[whoz]

Hi All,

Me and my husband would like to start trying for a baby over the next month, so in preparation I met with my doctor to wean off of Paxil 20 mg to Fluoxetine 10 mg which is said to be safer. I don't think I could go without ANYTHING at this point, but I want to be as low as I can go when trying.

So, my doctor said to drop down to 10 mg immediately and then drop down to nothing and start the Fluoxetine 10 mg. It was really bad for a few days when I started tapering off (rage, anger, intense fear, mania, burst of crying) and then it was fine. Until this week....

I have been off the Paxil for almost two weeks now and this past week I have been on vacation. The sadness has been very heavy--and the fear. My husband is doing projects on the house and I am very easily agitated and overwhelmed with the house projects--like it's the end of the world. I had a total breakdown/anxiety/panic today. I hate being at the house--it's not a happy place for me. I am also gaining weight recently.

ABout me: I exercise nearly every day and am able to hold down a good job and do well at the job. I find that I am tired a lot more easily. My sex drive went through the roof when I went off the Paxil, and now that I am on the Fluoxetine it's dropped again.

Do any of you freak out at little things too? Do you get overwhelmed by seemingly small things? Do you feel guilty after your lack of control over your anger and hate how it affects your partner? Does it get better?

[raestan92]

Hello :-) sorry to hear of your tough time. Going through med changes can be rough. I'm actually in the process of getting off Topamax for a mood stabilizer... I've had the worst side effects from this medication than any other (and I've tried my fair share) lol. I'm an easily agitated and overwhelmed person as it is, but this medication made that the worst its ever been. While I was pregnant the only medication I stayed on was the effexor just because I knew I had to have some medication...I couldn't be without. I was taking one or two others but stopped them and just stayed with effexor since I had been on it for 6 years and drs thought it'd be the safest choice. When u start getting overwhelmed take a small break :-) my problem has always been letting my thoughts alone overwhelm me. I hope you feel better. Good luck!

I have to say that Fluoxetine 10mg is a very low dose, and i know for many people (including me) it doesn't do anything. Could you ask your doctor to go up to the more reputable 20mg?

EDIT: and I do freak out at little things and get overwhelmed at them, that's a very common depression 'thing' and its hard but I can tell you it does get better. It's gotten better for me. I've relaxed a bit more and the small things I can deal with.

[Altered Moment]

Boy it is hard to say.
Could be withdrawal from the Paxil. Kind of a fast taper.
Could be the Paxil was working well and now that you don't have it depression is returning.
Could be negative hypo mania triggered by the Prozac.
Not really enough time yet for the Prozac to work if it is going to.

Maybe try adding some Paxil back while taking the prozac to see if you need a slower taper. maybe the doc thinks that since you are replacing one SSRI for another you wouldn't get any withdrawal but then you said you were fine for awhile so I dunno.

I do sometimes have what I call mixed episodes where I get very irritable and annoyed. Pretty rare for me. Getting totally overwhelmed by things is very common for me. Last night I kept waking up and freaking out about a door replacement job I have to do Wednesday. One day I feel 100% confident about it and the next totally afraid I can't do it. It is not rational because I have a ton of experience to be able to handle the job even though it is a rather difficult one being a commercial metal door in concrete and I am a plumber. But still I know I can do it. It is the irrational depression that affects my thinking.