Day 1 without Paxil: General malaise in my body (as in Flu-like), nausea, loss of apetite (I could eat some stuff, thankfully), a bit of anxiety, fast heartbeats, very slight tremor in my hands, I can sleep when I'm very sleepy (Slept 6 hours at night at 3 a.m to 9:30 a.m, and then slept 3 more hours, in intervals of 1 hour each...).
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Day 2: Feeling surprisingly well... I'm recovering my appetite as I've been eating stuff, partially, maybe... (Even stuff I wouldn't eat...)
I could leave my house to get something for my little brother. I seem to still have some short term memory loss (Or maybe I'm just distracted from all the stuff around...)
Later in the night, I feel anxious, and I feel a very slight but noticeable numbness on my face and neck, as if my neck is tightening (Makes me retch a bit...)
I also managed to recover some of my libido too! (Masturbated twice today!), still, I am not getting boners from thinking in lewd stuff... I have to force myself to masturbate to get myself to orgasm and ejaculate (And yes, I can do both with no problem!)
I also recovered my mood (maybe...), since I can laugh and get angry when it needs to be done...
I also cried too, with an ease, as well! (I am not depressed, but I know that crying really eliminates toxins in your body, so I wanted to think in something to cry and let it all out to detox my body...)
My only gripe is my nervousness in what to expect...
Yeah, I feel fine... But is this the calm after the storm that is going to come when I am no longer under the effects of the drug? (Remember, I was under the drugs for 3 days straight, 24 hours each... I don't know, but I might have puked the first pill solution, or the second, I don't remember well... I also don't remember it I actually puked it...)
I should be 3 days without the drug, by the way. I decided to add this entries to record my progress as it seemed I was gonna get stuck in limbo with my feelings... Still, I'm still tied with this wretched drug, until at least a month goes by...
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Are you sure you don't just have a bad case of hypochondria? You're not going to have this many symptoms, or even withdraw after taking it for 3 days. This type of medication takes several days to weeks to have an effect on a person. It's not possible to go through withdraw after taking something for 3 days. That's like saying you smoked 3 cigarettes and got addicted.
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Hang in there man. I'm sure you'll find some medication that works better for you. Most or all of the anti-depressants are physically addictive, but if they help you it's worth it.
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No, friend. It's not worth it...
I know that they help for some people, but I'd prefer something more natural, like therapy, or something else, instead of giving my body something that I don't want to keep for the rest of my life, if I'm not careful...
Sorry to say this, but it's my opinion on the matter :(
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There's a misconception here, taking meds and not going to therapy is like taking protein supplements and not going to the gym.
The meds themselves are not there to cure you, that isn't gonna happen. It's not a virus in your body that the meds are gonna "kill", instead your enemy is your own thoughts, no amount of meds can beat that. Their purpose is to help you regain functionality in those aspects of your life you feel you can't face in order to slowly overcome them through other means, primarily therapy.
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Actually I hear people say that depression is the same illness as cold but everybody freaks out just because it is something that happens in your head... I don't know who to believe anymore...
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Can you have a cold for years? :P
The only way I can find that that statement might hold some basis it's comparing how common they are, like the vast majority will catch a cold at a time likewise the vast majority will go at least through one period of depression in their lives.
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Cold was just an example. What I've meant is that it should be treated like any other illness.
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"Most or all of the anti-depressants are physically addictive" - this is bull**** actually. Read about SSRI or MAO - they CAN lead to physical addiction, but it happens with minority of people.
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Dude, this post seems a bit extreme so I decided to google what Paxil was. Turns out it's Paroxetin and that was the first anti-depressant I took. I took it for half a year or so. Are you sure you aren't schizophrenic? No offense, but what you're describing is ... surreal, to put it lightly.
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Yeah... I have to refrain from swearing here, but yes... it's a leap :D
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Nope... Thank God I am not, but still... I felt out of emotion and even got some insomnia from it...
You are so in luck on getting out of the drug, I must say... There are people out there who's having lots of trouble getting off the drug... Probably you are the lucky ones, hehe.
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Don't think I was lucky, because what you're describing is such an incredible niche scenario that if it's even true probably only 1 out of a million experience. You sound extremely paranoid. You probably read too much into the very rare side effects and that made your head spin like crazy. No offense.
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Smoke some weed and chill dude, you're over thinking like way too much.
Go play your games and focus on it!
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Did the doctors gave you just the drugs or they recommend you to mix them with another kid of therapy, like a psychologist or a psyquiatrist
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Nope, just the drugs, because it was "faster"...
Even if it was faster, I should have trusted my gut to not take them...
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You feel bad about it because you already rejected the med before even try it.
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Overall, studies show that psychologist therapies are better and have better results than only pharmacologist ones. A mixed one should be the ideal thing. Only drugs will not help you, imho.
You need to work on your cognitive behaviour and made a cognitive reestructuration on how to process the info and how to "deal with things". Only a pill can't help you with that, I guess.
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You could request to them that they mix psychotherapy with medication. You have a voice in the medical decision making process
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You are strong. You will beat the heck out of this!
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You are courageous to explain your fight in a forum. Many would have remained silent.
Good luck and best wishes !!!
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It is, pal...
I just felt anxious about the issue... If you were desperate about something that might affect your entire body, then you will understand :(
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impressive. good for you.
ask your Dr why he gave you that.
and more importantly, replace the Doc ;)
i recommend DOCTOR WHO :D
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I'm looking for support, to keep with me on the darkest moments (If they arise...), I try to keep as many positive thoughts as possible to not fall in something that I don't want to fall...
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Really wish you luck man, it must have been really tough what you've been through from reading your thread.
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My first days on the drug were the worst... Tachycardia, Lack of emotions, General malaise in my body (Flu-like) among many others.
I had to call in sick many times at work to deal with the symptoms (Thank God I informed my boss about the situation...)
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you should talk to your doctor instead of us. self-diagnose is usually a bad idea.
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So you've decided to stop taking a drug which was prescribed by a professional who spent like 10 years studying the matter and had lots of practice, because you found some random people crying about it on the internet? Man.......I wish you luck to stop making these rash decisions, you're probably overreacting and doing more harm for yourself.
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actually, even the best doctors advise to get a second opinion.
he read online, and decided to get one. what is the harm in that???
never trust anyone completely. maybe he is trying to advance a research on the drug? or he is getting money for every person getting the drug. yes it would be a crime, so what?
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I have nothing against second opinion, I just question his choice of second opinion. I could write a whole paragraph about that drug without even taking it/having medical practice, would that be a reasonable second opinion? No, that would be bullshit. That's why I think he should ask for a second opinion from another doctor, not the internet. Sorry if my original comment wasn't clear, I just kinda got worried what he's doing to himself based on untrustworthy information.
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I would start doubting it but would not take any drastic measures before consulting with another professional. You could tell your doubts to your psychiatrist and to another one, and maybe even a third one - if you need it. Ask you psychiatrist why did he prescribe THIS medication if you don't think it's a good first resort. Ask another doctor the same question. The internet is full of second opinions on EVERYTHING but it doesn't mean you have to blindly believe them - just like you shouldn't blindly believe one doctor's opinion. One person's story, or even a hundred persons' stories may not be your story and so on. Jumping on and off medications will certainly do you no good. It's your well-being we're talking about and if you make a thread asking to wish you luck, I can wish you ALL the luck for getting better, but not for what you're doing right now.
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how old are you? Paxil should not be given to young people, so if you're, say, under 23, then it's definitely wrong. But if you're older than that, it should be fine.
(Paxil is associated wtih higher risk of addiction in young people)
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24 years old. My birthday was in October of last year.
Still, I'm out of the drug for 4 days straight, feeling fine as of now, but still a bit anxious about side effects.
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Good luck buddy! You should visit your doctor though to consult the further treatment (and if you don't trust this one visit another one).
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Talk to your doctor or find another one, but don't take these decisions on your own, it's not a good idea
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Damn that sounds dangerous! It's good you are talking about it.
You are strong, you are getting over this.
Best of luck.
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I hope, you have a possibility to ask 2-3 other professionals for their opinions. Better do it. You know yourself better than anyone. If you have a doubt or feeling, that said medicine harming you, ask for a substitute. Doctors make mistakes as any human does.
Stay strong, have variety of opinions and decide with qualified professionals what suits you the best. Good luck!..
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You made me look up wth Paxil is and what are its side effects:
Common side effects of Paxil include: constipation, diarrhea, dizziness, drowsiness, ejaculatory disorder, erectile dysfunction, insomnia, male genital disease, nausea, weakness, headache, decreased libido, delayed ejaculation, diaphoresis, and xerostomia. Other side effects include: infection, blurred vision, female genital tract disease, impotence, lack of concentration, orgasm disturbance, tremor, vasodilatation, visual disturbance, anxiety, paresthesia, abnormal dreams, decreased appetite, and yawning.
For fuck's sake, I'd choose depression over that any day of the week.
Disclaimer: Never take medical advice from people on the internet. If you have doubts, consult several doctors instead of just one and confront the results.
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Anything that gives you constipation and diarrhea acts on the Schrödinger's cat principle and it should be avoided at all costs. :)
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You know that side effect are there to prevent from legal proceecing, that you can't say you wasn't aware if and only if it happens not
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Up to 10% did get those side effects during clinical trials. I'd say one has a better chance to experience those side effects than win a game on SteamGifts.
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Yes, I agree but 10% doesn't mean all at same time and it's maybe like 9,90% for headache or nausea, everything is relative.
Fun fact: side effect of the life is death.
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True. It's a gamble where you don't want to get lucky.
Fun fact: delayed ejaculation might be a side effect some people would want. Pay attention gals, use Paxil on your boyfriend and you might get lucky, who knows?
Joke aside, never use medication without prescription and it never hurts to consult multiple doctors regarding the problem.
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Rule number 1: Never read the damn side effects. They are super rare most of the time and only lead to a placebo effect.
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I only listed the common side effects, meaning they affect 1-10 people out of 100.
OK, yawning is not that bad unless you do it while eating or drinking but orgasm disturbance? That's a big no no. :)
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Still doesn't mean you're going to be affected, however there are side effects that occur with almost every anti-depressant and you gotta accept that. Weightloss/-gain for example. Losing your sexual drive, too, but if the medication actually helps that's only a small sacrifice to make and I haven't met many depressed people that have a proper sex life anyway.
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Call me old school if you must but fixing a problem by possibly creating other problems that can or cannot be properly identified and diagnosed in due time is not fixing at all.
As well as its needed effects, paroxetine (the active ingredient contained in Paxil) may cause unwanted side effects that require medical attention.
So in other words you take a medicine that might require taking another medicine to fix the damage made by this one, and so on.
In other words you get rid of one problem and might introduce a handful more that could be more severe than the initial problem.
Also, up to 10 people out of 100 did get those side effects during clinical trials. A 10% chance is huge while dealing with medication.
It's always good to be aware of what you get into your system.
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Depression can't be treated with a vaccine like a flu or with some tea and honey when you have a cold.
It might be an extreme comparison, but treating cancer comes along with a lot of side effects as well, but it's worth it to prevent death, isn't it? Depression can lead to suicide, so taking some side effects isn't the worst. Medical attention doesn't mean you will take other drugs to get rid of side effects. All that means is regular visits at your psychiatrist, tracking progress, looking at the effects and maybe changing medication if side effects are unbearable or if the body doesn't adapt well to it.
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My point is not debating the efficacy of the treatment but raising awareness of the involved risks.
More often than not people tend to take medicines without considering their effects related to their medical condition. Nowadays there are medicines for everything and people are taking them even if they don't need them. And if you consult more than one doctor while stating the same symptoms you'll most likely be surprised with the results.
All in all, always do your homework and choose what's best for you. If you have several alternatives with the same medical effect, choose the least harmful one.
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And if you consult more than one doctor while stating the same symptoms you'll most likely be surprised with the results.
Source?
If you have several alternatives with the same medical effect, choose the least harmful one.
Yes, because that should be the only reason to choose that drug. Even if the one with less side effects is insanely expensive, or needs to be administered IV (as opposed to oral), or you need to dose yourself 3x day rather than once a day. A-ok.
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Source?
Don't trust my word on that, just do it and see for yourself.
Yes, because that should be the only reason to choose that drug. Even if the one with less side effects is insanely expensive, or needs to be administered IV (as opposed to oral), or you need to dose yourself 3x day rather than once a day. A-ok.
That depends on how much you value your life. And as long as it's a fully aware decision it's yours to make no matter the reason. If let's say taking the chance of getting a stroke is acceptable by using the less expensive one or the more expensive one or wtv, it's your call not mine. I just gave my opinion and suggestion. I'm not forcing you to do anything you don't want to do.
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The physicians I've been too have all been competent which was why I was surprised why you had a poor opinion on them. They have to take licensing exams so I have a hard time believing that they would give random diagnoses.
I just gave my opinion and suggestion. I'm not forcing you to do anything you don't want to do.
Let's agree to have different opinions
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The physicians I've been too have all been competent which was why I was surprised why you had a poor opinion on them. They have to take licensing exams so I have a hard time believing that they would give random diagnoses.
But they're not random. They are based on each doctor's experience and ability in reading the symptoms and placing the correct diagnostic. Symptoms are very tricky and they can be common to lots of affections. Also the same symptoms can have different meanings depending on each patient's medical record. Therefore, depending on the situation this can lead to different diagnostics. At the same time, another very important aspect is the suggested prescription that will most likely vary from doctor to doctor, again, according to their experience. As you can probably notice there are countless variables to be taken into consideration and when one's life is at stake, taking the time to consult another "specialist" can only prove beneficial in the long run.
Let's agree to have different opinions
Sure.
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Blindly believing side effects and the odds stated there is kinda stupid, you know. You gotta know that side effects exist, but seriously, even side effects listed on information about ibuprofen seem scary if you get yourself to believe that you're gonna have "unusual bleeding or bruising" after taking one pill for your headache. Most of the side effects are probably "super rare case that we must put on the information leaflet so if someone dies from this medication we can say heyyyyy side effects".
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Actually it's not blindly believing, it's pure statistics. During clinical trials there are subjects (real people) experiencing those side effects. Depending on their number and occurrence rate the side effects are classified accordingly.
In other words, out of several alternatives I'd choose the one with the least clinically proven severe side effects. But anyone is free to take the gamble. Legally speaking you were warned before taking it.
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During clinical trials there are subjects (real people) experiencing those side effects.
You can have side effect with water and sugar. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbyIYXEu-nQ
Edit: I should have say "real people can have", this is subjective, do you really have or think you have?? or maybe fear to have?
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One can have side effects to anything. Sometimes you also find people with hypochondria.
One should take everything with a grain of salt but choosing the right coarseness of that grain is extremely important.
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I know it's pure statistics but still none of the people I know had severe side effects from any medication (including depression medication), although statistically they should have occured. That's what I mean. Awareness is good, being scared and doing stupid decisions is bad.
On a side note, many of my friends from school went to study medicine and now are soon-to-become-doctors, already doing internships in hospitals. And they already hate people who think they can decide what drug is best for them. Because they can't. Spending 2 hours reading about side effects and conspiracy theories about pharmacy doesn't equal 10 years in medical school. yeah yeah I know some doctors are corrupted but hey go to another one and ask him.
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I'm against self medication unless you really know what you're doing. But I'm pro choosing the best candidate out of a list of solutions.
Since multiple doctors do recommend different medicines for the same symptoms (there are rare cases when no alternatives are available, but more often than not alternatives are available) you are free to choose from these qualified recommendations the one with the least harmful effects. After all, it's your life at stake. Doing a bit of homework and thinking before taking action could save you a lot of trouble.
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Oh yeah, if you mean choosing between two professional opinions, then I agree completely. At first I thought you mean choosing by yourself (like this guy chose to stop taking his medication).
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Yes, that's what I meant. Always choose between qualified suggestions. Self medication can and will probably do more harm than good, the exceptions being potentially life threatening situations when you must act fast and by using the best available method in lack of medical support.
Also it's better to always get as many qualified opinions as possible before taking action while being fully aware of each implication.
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Either way it's useful to be aware of them. If you experience any, you will know the probable cause and being aware can allow you to take proper actions as opposed to being completely unprepared.
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Knowing oneself can be tough to accomplish but even with the risk of false positives it's always better to take precaution than to fix something afterwards.
Also, like I said before, I'm against self medication but I'm pro risk awareness and choosing the best candidate out of a list of professional suggestions issued by different doctors. It's very easy to misdiagnose something or to take the wrong step. Being fully informed can save your life or prevent future problems.
This is not about trusting your doctor, it's about getting another qualified opinion (or other qualified opinions) on the same problem. Doctors are people too and mistakes or overlooks can be made without intention.
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I agree one shouldn't seek professional help on the Internet.
I also agree that being honest is the core foundation in placing a correct diagnostic.
Regarding the trust in the doctor, again, I don't think it's really a trust issue but more of an experience related one. See here for an explanation of what I mean.
Last but not least, I highly doubt OP's post is genuine. To me, at least, it seems he built a story around the listed side effects for that medicine. Maybe I'm wrong, but his story doesn't seem real to me. More like an attempt to tackle a sensitive subject. But I don't mind it at all. It's good from time to time to tackle these types of subjects too.
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They test drugs against placebo, people on the placebo also get dizziness, etc just due to the fact that they are taking a pill. So they always include it. Not the source I remember but close enough
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I wouldn't worry about those but I would about things that are maybe life threatening or have potential short or long term effects. Let's not put dizziness on the same side with let's say convulsions (seizures) just because they're all side effects. Some are more important than others.
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Good luck... but...
Seriously, don't get advice from the Internet. If you can, ask more doctors about it since you don't trust the initial one. Just don't take what random people post on the Internet at face value. They can be extreme edge cases where it didn't work out or they could flat out be making shit up. Heck, I can probably write an extensive over-the-top paragraph about how coffee is the worst and most addicting drug in the world with nasty withdrawal effects and while I think it's true most people would probably disagree with me and wouldn't worry too much about it. Fill in the blanks in information with concrete facts from professionals, not random people with questionable states of mind and experiences on the Internet.
I cannot stress this any harder... :/
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So... I've been off that wretched drug for 3 days straight now... (I've taken that drug for the past 3 days too... Just to clarify, 3 days first on use, 3 days out of it...)
Why I decided to quit? First of all... Paxil is one of the HARDEST to get off... As if you get an addiction from it... I'm serious, there's even a page with desperate people taking the drug for YEARS, and the withdrawal effects on them are BRUTAL.
Until I researched, I decided to do so... Even my psych told me to drink a quarter of the pill (5 mg), and then increase it... FUCK THAT!
According to people, Paxil is supposed to be LAST RESORT!. Why this guy decided to give me such a potent drug instead of something easier?
I don't know, but I guess the guy wanted me to get myself into a deep hole... Until it would be too late to go back...
I don't know if the withdrawals will come sooner or later... (According to people, I didn't consumed enough of the drug to get dependancy, which it would be the part where I would be DOOMED!
I'll post my progress here, in replies, to bump my thread... I really feel scared to sleep a bit, thinking I might just die in my sleep or something...
Right now, I'm trying to detox myself off the drug (Drinking lots of water, then urinating or sweating, even crying, since it's a good way to also eliminate toxins out of you!)
I pray to God I get out of this with no withdrawals...
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