Off Paxil after 10+ years....doc gave me something else...

Elavil...he told me to try one and if that wasn't enough to up th dose to 2. He told me to take before I go to bed. I took one and it knocked me right out! I am I couldn't wake up for work, I had to call in sick and slept all day knocked me out! I have been very abusive verbally to everyone in my family and they are all sarcastic and tell me "take a pill and shut up"...they are all very nice people ! I would like to completely get out of my current environment, but it's not possible at the moment. Things are ok most of the time, but when something happens and I have an episode, I want to kill them, kill me, kill anyone. Is this just the Paxil withdrawl talking? Most Probably. I didn't go cold turkey. I was taking 40 mg everyday for over 10 years. Then I decided I no longer want to screw up my body to deal with other peoples ****. But it seems impossible. I no longer even have Paxil in my house and it's NEVER coming back into my house again!! I'll take the Elavil if I must, but God Help me, I'm going to try to deal with this on my own!!

I have been taking Elavil since 1972 and I remember when I first started taking it all I wanted to do was sleep. After I had been on it for a few weeks the constant sleepiness went away and I'm sure it will work the same for you. Right now I take 75 mgs around an hour before I go to bed and it helps me to sleep. If you don't mind my asking, how many mgs did your doctor put you on? Since Elavil is a tricylic antidepressant it is a lot safer to take than the SSRI's and also a lot easier to get off of.

This is only my opinion and others might tend not to agree with me.

[emily]

Why'd you stop the Paxil, & why'd the Dr. prescribe the Elavil?
Med-switches can be incredibly frustrating. The reason the tricyclics aren't prescribed as much anymore is because they supposedly had a lot more side effects while on, & were considered harmful if taken for prolonged periods (the regimen was to "cycle" on, then off, etc.) I'd go back & ask the Dr. what his/her rationale was for prescribing the Elavil--not that it's not necessarily a good option for you, but it's a pretty big decision, & I'd want some clarity before I leapt in with both feet!!!

[darcyb]

Beverly from Indiana, tricyclics ARE NOT SAFER. The main motivation pharmaceutical companies had to come out with SSRIs was to create something useful that was SAFER than tricyclics. You are misinformed.

Drugs like Elavil have worse side effects, carry greater risks, and are more lethal in overdose. SSRIs were designed because they are safer.

I remind everyone to ask their own doctors for information on the safety of drugs if they find information provided by the public here suspect.

Ms. Melancholy, you may need to get a 2nd opinion from a different doctor who has more experience and is willing to admit the real risks in any of these medications. If you are feeling like you need to threaten your life and/or the lives of others, please surround yourself with open ears (hotlines, support groups, whatever) and begin moving away from that rationale immediately ok?

I just want everybody to be safe and be aware of the truth. Thanks for shedding some light too Emily.

Ms. Melancholy, it's not fair that people close to you should tell you to shut up and take a pill. That is a very childish and uninformed thing for them to say. I hope you hold true to your own beliefs about yourself and your capacity to be a wonderful human being. To be fair, people often try to use humour and sarcasm to avoid having to relate too closely to another's problems. It's a standard avoidance thing as people try to keep themselves happy. I hope you can just see through their own coping mechanisms and realize that in the end, you will be your own guiding and shining light. You are here already, just by sharing so openly.

Can you describe what you mean by an 'episode'?

Originally Posted by paxilprogress

Beverly from Indiana, tricyclics ARE NOT SAFER. The main motivation pharmaceutical companies had to come out with SSRIs was to create something useful that was SAFER than tricyclics. You are misinformed.

Drugs like Elavil have worse side effects, carry greater risks, and are more lethal in overdose. SSRIs were designed because they are safer.

I remind everyone to ask their own doctors for information on the safety of drugs if they find information provided by the public here suspect.

Ms. Melancholy, you may need to get a 2nd opinion from a different doctor who has more experience and is willing to admit the real risks in any of these medications. If you are feeling like you need to threaten your life and/or the lives of others, please surround yourself with open ears (hotlines, support groups, whatever) and begin moving away from that rationale immediately ok?

I just want everybody to be safe and be aware of the truth. Thanks for shedding some light too Emily.

Ms. Melancholy, it's not fair that people close to you should tell you to shut up and take a pill. That is a very childish and uninformed thing for them to say. I hope you hold true to your own beliefs about yourself and your capacity to be a wonderful human being. To be fair, people often try to use humour and sarcasm to avoid having to relate too closely to another's problems. It's a standard avoidance thing as people try to keep themselves happy. I hope you can just see through their own coping mechanisms and realize that in the end, you will be your own guiding and shining light. You are here already, just by sharing so openly.

Can you describe what you mean by an 'episode'?

My mother has been taking Elavil since the early 80's -75mg and is doing fine. She is quite well. I actually decided, after much research on Paxil and other ssri's that I wanted to get off of it. I was tired of relying on chemicals to make me feel "normal", when all I've felt is just numb, sexually and everyother way. A house could be on fire, I wouldn't/couldn't react. I wanted to "feel" again. I recently (the last year) lost 130lbs and feel much, much better about who I am and what I want and I don't want to live my life on meds. I understand as some say that if you have asthma or any other life-threatening disease you don't just stop taking your meds. I agree. That is why I decided to taper off of Paxil and have the Elavil just in case. My doctor told me he thinks I would be fine without anything, but as a precaution, he prescribed Elavil on my request. He told me to start with 25mg about an hour before bed time and if I see that that isn't enough to go up to 2 pills (50mg). I took the 25mg twice and really don't like the spaced out, sleepy feeling it gives me. For the last 3 or 4 days now I've been taking nothing. I'm doing great, except I can't seem to sleep to well. I wake up, I have nightmares...I'm feeling exhausted right now. But otherwise, I have no other major withdrawl symptoms that I am aware of! My doctor is quite well educated on the subject and thinks that I am at a place in my life now that I don't need anything at all. I'm the one that asked for the Elavil because I've seen my mother taking this for years and it hasn't killed her or given her any horrible side effects.

Beverly, do you still take it ? how did you find yourself on this messageboard?

Emily, I decided to stop the Paxil. After much research and debate and looking at one's self, I realized what the hell am I doing? Why am I relying on this crap to be so called "normal"? I got the Elavil as a sort of safety net, if you will. I've taken it twice and don't care for it.


Thanks Darcy. I don't REALLY want to kill anyone. People in my close circle can really ride my nerves and piss me off. They aren't very understanding at times. Episode? Well, I was diagnosed as having Episodal Depression. Basically means when something bad happens in my life, I react with a deep depression. Take for example when my brother died in 1994. Months before he passed away I also got laid off of my job. Double wammy! And of course I seeked professional help (someone to talk to about dealing with it all) and of course, they give you a prescription and tell you to your time is up. So that's how I ended up on Paxil. That's how long I've been taking it and when something big happens, I still have to deal with it, with or without Paxil!!

Any advise out there about falling asleep and staying asleep?!! Thanks!

Ms. Melancholy: Yes, I still take 75 mgs of Elavil at bedtime and just like your mother have had no horrible side effects. I will more than likely take it for the rest of my life.

I found this site a little over 3 years ago after I lost my mother and had become severely depressed. My doctor at that time put me on 20 mgs of Paxil a day so I did a search on Paxil and that's how I found this site. Their are so many caring, compassionate people on this board who are always there to offer any type of support one might need.

I stopped taking the Paxil over 2 years ago and am now taking 10 mgs of Lexapro a day.

[darcyb]

Originally Posted by Ms. Melancholy

I was diagnosed as having Episodal Depression. Basically means when something bad happens in my life, I react with a deep depression. Take for example when my brother died in 1994. Months before he passed away I also got laid off of my job.

Well duh! It's completely healthy to be depressed after all that! Geez! I hope you give yourself permission to be a human being and grieve/pour your heart out! As glad as I was to divorce from my ex wife, I still spent several days (few months not and then more still) bawling for hours. I cried at work, at home, whenever and wherever. I got through it much quicker that way and gained alot of perspective and appreciation for the nature of my heart. It loves like crazy.

Should have seen me when I was a teen. Any time I'd "lose" a girlfriend, I'd cry non stop for months, play sad songs, play the piano, wonder, "why me" and all that drama. But I got through the pain without excessive jading because of it. It allowed me to experience low self worth without losing too much vulnerability. That's the goal of any adversity in life : Don't, at all costs, lose your vulnerability. Cry, vent and steam all the gunk out so that your inner purity can remain innocent.

Any advise out there about falling asleep and staying asleep?!! Thanks!

-go to bed the same time every night (including weekends)

-get up the same time every day (including weekends)

-take caffiene completely out of your diet

-no nicotine, zero, nada

-no alcohol on nights you want to have quality sleep

-drink lots of water

-walk 30-60 minutes a day if your health permits it, but no later than 7pm

-no TV after 9pm

-no computer after 9pm

-never go to bed hungry

-if you need to do something before bed, make it reading out loud or reading quietly, whatever tires you more.

-if you need to eat before bed, try turkey and milk.

-have sex before going to sleep

-make the bedroom a sleep zone only. Get that tv outta there!

-try some white noise. Get a sound therapy machine or listen to an easy listening radio station without the volume being too soft to make you strain to want to hear it, nor too loud to grab your attention. You can even try running a fan. But be careful. If you get too cozy with a white noise, sleeping in a dead quiet room can get difficult! So avoid this last one if you can.

-try valerian root a few hours before bed, but only use it occasionally. Maybe once or twice a week at most?

-cool off your sleeping area before bedtime. You'll sleep better. Getting snuggly in warm blankets in a cold room works GREAT!

-change in the air in your sleeping area before bedtime. Fresh air from outside is ZzZzZz...good.

-get really soft sheets

-wear really soft pyjamas

-try a hot bath with lavender before bed. Dry your hair though.

-try a flatter or thicker pillow. See if you can actually improve how your neck feels

-when lying there in bed having difficulty sleeping, don't attach to thoughts. If your thoughts just ramble on, let them ramble but resist the urge to complete their sentences or to add to them. Just...let...them...go. Don't ignore, just don't attach. You'll notice what I mean with practice. Then, using imagery but not thoughts if you get my drift, conjure up images of beautiful places. Imagine yourself lying there and a green and/or purple blanket of light is falling unto yourself.

In the most dire cases when I've been too damned wired to get any sleep, I just surrender. I say mentally, "that's it, I give up, I'm not moving, thinking, or anything. I'm just going to lie here and breathe deeply and not care one way or another if I sleep or not...ok...thoughts...stopping...don't care...letting go...I'm yours...I surrender...........................shh...........................breathing.................letting go.................................................................................................. ..........................................nothing exists....................................................................ZzZzZzZzZz.

Thanks Beverly and Darcy!
I'll try out those little tricks to help fall asleep! Last night, I had the window open a bit (still a little cold out there!) and put my cotton Victoria Secret PJ's on, suggled up under the blankets (bonus: my cat Simba decided to sleep beside my legs last night) and I fell alseep with no other means! It was wonderful. And I stayed asleep pretty well all night! Now, if I could manage to do that everynight....oh, joy!
Yes, I don't want to be numb and feelingless (is that a word?!) anymore. I want to allow myself to feel things, good and bad. It's life.
Love to all and have a wonderful weekend! Thank you again for the kind words of wisdom!

[emily]

Um...Darcy...I think you mean you BAWLED for hours, rather
than balled...

:0 )

[darcyb]

Originally Posted by emily

Um...Darcy...I think you mean you BAWLED for hours, rather
than balled...

:0 )

*cough cough* Hmmm? Who me? What? Somebody say something? Thanks Emily, you saved the integrity of my post hehe.