Posted by linkadge on July 3, 2007, at 16:40:49
In reply to Re: paxil - permanent hell ?????, posted by polarbear206 on July 3, 2007, at 14:52:32
>Your doctor was right to suspect a bipolar >diagnosis, however I do not agree with his drug >choice.
I wouldn't necessarily say so. SSRI withdrawl can be a very trying experience. Users often state things such as having had emotions (which had been bottled up for some time) unleashed. When you come off of an SSRI you start to use parts of your brain that had been chemically filtered for a long time.
I don't think it is uncommon to exerpeince mood swings (sometimes significant) when trying to discontinue and then reinstitute certain of these drugs.
My first "bipolar" diagosis, was not when I was on celexa. In fact, I had been stable on celexa for over 3 years - no mood swings. It was when I came off celexa that I started to experience major mood swings including psychosis. The psychosis part is also not uncommon. SSRI's supress dopamine function, and when you discontinue you can get a dopamine rebound.
Pub Med, has reports of SSRI and venlafaxine withdrawl producing symtpoms resembling bipolar, in individuals who have no previous bipolar tendancies.
It takes a while to reballence when coming off SSRI's, but I wouldn't necessarily pin bipolar on yourself on account of SSRI withdrawl mood swings.
P.S. I also had bouts of intense and severe rage when coming off SSRI's. All I wanted to do was smash things. 2 years later, drug free, these behaviors make no sense to me, but I realize now it was the withdrawl.
Linkadge
poster:linkadge
thread:767197
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20070630/msgs/767429.html