Shown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Oscar on August 13, 2001, at 4:00:44
I started taking Paxil back in March after visiting a GP MD. I noticed a definate kick (well-being, energy boost, loss of irritabilty) in the first two weeks but then came down with bronchitis and when that lifted, right about the time I went up to 30 mg/day, there was much less ommph.
I'm familar with the withdrawl symptoms from coming down off Paxil from the times I was tardy in refilling the RX. Add to the brain shivers waking up in the middle of the night believing my apartment was being invaded and vivid dreams about being in car accidents.
Then a few weeks ago I felt another onset of the withdrawl independent of missing doses... which was immediately followed by a new boost and then... *bronchitis*! *scratches head* Very interesting.
Interesting, but I'd like my med to be a bit more stable acting than this as you'd certainly understand! I'm interested in Prozac because of it's longer lifetime in the body and because many say it is more energizing in nature than the other SSRIs (while Paxil I've heard is the least energizing SSRI). Is it possible to phase out Paxil simultaneous to phasing in Prozac so the withdrawl symptoms are prevented?
To share some more background, I had mixed symptoms of depression, hence "atypical atypical". Hypersomnia, lack of energy, avoidant behavior, reactive mood, drop in appetite (but weight gain from lack of activity), cravings for sweets and caffeine, major drop in thirst (was drinking far too little water). Mornings or after lunch were the worst for me. I'd feel fatigued, couldn't concentrate, and would occasionally get distracted by sexual arousal.
Any thoughts regarding this switch? And does anybody recognize this constellation of symptoms?
Posted by Oscar on August 14, 2001, at 17:31:59
In reply to From Paxil to Prozac, and atypical atypical dpr?, posted by Oscar on August 13, 2001, at 4:00:44
Just now I've discovered that pathological REM sleep and daytime sleepiness are symptoms of narcolepsy. It seems reasonable to think there may be a continuum between depression and narcolepsy given that stimulants and anti-depressants are used to treat both (ah yes, pharmocologic disection!). I'm going to inquire about Vesta, Effexor, and (especially) Provigil (modafinil).
Posted by Elizabeth on August 17, 2001, at 15:02:37
In reply to Sharing symptoms with narcolepsy! Noradrenaline!!, posted by Oscar on August 14, 2001, at 17:31:59
> Just now I've discovered that pathological REM sleep and daytime sleepiness are symptoms of narcolepsy.
That's true (really, they're the defining features of narcolepsy). And Provigil only improves alertness: it's just a stimulant with no specific efficacy for narcolepsy, but rather, general efficacy for daytime sleepiness (which of course is only one aspect of narcolepsy). Provigil doesn't help with cataplexy, in particular, as the older treatments for narcolepsy (stimulants, MAOIs, anticholinergic TCAs) do.
> It seems reasonable to think there may be a continuum between depression and narcolepsy given that stimulants and anti-depressants are used to treat both (ah yes, pharmocologic disection!).
I think that's an error. Stimulants (and some antidepressants) are REM sleep suppressors; that's why they're so effective in narcolepsy. Depressed people do often have abnormal sleep architecture with early onset of REM sleep, but not to the degree that narcoleptics do. And of course, there are effective antidepressants that don't suppress REM sleep. In narcolepsy, the problem is that the REM sleep generator is still turned on during waking states (perhaps due to a lack of communication between the cholinergic neurons in the pons, which generate REM sleep, and the hypothalamus, which controls the state of alertness. Narcoleptics aren't, as a rule, depressed, and depressives don't show most signs of narcolepsy: it's not a continuum, but two distinct conditions.
-elizabeth
Posted by stjames on August 17, 2001, at 16:21:30
In reply to Re: Sharing symptoms with narcolepsy! Noradrenaline!! » Oscar, posted by Elizabeth on August 17, 2001, at 15:02:37
I would not assume anything till you have a sleep study. This is how Narcolepsy is Dx'ed. Daytime sleepness could be lots of things.
james
Posted by kazoo on August 18, 2001, at 0:01:15
In reply to Re: Sharing symptoms with narcolepsy! Noradrenaline!!, posted by stjames on August 17, 2001, at 16:21:30
> I would not assume anything till you have a sleep study. This is how Narcolepsy is Dx'ed. Daytime sleepness could be lots of things.
>
> jamesJames, you are very wise ... you don't throw caution to the wind as most want to do for a quick fix and relief.
Excessive daytime fatigue or sleepiness could be the underlying symptoms of some ORGANIC problem other than psychic.
And let's not forget IDS: Idiopathic Daytime Sleepiness. This is not narcolepsy, but something totally different.
A sleep study is the way to go with this sort of thing, but how many actually do it?
Kudos to you, James ... good advice.
kazoo
Posted by djmmm on August 20, 2001, at 8:10:15
In reply to Re: Sharing symptoms with narcolepsy! Noradrenaline!! » stjames, posted by kazoo on August 18, 2001, at 0:01:15
> > I would not assume anything till you have a sleep study. This is how Narcolepsy is Dx'ed. Daytime sleepness could be lots of things.
> >
> > james
>
> James, you are very wise ... you don't throw caution to the wind as most want to do for a quick fix and relief.
>
> Excessive daytime fatigue or sleepiness could be the underlying symptoms of some ORGANIC problem other than psychic.
>
> And let's not forget IDS: Idiopathic Daytime Sleepiness. This is not narcolepsy, but something totally different.
>
> A sleep study is the way to go with this sort of thing, but how many actually do it?
>
> Kudos to you, James ... good advice.
>
> kazooVery true...I had symptoms of Narcolepsy/cataplexy (sleep attacks, myoclonic jerks, even sleep paralysis), but it turned out to be problems associated with Nardil and my sleep cycle, which have 90% improved since the addition of trazadone...
Posted by Oscar on August 20, 2001, at 9:37:31
In reply to Re: Sharing symptoms with narcolepsy! Noradrenaline!!, posted by djmmm on August 20, 2001, at 8:10:15
Thanks for the comments, I'll ask about a sleep study at my next appointment. Since my first post I've discovered that my father suffered from daytime sleepiness when he was in college, which of course may or may not be significant to me. Anyhow, I'll try and refrain from coming to snap conclusions now.
This is the end of the thread.
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