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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by ZeeZee on February 7, 2003, at 9:39:24
I'll try to keep this brief. It'll be 3 wks Monday that I've been on Paxil, starting with 5 and now on 10 mgs. I was very anxious about this drug as SSRI's have caused me increased anxiety/panic (my dx) in the past. The fact that I've been on it this long is "a record". I've also developed pharmacophobia and just the thought of having something in my system that I just can't "get out" at will, makes me highly anxious. However, the transition so far has been fairly smooth. I've taken .5mgs of Xanax at bedtime (per pdoc) and once relaxed taken the Paxil and gone to sleep. I noticed some increased physical symptoms of anxiety when first starting and then when increased the dose, but nothing major or intolerable. I'm not yet at a therapeutic dose and am not sure how many mgs will be needed to reach that.
Last night, after 3 days on the 10mgs. I was completely comfortable, falling asleep on the couch and considering not taking any xanax at all.
But went ahead and then readied for bed. When I got to bed I noticed my legs didn't feel comfortable, like they're not relaxed or being supported by the bed. I've felt this for the last few days. Well, this kicked off a major spiral of "what iffing" about this leg thing and the whole fear thing of "I can't just stop this paxil, because of withdrawal and I'm trapped and I'll stay anxious like this for months at end and will end up going crazy, and since I swallowed the xanax instead of taking it sub-ling I now have to wait 45 minutes or more for it to work and I'm really going to spiral into big panic and bla, bla, bla..... " I had a few rushes of a hot icy feeling, kind of a blunted panic and talked to myself as best I could and eventually fell asleep.I know this fear and anxiety wasn't caused by the Paxil, because 10 minutes before I was fine, and was even thinking about increasing my dose again by 5 mgs! I'm an expert at self torture! It's this thinking that has me on it in the first place and if I could control it, wouldn't be here writing this.
I'm not sure what I'm looking for, but I need some encouragement - I'm obviously sabotaging myself before the med has had a chance to work.
I'd like to hear from those of you who've been successful with Paxil for your anxiety and panic rather than those who haven't. Did it eventually quell all the "what if" thinking? or did you continue to have the "what if" thinking but it just didn't trigger panic? I need something that will get rid of BOTH! and what if I NEED to stop it! Am I trapped on this drug?Thanks and sorry for not being brief as intended.
Posted by one_little_victory on February 8, 2003, at 3:03:03
In reply to Paxil-self sabotage-need encouragement!, posted by ZeeZee on February 7, 2003, at 9:39:24
Hi:Can you get a higher dose of Xanax, and take that until you reach a comfortable level of Paxil? BTW..more isn't always best. Especially with Panic and anxiety. Use the Xanax to knock out any fear while building up Paxil in your system. It may even take a month or so so don't torcher yourself and use Xanax regularly until down the road. You may even need to be on a low dose of Xanax permenantly. You should also be being treated by an anxiety disorder specialist, not just your general doctor or even a 'generic' psychiatrist. Believe me I thought I could just go to a regular doctor for my medications, but I had to track down a highly qualified psychopharmacologist and I also do talk therapy.
It sounds like you had/are having lots of difficulty, and need the absolute top notch treatment. Don't shortchange yourself, because life is far too short for that. A good specialist will use every possible means to help you get better. I hope that is helpful. Marc
Posted by jflange on February 8, 2003, at 9:09:23
In reply to Paxil-self sabotage-need encouragement!, posted by ZeeZee on February 7, 2003, at 9:39:24
Hi ZeeZee:
I definitely can relate to you what you are experiencing, especially with SSRI's. I think it is a great idea to ease yourself slowly onto Paxil, given your past experiences with them and what you call your pharmacophobia. Bad experiences with panic and anxiety can make powerful phobic responses to meds, and really it is just your body/mind trying to defend itself from more harm. So don't worry about being skeptical!
That having been said, it sounds like you are equating taking meds with the loss of control (you mentioned feeling trapped). I guess the best way to think of taking a medication therapy route is to realize that in fact it is being inside of yourself at the moment (without the meds) that has become "a trap" and that you made the right choice in being open to treatments that may (even with all the "if's") very well help you out of your trap! And it sounds like you have Xanax there to help get you through this so hopefully you will not have to suffer through any start-up anxiety for very long.
The "what if's" will eventually go away, but since a lot of that anxiety is based on past (negative) experience, you will definitely need to give Paxil more time before you see that disappear. It might be one of the last things to go, unfortunately!
Best of luck,
jflange
Posted by ZeeZee on February 8, 2003, at 9:16:46
In reply to Re: Paxil-self sabotage-need encouragement!, posted by jflange on February 8, 2003, at 9:09:23
Thank you for your thougtful response. It gives me hope and encouragement to hear from others who have been through similar experiences.
Will the drug eventually take this "what if" thinking away? I have this fear that it will take away the panic in the face of the what if thinking but won't take away that thinking itself - the true torture. I know this sounds highly irrational but then again.....
This is the end of the thread.
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