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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by ELENI4 on September 22, 2003, at 21:07:45
I was prescribed Paxil after not being able to tolerate Lexapro. However when I went to get the prescrption filled, I noticed it was for Paxil CR. The pharmacists tried to assure me that it was the same as Paxil, but I know CR/XR versions can actually differ from the original versions. For me, Effexor XR was way more effective and less harsh than regular Effexor. However on the flip side, I've run into some people who cannot tolerate Paxil CR, but absolutely loved Paxil. I'm seriously considering asking my doctor to switch the prescription, but wanted to get some additional input first.
Posted by kara lynne on September 23, 2003, at 17:34:28
In reply to Paxil CR vs Paxil?, posted by ELENI4 on September 22, 2003, at 21:07:45
Hi,
I guess I missed this last night when I was posting. This is the 2nd time I've tried cr, this time I'm giving it a better chance. In the end it might be too sedating for me, but actually some of the side effects seem milder for me than regular paxil.why did you go off effexor?
fortunately or unfortunately, as you probably know by now, you could listen to a hundred people tell you they had a certain response and you might have a different one. I don't think you should necessarily give up on the idea of trying it based on that information. BTW my doctor has found that people have far fewer side effects with the c.r.
good luck!
Posted by JonW on September 23, 2003, at 20:45:05
In reply to Paxil CR vs Paxil?, posted by ELENI4 on September 22, 2003, at 21:07:45
I agree. I've been on both Paxil and Paxil CR, and find the CR to have fewer side-effects. I don't like the feeling of being on an SSRI, so I decided to go with moclobemide, but I definitely feel its an effective med. I didn't notice any difference in efficacy between the two.
Jon :)
Posted by MamaCindy2000 on September 24, 2003, at 11:36:29
In reply to Re: Paxil CR vs Paxil? » ELENI4, posted by JonW on September 23, 2003, at 20:45:05
I have used both Paxil and Paxil CR. I love Paxil. I took it for 7 years. I only had the side effects w/ reg Paxil ONLY for about the first 3-4 months. They were horrendus at first. Im very glad I decided to stick with it. 25mg of Paxil CR along with 20 mg of regular Paxil worked best for me.
Posted by johnny b good on September 24, 2003, at 21:35:41
In reply to Paxil CR vs Paxil?, posted by ELENI4 on September 22, 2003, at 21:07:45
Hi Eleni4, I am one who had good results from Paxil and less effectiveness with the PaxCR. I don't know why since the Paxil 30mg equals 40 mg of the Paxil CR but just was not as effective for me as my symptoms were beginning to reappear. Doc changed me back to regular Paxil and all symptoms went away. My 2 cents worth. I am currently trying Lexapro and hoping the weight gain problems and sexual side effects are less with the new med. I am in week 5 of Lex and still not there yet.
Posted by MamaCindy2000 on September 25, 2003, at 12:51:32
In reply to Re: Paxil CR vs Paxil? » JonW, posted by MamaCindy2000 on September 24, 2003, at 11:36:29
AND BY THE WAY...I NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH "SEXUAL SIDE EFFECTS". W/PAXIL OR PAXIL CR IM A WOMAN. MY LIBIDO WAS LIKE THAT OF A 16 YEAR OLD BOY. IM CURRENTLY ON EFFEXOR XR 225MG. UNFORTUNATELY, THE LAST THING ON MY MIND IS SEX. IT SUCKS.
Posted by kara lynne on September 25, 2003, at 13:53:03
In reply to Re: Paxil CR vs Paxil?, posted by MamaCindy2000 on September 25, 2003, at 12:51:32
Sorry to hear about that, but heartened to hear that you didn't have a problem on Paxil. Maybe you can take something to help with that-- (Welbutrin? Periactin?)--I don't know for sure what you can take with what.
Why did you switch to Effexor? Maybe I missed something--I'll go back and read.
Posted by ELENI4 on September 27, 2003, at 19:06:03
In reply to Re: Paxil CR vs Paxil?, posted by johnny b good on September 24, 2003, at 21:35:41
> Hi Eleni4, I am one who had good results from Paxil and less effectiveness with the PaxCR. I don't know why since the Paxil 30mg equals 40 mg of the Paxil CR but just was not as effective for me as my symptoms were beginning to reappear. Doc changed me back to regular Paxil and all symptoms went away. My 2 cents worth. I am currently trying Lexapro and hoping the weight gain problems and sexual side effects are less with the new med. I am in week 5 of Lex and still not there yet.
Thanks for your response. I really appreciate it. I'm still trying to decide what to take. Right now I think my anxiety is getting the better of me as I'm scared to try anything. I hope Lexapro works for you. It seems to be really effective for a number of people on this board. I just couldn't tolerate the side effects. With Effexor XR, I had vivid dreams (which I didn't mind since I lack creativity and was pleased to get a few cool short stories from the dreams), occasional headaches, mild to moderate nausea, occasional palpitations, and trouble falling asleep at a normal time and staying asleep, and weight gain. However those side effects were way more acceptable to me than the muscle twitches, EXTREME amounts of sleep, sore throat, fever, and heart palpitations I experienced while on Lexapro. I think I'll give the Paxil CR a shot for a day or two to notice the side effects and then decide whether I want to bother my doc and ask for regular Paxil instead. I still don't know though. Ugh. I hate my indecision, but I'm just not ready to have an all out panic attack because I'm worried about a particular med's side effects. I'm so tempted to go back on Effexor, but I really wanted to see what else was out there. WIsh me luck.
Posted by ELENI4 on September 27, 2003, at 19:45:00
In reply to Re: Paxil CR vs Paxil?, posted by kara lynne on September 23, 2003, at 17:34:28
> Hi,
> I guess I missed this last night when I was posting. This is the 2nd time I've tried cr, this time I'm giving it a better chance. In the end it might be too sedating for me, but actually some of the side effects seem milder for me than regular paxil.
>
> why did you go off effexor?
>
> fortunately or unfortunately, as you probably know by now, you could listen to a hundred people tell you they had a certain response and you might have a different one. I don't think you should necessarily give up on the idea of trying it based on that information. BTW my doctor has found that people have far fewer side effects with the c.r.
>I'm not sure why I went off Effexor. There are a bunch of reasons, but I'm not sure which are most valid. I'll list some though.
I didn't want to be on something that led me to experience such horrible withdrawl. If I missed a dose or two, I'd get a headache, nausea, and a really bad spacey feeling. I didn't want to go somewhere, forget my pills, and be hit with God-awful withdrawl. I didn't want to be dependent in that way. However this was only the case with Effexor XR, not regular Effexor though I experienced withdrawl from that as well. So, I tried regular Effexor and though I was able to tolerate it in the past, it just felt like too much, like it was too strong. In general though, from reading all these posts, I'm now aware that withdrawl is most likely inevitable. Anyway, I gave up that idea and figured that since I made it through the withdrawl, I might as well see if I could find something that might be a little better. I also wanted to lose the weight I put on as a result of Effexor. However when I went off the med, I became extremely anxious and unmotivated, which completely foiled my attempt at weight loss. I also noticed that my anxiety level was increased while on Effexor. I don't know if it was poopout, requiring an increase in dosage (was taking 75mg XR for about a yr), or if all my other symptoms were being managed so well that my anxiety was way more noticeable. Either way, I was fed up with employers, friends, and strangers equating my anxiety-based hyperness, babbling, and joke-making with stupidity. I had just had enough and so was hoping to find something out there that helped a little more in that area. And so began my quest...which I'm currently rethinking since it's turing out to be more trouble than it's worth...or at least it seems that way now. I don't know if my anxiety is progressive or if it's some Effexor backlash that will remain with me for life, but after being off Effexor since early May, I have a much higher tendency to go into a panic. I was never that way before. I had panic attacks, but they were few and far between. I have mitral valve prolapse which causes a rapid heartbeat and palpitations at times and was never that afraid when it occurred. Now, if I get palpitations, I'm terrified. It's horrible. My anxiety and panic are stopping me from trying a medication that may help since I can't get past some of the more serious side effects listed. For example, with Celexa, heart attack and heart failure are infrequent, which means less than 1/100 but at least 1/1000 people experienced it. My mind always jumps to the fact that I could be the one in 1000. And heart failure just doesn't seem worth it. Things like that are just stopping me cold. It sucks.
> good luck!
This is the end of the thread.
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