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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by UgottaHaveHOPE on May 17, 2006, at 16:34:23
Has anyone had this experience? What is your opinion of Paxil?
Posted by bassman on May 17, 2006, at 17:11:38
In reply to Can Paxil give you MORE anxiety?, posted by UgottaHaveHOPE on May 17, 2006, at 16:34:23
Paxil is far and away the best med I've ever taken-it gave me back my life after years of mad-dog panic disorder. I found it stimulating, but not anxiety-causing.
Posted by yxibow on May 17, 2006, at 17:12:16
In reply to Can Paxil give you MORE anxiety?, posted by UgottaHaveHOPE on May 17, 2006, at 16:34:23
> Has anyone had this experience? What is your opinion of Paxil?
Its the second most sleep inducing SSRI after Luvox, hence its use in a variety of OC spectrum and anxiety disorders, because it has fewer "jumpiness" effects than Prozac. Nonetheless, during an adjusting period of the medication (say 2 weeks or so), all SSRIs may contribute to upset stomach (5HT3 agonism -- easily solved by chewing raw ginger, a mild 5HT3 antagonist or eating crystallized ginger) and spikes in anxiety due to coarse brushing past various other subreceptors of serotonin. This usuaully goes away, but not always, during treatment especially with newer SSRIs. For those who continue to experience it, a small dose of Klonopin or the similar will probably relieve these symptoms during an adjusting period and may need to be taken for a while.
Posted by blueberry on May 17, 2006, at 20:04:19
In reply to Can Paxil give you MORE anxiety?, posted by UgottaHaveHOPE on May 17, 2006, at 16:34:23
All antidepressants commonly have what they call start-up anxiety. That is, increased anxiety in the beginning. It usually goes away in 2 to 3 weeks as the serotonin receptors adjust. They are just frieking out with all the extra serotonin all of a sudden. They do adjust, and it is actually their adjustment that brings about the anti-anxiety. So in a weird kind of way, the anxiety is a good sign. It means the adjustment process is beginning. In the meantime, your doc should allow you to use a benzo in whatever dose you need to get through a few weeks if the anxiety is not tolerable.
Statistics are on your side. 86% of people who take paxil or lexapro for anxiety respond well, after they get through the start up period.
My first med years ago was paxil. I had no experience. All I knew was that it made me very restless and nervous and shakey. I didn't know it had a term called anxiety. Anyway, not knowing better, I drank a glass of wine to cut the edge off it. It worked fairly well. These days I would use a tiny bit of xanax instead.
Though the anxiety was mostly gone in 3 weeks, I do recall it was probably 3 months before I realized one day that I was totally calm.
Posted by Phillipa on May 17, 2006, at 20:19:26
In reply to Re: Can Paxil give you MORE anxiety? » UgottaHaveHOPE, posted by blueberry on May 17, 2006, at 20:04:19
Blueberry kind of the same only my number one symptom was anxiety so already on xanax and the doc only gave me l0mg which took three months for my body to adjust to. Still needed the xanax but was back to work. Love Phillipa
Posted by teek30 on May 18, 2006, at 16:07:22
In reply to Can Paxil give you MORE anxiety?, posted by UgottaHaveHOPE on May 17, 2006, at 16:34:23
not for me...a little bit when it was pooping out a couple years later perhaps
Posted by tgo on May 18, 2006, at 20:36:26
In reply to Re: Can Paxil give you MORE anxiety?, posted by teek30 on May 18, 2006, at 16:07:22
My experience with paxil was that althought it relieved the anxiety, I slept all day, missed work and classes. It was like I was overdosing on sleeping pills. I also put on 50 pounds.
Posted by Bonnie_CA on May 19, 2006, at 17:42:59
In reply to Re: Can Paxil give you MORE anxiety?, posted by tgo on May 18, 2006, at 20:36:26
paxil got me my life back, but it caused sexual dysfunction and I gained 20lbs. I don't know if it causes more anxiety at the beginning because I was switching from buspar (which made my anxiety skyrocket) when I started paxil. besides that, it worked incredibly well on my anxiety. hang in there, get your doc to give you some xanax until the paxil works correctly.
-Bonnie
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