Help

[NYTeach]

Another sleepness night - filled with all sorts of anxiety symptoms I've never had: pounding heart, waves of fear; every time I felt close to falling asleep I felt a jerk or a twitch somewhere; nausea,too. I spent part of the night just crying in my husband's arms. I feel like I'm having a nervous breakdown. I'm going to school however - I stood home on Monday because of lack of sleep and I felt like failure.

Where do I belong? Here at Paxil Progress because of my 6 pills in August? Is this one of those waves? Or, do I belong at Power Surge, the menopause forum where women (I'm five years postmenopause) report exactly the same symptoms. In other words, what's really wrong with me?

And what do I do?

Thanks. I hope your day will be better.

[LCrawford67]

It could be a wave, although I have my doubts after just six pills. Yes, people do have adverse reactions, but if this is something you've also experienced because of menopause, that could very well be the culprit.

Either way, this is just one of those things you have to get through. I'm sorry you're feeling this way, but it doesn't last forever and you just have to keep pushing forward.

If you're not taking supplements, I strongly suggest you start. There are many out there for menopause symptoms. Also, talk to your doctor about it.

[NYTeach]

It's so tempting to take something - xanax, ativan - and just feel better.

[nicemom]

I believe it is w/d. I am 9 years post menop. and I did the saliva test in my 10th month and have gone on progesterone to balance my hormones. It has made no difference. What I get are like hot flashes but many times stronger. When it starts to come on I get this huge rush of powerful anxiety that lasts 30-60 seconds. They are exhausting.

[LCrawford67]

Ahh....but, then you're falling back into the trap of a drug and a quick fix.

No one can tell you what to do, Helen. But, unfortunately, these are all normal experiences both for w/d and for menopause. Xanax and Ativan are both benzos, both addicting, and both pure hell to try and come off of.
That'll be far worse than what you're experiencing right now, believe me.

[nicemom]

Taking something is what I did when it was really, really bad. Keeping our central nervous system calm is key. DO NOT take the amout the bottle says which is probably a whole pill. Take the least about possible, like 1/4-1/8 of a pill. Little slivers have been enough to take the edge of for me so that I can function. I managed to not get addicted that way.

Once your CNS is calmed you will notice a big difference in the level of the symptoms because your body will be calmer.

[Gem]

You are doing really well to go into work when feeling like this. I can’t say about whether this is menopausal or not but I can relate to having such a lack of sleep with other symptoms that I thought I was having a nervous breakdown. I felt so desperate at times but these feelings have always passed and I have gone onto feeling much better. Lack of sleep on top of the other symptoms and everything else makes it extremely hard to cope.

Please don’t feel like a failure, if you really could not face going to school – you did the right thing to take care of yourself.

The waves of fear from withdrawal do pass.


Take care, sending lots of hugs to you

[LCrawford67]

I respectfully disagree with that, Nicemom. This is a person who had a bad reaction after just 6 pills in August. Implying that taking even a sliver, won't be addicting to her, just isn't the case with a person this sensitive.

Bottom line is this, we can't tell you what to do, Helen. Only you know how you feel and whether or not you can deal with it. You have to do what you have to do.

[nicemom]

Deal with today, today. You have a job that you have to continue to function at. You are working with kids all day, that itself would be too much for most. It has been my experience that the quicker you get the anxiety under control, the sooner the other symptoms will lessen and the sooner you are back to feeling better.

Our CNS in w/d is so very sensitive. For me the anxiety was not caused by anything going on or anything I did. It is psudo(?) anxiety that is created by w/d. Once you feel that anxiety you need to use coping skills, deep breathing, saying the right things to yourself and not perpetuate it, go for a walk, etc. Sometimes that does not work but you still have to put the work into it. I think people get addicted because they take a pill and lay down. That is where you get addicted because you are expecting the pill to do all the work. I would take a sliver and then go for my walk or busy myself with something. It was just enough to take the edge off so I could function. That's all I wanted was to be able to function.

You do what you have to do to get through today. You do not want to take a benzo every day or depend on it too much but sometimes you have to be able to function. I know how you feel Helen because I have been there. It will get better with time! I promise. Hang in there and good luck today!

[NYTeach]

Thank you so much, everyone. I really appreciate your replies so much.

I won't be taking any pills. This summer I threw away anything I had in the house, after the Paxil. Most of those were prescriptions given to me by the doctor that I had filled but never used. I've really never taken much of anything in my lifetime.

Once again, thank you so much to everyone who replied.

[LCrawford67]

Just hang in there, Helen. And, look to alternatives for your menopausal symptoms and even if they are w/d symptoms, there are alternatives to aleviating them.

We're here for ya!

[nicemom]

Doing it without meds is always best. I am not in any way saying that that should be used if you are capable to do it without! I didn't want to put your job in jeoparday by missing another day. You are strong and you will get through today.

Why don't you go have your hormones tested and find out where you stand on that? I think the saliva test is the most accurate. Paxil w/d messes with your hormones but luckily you didn't take it for very long. You have been having some really good days, your body is adjusting. Its hard not to think that every little thing that pops up is w/d. My history and experience is much different than yours and we all react differently. If you get your hormones tested, you can make a better decision on what is going on with you once you know.