Anyone else had the misfortune to be put on the crap?
What were your DT symptoms?

I have been on Paxil for about a year now for extreme anxiety attacks. The little pill works great but I have gained a ton of weight and would now like to cease the useage; However after not taking my doses for 4 days ( tonight would be 5) I am having what seems to be enhanced anxiety attacks....aka. Attacks on roids!!
Like I said I want nothing more than to be off of the mind altering drug but fear for my wellbeing as well as those around me.

shouldnt u be weened off it slowly?

The first question I have, is are you having therapy also, or just meds??

Anxiety attacks can often be managed without drugs, by a competent therapist.

Also, there might be other meds more suitable for you, and your individual issues.

And, as the previous poster mentioned, meds should rarely be stopped cold turkey, you seretonin management is left falling off a cliff.

Dude, please call your doctor.

I hate going to the Doc, but this is serious and you need a consult.

Call the Doc!!!

Guy, listen please. You need to continue taking your meds as prescribed until a doctor tells you otherwise. There can be serious consequences to discontinuing medication on your own. You need to see your doctor immediately. If you are having thoughts about hurting yourself or others, you need to get to an emergency room now. Please don't try to be your own doctor.

The best way to get off that crap is to be chained in bed in a remote cabin.  It is hell. The only thing i can say is to contact your Doc, let him know what you are doing, and start taking half doses, until your body get use to that.  Then decrease by half again.  Repeat until your off.  Your doc or Px may have sample pacs with smaller dose pills that may be of help also

Whoever put you on it should be able to tell you how to properly come off it. And odds are they'll want to put you on somethign else to compensate.

Seek out a nutritionist who might be able to tell you if your diet is in any way affecting your "anxiety" issues.

Unfortunatly I am kinda my own doc....
That said what about switching to say Zoloft or Prozac?

I would be more interested in finding the root cause of the anxiety than taking an addictive narcotic to treat/mask the symptoms.

Food for thought.

Quoted: Unfortunatly I am kinda my own doc.... That said what about switching to say Zoloft or Prozac?

....   ok as your personal physician send yourself for a consult

Quoted: Anyone else had the misfortune to be put on the crap? What were your DT symptoms? I have been on Paxil for about a year now for extreme anxiety attacks. The little pill works great but I have gained a ton of weight and would now like to cease the useage; However after not taking my doses for 4 days ( tonight would be 5) I am having what seems to be enhanced anxiety attacks....aka. Attacks on roids!! Like I said I want nothing more than to be off of the mind altering drug but fear for my wellbeing as well as those around me.

I was on CR, I gained 20 lbs, it killed the anxiety and boosted my depression.  When they recalled it, they put me on the non-cr stuff, that shit was evil.  they also tried zoloft, evil as well. In the end, I quit, its rough, but I am still here.

my other huge qualm about paxil, I could go like a pornstar and never get the happy ending

UNACCEPTABLE

Paxil is frequently prescribed in too high of a dosage. It's effects are not always proportional to weight. I have a Psycharitrist friend who tells me it should be prescribed as an elixer and dispensed with an eyedropper gradually working up to the proper dosage.


YMMV

Bomber

Quoted: Anyone else had the misfortune to be put on the crap? What were your DT symptoms? I have been on Paxil for about a year now for extreme anxiety attacks. The little pill works great but I have gained a ton of weight and would now like to cease the useage; However after not taking my doses for 4 days ( tonight would be 5) I am having what seems to be enhanced anxiety attacks....aka. Attacks on roids!! Like I said I want nothing more than to be off of the mind altering drug but fear for my wellbeing as well as those around me.

I can probably be of some assistance,  or at least give you my opinion.

I have had 3 major panic attacks that landed me in the hospital.  2 of the 3 required overnight stays since my RESTING heartrate would not drop below 150.  As I even mention and think about this it goes up.... The first panic attack I thought was a heart attack and I was literally going to die.  I went through all the tests and my heart looks good, so was diagnosed with general anxiety disorder.  

The 1st and 2nd attacks occured randomly, and I was not put on any medication.  The 3rd attack happened on an 8 hour drive home from Indianapolis and I went to the ER as soon as I got home.  I went to the Dr. the next day and he gave me 2 months worth of blister packs of Lexapro 10mg, and Toporol XL 25mg.  Also he perscribed me 1/2mg of Xanax 2 times a day.  MAN,  the first few weeks of it were rough.  I slept a lot and locked up my guns.  I did act differently and definately felt different.  A lot was going on in my head.  The xanax really helped get over the worst humps and I think I would have freaked if it wasn't for it.  The main symptoms were massive migranes, vivid dreams, and having a hard time paying attention to anything.  I'd just sit at my desk and stare off into space for minutes at a time.

4 months later I'm still on it.  The xanax has been upped to 1mg and I usually take 1/2 a pill a day, sometimes no pills, and on rougher days I'll have a whole one.  You really do have good days, and bad ones when I feel my mind is going to explode and things just aren't right.  I've had 2 small panic attacks since going on the medicine.  One was after fishing for 18 hours and being away for 24.  I also had about a 12 pack of beer during the day too.  1mg and a toporol (lowers heartrate) got me to calm down and go to sleep.  

Symptoms I have had and still have are:

Feelings: Emotionally I just don't give a shit.  The highs aren't high and the low's aren't low.  Just a neutral feeling.

Sleeping:  If I don't get 8-10 hours, it takes me 45 minutes of snoozing the alarm just to get up.

Weight gain: I think I've gained about 15lbs since going on it.  It's all my fault and sometimes I do care, sometimes I don't.  Really odd.  The first few months I just started overeating and did too much fast food at work.  I've dropped about 5 of those, eating better.  I have almost quit excercising completely besides mowing the grass and other household chores.  I just don't have the drive or motivation.  Same goes for work,  my motivation is off.

Forgetfullness:  I think this has a lot to do that I'm just a little numbed up.  For instance.  I went camping 2 weeks ago,  Forgot to bring the lantern, my sleeping pad, and the charcoal grill.  I loaded up the truck like normal, but these things just didn't occur to me.  Now I find myself making lists of what to bring a day in advance, and adding to it as I remember things I need.  Also at work I find it hard to really focus.  I could sit at work and read stuff on this site all day.  The time really flies though.


I really don't know if I'm meant to be on the Lexapro or not,  though I will say I have feel both better and like shit.  I do plan to keep on it for another 4-8 months just to let it work it's course and see how things go.  I know I'm not totally myself, but I'm still here. I do feel different, but no one think's I'm a different person.

When going off the Lexapro it is suggested to ween off of it.  Even so, you will have withdrawal symptoms.  The xanax will help with this, but I've heard it's a bitch for about a month/month and a half while getting off the stuff.  I would suggest if you're taking 10 mg for example to get a pill splitter and split the pill in 1/4's and start out wiht 7.5mg's for about 2 weeks, then go to .5mg for 2 and so on.  Cold turkey on this stuff is what'll make you crazy and your head pop.  If I'd have known better I probably would have weened on it too, not just start popping 10mg's and expect to feel better all the sudden.  The first week was hell.  I'm looking forward to getting off it, but want to give it time, and do know getting off it will be a bitch when the time comes.

DEFINATELY keep taking it, and go see your dr. and ask how to get off it safely.  I have found doing a "google groups" search on your meds will help you find people in the same situation as you and you'll learn a lot from them posting their experiences.  Sometime's it's better than what a Dr. says because the Dr's never been on the stuff.  Like non drinker telling an alcoholic the best way to quit.

Quoted: Unfortunatly I am kinda my own doc.... That said what about switching to say Zoloft or Prozac?

What exactly do you mean by that? Do you have a degree in pharmacology or do you follow the links to those online prescription spam e-mails and order yourself up a batch of pills with no clue how to properly prescribe it to yourself?

A few thoughts:

My wife took Paxil as a teen, while we were still dating. I decided that her anxiety was as a direct consequence of living with her controlling parents. Shortly before we got married, I told her to quit taking  it. She quit cold, and was fine. I later learned that this is supposedly a bad idea. Still, she was perfectly fine.

The Paxil commercials amuse me. They start by showing people with lots of anxiety, visibly uncomfortable in social situations. Then they talk about Paxil. Next thing you know, they're the life of the party, smiling, and otherwise having a great time.

I'm in Lafayette Indiana at the moment on a project. There isn't much to do after work, so I found a bar and decided to have a few beers before I went back to my hotel. As I'm sitting there, this dude walks in - quiet, reserved, shy...

...by the end of the night, he was smiling, talkative and the life of the party. I didn't see any signs of anxiety. I'm just sayin'...

Paxil is serious bad juju.  I was on this stuff for a while due to the pain problem, my personality and behavior were both affected.  I acted like a happy drunk, was unable to do 'hazardous' activities, etc.

If you are buying stuff from Mexico online or something, you need to stop this shit and see a real doc.  Switching over to another SSRI is not the answer either.  Paxil is a physically addicting drug as well as a psychologically addicitng drug.  Get proper medical help and get off of it.

Ops

Quoted: I'm in Lafayette Indiana at the moment on a project. There isn't much to do after work, so I found a bar and decided to have a few beers before I went back to my hotel. As I'm sitting there, this dude walks in - quiet, reserved, shy... ...by the end of the night, he was smiling, talkative and the life of the party. I didn't see any signs of anxiety. I'm just sayin'...

Funny how one is condemned from being used as a way to relieve anxiety and the other isn't, but they appear to have the same results based on the ridiculous advertising.

Quoted: my other huge qualm about paxil, I could go like a pornstar and never get the happy ending UNACCEPTABLE

+1 but the wifey likes it

After seeing him for job-related stress that was affecting my overall health, my doc got me to take Paxil CR and claimed it wasn't addictive. I took 25mg for 2 months and all was groovy. Then something happened and they removed Paxil CR from the market. I quit cold turkey and it wasn't bad but I got what felt like heart palpitations for a few days. That was weird.
When I was on it I was much happier and after learning that I could do the pornstar thing, the little soldier was waived at the old lady like a lightsaber every chance I got.

To the original poster, Paxil and Effexor among antidepressants are AWFUL for discontinuation symptoms, so you must taper off of it slowly.  Do what your doc says though, dont make assumptions.  

A few ways to look at anxiety and depression:

1. Always try a non pharmacologic response to anxiety/depression first-if possible.  Behavior modification, environmental adjustment, etc.

2.  SSRI's are still the standard of choice for treating anxiety/depression because of their non-addictive pharmacology, and overal relative safety.

3.  Benzo's (Xanax) are great for acute exacerbations of anxiety disorders, but should be used sparingly because of abuse potential.

Among SSRI's, Paxil and Zoloft have by far the most data (and indications) for use in anxiety, but as mentioned Paxil brings weight gain, discontinuation symptoms and a HORRIBLE drug interaction profile to the table.  Based on the data, Zoloft seems to be the best option for anxiety disorders.

Definitely ask your DR. before stopping meds..

My wife is going through a rough time with Anxiety/panic attacks again. Out of the blue she started getting these attacks in December 2003. After numerous physicals and seeing different Doctors, they gave her a small dose Paxil, it worked pretty well. But, Paxil is not working anymore. Now they are trying these other meds., the problem is, most of these meds take up to two weeks before they take effect. The first two meds had no effect on her and the panics continued, so now she is on the third medication and it's the sixth week with no relief. It's a very scary and draining condition. When she was first getting these symptoms in 2003, I basically told her to just toughen up, handle things. But I was soon educated on the topic and realize it's not as easy as that. And my wife is not a pill popper, she even refuses to take an aspirin for a headache.

Quoted: Definitely ask your DR. before stopping meds.. My wife is going through a rough time with Anxiety/panic attacks again. Out of the blue she started getting these attacks in December 2003. After numerous physicals and seeing different Doctors, they gave her a small dose Paxil, it worked pretty well. But, Paxil is not working anymore. Now they are trying these other meds., the problem is, most of these meds take up to two weeks before they take effect. The first two meds had no effect on her and the panics continued, so now she is on the third medication and it's the sixth week with no relief. It's a very scary and draining condition. When she was first getting these symptoms in 2003, I basically told her to just toughen up, handle things. But I was soon educated on the topic and realize it's not as easy as that. And my wife is not a pill popper, she even refuses to take an aspirin for a headache.

I feel the same way.  I made a lengthy post above.  I always used to think these were "crazy" pills for wuss's that can't handle things.  I thought I could tough it out, but it's really some kind of interaction between your mind and rest of the body that is out of whack, and as much as I'd try to relax and breathe, my heartrate would still skyrocket and I'd get scared and be out of control.  They hit me so fast too, that you don't know what to do and start getting thoughts in your head about death and dying.  I too wouldn't even take a tylenol for a headache, and would be on my deathbead before going to the doc for antibiotics for a cold, flu, etc...  The panic attacks were so overwhelming and beyond my control that I had to do something.  The meds do take time to kick in and it's a bitch for the ones taking the pills and it also takes a toll on those close by.  Good for sticking around and helping her out.  I still get anxious and jittery if I only take the Lexapro, but if I take a xanax around noon I'm good for the rest of the day.  I would suggest her getting a trial prescription of it and taking it when she feels out of control.  

Yeah, i went through Anxiety attacks and depression. I was (well, still am a little) hypochondriac who doesnt like to take his meds so anti depression and anti anxiety meds were out of the question. See if you can find a counselor that will work with you WITHOUT the meds. Yes it is a longer process but I dont have Anxiety anymore... well I shouldnt say "Anymore" if I get 1 0r 2 a year I am happy.

But talk to a doc about weaning off of the stuff. And get a cognitive therapist will ya?

Effexor is your friend.  I had OCD and anxiety attacks.  I've been on it all (Paxil, serzone, etc.-- all the SSRI drugs) and only Effexor (150 mg per day) does the trick.  No weight gain.  No sexual side affects.  Works really good for me.  Talk to your doc about trying Effexor.

Lawdog

Quoted: Dude, please call your doctor. I hate going to the Doc, but this is serious and you need a consult. Call the Doc!!!

+1!
You should have stepped your way down slowly. Cold turkey isn't the best idea for this kind of treatment.

I was on 50mg Paxil CR/day for about two years for (along with other meds) Chronic Pain.....


I quit just about cold turkey........


I will say this once........  and only once.......

DO NOT FUCKING DO IT

You absolutely HAVE to do it gradually, or you will suffer badly.....  Don't bother asking how I know, just take my advice, please..


You WILL crash hard... Believe me.......  It's not a good feeling.  You will feel physically ill, as well as have the anxiety attacks/depression come back ten-fold.  The human brain does NOT react well to a huge drop in serotonin rapidly.

I can speak from my own awful experience, because I lost my Job/Insurance, and had no choice but to quit..

Don't do it........

Go to a cheap local clinic and ask for some samples if you cannot afford it, or something, but GO, and gradually get off it the right way.

Hope you take my advice, and get to feeling better soon....

John

Quoted: Anyone else had the misfortune to be put on the crap? What were your DT symptoms? I have been on Paxil for about a year now for extreme anxiety attacks. The little pill works great but I have gained a ton of weight and would now like to cease the useage; However after not taking my doses for 4 days ( tonight would be 5) I am having what seems to be enhanced anxiety attacks....aka. Attacks on roids!! Like I said I want nothing more than to be off of the mind altering drug but fear for my wellbeing as well as those around me.

Please see your Doc ASAP and please KNOW it is not the end of the world...
The way you are feeling now is only TEMPORARY

I can really relate to the post.  Started having full blown panic attacks about 10 years ago and my doctor gave me Xanax, which was fine, but they made me sleepy as hell and I had bad headaches.  Then he put me on Paxil, no doubt about the porn star thing.  I just kept having some weird feelings on this shit and sometimes get dizzy and feel like I was going to pass out.  Then he tried Welbutrin.  This shit made me get pissed off real easy and I felt like I could take on the world.  They give this shit to people to stop smoking!  That is hard to believe this shit would help with that.  Anyway, next was Zoloft and JACKPOT, that is/has worked great for a few years now.  No side effects at all for me and have not had a panic attack since.  I have also since the very beginning been taking Toprol for high BP.

I tried the psycho therapy and group therapy for panic attacks for over a year, with little success.  Gave me   a few techniques that helped delay the attacks, but that is it.

Go to the doc and get yourself on something else.  DO NOT try to wean yourself from any of it w/o a doctor's help.  I know the Toprol I am on can kill me if I just up and stop taking it.

Good Luck!

..I got on Paxil for the cheesiest of reasons...I was a rookie stockbroker and I wanted to be bulletproof on the phones....I did get a case of the Iron Dick  ( I used to tell my wife to bring her girlfriends to finish me off) but that passed in a couple of months...I had the strangest yawn...it almost felt like a mini orgasm...but when I couldn't cut it as a broker I quit cold turkey and it didn't bother me in the least...I guess if I had known it was such a dangerous drug I would have been more careful


Curious as to how you have access to Paxil but don't have access to a Doctor?

WOW!

I am in the same boat with many of you.

My attacks started way back in 1989 when I lived in Hilton Head Isl. SC. Every time I drove through Asheville, NC. I felt like I was gonna loose control of my car. I knew had to remind myself that I was going to be OK and then they would pass. Even in a restaurant I sometimes would have problems with swallowing and thought I would just throw up at the table. I still do that today if it is real busy when I eat.

Fastfoward to 2003 I still had these attacks thinking they were in my head and I was just nuts. I took a job driving a 1 ton truck pulling RV trailers across the country. (Bad idea when you are having panic attacks) I freak out once a week when driving i.e. going into a tunnel over a tall bridge passing a semi and looking at it as I pass and so on. I feel like I am going to loose control of the truck and die. Then thoughts of having a wreck while driving will set me off as well.

Now with all of the commercials talking about panic disorder I finally get up the nerve to face I may have a problem and see a DR. After talking to him about my problems he said I have a social disorder and some other disorder I forget the name.

So he told me to take Paxil CR 25MG. I got a one month free voucher from him and got it filled about two months ago. I have yet to take them. I hate taking meds unless I am dying.

Funny thing is I haven't had the attacks while driving like I use to. I keep the Paxil with me at all times. I think of it as my baby blanket now. It's there if I need it.

BTW: I got the Paxil CR some of you said it was pulled! Now, I don't know if I should take it if I need it.

Quoted: Quoted: Definitely ask your DR. before stopping meds.. My wife is going through a rough time with Anxiety/panic attacks again. Out of the blue she started getting these attacks in December 2003. After numerous physicals and seeing different Doctors, they gave her a small dose Paxil, it worked pretty well. But, Paxil is not working anymore. Now they are trying these other meds., the problem is, most of these meds take up to two weeks before they take effect. The first two meds had no effect on her and the panics continued, so now she is on the third medication and it's the sixth week with no relief. It's a very scary and draining condition. When she was first getting these symptoms in 2003, I basically told her to just toughen up, handle things. But I was soon educated on the topic and realize it's not as easy as that. And my wife is not a pill popper, she even refuses to take an aspirin for a headache. I feel the same way.  I made a lengthy post above.  I always used to think these were "crazy" pills for wuss's that can't handle things.  I thought I could tough it out, but it's really some kind of interaction between your mind and rest of the body that is out of whack, and as much as I'd try to relax and breathe, my heartrate would still skyrocket and I'd get scared and be out of control.  They hit me so fast too, that you don't know what to do and start getting thoughts in your head about death and dying.  I too wouldn't even take a tylenol for a headache, and would be on my deathbead before going to the doc for antibiotics for a cold, flu, etc...  The panic attacks were so overwhelming and beyond my control that I had to do something.  The meds do take time to kick in and it's a bitch for the ones taking the pills and it also takes a toll on those close by.  Good for sticking around and helping her out.  I still get anxious and jittery if I only take the Lexapro, but if I take a xanax around noon I'm good for the rest of the day.  I would suggest her getting a trial prescription of it and taking it when she feels out of control.

OMG, my wife is the exact same way! Your are absolutely right it does take a toll on people close to her. I'm sticking by her all the way, but I'm at my wits end, I really don't know what I can do anymore. I feel so helpless.
She gets the same symptoms you do, she'll go to sleep at 11pm, wake at 3am with the jitters, sweating, a headache and she can't eat. She also gets the heart palpitation's. She gets these fears of her dying or someone close to her dying. Two weeks ago, the palpitation's got so bad, we went to the ER, where they did EKG, blood tests, MRI of head and chest and found nothing physically wrong with her. They let her go with some other pills that didn't work.
She has tried Paxil and Xanax at different times, both worked for a while, then eventually were ineffective. This is where we are right now, I can't remember the name of it, but she just started a new medication. Right now she is staying with her mom in NY for a week.
It's difficult seeing her like this, she is normally a very strong minded, smart women.

I don't wish this upon my worst enemy.......................well maybe.

Wow.

There generalized anxiety often from external sources or exogenous anxiety. Then theres endogenous or internalized anxiety without a clear source, these are often the ressult of physilogical pathology, an imbalance of chemical in the body that govern mental stability.

There is the anxiety disease. It has a high hereditory factor and responds ONLY with the intervention of medication. Dr David Sheehan of the University of Harvard Medical Center
first published his findingsback in the early 80's and is a book: The Anxiety Disease.
He had discovered and documented the now accepted 100% proof if an individuall suffers the disease. An injection of sodium lactate(same as found in IV ringers) will cause instant panic attacks in those with the disease.

The disease commonly strikes in the early mid 20's. Therapy will not be effective without medication. Often it is NOT possible to ever cease the medication without relapse the incidence of which is high in those with the disease.

I have had the disease for 22 years and am on a med for 20 of those years. The other 2 years I suffered an indescribable hellwhile in colege with no relief what so ever. Shrinks hadme believing sibling envy, separation anxiety, my parents negected me CRAP! All the did is inject HARMFUL TOTALLY false and unfounded opinions because they knew nothing of the anxiety disease.

As soon as a medication I discovered took effect (my brother is also diagnosed and at the time had a hoard of meds in the cabnet-I chose one)It was the end of the second week and Id about lost hope so I to the remaining 5 pills at once (6 being the max dose) I woke up the next day and GONE!!! I coulds smell again hear music and took a long great stretch in the
bed. It was like a miracle after 2.5 years! Since then Ive had a normal successful and enjoyful
life. I got my brother on the same med and he's got a great family and lives very well through his business. Neither of us has had any return since the meds. But theres no coming off for neither of us and OHHH how weve tried!

Just my experiences meant to help in any way.

Marco

I have two clients with anxiety.  Both are taking meds.  One has had spectacular results and the other appears to be getting worse.  A lot of it depends on your own body chemistry and how it  interacts with the medication.  I am not a psychiatrist, just a lowly therapist intern.  Our agency psychiatrist, who is a kick ass child psychiatrist, takes care of the medication end.  Don't envy his job though because of the liability involved.

I suggest you see a well trained cognitive-behavioral therapist.  Cognitive-behaivioral therapy has been shown to be effective in treating anxiety via systematic desenstitization (which I used in treating my first successful anxiety case) and by identifying and processing automatic negative thoughts.

I'm going to a training in October that will be covering causes of anxiety and techniques to help cleints address, manage and resolve their anxiety.

Good luck.

Just as you titrate onto these medications, one should titrate off.  Alternatively, switching to a longer half-life AD such as fluoxetine (Prozac) is a help, simply based on it's week long half-life and 11 day active metabolite.  Also, some anxiety responds much better to benzodiazepines, such as generalized anxiety disorder, however, the risks associated with BZDs makes them an unpopular choice among many.  They're very difficult to get off of.

What you're experiencing is SSRI discontinuation syndrome, and isn't harmful to you medically unless you have a medical condition that's exacerbated by the various symptoms.  

If the psychological impact is too great, then best advised taking a small dose and seeing who prescribed it first.

Yes you will get anxiety attacts, the drug blocks seratonin uptake so that when you stop taking it you get the very problem the drug is supposed to prevent. Many times the brain makes more receptors so that the symptoms are even worse. The "first couple weeks where you get used to the drug" is your brain chemistry changing. You should not stop taking the drug cold turkey. Although they ads say it is not addictive the very fact that you "get used" to taking it contradicts that.

The doctors are quick to put the people on the drugs and not much help at getting them off.

Dude....cold turkey off of paxil after an extended period of time is BAD BAD BAD BAD.

Been there, done that...

Nightmares, lack of energy, disturbed sleep...fucking worst nightmares ever....being generally emotional, etc.

I had to cut back slowly, I knew I wanted off, so I started taking pills every other day, then splitting them and so on.  Paxil is powerful stuff, and the sudden drop on seretonin levels can leve you feeling like old linoleum on the floor...or like a deflated baloon, etc.

Apathy works for me.

To give some backround on me and the situation....
I self-medicate due to the fact I work at a hospital. Once you get to know some of the docs on a working level you really don't want their grouchy asses worling on you...I had a wonderful doc and a good freind who I trusted alot, he was the one who diagnosed me. He has since moved to another facility far from me. Now the only ones I like happen to be surgens, so I tell them what I need and they give the scrip.

I have the kind that has no triggers, they just happen at the strangest times, ie. relaxing, working, it really just does what it wants to.

I went yesterday to refill a scrip of xanax that I haven't used for a long time..to help until I find a doc NOT related to the hospital i am affiliated with.

Thanks to everyone for helping me out. I will give an update later when I get straightened back out.

Thanks again everyone.
I have been back on my 30mg doses for 2 days now and WOW how much better I feel.
I am going to see another doctor in another town in a couple of weeks, maybe I can still get off this shit.

good luck!

Yeah, you need to see a doctor, the standard approach to getting someone off of this is to wean them off slowly.  I have an ex who cold turkeyed this stuff, and she had physical withdrawal symptoms for months afterwards.  Definitely not good.  I have anxiety myself, particularly social anxiety, and I'd recommend actually trying to find out what the underlying reasons for this are and trying to treat it without drugs.  I'm slowly getting better simply because I'm confronting my nervousness around people head-on, by getting out, making friends, going to the bar, etc.  It's working very well for me, but I understand not all people can do that.  Help yourself as best you can, if you can't do it on your own, ask for help.  Just as long as it gets done and you don't cause yourself more harm than good.  

That said what about switching to say Zoloft or Prozac?

Do you like to fuck? cos you'll loose ALL of your sex drive with these two.

Celexa on the other hand, will not be as much of a sex drive killer, but it will take 2 hours to finish and it won't be as cool as you were used to.

Quoted: That said what about switching to say Zoloft or Prozac? Do you like to fuck? cos you'll loose ALL of your sex drive with these two. Celexa on the other hand, will not be as much of a sex drive killer, but it will take 2 hours to finish and it won't be as cool as you were used to.

Paxil has the same effect as the Celexa it sounds like.

Quoted: I'd recommend actually trying to find out what the underlying reasons for this are and trying to treat it without drugs.  I'm slowly getting better simply because I'm confronting my nervousness around people head-on, by getting out, making friends, going to the bar, etc.  It's working very well for me, but I understand not all people can do that.  Help yourself as best you can, if you can't do it on your own, ask for help.  Just as long as it gets done and you don't cause yourself more harm than good.

I don't have any triggers is my biggest problem. I have tried to figure out what my problem is but there is no logic to the attacks. It is as if I have more thoughts in my head than my brain can process.

Quoted: Unfortunatly I am kinda my own doc.... That said what about switching to say Zoloft or Prozac?

So you take something that kicks your ass so now you want to choose between bamboo under your nails or a hot poker up your ass....


One would think you would have learned the 1st time....

Leave that shit alone.....



Or at least see a doc......

It is a crutch.



ETA: Docs get pens, and other shit to hawk thier dope on as many people as possible.....

I quit cold-turkey after 6 months on it.

Went through a week of hell.

Decided that the week of hell was worth dumping all the side effects, and never looked back.



FWIW, the doc I was seeing was a quack, so getting advice from him was a waste of time.  It wasn't too much later the state medical board was investigating him for something (don't remember what, its been several years)

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Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Unfortunatly I am kinda my own doc.... That said what about switching to say Zoloft or Prozac? So you take something that kicks your ass so now you want to choose between bamboo under your nails or a hot poker up your ass.... One would think you would have learned the 1st time.... Leave that shit alone..... Or at least see a doc...... It is a crutch. ETA: Docs get pens, and other shit to hawk thier dope on as many people as possible.....

I agree, he has to see a Doctor.


Do you have any experience in the area of Anxiety, Panic Disorders or Depression?  If you did, you would understand it is NOT a crutch and you would not be telling people who are having these problems, that their medications are a crutch.