Lexapro to Paxil

[daddyjaxx]

I've been having non stop anxiety and insomnia for two months now.  The shakiness and anxiety effects me almost during all my waking hours, which is a lot since I can't sleep either.  My doctor gave me 10 mg of Lexapro that I have been on for a month, Ativan 1 mg, and Ambien.  The Lexapro is doing diddley as I feel worse than I have before ( anxiety, plus headaches, loss of appetite, and my hair is falling out). The only thing that seems to help is the Ativan, which she doesn't like to prescribe but she did.  She won't give Klonopin, Valium, or anything else.  The Ambien knocks me out at first and lets me get to sleep but then 3 hours later, I'm awake.

She switched me to Paxil 20 mg today and to only take half a pill daily for the first week.  I assume I only take half because of the Lexapro still in my system?  There were no instructions to wait taking the Paxil, so it should be alright to take the half a pill tomorrow?  She also gave me Ambien CR instead, which is pricey.  With my 10% copay it was 18.00 for 30..... 6 bucks a pill if the total is 180.00.

[Paxiled]

There are different theories on this.  Since no two meds are the same even if they're both in the same class (i.e., ssris), switching directly from one med to another won't necessarily do anything about any withdrawal you might have.  That being said, you haven't been on Lexapro long, so it shouldn't be too hard to quit.  My only advice, and this is just an opinion, is to do your homework and not just take a psychiatrist's word for it, and if it's a PCP and not a psychiatrist, see a psychiatrist first.  These meds can be tricky, and Paxil is one of the trickier ones.  I would say, try something else first and use Paxil as your last choice in the ssris, but that's me.  Others rave about it.  Make up your own mind.  And remember, the med won't cure you, it'll only mitigate the symptoms, you still need to try therapy, so choosing the med should include what your psychiatrist and you think about that eventual time when you want to stop taking the stuff.  Good luck whatever you do.

[daddyjaxx]

Thansk for the advice.  It is my GP.  I have left messages to schedule appointments with three different psychiatrists and not one has returned my call since Monday..  I'll just start going down my list of authorized providers for my insurance and call a bunch.  How much do they normally charge for sessions?  I only have to pay a 10% copay.

We'll see how the CR works tonight.  When drug companies lose their patents such as in Ambien and Paxil, they change the formulations, such as in CR, and wham, they have the patent again.  I think 30 Lorazapam cost me 81 cents and 30 Paxil 40 cents.  :)

[29sillygirl]

Hi there,
Sorry about the distress you are having just now.  I am guessing a psychiatrist is prescribing the meds, not a GP?  You are going through the 'trial and error' period of getting settled on a drug that will help you with anxiety.  It is frustrating: we all want a quick fix: where is that one tablet that will make the misery stop??? LOL.

I am not making light of your discomfort and anxiety about meds, just letting you know that I and many others in this forum are veterans of the anxiety wars and will do what we can to support you.

We are human with different opinions: you may get differing viewpoints about the benzos: clonazapam (Klonopam) etc.  Doctors rarely put a patient suffering from significant anxiety or depression on a  short term habit forming medication, unless it is 1) a stop gap measure to settle you down until a better long term med can be found that works 2) an adjunct to a antidepressant.  

Re Ambian and sleep: I used to think if only I could get a good night's sleep, depression and anxiety would disappear.  I was wrong.  In my case I thought Soma, which was a great help with insomnia and arthritis pain was the answer.  It wasn't.  Nights were good.  Days, not so much: panic returned when stressed.

Both antidepressants you mention are good: work well for many.  Paxil may be the better choice if anxiety is primary symptom.  Hope you will give it a chance: takes 4-6 weeks in some cases to work.  Different systems: different metabolisms.  The Ambien prescribed is (I'm guessing now) the brand name version?  It would be more expensive.
But, listen, be grateful you have insurance and it will pay for most of it.  I am one who has to pay for doctor's visits as well as clonazapam which Medicare just took off list of prescriptions they carry.

After you are settled on meds that get your anxiety under control, we are here to offer tips on how you can work on the non-med stuff. Look at us as your virtual therapy group:).

[drifter0213]

cross-tapering is a method used when you go from one med to another :)