Prozac (Fluoxetine)
An antidepressant medication that is the only newer drug approved to treat depressed children. Studies suggest that younger people respond to Prozac with very small doses, and that a sizable portion of young people who do not respond to other antidepressants do respond to Prozac.
Introduced in 1988, Prozac was the first of a new class of antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which increase the levels of a neurotransmitter called serotonin. Many people who are depressed have low levels of this chemical and therefore improve when serotonin levels rise.
Like other pharmaceutical interventions for depression, Prozac is usually prescribed as part of a treatment plan that includes psychosocial interventions. Prozac is also approved to treat OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE DISORDER in children and teens and to treat major depressive disorder in adults, BULIMIA, and panic disorder. Like all antidepressants, Prozac takes one to three weeks to achieve its full effect.
Results of trials with this medication suggest that Prozac also may be helpful in treating ADHD, although the first-line therapy for ADHD is still Ritalin, Strattera, or Dexedrine (dextroamphetamine).
Side Effects
All antidepressants carry side effects, but Prozac and the other SSRIs cause fewer problems than older antidepressants. Most common side effects include (in the order of frequency) sexual problems, nausea, headache, insomnia, diarrhea, nervousness, and anxiety. Less common side effects include dry mouth, appetite loss, tremor, upper respiratory infection, and dizziness.
The government has issued a public health advisory warning to watch for suicidal thoughts in children and teens at the start of treatment with all newer antidepressants, including Prozac.
Studies suggest that younger people experience slightly different side effects, including restlessness and sweating as the most common complaints followed by drowsiness, dry mouth, and tremors.
Introduced in 1988, Prozac was the first of a new class of antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which increase the levels of a neurotransmitter called serotonin. Many people who are depressed have low levels of this chemical and therefore improve when serotonin levels rise.
Like other pharmaceutical interventions for depression, Prozac is usually prescribed as part of a treatment plan that includes psychosocial interventions. Prozac is also approved to treat OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE DISORDER in children and teens and to treat major depressive disorder in adults, BULIMIA, and panic disorder. Like all antidepressants, Prozac takes one to three weeks to achieve its full effect.
Results of trials with this medication suggest that Prozac also may be helpful in treating ADHD, although the first-line therapy for ADHD is still Ritalin, Strattera, or Dexedrine (dextroamphetamine).
Side Effects
All antidepressants carry side effects, but Prozac and the other SSRIs cause fewer problems than older antidepressants. Most common side effects include (in the order of frequency) sexual problems, nausea, headache, insomnia, diarrhea, nervousness, and anxiety. Less common side effects include dry mouth, appetite loss, tremor, upper respiratory infection, and dizziness.
The government has issued a public health advisory warning to watch for suicidal thoughts in children and teens at the start of treatment with all newer antidepressants, including Prozac.
Studies suggest that younger people experience slightly different side effects, including restlessness and sweating as the most common complaints followed by drowsiness, dry mouth, and tremors.
