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Mental Health (Expert Forum)
Anxiety and Paxil
Answered by
Roger Gould, M.D. - Mental Health, Wellness
Questions posted in the Mental Health forum are being answered by Dr. Roger L. Gould, author of the Mastering Stress and Depression program and affiliated with the UCLA. Department of Psychiatry. Topics covered include anger, attention deficit disorder (ADD), bipolar disorder, dementia, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), learning disabilities, memory, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic, personality disorders, phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia, stress, transitions, and work problems.
Anxiety and Paxil
by gaylemh, Nov 23, 2003 12:00AM
Hi! I appreciate any info you can give me. I have been going to my doctor for treatment for Hypothyroid for the last 3 years. I have been having some anxiety over that time, but have always been able to work and function. The last two months I have been getting feeling of a vibration in my body, mostly in my legs and have felt very restless. The doctor did blood work Thyroid TSH
FT4 and T3 CBC Chem Panel B12 and every thing came back normal. I was still having the vibrations and anxiety after seven weeks and thought it was coming from my thyroid so she retested it. Even though there was no change in my Synthroid dose. In the meantime she wanted me to try Paxil to see if everyting was anxiety related. I took the Paxil for 4 days and the anxiety increased to a point where I lost 6 pounds, had no taste for food but forced myself to eat, couldn't sleep my heart was racing and the vibrations were in my whole body. She called me with the latest Thryoid results on Saturday and told my my Ft4 was elevated to 2.2 Range .08 -1.8 TSH was 2.2 and TT3 was 135. And the also tested me for antibodies for the first time and they came back positive.
She advised me to lower my dose from 50mcgm to 37.5. I told her about the reaction to Paxil and she told me not to take it any more and to take a Xanax 2x a day for a few days.
The nervousness and anxiety are still there after 2 days of not taking the Paxil and I want to get back to work. (I didn't go all last week)
My question is: Is this extreme nervousness and anxiety a extreme reation to the Paxil, or the higher TT4 level( I Never felt like this in my life)
And How long before the Paxil is out of you system when you only have taken it for 4 days?
Sorry this is so long, but I wanted to give you as much info as possible. Thanks Gail
FT4 and T3 CBC Chem Panel B12 and every thing came back normal. I was still having the vibrations and anxiety after seven weeks and thought it was coming from my thyroid so she retested it. Even though there was no change in my Synthroid dose. In the meantime she wanted me to try Paxil to see if everyting was anxiety related. I took the Paxil for 4 days and the anxiety increased to a point where I lost 6 pounds, had no taste for food but forced myself to eat, couldn't sleep my heart was racing and the vibrations were in my whole body. She called me with the latest Thryoid results on Saturday and told my my Ft4 was elevated to 2.2 Range .08 -1.8 TSH was 2.2 and TT3 was 135. And the also tested me for antibodies for the first time and they came back positive.
She advised me to lower my dose from 50mcgm to 37.5. I told her about the reaction to Paxil and she told me not to take it any more and to take a Xanax 2x a day for a few days.
The nervousness and anxiety are still there after 2 days of not taking the Paxil and I want to get back to work. (I didn't go all last week)
My question is: Is this extreme nervousness and anxiety a extreme reation to the Paxil, or the higher TT4 level( I Never felt like this in my life)
And How long before the Paxil is out of you system when you only have taken it for 4 days?
Sorry this is so long, but I wanted to give you as much info as possible. Thanks Gail
Doctor's Answer
by Roger Gould, M.D., Nov 24, 2003 12:00AM
, Nov 24, 2003 12:00AM
Although Paxil can be a stimulant and cause the symptoms you described, you should no longer have any Paxil in your system now. It is most likely a thyroid elevation issue, and will go down as you decrease your dose..periodic xanax is a good idea in the short run until your thyroid level goes down, but go off it slowly if you use it more than 4 days, or use more than 4 times a day.
I was on Prozac for 4 years, went off of it with NO problems at all. I went on Paxil only because where I live I have no insurance and they(the county Dr.s)won't give me a Rx for Prozac unless I see a Psychitrist, which I'm willing to do, but the wait is OVER A YEAR.
I've been also taking Omega 3(salmon oil)and that has helped, unfortunately I ran out a week ago...LOL, never rains but it pours, huh?
I just need to vent, but if ANYONE has support to offer me, I'd really appreciate it!
If anyone has answers to what may be going on, please feel free to contact me at ***@****
Take Care All!