Why is fluoxetine prescribed for bulimia?


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The Role of Fluoxetine The imbalance of serotonin levels in the body can increase urges to binge and purge in women and men who have bulimia, and antidepressant medications can decrease these urges by effectively balancing the levels of neurotransmitters in the brain.

How long does Prozac take to work for bulimia?

But studies have found that people who respond well to Prozac may do so as early as 3 weeks. Talk to your healthcare provider if you don’t notice any improvement in bulimia symptoms after taking Prozac for a few weeks.

What is the best medication for bulimia?

The only antidepressant specifically approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat bulimia is fluoxetine (Prozac), a type of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), which may help even if you’re not depressed.

Do antidepressants help with bulimia?

Other types of antidepressants, including tricyclic antidepressants and serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), have been studied for treating bulimia. In bulimia, these drugs help with both bingeing and purging.

Does Prozac cause weight loss?

Altered appetite: In some cases, Prozac may reduce appetite and lead to significant weight loss. However, this is not a positive side effect of this medication. Sudden changes in weight or lack of appetite need to be reported to health care providers.

Does fluoxetine cause weight loss?

Conclusions: Acute therapy with fluoxetine is associated with modest weight loss. After remission of depressive symptoms, weight gain for patients taking fluoxetine for longer periods is not different from that for patients taking placebo and is most likely related to recovery from depression.

What does being on Prozac feel like?

Those taking Prozac might feel more relaxed and less anxious. They may sleep better and have increased levels of energy and be better able to focus on tasks. If you’re considering starting Prozac, you’re probably eager to know how long it will take to work, and how you can expect to feel once it does.

Can you feel Prozac the first day?

You can feel drowsy in the first few days of taking fluoxetine. However, it should get better after the first week or two. You may become more anxious, or it may make you irritable. This should settle after a couple of weeks.

Can you feel the effects of Prozac immediately?

Prozac does not have a rapid or immediate effect on mood, but once it does achieve consistent levels in the body, it is a highly effective medication. Many patients see some improvement on Prozac right away, but most people notice the antidepressant effects after 2-4 weeks of daily use.

What is bulimia face?

When a person has been engaging in self-induced vomiting regularly and they suddenly stop engaging in the behaviour, their salivary glands in front of their ears (cheeks) may begin to swell. This makes their cheeks look swollen.

Does fluoxetine cause weight gain?

Antipsychotic drugs, antidepressants , and mood stabilizers are common drugs that have the most potential to increase weight gain. All 12 of the leading antidepressants, including fluoxetine (Prozac), sertraline (Zoloft), and escitalopram (Lexapro), make gaining weight more likely.

Is bulimia a mental disease?

Bulimia nervosa (commonly known as bulimia) is an eating disorder and serious mental health problem. Someone with bulimia might feel parts of their lives are out of control and use purging to give them a sense of control. Bulimia is a serious condition that can cause long-term damage, but help is available.

What exactly does Prozac do?

Prozac is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant. Fluoxetine affects certain chemical messengers (neurotransmitters) that communicate between brain cells and helps people with depression, panic, anxiety, or obsessive-compulsive symptoms.

How can I stop being bulimic anymore?

  1. Stop Restricting Your Food. A common trigger for a binge is deprivation.
  2. Learn Your Triggers.
  3. Make a Plan to Overcome Bulimia.
  4. Explore Intuitive Eating in Recovery.
  5. Find Bulimia Treatment That Works for You.
  6. Distract Yourself From Your Anxiety.
  7. Embrace Health at Every Sizeโ„ข
  8. Break Up With Your Scale.

Does bulimia ever go away?

You can recover from bulimia, but it may take time and recovery will be different for everyone. Your treatment plan will be tailored to you and should take into account any other support you might need, such as for depression or anxiety. If you’re over 18, you’ll probably be offered a guided self-help programme.

How much weight can I lose on Prozac?

Prozac is linked to weight loss, especially early in treatment. Studies show that when people begin treatment with Prozac, they could experience a modest weight loss of about one pound. This weight loss will be observable about one month after beginning treatment.

How much weight did you gain on Prozac?

“In general, weight gain is a possible side effect of most antidepressants, such as Zoloft, Prozac or Celexa, but each person will react to antidepressants differently,” Naidoo says. How much weight gain is typical? A quarter of those who take antidepressants gain 10 pounds or more, Naidoo estimates.

What percentage of people gain weight on Prozac?

There are various reports as to how prevalent weight gain is in regards to taking Prozac and other SSRIs. Different studies report that the percent of patients with significant weight gain to be somewhere between 10-25 percent.

Which causes more weight gain Prozac or Zoloft?

That being said, one study published in 2016 in the Journal of Clinical Medicine found that Zoloft can lead to an overall greater weight gain than Prozac when taken long-term. The study found that people taking Prozac for two years gained an average of 4.6 pounds.

Why do people gain weight on Prozac?

Once they start taking an antidepressant, however, they begin to feel better and as a result, their appetite may come back, they may eat more, and eventually return to their previous weight.

Does Prozac help with ADHD?

Many clinicians opt for fluoxetine (Prozac), since it has no effect on ADHD and its long duration in the body makes it an ideal drug for patients who forget to take it. Some clinicians may use a second-line medication alone for cases of mild to moderate depression plus ADHD.

Is Prozac the happy pill?

The original “happy pill” was fluoxetine, more commonly known as Prozac. This medication, approved for use in 1987, was the first drug of its kind to be prescribed and marketed on a large scale. The use of this medication is very common, especially for the treatment of depression, but it is not without its risks.

What happens the first week of Prozac?

Headache, nausea, diarrhea, dry mouth, increased sweating, feeling nervous, restless, fatigue, or having trouble sleeping (insomnia). These will often improve over the first week or two as you continue to take the medication.

Can you take Prozac for life?

Once you’re feeling better it’s likely that you will continue to take fluoxetine for several more months. Most doctors recommend that you take antidepressants for 6 months to a year after you no longer feel depressed. Stopping before that time can make depression come back.

Does Prozac make you sleepy or awake?

Serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like escitalopram (Lexapro), citalopram (Celexa), paroxetine (Paxil), and fluoxetine (Prozac), taken for depression or anxiety, can make you feel sleepy.

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