Taking Xanax and Dr switching me to Paxil

[amber711]

Anyone taking Paxil out there for anxiety attacks.  I really don't want to take it but dr presc. because i'm taking xanax .25mg 4 times daily and wants me to switch to an antidepressant.  I really don't want to because I tried Lexipro and really got a bad reaction.  I don't want to be on medications and try to overcome this anxiety.  Where do I go from here and why do I have to start an ssri?  My other dr/family friend suggested to switch to klonopin.  I'm getting so many different opinions.  Why is it these drs. are pushing antidepressants like ssri's and ive heard so many bad things
about all these drugs.  I don't like these mind altering drugs!   Please give me all opinions.   By the way, I only had 2 panic attacks- 1 dec.and 1 Jan.  but I do feel stressed and xanax has helped just know its time to get off xanax >

[Taybey]

PAXIL is working for me!  I got the reaction your talking about from prozac.  See everyone is going to have a different reaction to different drugs like you said its a trial and error thing. I adore paxil without it I would be dead.  It works wonders for me, relaxes me, helps me sleep, takes away all my axiety and to me its a wonder drug.  You will have to give it a try.  I would not try prozac thoughk, that is the drug from hell.  

taybey

[Krissy820]

do not take paxil... although i know everyone will have a different reaction, i am going to tell you a little something that most people don't take into perspective about SSRIs. I like you suffered from only a few anxiety attacks, and my doctor wanted me to be on Paxil. I took it on a Tuesday morning, and felt like i was high for 2 days straight, which made me go to the emergency room because it wsa making me go crazy. i only took a 10mg, tablet. Not to mention, that it was affecting my entire day because i felt so messed up. I will tell you that i honestly can't stand the feeling of being high or (not in control). If it will put it in a better perspective - I smoked pot one time in my life, and the one time i did it i had a severe anxiety attack because i didn't feel i had control of what was going on with my mind, racing thoughts, weird thoughts etc. and Paxil, was like a 48 hr ride through stoned hell that made me go to the ER and have 2 severe anxiety attacks, and end up in the psych unit because it freaked me out sooo much.  SSRIs uptake your serotonin, and most people DON'T NEED IT. people seem to forget that once you take it it's going to alter the chemicals in your brain, and if you don't need it then you shouldn't take it. I know anxiety attacks are scary, trust me, i had a severe anxiety attack that caused my whole body to lock up and i literally thought i was dying. But trust me when i say- if you can figure out a way to work through the anxiety, even if its walking outside at 3 in the morning with snow on the ground, it's better than taking SSRIs. Plus, once you start them although they say they aren't addictive- you are going to depend on them to have a good day, so who's to say they aren't addictive the doctors? yeah well some doctors, also don't tell you of the withdraw effects from Paxil either..... just look it up online... and one more thing- you said you had a bad reaction to lexapro? yeah i did too, i literally couldn't sit still for 2 minutes, and felt like i had ADD for a few days, i stopped that too. Now i know a lot of people are probably going to disagree with me, and tell you to try it, which i don't disagree with because i know how unbearable an anxiety attack can be. But if i were you, I would have a talk with your doctor and ask him to prescribe you 10 ONLY 10 valium, or ativan in a very low dose to keep in your purse. Only having the ten pills will help you to learn to deal with your anxiety attacks and know when its actually serious enough to have to take something for it. It sounds crazy, but that's the only thing that helped me. I still have the 10 pills, and haven't had to take 1 yet, and my anxiety levels are sooo much better because i learned to cope myself. If you need some more Coping skills and or advice, you can message me, cuz i know there will be a lot of controversy about my opinion.      Best regards!! Krissy
BTW- 18 yr old mother, who also suffers severe anxiety attacks.

[cj29]

I am a big proponent of medications like Paxil and Lexapro.  They have been around for a while and they are very good at what they are designed to do.  I always caution people about what they hear/read on the internet about ANY medication.  There are horror stories from Aspirin, Advil, Claritan...you name it, there will be 'bad' information to find on it.  Just remember for every horror story you read, there are literally thousands of success stories out there.

Finding the right medication can be a little trial and error in my opinion. What works good for some, does not work well for others.  Xanax and Klonopin are benzos which treat anxiety specifically, but SSRIs are usually prescribed for much longer term use.  Xanax is usually prescribed short term while klonopin is used over the long term.  Doctors will often prescribe you a benzo and an SSRI together (especially when you start an AD).

While I am a big proponent of SSRIs, remember, there is no magic pill to cure your anxiety.  Only long term knowledge about this pattern of thinking can allow you actually THRIVE with this.  Do you have access to a therapist to talk this over with...keep us posted!