Dear Dab Link Guy,
Before I begin with my answer, I refer you to the disclaimer on the
bottom of this page: "Answers and comments provided on Google Answers
are general information, and are not intended to substitute for
informed professional medical, psychiatric, psychological, tax, legal,
investment, accounting, or other professional advice."
For any specific information regarding your own body, please see a
physician who knows you and your problems. Only he or she could give
you a definite answer, as to what might be harmful and not.
There is no conclusive evidence on the interactions between these two
specific drugs. There haven't been any clinical studies about these
two products in specific, but there are several known aspects that
might discourage such usage.
First, Hydroxycut is not to be used for people diagnosed with
depression or mental illness (1). Basically, this means that those
suffering from the problems that Prozac is supposed to solve are not
to take Hydroxycut. In several cases, the usage of the supplement has
led to death or to development of a mental problem:
"A 19-year-old female was taking Hydroxycut 2 pills twice a day to aid
muscle definition and to speed metabolism. She reported dizziness and
nausea two hours after use and began having violent outbursts,
nightmares, poor mood, hot flashes, and fatigue. After a few days, she
developed increased anger and rage and fought with boyfriend, mother,
father, and sisters. She also tried to kill her boyfriend?s sister and
herself. After eight days of use, she developed a
migraine and went to the emergency room. She then went home and picked
up a knife, with homicidal intent, but was convinced to return to the
hospital voluntarily. She was admitted for 18 hours and was readmitted
later that day for a 72-hour involuntary hospitalization. Symptoms
abated four days after Hydroxycut was discontinued."(2)
Hydroxycut contains two ingidients that might cause adverse effects
with Prozac. Unless you use an ephedra-free version, it would contain
Ephedra. In addition, it contains caffeine (1).
There have been studies that linked ephedrine (the active igridient in
Ephedra), as acting as monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhabitor(3) ["The
researchers also found that common over-the-counter remedies for colds
and obesity that contain ingredients such as pseudoephedrine (found in
Sudafed), phenyl-propanolamine (found in Accutrim) and ephedrine also
act as MAO inhibitors, although they are not labeled as such. This
could be damaging to patients who also take antidepressants such as
Prozac, Effexor, Zoloft or Paxil, which, like the fenfluramines,
inhibit serotonin uptake, and whose labels state that they should
never be taken with MAO inhibitors."]. MAO-inhabitors are stricktly
forbidden in interaction with Prozac:
"Monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor activity (isocarboxazid [e.g.,
Marplan], phenelzine [e.g., Nardil], procarbazine [e.g., Matulane],
selegiline [e.g., Eldepryl], tranylcypromine [e.g., Parnate])? Do not
take fluoxetine while you are taking or within 2 weeks of taking an
MAO inhibitor. If you do, you may develop confusion, agitation,
restlessness, stomach or intestinal problems, sudden high body
temperature, extremely high blood pressure, and severe convulsions. At
least 14 days should be allowed between stopping treatment with an MAO
inhibitor and starting treatment with fluoxetine. If you have been
taking fluoxetine, at least 5 weeks should be allowed between stopping
treatment with fluoxetine and starting treatment with an MAO
inhibitor"(4)
Because of the possible effects of fluoxetine (Prozac) on digestion
and metabolism, further problems migth arise, causing nausea /
vomiting /diarrhea. In combination with a drug, which is supposed to
caused increased metabolism, this could be severed(5).
Sources:
-------
(1) Pharma Help, "Hydroxy Out", <http://pharma-help.com/hydroxy-cut> .
(2) FDA, Presiding Officer Reports and Commissioner's Decisions in
Clinical Investigator Disqualifications Proceedings
<http://www.fda.gov/OHRMS/DOCKETS/98fr/95n-0304-bkg0003-ref07-12-Chapter3.pdf>,
Chapter 3. Results, p. 27.
(3) MIT News, "Outdated label may have led to toxic combination of
'fen-phen'", AUGUST 28, 1998,
<http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/nr/1998/fenphen.html>.
(4) Medline Plus, "Fluoxetine (Systemic)",
<http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/uspdi/202247.html>
(5) University of Maryland Medicine, "Fluoxetine",
<http://www.umm.edu/altmed/ConsDrugs/Fluoxetinecd.html>; SEE also
"Ephedra" <http://www.umm.edu/altmed/ConsHerbs/Interactions/Ephedrach.html>
I hope this answers your question. Let me repeat my initial advice: if
one takes a prescription drug, such as Prozac, it is essential to
consult with the doctor regarding any adverse interactions with diet
pills.
Search strategy:
[names of drugs and/or materials in them] + [words such as
interactions] + [sometimes: limitation to governmental or university
sites as in site:gov or site:edu]. |
