The Wrong Anti-depressant?

[StrongerToday]

My dr. started me on Paxil this past Friday for anxiety. While I don't expect an over-night cure, I have to say I feel like poop! I'm achey, nervous, foggy headed and my stomach is super upset... I've got a call into him, but I'm just wondering how long you have to give it until you know this isn't the right one?

[Jnkmnky]

Have you tried exercise? Paxil carries so many disadvantages.

[MySuicidalTurtle]

You might have to swtich your dosage or even try something new. I get dizzy from what take, so, I take it before bed.

[tiffjake]

My dr. started me on Paxil this past Friday for anxiety. While I don't expect an over-night cure, I have to say I feel like poop! I'm achey, nervous, foggy headed and my stomach is super upset... I've got a call into him, but I'm just wondering how long you have to give it until you know this isn't the right one?

Traditionally, it takes 2 weeks before your levels are up to a theraputic amount in your blood. But if you know that you are having negative reactions right away, then you need to bring that up ASAP. If things are ok, then you wait for the positive result. But you don't suffer through the negative ones. That is what I was taught in school. (Pharmacy School)

[jknnej]

You need to give it at least a week or maybe 10 days. When I started taking Effexor, my doctor warned me that I would feel like crap for a few days. He was right: I was nauseated, tired, dizzy, all kinds of weird stuff. it's too early to tell if it's the wrong dosage or anything like that.

If it doesnt' go away in the next couple of days then I would ask for a change.

And don't take anyone's advice on WHICH anti-depressant to take or if you should take them: talk to your DR about it; they are the professionals who know you. Just because Paxil doesn't work for one person doesn't mean it won't be great for you.

I don't think it is good advice to tell someone they should reconsider. Let their doctor treat them.

[jcgirl]

Ev in Michigan,

I had typed a rather long reply to you and one of my kids hit a button on computer and it is now lost. Sorry for that. Anyway, Here is my advise from experiance, don't let your doctor just write you off with an anti-depressant. I was stupid enough to let that happen and I did not need an anti-depressant. Same doctor told me 10 years ago that I had iflammatory bowel disease, then he disappeared for a few years, came back and now all his patients have irritable bowel disease and he prescribes Effexor. I trusted him and took it and I have to say that it was hell!!! That is when I started researchin and looking for answers on my own. Now I know that I am gluten intolorant, and most definatly celiac, the stupid doctors won't do a biopsy.

My advise, DON'T GO FOR THE ANTI-DEPRESSANT!!!!! FIRST INSIST ON CELIAC BLOOD PANEL AND BIOPSY. You would not be here on this site if you were not seeking answers. I have found this site to be a live saver. I was diagnosed via EnterLab. Trust me, I have ingested gluten sense the results and low and behold the symptoms come back each and every time that I eat and/or drink something with gluten.

When completly Gluten Free I feel AWSOME.

So anyway my advise is don't do the drugs, trust your body and continue to ask questions and insist that your health care provider perform the correct tests.

Good luck and keep us posted with your struggle to find an answer.

[StrongerToday]

Thank you for your feedback. I will say (which I have put in earlier posts, so skip this one if you're read my history before) that I"ve been working w/ my dr. since August on this. He was the one to suggest a gluten free/dairy free diet to see if that would help my symptoms of constant D, fatigue, etc. He did run a full blood panel which all came up incredibly "perfect" (as in showing nothing bad) so he thinks it's gluten intolerence (which wouldn't neccesarily show up in blood tests) rather than Celiac. I have been gluten-free/DF since August and was feeling *great* until around Thanksgiving. Now I am almost paranoid about food - will I get a reaction to soy, corn, rice??? If people make food for me (even if they swear they've followed the rules) I won't eat it - I sat there starving Christmas dinner even though my parents had made plain steak, salad and potatoes. It's gotton really extreme - I've lost a lot of weight without even trying. My anxiety levels are thru the roof and I"m not sleeping inspite of being on Xanax and Ambien - yikes!! I have small panic attacks when out in public and would hide in my house if I could! At that point is when my dr. said "ok, time to try this" and he did also recommend a few therapists which I"m trying to get appointments with.

I'm ready to get some help in coping with this. It's a lot to take on, esp. on top of my regular life (single mother, demanding job) and I feel good about my choice.

But I do appreciate everyone's thoughts and comments, this is a great group!!

[jknnej]

Jcgirl, unless you know Ev in Michigan very well, I think it is terribly irresponsible of you to advise her not to take anti-depressants. You have no idea how much anxiety he/she has or if it is caused by Celiac or not. You are not a doctor and not qualified to suggest such a course of treatment, anyway.

I myself never suggest anything other than what a doctor recommends. Now, if you don't like what your doctor has to say, then get a second or third opinion. But don't listen to any random person who has NO clue what your life is really like.

Just because you didn't need an anti-depressant doesn't mean that someone else doesn't. You also could be right. But whether you are wrong or right isn't my point; you shouldn't be dispensing advise like this; it is dangerous. I don't even give advice like this to close friends; it is a personal decision that should be made with the help of a QUALIFIED medical professional.