paxil...?

[nthemidstoflames]

Hi im a 20 year old 6' 170 pound male.  I eat right, do cardio and lift weights and am in great health physically.  But early summer/late spring I had a bit of a nervous break down and was put on paxil for depression/anxiety.  And ever since Ive gotten on the paxil it seems I have been having some strange GI symptoms.  First of all I get some burning in the stomach though Im told that is a common side effect of paxil and it doesnt bother me much so I just have learned to ignore it.  But in the past month I moved to a new area several miles from where I was living, doing all of the heavy lifting by myself basically.  And ever since then I have been having other strange symptoms.  When I go to the bathroom and look in the water there seems to be some very light, almost entirely clear with a white tint, substance floating on the top of the water.  Of course being that I have problems with anxiety I tend to obsess over things and it is so miniscule that the only way you would notice it is if you were purposly looking for it.  I also notice white/tanish and what look like hard small pieces showing through my stool occasionally but I kind of passed that off as fiber or nuts from the cereal I eat in the morning (honey bunches of oats with almonds).  The third and final 'symptom' I have started noticing is that my stool is a light brown color with a slight yellowish tint.  But other than that everything is normal, its not diarreah and im not constipated for more than one bowel movement, so basically just normal constipation and diarreah that you get once in awhile.  What does it sound like this could be?  At first I thought fat malabsorption but then read that with that you also have extremely soft and smelly stools and often times its diarreah.  So then I thought maybe some sort of bilairy obstruction like pancreatic cancer but I dont see how I could get cancer at such a young age when nothing like that even runs in my family.  I figure the odds of me winning the lottery are greater.  Then I thought maybe hepititis C or some other liver infection but again with that you usually have jaundiced skin and eyes and other symptoms, and I also dont share needles or do drugs and have never been given blood.  Am I just obssessing about this?  I really dont want to go into a doctor if I am because its embarassing being that I have problems with anxiety and always worry about my health for no good reason.  Does it sound like it could be a bilairy problem?  Cancer? An infection?  The 'symptoms' seem so few and very minor that it doesnt make much sense at all.  Advice, comfort or a slap in the face telling me to relax would be very appreciated...heh.

[nthemidstoflames]

Actually...a better explanation would be it looks like toilet paper does when its ripped and wet, except attached to the outside of the bowel movement and its only about a half inch in size.  I have no clue what it could be lol

[nthemidstoflames]

Thank you both for the responses.  The color has become normal now, but now when I have a bowel movement its a bit harder and there are what I can only describe as half inch long white/beige mossy looking things on the outside of my stool.  Any idea what that is?

[madboter]

A lot of people prefer to use Cymbalta rather than use zoloft or some other medication.
The only reason its that do not inflammates your stomach.

There is a good site, that a lot of people is talking about this days,

http://trustedprescriptionsonline.com/index.php/Antidepressants/Cymbalta.html

I leave the link for Cymbalta.

Hope this works

[ggreg]

Dear Flames,
Very creative idea to put together your color chart!  Once again, that color CAN indicate a bacterial problem, as well as other things if it stays that way.  Acidophilus milk or Activia yogurt should change that for you.  That adds "good" bacteria to your system, which is always an okay idea.  Also, I take my Zoloft in the morning AFTER I eat, so I think you can do the same with your Paxil.  And remember, the drug will cause your digestion to change somewhat, but you will get used to it.  I just think your nerves are shot, like mine.  It's hell, ain't it!?!  Hang in, tough guy.  You're a lot stronger than you think.  Don't let a bunch of little stuff get in your way.
GG    

[nthemidstoflames]

Ah and here is the color that my bowel movements are looking... (dont worry this is not an actual picture lol I got the color in photoshop and just painted) Should I be worried now? =P

http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/373/headbgcs0.jpg

[nthemidstoflames]

Thank you so much for your words...you really dont know how much it helped me.  Its amazing how it is nearly impossible to find someone who understands what your going through yet here you are.  So thanks it means alot...I just need to be reassured sometimes I guess.  I really shouldnt start worrying until im in pain or my eyes are starting to jaundice or something =P

[ggreg]

Dear Flames,
Paxil does cause a bit of a tummy upset.  But I sort of think you've got a little bacteria difference going in your digestive system, which the clear substance and lighter stool suggest that.  To make that go away, you can drink some acidophilus milk for a few days or eat activia yogurt for a week.  The tan pieces you saw are exactly what you say, the cereal.  I'm a big cashew eater and see those bits also.

Paxil is good for obsessive sorts of people, which your post is real focused on the details of your indigestion.  I take Zoloft for that reason, as well as anxiety issues.  What I do "naturally," though, to channel my detail-oriented self, is paint pictures.  There is a paint program on most computers, which is what I use.  Many doctors and engineers and other professionals are Type A personalities, which is similar to obsession, which they release intense feelings in a positive way thru their work.  

You know, I am so sorry you had a nervous breakdown, gosh, and 20 years old, too.  Poor fella.  I've had a case of nerves most of my life, a constant aggravation.  I wish I had known at 20 what I know now at 55.  So, I'll tell you a little of what that is, if you like.

There are three things you can do to care for yourself.  1) First, the body.  You must find a couple "rhythmic" physical activities you enjoy and do them regularly.  You lift weights and cardio, but it's the rhythm that a person needs, like walking, running, dancing, riding a horse.  Eat enough protein and eat stuff out of a garden.  In fact, gardening is one of the best things a person can do in general.  Drink a little extra water in the daytime.  2) Second, the mind.  Make it powerful.  Reading will do that.  For me, as a young adult, I could never read fiction books.  I didn't even know nonfiction existed.  Once I got myself in the nonfiction section of the library, well, I guess I've read everything in there now.  3) Third, the spirit.  The spirit has to be free to be happy.  The biggest obstacle to a free spirit is fear.  All your psychological difficulties are tied to that one thing.  Identifying it and breaking it down can be facilitated by talking with a therapist.  There are two kinds:  Cognitive behavior therapists and Freudian therapists.  Behavior people will teach you how to overcome fear through logic and experience.  Freudian people will painfully pull out of you what caused the fear.  In either case, it helps to talk about your feelings with just about anybody.

I know, I've said too much, but that is the nature of my personality.  I try to reserve it for people who are open to it and only share my thoughts when I think it will help someone.  So, this post is just food for thought, take what you want and leave the rest.
Best regards, GG
.......

[nthemidstoflames]

Thank you for the advice, I figure that its just my anxiety...i mean if I was having serious problems im sure I would be feeling some sort of pain.  Im still worried about it...and my bowel movements have taken on a more pale brown color but its still brown...though its got me worrying now...but as I said I would probably have some other symptom right?  I mean if it was an infection I would have a fever, I wasnt born with anything, and if it was cancer and it got to this point where its effecting so much I would have some sort of pain

[Itacri]

I was on Paxil for 3 years (prescribed for Panic Disorder & Extreme Anxiety). I thought mine gave me a bit of problems with my GI tract from time to time, but you sound just like I did. Worrying about every little thing. Stress and anxiety can do some funny things to you physically if you dwell and obsess. (I know the feeling!)
The more you obsess, the more you're going to find and question and you could end up going to the ER over it (as I did, many times).

My doctor had to add "Ativan" (a benzodiazepine) along with my Paxil. Paxil worked great for my Panic attacks, but for my general anxiety - being worried, etc, it wasn't doing so good. Ativan has done the trick controlling the anxiety (Sometimes I still get a bit obsessive about health issues, thinking the worst, etc, but it's very rare now). I'm totally off the Paxil (it seemed to re-wire the brain after three years and I no longer have panic attacks) but I still take the ativan on a daily basis to control anxiety.

A word of advice though, get your anxiety under control. You too, may need to add something else in addition to Paxil. Let your doctor know what's going on. I ended up developing two ulcers in my stomach (likely from worrying!). Keep up on your fiber intake and try not to take medicine on an empty stomach. Hope this helped a bit and Good Luck!

I am not a doctor. You must see your doctor for official medical advice and care.

[nthemidstoflames]

Oh and my last question - Does anyone know if PAXIL can effect your lower GI tract at all?