Afraid to start PAXIL!

Today I got prescribed Paxil CR and Xanax for anxiety. I told the doctor that I'm not depressed at all and I feel that I have allot of anxiety especially after the bombs started falling on Baghdad.

I read allot of crazy shit about Paxil on here and am considering if I should even get started on it. I'm on Paxil (Controlled Release). Could I just use the Xanax to treat my anxiety when I feel I have it? Should I try the Paxil? And my last question is, if Paxil helps my anxiety, will I be able to get off it and feel cured?

Best Drugs to Treat Anxiety???

I have a follow-up appointment with a Doctor about my anxiety and want your opinions, which I value, on the best drugs to treat me concidering the following:

1.) Easiest to stop using.
2.) Least sexual side-effects.
3.) Something that wont change me too much (something weak).
4.) Something which worked for you.
5.) Something that I can occasionally drink on or smoke weed on.

Thank you

Hey - I am in the same position as you. I have anxiety off and on and I went to the doc about it because I just can't seem to feel normal all the time. I refuse to take anything like Paxil, zoloft, prozac...etc.. They just make me feel hight all day and I can't function right. They make me VERY unstable. But that's just me...everyones different. SO the Dr. gave me this stuff called Lorazepam. The minute I feel a panic/anxiety attack coming on I just take one of them and it calms me down within 10 min. They are life savers! The only problem with them is they are very addictive. I only end up taking about 4 a month, so I don't think that's really enough for me to get addicted to them. They also make me so relaxed that I just want to go to sleep...that's kinda a bad thing to. This is just my .02 cents. I hope it helped. If not, good luck with your search.

Here is a site you can go to and read about this drug.

http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/loraz.htm

*g

I merged your threads because there is no need for two topics, but unfortunately merged them around the wrong way (made the second one the first). Anyhow, your really should be asking your Dr these questions, as none of us know the specifics of your illness or diagnosis. At the end of the day, some people do well on Paxil, others don't. There's only one way to find out if it suits you, and that is to try it. Yes you could just use the Xanax as required, but only if your anxiety is intermittent (ie: not every day). Otherwise tolerance and dependency sets in in a matter of weeks. If your anxiety is realted to the war, then talking to a therapist is probabaly a better option.

hey jawbraker,

i've been on paxil since december, for depressiony and anxiety.

i too freaked out when i did some reading about paxil, everything seemed to be negative and i found so many side effects that people had written about, and paxil generally seems to have had a really bad rap......

however..... after i spoke with my doc about my concerns (namely the weight gain issue) i was reassured and thought hell, i'll give it a go.... by this point i was pretty much resigned to the fact i was going mad and had to try something......

i've been pleasantly surprised, i noticed an immense improvement in my mind within a half hour, althought for the first 4 days i was speeding off my nut (i don't think i was actually supposed to enjoy that??)

since then i've improved probably 90% from what i was, with no major side effects apart from night sweats and i've forgotten what an orgasm is.....

for me its an extremely small price to pay to have my life back the way that i want it, to enjoy each day with no worries and no pressures...... i'm relaxed, calm, contented, confident, happy and more loving towards my family and friends. I've become interested in my work again and far more productive.

these days antidepressants are not addictive, but can be habit forming for some individuals... i've heard good and bad things about people reducing their meds.

all i can say is perhaps you should talk more to your doctor, remember that medications affect everyone differently but you need to do whats right for you.

good luck

MrsS

Re: Best Drugs to Treat Anxiety???

JawBraker said:

I have a follow-up appointment with a Doctor about my anxiety and want your opinions, which I value, on the best drugs to treat me concidering the following:

1.) Easiest to stop using.
2.) Least sexual side-effects.
3.) Something that wont change me too much (something weak).
4.) Something which worked for you.
5.) Something that I can occasionally drink on or smoke weed on.

Thank you

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My vote goes in for Wellbutrin. It was the first AD I tried and it has been the best in the long run. I'm still taking it after 2.5 years, but I will probably be on meds my entire life.

1. This was the hardest part of Wellbutrin. If I don't have it, I get slow, tired, depressed, and can't think straight. This, however, is after long-term use -- you probably won't get this from being on it for a short time.
2. Made sex better. Allows you to keep a hard-on for longer.
3. I would suggest a lower dose to start, like 200mg. However, I was looking for something that wouldn't "change" me, then I got into the swing of things with this medication, and I liked the changes that resulted. It unlocked parts of me that had been wallowing in the mud for years.
4. Like a charm, still does.
5. Multiplies alcohol, so you don't have to drink as much. It says on the bottle not to drink on it, but that's only in a particular situation -- if you go through physical withdrawal from alcohol while on Wellbutrin, you run a high risk of seizures. I'm currently walking this tightrope and I have to titrate my alcohol intake, since in the past 6 months I became dependent on many recreational substances. This was not a result of my anti-depressants not working, but rather just carelessness with my intake, which has been pretty high.

I'm also on a low dose of Prozac and a mood-stabilizer called Lamictal.

I have been on Paxil twice. I am currently on it. I have found that the first month or so sucks. I had trouble sleeping and suffered from delayed ejaculation. After some time all the side effects went away. You can smoke weed and booze on Paxil.


overall. I think it is a great drug. Totally turned me around. Made me more healthy.

but with Paxil (and maybe other AD's) you have to take it everyday. If you go more than a day or two without the medication you wil suffer from some bad withdrawal.

Wellbutrin?

Hey anyone know the effects on a female (sexually) from Wellbutrin??

I must admit, not being able to 'finish' on paxil can be a bit of a strain, but i live with it...... and besides, sex aint everything right??

I've had no trouble with sleeping from paxil, i used to sleep and sleep and sleep (many times right through my alarm) and wake up feeling like crap prior to starting on it, now no matter what time i go to bed i wake before my alarm feeling refreshed and totally rested, and raring to get into the day.

Also i've suffered from irritable bowel syndrome for over 10 years, to the point where some days i couldn't leave the house for fear of needing a bathroom. I've always been told that it was all in my head - being caused by stress/anxiety. Thankfully, since starting paxil i have had no ibs attacks whatsoever..... at last i can go wherever i like whenever i like and not having to worry about my innards......

Paxil is the only anti-dep that i've tried, so i can't speak for the others, but paxil does get a vote from me.

For moderate to severe anxiety, the SSRIs are really the best. So, if you think your anxiety is pretty intense, I think Paxil is a good choice. Also, if you are male and young, your sexual side effects won't be that bad most likely. What dose are you taking? I think most horror stories from paxil result from people being misdiagnosed or people taking too high a dose. But for the right condition and at the right dose, paxil can be an amazing help.

For mild anxiety, why not try Remeron (mirtazapine)? It doesn't have any sexual side effects and you can do most drugs on it. It also doesn't change your personality or brain chemistry as much as the SSRIs.

Or, just use the xanax as needed, if you don't need to take something every day? As you say your anxiety is related to the war...so perhaps it's only when a particularily bad series of bombings occurs that you feel so anxious you really need to take something? In that case, xanax is excellent for panic attacks, but as babydoc said you really DON'T want to be taking it more than a couple times a week or you will become dependant on and tolerant to it.

Someone mentioned wellbutrin....wellbutrin does NOT treat anxiety. It only treats depression, and helps with quitting smoking. It provides no relief from anxiety, so it won't be of any use to JawBreaker.

Mrs. Suspicious --

WB can be helpful for depression, but you'll need something more if your anxiety is really troublesome. Paxil is nice that way because it treats both anxiety and depression at once.

Wellbutrin doesn't have sexual side effects for women, in fact, some women find it increases their sex drive. It shouldn't affect orgasm negatively. Personally, I didn't find that WB affected my sex drive or orgasm ability at all.

I would also refer you to Remeron for you condition, as it can treat depression as well as anxiety, and has almost no sexual side effects.

Or, you could try getting some cyproheptadine, which when taken an hour before sex, can help with orgasm tremendously. Talk to your dr for more info and to get a script for it.

Paxil is a great therapeutic tool. It's acute solution for things like anxiety issues are unmatched by any of the competing drugs in its class on the market.

However, be very aware that due to its extremely short half-life, Paxil can cause severe withdrawl if you abruptly stop treatment. When you're ready to move away from Paxil treatment it is advised that you taper your dose. Do a search on google for 'paxil withdrawl'. You will be able to read actual accounts of people who have gone throw Paxil withdrawl.

I took Paxil for about 7 mos and finally decided that the treatment was successful that I could move on to a less acute solution. I switched to Prozac and things are good. I will admit fully that things aren't as 'cusioned' as they were when I was on Paxil however, I the contrast in treatment is refreshing and I am loving life right now.

I spoke with a few doctors about Paxil during my treatment, and the majority of them agreed that while continued SSRI treatment over an indefinate period can be healthy, Paxil is not the drug to do it with. It should be used to attempt to stabalize the issue.

Don't be afraid of paxil, he is your friend.

I was given paxil along with beta blockers for anxiety a few months back.

The scariest thing for me while being so panicked so constantly was that I now had to worry about taking these drugs.

I don't know wether it was the paxil or the proproponol Hcl (or both) but there where some side effects.
Mainly dioreah, dizziness, tiredness, and vivid dreams (thats the beta blocker) but these effects where only mild and for the first week or so. After that my one problem with paxil is that it made it very hard for me to cum
The dreams altough scary where amazingly vivid, like you where falling asleep when you woke up. wow, I think I even prophocised certain world events in thoses dreams. hehehe

In my mind though it was all worth it, the first few days are tough because you are suffering anyway; but once the effects kick in you will feel much better.
After 2 months on paxil I was back to normal.
No more constant 24/7 panick attacks and all the nasty symptoms that had gone with them. I'm not saying I'm cured but it helped me through that incrediably rough period of my life.

The benzo will give you qucik relife from anxiety while waiting for the week or two they say it takes to kick in (altough I noticed good effects after a week).
I wish my doctor had given me some benzos rather than seeing what a state I was in and saying off you go you might start feeling better in a few weeks. lol

Just want to add I stoped my paxil treatment abruptley without tappering down from 20mg because I felt alot better and never collected my perscription.

I had no bad withdrawral effects, the last thing you need to worry about is whats going to happen in a few month when you have to come off the paxil. I'm sure you will be fine.

u can probably manage your anxiety with the xanax alone. Use it sparingly.

Paxil, as far as I have read/heard (I have never been on an A/D) is a bitch to quit like any other SSRI and it will fuck your brain chemistry beyond recognition in the long run. I'd stick with xanax...even if it's addictive, use it very sporadically and you shouldn't run into problems.

^
The idea is to not be on it that long.

I was on it for two months and it gave me a glimpse of normalness that was enough to bring me back to reality.

I stopped straight from 20mg to 0 and had no withdrawal. But I understand it could be different for others.

I really think paxil helped me, so don't base your fact on people who have never had to take it.

I decided to go ahead and give Paxil a try. I figure it wouldn't hurt. My anxiety just isn't getting any better. Wish me luck! Good luck to you aswell!

g*

Fujicrow said:

Paxil, as far as I have read/heard (I have never been on an A/D) is a bitch to quit like any other SSRI and it will fuck your brain chemistry beyond recognition in the long run.

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Says who??

The effects and withdrawals of all drugs whether legal or illegal vary from person to person.

For people with chemical imbalances in the brain an SSRI can be extremely effective, for short and long term use. People (like myself) with a chemical imbalance in the brain benefit greatly from an SSRI.

My brain chemistry has been fucked for the past 29 years and is finally being corrected thanks to an SSRI.

To clarify the above point, firstly, SSRI anti-depressant's appear to work by changing the serotonin receptors, ie: downregulating them. Whether this is either a) a bad thing or b) permanent, no one knows yet. Therefore, we can't say they:

fuck your brain chemistry beyond recognition in the long run.

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because we don't know this yet.

Secondly, while many mental health clinicians use the line "you have a chemical imbalance" and therefore such and such a drug will correct that imbalance and make you better, there is no proof that any mental disorders are caused by specific chemical imbalances. Unfortunately, this line gets used constantly to explain both mental illness and how psychotropic drugs work. But it is a gross over simplification, and we are probably many years away from knowing why mental illnesses occur.

babydoc_vic said:

To clarify the above point, firstly, SSRI anti-depressant's appear to work by changing the serotonin receptors, ie: downregulating them. Whether this is either a) a bad thing or b) permanent, no one knows yet. Therefore, we can't say they: because we don't know this yet.

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So we don't know that after quitting an ssri, your receptors upregulate again?

After being on both Prozac then Wellbutrin my vote goes to Wellbutrin. I'm really doing good and feeling mentally good now, I just gotta clean the mess I made with my lifestyle during my depressed time. Wellbutrin also has very few recreational drug intereactions.

I haven't read the other replys so sorry if this is repeated information....

I work for a neurologist and I know a lot of people who are on Paxil and do quite well with it. I also know a lot of people who have bad experiences with it. It really just depends on yourbody chemestry. If its not for you, you'll know fairly quickly.

As a side note, its not a good idea to use Xanax if you have a chronic anxiety problem.

Also, and this isn't to scare you, but just to inform you, that almost everyone I know who has used paxil for extended periods of time feel as if they truly can't get off of it. By the same token it doesn't bother them in the slightest because they like how they feel on it.


Do your research, talk to your doctor, and listen to your body. All anti-anxiety drugs are not created equal (Paxil and Wellbutrin for instance are not even close) and you will know what works for you without question.

Hope this helps

~*Doni*~