I was started on 10mg/day, then bumped up to 20mg/day after a month. Still didn't help... I lost all capacity to feel sadness, and all capacity to feel anything else, too. That was more distressing than the depression, so rather than ask the psychiatrist to up the dose or put me on something else, I just stopped taking it and asked her to let me go off it so I wasn't wasting money on pills I wasn't taking.
"I asked the sun to tell me about the big bang. The sun said 'It hurts to become.'" -- Andrea Gibson, I Sing The Body Electric Especially When My Power Is Out
Hmmm, on this one I believe the GP prescribed up to 20 but I was then bouncing back and forth between GP and Psych, who both liaised on my meds. I think GPs often feel safer with a Psych in tow on this med.
I went up to 60mg, but as it was not having any effect at all (it was like taking a sugar pill) they did not bother putting it up to 80mg. 60-80mg tends to be the max advised dose, but there are some very rare cases of going higher if needed.
I am not on it anymore... thank heavens... it led to a bad crash and me in hospital from an od.... as it wasn't helping me at all...
Roiben x
If the Human brain were so simple that we could understand it, we would be so simple that we wouldn't.
I'm on 40 mg per day (or as in my case 2*5ml spoons of liquid version) but as has been said they try u on the lowest dose for as long as possible and then increase it as required! as has been said max dose is 80, but think they use that few and far between, have been up as far as 60 though! I find it has helped me greatly along with psychology and alternative measures such as massage!
was on 60mg until recently, it really didnt feel like it was doing anything other than numbing me, so i stopped taking it, though soon started getting really really depresed once off it
Are you under 18? Because it's certainly licensed for higher doses in "adults" - and often used at higher doses.
So I suspect the person above who mentions the increased SI/suicide risk in younger patients has got it right, and your doctor is following guidelines and erring on the side of caution.
But yes if it isn't working maybe get a second opinion (preferably from a psychiatrist.)
Take care xx
ps. just occurred to me: how long have you been on it? - because it takes a couple of weeks (even up to a month) to have an effect.
I am on 20mg, and it works very well for my. I have quit on Prozac one time, and I was freaking scared all the time, having anxiety attacks constantly. I was on 40mg for a while, but now 20 works good for me.
I'm on 40, I've always been on that. I'm not sure if it helps, I guess it does a bit compared to some others I've been on but I'm very depressed at the moment with stuff going on.
