Has anyone else heard of this?
I saw my doctor recently and we were discussing the fact that my moods had been all over the place, and that I was having so many hot flashes a day that I couldn't keep up with the counting of them. I already take Wellbutrin for depression. But my doctor has now added a small amount of prozac back into the mix of things. I say 'back in' to the mix of things because I had taken prozac for about 2 yrs as my AD and had changed meds this past March.
I wasn't sure about the mix of the two different AD's, but in my searching I found that Prozac is believed to reduce hot flashes.
So, has anyone else heard this or had any experience with this happening? I have noticed that since taking the prozac again that my hot flashes are not near as severe as they had been. And while taking prozac before changing meds I had very few hot flashes, I could go for several days and not deal with one.

Kind of curious here with this!!!

jes

Wish it worked for me but I'm hot flashing away. Have had hot flashes for the last 5 1/2 years, still having them and been on Prozac more than 8 years. If its suppose to help hot flashes then I would hate to see what they would be like without the Prozac.

Just a silly question...did your doc check you hormone levels? Most doc don't know what to do with crazy pero/meno women. LOL!

Shebee

Which means the prozac didn't actually take the flashes away, just lessened them? Prozac didn't help any of my physical symptoms. It calmed my nerves somewhat so I didn't panic as bad but I still panicked. My thoughts after six or seven months on it was it was nothing more than a bandage. I didn't have mental disorders I had hormone disorders. Since working on my hormones there is a huge difference in how I feel. They wouldn't treat depression with hormones so why treat hormones with an anti depressant med imo.



Right! Give the crazy ladies AD and benzo cuz it is all in their heads. I think I am close to a year without seeing my GP. The last time I went in he ask me about his little dose of prozac and benzo and I told him "I don't take them instead I am taking hormones and feel wonderful" his reply was something like "really" and that was it! Of course this was the day I had him remove the sebacious cyst he told me was a mole two years earlier!

No, the prozac didn't/doesn't take them completely away, however they have decreased in quantity quite a bit!! However, I believe it was added to help with the other AD! I just thought it strange that while on prozac I didn't deal with the hot flashes NEAR as much as I did once it was out of my system!
So, who knows...hey, if its helping with that, I won't complain!!

And...no, the hormones didn't get tested this time...I have blood work due next month, so I decided I didn't want to be paying for that 2 different times. I haven't killed anyone yet, so I think i can wait that long to find out where I'm at with things.

Dear 'JES80'
I was started on the Prozac when it seemed I was going to breakdown with sweats,insomnia,depression,food aversion etc.At 20mgs per day almost all my symptoms got a lot better and eventually went.Only I still suffer from bad bouts of anxiety,due to my domestic situation,so take small dose of Xanax as needed
After about three months on the Prozac and feeling much better had my annual Gyno. where it was discovered I was Post Menopausal.I was started on the HRT immediately and it helped
So am not sure how much the Prozac helped and did the HRT fill in the last part of the puzzle?The only thing I would be wary about,dear friend,and I am no Doctor would be taking two ADs at the same time.Would it not be safer to wean off whatever you are on very gradually and then get back on the Prozac.
So keep in touch
Let us know how you go on.

Warm Wishes
Elizabeth

Thanks for the concern Elizabeth!
...like you I was concerned also of mixing the two and I did question my doctor about combining them, I was a bit leary of doing this but I do trust my doctor. He assured me Its not uncommon to combine these two AD's as they each do different things and work well together. So I begin doing my research to see what I could find. That's how I came across that the prozac can be known to help with the hot flashes.
Thanks for sharing how things have worked for you, I appreciate it.

jes

Its true that anti-d's can be helpful with flashes. Effexor along with a few others is also known to be helpful with hot flashes. I have a friend that had to get off hrt because she had breast cancer and started getting flashes again so her Dr. had her try effexor and it helped tremendously. She gets one once in a while but she saw a major improvement. I tried the lowest dose possible but it messed with me and after one dose I didnt even want to try for another day. Made me feel way to weird.
As with anything not everything works for everyone. But there have been studies that show they can be helpful.
I may have to give one of the other anti-d's a try.

Here's a link with an article from Webmd.

anti-d's for hot flashes

Had my Dr. call in a low dose script of Prozac for me today. I'll pick them up on my way home from work tomorrow and so I'll start on them and hope for the best.

I'll report back and let everyone know if they work for me. I sure hope so, Ive been pretty miserable and sleep deprived. the flashes have gotten really out of hand.

My doc just told me that AD's have been shown to help some meno symptoms like hot flashes. I am an Zoloft for the past few months and my hot flashes are not too bad, but they never were very horrible before so I don't have anything to compare it with. Just wanted to let you know that there are other docs who agree with yours. Take care.

Well, Ive had the Prozac since Thursday and have yet to take any of it. I have to try and work up the nerve or what will happen is, I'll have a really really bad day and night and then I'll pop one and go from there.

Hugs to you Helen, I hope this helps you!!
I've been lucky enough to have noticed a considerable difference from just a few weeks ago, and boy it sure does feel good to not have to carry around a full ice chest to dive into on a moments notice!!

Let us know how you do with it!!

jes

I too take prozac for hot flashes and yes it as helped by about 85%. I started out at 10mg and now i'm taking 30 mg. I see my DR. next week and he will probably up it again but how do we know when enough is enough?

I guess that would be up to how you feel about continuously taking something. Is that the only reason why you're taking the prozac, for hot flashes?

I'm taking Prozac as helper with my Wellbutrin AD also, so its kind of two fold for me. I have noticed my flashes have calmed down and I also seem to be leveling out with how my moods were bouncing so much too. So as long as I'm feeling good again, I really don't care, at least its helping me!!

jes

Whoa! Two of you coming here and saying you feel your flashes have subsided alot have made me feel a little more brave.
I've been having at least 10 flashes a day and most of them have been fairly brutal. Not to mention the 3-4 I get at night that wake me up.
So maybe you both have given me the push I need to try.


Thank you Ladies!

Dear 'Helen48'
I know the idea of taking an AD can be scary for many people but the fact is they have been manufactured for specific purposes.
They do not work for all but my experience with Prozac has been very positive.
So do a little more research if that makes you comfortable and then make a decision.
Wishing you Luck and Blessings
Elizabeth

I have also had positive experience with Prozac, only one I had no side effects on. But I can't say it helps the hot flashes much for me. Either that or if it does help I would have them every other minute without it.

Mixing prozac and wellbutrin is rated serious for drug interactions. (Also, you already probably know that alcohol does not mix at all with these. ) I am glad that you are having your hormone levels checked before you kill anyone. (LOL! I'm kidding! LOL!)

This is compliments of healthline....Wellbutrin+Prozac

In general, use Bupropion (either Wellbutrin or Zyban) and Fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem) together with caution. Bupropion and Fluoxetine may represent duplicate therapies for mood problems like depression in some patients and are not commonly prescribed together.

Also, side effects from Fluoxetine may potentially get worse if you take Bupropion at the same time.

Taking these drugs together could result in side effects such as chest pain, chest tightness or pressure, confusion, dizziness, drowsiness, excessive dry mouth, excessive nausea/vomiting, fever, loss of coordination, muscle twitching or weakness, sweating, tremor, and/or palpitations. Report these or other unusual effects immediately if they occur.

LOL! The sides are all of the things that you are trying to avoid. I would call your doc and discuss this with him.

I hope this helps...
Shebee

Shebee,

There's always a risk when we take any drugs and I do appreciate the info you have supplied here.
I believe though if you do enough searching you will see that doctors quite often prescribe these 2 AD's together since they both act on different chemicals in the brain. While both help with depression they are used to help balance things out if one is just not quite doing what the other can do.
In my case the Wellbutrin SR (300mg) helps with the depression a great deal, but I still had trouble with the weepy's for no reason. The prozac (10mg) helps with the weepy's and while its not a mood stabilizer it does help keep me balanced.
Having the hot flashes relieved is just an added plus!!

Different people react differently to drugs...I happen to be able so far to take these two together and they are working for me. My doctor is keeping a close eye on me, I've been seeing him every 2 months...more then I care to see him in a years time.

Anyone who will be taking a combination of drugs should discuss this with their doctor when he prescribes it though.

thank
jes

Yes this is the only reason i take the prozac. I have no other meno symptms so i guess i'm lucky. But the hot flashes are constant day and night.

I do hope this works for you. I am glad that your doc is on top of things. I have some really great doctors that I completely trusted in my life time.

Hot flashes are horrible. I am not having them now, but remember when I did. During a hot flash, it was bad when my daughter would hug me. She felt like a hot poker that seared my skin. I remember constantly pushing her away and telling her not to touch me or even come close to me. LOL! Even now she usually asks me before she hugs me. ...talk about guilt. LOL!

Please keep us all informed on how it works. I think that it would help many here.

Best wishes to you.
Shebee

Well ladies, I fibally broke down and took the prozac today. So far so good, just hope it will help with these dern flashes.