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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by tinkrbel on September 28, 2000, at 19:54:30
hi, i am new to this board altho i have been reading a lot of the posts for awhile now. well, i need some help, and i have some questions, and i was hoping you all could maybe help me out. i have pretty bad panic attacks coupled with agoraphobia. a lot of the problem also comes from anticipatory anxiety. it had seemed to have gone away for awhile, but just recently it has come back and it is horrible. i can't even drive by myself or pick my daughter up from school. went to my family dr. and he prescribed paxil, 10mg to start. now - here is the thing - one of the major triggers for a panic attack for me is taking meds - thus the problem. i freak out pretty much everytime i try to take this little itty bitty pill. then i found the "paxil database" website and needless to say i am scared silly that i am going to have awful side effects, withdrawls, etc. i am really scared of dying. i am really not sure what to do. i don't feel overall "depressed" - aside from the fact that i feel like i can't do
anything for fear of having a panic attack. does anyone have any advice / experience? i really need some help.thanks,
laura
Posted by Danny on September 28, 2000, at 21:22:35
In reply to Paxil and Panic - please help, posted by tinkrbel on September 28, 2000, at 19:54:30
Hi Laura
i was on Paxil for three years for depression/anxiety due to severe gastro-intestinal problems. It can be sedating, so it's usually prescribed for bedtime use. I found it a very good medication, with few side effects. My withdrawal reaction was minimal; I tapered off the drug slowly, which should always be the case with antidepressants.
I am also in a support group for anxiety/phobias and I know of at least a few people who have found considerable relief from Paxil. One very important issue that is often overlooked is that most mental health professionals recommend some kind of therapy to coincided with medication. This has been found to be more effective than either treatment alone. In my experience, and I have known many people with anxiety problems, recognizing and changing behaviour patterns is the long term "cure" for most anxiety issues. Medication is a great crutch in the short run, but the mental habits that go into creating anxiety need to be addressed before any meaningful change can take place. Support groups are also great, though sometimes hard to locate. best of luck-remember, you have a lot of company.
> hi, i am new to this board altho i have been reading a lot of the posts for awhile now. well, i need some help, and i have some questions, and i was hoping you all could maybe help me out. i have pretty bad panic attacks coupled with agoraphobia. a lot of the problem also comes from anticipatory anxiety. it had seemed to have gone away for awhile, but just recently it has come back and it is horrible. i can't even drive by myself or pick my daughter up from school. went to my family dr. and he prescribed paxil, 10mg to start. now - here is the thing - one of the major triggers for a panic attack for me is taking meds - thus the problem. i freak out pretty much everytime i try to take this little itty bitty pill. then i found the "paxil database" website and needless to say i am scared silly that i am going to have awful side effects, withdrawls, etc. i am really scared of dying. i am really not sure what to do. i don't feel overall "depressed" - aside from the fact that i feel like i can't do
> anything for fear of having a panic attack. does anyone have any advice / experience? i really need some help.
>
> thanks,
> laura
Posted by Jen B on September 30, 2000, at 14:40:17
In reply to Paxil and Panic - please help, posted by tinkrbel on September 28, 2000, at 19:54:30
Laura--
I have been on Paxil for 6 months now. I probably suffered from milder versions of what you experience. For the most part, I would label what I had as social anxiety. It was very difficult for me to leave my house. I had mild panic, and a fair amount of general anxiety. The Paxil has worked *marvelously* for me. I have had *no* side effects and I feel much calmer and braver. It really has changed my life. I take the pill in the morning w/ breakfast, and although it is one of the more sedating medications, I never feel sedated. 10 mgs. is considered a child dosage; many pdocs start patients out on this amount because there seems to be less side effects when the patient moves up to 20 mg (which is the lowest adult dose, and is what I am taking).
Everybody responds differently to each medication, but I know a lot of people with anxiety who have experienced a great deal of relief with Paxil. It can be frightening reading all of the possible side effects of medications, but realize that most are extremely rare and must be listed anyway. Reading this material presents these possibilities out of perspective.
I was very reluctant to start taking meds. But the quality of my life has improved drastically. I'm sorry I waited so long! It's worth it to me, because a life closed away inside isn't very fully lived. :-)
I wish you the best of luck, Laura. If you're still taking the Paxil, be patient... it may take several weeks to "kick in." But I suspect you will start to feel better soon.
Jen
Posted by JohnL on October 1, 2000, at 6:07:53
In reply to Paxil and Panic - please help, posted by tinkrbel on September 28, 2000, at 19:54:30
> hi, i am new to this board altho i have been reading a lot of the posts for awhile now. well, i need some help, and i have some questions, and i was hoping you all could maybe help me out. i have pretty bad panic attacks coupled with agoraphobia. a lot of the problem also comes from anticipatory anxiety. it had seemed to have gone away for awhile, but just recently it has come back and it is horrible. i can't even drive by myself or pick my daughter up from school. went to my family dr. and he prescribed paxil, 10mg to start. now - here is the thing - one of the major triggers for a panic attack for me is taking meds - thus the problem. i freak out pretty much everytime i try to take this little itty bitty pill. then i found the "paxil database" website and needless to say i am scared silly that i am going to have awful side effects, withdrawls, etc. i am really scared of dying. i am really not sure what to do. i don't feel overall "depressed" - aside from the fact that i feel like i can't do
> anything for fear of having a panic attack. does anyone have any advice / experience? i really need some help.
>
> thanks,
> laura
It sounds to me like a beta blocker might be a better choice. They are the meds used to treat high blood pressure. But you don't need to have high blood pressure for them to be useful. They temporarily block the circuits that can cause panic and anxiety. They are especially useful on an as-needed basis, rather than something like Paxil which is taken continuously. They are especially helpful for situations of stage fright or any event that triggers panic, such as the anticipatory anxiety you mentioned.Using a medication on an as-needed basis sure could be more attractive to you, especially since you are uneasy about using medications at all. And for a longer term approach, there are methods you can learn in counseling to control the panic and anxiety. You could use a beta blocker as needed in overwhelming situations.
As with all medications, your body may prefer one beta blocker but not do well with another. Probably the most popular for psychiatric purposes are Inderal and Pindolol.
You could do a simple search to learn more. Just type in 'beta blockers' in a search engine and see what you find. I did that and the first article I came to was titled "Beta Blockers for Performance Anxiety in Musicians".
In the natural arena, you might find Kava Kava more attractive. Get a good brand and experiment with different dose sizes. This natural herb is well known for providing a sense of calmness and, with higher doses, deep sleep. Yet it is not sedating at normal doses, but rather anti-anxiety and attention enhancing simultaneously. The best part is it's cheap, available just about anywhere, and easy to try, with few if any side effects.
If you are not depressed, I don't like the idea of Paxil. It will likely make you feel worse in the short term, and only numb your feelings in the long term...no downs, no anxiety, but no ups either. Life could likely become very flat. SSRIs like Paxil tend to do that. They squash the emotional spectrum into a thin band. They tend to anesthetize emotions. That's good for someone very depressed. Good for anxiety. But the price you pay is that you also lose the ups in life and you have to deal with side effects everyday. And it takes time. Beta blockers or Kava Kava work in about an hour to two and can be used only as needed. If they are tried and found not useful, then I would consider something else. But not until I had experimented with beta blockers or Kava Kava first.
John
Posted by Jen B on October 2, 2000, at 8:55:41
In reply to Re: Paxil and Panic - please help, posted by JohnL on October 1, 2000, at 6:07:53
I still feel that I experience a good range of emotions on Paxil. I have not experienced the flattening out that John speaks of. I feel completely myself, but without the anxiety, fear, self consciousness, and oversensitivity. I suppose that a flattening out is a possible response, but I need to add that this always the case. I know a number of people besides myself for whom Paxil has been a tremendous help for panic and agoraphobia, and who are delightful, emotional people. I also take my Paxil in the morning, and I actually have experienced a big increase in energy throughout the day, since I am not wasting energy on anxiety. I do agree with combining medication with therapy.
Laura, this is just to suggest that not all people respond to medications in the same way. The best thing is to just try something. If you feel that it doesn't work for you, you can stop or switch.
Jen
> If you are not depressed, I don't like the idea of Paxil. It will likely make you feel worse in the short term, and only numb your feelings in the long term...no downs, no anxiety, but no ups either. Life could likely become very flat. SSRIs like Paxil tend to do that. They squash the emotional spectrum into a thin band. They tend to anesthetize emotions. That's good for someone very depressed. Good for anxiety. But the price you pay is that you also lose the ups in life and you have to deal with side effects everyday.
Posted by Tim on October 9, 2000, at 12:49:10
In reply to Paxil and Panic - please help, posted by tinkrbel on September 28, 2000, at 19:54:30
What is the URL of the paxil database?
I have similar concerns. I'm ready to cut down on Paxil due to numbness and side effects and add a beat blocker.
Tim
Posted by Snowie on October 9, 2000, at 17:50:16
In reply to Re: Paxil and Panic - please help, posted by Jen B on October 2, 2000, at 8:55:41
Paxil Lovers,
My new pdoc has strongly suggested that I try Paxil for general anxiety, agoraphobia, and social anxiety. I do not consider myself a depressed person, but untreated anxiety can lead to depression.
My biggest fear of Paxil is weight gain and loss of libido. Have you experienced weight gain (which would be unexceptable since how I look plays a huge role in how I feel about myself)? What about loss of libido?
I have weaned down to 1.5 mg. of Xanax per day, and also take 300 mg. of Neurontin per day, but I think it's time to up the Neurontin. (Although I do better on higher doses of Xanax, because I'm considering getting a certificate to teach, I feel it would be in my best interest to eventually wean off benzos.)
Thanks!
Snowie
> I still feel that I experience a good range of emotions on Paxil. I have not experienced the flattening out that John speaks of. I feel completely myself, but without the anxiety, fear, self consciousness, and oversensitivity. I suppose that a flattening out is a possible response, but I need to add that this always the case. I know a number of people besides myself for whom Paxil has been a tremendous help for panic and agoraphobia, and who are delightful, emotional people. I also take my Paxil in the morning, and I actually have experienced a big increase in energy throughout the day, since I am not wasting energy on anxiety. I do agree with combining medication with therapy.
>
> Laura, this is just to suggest that not all people respond to medications in the same way. The best thing is to just try something. If you feel that it doesn't work for you, you can stop or switch.
>
> Jen
>
> > If you are not depressed, I don't like the idea of Paxil. It will likely make you feel worse in the short term, and only numb your feelings in the long term...no downs, no anxiety, but no ups either. Life could likely become very flat. SSRIs like Paxil tend to do that. They squash the emotional spectrum into a thin band. They tend to anesthetize emotions. That's good for someone very depressed. Good for anxiety. But the price you pay is that you also lose the ups in life and you have to deal with side effects everyday.
Posted by Snowie on October 9, 2000, at 17:56:06
In reply to To All Who Love Paxil, posted by Snowie on October 9, 2000, at 17:50:16
UNACCEPTABLE...haha There should be a 5-minute delay to correct typos, but please don't let that stop anyone from responding!
Snowie
Paxil Lovers,
My new pdoc has strongly suggested that I try Paxil for general anxiety, agoraphobia, and social anxiety. I do not consider myself a depressed person, but untreated anxiety can lead to depression.
My biggest fear of Paxil is weight gain and loss of libido. Have you experienced weight gain (which would be *unacceptable* since how I look plays a huge role in how I feel about myself)? What about loss of libido?
I have weaned down to 1.5 mg. of Xanax per day, and also take 300 mg. of Neurontin per day, but I think it's time to up the Neurontin. (Although I do better on higher doses of Xanax, because I'm considering getting a certificate to teach, I feel it would be in my best interest to eventually wean off benzos.)
Thanks!
Snowie
> > I still feel that I experience a good range of emotions on Paxil. I have not experienced the flattening out that John speaks of. I feel completely myself, but without the anxiety, fear, self consciousness, and oversensitivity. I suppose that a flattening out is a possible response, but I need to add that this always the case. I know a number of people besides myself for whom Paxil has been a tremendous help for panic and agoraphobia, and who are delightful, emotional people. I also take my Paxil in the morning, and I actually have experienced a big increase in energy throughout the day, since I am not wasting energy on anxiety. I do agree with combining medication with therapy.
> >
> > Laura, this is just to suggest that not all people respond to medications in the same way. The best thing is to just try something. If you feel that it doesn't work for you, you can stop or switch.
> >
> > Jen
> >
> > > If you are not depressed, I don't like the idea of Paxil. It will likely make you feel worse in the short term, and only numb your feelings in the long term...no downs, no anxiety, but no ups either. Life could likely become very flat. SSRIs like Paxil tend to do that. They squash the emotional spectrum into a thin band. They tend to anesthetize emotions. That's good for someone very depressed. Good for anxiety. But the price you pay is that you also lose the ups in life and you have to deal with side effects everyday.
Posted by tinkrbel on October 9, 2000, at 21:41:04
In reply to paxil database, posted by Tim on October 9, 2000, at 12:49:10
> What is the URL of the paxil database?
> I have similar concerns. I'm ready to cut down on Paxil due to numbness and side effects and add a beat blocker.
> Timif you want to take paxil, i would recommend NOT going to this site. it seems everyone who has ever had a problem on paxil congregates here, and the stories are awful. i did finally try my paxil, but it didn't sit well - either becuz of the pill itself, or my fear of it, i don't know. anyway, the URL is:
http://paxil.bizland.com/but like i said, proceed with caution. this is mainly for people that have had problems......
--laura
Posted by Tim on October 10, 2000, at 22:04:29
In reply to Re: paxil database Tim, posted by tinkrbel on October 9, 2000, at 21:41:04
> > What is the URL of the paxil database?
> > I have similar concerns. I'm ready to cut down on Paxil due to numbness and side effects and add a beat blocker.
> > Tim
>
> if you want to take paxil, i would recommend NOT going to this site. it seems everyone who has ever had a problem on paxil congregates here, and the stories are awful. i did finally try my paxil, but it didn't sit well - either becuz of the pill itself, or my fear of it, i don't know. anyway, the URL is:
> http://paxil.bizland.com/
>
> but like i said, proceed with caution. this is mainly for people that have had problems......
>
> --laura
This is the end of the thread.
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