Anxiety Support Group

Anxiety is a physical condition marked by intense and persistent feelings of distress, fear, angst or dread. General anxiety caused by routine day-to-day stresses usually passes quickly and is experienced by almost everyone at one time or another. However, such feelings that linger over time and are very difficult to cope with, and which lack a clear cause, may indicate...

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wildflowers44 07/01/2013

After much debate, I finally saw my Dr. today and got a prescription for an SSRI (Prozac). I'm recovering from anorexia, but also have a lot of anxiety/social anxiety (I've had OCD since I was a child, too). I am supposed to start the medication tomorrow, but I am really terrified. My main concern is that the medication will make me emotionless or numb. I kind of feel this way currently, and I think I have used my eating disorder as a way to numb emotions in the past, so it's very important to me that I will be able to feel and express emotion normally while on Prozac. I know I might be overexaggerating, but I would just like to hear from others who have taken this medication. Were you still able to feel emotion (cry/laugh) while on Prozac, and were you able to feel empathy for others?

Thank you so much if you can answer this!

George70101 07/01/2013

I never taken Prozac but I can tell you from personal experience anorexia nervosa is a life threatening illness. It took the life of one of my favorite female singers Karen Carpenter in 1983.

Here is Karen singing one of her hits that reminds me of your situation. And yes I see life as music, because my life is just a song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__VQX2Xn7tI

wildflowers44 07/03/2013

Yes, I do know of Karen Carpenter. She was a beautiful person with a beautiful voice. It is so sad that anorexia took her life. May she rest in peace.

MsBlank1 07/03/2013

I am a recovered anorexic/bulemic for several years now. I suffered since I was 11 around the same time Karen Carpenter suffered as well. She was my biggest inspiration to get well.....I too almost died. I spent 7 weeks inpatient and 1.5 years out patient with 20+ years of therapy.....I am happy to say I beat it!!!!
I was on a few different anti depressants, but never Prozac. The anti depressants do NOT take feelings away, but they help you keep it from letting your feelings over whelm you. It was the eating disorders and smoking that covered up my feelings as well as anxiety.
I am one of the fortunate ones to survive eating disorders with few side effects.

Thanks George for posting Karen.....she is deeply missed.....such a terrible waste of such a powerful gift.
Music speaks to me as well. I'm a HUGE fan of Beth Hart who seems to know my life story and sings it beautifully.

MsBlank1 07/03/2013

Beth did not fight anorexic altho she got extremely thin from a drug and drinking addiction. We share so much in common....
here are a few songs that spoke to me...
This first song is about addictions...which is what eating disorders are as you already know...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-XBKgxVzgI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNpSfEDt6lg

deleted_user 07/03/2013

I just began Prozac for anxiety/depression/panic attacks. I have not noticed a change in my emotions at all. It does not make you feel "drugged". I figure, it's been around since the 50s, it must be good. Best of luck to you.

wildflowers44 07/05/2013

Thank you, MsBlank1. It's good to hear from someone who's been on ADs that they do not blunt emotions. I'm so glad you were able to overcome your eating disorder, too. It gives me hope that I can do the same. And I had never heard of Beth Hart, but she has a lovely voice!

And thank you, vdbritton. I hope that Prozac proves to be helpful to you! Good luck.

rskb3 07/06/2013

I'm sorry that you have suffered with anorexia I'm sure that was hard and it may still be hard for you. I have never taken Prozac but am taking Zoloft which is another SSRI and I have been on it for a few months and yes I still have emotions I do not feel numb to the world around me. Please don't be afraid to take the medication because it may just change your life for the better. Remember it will take it a while to build up in your system so don't get discouraged.

wildflowers44 07/06/2013

Thanks for your reply, rskb3. It's really reassuring to hear from others who are taking these medications. I really hope that yours helps you get better!

bayrabbit01 07/07/2013

I have taken Prozac in the past and I can tell you from my experience with the drug, it should NOT leave you emotionless, at least it didn't with me. However, that being said, you may have to warn your partner that it may interfere with your sex life. It is one of the antidepressants that has a side effect of losing interest in sex. That being said, you should try it out and wait about 4 weeks for the drug to kick in and then make a decision whether or not you can handle the side effects. It comes to a point of whether or not you can handle the side effects. Prozac stopped working for me years ago, as most antidepressants stop working after a while, and now I am on Effexor.

wildflowers44 07/07/2013

Thank you, bayrabbit01. It's reassuring to hear that Prozac didn't make you emotionless. I have heard that it can cause lack of interest, though. Luckily, thats not too much of an issue for me at this point in my life.

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