Prozac

Fluoxetine

Common misspellings of this drug’s name:

• Prozak
• Prozack
• Prosak

Prozac is an antidepressant of the class of medications known as Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, or SSRIs.

SSRI’s work by slowing the removal of specific chemicals that are needed for normal brain function from the brain. SSRI’s make these chemicals more available to the brain.

One of the most common side effects of the prescription drug Prozac is tardive akasthia, in which the patient possesses an uncontrollable urge to constantly move the body. People suffering from akasthia will shake, pace, and feel unable to sit still.

In extreme cases, some patients experience tardive dyskinesia, which is an extremely abnormal drive to move the body that results in uncontrollable twitches and spasms of the muscles, a condition that may become permanent even after the medication is discontinued.

Common side effects observed in patients using Prozac are:

• nervousness
• difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
• upset stomach
• dry mouth
• sore throat
• drowsiness
• weakness
• shaking hands that you cannot control
• loss of appetite
• weight loss
• changes in sex drive or ability
• excessive sweating

Although rare, patients should immediately contact their doctors if they experience any of the following serious side effects:

* skin rash * hives * fever * joint pain * swelling of the face, throat, tongue, lips, eyes, hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs * difficulty breathing or swallowing * seeing things or hearing voices that do not exist (hallucinating) * seizure

On March 22, 2004, the U.S. FDA asked manufacturers to include a warning statement on the labeling for Prozac due to its link with causing worsening depression or suicidal behavior in both adolescents and adults, especially at the beginning of drug treatment. The FDA is continuing its review of Prozac and its link to increased suicides among teenagers.

In July 2006, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) updated information about SSRI’s to include facts about a life-threatening condition called serotonin syndrome. This condition occurs when SSRI’s are taken at the same time as medicines used to treat migraine headaches, called triptans.

Source: “Fluoxetine,” MedlinePlus Drug Information, January 1, 2007.