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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by g_g_g_unit on December 24, 2011, at 5:24:44
I spoke to my psychiatrist about how I suspected I was having a paradoxical reaction to Valium. The only point of confusion for him was that when I tried going from 5mg to 10mg off-the-bat, it knocked me out for about an hour and I'd generally feel calm after that.
But I've been feeling CRAZY these past few days. 5mg left me with some discomfort, but 10mg has me physically writhing, extremely obsessive, agitated .. almost manic.
What's confusing is that I raised the Lexapro dose to 20mg not long before beginning Valium, so I don't know if I'm just less able to tolerate this new dose of Lexapro, or if indeed I am having a paradoxical reaction.
My psychiatrist suggested I skip a whole day on Valium to see if I feel better, but after having been on it for 2 weeks, won't I just go through acute withdrawal?
Posted by g_g_g_unit on December 24, 2011, at 7:00:06
In reply to determining paradoxical reaction to valium, posted by g_g_g_unit on December 24, 2011, at 5:24:44
oh yeah, the other confusing thing is that if I take 10mg, I'll still feel sleepy and kinda sedated for an hour or so, but once that passes, it's agitation city baby. my psychiatrist thought that if i was having an outright paradoxical reaction, that initial sedation shouldn't be present.
Posted by Phillipa on December 24, 2011, at 10:02:34
In reply to Re: determining paradoxical reaction to valium, posted by g_g_g_unit on December 24, 2011, at 7:00:06
Wild guess could it be fear of benzos in other words they sedate in beginning that creates anxiety worse in you as you don't like that feeling of sedation so you fight it? I think two weeks with the long half life halve it and it will gradually leave your system. Phillipa
Posted by alchemy on December 24, 2011, at 15:44:03
In reply to determining paradoxical reaction to valium, posted by g_g_g_unit on December 24, 2011, at 5:24:44
If your increse in valium coincides with lexapro, chances are it's lexapro. But we are so different. If you were ok on the lower dose of valium, I would suggest just trying that for a couple of days. (not completely cold turkey)
My doctor considers my a very "paraxical" patient with my reactions to meds. Xanax is the only one that I would say does it's job.
Posted by Phidippus on December 24, 2011, at 20:17:10
In reply to determining paradoxical reaction to valium, posted by g_g_g_unit on December 24, 2011, at 5:24:44
You may just need to try one med at a time. You seem to get confused if you have too much going on in your system at once. You can stop the Valium after two weeks with no worries. You may become more anxious, but not acutely so.
Eric
Posted by g_g_g_unit on December 25, 2011, at 3:27:54
In reply to Re: determining paradoxical reaction to valium » g_g_g_unit, posted by Phidippus on December 24, 2011, at 20:17:10
> You may just need to try one med at a time. You seem to get confused if you have too much going on in your system at once. You can stop the Valium after two weeks with no worries. You may become more anxious, but not acutely so.
>
> EricYeah, well I figured my reaction to Valium would be reasonably straight-forward, i.e. anxiolysis, sedation, which is why I wasn't particularly concerned about adding it to the Lexapro; furthermore, I was under the impression that benzos were often co-prescribed with SSRIs to ease side-effects. But after being at this new dose of Lexapro for over 3 weeks and feeling even *worse* than at a lower dose, I figured it must be the Valium.
Phidippus, did any of your paradoxical reactions ever include sedation? Because like I say, I might experience 30-90mins of initial sedation, which quickly turns into rage, agitation, restlessness. Anyway, I didn't take any Valium at all today and haven't noticed any episodes of that ilk.
Posted by SLS on December 25, 2011, at 7:35:59
In reply to Re: determining paradoxical reaction to valium » Phidippus, posted by g_g_g_unit on December 25, 2011, at 3:27:54
Does alcohol produce behavioral disinhibition in you?
- Scott
Posted by Phidippus on December 25, 2011, at 13:21:43
In reply to Re: determining paradoxical reaction to valium » Phidippus, posted by g_g_g_unit on December 25, 2011, at 3:27:54
None of my paradoxical reactions included sedation. Three benzos caused paradoxical reactions for me: Xanax, Clonazepam and Oxazepam. All I experienced was straight agitation and worsening of my anxiety.
Glad going without the valium produced good results. You may want to try Ativan-of the benzos its least likely to cause paradoxical reactions, which is why they hand it out like candy at phospitals.
Eric
Posted by SLS on December 25, 2011, at 13:55:48
In reply to Re: determining paradoxical reaction to valium » g_g_g_unit, posted by Phidippus on December 25, 2011, at 13:21:43
> You may want to try Ativan-of the benzos its least likely to cause paradoxical reactions, which is why they hand it out like candy at phospitals.
I think you are right about that. Xanax is probably the worst offender in producing behavioral disinhibition or paradoxical activation.
- Scott
Posted by g_g_g_unit on December 25, 2011, at 21:38:12
In reply to Re: determining paradoxical reaction to valium » g_g_g_unit, posted by SLS on December 25, 2011, at 7:35:59
> Does alcohol produce behavioral disinhibition in you?
>
>
> - ScottYeah, when I went through a brief period of alcoholism following the onset of OCD, I found alcohol would make me far more aggressive in social situations.
This is the end of the thread.
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