Benzos paroxetine SSRI

[hearty_opi]

I have a few 20mg Paroxetine and I just ran out of Xanax. Im not heavily dependent on Xanax and only take them on occasion but ever time I have them for a week or so and then run out my anxiety skyrockets for the next day or so... to be expected. Ive only been taking around .5-1mg of Xanax a day so nothing too crazy. My question is with these 20mg paroxetine will they help me through the horrible anxiety experienced after running out of my Xanax? Im not looking to get high because I know they wont do that for me, I just dont want to feel like crawling in a hole, so to speak. Any thought, experience with these or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

I do know that the Paroxetine is not a benzo so Im not expecting from them what I get out of Xanax... I just dont wanna feel like total shit. Thanks!

 

[effie]

^ SSRIs do carry a (small) seizure risk, so taking them when you are stopping a benzo is not a good idea as that also carries a risk of seizing. Paroxetine would likely have no beneficial effects either, as it usually takes 4-6 weeks for these to appear. Sometimes anxiolysis (reducing anxiety) occurs sooner, but it is nothing like a benzo and paroxetine does not reduce anxiety for everyone. In fac, SSRIs can be quite stimulating and can cause jitteriness and insomnia especially in the first few weeks.

I would recommend you do a taper and think about things like exercising, setting aside relaxation time, learning relaxation techniques and generally looking after yourself.. if you would like some additional support while you come off the alprazolam then I highly recommend checking out The Dark Side forum on here - it covers addiction and mental health issues and is full of lovely, wise people!

Good luck

 

[Geaux Tigers!]

There will be no anti-depressant or anxiolytic effect induced by paroxetine for at least two weeks. In fact, it might actually INCREASE you anxiety until all the 5-HT receptors have been upregulated.

Why do you think it is common for a doctor to prescribe a #15 benzodiazepine PRN when they write SSRIs?

 

[hearty_opi]

thanks so much effie i will put them away then. Answered my question completely. I appreciate it!

 

[hearty_opi]

There will be no anti-depressant or anxiolytic effect induced by paroxetine for at least two weeks. In fact, it might actually INCREASE you anxiety until all the 5-HT receptors have been upregulated.

Why do you think it is common for a doctor to prescribe a #15 benzodiazepine PRN when they write SSRIs?

Ok thanks guy appreciate all the help. Very informative

 

[hearty_opi]

How about Trazadone for sleep? Do those also take weeks to start working or can they possibly "knock u out" first time?

 

[effie]

^ Trazodone is a sedating drug, so it will help you sleep from the start. It has pretty weak antidepressant/anxiolytic action, but as a sleep aid it can help, yes - although it can make a lot of people pretty groggy the following day. Another thing to consider trying to help your sleep would be sedating antihistamines (the older 1st generation ones - promethazine, diphenhydramine etc.)

Mirtazepine can help too - it's prescription only and is much more of an antidepressant than trazadone is, however. Mirtazepine actually starts working quickly, sometimes immediately, and it can help anxiety too but I don't think it would make a great deal of difference to your situation. The older tricyclic antidepressants can be used for sleep too as they are sedating, but they have quite a few side effects due to their anticholinergic action (dry mouth, blurred vision, dizziness).

If you are considering drugs such as trazodone or mirtazepine you should see your GP to discuss things - they may have other suggestions too. 1st gen antihisamines are often available OTC. They are not addictive but you can sometimes get rebound insomnia, and tolerance can develop fairly fast.

If you can do it without meds then it would be better I feel, but see how you go

 

[hearty_opi]

^^^ I def cant do without meds to sleep, I just moved and didnt make plans to find a new doctor before I arrived in my new location. So for now I have a friends old Rx of trazadone. I think Ive taken trazadone before and it actually made me more jittery than tired but that was a long time ago and I could be remembering wrong. Is restlessness a possible side effect with trazadone?

 

[regfairfield]

dont do it....ssris do not work like that....wanna sleep?....drink some nyquil

 

[effie]

^^ Ahh okay, yeah. Restlessness is a listed side effect, but I am not sure how common it is. How long were you on the trazodone for? Side effects are often worse at the beginning of treatment.

 

[hearty_opi]

One time thing...

^^ Ahh okay, yeah. Restlessness is a listed side effect, but I am not sure how common it is. How long were you on the trazodone for? Side effects are often worse at the beginning of treatment.

If I remember correctly my first experience with Trazadone was just a one time thing n I disliked it so much that I wrote it for good til now... I have heard from peeps (my grandma and neighbor) that it helps them sleep. I really cant stand when Im ready to lay down, take something and..... shit, what I took isn't doing what I thought it'd do, i.e. makes me jittery/restless and then Im worse off than before. Wish I just wouldn't have taken anything at all, so... idk. I'm sorta stuck. For now I'll just let the dope help me nod off n wait till I can get to a new doc and have something prescribed which I know will put me to sleep. I can cope with a few restless nights, no biggie. Thanks for all the help effie n others, much need straight up info. 5am... bedtime now.

 

[LesFleursDuMal]

^ Trazodone is a sedating drug, so it will help you sleep from the start. It has pretty weak antidepressant/anxiolytic action, but as a sleep aid it can help, yes - although it can make a lot of people pretty groggy the following day. Another thing to consider trying to help your sleep would be sedating antihistamines (the older 1st generation ones - promethazine, diphenhydramine etc.)

Mirtazepine can help too - it's prescription only and is much more of an antidepressant than trazadone is, however. Mirtazepine actually starts working quickly, sometimes immediately, and it can help anxiety too but I don't think it would make a great deal of difference to your situation. The older tricyclic antidepressants can be used for sleep too as they are sedating, but they have quite a few side effects due to their anticholinergic action (dry mouth, blurred vision, dizziness).

If you are considering drugs such as trazodone or mirtazepine you should see your GP to discuss things - they may have other suggestions too. 1st gen antihisamines are often available OTC. They are not addictive but you can sometimes get rebound insomnia, and tolerance can develop fairly fast.

If you can do it without meds then it would be better I feel, but see how you go

I have to agree from my own experience, having a seizure from benzo withdrawl woke my ass up. But it was trazadone that helped me afterward because of it's unique effects, counter to most antidepressants. But using SSRI's during alcohol/benzo withdrawl can be unpleasant, dangerous, or even deadly.

 

[Jean-Paul]

this is a different question from the OP, but i did not want to make a new thread. could my paroxetine be cancelling out in any way the klonopin? i am pretty sure the paxil does nothing anyway. i take it as sort of a placebo, because it's there. but could the upper like qualities of it inhibit kpin? (in my experience higher doses of paxil do have a distinct speedy feel)