DO YOUNG PEOPLE SUFFER FROM THE SAME SIDE EFFECTS OF PROZAC AS ADULTS?
Not entirely. In large clinical trials of Prozac, the most commonly felt side effects in adults were nausea (21.2%) and headache (20.3%), while in an open study of a small group of young people; the most frequent side effects were restlessness (27%) and sweating (20%). Drowsiness, dry mouth, tremor, and thinning hair also showed up more frequently in the young people than in adults. Compared to other antidepressants, these side effects were minimal both in young people and in adults.
Another unwanted, sometimes severe, reaction that appears more frequently among young people is mania. A published study described five adolescent girls, all with family histories riddled with major depression and suicide, who developed mania while taking Prozac. Considering the surprising fact that young people who experience serious major depression before the age of 18 almost invariably become bipolar, it is imperative to witch carefully for the development of these symptoms.
The need still exists for carefully controlled clinical studies comparing the responses of children and adolescents to Prozac and other standard drugs. In the meantime, youngsters taking Prozac should be observed closely and frequently by their families, and any side effects should be immediately reported to the psychiatrist.
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Tags: Anti Depressants