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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by mjharp on September 9, 2016, at 17:19:03
Hi everyone,
I've been on and off (mostly on!) seroxat / paxil for the last eight years. I'm on my third attempt to quit this medication after discovering SSRI's might be to blame for my years of neck pain. This was never a problem pre medication and has started to affect the things I love (martial arts)
My neck becomes a little tight / sore which I can manage but more and more often when I train it will completely seize up, I get severe headaches, pain, dizziness and won't be able to turn my head much at all. I'm then out of action for weeks.
This happens with other physical activity also - sit ups, push ups etc. I've tried physio, chiro, rest, heat therapy, ice and so on. I'm convinced seroxat is responsible somehow.
My chiropractor couldn't believe how tense my neck and shoulder muscles were. I also have swollen lymph nodes and painful jaw joints from clenching. I had no idea this could be a side effect of the medication, has anyone else experienced this from SSRI's?
Posted by baseball55 on September 9, 2016, at 18:53:04
In reply to Seroxat / paxil - neck pain, spasm, posted by mjharp on September 9, 2016, at 17:19:03
I don't know about whether Paxil can cause muscle tightness, but I do have a suggestion if it's not paxil. Have you heard of Feldenkreis? I had severe neck/upperback pain and spasms a number of years ago and my chiropractor recommended a Feldenkreis practitioner. They really teach you, through massage and movement, how to recognize when a muscle is tensing and how to relax it. I paid $90/session for probably 10 sessions (this was a long while ago - the sessions were 1-1/2 hours). At the time, I was pretty broke, so it was a stretch, but I still think of it as some of the best money I ever spent.
This is not some fly-by-night, new age stuff. Feldenkreis developed the technique specifically to work with athletes. You should look into it. I have not had any back or neck pain in years, since I worked with a Feldenkreis specialist. Even years later, I recognize immediately when a muscle is tensing and do exercises to loosen it before it goes into spasm.
I should add that, when my chiropractor recommended this, my neck was so badly in spasm, that my head was practically touching my shoulder.
> Hi everyone,
>
> I've been on and off (mostly on!) seroxat / paxil for the last eight years. I'm on my third attempt to quit this medication after discovering SSRI's might be to blame for my years of neck pain. This was never a problem pre medication and has started to affect the things I love (martial arts)
>
> My neck becomes a little tight / sore which I can manage but more and more often when I train it will completely seize up, I get severe headaches, pain, dizziness and won't be able to turn my head much at all. I'm then out of action for weeks.
>
> This happens with other physical activity also - sit ups, push ups etc. I've tried physio, chiro, rest, heat therapy, ice and so on. I'm convinced seroxat is responsible somehow.
>
> My chiropractor couldn't believe how tense my neck and shoulder muscles were. I also have swollen lymph nodes and painful jaw joints from clenching. I had no idea this could be a side effect of the medication, has anyone else experienced this from SSRI's?
Posted by Tabitha on September 9, 2016, at 23:13:43
In reply to Seroxat / paxil - neck pain, spasm, posted by mjharp on September 9, 2016, at 17:19:03
> I also have swollen lymph nodes and painful jaw joints from clenching. I had no idea this could be a side effect of the medication, has anyone else experienced this from SSRI's?
Sleep bruxism (tooth grinding) is a know side-effect of SSRI's. I ended up with a divot on a lower tooth that perfectly matched the pointy part of the upper tooth. My dentist made me a night guard.
Posted by mjharp on September 10, 2016, at 3:23:26
In reply to Re: Seroxat / paxil - neck pain, spasm, posted by baseball55 on September 9, 2016, at 18:53:04
I've never heard of Feldenkreis, I've tried so many things another one can't hurt! Thanks for the suggestion
Posted by linkadge on September 10, 2016, at 8:35:20
In reply to Seroxat / paxil - neck pain, spasm, posted by mjharp on September 9, 2016, at 17:19:03
My response:
http://newbabble.freeforums.net/thread/10/paxil-causing-neck-pain
Linkadge
Posted by Chris O on September 10, 2016, at 21:03:11
In reply to Seroxat / paxil - neck pain, spasm, posted by mjharp on September 9, 2016, at 17:19:03
I've definitely had bruxism on many of the SSRI meds I've taken. But then, I'm so anxious. I have serious bruxism without them as well. I've worn a grind guard for over twenty years. Even in my teens, my dentist commented on how much I had ground my teeth down. Depressing. I hope you can find a way make your muscle tension (and other issues) subside.
Chris
Posted by Jonhed on October 17, 2016, at 15:54:10
In reply to Seroxat / paxil - neck pain, spasm, posted by mjharp on September 9, 2016, at 17:19:03
Are you on any antipsychotic?
Sounds like dystonia to me but I've never heard of any getting that side effect from an ssri.
Though the tca's can cause dystonia.
This is the end of the thread.
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