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Paxil 10mg side effects
Hi,
I was put on Paxil several days ago and have also been on Alprazolam (1-1.5mg a day). At the beginning it was to treat more anxiety and some mild OCD that I have, but now, I feel more depressed than anything (this has only been going on for 4 weeks, before this, I never had any mental health issues/medication/therapy).
I was told to take 10mg of Paxil for the first 4 days and then go to 20mg on the 5th day. For the first 4 days on the 10mg, I had some side effects such as only being able to sleep max 4 hours, feeling nauseous and bad headaches.
I moved to the 20mg, and that was something out of this world! Was a very bad experience. I didn't manage to sleep all night, I vomited in the morning, terrible headaches, felt totally wired or something (or as I can imagine). Eyes wide open hardly blinking, head buzzing like crazy, couldn't focus on anything etc. Then felt after like I had a bad hangover or something. Every time I would move my head or open my eyes, I felt extremely nauseous and head swooshing around etc.
Psychiatrist said to go back to 10mg, so I did that. Even now though after 6 days since starting to take it, I have side effects from the 10mg such as sweating a lot on and off, bad headaches especially in my temples, very nauseous for several hours of the day and one more thing which is very weird - At times, I feel like my body is paralyzed and I find myself staring with blurred vision at something in the distance, and it can take me a few minutes to snap out of it. It's a very weird feeling, like I can't move and everything in my body slows down (breathing, heartbeat).
Any advice much appreciated!
I was put on Paxil several days ago and have also been on Alprazolam (1-1.5mg a day). At the beginning it was to treat more anxiety and some mild OCD that I have, but now, I feel more depressed than anything (this has only been going on for 4 weeks, before this, I never had any mental health issues/medication/therapy).
I was told to take 10mg of Paxil for the first 4 days and then go to 20mg on the 5th day. For the first 4 days on the 10mg, I had some side effects such as only being able to sleep max 4 hours, feeling nauseous and bad headaches.
I moved to the 20mg, and that was something out of this world! Was a very bad experience. I didn't manage to sleep all night, I vomited in the morning, terrible headaches, felt totally wired or something (or as I can imagine). Eyes wide open hardly blinking, head buzzing like crazy, couldn't focus on anything etc. Then felt after like I had a bad hangover or something. Every time I would move my head or open my eyes, I felt extremely nauseous and head swooshing around etc.
Psychiatrist said to go back to 10mg, so I did that. Even now though after 6 days since starting to take it, I have side effects from the 10mg such as sweating a lot on and off, bad headaches especially in my temples, very nauseous for several hours of the day and one more thing which is very weird - At times, I feel like my body is paralyzed and I find myself staring with blurred vision at something in the distance, and it can take me a few minutes to snap out of it. It's a very weird feeling, like I can't move and everything in my body slows down (breathing, heartbeat).
Any advice much appreciated!
Hi everyone,
Thanks for your responses - Much appreciated.
I think the 20mg just messed me up for a couple of days but have felt better in the last day or two on the 10mg again. I also started taking the 10mg in the morning instead of at night and I've slept better at night which is good.
The weird body freezing-staring thing hasn't happened again and was only happening during the 24-48 hours after taking the 20mg. Luckily that stopped.
I'm just left with still quite bad headaches and sweating/feeling hot a lot off of the 10mg still. Asides from that, I'm feeling OK and not 'wired' anymore. I was recommended by my doctor that I give it 7-10 days max to see if the side effects go and if not, then for sure will need to switch to something else.
I don't know whether it is connected or not, but I have had no appetite whatsoever in the last 2 days, haven't eaten a thing (asides from half a glass of milk in the mornings with my medication and drinking lots of water) - I don't know whether it's to do with this medication or maybe just because I am feeling worse depression-wise. It seems to me like it's more to do with the medication however. Before when I had a lack of appetite due to anxiety, still every single day I would get an appetite by 1pm-4pm and manage to eat normally after that time of the day. Just the mornings would be difficult. Now I can't eat at all. It's a problem.
Anyway, I'm really being patient and giving it time so hope that it will pay off. To me, it seems like I will need to switch to something else, but will give it a couple more days until I go back to the psychiatrist and will see what he says.
"Please understand that this is just MY opinion, but if I had had the reaction/symptoms you did to the Paxil, I would stop taking it immediately."
I totally appreciate your reply and don't want to just shrug off what you said - But I had looked in to side effects and what happened to other people, and it seems that it happens a lot - Especially the sweating, insomnia and headaches. I'm no doctor and of course, on one hand, I agree with what you say because I was feeling really bad and wondered if I had made a mistake in starting to take this crazy stuff - But my psychiatrist seemed OK about what had happened on the 20mg and said that all people are different and that I should just go back down to 10mg for the next few days and see how I feel.
"This just isn't your med. "
Perhaps so ;-) Can't say that I was expecting this medication in general to do this - But then again, I've never been on any medication like this before, neither had I heard of anyone who was on stuff like this, believe it or not! I just hope that if I do switch, that the second one will be the 'good' one for me so that things can finally move in the right direction.
"I tried Paxil also for panic attacks and had the same problem. Effexor was even worse. Extreme nausea, and my anxiety was inreased. Could not sleep, and horrible dreams when I did. I could only tolerate it for a few days before I begged for something else. I needlessly suffered (in my opinion) for months before I asked (begged) for a tricyclic amine, in my case, Pamelor (Nortriptyline). "
I'll definitely keep your experience in mind. On one hand I want to be patient and just ride out the side effects within the time frame recommended, and of course, on the other, I don't want to needlessly suffer. I just need something to work for me as soon as possible!
Thanks for your responses - Much appreciated.
I think the 20mg just messed me up for a couple of days but have felt better in the last day or two on the 10mg again. I also started taking the 10mg in the morning instead of at night and I've slept better at night which is good.
The weird body freezing-staring thing hasn't happened again and was only happening during the 24-48 hours after taking the 20mg. Luckily that stopped.
I'm just left with still quite bad headaches and sweating/feeling hot a lot off of the 10mg still. Asides from that, I'm feeling OK and not 'wired' anymore. I was recommended by my doctor that I give it 7-10 days max to see if the side effects go and if not, then for sure will need to switch to something else.
I don't know whether it is connected or not, but I have had no appetite whatsoever in the last 2 days, haven't eaten a thing (asides from half a glass of milk in the mornings with my medication and drinking lots of water) - I don't know whether it's to do with this medication or maybe just because I am feeling worse depression-wise. It seems to me like it's more to do with the medication however. Before when I had a lack of appetite due to anxiety, still every single day I would get an appetite by 1pm-4pm and manage to eat normally after that time of the day. Just the mornings would be difficult. Now I can't eat at all. It's a problem.
Anyway, I'm really being patient and giving it time so hope that it will pay off. To me, it seems like I will need to switch to something else, but will give it a couple more days until I go back to the psychiatrist and will see what he says.
"Please understand that this is just MY opinion, but if I had had the reaction/symptoms you did to the Paxil, I would stop taking it immediately."
I totally appreciate your reply and don't want to just shrug off what you said - But I had looked in to side effects and what happened to other people, and it seems that it happens a lot - Especially the sweating, insomnia and headaches. I'm no doctor and of course, on one hand, I agree with what you say because I was feeling really bad and wondered if I had made a mistake in starting to take this crazy stuff - But my psychiatrist seemed OK about what had happened on the 20mg and said that all people are different and that I should just go back down to 10mg for the next few days and see how I feel.
"This just isn't your med. "
Perhaps so ;-) Can't say that I was expecting this medication in general to do this - But then again, I've never been on any medication like this before, neither had I heard of anyone who was on stuff like this, believe it or not! I just hope that if I do switch, that the second one will be the 'good' one for me so that things can finally move in the right direction.
"I tried Paxil also for panic attacks and had the same problem. Effexor was even worse. Extreme nausea, and my anxiety was inreased. Could not sleep, and horrible dreams when I did. I could only tolerate it for a few days before I begged for something else. I needlessly suffered (in my opinion) for months before I asked (begged) for a tricyclic amine, in my case, Pamelor (Nortriptyline). "
I'll definitely keep your experience in mind. On one hand I want to be patient and just ride out the side effects within the time frame recommended, and of course, on the other, I don't want to needlessly suffer. I just need something to work for me as soon as possible!
I tried Paxil also for panic attacks and had the same problem. Effexor was even worse. Extreme nausea, and my anxiety was inreased. Could not sleep, and horrible dreams when I did. I could only tolerate it for a few days before I begged for something else. I needlessly suffered (in my opinion) for months before I asked (begged) for a tricyclic amine, in my case, Pamelor (Nortriptyline).
Pamelor was/is great. I don't understand the medical community (or much of it). They talk about the bad side effects of the "older" drugs, but to me, by far, the newer SSRIs have the worst side effects. Pamalor had some, like dry mouth and dizzy when I first lay down. But it gave me my life back, literally. I took 100 mg for a while, then went down to 50 mg maintenence. Sometimes I go down to 25 mg. I slept great for the first time in a while and felt great.
This is just my experience, but don't believe everything you hear about tricyclic amine antidepressants. I think the industry wants everyone to believe they are bad. But on professional British websites, they say that tricyclics are just as good as the newer drugs.
Best of luck!
kevintool
Pamelor was/is great. I don't understand the medical community (or much of it). They talk about the bad side effects of the "older" drugs, but to me, by far, the newer SSRIs have the worst side effects. Pamalor had some, like dry mouth and dizzy when I first lay down. But it gave me my life back, literally. I took 100 mg for a while, then went down to 50 mg maintenence. Sometimes I go down to 25 mg. I slept great for the first time in a while and felt great.
This is just my experience, but don't believe everything you hear about tricyclic amine antidepressants. I think the industry wants everyone to believe they are bad. But on professional British websites, they say that tricyclics are just as good as the newer drugs.
Best of luck!
kevintool
Didn't have those effects on it, but many people get hyped from anti-depressants. This just isn't your med.
Please understand that this is just MY opinion, but if I had had the reaction/symptoms you did to the Paxil, I would stop taking it immediately. It has only been 6 days since you began taking it, correct? Stopping now, cold turkey, will not harm you. Your reactions were severe enough to have possibly been an allergic reaction, not to mention being really weird. I would insist on a very in-depth discussion of your options before going back on anything. I'd also do my own research. They say that a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing, and I think that's true, to an extent. But personally, I think NO knowledge is even more dangerous.
I've never been on Paxil, so maybe there are other folks here who understand totally what you went through.
Let us know how you're doing, OK?
Peace
Greenlydia
I've never been on Paxil, so maybe there are other folks here who understand totally what you went through.
Let us know how you're doing, OK?
Peace
Greenlydia
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