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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 12 of 12. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by lonelygirl on March 29, 2004, at 9:00:19
Well after about 4 years of not taking it, I decided to try going back on Prozac again... I don't want to and I am ashamed, but I am not sure what else to do. In the past, I have refused to take it because I was forced to for so long, and I resented the fact that everyone thought shoving pills down my throat would solve all of my problems. I felt like they were ignoring my real problems and telling me it was all in my head. There is also such a stigma against people who take Prozac... I hope that my next job does not require drug testing because then I would have to disclose that I am taking it.
But lately, I have been feeling crazy. I still have real problems, but I think I have a lot of head problems too. I suppose it couldn't make things any worse, so I might as well, right? I am on 30 mg of the generic...
Posted by Joy on March 29, 2004, at 9:29:15
In reply to Prozac...again, posted by lonelygirl on March 29, 2004, at 9:00:19
Hi there. Please take the Prozac and don't worry about others; it's none of their business. As far as drug testing, prescription medication does not count as 'drugs'. I'm not sure if Prozac would show up anyway, and besides it's a prescription. I went back to Prozac [40 mgs] and my husband is also on it. He had a heart attack last summer and had PTSD for which he was prescribed Klonopin and the Prozac helped him a lot. It helps me too. I don't think the stigma is there the way it used to be. I found myself telling a couple of people who I liked very much; I didn't care what they thought, and lo and behold one of them told me she's on Zoloft. She felt safe to tell me since I was on Prozac. You don't have to tell anybody. You are brave and trying to help yourself; you are not weak. You are strong. God bless you.
Joy
Posted by lonelygirl on March 29, 2004, at 9:35:43
In reply to Re: Prozac...again » lonelygirl, posted by Joy on March 29, 2004, at 9:29:15
Thanks for the reply, Joy... I just want to clarify my concern about drug testing. My last job was in an industry that requires a high level of security, including both pre-employment and random drug testing. We had to disclose all medications, both prescription and OTC, that we had taken in the past month. I don't know if it would show up or not, but if anything at all suspicious showed up and we hadn't disclosed what medications we were taking, we could get fired for it.
Posted by Bill LL on March 29, 2004, at 10:36:06
In reply to Prozac...again, posted by lonelygirl on March 29, 2004, at 9:00:19
The stigma is less than it used to be. It seems that half the people I know have taken antidepressants at some point.
I personlly would lie to an employer and not reveal that I take antidepressants. I sort of doubt that Prozac would show up in a regular employee drug test.
But if you feel uncomfortable lying, just tell the truth. I would certainly hope that an employer would not fire someone for taking Prozac. If nothing else, it would probably violate the Americans with Disabilities Act (if you live in the US).
Recent evidence suggests that depression is the result of a smaller than normal hippocampus (a part of the brain). Antidepressants appear to enlarge this area of the brain towards a normal size. I think that the stigma decreases as people learn more about this terrible disease.
Posted by lonelygirl on March 29, 2004, at 11:34:20
In reply to Prozac...again, posted by lonelygirl on March 29, 2004, at 9:00:19
I don't know if it's because of the Prozac or if it's just my imagination, but I am feeling kind of nauseated and shaky... I took it about 3 hours ago. I don't recall having side effects when I took it before (years ago).
Posted by Joy on March 29, 2004, at 13:33:51
In reply to Side effects, posted by lonelygirl on March 29, 2004, at 11:34:20
Hi lonelygirl,
You might want to start Prozac at 10 mgs for a few days and then go to 20 mgs when comfortable, and then to 30 mgs. Remember, you are on generic Prozac and there are some differences. I would not start high at 30 mgs. to begin. Go up gradually and give yourself enough time. This is just my humble opinion respectfully given. If you have to disclose medications, you can always say the doc gave you for headaches and it helps!!!
Joy
Posted by fayeroe on March 29, 2004, at 18:42:11
In reply to Prozac...again, posted by lonelygirl on March 29, 2004, at 9:00:19
I went back on Prozac after trying some of the new ADs and I am doing fine. There isn't the stigma attached to an AD like there used to be.....I would not lie on my employment form. I don't think it would show up either. It is against the law to discriminate because you take certain meds....Good luck and welcome back!!!!! :-)
Posted by lonelygirl on March 29, 2004, at 19:20:43
In reply to Re: Prozac...again » lonelygirl, posted by fayeroe on March 29, 2004, at 18:42:11
Thanks for the info... I think it's always a big no-no to lie on employment forms. I'm not sure about the laws, but the last place I worked required a high security clearance. I had to pass the MMPI just to get the job. I don't know if they could use the information about my medications to say that I'm "unstable" or anything. I guess it's not a big concern, because I can't really believe that I would be the only one out of 800 employees just at that location taking ADs. Still, I would prefer not to have the whole world know about it.
Posted by lonelygirl on March 30, 2004, at 1:36:02
In reply to Re: Prozac...again » fayeroe, posted by lonelygirl on March 29, 2004, at 19:20:43
Found this on the "tips" page...
Date: Tue, 23 Apr 1996 02:33:54 -0400
From: Robert G Ruegg <ruegg@med.unc.edu>
Subject: Fluoxetine and urine drug screensHave had a few false positives for amphetamines on fluoxetine. Was immunoassay. Gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy gives the correct answer.
Posted by fayeroe on March 30, 2004, at 5:45:44
In reply to Drug testing, posted by lonelygirl on March 30, 2004, at 1:36:02
I've never had that happen.....and I've been tested three times while taking it.
Posted by lonelygirl on March 30, 2004, at 6:59:49
In reply to Re: Drug testing, posted by fayeroe on March 30, 2004, at 5:45:44
Well, perhaps GC/MS was used for your testing... This message was from several years ago, so I don't know if anything has changed in drug testing, but I'm just saying, it appears that the possibility does exist for some methods of analysis.
Posted by fayeroe on March 30, 2004, at 7:19:58
In reply to Re: Drug testing » fayeroe, posted by lonelygirl on March 30, 2004, at 6:59:49
I'm not disagreeing with you. Just giving my experience.
This is the end of the thread.
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