Is fluoxetine cheating?

ThatRyanPerson

Years ago I took fluoxetine - but it had side effects- but it stopped my binge eating, or certainly helped me to feel more positive.

Do you mean phentermine? That's a prescription appeite suppressant. I've never heard of people using fluoxetine (prozac) to counter hunger.

Maitria

Fluoxetine is used to help reduce binges and is used in the treatment of bulimia. It's not for weight loss.

OP, you might want to check out symptoms of Dysthymic Disorder and see if you relate to those. If anxiety isn't an issue, there are other meds instead of Fluoxetine that can be energizing and not impact the libido. I would see a psychiatrist, not a GP.

KeshiaBeard

Taking perscribed drugs is DEFINITELY not cheating.

As with other body issues and mental illnesses, binge eating is caused by chemical imbalances in the brain. Medication simply gives your brain a chance to rewire itself. Whilst medication deals with the physical side of things, I highly recommend finding ways to deal with the emotional/mental issues that lead to binge eating.

I can only speak from experience, but since starting Zoloft at the beginning of the year, my mind has never felt clearer. Medication has put my body in a stable enough state to allow me to deal with the psychological issues that were causing my problems.

Give the meds a go, but remember they take TIME to work... don't expect to notice any real changes for the first few months. If things don't work out, don't give up, there are countless ways to deal with issues such as these. All the best!

trayclay0721

Only you and your Doctor can decide whether you really need it or not. If you are in a good place mentally then its easier to take care of yourself in other ways, like exercising and eating right. Good Luck

onmyown70

Fluoxetine is used to help reduce binges and is used in the treatment of bulimia. It's not for weight loss.

OP, you might want to check out symptoms of Dysthymic Disorder and see if you relate to those. If anxiety isn't an issue, there are other meds instead of Fluoxetine that can be energizing and not impact the libido. I would see a psychiatrist, not a GP.

I am absolutely sure I have dysthymic disorder- it describes me to T.

Thank you for taking the time to post.

I do notice I have to be really careful, my moods can really plummet if I don't get enough sleep, I'm ill, taking any other medications (I'm very sensitive!) and I think I feel better when I have salmon salads for lunch but I never feel like that.

Also, I have noticed is I have the urge to binge during the day, not in the evening. This is huge for me as my mood lifts in the evening too - which makes me think my overeating is mood related.

Obviously if I'm too hungry, bored or stressed I eat so there is definitely a psychological response.

I will reply to some of the other posts. Again people have really reached out and I fee I'm always taking from the groups, but I appreciate it! Muchos gracias x

starrylioness

If your doctor places you on a medication, its really not our business to be judging that desicion.

THIS. Absolutely.

onmyown70

Another random point is I can feel my mood improves if I have coffee (I get a mood pummel two hours post intake though) so if I was severely depressed I don't think a coffee would help! Maybe coffee just improves anyone's mood hence it's popularity! It can work the other way too though and make me tired and grumpy if I have too much.

As I said before running helped, walking doesn't - maybe slightly, it has to be a long run, after about 45 minutes my mood gets better. However, as I mentioned before, I have damaged my knees now :-( I think that was because I didn't have a correct technique. When I felt low I would get up and go for a run, it was easy. Now I think I'll have to get into swimming, but I don't like it and It's an effort i.e., have to put my child in childcare, get changed, have my kit- towel, shampoo conditioner, it's cold lol I'm a wimp, it's not easy, does that make sense?

Any way, I'm going off on tangents again. I suppose I'm not severely depressed, I'm not not functioning. But I have off days, and mornings are always bad - but no one loves mornings do they? I suppose what worries me and I can't work out if it's more like an eating disorder it the only things I look forward to, actually feel excited about have been my meals!!! My bingeing is not caused by starving myself!!!

When I get PMT my bingeing got out of hand, I would say I gained a 14lbs in a week but I didn't care - I went for packets/boxes of cereal and bread. I was manic. I will feel angry and tearful (as many women do).

So I suppose my low mood doesn't help with eating, and I do worry about my massive weight gains. I Don't eat unhealthily- it's just I will overeat carbs, they can be "bran flakes with raisins" (I never buy these but had access to boxes of them at the wrong time of the month and ate boxes of them!). the weird thing is I have this huge compulsion to eat them and everything to just keep going with the carbs, but at the same time I feel tearful.. So i have thought this an eating disorder, but then I can wake up another day and feel much better, so my hormones are influencing it.

My husband says I just need to get out and do something, I'm "obviously bored and if I had a stressed job like him I wouldn't have all this time to analyse myself" (my poor husband he is also very supportive BTW but I obviously listen to the criticisms and he is highly driven and focused, he never has that "I can't be bothered" feeling) . However, I don't think I would function at work. I have days where I'm very slow, everything just tires me. Today is a good day, but many are not.

Keisha - that's great that your mind is clearer since Zoloft (I will read up on this later!). I would describe myself as having a permanent mental "fog" ad often feel very lethargic. As i said, well done you for seeking help and sticking with it.

I have heard it said that taking SSRI's can "stimulate" neurone, so they function better in the longterm. I don't know if this is true but for me, I was on prozac years ago and would say things got worse after I came off them.


I suppose none of you can answer for me, but I do greatly appreciate the input, especially from those who have also suffered.

A side note, my aunt started taking prozac some 10 years ago and her personality completely changed, she has never come off them!

Any way, thank you all for your input.

It makes me think eating is actually complex. If you need to lose weight the equation is simple , eat less and do more. However, bingeing feels out of control sometimes, and the mind can be saying "this isn't logical" but it doesn't feel like it's just a hedonistic "one more slice of cake" than needed... it's more like I need carbs... porridge, bran flakes, bread... and quantity, whatever it is I will jet keep going until it's all gone.

I just want an energy shot please.. I thought about trying b12 injections, if it's good enough for Rhianna...!

I keep flipping back to the thought that maybe I'm just a very lazy person and I don't have any resilience. When everyone else would scrub themselves down after a fall or when a challenge arises, they work through it, I just go into a frenzy and hide. I laughed when I saw a friend from university (some 10 years ago) she said no one knew I would pass any exams and do reasonably well, I would be about to turn up to a lecture and then think"no I can't face it" and go and buy some food, (in this case it was a bag of apples!) and go to my dorm instead. So maybe I just have a faulty coping mechanism.

onmyown70

PS So I suppose I am posting on myfitnesspal because it is food related. I look for food to bring me up and it does, it's on y mind a lot of the time and it's what gets my pulse racing! temporarily... so whether this is an eating disorder or depression I don't know. Sometimes I can't get any enjoyment from anything else (I adore my family and at night will think how awful I am) and I know I am so lucky to have the life I have. So feel very ungrateful when I think of all those that truly suffer.

onmyown70

If your doctor places you on a medication, its really not our business to be judging that desicion.

THIS. Absolutely.

You're all pretty kind, I judge myself so of course, expect it from strangers.

I must admit though, to see all your posts this morning felt really reassuring. i appreciate you are all strangers but it helps hearing others opinions thoughts

onmyown70

If you've been prescribed fluoxetine then take it. Remember that it has been prescribed to help your mind, so it certainly isn't cheating in any way.

I found that I initially became hungrier on them and long term (been on 40mg a day since March 2013) they've given me the libido of a trappist monk. Good job I've been single the whole time!

Ah the libido thing, sorry to hear you get that too. That's the reason I stopped taking it. I'm a bit worried my husband will divorce me if my libido gets any lower!

**** that is correct!!! Well if he does, he is not your love hun. I am single and when I look at what I put up with in males, I am sickened. More self destructive behaviour. I don't need a male to help me be miserable. Neither do you. You need to help yourself or you will end up binging all your life and never see what a great person you really are. Hugz.

Ah bless you, I'm sorry you sound like you have had to deal with a bit of stress from others. Do you ensure you take care of yourself these days? eating, sleeping and exercise wise?

Yurippe

My husband says I just need to get out and do something, I'm "obviously bored and if I had a stressed job like him I wouldn't have all this time to analyse myself" (my poor husband he is also very supportive BTW but I obviously listen to the criticisms and he is highly driven and focused, he never has that "I can't be bothered" feeling) . However, I don't think I would function at work. I have days where I'm very slow, everything just tires me. Today is a good day, but many are not.

That doesn't sound supportive at all. Mental illness is not something that gets better when you are busy. I can guarantee you from personal experience.

Please take the time to check out this website. You will find education materials for how to discuss these issues with your husband. http://www.nami.org/

lizchic82

OP, I find it hard to cope with the general 'stuff' in life everyone else seems to be able to cope with so easily. I have stopped beating myself up and telling myself that I am obviously pathetic, and to man up, instead, I understand my limits, and although I do try to push myself out of my comfort zone occasionally, so as not to become too insular and detached, I do try to have my life in such a way that I can cope better. Routine is good. Exercise is good. Don't swim if you don't like it. Go fast walking, or cycle, or do some crazy-arsed boot camp style class, or take up zumba, dancing, whatever, just move and you'll feel better.

Sing, as loud as you want, to all the songs that resonate with you, sad or happy, no matter how crap you sound, this is a hell of a great way of releasing emotions (emotions are what you are trying to suppress by eating) And because you're caught up in a cycle of carb binging, you need to cut it to a stop - 2 or 3 days of headaches, but its so much easier to control the binge urges when you have your insulin back on a level. Its really pants, I know. I am still trying to work out how I can know all this, and still fall for it every time... the binges come from strong urges that are near impossible to fight. But arm yourself with every defense you have, and if thats medication, then do it. Try to save up for some hypnotherapy sessions or something too. Cognitive behavioral therapy... stuff like that xx