brandymike

I am trying to find out some information about prozac and Marijuana combined. My stepson was on here trying to find out information about marijuana and he also takes prozac. I would like to know the effects of taking the drugs together. I think that he is having some problems and doesn't want to come to us and so I am trying to find out all I can about it. If you know of any other websites that might help as well please let me know.

thanks

urania3

It's hard to say if there's an interaction. They really don't do drug-drug interactions for illegal drugs. They each are metabolized by a different set of liver enzymes, so there's a lower risk on that side of things. But both THC and fluoxetine are highly bound to plasma proteins, so there could be displacement of one for the other.

I would strongly advise that he discuss this with his physician for two reasons. One, there's doctor-patient confidentiality to protect him, and two, the physician may very well know the answer.

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Mamabudz

Interaction such as combining the two could be deadly? Nothing on the record for that -- but...

As Urania pointed out there is an interaction as far as the metabolism of both.

More to the point is that both marijuana and Prozac effect mood and that itself can be confusing.

Marijuana -- which many individuals with depression, from mild to severe forms, use because of it's mood elevating (euphoric) abilities can mask the effectiviness of the long acting SSRIs (selective serotonin re-uptake inhibotors) which is the class of drugs Prozac is in (also Paxil and Zoloft).

During the initial ramp up -- 2 to 8 weeks -- your step son's physician will be monitoring him for mood elevation. Taking marijuana during this time will randomly elevate his mood, followed by a declne as the marijuana "high" wears off, and this can throw off whether he is being assisted by Prozac or not. It is a reason to stay off marijuana during this initial phase and also during any subsequent medication changes.

The ideal with SSRIs is to administer the lowest dosage necessary to alleviate symptoms -- difficult to ascertain if the results are constantly skewed by the highs and lows of marijuana use.

In addition, the physican may read a false level of "mood swings" from elation to depression which may indicate mania and depression, indicative of bipolar depression which is treated in a different manner than clnical depression and may be inclined to administer unnecessry medication to try to stabilize these mood swings, which are actully being caused by an outside source.

While there are many excellent psychiatrists and therapists who are well aware of the relatively benign effect of cannabis (marijuana) others are quick to link it's use to more serious problems in adolescent males (specifically oppositional defiant disorder and schizophrenia) and therefore you would have to make a judgment call as his parent as to whether or not you wish to share this information with his psychiatrist and therapist team.

And it is important to understand that we still don't know entirely how SSRIs accomplish what they do -- As recently as today new evidence has come out that the effect of SSRIs is not so much an increase in the levels of serotonin in the brain as the increase of brain growth of serotonin sensitive cells.

Treatment of Depression has come a very long way in the past 20 years. It has helped a lot of folks -- me included -- with being able to achieve a great deal in life in a happier more stable and highly functioning manner. It will take time for your step-son to come through this difficulty but with time and the loving support of his family he will do fine.


Thank you for taking the time to visit with us tonight and thank you even more for supporting your son during what is probably an overwhelmingly difficult time for him. Please feel free to stop back often with any other questions you may have -- we'll help however we can. And yes, sometimes the advice here is ... put the pot away for awhile.

Hugz,

Mama Budz

Dun

Closest approximation would be to use marinol as the comparison for marijuana (no listed interactions between marinol and fluoxetine).

If I quit for a while, the first few times I smoke I have a "hangover" of sorts where I feel lethargic and stupid no matter how much sleep I got the night before. But that doesn't usually last more than a day or two (if I haven't smoked in the meantime).

manatee54

My spouse has been taking Prozac for many years, and is a toker... No problems have ever been seen, nor has the doctor (who knows my spouse is a toker), given any cautions. The two do not seem to contradict each other.... In fact, I think the MJ actually is a helper....

grillmeats

Every person is different. I would go with what your doctor says'.

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manatee54

I totally agree... my point was only with my spouse.... Anyone, and I mean ANYONE, that is taking PROZAC, that has been prescribed, obviously, has some problem, or at least the dr. thinks so. I guess my point was, that MJ used, with Prozac, as I've observed as the spouse also, has had no bad effects. However, GrillMeats, you are correct...although, Dr's seem to be pill happy, and I'm not so sure, they are right all the time.

grillmeats

I did not mean it that way. I meant that unless you are on it yourself, you really don't know how the drugs are going to effect your mind and body. The only way to truely know how it feels, is to experience it on a everyday basis.
So I was not trying to step on your toes, you are older than me. Happy New Year.

manatee54

I'm older than you - - OUCH - - watch those toes... Older yes, Wiser, I think not. I can't grill for crap...although I try. I would love one day, to sit with you, as you the Meister of GrillMeats, cooks us up some fillets to enjoy....but, alas, most likely won't occur.

I agree, so I ask my spouse again, if there were any noticable effects, with takin the Prozac/MJ.... and the response was:

Get stabilized on Prozac first - - takes about 6-7 weeks (MamaBuzz was on that one)... then, try a couple of hits..... if the experience wasn't bad.... then do whatever...

So much for my wisdom...

TooieQ

SO i was just lookin around trying to find an answer to some questions and I came across this. I have been on prozac for over a year now... and thats about how long I had stopped smoking weed. I smoked some over this new years weekend and I have been feeling pretty out of it these last few days. I have been sleeping and I just cant get motivated to do anything. If your son has just started taking the prozac and he's smoking weed then I would be willing to bet that he is starting feel something like I am. I have been really depressed the last couple of days and I just want to sleep all day. And then when I wake up I feel like im in a fog. Even if I have closed my eyes for a few minutes or all night, I feel the same way. I just wanted to share that with all of you. I thought that I was gonna find something on here to help me and it seems that I have helped u. Thanx all the same.

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