Prozac Side Effects

Prozac is an anti-depressant drug used to treat a range of mental disorders. However, if advantageous, it has certain disadvantages or which are otherwise referred to as side effects also.

What are side effects?

Side effects are nothing but a physical, psychological or mental adjustment problem of a person with starting or discontinuation of a drug or medicine. Sometimes, the body finds it difficult to cope up with certain treatments and the defence of the body against those medicines appear in the form of unwanted symptoms, commonly known as side effects.

Some common side effects which result out of any drug are constipation, dry mouth, sweating, bowel obstruction, sleepiness, insomnia, etc.

How does Prozac rise side effects?

The long half life of Prozac gives birth to side effects. Actually, any symptom or sign which you have not seen or experienced before might be referred to as a side effect. Once the body gets adjusted to it, it diminishes. However, if the body is unable to match up even after a long period of time, consultation with a doctor becomes imperative.

The long lasting impact of Prozac remains on the body for long and hence the side effects surface out for a comparatively longer period.

A brief classification of Prozac side effects

Prozac side effects are visible when it is in use and also after it is discontinued. Even, side effects are also present if Prozac is taken along with some prohibited drugs and medicines. Moreover, side effects also shoot out if Prozac is taken in more or less quantity than prescribed.

The broad classification of Prozac side effects is:

1. Side effects during use

Side effects during use are prevalent throughout the body. The most common, known and important side effects related to particular regions of the body are:

• Whole body
• Asthenia which results in lack of strength and physical weakness.
• Flu syndrome including cough, cold and influenza.
• Frequent and repetitive fever.
• Headache with heaviness and irritation.
• Digestive system
• Nausea refers to an urge to vomit after stomach imbalance.
• Diarrhea
• Constipation with bowel obstruction and difficulty in getting relaxed.
• Dyspepsia refers to inability of proper digestion and feeling full stomach before expected. It also includes pain the abdominal part.
• Vomiting and unable to hold food.
• Flatulence is the expulsion of gases through the rectum and is the sub process of digestion. It is also known as farting.
• Dry mouth and always a thirsty feeling.
• Anorexia in general sense refers to poor or low appetite for something. Anorexia nervosa is a condition of weight loss by discontinuing food intake while sexual anorexia presents low interest in romance or sexual involvement.
• Nervous system

Nervous system is the most affected system as Prozac is meant specially for balancing the neurotransmitters released by the nerves. Some of the side effects related to nervous system are:

• Insomnia which is a sleeping disorder and the patient feels inability in getting proper sleep.
• Nervousness coupled with sweating and irritation.
• Anxiety and aggressiveness in talking and behaving.
• Somnolence or drowsiness where a person has extreme desire to sleep or sleeps for extra long periods.
• Terror feeling and horrified without any reasons or hallucinations.
• Abnormal thinking with increased suicidality.
• Cardiovascular system
• This category suffers with vasodilatation which is the widening of blood vessels and ultimately decreased blood pressure.
• Respiratory system
• Yawn
• Metabolism
• Weight loss
• Skin related
• Rashes
• Meningitis
• Skin inflammation
• sweating
• Special
• Abnormal vision
2. Side effects after discontinuation

Post discontinuation side effects comprise mostly of anxiety, insomnia, sweating, nervousness and skin rashes. Though, some other side effects also include:

• Fatigue
• Agitation
• Sexual dysfunction
• Painful menstruation
• Muscle and joint pains
3. Drug interactions

Prozac is found to have fatal repercussions with certain drugs, if taken in tandem. Some of the top rated among them are:

• Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOI) are strictly prohibited with Prozac or should be taken only after minimum 14 days of discontinuing Prozac.
• Serotonergic drugs are medicines having serotonin as an integral component. They are not advised to be taken with Prozac.
• All other drugs containing Fluoxetine Hydrochloride are also not recommended.

In this section, we have tried to provide a comprehensive guide to what are and can be the probable side effects of taking in Prozac. Along with the side effects, the probable causes of arousal of those side effects are also listed for quick reference. The article would be helpful to those who are currently taking Prozac and experiencing any of the above mentioned symptoms.