Paxil: A Love Hate relationship

[obliviousjo]

Hi george, finally read ur journal..nice read..I think my leg pain began on zoloft or one of the early ad's...so I believe that these ad's DO cause leg as well as fibro pain. My legs are by far my biggest problem...I am like you that it is more on one side..my left side is worse although both my legs feel old and achey Some advice about fibro? Dont bother looking into it ok? All fibromyalgia is, is pain all over without a specific reason. Lol It won't help for you to ever look into it. Trust me, I stopped reading about it years ago.Only makes things worse. I've been dxed with that and a million other things for years and....I honestly believe that most of my pain stems off of starting these ads..I have had almost every test known to man...But what none of my doctors did do was look at my Ad's as to being the CAUSE of the million and one diagnosis they have given...EVEN tho, they are all right there in the warnings of side effects...crazy huh? I think ur dead on with thinking it is the paxil...think it might take a bit after we wean completly off for the pain in our legs to subside after we wean....even get worse while wding but....its the only way we're ever gonna kno right?
I'm right here with you....Think we definetly are going to have similar stories to share Good luck with all this

[Backtopaxil]

Thanks so much Jo

I hear it gets better as you lower you dosage. These medications come with bells and whistles and there are reports that they cause fibromyalgia. That is what worried me that a neurologist tells you to start getting off the meds. I mean, that tells me something.

We need to listen to our intuition. I suspected all along it was paxil, but always gave it the benefit of the doubt. In the end I know it was the medication all along. Read a lot about the kindling effect, but my issue is not mental or psychological but physical. unless my body is telling me, NO MORE !

[Wld]

Originally Posted by Backtopaxil

Hey if we are going to suffer, let it be drug free, at least.

Words to live by...

[Backtopaxil]

Well almost ready for next drop to 15mg.

Mood is good, anxiety is OK I guess, but knees and quads are hurting. Ah and twitching in my legs is out of control I guess. Actually knees were bad last week, seem kind of better today. I am so convinced this is paxil related. My doctor says it could be either paxil or my hiv condition. but I say it started very conveniently after I reinstated. Did not have an iota of symptoms before that.

Anyway, getting off this garbage is my priority now.

[Wld]

Originally Posted by Backtopaxil

Anyway, getting off this garbage is my priority now.

Me too George, me too. I think the fact that you're "good" mentally is awesome, you're lucky. PRAY that it lasts

[Backtopaxil]

Thanks Wld !!

[Backtopaxil]

Well today is a good day. Dropped to 15mg. Usually we should drop slower but was on 20mg for not so long. Next drop, if all goes well will be on April 3rd to 12.5mg.

Mood is good and practically nothing that I cant handle. knock on wood. Maybe I am nuts cause I feel better.

Come to think of it, even if it was Ok with me , I know that increasing my dose in some distant future would have been unbearable. More reasons to get off this drug.

[obliviousjo]

You Sound like ur doing great...was it you that recommended that voltarin cream? Anyway though..if not, I apoligize...lol... If so...got a question????...while cleaning today, found a tube...unopened...remembered someone loved it from here....anyway...about 1-2 hrs later...throat is swollen, hurts...omg..am I allergic to every darn med, vitamins out there huh? Lol anyway i hope ur tomorrow is wonderful too

[Backtopaxil]

Today I dropped to 12.5 mg. It has been very good so far, mood is actually great, and no sign of anxiety. ( but some blurry vision)

I am reaching the end of stage 1, which is my original dosage of 10mg, and then will start stage 2, at a much slower pace. I guess I am tapering a slight longer than I took 20mg.

As per my doctor I maybe taking 33% less since another med combo decreases my paxil by that amount. Who knows...I will need the liquid one. I will have to deal with my insurance yuck

Shaving the pills actually lets you appreciate how little of this thing actually is needed. I mean 10mg is a little bit of powder that is it!

[Wld]

I'm such a ditz! You DO have a journal and I knew that. Anyway, I'm so glad you're doing well and not experiencing any of this yucky mental stuff. Have a nice weekend George.

[aberdeen]

Originally Posted by Backtopaxil

Shaving the pills actually lets you appreciate how little of this thing actually is needed. I mean 10mg is a little bit of powder that is it!

I know, when I saw the tiny crumb I cut out this week I had to laugh. It looks so innocent. I never would believe it could matter at all, but we all know how potent a tiny crumb or bit of powder can be!

[obliviousjo]

Its Insane how those tiny amounts matter....After my ct off the 75mg...I took just the 12.5 mg. after like a month of wd and every zap stopped, flu junk better...It was weird..But of course just that tiny amount brought back all the bad side affects too
So I gave up on that reinstate...lol...oh and I wasnt allergic to that cream..it was that strep coming on...
I'm glad ur doing so good w ur drops You got this!!!

[Backtopaxil]

Oh thanks so much. Deep inside I am eager to get off this drug. When I saw that tiny amount can cause so much havoc....wow.

[Backtopaxil]

Yesterday I had an interesting development. Mood has been good and as usual I injected myself 1ml of B12 on Saturday. But this time it was odd, as I had tremors pretty much all afternoon into the evening. Plus a headache a couple of hours after the injection.(first one since tapering) Checked my blood pressure and was 119/80 Took a couple of tylenol and went away. I did not take any benzo and am doing wonderful today. Think that the B12 is starting to bite me or I am too sensitive, but will keep an eye on this. This week I will skip it.

[Backtopaxil]

Wow, time flies. I have dropped to 10mg and time to hit the brakes on my tapering. I am back on my original 10mg and lonely mg that have caused me so much in the last few months. My 20mg updose, not really a waste of time, as I learned that going up makes me very miserable. So the only way is down. 5 week tapering for something I took 4 weeks is acceptable I guess

I am cutting/filing the pills, I am a pro now and am getting the liquid on Wed after I see my doctor, even if my insurance declines to pay for it, I will get it. I hope that last cocktail tastes better than a martini, geez 250.00 is hard to swallow. But it is my health and that has no price as far as I am concern.

[SoCalStarter]

Interesting about the legs! One of the reasons I wanted to get off the effexor was due to leg cramps, and the muscle spasms when I was falling asleep. Now that I've tapered, guess what, the leg cramps are better!

[Backtopaxil]

Originally Posted by SoCalStarter

Interesting about the legs! One of the reasons I wanted to get off the effexor was due to leg cramps, and the muscle spasms when I was falling asleep. Now that I've tapered, guess what, the leg cramps are better!

Excellent, and good for you that got off that nasty drug.

[obliviousjo]

So true George...no price is too high when it comes to your health...hope that expensive cocktail lasts for a long time....it better ah? Lol..otherwise if you have ur shaving done to such a science why rush it? Guessing its getting tricky the lower you get and I'm all too familiar with how even the slightest drop can cause all to much hell to break lose hope you have the best of luck with everything tho...you deserve to feel perfect

[Backtopaxil]

thanks Jo !!

It is very interesting about all these theories. After talking to my neurologist today he was glad I was down to 10mg. He mentioned that serotonin can be a bad thing too. Too much of it in the wrong places can cause havoc. A very neat balance must exist in the body to be of use, too little of it can also depress you.

He mentions that these drugs affect a lot of serotonin receptor subtypes and thus cause extremely upsetting symptoms. I believe that I am one of those patients that simply cannot take AD. I just took 10mg ( 6.6mg after my other medications lowered paxil). Lowering from 20mg has brought so much relieve, and have yet to be depressed or anxious or anything.

[Backtopaxil]

"Your prescription has been delayed, we are attempting to contact your insurance carrier..." Ah... trying to get that stupid liquid Paxil... I know I am going to end up paying out of pocket.

[obliviousjo]

Ug..its always something isn't it??? That stinks. I hope you dont have to pay out of pocket...thats prob gonna hurt
And I think I'm one of those that can't take them anymore either. I truley do not even understand how this seritonin stuff works. Its so confusing I keep reading how others are taking gaba and such but it ALL just scares me now...I feel like for me its time to just leave my poor lil brain alone. See if I get back to a more stable place and stay there...My pain pills are now effecting me diff than while on the ads..Not lovin that but I'm just trying to pretend that there is no other options as far as ads go...Let the healing begin
I so hope your liquid comes thru for you!!! Keep us posted..

[Backtopaxil]

thanks Jo

The serotonin theory is flawed to the max. The scientist work under the assumption that these drugs come and down regulate the receptors and then there is plenty of serotonin for a Christmas party and we are all happy drinking eggnog. Not a chance !

The brain detects these drugs, rebels by giving you initial anxiety and weird thoughts and mood ( suicidal perhaps?) and then as the receptors are shutdown it reduces the serotonin that it produces. In fact it lives on little serotonin. And that is why when you remove the drug and the receptors start coming up, there is lack of serotonin and all the troubles occur until a new balance is achieved.

I am no scientist but this is my conclusion. The so called scientis tested all of this with rats and monkeys for very short periods of time. Never any tests for years of use !

[lmac]

Good analogy George. I think I completely agree with this!! Sad sad world!!

[Backtopaxil]

Well I got my liquid Paxil, whoaaa what a big bottle. So I asked how much is was and to my surprise it was just my standard co-payment. Wo-wee !

I checked the box and the Apotex does not include the syringes. So I asked my pharmacist for a couple. I also asked him about the expiration date and about once it was opened and he said 3 months is OK.

I guess I will try my Paxil-tini next week. Better get some tonic water and absolut mandarin vodka.

[Backtopaxil]

Did not sleep well last night and today is another day at work...today I am not in the mood of doing much. Plus my car had problems this morning. I thought that was something wrong with the keys and was told by the dealer that it was going to be like $250 to get replaced. But then they tested it and said it is the starter and will be covered by my warranty...but I am still like blah.

I should be happy cause in the last 48 hours I pretty much saved $500.00, that would have gone to $250.00 for my liquid paxil and the $250 for the key replacement ( that are actually good). Guess it is all WD related....