Question:

> >I’m a first time meds user. >I know this might be a stupid question but i gotta ask:-) >My doctor just prescribed Fluoxetine for me. It says prozac on the side >of the bottle. >Can anyone tell me if it would be wise to smoke the occasional "J" every >now and then? >He advised me to give up my weekend alcoholic drinks but if i have to >give up pot too, i’ll REALLY be depressed.:-) > If you’re going to take meds, take them seriously.

I used a mental trick when I quite smoking cigarettes and later pot (when I went on meds) It would be too depressing to ‘quit forever’, so I just told myself I would take a one year reprieve and then I could restart if I wanted. It worked for me.  And in the case of pot, I’m glad because it would have prevented me from learning how to adjust my meds when needed. Liquor seems harder because everyone does it socially.  There I just cut back to a self-imposed quota.   Tom

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permanently in the ether: > >Can anyone tell me if it would be wise to smoke the occasional "J" every > >now and then?

I hate my new server–this is probably quoted wrong–I never saw the original. Marijuana affects the MAOI system–but no one knows how it affects it. So, it is not advisable to use marijuana and a substance that affects (ehances or restricts uptake) the MAOI system.  Prozac does not affect the MAOI system (as far as I know) and therefore it should be safe to use marijuana. There are receptors in the brain that will only accept THC–and no other substance.  This was discovered in the only real double blind study ever done at the university of washington in the 1970s. Research on marijuana in recent years was limited to the synthetic form, called marinol.  Problem is that they took out so many ingredients to make marinol the results were totally skewed.  Marinol was found to not be very effective–except in some cases of glaucoma. Marinol is still available in one or two states, Illinois being oe of them–they are just using up the supplies from the studies.  Part of the problem with marinol was that the pot they grew is NOTHING like what people grow to get high–so the marinol studies were just one big mess.  The government simply did NOT know how to grow it properly. Anyway, this is an area of special interest to me–I have tons of information at home.  Pot has litterally saved my life–it allowed me to eat when I was projectile vomiting.  It calms me down when I’m in a manic rage.  and on and on and on.  I use it daily, I am legal–the SSDI judge said so. :-) I am not on prozac, but I am on several medications, including two anti-depressants and lithium. Here is a site with tons of links: http://www.hyperreal.org/drugs/marijuana/medical/ Here is a site with links and current political action: http://www.dpf.org Nancy in CA "It is my moral obligation to disobey unjust laws." – MLK, Jr. To reply via email, remove "Z" from my address. Please visit the new moderated recovery group at alt.med.fibromyalgia.recovery.info Also, check out the guafenisin group at alt.med.fibromyalgia.guaifenesin Please visit the new ng, alt.talk.grandparents.

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> But were you able to track down the funding for any of theses sources? > Researchers, however honest, know who is paying them, and what results will > result in future employment.

As a researcher myself I can tell you that the above is absolute, unmitigated *crap*.  It is also illogical:  most drug studies are funded by pharmaceutical companies.  It is in *their* best interests, in terms of FDA approval, to encounter the fewest possible drug-drug interactions, because that will cut down on the number of paying customers who can use that drug. How could inventing a dangerous interaction that doesn’t really exist benefit anyone? Studies not funded by pharmaceutical companies are generally funded by the NIH.  I can tell you from my own personal experience that these studies are *very* closely monitored and the consequences for falsification of data are severe (your career is over.) The only thing that guarantees a researcher future employment is doing good science. Basically you’ve just insulted an entire group of hard-working, poorly-payed people who have dedicated their careers toward helping all of us. Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.

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Hi, I’m a first time meds user. I know this might be a stupid question but i gotta ask:-) My doctor just prescribed Fluoxetine for me. It says prozac on the side of the bottle. Can anyone tell me if it would be wise to smoke the occasional "J" every now and then? He advised me to give up my weekend alcoholic drinks but if i have to give up pot too, i’ll REALLY be depressed.:-) Thanks, C.

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>I know this might be a stupid question but i gotta ask:-) >My doctor just prescribed Fluoxetine for me. It says prozac on the side >of the bottle. >Can anyone tell me if it would be wise to smoke the occasional "J" every >now and then?

I’d say go for it, as long as it’s in moderation. Not only as near to harmless as you’re going to get but also posesses mood-stabilising effects and helps you sleep :) So as long as it isn’t a regular thing, by all means go ahead :)

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> My doctor just prescribed Fluoxetine for me. It says prozac on the side > of the bottle. > Can anyone tell me if it would be wise to smoke the occasional "J" every > now and then?

Hi, This is what I found:  in Drug Therapy in Psychiatry, 3rd ed. by Jerrold Bernstein it says that heavy cannabis use can cause psychotic reactions, and that people with prior psychiatric diagnoses are at particular risk.  It sounds like you aren’t a heavy user, so this shouldn’t be so much of an issue.  However, in several studies of college students, (Mendelsohn, et al "The Use of Marijuana:  A Psychological and Physiological Inquiry") an "amotivational syndrome" was described in which users became "complacent and withdrawn" and had decreased interest in activity and ability to work.  This sounds a bit like depression, which is presumably what you are taking the Prozac for – so while you may not be hurting yourself in an acute medical sense by taking the two together, you might be defeating the whole purpose of your medication, or , worse yet, making yourself more depressed. Incidentally, I did find a case report of Lithium toxicity with cannabis use (Ratey, et al, "Lithium and marijuana." in Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology). So, what did your pdoc say about the marijuana? Jeannie Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.

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Hell, I haven’t. There is no better drug for dysphoric rage. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >Hi, >I’m a first time meds user. >I know this might be a stupid question but i gotta ask:-) >My doctor just prescribed Fluoxetine for me. It says prozac on the side >of the bottle. >Can anyone tell me if it would be wise to smoke the occasional "J" every >now and then? >He advised me to give up my weekend alcoholic drinks but if i have to >give up pot too, i’ll REALLY be depressed.:-) >Thanks, >C.

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snippage……. >He advised me to give up my weekend alcoholic drinks but if i have to >give up pot too, i’ll REALLY be depressed.:-) > As a beginning meds-taker (as opposed to toker), it is up to > you to report to your doctor how well the chemical is > working > If you’re going to take meds, take them seriously. > dp

Back in the dark ages, 1976, was taking a medical pharmacology course. During which, I noted with great personal interest, that grass interferes with short term memory.  Since this was the memory I relied on for cramming for exams, I reluctantly gave it up (was using to sleep).  And now, so many of my prescription concoctions also interfere with short term memory—I decline. I’ve seen no research indicating that the very occasional use of a "j" is harmful to people—driving not recommended and of course lung disorders possible—but we aren’t just people.  We have a brain disorder and for the most part, take a boatload of drugs. I would never add recreational drugs without speaking with my pdoc; but then he’s non-judgmental and open to the unusual. BTW, there is no evidence that the occasional alcoholic drink is contraindicated with Prozac—if you are otherwise well.  A large part of the reason for the admonition "no alcohol", is a "cover their asses" legal enthusiasm.  Understandable, in this very litigious day and age. regards, julie pa, rdms

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But were you able to track down the funding for any of theses sources? Researchers, however honest, know who is paying them, and what results will result in future employment. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >This is what I found:  in Drug Therapy in Psychiatry, 3rd ed. by >Jerrold Bernstein it says that heavy cannabis use can cause psychotic >reactions, and that people with prior psychiatric diagnoses are at >particular risk.  It sounds like you aren’t a heavy user, so this >shouldn’t be so much of an issue.  However, in several studies of >college students, (Mendelsohn, et al "The Use of Marijuana:  A >Psychological and Physiological Inquiry") an "amotivational syndrome" >was described in which users became "complacent and withdrawn" and had >decreased interest in activity and ability to work.  This sounds a bit >like depression, which is presumably what you are taking the Prozac for >- so while you may not be hurting yourself in an acute medical sense by >taking the two together, you might be defeating the whole purpose of >your medication, or , worse yet, making yourself more depressed. >Incidentally, I did find a case report of Lithium toxicity with >cannabis use (Ratey, et al, "Lithium and marijuana." in Journal of >Clinical Psychopharmacology). >So, what did your pdoc say about the marijuana?

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