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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 3 of 3. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by VonnegutJunky on September 1, 2015, at 0:27:20
I desperately need help.
I was on Paxil 10mg for 8 years for anxiety - May of 2014 I began my taper from 10mg and got down to 5mg by November - last Christmas everything hit and I was in hell- never had physical symptoms; they were all depression (like I have never felt before) and anxiety - so I went back on my 10mg
Except these waves of depression kept coming back -
So may of this year I doubled my dose-
The day after I doubled my dose I felt So STRANGE! I mean like nothing I have ever experienced and ways that are almost indescribable!!! Just so odd and it of it- fears that I would blank out / go crazy/ couldn't read or focus on anything-
Numb; unfocused; could not cognitively grasp the idea of time or space; all emotions were void; but I was also very anxious; everything was foggy and distant; horrible tinnitus and visual snow and I just did not feel any kind of normalI rode this out for 3 months ( I figured I had destabilized my systems by trying to come off the med it would take some time
To get stable again)About 3 months later, things had greatly improved for about 10 days- I felt like my old self - this was last week-
Then I started feeling funky again a few days ago
Not as bad as when I doubled my dose, but still not good either - but still not feeling normal -Of the things bothering my the most
Tinnitus
Visual snow
Body numbing Anxiety
Constant worry about how I feel
Burning sensation in my mouth
Sometimes double visionI have not had side effects on Paxil for the entire 8 years that I took it -
I sleep a lot - all day actually - luckily I work in the evening
Sometimes in the evening I feel much betterI do have a history of migraine with aura
I do not know if this is depression? Or a side effect of pail or continued withdrawal? I have been on 20 mg for 3.5 mos now-
If it is depression I have never felt anything like it before and I'm 42
If it is depression, will it take Paxil at 20mg longer to work than normal?Also I do have some intense life issues at the moment that would cause depression for anyone - and I happened to start going through them during my failed taper
What would any of you do if you were in my situation?
I had horrible start up effects when I doubled my dose - I don't want to give up too early if the medication will be beneficial soon - also starting a new med will give new start up effects of worsening my depression before it gets better, which I don't think I can handle at this point-And what about the days that I have where I do feel really good? What could explain those?
Any insight?
Thank you!
Posted by phidippus on September 1, 2015, at 12:49:10
In reply to I need help!!! Paxil issues! Don't know what to do, posted by VonnegutJunky on September 1, 2015, at 0:27:20
>Tinnitus
Visual snow
Body numbing Anxiety
Constant worry about how I feel
Burning sensation in my mouth
Sometimes double visionAnd all these came on with the increase to 20 mg?
>I have not had side effects on Paxil for the entire 8 years that I took it
What I'm thinking is that you may be experiencing tachiphylaxis (poop out) and the side effects you are experiencing are actually symptoms of your illness.
Increased anxiety, worry and burning mouth syndrome could be markers of a decreased response to your medication. And while you are experiencing tachiphylaxis, you may be experiencing side effects from the increased dose-vision problems, tinnitus.
Or
The Paxil is triggering mania at the higher dose, accounting for the increase in anxiety and the strange feelings you are having.
>I felt So STRANGE! I mean like nothing I have ever experienced and ways that are almost indescribable!!! Just so odd and it of it- fears that I would blank out / go crazy/ couldn't read or focus on anything-
Numb; unfocused; could not cognitively grasp the idea of time or space; all emotions were voidThis is called derealization and can happen on any medication. It often happens during psychotic states as well.
>I rode this out for 3 months
Side effects can be experienced at any point while taking a medication.
Antidepressants typically take 4 to 6 weeks weeks before reuptake stabilizes.
Next time you experience such strange effects on a medication, stop it immediately. You do not need to go through 3 months of hell.
>I do not know if this is depression?
These are not symptoms of depression.
>Or a side effect of paxil or continued withdrawal?
Tinnitus and vision problems are both possible side effects of Paxil.
>If it is depression, will it take Paxil at 20mg longer to work than normal?
It is not depression.
>What would any of you do if you were in my situation?
I would discontinue the Paxil and search out another solution. If the Paxil is triggering mania, you may need a mood stabilizer.
>And what about the days that I have where I do feel really good? What could explain those?
When you have really good days, do they coincide with your 'strange' feelings? Do you experience racing thoughts?
Eric
Posted by Meltingpot on September 11, 2015, at 11:09:26
In reply to Re: I need help!!! Paxil issues! Don't know what to do, posted by phidippus on September 1, 2015, at 12:49:10
Ask you psychiatrist to prescribe 10mg of Zyprexa to take as and when needed whilst you wait to see how the Paxil pans out.
Zyprexa definately helped me when I was going through a rough time on SSRIs.
Denise
This is the end of the thread.
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