Posted by Sparrow on May 10, 2002, at 1:58:45
In reply to Just starting to take paxil, posted by keilia on May 9, 2002, at 15:14:23
My experience with Paxil has been interesting.
I suffered from anxiety for several years without taking any meds. In May 1999 my primary doc suggested Paxil. I started out at 40 mg. The first week on the med I basically slept and called into work. I lowered the dosage and almost immediately noticed a vast improvement. I was calm and felt in control of myself for the first time in years. I considered this almost a miracle in my life. I was overjoyed at the benefits Paxil brought to me.
Over the last 3 years, since taking Paxil, without even noticing it I've slowed down. Looking back, each day I became a teeny, tiny bit more tired, a bit more dull, unmotivated. I gained weight like crazy. I was 145 lbs in May 1999 and now weight 222, May 2002. I've never been obese before and it does not run in my family. I can't blame the Paxil for the entire weight problem because Paxil doesn't make me order Big Macs. BUT, my experience has been that I'm so tired all the time that it's all I can do to go through the drive thru!
I examined if it was depression,...but although I can have "blue" days, I feel pretty content and happy with my life 90% of the time. Moreover, I have no history of depression, etc....so I ruled that out.
I didn't know it was the Paxil though! I have been beating myself up for the past 2 years because I thought I was just being lazy. My husband would come home from work on a Saturday, it would be 6 p.m., the house would be an absolute mess and I'm still in my pajamas sleeping on the couch. I can sleep anywhere, anytime -- and I mean that sincerely -- anytime. I can get up after a 12 hour sleep, eat breakfast and then lay back down for a 3 hour nap. I'm too tired to socialize or to even care that I don't socialize. When I clean my house I divide the rooms into sections and clean 1 section about every other day. For instance on Monday I'll clean the kitchen counter. On Wed. I might empty the dishwasher. I'm hoping that someday I catch up and my house is clean all at once.
My fatigue became so overwhelming and my life so lacking that in desperation I searched for and found a new doctor last week. I thought something was really wrong with me. She listened and told me that I had "Paxil Poop Out" and that I needed to come off it (which I am doing slowly) and possibly try another med. I should mention that we did a full battery of tests, however, to rule out any other causes for the fatigue and zombie-like way of life
So...I don't feel comfortable giving advice, I can only tell you my experience. What works for one person doesn't always work the for the next. I will recommend keeping a *sharp* eye out for any numbing, sleepy side effects.
-Sandra
poster:Sparrow
thread:105759
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020503/msgs/105844.html