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My Experience with Benzos and SSRI's
Hi All,
I almost went back on Paxil recently due to withdrawal symptoms that I am getting while still on Klonopin. If I didnt research I would never have found the effect called tolerance withdrawal. Basically you start to withdraw because the amount is no longer sufficient to cover the symptoms and you start having a Paradoxical effect.
For anyone suffering from Either of these drugs I decided to write up an overview of the good, the bad and the ugly. So you know what you are getting into.
A bit of history. I have suffered from panic since I was 5. My mom, Grandmother, Uncle, and a good portion of my extended family have PA and OCD. If its learned behavior its pretty strong. I have been on Medicine since I was 13 because I was forcing my mom to bring me to the ER because I was convinced I had cancer, and would suffer major attacks of dissociation and fear, and not eat for days.
Here is what you can expect.
Klonopin- I was on this drug at .5 milligrams for years as well as a very old antidepressant that I forgot the name of. I have been off an on K for a long time, typically at low doses.
The Good: It is extremely effective at first at the prescribed does at getting rid of panic attacks and calming you. If you are anxious every day, and suffer debilitating panic attacks this medicine is a godsend. It also works quickly, not as quickly as Xanax, but within a half hour or so you can feel the wave of relaxation.
The Bad: It builds tolerance quickly. You may notice any long term user typically increases there dosage. This is because of a tolerance buildup. The withdrawal from Benzos and Tolerance Wtihdrawal are some of the most painful things I have been through. I have gone cold turkey off of .5. Severe Anxietey, Headache, High Blood Pressure, Twitching, Palpitations of the Heart, Tachycardia, feeling if the hearts not working well, Extreme Derealization and Depersonalization, Anger, did I say anger, double that, hopelessness.
Klonopin is tough, Once you are on it you tend to be in a cycle, increase or feel bad, go off and feel bad, and then have rebound panic.
SSRI's - I have been on Paxil, Zoloft, and Paxil CR
The good: I went on Paxil because K stopped working, I had the most vicious anxiety attack of my life at 21 After a night of drinking. I was not informed about drinking on K at the time and anxiety from Alcohol, I was new to drinking. I went to the DR and he put me on Paxil. The first days were rough but then I remember I felt great, better than great like superman great. I would have a panic attack try and sneak up on me and it was like a guard would stop it from progressing. I felt wonderful and had little to no concern about life, consequences, or anything else, I just floated happily through it without panic or anxiety.
The Bad: When I started Paxil I weighed 164 pounds, had a black belt in Karate and was super active. I remained active and through the years gained 7 pounds per year, so after 7 years I was up 70 pounds. I never ate much. I had random thoughts of committing extreme violence that scared me, I thought about driving into the other lane of traffic occasionally, almost like a daydream, and then I would shake it off almost like a waking dream and feel bad about the thought. I thought violently here and there but never ever acted out or got close, but the thoughts tugged strongly.
I was never a big drinker, but 5 years in I started drinking wine. and drinking and drinking. I would consume huge amounts of wine. My weight was pushing 220 on my 5' 8" frame, my BP was high 160/95. Cholesterol 225, but I was happy. The drinking starting getting worse and my weight was bad so I quit it all. Going off of Paxil is very very hard, brain zaps, dissociation, angry thoughts, basically anything you brain an toss at your to go back on. Klonopin was harder than Paxil, I have done both cold turkey, and both were very very very bad.
I found out later, my DR. never told me, that Paxil causes weight gain, suicidal thoughts, thoughts of anger, and increases desire to drink alcohol in some people (Search Yale study SSRI and Alcohol).
So there you have it. You have to weight the risks. I just decided not to go back on an SSRI even though I have anxiety almost all day long yet have to function. I will continue my search to alleviate panic and anxiety.
Godspeed.
I almost went back on Paxil recently due to withdrawal symptoms that I am getting while still on Klonopin. If I didnt research I would never have found the effect called tolerance withdrawal. Basically you start to withdraw because the amount is no longer sufficient to cover the symptoms and you start having a Paradoxical effect.
For anyone suffering from Either of these drugs I decided to write up an overview of the good, the bad and the ugly. So you know what you are getting into.
A bit of history. I have suffered from panic since I was 5. My mom, Grandmother, Uncle, and a good portion of my extended family have PA and OCD. If its learned behavior its pretty strong. I have been on Medicine since I was 13 because I was forcing my mom to bring me to the ER because I was convinced I had cancer, and would suffer major attacks of dissociation and fear, and not eat for days.
Here is what you can expect.
Klonopin- I was on this drug at .5 milligrams for years as well as a very old antidepressant that I forgot the name of. I have been off an on K for a long time, typically at low doses.
The Good: It is extremely effective at first at the prescribed does at getting rid of panic attacks and calming you. If you are anxious every day, and suffer debilitating panic attacks this medicine is a godsend. It also works quickly, not as quickly as Xanax, but within a half hour or so you can feel the wave of relaxation.
The Bad: It builds tolerance quickly. You may notice any long term user typically increases there dosage. This is because of a tolerance buildup. The withdrawal from Benzos and Tolerance Wtihdrawal are some of the most painful things I have been through. I have gone cold turkey off of .5. Severe Anxietey, Headache, High Blood Pressure, Twitching, Palpitations of the Heart, Tachycardia, feeling if the hearts not working well, Extreme Derealization and Depersonalization, Anger, did I say anger, double that, hopelessness.
Klonopin is tough, Once you are on it you tend to be in a cycle, increase or feel bad, go off and feel bad, and then have rebound panic.
SSRI's - I have been on Paxil, Zoloft, and Paxil CR
The good: I went on Paxil because K stopped working, I had the most vicious anxiety attack of my life at 21 After a night of drinking. I was not informed about drinking on K at the time and anxiety from Alcohol, I was new to drinking. I went to the DR and he put me on Paxil. The first days were rough but then I remember I felt great, better than great like superman great. I would have a panic attack try and sneak up on me and it was like a guard would stop it from progressing. I felt wonderful and had little to no concern about life, consequences, or anything else, I just floated happily through it without panic or anxiety.
The Bad: When I started Paxil I weighed 164 pounds, had a black belt in Karate and was super active. I remained active and through the years gained 7 pounds per year, so after 7 years I was up 70 pounds. I never ate much. I had random thoughts of committing extreme violence that scared me, I thought about driving into the other lane of traffic occasionally, almost like a daydream, and then I would shake it off almost like a waking dream and feel bad about the thought. I thought violently here and there but never ever acted out or got close, but the thoughts tugged strongly.
I was never a big drinker, but 5 years in I started drinking wine. and drinking and drinking. I would consume huge amounts of wine. My weight was pushing 220 on my 5' 8" frame, my BP was high 160/95. Cholesterol 225, but I was happy. The drinking starting getting worse and my weight was bad so I quit it all. Going off of Paxil is very very hard, brain zaps, dissociation, angry thoughts, basically anything you brain an toss at your to go back on. Klonopin was harder than Paxil, I have done both cold turkey, and both were very very very bad.
I found out later, my DR. never told me, that Paxil causes weight gain, suicidal thoughts, thoughts of anger, and increases desire to drink alcohol in some people (Search Yale study SSRI and Alcohol).
So there you have it. You have to weight the risks. I just decided not to go back on an SSRI even though I have anxiety almost all day long yet have to function. I will continue my search to alleviate panic and anxiety.
Godspeed.
I am on lexapro 10mg and take .5 adavan when i need it.There for a while i felt like i needed it everyday.I've been on it for about a month now.It must just be the SSRI drugs that give us those weird feelings.Because even with this one i have those silly thoughts which i would never in my life act on.Also the Very Anxious feeling like i know something is going to happen and wonder when.Eighter i'm full of energy or completely drained.That's definately something to look for even while on any med.I am sorry you have had to deal with so much.Anxiety really is hard to go threw.I struggle everyday also.I wish there was an ultimate cure for this.Keep your head up.And keep us posted.
Wow i don't know how u can work.Even staying home i have severe anxiety .Yes it started when i had my 3rd child i had post partum depression and got pregnant wit 4th child didn't have anxiety for 6 months than went back to work and got laid off it's been over 2 years since i was laid off.ever since the lay off 2 years ago i have anxiety everyday not 1 day goes by i don't have anxiety.some r ok to manage but some days i just feel like i'm really gonna die this time.Sigh i just want this crazy uncomfortable body symptoms to go away or at least not be scared of it when i have severe one's it's so hard sometimes when it is a bad anxiety feeling like i'm gonna die this time.i wish this would go away without taking any meds.thx for responding
I have anxiety everyday, in waves for 2-3 hours per wave. The dissociation zaps are the worst. I have had times in my life where I have been anxious for years at a time, not month or days.
Here is what I feel so you know this is normal for us. I can get hit with huge waves of DP and DR that throw me into a panic attack I have to act normal because I work and have a family. I also have times all throughout the day where I feel an immense energy inside of me, like an anxious demon wants to jump out of my chest. This feelings is the worst because it's like you know something bad is going to happen any moment but it never goes away, and you fidget and move and have a ton of nervous energy.
I also at my worst would get a panic attack or two a day, every day for months. I remember coming home one day and a neighbor said wow, that must have been one tough day, you look exhausted. We are exhausted. Keep in mind that this will go away eventually and you will forget it for a few months or years, and then it will return. I bet you have something or had something stressful happen in your life recently. Im not psychic I just know what triggers us.
Here is what I feel so you know this is normal for us. I can get hit with huge waves of DP and DR that throw me into a panic attack I have to act normal because I work and have a family. I also have times all throughout the day where I feel an immense energy inside of me, like an anxious demon wants to jump out of my chest. This feelings is the worst because it's like you know something bad is going to happen any moment but it never goes away, and you fidget and move and have a ton of nervous energy.
I also at my worst would get a panic attack or two a day, every day for months. I remember coming home one day and a neighbor said wow, that must have been one tough day, you look exhausted. We are exhausted. Keep in mind that this will go away eventually and you will forget it for a few months or years, and then it will return. I bet you have something or had something stressful happen in your life recently. Im not psychic I just know what triggers us.
i too am not taking any anti meds tried 4 different one's hated side affects n some didn't work i just have xanax in case but i try not to use it all the time even i really needed everyday.i have anxiety everyday for over 2 years.do u have anxiety everyday i think i'm the only one having it everyday.sigh i just wanna feel normal n not be scared.thx 4 listening
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