starting paxil/quitting alcohol/very anxious

hi everyone. i started having panic attacks when i was preggo w/ my 3rd child (i was 21). here it is 16 yrs later, and it still sucks now as much as ever. i have noticed its more anxiety now, more than actual panic attacks. finally 4 yrs ago, i got on paxil. took it for about 4 months and lo and behold, i was pregnant again, so i quit taking it. for the short while i was on it, it really helped alot. fast forward to now (4 yrs later) i went to the dr., and she prescribed me paxil again, w/ xanax. i hate taking pills, but this stuff is horrible. my b/f talked me into taking a xanax a cpl nights, b/c my anxiety was sooo bad. it knocked me out. i dont like taking xanax, cuz i know its addictive. ive been reading alot about klonopin. can you take that along w/ the paxil?  im also an alcoholic. i started drinking when i was 13, and it got worse over the yrs. i quit about 9 yrs ago, for a yr. then fell off the wagon. well, im ready to try again :)  i noticed i would wake up after drinking, and have tingling, which totally would freak me out! my b/f is very supportive w/ all of this.thank goodness. i have noticed since ive stopped (its only been 9 days, buts thats great for me ) having tingles for the most part, so thats a relief.  but i have noticed i get veryyy anxious in the evenings, since i have quit drinking. could that be b/c of stopping the drinking? i hope it passes soon. i pretty much would only drink in the evenings. sometimes it would only be a cpl beers, sometimes none, and the other evenings it would be 4-8ish. so i dont know. i just know since ive quit, ive been severly anxious. will the paxil help w/ that? i am going to start taking the paxil either tonight or tom. im anxious about that also. i know before, for the first cpl weeks, it was awful :(  i know it passes, but i just hope i can pull through. well thanks you guys. i love coming here reading this forum.

[ccamrine]

First, congratulations on quitting drinking.  I believe this is going to help you more than anything else.  You will be a better mother for it too.  Your children are your top priority and you will be setting a great example for them.  I think your increased anxiety is due to your discontinuation of drinking.  This will subside as time passes.  Paxil is very good for panic disorder, it was the best A/D I ever took for P/D.  Unfortunately it pooped out on me after a few years.  This does not happen to everyone.  Go ahead and start your paxil and give it time to work.  Klonopin is a great anxiety med.  It doesn't work as fast as xanax, but it also doesn't crash like xanax.  It's longer lasting.  Ask your Dr. about taking it.  Good luck to you, I wish you the best.

[mizzprissi6]

thank you for your kind words. yes, i know quitting is a tough road, but i see what it has done to my father, and what its doing to me. enough is enough. im just going to take it one day at a time. i have alot of support also, so that is good. yesterday was a big test for me. my b/f and his family ride (motorcycles) and they had a "run" yesterday. it consisted of stopping at a bar/grill for lunch, and then over to md. to a seafood place on the beach. there is a lot of drinking going on at both places (no one w/ us tho). it was tough, but i pulled through it. at the first bar, i lokoed up and saw a plaque on the wall that said "with God, all things are possible". i was like "oh my gosh!"  talk about eye opening. lol    yea im hoping its the quitting thats intensifying my anxety. its like EVERY little ache or pain, im crying cuz im thinking im gonna die :(  im used to that, but not every night, like it is now.  im really scared about starting the paxil, but i know in a cpl-few wks it'll pay off.  thank you again :)

[suzi-q]

Good luck with the Paxil..it is my saving grace!  I have been on it for years!  I also have klonopin which I take when needed.  However, it can be taken every day for the long term according to your doctor's specifications.  Congratulations on quiting the drinking...that will only cause failure.  You are probably experiencing withdrawal from the alcohol both physically and emotionally.  Alcohol would take away anxiety for a moment and give you a place of "I feel fine".  now you aren't getting that break, so it is hard.  You need to find other things and hobbies.  Remember, people, places and things!  Best to you!

[ccamrine]

Alot of people start drinking to self medicate their anxieties.  I went to an outpatient program to get help with my panic disorder.  There were alot of alcoholics in my group.  I just thought "What am I doing in here with THEM?"  As the program progessed I realized I have every thing in common with "them".  We all have problems, anxiety and inner conflicts and have different ways of dealing with it.  Alcoholics turn to the bottle for relief, I just bottled mine up.  The very same information to help them was also helpful to me.  We all had pretty much the same issues going on inside.  Just different coping mechanisms.  Everyone of them were put on antidepressants to help them with their struggles of quitting and coping with their problems.

Your body is so used to the alcohol that it used to get, of course you're feeling weird, you're going through withdrawal.  But you can do it.  Give it the proper amount of time and it will be so worth it.  Just remember it's going to be icky for a little while.  I hope you get over your fear of taking the paxil.  I think it will help you alot.  When I started taking it (I started with 10 mgs.)  I didn't feel a thing.  Even when I went up to 20 mgs. I got no weird feelings or anything.  It helped me so much.

I'm proud of you for not drinking during your biking trip.  Good girl!  Keep it up.  

[jody1969]

first off, thank you all for replying.  :)  i wish there was a program here for people w/ anxiety/panic. that would be nice. i went to AA about 9 yrs ago. i didnt speak much, b/c i am shy around a bunch of people. i feel like im gonna faint. go figure. but i did attend, and i listened. it kept me sober for around a yr. my aunt told me about a program a man and his wife are starting on friday nites at church, for addicts. im seriously considering going. it may be a smaller group, and i may feel more comfortable.  i did drink alot to try to cover up my anxiety, but over time, it only made it worse. my only time of really being anxious now since stopping is at night. like last nite, i was relaxing watching tv, and out of nowhere, i felt really anxious and nervous. then i felt like i couldnt get enough air. i hate that. i went and laid down and prayed. it really did help. during the day, i can cope alot better, but its just at night when i start to feel like i cant breathe right, i freak! alot of times when i get liket hat, my b/f will rub my back and try to calm me down. usually i will relax and fall asleep.   im getting my script filled today, so i will start tomorrow. i have court tomorrow, so i want to wait until thats over to start it. i know the last time i was on paxil, the first cpl weeks were kinda bad, but after that, it was great! i hope it will still work for me. im starting off at 10mg, then i can up it to 20 if i want. i have no insurance, so the doc wrote the script for 20mg, and i can cut them in half, and get 2 months worth out of 1 bottle. :)  well thank you all so much. i will keep you updated on my progress (hopefully). take care and i hope you all have a great day.   oh! i go back ina month to see doc. she wants to see how im doing on the med. i am going to ask her about klonopin also.

[suzi-q]

Yes, the klonopin is very good.  but please make sure the alcohol is over with.  It will be very helpful especially at nighttime.  I think the group idea is wonderful!!!  When you are with people like yourself you feel comfortable and understood.  Best to you.

[jody1969]

ok guys. today has been good so far :)  im praying tonight will be better, ive been getting that restless leg syndrome also. that on top of feeling anxious and i feel like icant breathe right, jeez :(  i think im gettin nervous worrying about tonight. i hope this gets easier as the days pass. plus w/ starting the paxil again. we'll see. well thanks to all who have replied. it means alot :) take care and have a great day :p