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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by ghostshadow on January 2, 2006, at 20:22:30
paxil good for about 9-plus years. effexor xr caused me the worst christmas i've had in a decade. didn't even have the energy to pull the hole closed over me. started lexapro a week ago. here we go again... (not that it matters)
Posted by Phillipa on January 2, 2006, at 21:50:30
In reply to rx puzzle, posted by ghostshadow on January 2, 2006, at 20:22:30
Oh it matters I'm doing the same thing with another med. I know exactly how you feel. Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by Emily Elizabeth on January 2, 2006, at 23:18:08
In reply to rx puzzle, posted by ghostshadow on January 2, 2006, at 20:22:30
How long ago did you stop paxil? I was on it for 1.5 yrs(?) And experienced a hellish withdrawal for weeks and weeks. There is at least a month that I don't even remember. I was dazed, very depressed, and suicidal. My pdoc was very surprised b/c she had read that you could overlap w/prozac and do a fast w/drawal (generally she was pretty sharp too). The plan didn't work as well as it was supposed to!
So, I'm wondering if w/drawal could be part of why you are feeling so bad. I had to taper down to 1.25mg of paxil at the end. It took a looong time (I got good w/ a pill cutter!)
If you don't feel right, call your pdoc. Med switches can be rough. I hope it works out okay and SOON.
Best,
EE
Posted by Racer on January 3, 2006, at 13:07:05
In reply to Re: rx puzzle, posted by Emily Elizabeth on January 2, 2006, at 23:18:08
This is just something I've read, not something I've got experience with, but the SSRIs do poop out after a while -- and then work again after a break. There are some theories that the ideal is to have a pattern of two or three SSRIs that work, and cycle through them as needed to accommodate poop-out.
So, if Paxil worked for 9 years -- which is really good, it usually seems to poop out after far less time than that -- if you can find another drug that works for you, you can take that for a couple of years and than cycle back to Paxil and expect good results again. Generally, if one SSRI works for you, another will, too. So my own little brain would suggest that Lexapro would be better for you than Effexor, which is not an SSRI. And if Lexapro proves itself to be Not The Right SSRI for you, then Celexa -- it really is different from Lexapro, so that's not as crazy as it might seem -- or Luvox, or maybe Prozac or Zoloft? One of them might work just fine -- until it pooped out and you tried Paxil again.
I hope that helps a little. At least knowing that you haven't necessarily said goodbye to your friend Paxil forever. Just taking a little vacation from it.
Good luck.
Posted by ghostshadow on January 3, 2006, at 20:55:19
In reply to Re: rx puzzle » ghostshadow, posted by Phillipa on January 2, 2006, at 21:50:30
> Oh it matters I'm doing the same thing with another med. I know exactly how you feel. Fondly, Phillipa
but if nobody else cares (or even notices), and i don't either, DOES it really matter?
Posted by ghostshadow on January 3, 2006, at 20:59:40
In reply to Re: rx puzzle, posted by Emily Elizabeth on January 2, 2006, at 23:18:08
> How long ago did you stop paxil? I was on it for 1.5 yrs(?) And experienced a hellish withdrawal for weeks and weeks. There is at least a month that I don't even remember. I was dazed, very depressed, and suicidal. My pdoc was very surprised b/c she had read that you could overlap w/prozac and do a fast w/drawal (generally she was pretty sharp too). The plan didn't work as well as it was supposed to!
>
> So, I'm wondering if w/drawal could be part of why you are feeling so bad. I had to taper down to 1.25mg of paxil at the end. It took a looong time (I got good w/ a pill cutter!)
>
> If you don't feel right, call your pdoc. Med switches can be rough. I hope it works out okay and SOON.
>
> Best,
> EE
almost 10 years, last several @ 60mg. did straight transition to effexor xr 225mg. not dazed or suicidal. too far down for suicide...
Posted by ghostshadow on January 3, 2006, at 21:02:36
In reply to Re: rx puzzle, posted by Racer on January 3, 2006, at 13:07:05
i just hope to find something that works before my son comes to believe i hate him...
Posted by Racer on January 3, 2006, at 21:48:08
In reply to Re: rx puzzle, posted by ghostshadow on January 3, 2006, at 21:02:36
The good news is that both Paxil and Lexapro tend to be more sedating SSRIs, so I'd cross my fingers cheerfully that this will be a good choice for you. And, if it doesn't work out, do try Celexa. Again, they're closely related, and Celexa is the parent, but the two drugs are not identical -- if one works, the other may not, and vice versa.
I'm sorry you're suffering, and will keep my fingers crossed for you with the Lexapro.
This is the end of the thread.
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