Just switched to paxil (paroxtine) and clonazepam - your stories please

[goawayanxiety]

As some of you have read, I was put in xanax for panic attacks. Then citalopram (celexa) was addedd whent he attacks weren't settling down. I was on the cita. for 17 days with vomiting and dizzy spells getting worse. The nurse practitioner at my therapists office switched me off the cita and onto paroxetine (paxil) 10mg at night for now then up to 20 mg. She also wants me to take clonazepam .5 - 1 mg at bed time to help me sleep through the night and get through the early am panic attacks. Plus still take four .5 alprazolam (xanax) a day (I only take .25). This sounds like an awful lot to me. A month and a half ago I was on nothing and now I feel like a druggie.
Last night I took the paroxetine, only .25 of the clonazepam at bed. Then I took the .25 of the alprazolam at 3:30 am. I didn't sleep any better, but was not quite at paniced as the night before. I am pretty jittery this morning and still did vomit a little.
I am looking for anyone to share their stories of meds, med adjustment, these particular meds. I just really could use encouragement right now.
Thanks!

[Sheka1]

Doctors still prescribe hydrocod/acetaminophen. I think your friend was getting you to buy them for his profit. I would go back to the doctor and talk to him about what is good for your treatment. I wouldn't tell your friend anything about what you are taking. It's good to be safe. Keep going to the doctor until he gets it right.  Ask God for help, it never hurts to ask.

[goawayanxiety]

This is my first real relapse in twenty years. I have severe anxiety as a teen. Since then I have just had anxious moments. For the last couple months I have been a wreck!

[edgyboy]

Sorry to hear you are edgy right now. Just remember that you are not alone. I got up the same way this morning. Had I a pretty good day yesterday and went to bed feeling good but when I awoke this morning, I felt very anxious.

How long does your anxiety usually last for? I went through this back in the fall for a few weeks. Everyday was a *******. Nervous all the time. Racing thoughts that were scary. But all the while, I continued to go about my daily routine. It eventually just went away on its own.

Strange stuff for sure. I just can't believe the symptoms came back so soon. I had it for the month of October and then they went away. A couple of weeks ago I had some anxiety in my sleep and have been shaky ever since.

Edgy

[goawayanxiety]

I am working on the "just go with it" but that is hard. Especially at night. Right now it is just before 7 am am I am edgy, but okay. Getting better sleep seems to be helping, but I hate to be rely on pills for sleep. But right now I will do what ever it takes to get over the anxiety.

[edgyboy]

I have been on Paxil for about 16 years. Most of the times I am on a low dose of 10 mg. but have been as high as 40 mg. I don't suffer from anxiety continuously like some people I hear about.

Mine comes after a stressfull period and usually lasts for about a month and then mysteriously goes away. Obviously, when the anxiety hits, I increase my dosage. I also exercise alot to keep my anxiety and stress levels under control. This really helps.

During my anxiety episodes, depending on the severity, I usually have trouble sleeping at night and I am anxious in the mornings. Besides increasing the paxil dosage, I begin taking .25 mg of xanax before bed, only if i need it. I really dont like being medicated but I'll do it until the anxiety goes away.

Also, try to go with the anxiety. I know it is hard but try to accept it as the body's reaction to stress and that you are not crazy!!!! That is a biggie with me. I always have the same fears with each episode. I have lived a pretty much normal life despite these attacks. Let me know if you need any help or have any questions.

Edgy

[remar]

I'm not on it any more. After many years, it quit working for me. This can happen sometimes. I take Lexapro now and it works pretty will.
It sounds like your doing better. That's great to hear. Keep us updated.

[goawayanxiety]

The xanax helped a little, I was on .25 at first once or twice a day. After I tried effexor, which made it worse, I went up to xanax .25 3 - 4 - or 5 times a days. Next was the celexa. A few days in, it seemed like I had some points in the day where I felt a little better, but still on four xanax. The side effects seemed to be getting worse, so my doc changed me to paxil and klonopin on top of the xanax. I am only on day 6 of the paxil. I seem to be doing okay. I just up my paxil dosage,so we will see how today goes. The klonopin seems to be helping me through the night better. I wake with anxiety, but not as much. I am still taking xanax, but trying to get three or less a day. So far so good, but I thought the celexa was good too, and then the side effects got worse. Good luck to you!!!

[geno877]

Hellow, new here, just came across your post and hoped you might have some interesting info. I am 48 years old male, had perfit, athletic health all my life and about 4 years ago I cant sleep and begin having extream nervis tension. I mean it was like crazy, I would be so anxis 24 hour a day every day until my friend took me to a doc.

He called G.A.D and put me on xanax, 1 mg. It was like a wondr drug, for about a year I took it every morning and life was back to happy go lucky family life.  

After about 2 yraes the med began wearing off and the symptoms would come back worse then ever. Tried to increase dose and switched to colonazapam.  No help, now the colz helps with some of the anxiety, I findI have know energery at all when I wake up, and I feel very sick, went to see over 8 specialist docs and they had no clue and could care less.

Now I am stuck at home every day in bed hearting, unless I take some
hydracodone10/60, a pain killer, but it clears up everything, no anxiety,
full of energery, no side effects at all. I was like WOW, great!
Then, my friend who had given me a hand full of these told me the bad news that the doctors arenot prescribing them any more and they cost about 5$ each on the streets from drug dealers.  So that was the end of that.  

I was going to start trying Wellbutin with the colonpen and see what happens, how do you feel on these and how long did it take to feel better if so,  Thanks, God bless you and keep you, geno

[goawayanxiety]

Thanks for sharing! Starting meds is scary! It is nice to hear other people's stories. How long have you been on the Paxil?

[goawayanxiety]

I took .5 of the clonazepam and only woke up once. I took .25 of xanax and fell bak to sleep until 6:45 am. My best sleep in weeks. It makes me feel a little hopeful. I am anxious right now, but not like most days where I am at a 9 or 10 from 4 am on. Fingers crossed!

[remar]

I have taken Paxil and it worked wonders for me with both my anxiety and depression. My Dr started me out on 20 mgs and it started working within a week. I did gain weight on it. That can be a side effect of some of these meds. I had to go down to 10 mgs because of the weight gain and did well on it but had to add a small amount of an anti anxiety med. We're all so different and respond to these meds differently. I really hope you do well on it. For me, it was the fastest acting antidepressant I've ever been on with little side effects, except the weight gain and some dizziness the first couple of days. See how you do on 10 mgs and if you feel good then you might want to stay on that dose. This is only my experience with this med. Like I said. we're all different. Keep us up to date on how your doing with it.

[JGF25]

Hi there...I cannot say anything about the paxil since I have never tried that one.  I take Wellbutrin 300 mg XR.  However, I do take 1 mg of klonopin (clonazepam) every night to sleep.  It works really well for me.  If I take less, I think you mentioned you took a quarter, then I will wake up.  So if you have been given the go-ahead to take 1 mg, then I would try that to see if you sleep through.  

The jitteryness as you already know is normal.  Since you are switching meds, it may be around for a while.  I used to have better evenings for some reason but it was a struggle in the morning through mid day.  I did take klonopin as well during the day but I tried to lessen the dosage as much as I could because it is hard to function as you know.  I'm wondering why they didn't just put you on klonopin during the day instead of keeping you on the xanax.  Might be worth asking your doctor.  The klonopin is longer acting but it does take longer to start working.  

Once you find the right medication for you, you more than likely won't need to take anything during the day at all and just perhaps your klonopin at night to sleep which you could then try to wean down (with your doctors permission of course) if you are bothered by the amount of meds you are taking.  

The key is to get to the "good" state where you feel like yourself again and then you can talk to your doctor about trying to get off of or wean down some of the other meds.  

Until then, you need to do what is going to get you through the day.  You are certainly not a druggie...just trying to not feel like crap the entire time.  Eventually on the right meds you will feel like yourself again.  

Take care.