Generic Fluoxetine

Pulling Hair Habit - Simple Effective Steps to Stop It

2010-01-18T01:47:00.000-08:00

Many people and even children suffer from a pulling hair habit. This is a habit of physically pulling out clumps of body hair. This can include eyelash pulling, and pulling hair from the scalp. Many people who suffer from a pulling hair habit will feel uncomfortable in public due to the patches of bald spots which can frequently be found on their scalps. It is also not uncommon for them to have incomplete or even Missing eyelashes as a result of this pulling hair habit.

This can lead to suffers of this disorder to avoid social situations for fear that they will stand out. To complicate matters worse, the awkward conditions created in these social settings can actually lead to further hair pulling out.

The most common condition associated with the pulling hair habit is trichotillomania which is often referred to as the hair pulling disease or hair pulling disorder. It is often classified as a nervous habit resulting in one pulling own hair out. There is no specific trichotillomania cure available unfortunately; however, a number of trichotillomania treatments do exist. If you suffer from this disorder or you have seen your child pulling hair out you should consider looking into the treatment options available.

Breakthrough in Treatment

The good news is that with work on your part, habit reversal treatment has been proven to be fairly effective as a treatment for the pulling hair habit. The bad news is young children suffering from this are not as easily treated using this method due to the need for a higher level of language skills. There are some drugs proscribed in the treatment of a hair pulling disease such as trichotillomia such as Fluoxetine, Sertraline, and Clomipramine.

Climiparmine to date has shown the most success with most studies suggesting Fluoxetine or Prozac and Setraline or Zoloft can actually increase the tendency towards the pulling hair habit. Most believe this increase caused with antidepressants is due to the fact that Trichotillomania and other pulling hair habits are not caused by depression but are an in fact a nervous habit experienced by people. Some studies even suggest it is a form of OCD hair pulling.

The unfortunate truth is pulling hair habits such as trichotillomia are not fully understood. This condition was only been formally classified as a disorder in the late 1980s, resulting in an overall lack of study on the subject. New research is being done on it however, so new treatments are becoming available.

Do Antidepressants Make You Suicidal?

2009-09-17T01:40:00.000-07:00

During my residency days Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) like fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem), paroxetine (Paxil), fluvoxamine (Luvox), citalopram (Celexa), and sertraline (Zoloft), were pushed as being better than older drugs like imipramine, since they specifically acted on the serotonin transporter, and therefore didn't have many of the side effects that were said to result from non-specific effects on many neurochemical systems, including dry mouth. Contrary to popular belief, however, the newer generations of antidepressants don't work any better than the old ones, with the possible exception of the dual reuptake inhibitors.

The primary improvement of SSRIs over tricyclics is a questionable decrease in side effects, and the fact that you can't kill yourself by taking an overdose of them. However, drop out rates are not a lot worse with the old drugs and the new drugs, suggesting that new side effects are just as bad as the old ones. In general the sexual dysfunction and jitteriness that come with the SSRIs can be just as bad as the sedation and dry mouth that come with the old ones. The conquering of the market by the SSRIs was mainly a triumph of marketing skills.

The SSRI medications have not been shown to work better than the older tricyclics. In fact, they actually have less efficacy than is commonly believed (DUAG 1990). The Danish Study Group found that the older tricyclic medication clomipramine worked better for severe depression than paroxetine, although it had more side effects. A review from 15 years ago showed that fluoxetine had only modest efficacy over placebo, with over 80% of the improvement accounted for by a placebo effect (Kirsch et al 2002).

A more recent meta analysis from data submitted to the FDA also showed that 80% of the improvement with antidepressants come from the placebo response. When the data of all studies performed on venlafaxine (Effexor), fluoxetine (Prozac), and nefazodone (Serzone), was lumped together, there was only about a 2-point improvement on a 62 item scale (the 21 item Hamilton Depression Scale) above and beyond the placebo response. The response to this was that the effects of antidepressants are modest, even if real, and that it is not ethical to give placebo.

It was also pointed out that the efficacy of SSRIs is greater than other areas of medicine, like the use of statins. Others have argued that SSRIs may not be much better than placebo, but that the relapse rate is much higher on placebo. However, studies following patients who were treated with antidepressants did not show that they did better over the long haul, in fact they may have done worse, even accounting for baseline differences in symptom severity (Moncrieff and Kirsch 2005). There are no studies showing that in the long run people treated with antidepressants are better off. It might be questioned whether a 2 point increase on a 62 item scale that may not be sustainable is a clinically meaningful improvement.

Worry over the efficacy of SSRIs prompted a re-examination of the efficacy of antidepressants in general, and a look at how placebos may work just as well. A meta-analysis showed that there was a highly variable response to placebos, up to 50%, and that the placebo response rate in studies of depression seemed to be growing over the years. In addition, studies in private research firms seemed to be having higher placebo response rates than in universities, suggesting differences in populations, assessments, or inducements for participation.

A more troubling problem is the potential for suicidality associated with SSRIs. The FDA recently added a warning that SSRI antidepressants may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts or suicide. A recent meta-analysis of adults taking SSRIs showed no increase in suicidal thoughts or attempts, while there was a 57% increase in non fatal self harm with SSRIs that was of borderline statistical significance. Another meta-analysis did show a greater than two-fold increase in fatal and non-fatal suicide attempts in patients on SSRI versus placebo, and on SSRI compared to other non-medication treatments. The risk was 5.6 per 1000 patient years (the number of years people take the drug times the number of patients). In other words, if 100 people each took an SSRI for 10 years, about five of them would make a suicide attempt that they wouldn't have done if they weren't on suicide.

There was no difference, however, between SSRIs and the older tricyclic antidepressants, suggesting that all antidepressant medications may carry an increased risk of suicide. Questions about suicidal thinking with antidepressants have been around for years, and occurred with the tricyclics. Some doctors, including my father (who is a retired psychiatrist) offer the explanation that the increase in energy that antidepressants experience often gives the suicidal patient enough stamina to go through with the act. Another disturbing trend that came from this analysis was the change in suicidal thoughts over time. There are 24.5 million visits for depression in the US per year, a 70% increase from 15 years ago. Sixty nine percent of these visits result in a prescription for an antidepressant. The analysis showed that the risk of suicidal thinking and suicide itself has been gradually increasing over the years. It is unclear if this is fueled by an increase in prescribing, primarily by primary care physicians, or other causes.

The latest group of antidepressants has dual reuptake inhibition for serotonin and norepinephrine (SNRIs), and includes venlafaxine (Effexor) and duloxetine (Cymbalta). In general, effexor and duloxetine have shown better treatment response for depression than SSRIs and tricyclics. One study looked at data from a number of randomized, placebo controlled trials of Effexor, tricyclic antidepressants and SSRIs for the treatment of depression. Treatment response was defined as a 50% reduction in symptoms of depression. Forty-four studies with 4033 patients were included.

Overall, venlafaxine had a success rate of 74% that was statistically significantly better than SSRIs, which only had a 61% success rate, and tricyclics, which only had a 58% success rate. The difference in the efficacy of tricyclics and SSRIs was not statistically significant. However, it is worth noting that a larger number of patients dropped out of treatment while on tricyclics because of side effects. Other studies have shown better responses for venlafaxine and duloxetine than tricyclics and SSRIs. Venlafaxine has been associated with a dose dependent increase in blood pressure. Venlafaxine seems to carry the greatest risk of suicidality amongst all of the antidepressants, with a three fold increased risk of attempted or completed suicides.

SSRI Treatment - From Common Meds to Less Publicized SSRI Treatments

2009-09-16T02:22:00.000-07:00

SSRI treatment consists of taking what is called a Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor or SSRI according to a dosing schedule prescribed by a doctor. An SSRI is used to treat a variety of disorders related to depression, bipolar and anxiety to name only a few.

They have become increasingly popular since their introduction to the market in the 1980's. There are many different types of SSRIs from the common meds, such as Prozac, to the less publicized, generic SSRI treatments.

Common SSRI Meds Used in SSRI Treatments

The most widely known SSRI treatment today is Prozac. Prozac was introduced in 1987 and is the brand name of the SSRI fluoxetine. Prozac, along with the SSRI family of treatments, have become the most popular method anti-depressants, because they have been shown to be more tolerable for the patients. The side effects are not as severe or frequent as those of the anti-depressants of the past. Prozac is the only SSRI that is currently indicated for use in children and adolescents.

Though Prozac is the most well-known, it has been overtaken as the most prescribed by doctors. As of 2006, the most commonly prescribed SSRI was Sertraline, known by its brand name Zoloft. Here are the most prescribed SSRI treatments in order from most prescribed to least prescribed.

1. Zoloft
2. Lexapro
3. Prozac
4. Paxil
5. Celexa

All of these SSRIs are from the same family of antidepressant, and they all manipulate the levels of serotonin in the brain, but they all do so using a different chemical. As such, they will have different side effects depending upon each individual.

If you are having trouble with one SSRI, your doctor may either alter your dosage or prescribe a different SSRI. The effects of an SSRI are unique to each individual, which means you may not have the same experience as someone else in your set of circumstances.

Even with all of the studies and clinical trials that have been performed on SSRIs, there are still questions as to exactly how these treatments work. The consequences of which are that there is no definitive evidence as to which SSRI treatment works best with which individual's set of circumstances. As it currently stands, your doctor will examine you and determine which SSRI treatment is the best for you, but you should not be surprised by some trail and error is this process.

Less Publicized SSRI Treatments

As the SSRIs have become more popular, there have been many generic brands that have popped up and are a little less harmful to your budget. These generic brands have the same chemical that is used in the brand names that you know, such as Prozac and Zoloft, but they have the plainer packaging and cost you just a little less.

A way to spot these less publicized SSRI treatments is by the name of the active chemical involved. Here is the list of the most popular SSRI brand names with their chemical, or generic, name along side.

Brands of Depression - Stress Relief Pills

2009-09-16T02:18:00.000-07:00

Everyone can feel depressed at some time or another and that's just part of life. For some people, the stress builds into depression that consumes their lives and makes the person seek help. Some won't go to a doctor for depression because many people still believe that Depression isn't something medical. The fact of the matter is clear however, clinical depression is physical and if left untreated can tear a person apart and lead to suicide just to stop the pain that they feel. Others can't know what they feel and eventually, the depression makes one believe that they don't deserve to even live.

There are certain drugs that are very helpful in controlling the symptoms of depression and if taken regularly, the person won't stay depressed for very long. There are still people who believe that taking depression stress relief pills makes them weaker or less than the people around them. It just isn't true and the word needs to get out that depression stress relief pills are no different than a cast on a leg or crutches to help people walk. With that attitude, more people might come forward and get the help that they need. There are many medicines now that can affect the brain by better regulating the chemical release of serotonin. A person's mood will get better and that allows the person to better control the many things that originally were becoming stress and depression.

Prozac

Many people have heard about the drug called Prozac but not everyone understands what it does. Prozac is a pill that effectively controls depression; a continuing depression that interferes with daily functioning. It also has a generic equal called Fluoxetine. They are the same depression stress relief pills; just one cost less because it is a generic which means that there isn't a brand name on it.

Wellbutrin

Another type of depression stress relief pills is called Wellbutrin. Wellbutrin works by affecting two chemicals in the brain that are believed to help moods; dopamine and norepinephrine. It usually comes in 150 mgs to 200mgs. This as with all prescription drugs should be monitored by a doctor. If something doesn't feel right make sure to call your physician and discuss symptoms.

Zoloft

One more Depression stress relief pill is Zoloft. Zoloft is even more powerful than the others. It is prescribed for people that suffer from extreme depression. People with major depression will be in a very low mood that stays that way everyday. People with major depression are more susceptible to having thoughts of suicide. Taking a depression stress relief pill can help a person to feel better and handle stress better.

Depression - Common Drug Treatments

2009-09-15T21:39:00.000-07:00

In some cases of depression, a patient is able to be successfully treated by seeing a therapist. In these relatively mild cases, the patient is suffering through some conflict or problem and just needs somebody with whom to discuss these problems. After weeks, months, or sometimes, even years of doing this, the patient is able to get past his depression and get on with his life. Again, these are in the more mild cases. However, in some cases where the patient is severely depressed and no amount of therapy seems to be doing any good, the only alternative left is drug therapy. In these cases, what drugs are used? Which ones are most common? Are some stronger than others? We'll explore these questions and others in this article.

Drugs that are used to treat Depression are generally called antidepressants. This, however, is a very general description and each antidepressant works differently and is used for different reasons depending on the type and severity of the depression. It is important to understand that before any drug is given for depression all other options must be explored first. Antidepressants are very strong and have definite side effects, some of which are not very pleasant.

The most common drugs today for treating depression are called SSRI drugs. SSRI stands for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. To understand why these drugs are given, it is important to first understand what is taking place in a person's brain who happens to be suffering from depression, at least in cases where it is determined that the depression is being caused by a chemical imbalance.

In layman's terms, a person who is depressed is suffering because the neurotransmitters in their brain are not acting properly. These transmitters are supposed to transmit certain levels of noradrenaline and serotonin. When these levels are too low, what happens is that the person exhibits symptoms that we call depression. In order to combat these low levels, these SSRI drugs are given to increase the levels of noradrenaline and serotonin in the brain. Again, this is in layman's terms and the actual process is a lot more complicated. A trained medical professional must try to determine accurately how low these levels are and by doing this, how much drug needs to be administered. This is not an easy thing to do.

The common SSRI drugs that are given today are Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Luvox, Celexa, Lexapro, Effexor, Serzone and Remeron. These are the brand names for the following generic drugs, fluoxetine, sertraline, paroxetine, fluvoxamine, citalopram, escitalopram, venlafaxine, nefazodone, mirtazapine. The difference between each of these drugs is beyond the scope of this article. Each one, however, works in a slightly different way and is prescribed based on the severity of the depression. This is not an exact science and sometimes one medication doesn't work or stops working and another one has to be prescribed.

As with any drug, there potential side effects with SSRI drugs. The most common side effects are nausea, insomnia, anxiety, nervousness, no appetite, impotence, headaches and a number of others. How severe the side effect varies from patient to patient. Of course, the worst side effect of any of these drugs is simply that it doesn't work.

Sorry Rover, No Drug Detox for Misbehaving Dogs on Antidepressants

2009-09-15T21:24:00.000-07:00

Apparently the FDA, Big Pharma and the veterinarians of America think it's okay for our dogs to experience the same horrendous withdrawal symptoms and side-effects that people have experienced on Fluoxetine. But I think it's obvious that Reconcile is Ely Lilly's attempt to 'reconcile' the loss of billions of dollars since the patent on Prozac expired back in 2001, prompting a flood of generic fluoxetine drugs onto the market. Over 23 million prescriptions of generic fluoxetine were filled in the US last year alone - money that didn't go into Lilly's pockets.

Prozac is one of the dangerous selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) class of mood-altering drugs involved in countless court cases and class action suits that have cost Big Pharma billions of dollars in fines and settlements. They concern addictive prescription drugs that require drug detox, rehab, and others with fatal side effects. We know that business and the bottom line counts for more than sending thousands of people into drug detox or rehab, or early graves.

Lilly's new doggy-Prozac is aimed at a slice of Big Pharma's newest expanding market - our pets and their psychiatric disorders. Reconcile is supposed to treat a doggie ailment called "separation anxiety" - in other words, if your dog goes wacko when he's left alone, stuff a Reconcile in its mouth. Give me a break! The animal needs an owner willing to establish who's boss, not a drug pusher.

Fluoxetine isn't conventionally addictive and doesn't require drug rehab like OxyContin and other prescription painkillers, although a drug detox would be appropriate, but suddenly discontinuing Prozac can produce awful physical and mental withdrawal symptoms - patients describe 'brain zaps' and 'fever jolts' and other nasty symptoms that can last weeks or even months. Here Rover, come get your meds!

But that's the least of its problems. Prozac has been implicated in dozens of suicides and acts of deadly aggression against others, including school shootings. Remember Joseph Wesbecker of Kentucky, who took some Prozac and went to work and opened fire with an assault rifle killing 8 people, injuring 12 others, and then turning the gun on himself? Are we going to see pet owners claiming that Reconcile caused Rover go nuts and kill a bunch of other dogs at the park, and then turn and bite himself to death?

But seriously, the tests conducted by Lilly's new Elanco Animal Health Division on hundreds of dogs show that fluoxetine has a similarly horrendous list of side-effects on our canine friends as it does on people. Is this what we want our pets to go through because we're too lazy or incompetent to be a dog owner?

But if, after weighing all the alternatives, you still think putting your dog on drugs is the solution, then you probably shouldn't have a pet. Most dog experts will tell you, it's usually a human's bad habit that is causing the dog's problem. Just ask The Dog Whisperer, or watch his television show.

The dog drug Reconcile is nothing more than an extension of the money-making drugging of America. And a drugged dog has no drug detox program or drug rehab program to go to for help - he only has you. Help him, don't drug him.