Addictions

Why Prozac is used and what it does.

One in nine people will suffer depression at some point in their lives. Doctors help these people fight depression the best they can. Many times doctors feel it is necessary for a person to take medication to help fight their depression. More than 40 million people were being treated with Prozac 4 years after it was introduced. Thus, Prozac became the most prescribed and popular method of treating depression.
After immigrating to the United States in 1951, Klaus K. Schmiegel earned a degree in chemistry and a Ph.D. in organic chemistry. He joined Eli Lilly, one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in America, in 1968. While at Eli Lilly, he and Bryan Molloy co-invented Prozac under the supervision of Ray Fuller. Ray Fuller received most of the credit for Prozac. Prozac was originally introduced in Belgium in 1986, where it received approval as an anti-depressant medication. Eventually, it was introduced to the U.S. in 1987 where it was granted a patent. The drug became the first of a new class of medications to treat depression, called selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRI). By 1990, Prozac was the ‘most prescribed’ anti-depressant medication in the world.

Prozac was the first medication to fight depression by correcting the chemical imbalances between nerve endings in the brain. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter, which affects people’s moods, appetite, sleep, and aggression. In a normal brain cell serotonin, acting as a messenger, is secreted by one nerve cell into a space between the two cells. Here, some of it is collected on the receptor proteins of the receiving cell and the rest is reabsorbed into the cell that sent it through a process known as re-uptake. The process of re-uptake is important in assuring the right message was sent properly. In a depressed person there is a chemical imbalance of serotonin because less is secreted by the sending cell while re-uptake continues to take place. This causes a weaker signal to be sent throughout the body. Prozac helps to create a stronger message between the cells. It does so by blocking serotonin from re-entering the sending cell during re-uptake, causing all of the serotonin to be absorbed by the receptors. This creates a stronger message between the cells and allows a person to function properly.

Prozac is used to treat clinical depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, bulimia nervosa, and premenstrual dysphonic disorder. It is an anti-depressant, anti-obsessive agent, and anti-bulimic agent. The medication usually does not begin to work on a patient for at least four weeks after initial dosage and usually doesn’t correct the chemical imbalances for at least six months. The speed at which the drug works depends on the severity of the depression and the dosage prescribed. Even though it is a prescribed drug, Prozac is sometimes used without a prescription. When Prozac is misused it is usually due to a misdiagnosis by a doctor. The medication should be prescribed by a doctor and used as directed. Using the medication improperly can be a cause of chemical imbalances in the brain.

As with any drug, there are dangers and side effects associated with taking Prozac. The most common side effects are a decrease in sexual drive, restlessness, skin rash, hives and/or itching. Other side effects which are less common are chills and pain. In addition to these common side effects, there are some rare symptoms which range from vomiting and weight loss to seizures. Using Prozac while pregnant can result in premature birth. Overdosing on Prozac is not common, but statistics show one out of nineteen overdoses result in death. The symptoms of an overdose include: restlessness, convulsions, nausea, over excitement, trembling, and shaking.

Prozac has not proven to be addictive. However, many people build an emotional dependence on the drug. Some people see the positive effects of Prozac and believe that without it they will return to the way they were before they began the medication. Due to this assumption, some patients are afraid of not having Prozac, thus building an emotional dependence on the drug. Despite what doctors say, many people think that Prozac is addictive because of its withdrawal affects.

There can be withdrawal effects when a person stops taking Prozac. If a person stops the medication too soon they can return to the depressive state they were in before being prescribed the medication. If a person takes the anti-depressant long enough, they have a greater chance of returning to a normal state without the use of the drug. However, before a person returns to normal, they go through stages of readjustment in the body. The body may show some minor effects such as stomachache, nausea, headaches, and tremors while adjusting to the change. This process may take at least two weeks depending on how much and how long the drug was taken.

Pure Prozac is a white to off-white crystal. It is commonly available in capsules, liquid drops, and tablets. The tablets are light brown in color. The liquid is a thick, colorless solution with a mint scent. The capsule comes in two different types. The 20 milligram capsule is a Green and white capsule with ‘Lilly 3105′ printed on it. The 10 milligram capsule is green and grey with ‘Lilly 3104′ printed on it.

Prozac has a few different names. Its scientific name is Aryloxyphenophenylpropylamines Prozac. The different names for Prozac are Sarafem, Prozac weekly and Fluoxetine Hydrochloride. Fluoxetine hydrochloride is often mistaken for the medication’s scientific name, but it is actually the name of Prozac’s active ingredient. Prozac might also be known by the U.S. patent number 4,314,081.

After introduction into the United States, Prozac became the most popular prescription for depression. The medication is very reliable in treating symptoms of depression. After four years on the market, Prozac had been prescribed to more than 40 million patients and its inventors have since comfortably retired. Prozac is the world’s first medication to aid in treating depression.

This entry was posted on Friday, March 28th, 2008 at 1:57 pm and is filed under Addictions. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.