SHOULD I BE UPSET

[Sissypants]

I posted yesterday about how the paxil is not working for me on the 10mg and I am so tired and weak and dizzy...I have been on the 10 mg for 6 weeks so since I cannot tell its helping I called my dr office today and the receptionist told me the PA will be out all weel....I said well is the dr in and she said yes....I said well can he see me and help me.....she ask me what the problem was and I told her and she said well you just need to stay on it longer....it takes 8 to 12 weeks to feel a difference....I told her the pamplet said that came with the paxil said you will see some improvement in 1 to 2 weeks and should feel the full benefit in 4 to 6 weeks.....she said you just need to stay on it longer.....I guess my question is does she have a right to tell me that or a dr.....and if I have been on it for 6 weeks now and feel so blah and depressed how am I going to feel any better after this length of time on it....in fact as days go on I feel worse but she didnt even listen to me, she just said stay on it longer, so I said ok....Kinda upset me but maybe she is right....any opinions on this...thanks

[Sissypants]

Thanks mammo for all your help....I have always been so sensitive to anti-depressants....they mostly scare me cause they make you feel so bad I often wonder how does a drug that makes you feel so bad be good for you to keep taking.....working in a pharmacy for 14 years I have seen alot I guess and know to much about drugs and I guess they scare me more than anything especially side effects but I am trying hard this time to stay on one but its only by a thread....I have stayed in so much til I am getting to use to it and dont even like to walk to the mail box outside the house....thats not good....this dizzines has been the main problem with me from the beginning but all test show nothing is wrong.....then the anxiety set in after 6 months when I couldnt find out what was wrong with me....I still feel in my heart that if the paxil doesnt clear up the dizziness I will not get rid of the anxiety....cause the anxiety is coming from the dizziness....OH me I have complained enough already....thanks again...have a blessed day..

God Bless
sissypants

[mammo]

Don't worry about the receptionist, when you see her just smile and be polite.  It difficult to say if the weakness will get better or worse.  That's the frustrating thing with these types of medications, we often don't know how we'll respond until we try them.  I think if your doctor feels increasing the dosage will make things worse, he won't do this.  He wants you to feel better as much as you want to feel better.  Troubling side effects have normally subsided 6 weeks...so you have a valid concern.  Talk to your doctor, and go from there.

[Sissypants]

thanks mammo I think I will do that...course then I will have to face the receptionist when I go in and I know she cant really say anything to me but I guess it will make me feel uneasy....I am sure they will get on to her for that and I am not trying to get anyone in trouble but I feel like you do that she could have at least told me to hold on and go tell the dr....he may have wanted me to come in...who knows....I guess thats what I get for going to a small clinic on the outskirts of town but like I said I dont want to go far from home with my anxiety so bad and I stay so dizzy it makes it hard for me to travel....I am basically on my own...thanks for the advice....do you have any advice for me on increasing the paxil from 10 to 20 since it makes me so weak....wont it make it worse or will it taper off?  thanks mammo for your response...

God Bless
Sissypants

[mammo]

You are on the lowest dosage of Paxil and it can take up to 8 weeks for it to reach a full therapeutic level in your system.  Drowsiness is a side effect, and since it's interfering with your day to day life, your doctot needs to know this.  Good luck and keep us posted!

[Sissypants]

My biggest issue is I am so tired and and just a regular tiredness but tottally exhausted....all I can do is sit...I am only on 10 mgs so wont the 20 mg (if they do increase it) make me feel even worse.....or maybe I am looking at it all wrong but i guess I feel like if I am so weak and getting weaker the longer I am on 10mg then wont increasing it to 20 make me even worse or more weak than I am now....

I do not go to counceling cause I am on disability and cannot afford it....I have tried calling around different places and no one will see me without paying a great deal of money...

I gus since my PA will be in next week I will call bac then and go in and tell her but I am sure she will take up for her receptionist....its just a small clinic and if I see anyone else I have to travel into town and with my anxiety so bad I just dont wont to go so far from home so thats the reason I go up the street to the clinic...

thanks cj...and any more advice on the paxil with what I posted would be appreciated....

God Bless,
sissypants

[cj29]

I really don't think a receptionist is qualified to answer medication questions like that in my opinion.  Do you think you feel worse because of the side effects or are you having more problems with the anxiety and depression?   Are you in counseling for this right now?

Regardless, your doctor's office is there to serve you, in my opinion.  I don't believe a receptionist should be giving out advice like that unless that receptionist is a doctor, which I would probably guess is a 'no.'  Can you talk to someone else?  Can you go in and make an appointment personally?

Keep us posted!