Lexapro or Paxil for anxiety?

[armira]

Hi all!
I have been having anxiety disorder/depression/OCD for almost 15 years.
So.. last medicaments i have used was Lexapro and Xanax.
I've been off of meds for almost 4 years, i almost forgot what anxiety and panick attack were.
So, i work with sdudents, and lately i think my anxiety is getting back. Because of my work has a lot of responsabilities, i went to see my psychologyst. She said i have to try Paxil 10 mg to keep it under control.
I really dont know what to do... its been a long time since i was all clean, but im affraid anxiety gonna get worse and ruin my carriere :(
What do u think, should i use Lexapro because that was the last SSRi i have used, or give a try to Paxil?

[VickyMartelis123]

It really depends on what level your anxiety is. Mine is where I pass out, can't breath, and have a seizure. I had to have mood stabilizers. Just ask your physciatrist.

[Paxiled]

I'm afraid this will scare people to death.  Are you saying anxiety causes you to have seizures?  I'm doubting that.  It can be confusing because GABA is tied to both anxiety and seizures.  And mood stabilizers usually indicate a psychosis, not anxiety.  I'm just wondering.  I've had anxiety for most of my adult life, but seizures have never appeared as a threat except from the medication used to treat anxiety.  Peace.

[Paxiled]

First, psychologists don't prescribe or recommend medications, psychiatrists do.  Psychologists do talk therapy, and given you say anxiety is just starting to rear up, you might want to try therapy before medication because therapy can cure the problem and medication can only tamp down the symptoms.  Second, nobody can tell you that you have to take any particular med.  That's up to you.  They can recommend, but can't force it on you.  If you decide you need medication, if it were me, and it isn't, I'd go back to what worked before, which is the Lexapro.  I wouldn't necessarily add the Xanax unless you need it on an occasional basis, but nobody lives an anxiety free life so again, the question whenever medication is considered is how badly is it disrupting your life?  If really badly, medication is usually necessary because therapy takes time.  If you're functioning but having some anxiety then all medication can be a problem so as with any invasive medical procedure, you do it when you have to.  You know better than we do how badly this is affecting you.  I would ask, is it covid?  We're all stressed right now, and if you work with students, that's got to be even more stressful right now.  As for Paxil, I would only use Paxil or Effexor if every other option has been exhausted.  They are notoriously difficult to take and even more difficult to stop taking, so save those for if nothing else works.  And again, if you have a doctor and they say you have to take any medication and only that medication when there are many options available, you should probably find a different doctor who will discuss different options with you.  Peace.

[armira]

Thank you a lot! Well my anxiety is menagable, i can live through it, it had difficulties but i can deal on normal life. What scares me most is my time back to school with students and because of this Covid time, i got stressed and anxious. My biggest fear is "what if im gonna have a panick attack during my classes" and that terrifies me :(
I wonder if there is any medication to take only as needed ( not xanax because i was so addicted)
Thank u for your time!

[Paxiled]

The as needed medications are like Xanax.  In the same category, but that drug does seem to be hard on people.  You can't get addicted if you don't take it daily, and that includes Xanax.  There are a lot of benzos you can take just when necessary, and if you do that you won't get addicted.  But if you have too much liking for it, then that's also a problem that needs knowing why.  My view of medication is based on the medical maxim, first, do no harm.  It just makes sense that if you are functioning pretty well you don't take something that alters the way your body works.  You do that if you need to.  Therapy anyone can try and if it works, you don't do anything invasive.  By the way, fear of getting an anxiety attack is what anxiety is -- it's the fear of fear.  Everyone is afraid of some things, but it doesn't spread to other things.  When we get an anxiety disorder, we get afraid of our anxiety.  I would ask, have you ever gotten an anxiety attack during a class?  I'm guessing that's not likely, as you are probably the best you when you're teaching, you're not focused at those times on anxiety.  If you don't think anxious thoughts, you don't have anxiety.  I think seeing a therapist would be good.  I also think you should go easy on yourself, any teacher not stressed out over opening up schools with covid out of control is probably having a different problem.  Just take it one day at a time, and make sure in your classroom the rules are followed whatever else is going on elsewhere in the school.  And hey, finally everyone is recognizing those who work with our kids are essential, at least there's that.