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[katem]

Good morning everyone and as wise CLKD said, I am 'at work' and even tho its monday morning, I am feeling okay!!!!! This is a massive improvement from the beginning of last week. Is this just a pause or is it down to the fact that I have now had 10 days of Prozac and menopace ? My main problems at the moment are terrible indigestion/reflux and I cannot Sleep - at all - and I am absolutely knackered! However, still prefer to feel like this than how I did a couple of weeks ago

[rosebud57]

Indigestion probably due to the Prozac (one of the side effects).  I had this when I took it, but it did get better.  Try the old fashioned indigestion tablets like Tums or Rennies, they should help.  Avoid Gaviscon like the plague.  It made me worse and I thought I was having a heart attack.

[katem]

Ladies, I really need help. My so called improvement has come right of the tracks. Since last thursday I have felt horrendous and getting several power surges a day. I was hoping that by now this period would be over but it has just continued. I cannot relly function as I am finding it extremely hard to even get out of bed. I have been on Prozac and menopace now for 18 days now so if it was going to do me any good, wouldn't it have kicked in by now? I am really desperate. I am going to try and get an apptment with my doc but I don't really know what to say/do. Anybody out there that can help?

[Suzyq]

Prozac takes quite a while to kick in - at least 6 to 12 weeks so don't write it off yet! The power surges are horrible aren't they? If I were you I would go back to your gp. Have you been checking your bp at home? Hrt really helped me but I got my bp under control first. That was very straightforward for me and since starting hrt my bp has continued to drop so my medication has reduced. I don't know that prozac will help with physical symptoms of menopause? Maybe somebody else will know.
Can you see a different doctor who may be more sympathetic/useful.

In the short term I was given ativan for those really bad days - it was a lifesaver - quite literally!

Hope you feel better soon x

[katem]

You are so kind suzyq, its makes a massive difference to know I am not alone. I have got an appointment with a nurse practioner this morning so we'll see what she suggests. I don't think I have ever felt so bad in the last five years that I have been going thru this and this time, the bad period just does not seem to be coming to an end which is just unbearable. Plus it is having a massive effect on my husband and theres nothing I can do, feel so helpless. Anyway, will post again later, sorry for being such a moaner.

[katem]

Saw a nurse practitioner this morning and I found her so much more sympathetic and helpful than the doctor. She has encouraged me to continue with the Prozac for at least six weeks and she has made me an apt. to see a different doctor on Friday. She reckons I am suffering from hormonal anxiety and depression caused by the last five years and the feeling that there doesn't seem to be an end in sight. She reckoned I should be kinder to myself and take some time off work so I have called in sick for the rest of the week . It has helped.

[Suzyq]

What a good np! You are not alone - I felt like that for 5 years with anti-depressants shoved at me. It was so frustrating cause I was anxious/panicky but only because I felt so ill, and for me it was initially very cyclical. I have been on hrt now for 4 months and after quite a few adjustments feel much better. The anxiety is under control and most days I feel ok - which for me, I will take!! Prozac and other ad's are well-known for making things a little worse before they get better, so people often have ativan or similar to get them through the first 6 weeks!  The power surges are a physical and horrible symptom of menopause - I hated them - and will be helped by hrt. Look after yourself while you are off work and try to find some little things to do that make you feel good. Let me know how your next appointment goes
Susan

[katem]

Hi Susan
Unbelievably, I feel a little better this morning. Possibly because I am getting the dread feelings intermittently rather than permanently as I had been doing for the past 7 days so it does appear to be lifting slowly Thank God! It would appear it is definitely hormonal so I am really going to push for HRT tomorrow. What is Ativan? just in case I need to ask for that as it appears to have helped you in the past. I am so glad to hear that things are really improving for you after going thru hell for years, I can really empathise with that but I am happy that it appears you are now coming thru the other side. Will definitely get back to you tomorrow. P.S. No power surges so far today

[Suzyq]

Ativan is a drug like Valium but very short acting. It obviously can be addictive if you overuse - but I hate taking medication so only use when desperate about once every 3-4 weeks. I was given 30 a year ago and still have 22 left! They do not zonk you out but just make,you feel calm and normal! I was told that just knowing I have them to take if needs be, is often enough to help ...

[katem]

Morning
I saw a different doctor yesterday but unfortunately, got pretty much the same response. They will not prescribe HRT until they have the blood pressure under control. As I said before, I will not get my 24 hr monitor until may so what was I supposed to do until then? and she said I should persevere for another two weeks with the Prozac and if it wasn,t helping then they would up the dose!!!!!!! I sometimes think they just do not listen or maybe I wasn't very good at getting how desperate I feel across to her. Anyway, she did then give me a prescription for Diazapam but I am loathe to take these. However, as you said before Susyq just knowing you have them could make all the difference.

[Bo Snow]

I was put on Ativan in the '80's for anxiety and I really thought it was going to be taken off the market due to its addiction rate. It not only zonked me out but the withdrawal symptoms when I tried to come off it were awful - I felt worse coming off them than I ever had before I was given them, and since then i've avoided any kind of anti depressant or sedative. Please don't think i'm scare mongering, they may just not have suited me, and maybe they are monitored better these days, but personally I would never touch them. I hope things sort for you soon Katem xx

[Dandelion]

I was also hooked on diazepam, thanks to the doctor.
It's ok to take about once every three weeks and you can take it for a couple of days, but I wouldn't take it more often, i.e. weekly because it has a very long half life and can stay in your system upto three weeks according to Battle Against Tranquilisers.

[Suzyq]

Oh what a shame. Have you been monitoring your bp at home? This is very useful to do as you may just have white coat syndrome! Well guess you won't be taking the diazepam after those recommendations! I have ativan which has a very short half life, do not have an addictive personality and have been great on mine. May isn't too long away - I'm sure you can cope until then and hopefully the prozac will kick in properly! Chin up

[Dandelion]

Oh what a shame. Have you been monitoring your bp at home? This is very useful to do as you may just have white coat syndrome! Well guess you won't be taking the diazepam after those recommendations! I have ativan which has a very short half life, do not have an addictive personality and have been great on mine. May isn't too long away - I'm sure you can cope until then and hopefully the prozac will kick in properly! Chin up

I think if you are going to take a benzodiazepine, lorazepam aka ativan is better as it  has a shorter half life as you say.
Ironically, I asked my GP for ativan and she said it was more addictive than diazepam, so I trusted her, thinking she knew something I didnt.
Sometimes doctors are spectacularly ignorant.

[Tigony]

Prozac can be marvellous if it is the right drug for you. It takes a while to kick in, I would recommend finding a good sensible forum about it to compare experiences.
As I said elsewhere I wish I had found you lot when I first started on Evorel, I would have demanded fine tuning and change due to headaches and mood swings! All well now though.