Information on the antidepressant drug Prozac

The Side Effects of Prozac
 
With all its benefits, Prozac does have its own set of side effects which one must be aware of, especially if he or she has been prescribed to take the medicine. Knowing the side effects has three benefits. First of all, if you are already under some medication, and you know that the new drug being prescribed might not go along well with the drug you are already taking, then you can immediately bring it to the notice of the doctor. Secondly, if after taking the drug, you develop milder side effects and you know that these are common and nothing to be worried about, then you don�t panic. Thirdly, if the side effects that are exhibited by your body are of the rare kind and you are aware that such side effects need medical attention, then you can get that without delay.
 
People who are taking monoamine oxidase inhibitors, thioridazine or pimozide might not be the right ones to be treated with Prozac. This is because Prozac is contraindicated in these individuals. When Prozac is prescribed to a patient who is already undergoing treatment for liver impairment, then it might prove to be detrimental. With the consumption of Prozac, fluoxetine and its metabolite norfluoxetine are eliminated twice as slowly from the body as without the administration of Prozac. So the treatment of such patients should be approached very cautiously.
 
Common Side Effects of Prozac

The most common side effects of Prozac are anorexia, anxiety, asthenia, nausea, insomnia, somnolence, nervousness, and tremor.
 
Some of these side effects often lead to the discontinuation of the treatment. Such cases result after patients show adverse effects of anxiety, insomnia, nervousness and mania. Also, similar to other selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, sexual side effects are frequent with Prozac. Such side effects include anorgasmia and reduced libido.
 
Rare Side Effects of Prozac
 
Other side effects from Prozac are rash or urticaria. These can sometimes end up being serious and may lead to discontinuation of the treatment. Some of the patients with rashes can develop more serious complications later including vasculitis and lupus-like syndrome. Even death cannot be ruled out from such complications. So if you see rashes developing after the intake of Prozac, report the same immediately to your physician.
 
Side Effects in Pregnant Women and New Mothers
 
Prozac should be carefully administered to pregnant women and to mothers of newborns. Prozac, if taken during pregnancy increases the chance of poor neonatal adaptation. Mothers who are breastfeeding should also avoid Prozac as fluoxetine is excreted in human milk, and you definitely would not want your baby to have it.