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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 Erin on December 7, 1999, at 19:24:29
I'm an 18-year old female, fresh(wo)man in college. I was diagnosed with depression about, eh, a year and a half - two years ago, but suffered for about a year before that. When I was first diagnosed, I was immediately put in prozac. My father is on all kinds of drugs for his depression/other disorders, including a "psychotic episode" as they like ot call it, and my mother is as well. So this wasn't anything terribly unexpected. Well, the prozac wasn't doing much for me, i still felt good-for-nothing, so they put me on paxil...AMAZING!!! I've been taking it for about 10-12 months, and i'm doing pretty good, except for the occasional crying fit. Unfortunately, nobody wanted to tell me about the side effects of Paxil, and actually found out one on a tv program, moivating me to research others. WOW! I've been blaming my weight gain (about 50-60 lbs in 6 months) to my boyfriend being at boot camp and other military stuff, but we're both at the same school now, so that isn't it. I just found out about 2-3 weeks ago that it was the paxil causing it, along with my, er, anorgasmia to sound somewhat not like a sex-obsessed teenager. So, I went back once again, and explained my situation and said i wanted to try something else that wouldn't make me so fat. They put me back on prozac. No joke, less than 2 days after stopping paxil, i felt amazingly horrible all over again. I was always really dizzy and light-headed and nautious as well. about 4 days after stopping paxil, I had somewhat of my own "episode" getting aggrivated at tiny things, bursting into a crying fit, shaking, edgy, it was horrible. So for about a week i was feeling like crap. I assumed it was because i wasn't ready to stop taking the anti-depressant, and would be fine as soon as i started taking th prozac. now, a week and a half later, I'm fine. I feel just as good as i did when i was on the paxil, and i'm not taking anything, not to mention the sudden dissapearance of my "anorgasmia". Finally, getting to the actual question, was that whole episode for real, and should i continue with an antidepressant, or could that have been some sort of withdrawel symptom along with the nausia and dizziness? I would really like to stop taking drugs, but it's scary in the middle of the school year. My therapist and I have been convinced that my rather unhappy/aggrivating/stressfull... life at home with the parents was the cause of my depression in the first time, so it is very plausible that getting away from home may have been just what i needed. So, FINALLY concluding (YAY!), i would largely welcome any comments at all on anything i've said, AND would even more appreciate to know if the one hell-week was me, or just a withdrawel thing? Thanks so much, I"M FINALLY DONE!!
Erin
Posted by Noa on December 8, 1999, at 7:25:42
In reply to Paxil Withdrawel, posted by Erin on December 7, 1999, at 19:24:29
Erin,
You ask some excellent questions. I am impressed.First of all, if you stopped the paxil cold turkey, YES, it might have caused those symptoms. Whether that rules out the idea that you would return to having depressive symptoms if you were not on ADs, who knows?
It is a tough call, because unless you are adopted, you seem to be loaded for inheriting the depressive tendencies. On the other hand, you are right in thinking that getting away from your family environment might be healthy, and perhaps your depressive symptoms have remitted. On yet another hand, there is this idea floating about that suggests that stopping AD therapy can make it more difficult to respond to any future AD therapy should decide to try it again.
Whatever you do, do it VERY GRADUALLY. Weaning is good. And, weaning would help you tune into how you feel at lower doses. If you go off an AD suddenly, you don't get to experience that self observation.
BTW, probably not a good idea to make changes before, during or immediately following the holidays. Especially if you are going to spend time with your family.
Good luck.
Posted by Erin (again) on December 8, 1999, at 7:31:29
In reply to Re: Paxil Withdrawel, posted by Noa on December 8, 1999, at 7:25:42
I have heard/found out/researched... that it is a good idea to be weaned of AD's. Unfortunately, when i specifically asked the md this question, she said it wasn't necessary with paxil, and actually told me to take the prozac the very next day after quitting the paxil. Maybe that had something to do with my "episode." Hmm, it's always nice to be lied to by a doctor/have one that's a little clueless. (sarcasm meter off the charts!!) Well, thanks, any more takers??
Posted by Noa on December 8, 1999, at 15:32:04
In reply to Paxil Withdrawel, posted by Erin on December 7, 1999, at 19:24:29
One thing I like about my doctor is that he is very cautious about starting and stopping meds, and has me do these very gradually, more gradually than what is recommended by the manufacturer.
This is the end of the thread.
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