What is the best medication for bulimia?
The only antidepressant specifically approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat bulimia is fluoxetine (Prozac), a type of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), which may help even if you’re not depressed.
Is there any medication for bulimia?
Medication. Antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) may be used to treat bulimia. The SSRI usually recommended to treat bulimia is called fluoxetine (brand name Prozac). As with any antidepressant, an SSRI will usually take several weeks before it starts to work.
Which medication may help prevent relapse in patients with bulimia?
FDA has approved only one prescription drug (fluoxetine, brand name Prozac) specifically for treating bulimia nervosa, based on data submitted to FDA that tested the medication in patients with bulimia nervosa.
Why does fluoxetine help with bulimia?
The Role of Fluoxetine The imbalance of serotonin levels in the body can increase urges to binge and purge in women and men who have bulimia, and antidepressant medications can decrease these urges by effectively balancing the levels of neurotransmitters in the brain.
How do I get Prozac out of my system?
Most of the prescription (80 percent) is excreted through urine. To lessen the side effects of coming off of fluoxetine, the patient can slowly taper off of the prescription or their doctor can prescribe other short-acting antidepressants temporarily to ween the body.
How long until Prozac is out of my system?
| Antidepressant drugs and their half-lives* | ||
|---|---|---|
| Drug | Half out of body in | 99% out of body in |
| fluoxetine (Prozac) | Four to six days | 25 days |
| Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors | ||
| venlafaxine (Effexor) | 5 hours | 1 day |
How soon do prozac withdrawal symptoms start?
Withdrawal symptoms usually start within 2–4 days of stopping or changing the medication dosage. They can last several weeks.
What happens if you quit Prozac cold turkey?
Stopping fluoxetine can cause several withdrawal symptoms, including flu-like symptoms, digestive issues, sleep problems, and mood changes. However, several strategies and treatments can reduce or prevent such discontinuation symptoms. People should work with a doctor to come up with a plan that best meets their needs.
What does Prozac withdrawal feel like?
You may have flu-like symptoms including headache, muscle pain, weakness, and tiredness. Mood. You may have extreme anxiety, agitation, panic, suicidal ideation, depression, irritability, anger, mania, or mood swings. Bizarre sensations.
What happens when you go off Prozac?
Stopping fluoxetine abruptly may result in one or more of the following withdrawal symptoms: irritability, nausea, dizziness, vomiting, nightmares, headache, and/or paresthesias (prickling, tingling sensation on the skin). Depression is also a part of bipolar illness.
Can I take Prozac every other day?
It is proposed that either every third day or daily dosing with the same dose of fluoxetine could treat the patients with major depressive disorder during the acute and continuation period of treatment. Nevertheless, higher daily dose of fluoxetine has a reduced relapse rate compared to that of the lower daily dose.
Why do I feel like waves in my head?
What are brain shakes? Brain shakes are sensations that people sometimes feel when they stop taking certain medications, especially antidepressants. You might also hear them referred to as “brain zaps,” “brain shocks,” “brain flips,” or “brain shivers.”