Paxil

[Chris B]

Hi Everyone,

I'm from the aneurysm forum but was hoping for some advice in this area. My doctor has prescribed Paxil for me, but I am afraid to take it. I do have depression, but feel it's more "anxiety" or as my mom says "compression" where the situations with extended family etc. are weighing on me and causing me excess worry. I have read a bit about Paxil, and it sounds like it could cause other problems. Has anyone here taken it and what have they experienced?
Thanks
Chris

[Idealist]

I haven't taken Paxil itself, but I have been on different anti-depressants, and none of them were ever effective for me. They way you describe what you are feeling does sound more like anxiety to me than depression. I suffer from that myself.

I don't know how flexible your doc is, but if he agreed you could try an anti-anxiety med before going on the AD. Xanax is fairly effective, and very fast acting. Plus it doesn't stay in the body very long. If anxiety is your problem, you should experience an improvement very quickly.

The problem with ADs is that they tend to take quite some time to do any good. Sometimes it takes weeks before you feel a difference. For me they also caused bad, vivid dreams.

Right now I am taking klonopin for anxiety and panic, and it works very well. So well, in fact, that I have been off the anti-depressants for over a year now. But please remember that I am no doctor. I'm just relating my own personal experience. I would talk with my doctor if I were you, and see if he were willing to give an anti-anxiety med a try. It would sure be much faster.

Best of wishes,
Idealist

[all4jesus]

I too am currently on Paxil CR, supposed to be discontinued. I've been on it for about two years now and I have found it to work fairly well. I have been had a few minor relapses in Depression and anxiety actually this last week but I also take Klonopin for the anxiety. I am at a low dose for each medication so that I can try to live as close to a normal life I can without being drugged up. I went through the chaos of being on too many meds and they mess with your system. This medication seems to be working for me but I have been on abut three different antidepressants for long periods of times during my life. I suggest that you talk to your doctor, posssibly get started on one of them maybe with an anti anxiety med. I didn't like xanax it made me have weird electicity feeling in my body.
I am not a doctor so talk with them and figure out something that will be good for you. Be patient with yourself in during the process....it takes a while to see results and stay in contact with a support group, firends, family, this forum! Blessings...it will get better:)

[vickiefoulch]

Hi Everyone,

I'm from the aneurysm forum but was hoping for some advice in this area. My doctor has prescribed Paxil for me, but I am afraid to take it. I do have depression, but feel it's more "anxiety" or as my mom says "compression" where the situations with extended family etc. are weighing on me and causing me excess worry. I have read a bit about Paxil, and it sounds like it could cause other problems. Has anyone here taken it and what have they experienced?
Thanks
Chris

Hi, I am from the rare mylenation forum I too suffer from GAD, I am on the lowest dose of xanax for that 1 a day. I could not take anti-depressants, they made me cry, alot. So they put me on xanax. When I am real stressed I might take 2 a day. Paxil might work for you, it did not for me. Hang in there.

[newbee]

I'M ON PAXIL NOW FOR STRES, AND IT SEEMS TO BE WORKING, :cool: SO FAR, ITS ONLY BEEN TWO MONTHS AND I HAVE fms

[weas]

i was on paxil, and i dont think it mixed well with all the other meds i am on, so i have stopped taking it...i dont think it helped very much though
-weas

[biogirl7]

I have anxiety problems with a few boughts of depression here and there. I've been on Paxil for four years....was on Paxil CR for awhile until the first time it was taken off the market for complications with the pills breaking and compromising the control-release mechanism.

Paxil has been a Godsend for me. I'm on the lowest dose (10mg) which works beautifully. I do notice when I don't take my pill for a day...I can get impatient and anxious.

There was about five days of a "transition period" I felt like there was a dulling of all of my emotions. I was worried at first that the feeling was permament, but after talking to friends on similar drugs...I was told that everything would level out. And it did....wonderfully.

Good luck, I hope it works for you. :D

[Digikitty]

I was on Paxil, I guess it was ok.I found other AD to be a bit better.Most Drs are hesitant to put people on Xanax for the potential for addiction, but hey, if you need it....

[lisa_d]

Hi. I'm a new member, but I've been on Paxil now since April of this year for we're not too sure really. Could be depression, could be GAD, panic attacks or PMDD. Not too sure.

But I will tell you I was originally scared to take it (I'm afraid to admit that I need help), but my symptoms have leveled out.

Before, I used to get severe anxiety and panic attacks to the point of feeling I wasn't in control of my own body. I've evened out since then. I still get them, but they're still adjusting my meds to find the right dose.

Hang in there.

[suse]

I had to stop taking it because it actually caused anxiety for me. I realize that people react differently to meds; without trying it though, I think that relying on other people's experiences would be a mistake.
suse