Mrs. D. - Prozac Question
 

Mrs. D,

I have been on Prozac for over 10 years. The first 9 years it was 20 mg a day. We upped it to 40 mg last year. I had been hospitalized three times for severe depression and this was the first med that seemed to help. We tried many others. I'm curious what you know about long term Prozac use? Could this be anyway tied to PN?

Ann

now...
 

Now that much time has passed with SSRI drugs, esp Prozac...

I can summarize the results.

1) Prozac unlike some other antidepressants contains fluorine...which some people think is toxic over time. You can Google Fluorine/Prozac and read about that.

2) Long term use of SSRIs depletes dopamine...and this leads to other problems, mostly movement disorders.

3) Some researchers think that long term SSRI use actually depletes serotonin over time. That the brain stops making it because it senses it increased in the synapse. Studies have shown lower levels of serotonin metabolites in the cerebral spinal fluid, for example.

4) SSRI drugs are thought to kill neurons but then there is some research to show new neurons make new connections.

Personally I think the movement disorders and lowered dopamine are the most serious consequences.