![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 12 of 12. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by adamie on July 20, 2001, at 15:24:04
To my horrible surprise I have found out that paxil is indeed bad for cognitive performance due to a website. As in bad for my thinking/concentration. I have been told before. I think by John but I just was hoping it wouldn't be the case for me. But I cant ignore how I feel and the facts as well. And I have heard enough stories of how paxil numbs emotions. Mine haven't improved much at all. For my symptoms I need something activating, and something which will work for norepinephrine. That is what I think. I need to have full strong emotions again, and my concentration/thinking ability which is still very poor.So I am going to stop taking my paxil which I have been taking for 24 days. It has helped a bit with my severe depression but I strongly feel something else will help me much much more. There are certainly many things better suited for my symptoms. I am currently strongly considering Wellbutrin. Other possible choices are reboxetine and serzone. I need to get strong loving emotions back. I am very hopeful something will work well for me. I will do more research and later on make my choice during my next apointment with my therapist.
I think I will somewhat taper off my paxil. Since I have been taking it for 24 days I hope the withdrawl effects wont be too bad. I will probably go from 20mg to 15,10,5,2, or more gradually over 1 week.
There have been so many stories of how people who got accutane caused depressed recovered quickly after quitting the drug. Even people with severe suicidal depression. I wish in my case it had gone away. I will see how I am during this withdrawl. I hope I will handle it well enough. I know I wont commit suicide no matter how bad I may feel. I just need something better for my symptoms. I want to be as much better as I possibly can.
Posted by JohnL on July 21, 2001, at 4:02:59
In reply to Stopping my paxil, posted by adamie on July 20, 2001, at 15:24:04
Adamie,
Withdrawal from Paxil shouldn't be too bad since you haven't been on it very long. But you can probably expect some lightheadedness, a bit of disorientation, dizziness perhaps, which should pass in a couple days.I know you've been thinking about Reboxetine. No one at this board who has tried it like it. And in most cases it causes impotence with men. It's one of those drugs that looks great on paper, but in the world doesn't work out very well for many people. At this board anyway. I tried it and hated it.
I realize I've already mentioned it a couple times in other posts, but I still think the combo of Prozac+Zyprexa is your next best hope, better than anything else I can think of.
John
Posted by Mitch on July 21, 2001, at 11:33:31
In reply to Stopping my paxil, posted by adamie on July 20, 2001, at 15:24:04
Adamie,
I never liked Paxil (I took it three days!). I read John's post about the Reboxetine. I am in the US and can't get it-but I have read some dissapointing things about it-but I have read dissapointing things about nearly everything! I think that the Wellbutrin might be the best idea. I am in a seasonal depression right now and it is GETTING WORSE (I still have about another month to go yet). Last year at this time I tried some Wellbutrin and it kept me out of it for the most part-just made me a little too jittery though-but you might not have any problems.
Mitch
>
> To my horrible surprise I have found out that paxil is indeed bad for cognitive performance due to a website. As in bad for my thinking/concentration. I have been told before. I think by John but I just was hoping it wouldn't be the case for me. But I cant ignore how I feel and the facts as well. And I have heard enough stories of how paxil numbs emotions. Mine haven't improved much at all. For my symptoms I need something activating, and something which will work for norepinephrine. That is what I think. I need to have full strong emotions again, and my concentration/thinking ability which is still very poor.
>
> So I am going to stop taking my paxil which I have been taking for 24 days. It has helped a bit with my severe depression but I strongly feel something else will help me much much more. There are certainly many things better suited for my symptoms. I am currently strongly considering Wellbutrin. Other possible choices are reboxetine and serzone. I need to get strong loving emotions back. I am very hopeful something will work well for me. I will do more research and later on make my choice during my next apointment with my therapist.
>
> I think I will somewhat taper off my paxil. Since I have been taking it for 24 days I hope the withdrawl effects wont be too bad. I will probably go from 20mg to 15,10,5,2, or more gradually over 1 week.
>
> There have been so many stories of how people who got accutane caused depressed recovered quickly after quitting the drug. Even people with severe suicidal depression. I wish in my case it had gone away. I will see how I am during this withdrawl. I hope I will handle it well enough. I know I wont commit suicide no matter how bad I may feel. I just need something better for my symptoms. I want to be as much better as I possibly can.
Posted by adamie on July 21, 2001, at 13:57:40
In reply to Re: Stopping my paxil, posted by JohnL on July 21, 2001, at 4:02:59
> Adamie,
> Withdrawal from Paxil shouldn't be too bad since you haven't been on it very long. But you can probably expect some lightheadedness, a bit of disorientation, dizziness perhaps, which should pass in a couple days.
>
> I know you've been thinking about Reboxetine. No one at this board who has tried it like it. And in most cases it causes impotence with men. It's one of those drugs that looks great on paper, but in the world doesn't work out very well for many people. At this board anyway. I tried it and hated it.
>
> I realize I've already mentioned it a couple times in other posts, but I still think the combo of Prozac+Zyprexa is your next best hope, better than anything else I can think of.
> Johnhi john. Reboxetine certainly does look great on paper. That is the main appeal for me. I have read how in studies it has turned out better for severely depressed people than prozac. But I will most likely go with Wellbutrin next. I am strongly considering it. Prozac I will deffinetly add to my list of things to try if I dont get desirable results. I just hope that wont be the case and that the wellbutrin will be all I need. perhaps I should do some more research on prozac soon. if in the future it comes to me trying prozac and it works well but not well enough then zyprexa i will deffinetly add to it.
as i stop my paxil i hope i wont return to the state of horror as i was in previously. i guess i will see. yesterday i took 9mg of paxil and today i will even less. no difference i feel in myself yet.
something i have really wondered about before. 9 and 10 days on the paxil i was beginning to feel so much better. and on day 11 i was actually able to be really excited about being with my fiance. things were getting so much better. but then on day 12 and 13 it went significantly down. really down. and it stayed that way and then it improved very slightly. i dunno if it was an up period or maybe the paxil had some strong effect at that time. if it was the paxil i wish that effect had stayed or returned because as it is now i dont feel too well at all. oh well.
thanks for replying. take care.
Posted by adamie on July 21, 2001, at 14:03:24
In reply to Re: Stopping my paxil » adamie, posted by Mitch on July 21, 2001, at 11:33:31
> Adamie,
>
> I never liked Paxil (I took it three days!). I read John's post about the Reboxetine. I am in the US and can't get it-but I have read some dissapointing things about it-but I have read dissapointing things about nearly everything! I think that the Wellbutrin might be the best idea. I am in a seasonal depression right now and it is GETTING WORSE (I still have about another month to go yet). Last year at this time I tried some Wellbutrin and it kept me out of it for the most part-just made me a little too jittery though-but you might not have any problems.
>
> Mitchhi mitch. i think most deffinetly i will try the wellbutrin next. despite weight loss i will deal with that. i will take protein shakes to counter act the very possible anorexic effect the wellbutrin may cause me for I have very often weighed very little.
yesterday i was talking with someone on irc who i have known from before. she told me how her brother has the same symptoms as me and was in a state of very severe and even suicidal depression and wellbutrin worked great for him. as if he is completely normal now. that further made me consider the wellbutrin. so i hope that will happen to me. i'm very hopeful the wellbutrin may work very well for me and if not then i will find something in time.
take care mitch. thanks for replying.
> >
> > To my horrible surprise I have found out that paxil is indeed bad for cognitive performance due to a website. As in bad for my thinking/concentration. I have been told before. I think by John but I just was hoping it wouldn't be the case for me. But I cant ignore how I feel and the facts as well. And I have heard enough stories of how paxil numbs emotions. Mine haven't improved much at all. For my symptoms I need something activating, and something which will work for norepinephrine. That is what I think. I need to have full strong emotions again, and my concentration/thinking ability which is still very poor.
> >
> > So I am going to stop taking my paxil which I have been taking for 24 days. It has helped a bit with my severe depression but I strongly feel something else will help me much much more. There are certainly many things better suited for my symptoms. I am currently strongly considering Wellbutrin. Other possible choices are reboxetine and serzone. I need to get strong loving emotions back. I am very hopeful something will work well for me. I will do more research and later on make my choice during my next apointment with my therapist.
> >
> > I think I will somewhat taper off my paxil. Since I have been taking it for 24 days I hope the withdrawl effects wont be too bad. I will probably go from 20mg to 15,10,5,2, or more gradually over 1 week.
> >
> > There have been so many stories of how people who got accutane caused depressed recovered quickly after quitting the drug. Even people with severe suicidal depression. I wish in my case it had gone away. I will see how I am during this withdrawl. I hope I will handle it well enough. I know I wont commit suicide no matter how bad I may feel. I just need something better for my symptoms. I want to be as much better as I possibly can.
Posted by adamie on July 21, 2001, at 19:02:08
In reply to Re: Stopping my paxil » adamie, posted by Mitch on July 21, 2001, at 11:33:31
It's good to know the small possibility of me being treatment resistant is gone. Since the paxil worked a little for the 24 days I've taken it. That is a relief. Too bad it's just not good for my target symptoms.So I have big hope that I will get much better with something else. I am just unsure of how much better I will get. I predict I will be at least feeling good. Although it is all so hard to tell. In such a state it's hard to imagine even what happiness once was. But I know I felt perfect before. I was soooo happy. My fiance is perfect. My life entirely with her and everything was going to be perfect. so full of emotions. I hope I will feel that again to the full extent.
Some people with accutane caused depression have it last for an extremely long time. Some have it go away within a few weeks. Some in a few years. Some seem to have it life long. Some are treatment resistant. I assume if my depression isn't cured by meds it should clear up in some years. From all I've read regarding accutane depression. Perhaps this is just one episode and that will be the end of it. Most people recover from accutane depression.
I'm remaining hopeful. And wellbutrin I will have in 7 days.
Posted by adamie on July 22, 2001, at 11:34:58
In reply to Good to know, posted by adamie on July 21, 2001, at 19:02:08
Yesterday I tapered again. This time down to 3mg of paxil. Tonight I will take none. So far it seems no withdrawl symptoms. This is my second day taking less paxil. The first day I had some nightmares. Unlike certain times in my depression where the nightmares were meant to be horrific yet not really scary to me due to lack of emotions... this time they actually were scary a bit. I hope this is a good sign. Today though the nightmares were less mild.In bed before getting up I was able to actually be very slightly more interested in old activities. And last night I had some tiny thoughts of creativity.
Perhaps the paxil prevented my condition from getting better. Perhaps it made things worse than they would have normally been. I do feel a tiny bit less numb right now but it is hard to tell. Also my thinking ability last night was very slightly improved. I was able to think of things for more than 10 seconds without having it all fade away and turn blank.
I am looking forward to seeing how I feel in the coming days. Hopefully I will feel a bit better without the paxil. And hopefully the Wellbutrin will work great when I have it in 6 days.
While I seem to be a little bit better right now it is such a long long way to go. I wish I had never taken that accutane.
Posted by adamie on July 22, 2001, at 14:42:56
In reply to Currently, posted by adamie on July 22, 2001, at 11:34:58
it's akward how this depression makes me not care about consequences.My dad is a completely disgusting excuse for a human being. To him it doesn't matter that I have mental disorder. 50 dollars is too much for him to pay for medication. Him and his typical stupid views of how depression is not a real ilness.
Of course many people who say they are depressed are just liars who think that being sad or something is the deffinition of being depressed. These people give us 'real' depressed people a bad reputation. Depression and sadness are two completely different things.
But regardless. My dad is a complete horrible excuse for a human being. Everything from how he thinks women are bitc-es. To how arrogant, stupid, and egoistic he is. An abusive alcholic with an enormous temper. He's greedy, selfish. I told him how I was recently in the hospital and how I was feeling significantly worse before. He didn't care.
I was so close to calling him and telling him off. I think I will soon. he makes me so mad. And I really dont care anymore about the consequences. In my current state it is life my life is already over. I can only hope to recover. It is so hard to see me making a full recovery. But maybe I will. I'll see. Regardless I don't need that digusting female hating excuse for a human being in my life. I was really just using him for the money up until recently. I have stopped caring for him a few months ago. I was suicidally depressed back then and all he could care about if how I am an embarrasment to him.
Since I am thin, not into sports, and feminant. he hates that. And just because I'm not what he wants me to be he is so caught up in his stupid feelings. I am suffering from a grave decease and he has the nerve to always think of himself. Completely disgusting. And he told me how I lack emotions. Another idiotic thing to say. Of course I do, of course I used to talk in monotone. I was extremely severely depressed. Depression did that to me. That dirty idiot. No matter how I try to explain it to him he just doesn't listen.
I think I will call him later and tell him to drop dead and other cruel things yet completely deserving to him. oh well. just passing the time. hopefully i will feel better and soon. and money for medication i will get myself.
Posted by Mitch on July 22, 2001, at 17:07:18
In reply to Close to telling my father to drop dead » adamie, posted by adamie on July 22, 2001, at 14:42:56
Adamie,
It sounds like some of your emotions are starting to come back now that you are tapering your Paxil, but unfortunately they are not positive ones. SSri like Paxil are often used for anger-you could be having a withdrawal syndrome from the Paxil. You might be tapering it off a bit too fast. You still haven't started a new medication to replace it yet. Maybe you had better hold off on the withdrawal until you see your doc and get something new, ok?
Please be careful,
Mitch
>
> it's akward how this depression makes me not care about consequences.
>
> My dad is a completely disgusting excuse for a human being. To him it doesn't matter that I have mental disorder. 50 dollars is too much for him to pay for medication. Him and his typical stupid views of how depression is not a real ilness.
>
> Of course many people who say they are depressed are just liars who think that being sad or something is the deffinition of being depressed. These people give us 'real' depressed people a bad reputation. Depression and sadness are two completely different things.
>
> But regardless. My dad is a complete horrible excuse for a human being. Everything from how he thinks women are bitc-es. To how arrogant, stupid, and egoistic he is. An abusive alcholic with an enormous temper. He's greedy, selfish. I told him how I was recently in the hospital and how I was feeling significantly worse before. He didn't care.
>
> I was so close to calling him and telling him off. I think I will soon. he makes me so mad. And I really dont care anymore about the consequences. In my current state it is life my life is already over. I can only hope to recover. It is so hard to see me making a full recovery. But maybe I will. I'll see. Regardless I don't need that digusting female hating excuse for a human being in my life. I was really just using him for the money up until recently. I have stopped caring for him a few months ago. I was suicidally depressed back then and all he could care about if how I am an embarrasment to him.
>
> Since I am thin, not into sports, and feminant. he hates that. And just because I'm not what he wants me to be he is so caught up in his stupid feelings. I am suffering from a grave decease and he has the nerve to always think of himself. Completely disgusting. And he told me how I lack emotions. Another idiotic thing to say. Of course I do, of course I used to talk in monotone. I was extremely severely depressed. Depression did that to me. That dirty idiot. No matter how I try to explain it to him he just doesn't listen.
>
> I think I will call him later and tell him to drop dead and other cruel things yet completely deserving to him. oh well. just passing the time. hopefully i will feel better and soon. and money for medication i will get myself.
Posted by adamie on July 22, 2001, at 18:35:09
In reply to Re: Close to telling my father to drop dead » adamie, posted by Mitch on July 22, 2001, at 17:07:18
> Adamie,
>
> It sounds like some of your emotions are starting to come back now that you are tapering your Paxil, but unfortunately they are not positive ones. SSri like Paxil are often used for anger-you could be having a withdrawal syndrome from the Paxil. You might be tapering it off a bit too fast. You still haven't started a new medication to replace it yet. Maybe you had better hold off on the withdrawal until you see your doc and get something new, ok?
>
> Please be careful,
> Mitchhi mitch. I have such feelings of telling off my father earlier though. Even when I wasn't on anti depressants. Sometimes I have been able to express anger and short temperedness. It seemed to have been the only emotion I could express strongly.
It's kind of strange. Like my sister would keep telling me to wash the dishes and one simple thought in my head of 'enough already' made me shout at her "I'll wash it later!". But recently I haven't been having too much anger. The paxil seemed to have had a numbing effect in general.
I feel more 'free' without the paxil now. And I have had very very very tiny urges to spend my time in a way other than reading about depression related issues. But these urges only last usually for an extremely short while. I still have no motivation to do anything. nothing enjoyable. I will just have to be patient.
and the paxil, I am done tapering it. yesterday I took maybe 3.5mg and that was it. no more paxil for me. these 6 days will be for the paxil to get out of my system. I look forward to trying the wellbutrin soon. and also along with ritalin or Adderall.
take care. thanks for replying.
> > it's akward how this depression makes me not care about consequences.
> >
> > My dad is a completely disgusting excuse for a human being. To him it doesn't matter that I have mental disorder. 50 dollars is too much for him to pay for medication. Him and his typical stupid views of how depression is not a real ilness.
> >
> > Of course many people who say they are depressed are just liars who think that being sad or something is the deffinition of being depressed. These people give us 'real' depressed people a bad reputation. Depression and sadness are two completely different things.
> >
> > But regardless. My dad is a complete horrible excuse for a human being. Everything from how he thinks women are bitc-es. To how arrogant, stupid, and egoistic he is. An abusive alcholic with an enormous temper. He's greedy, selfish. I told him how I was recently in the hospital and how I was feeling significantly worse before. He didn't care.
> >
> > I was so close to calling him and telling him off. I think I will soon. he makes me so mad. And I really dont care anymore about the consequences. In my current state it is life my life is already over. I can only hope to recover. It is so hard to see me making a full recovery. But maybe I will. I'll see. Regardless I don't need that digusting female hating excuse for a human being in my life. I was really just using him for the money up until recently. I have stopped caring for him a few months ago. I was suicidally depressed back then and all he could care about if how I am an embarrasment to him.
> >
> > Since I am thin, not into sports, and feminant. he hates that. And just because I'm not what he wants me to be he is so caught up in his stupid feelings. I am suffering from a grave decease and he has the nerve to always think of himself. Completely disgusting. And he told me how I lack emotions. Another idiotic thing to say. Of course I do, of course I used to talk in monotone. I was extremely severely depressed. Depression did that to me. That dirty idiot. No matter how I try to explain it to him he just doesn't listen.
> >
> > I think I will call him later and tell him to drop dead and other cruel things yet completely deserving to him. oh well. just passing the time. hopefully i will feel better and soon. and money for medication i will get myself.
Posted by adamie on July 23, 2001, at 13:14:24
In reply to Stopping my paxil, posted by adamie on July 20, 2001, at 15:24:04
My 3rd day off the paxil and I have noticed QUITE an improvement. My passion for dramatic music is slightly returning. My imagination is slightly returning. At least for this moment. But still an extremely long way to go. At least as I am now things seem livable. Livable yet extremely boring, still minor interest in anything. But at least I have that very minor interest. Before it was nothing.The paxil seemed to deffinetly have had a numbing effect.
Also I have read more accutane depression stories. It's good to know for many people the depression has gone away in 6 months. Some in a few years though. And some unfortunate people have had it quite chronic. But the odds seem to be in my favor. I just hope I will be my completely perfectly happy self. Hopefully sooner than later.
Posted by adamie on July 23, 2001, at 13:17:31
In reply to Re: Stopping my paxil, posted by adamie on July 23, 2001, at 13:14:24
I wish I was more loving towards my fiance. Having those emotions so limited has been the most horrific disturbing thing of all. everything was perfect before.
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.