Definition of Fluoxetine Hydrochloride (Hcl)
Fluoxetine Hcl is an antidepressant remedy that is classified under a group of drugs termed as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). The origin of this drug can be traced back in the mid 1970s, with Eli Lilly’s Prozac being the leading institution under which fluoxetine Hcl is marketed and distributed from. Due to the relative higher prices of branded fluoxetine Hcl, cheaper generic versions of the drug have become common in pharmacies.
How Fluoxetine Hcl Functions / Targeted Patients
This medication is specially formulated to alter the chemical functioning of the brain to assist patients with disorders such as stress, bulimia, panic disorders, depression and obsessive compulsive conditions. As it is with most antidepressants, fluoxetine Hcl takes a long period of time for the patient to experience the effects of the drug; this can take up 3 months. Therefore, its consumption has to be attuned to the patient’s needs.
Prescription and Therapy Procedures
The doctor would ideally instruct the patients to take an initial trial dosage for one month and schedules a later appointment with the patient to evaluate the viability of the drug to the patient. This will then determine if the fluoxetine Hcl dosage ought to be changed. This therapy will require further visits by the patients for psychotherapy and modifications of the dosage to keep it at par with the the body’s response to the drug.
Important Points to Note about Fluoxetine Hcl
When undertaking fluoxetine therapy it is always important to divulge information to the doctor about all other medications you are currently under, including the non-prescription drugs. This information is significant because particular types of medications can react violently to the body when combined with fluoxetine Hcl.
Fluoxetine Hcl use can also be hazardous to patients suffering from liver disorders. Such patients require continuous specialized screening while under medication. Further, medical research recommends that stopping the fluoxetine Hcl medication should be a gradual process and not a sudden one. Similarly, alterations of the dosage should be undertaken gradually. These slow processes are done to protect the patient from any possible psychological problems.
Potential side Effects of using Fluoxetine Hcl
Some side effects may occur after the intake of Fluoxetine Hcl drug. The common ones include the following:
- Anorexia
- Anxiety
- Tremors
- Sleeplessness
- Sexual dysfunction
Availability of Fluoxetine Hcl and Summary
Fluoxetine Hcl is available to patients in an array of combinations. However, it is always important to check with your doctor on the types of formulas will best work for you safely and effectively. Previously, due to its considerably high prices, instances of patients starting and stopping the medication randomly when they could afford it were rife. Due the potential dangers associated with this behavior, there was a call for the manufacturing of a generic format of the drug to make it accessible to patients at a cheaper price. Fluoxetine Hcl is however not legally accessible to patients over the counter. This is because its use has to be always supervised by a highly specialized medical practitioner while they assess changes in your body.