Date:  Sun May 20, 2001  10:25 pm

Hello.  I am a new member to this prozac awareness group.  i am a 28 
year old female named noelle.  anyway, i was taking prozac for the 
past two months and started to get very sick w/ what i thought was 
the flu.  in the beginning the prozac was wonderful, except for the 
first few weeks.  i had extreme panic attacks in the middle of the 
night.  since, i only had to deal with some nausea, diarrhea and head 
pain.  the head pain would come and go, but at times was pretty 
intense.  it feels as though there is an electrical surge going to my 
brain.  they were tolerable until recently.  2 weeks ago, i thought i 
was coming down w/ the flu.  i became extremely sick with nausea, 
diarrhea, hot flashes, cold sweats, and excrutiating head pain to the 
back of my head.  i was certain that it was from the prozac.  i had 
been on 20 mg a day for the past two months to treat pmdd or pms.  as 
i didn't feel any better, i began to think that this wonder drug was 
slowly killing me.  there were days when i could hardly even make it 
to my car from my work building.  i couldn't handle it anymore.  i 
saw my doctor last monday and told him everything.  he still isn't 
sure that it is from the PROZAC.  he advised me to stop taking it and 
since i had only been on it for 2 months, the withdrawal wouldn't be 
so bad.  i have had horrible head pain all week.   there are times i 
feel halfway decent and others when i nearly pass out.  i spent the 
entire day friday in the ER to rule out the possiblilty of a brain 
tumor.  everyone around me believes that i am just a hypocondriac.  i 
know, without a doubt, that the prozac did this to me.  that is why i 
am so relieved to find this suppport group.  i also joined one on 
here called prozactruth which has been very helpful.  i, too, have 
been trying to drink lots of water and avoid coke and other 
caffeine.  i just don't know how much longer i can bear this.  the 
worst is that no one can even begin to understand the pain of these 
electrical surges to my brain.  any advise or comments will be 
greatly appreciated.  thank you!  

Noelle

Date:  Sun May 20, 2001  10:47 pm

Response1:
Noelle, I'm sorry you're going through so much, but I can guarantee you
you've come to the right place.   there are friends here that can help you
understand whats been going on, they've been there...Did you have panic
attacks before Prozac?   I never did until I started taking Paxil....

Pam

Date:  Sun May 20, 2001  11:56 pm

Response2:
The first thing you need to do is get a new doctor!  If you're already off 
the Prozac, there is not much you can do about the withdrawal except ride it 
out, unless you want to go back on a low dose and wean off from there.  YES!  
Everything you described IS a result of Prozac.   Your doctor needs to get 
educated.

Trisha

Date:  Mon May 21, 2001  1:07 am

Thank you for your support pam!  i never had panic attacks until i 
started on the prozac.  i wish i would have discontinued back then.  
oh well.  i am here now and just have to deal w/ it one day at a 
time.  it is the head pain that really scares me.  

I am tired of people thinking it is psycological.  that 
is why i am so glad to have found others who can relate to this 
nightmare!!! 
I have a 7 year old daughter. I know how hard it is to be strong ....  
and take care of a child, when you hardly have the energy to get up in 
the morning!
How long have you been suffering???  I just want this pain to go away!!! 

Noelle

Date:  Wed May 23, 2001  8:14 am
 
Today is my 10th day w/out prozac.  after 2 months on it, i felt as 
though it was slowly killing me.  my doctor took me off it cold 
turkey last monday, which i was in favor of b/c of the horrible side 
effects i was having.  now i don't know what was worse.  some days i 
feel half-way normal, and others i can hardly stand the pain.  my 
body has begun to ache all over.  the head surges seem to have eased 
up, but the body ache is horrible.  i have taken 2 hot baths in the 
past 12 hours.   i keep telling myself that the pain  is good b/c it 
is all of the toxins leaving my body.  people don't understand why i 
won't take anything for the pain.........  like the vicodin the doc 
in the er gave me last friday.  i am deathly afraid to take ANYTHING 
anymore, since i never had any of these problems until i took the 
prozac!  someone tell me that i will get through this.  i read some 
of your messages about 4 years and just think how aweful that is.  i 
wouldn't wish this pain on my worst enemy.  i am just so happy that i 
found this group.  is there anything else i can do for this pain?  i 
find myself praying ALOT lately!!!!!  

Noelle  

Date:  Wed May 23, 2001  11:32 am

Response:
Hi Noelle,
Your in your 10th day of stopping prozac cold turkey. That's what I 
did too, around 5 years ago. I had to stop cold turkey because of an 
extreme reaction to this drug. My body was on fire and I felt like I 
was connected to electricity constantly. I didn't had any relief 
untill the 14th day, and after 40 days the pain slightly changed into 
severe itching of my body. You can read my story at 
http://members.fortunecity.com/siriusw/files.htm
under 08-08-2000.
Just hang in there, the relief will come.

Charly