How do you know if med is working best?

Wondering how you know if your med is working as good as it should be? I finally started taking prozac several months ago and I DO feel better, but not any to the extent I would LIKE to feel..saybefore depression and stress set in. I am not freaking out, but still feel little real joy and happiness...kinda numb. Should I increase the dosage, or just be satisfied in this twilight zone. Think I have been on prozac a couple months now. If this makes any sense to you please reply with some suggestions. Thanks,

I was on Paxil (in the same class of med) and felt much the same. It allowed me to get myself centered and facing a direction I felt I could go in, but never really felt yeah this is it. Maybe give the Prozac a little longer to see if you come out of this feeling of numbness. I would def. follow-up with the Dr. and let them know what is going on. It really took almost 6 months before I felt like I was going to be o.k. after starting the Paxil. It may take a few tries to get the right med or combinations of meds but I do know that once you are there, there is an underlying feeling of calmness that I began to feel.

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Welcome Designs!!

Great question! Randy gave you some great advice.

When my anti-d REALLY started working, I forgot to take it frequently. That's how I knew I was doing really better. I did find that I was more able to 'stand up for myself'. Prior to treatment . . . I would much prefer doing ANYTHING other than confront someone. Now I can carefully engage in some controversy. I don't wear a 'doormat' sign anymore.

But . . . I remember being joyful as part of my basic personaity. Did you tend to be joyful before depression?? If not, you may need to 'learn' joy.

Blessings!

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In His Grip,

Thanks for the responses.  I have felt no joy in six months..This may be too hard for me to endure much longer.

Designs,

Are you joyful by nature? Or is joy something that was always illusive? Some people have to learn joy.

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In His Grip,

i have to learn joy i think. i don't even remember real joy it's been so long. but i was using marijuana to cover it up and make myself think i was joyful, when in reality i've been a mess. i feel spurts of happiness, like when i think of my fiance, sports, music or things that i enjoy, but then something steps in and takes those thoughts away and replaces them with fear of dying, fear of a heart attack(long story), or just hopelessness in my job search or in what i want to be in life. i will get it back, i just need to work on getting everything out there and being open and not holding back. like rosie said, i was just like her with the human doormat thing. everybody walked all over me because i was afraid nobody would want to hang out with me if i stood up for myself. but i feel more willing to fight for myself. i actually got into an argument with someone at the gym the other day who was trash talking, and i put him in his place in front of his friends who were playing too. felt good, and i really didn;t even think twice about it. hopefully this is just the start for me.

 That's me, confused. I really can't say because I am on 3 different anti-depressants. I guess it a process of elimination!

Sober . . . what a great victory!! (over depression) That is a good sign and great step forward!

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In His Grip,