Date: Wed Oct 18, 2000 00:17am

Dear everybody in the prozac awareness group,

I've been posting messages for about a week now, and I thought 
you might want to know where I'm coming from.  I have never taken an 
SSRI myself, but I've been to Prozac hell and back with my now 19 
year old son.  He was put on prozac for anxiety when he was 16, and 
to make a long story short, his condition spiralled downward until he 
became a person I didn't know.  This normally somewhat anxious, 
cautious and responsible teen became reckless and suicidal while on 
prozac.  It was a frightening time for our family, but his withdrawal 
experience was and continues to be the most frightening.  Although 
psychologically he seems to be himself again, the physical withdrawal 
has been agonizing.  I do sympathize with all of you who've been 
through it and am determined to do whatever I can to increase 
awareness about these drugs.   

Sincerely,  

Patti

Date: Wed Oct 18, 2000 4:30pm

Joyce,
In answer to your question about how I became aware that my son's 
problems were related to the prozac: I had questioned the prozac right from 
the start-my son first experienced insomnia and a "hyper" reaction.  When I 
complained to the doctor, he lowered the dose, which seemed to help for a 
while.  After he had been on the drug for about a year, his counselor thought 
he was depressed (his original problem was anxiety) so the dosage was upped 
again and this is when the personality changes started- it was like he 
freaked out.   The doctor and psychologist kept assuring me that the prozac 
was helping hm deal with his "problems" and that if anything the dosage 
needed to be upped again.  This is when we just decided to go against orders 
and stop cold turkey, being totally unaware of the danger of withdrawal 
problems.  Even then, no one acknowledged the withdrawal reaction.  It is so 
frustrating, as I'm sure many of you have found out.  I'm am enraged that so 
many kids are being put on these drugs, and the parents are completely 
trusting of their doctors, as I was.

Patti

Date: Sat Nov 18, 2000 9:12am

On SSRIs causing a disruption in thinking and/ or writing processes- it 
is absolutely true! My gifted son almost failed his senior year of high 
school while on Prozac. He literally could not function cognitively. Now, 
off the drug and in college, he's doing much better, although he's still not 
himself. It seems like a crime to put people on such destructive drugs.

Patti 

Date: Sun Nov 19, 2000 2:23pm

Joey- I've read your story about your husband and am just now commenting on 
the headaches and trips to the ER (sorry- I haven't kept up with e-mail the 
past few days).  I wasn't clear on what he's withdrawing from: is it Prozac?  
My son had a very similar experience withdrawing from Prozac.  He had serious 
delayed withdrawal  that occurred 1-2 months after he stopped cold turkey.  
He had severe, blinding headaches, and the same sensitivity to light and 
sound that you mentioned, as well as dizziness and nausea. We saw a 
neurologist a number of times, he had a cat scan, an MRI, and went through 
several ER visits.  He had other symptoms, but i wanted to mention the 
headaches because it pertained to your husband's case.  What's truly amazing 
and telling is that all this was experienced by a formerly healhty 18 year 
old kid.  My guilt at allowing the doctors to put him on this garbage was and 
still is overwhelming.  I hope that your husband improves soon.

Patti