn't sound valid to me. But then again, I know I routinely undermine my own MI. I feel like a traincrash in my head, but if the doctor says that i'm okay, well she's the professional? Does it make a difference if i see a GP instead of a pdoc for psychmeds? Psychosis has a propensity to get worse and harder to treat the longer it goes untreated. It's very important to treat it early when symptoms are minor to keep them from escalating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Octopuppy Posted July 19, 2011 Author Share Posted July 19, 2011 I should be getting an appt with a pdoc in the next couple of weeks for an initial consultation thing, and hopefully they'll be happy to work through meds with me. I changed to paroxetine yesterday for the meantime, but if the pdoc would rather have me on something else, then I may change again. I've been having panic/anxiety stuff since the Prozac went off, but parox is apparently good for that too so it might help. she has previously refused me anti-psychotics becuase it's very minor psychosis, which I understand, becuase an AP might be a bit overkill for a whisper of a hallucination, I don't know, I never pushed that one. Psychosis has a propensity to get worse and harder to treat the longer it goes untreated. It's very important to treat it early when symptoms are minor to keep them from escalating. I'll be sure to mention to the pdoc about the seeing/hearing things. I don't know if it is pyschosis, but from what I can gather (from the interet ¬_¬) it is. I'll tell them anyway, and see what they say. Thanks all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notfred Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 well, my sister has had poop out and she doesn't post on cb. It happens more often than one might think, actually. Happens at my work, etc. I don't think we see on line the large number of people who take AD's short term; they never take AD's long enough to experience poop out. nf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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