We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Health

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

How can I get a Prozac® Prescription?

Tricia Christensen
By
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 59,025
Share

Those wishing to get a Prozac® prescription, or a prescription for the generic equivalent fluoxetine need to do what they’d do in most cases in order to gain access to prescribed medications. They need to see a person licensed to prescribe them, which usually means seeing a medical doctor or nurse practitioner. Prozac® is not available in most countries on an over the counter basis. Even though it is a useful drug, it can be a dangerous one. Furthermore, especially in the psychiatric and neurology community, there are strong reservations about the issue of general practitioners prescribing Prozac® to people for the first time, given some of its complications and the reasons for which it is generally prescribed.

Most people would get a Prozac® prescription to treat symptoms of depression, anxiety or sometimes social anxiety, though fluoxetine is not the best choice for social anxiety. In theory, the medication raises levels of serotonin in the body, which can help produce a more balanced mood. It is usually not recommended that people treat depression and/or anxiety simply through prescription meds. Although they can work, treatments for these conditions are usually much more successful when combined with therapy, which a general practitioner usually doesn’t have time to provide.

When someone first gets a Prozac® prescription he or she is at risk for several complications. Especially children, teens and young adults are now cautioned that the drug can make them extremely suicidal, which is highly dangerous. Also, if Prozac® is given to people who seem depressed or anxious and who actually have bipolar disorder, it may cause mania or hypomania, which could also facilitate suicidal thoughts.

If a person can convince a doctor to hand them a Prozac® prescription it could be to their detriment. Doctors in general practice tend to take very short periods of time with patients, whereas, specialists like psychiatrists might spend a half hour to hour on a single patient. They may also provide therapy, or work in concert with a therapist to determine best care. It may be easier to spot things going wrong with a patient on Prozac® and determine if another drug (and there are many of them) is more appropriate. Psychiatrists, especially with therapists, may also be better equipped to handle the emotional difficulties for the patient when Prozac® does not work, as is possible.

Once people have had access to the best prescribing advice they can get from a psychiatrist, and to therapy, the patient that is solely on Prozac® might be managed by a general practitioner. Of course some people experience a symptom called “Prozac® Poop-Out,” where after years of successful treatment on fluoxetine the medication stops working. Returning to a psychiatrist for advice and guidance might be advisable under these circumstances.

Those who need to take several medications to deal with mental illness are usually best served by continuing to receive care with a psychiatrist. Psychiatric medications are notoriously individualized, and patients might require fine-tuning or replacements of medications from time to time. Should people not be able to heed this advice, they should at least take advantage of the number of websites that list drug side effects, so they can mention any side effects to their general or nurse practitioner promptly.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Tricia Christensen
By Tricia Christensen
With a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and years of experience as a WiseGeek contributor, Tricia Christensen is based in Northern California and brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to her writing. Her wide-ranging interests include reading, writing, medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion, all of which she incorporates into her informative articles. Tricia is currently working on her first novel.

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
By Penzance356 — On May 11, 2011

Why not try nature's no prescription necessary Prozac? I'm not going to claim that food can replace specialist care, but there are so many delicious and healthful things out there that contain the amino acid which produces serotonin.

Nuts, beans and cheese are just three examples, and as they work best with some carbohydrate you can enjoy peanut butter on crackers and call it self medication!

This is a natural and positive way to treat low level winter blues or anxiety, which I think could also be tried alongside therapy and any prescribed synthetic drugs.

By angelBraids — On May 09, 2011

I have a friend who tried to buy Prozac online with no prescription, which is a crazy thing to do but people get desperate. These days medicines of all kinds are doled out like candy, so why should someone who is anxious or depressed expect to be refused?

Anyhow, the online store my friend sent money to was a scam and the meds never even arrived. Losing her cash was the key to actually seeking legitimate medical advice from a more sympathetic doctor, and she's doing fine these days.

By RainyDay — On May 09, 2011

It's like the article says, taking prozac without a prescription is dangerous! Totally see a doctor first; in fact, I would see a naturopath or nutritionist too. Natural and alternative treatments can do a lot for people experiencing depression or anxiety. When it comes to my health, especially my mental health, I am going to get as many opinions as I can before I choose an avenue of treatment.

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
With a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and years of experience as a WiseGeek contributor, Tricia...
Learn more
Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/how-can-i-get-a-prozac-prescription.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.