Re: side effects?

[Guest guest]

Hi Sue -

I checked one of my favorite references - the PDR Online (Physician's

Desk Reference) regarding Vicodin and its side effects.

While depression is not listed as a direct side effect, it does say

that it can interact with tricyclic antidepressants (and isn't Prozac

one of those?) to make the effects of either drug either stronger,

weaker or altered.

So while I don't think it's possible the Vicodin is " causing " the

depression, it may be making your Prozac not work as well as it should

(and the Vicodin, for that matter!). You should talk to your doctor

about this immediately - the doctor who prescribed the Prozac might be

most helpful in understanding its interactions.

That said, it would be surprising to me if this effect happened with

just three pills, even if it were interacting with your

antidepressant, given that Prozac takes a while to clear your system

anyway. But who knows?! We're all different, so it's not out of the

realm of possibility.

I'm proud of you for moving past your preconceptions and taking this

first step to get better control of your pain. Don't get discouraged

if the first drug doesn't work - sometimes it takes a lot of

experimentation to find the right combination of meds to help both our

pain and other conditions when you have a complicated health

situation. My pain doc and I have been " tinkering " with various meds

for over a year now, always trying to improve my pain control and the

related issues. I'm not saying it will take that long to get pain

relief, but just be prepared for some trial and error at the start.

Hang in there!

Oh, and btw, if you're interested in checking out the facts on almost

any drug, the PDR Online is a great resource. Here's the website:

www.pdrhealth.com

Cheryl in AZ