[*Laurie*]

My pdoc prescribed Paxil for me 3 weeks ago. I am now taking 20mg./daily. For the past week my entire body is aching terribly. My arms and legs, even my shoulders and hands - my feet. Relentless, dull headache. Everywhere. It feels like having the flu, but I don't have the flu (no nausea, stomach upset, fever). I am also extremely tired...like, I wish I could sleep for two days (I am not feeling depressed).

My excellent pdoc has gone on a sudden two-week leave. (I won't be surprised if she's leaving the clinic for a position somewhere else.) There is no back-up pdoc (talk about crazy ). So, I'm pretty much stuck with this right now.

I'm wondering if others here have had such a miserable reaction to an SSRI. If so, what did you do? Just wait it out, or maybe take ibuprofen? Any ideas?

[*Laurie*]

Ah, nevermind. I'm cutting the Paxil down to 15mg. tonight. Can't live with this.

[-jimi-]

If you can go in with a normal doc and it won't cost you so much, please do. These are quite typical symptoms of a med allergy. Med allergy can quickly turn into anaphylaxis. It's very common to have rash with these allergies but they can actually come like two weeks after initial symptoms at times. Flu like feeling, pain in the body and headaches together paint a picture of possible allergy. Be careful.

[*Laurie*]

Thank you, jimi. I really appreciate your reply. I will tolerate pain/discomfort past a point that is healthy. My GP is horrible about doing anything with psych meds. She very nearly refuses to discuss psych med issues at all. Pretty frustrating, since my pdoc has no on-call back-up (GP and pdoc are in the same clinic). I don't know what I'm supposed to do, except go to the ER...and all they'll tell me to do is stop the Paxil.

I dropped the dosage down to 15mg. tonight...if I still feel this odd tomorrow I'll decide what to do next. Again, thanks so much.

I know you're in the States, but if you Google "Summary of Product Characteristics" and the drug name, it should take you to a document that lists side effects and warnings, and what to do in the event of an allergy/ how long things take to have effect and so on. It's a European thing, I don't know what it's called in America, but the info is the same.

[Purple,Violet,Blue]

Sorry you're suffering. I don't know much about drugs, I'm afraid. I take sertraline, and that did have powerful side-effects, for a while. I guess keep the dose low, as you're doing, until you can see a doc. If you develop a rash, or any kind of bleeding, that would be the time to get to the ER.

[*Laurie*]

Thank you so much, Little Cat. It seems that I haven't seen you around for a while. It's nice to see you again. The Summary of Product Characteristics is a very useful page.

Hi Purple, Thank you so much.

I took the 15mg. last night and seem to feel much better today. Perhaps jumping from 10mg. to 20mg. was just too fast of an increase. I'll stay on the 15mg. for a while, until my body acclimates.

[*Laurie*]

On the 15mgs. I feel physically much better - no "flu-like" symptoms. But, for some darn reason I'm feeling quite depressed today. Part of the reason I feel down and anxious is likely because I am tending to believe that my terrific pdoc is going to leave the clinic. I feel...discouraged. Afraid.

[Wild Coyote]

So glad you are feeling better with a lower dose.

My pdoc/therapist of over 20 years has recently retired. I miss him very much. My new pdoc is great, so far. Thankfully.

I went through a lot of anxiety once I knew my pdoc was retiring.

I hope your pdoc is staying.

Thinking of you.


WC

[Purple,Violet,Blue]

Hugs, dear Laurie

[*Laurie*]

Aw, thank you WC and Purple. You are both so kind and encouraging.

I'm a bit wacko with this. Because of the depression/anxiety/physical immobility I felt yesterday, I took the 20mgs. last night. So far, I feel better. Good Lord...I'm at a loss. Perhaps I really did have a virus.

I asked the receptionist, who is very sweet, if my pdoc is leaving the clinic. The receptionist said, "No...she's just taken a sudden medical leave..." But she sounded unsure. Vague. I have had the experience four times times over the past three years in which my pdoc left the clinic without informing me (or other patients) first. That left me absolutely no time to set something up with another pdoc - and of course no time to emotionally prepare for never seeing the pdoc again in my life. I have an appointment set up for Sept. 10th, but that doesn't mean a thing - the appointment could be cancelled last minute. I wish I'd stop fretting over this. Ah, well.

[Calla lily12]

Hi Laurie
I'm on SSRI's also (Welbutrin and Prozac) All I know is that you shouldn't withdraw quickly. I've had a withdrawal from Welbutrin but never experienced the effect you spoke of. What you're doing by cutting down slowly is the best idea until the p doc comes back. Your GP is the same way so I have to rely on myself if P Doc is away. Be careful . If you feel worse please talk to the GP even though he doesn't deal with psych drugs.

[*Laurie*]

Thank you so much, Calla lily. I am continuing to feel so odd, as though I cannot connect with anything...not sure how to describe; I just know that the feeling is so unpleasant. I'm making an appointment with my GP today - actually about my blood pressure, which has been elevated. I'll certainly mention the Paxil situation to her, but she'll claim she doesn't "know anything" about psych meds. (???)

My pdoc was insisting that I see her every week. Suddenly I don't have an appointment with her for a month. We were working on stabilizing my meds, now...? At this point I'm considering finding another pdoc if I can and if I can make an appointment sooner than a month away from now.

[still_crazy]

no real advice. paxil, unfortunately, can be difficult at both ends--starting (including dosage increases) and stopping (OMG...paxil discontinuation...un-fun...).

on the plus side, its effective for anxiety, OCD, ruminations, etc. I just don't take it because it made me way too apathetic and placid. a lot of people benefit from it, though.

not to pry, but...are you on other things? antidepressants can boost blood levels of a number of other psych drugs. the one that jumps to my mind is the tranquilizers/antipsychotics. when a shrink added an ssri to my ongoing 'atypical,' i was OK, then way too tranquilized. i thought it was an ssri thing. a shrink at another clinic told me he should have reduced the 'atypical,' and it was probably from increased blood levels of the tranquilizer. blah. isn't psychopharmacology fun?

hope things get better for you.

[Calla lily12]

Originally Posted by *Laurie*

Thank you so much, Calla lily. I am continuing to feel so odd, as though I cannot connect with anything...not sure how to describe; I just know that the feeling is so unpleasant. I'm making an appointment with my GP today - actually about my blood pressure, which has been elevated. I'll certainly mention the Paxil situation to her, but she'll claim she doesn't "know anything" about psych meds. (???)

My pdoc was insisting that I see her every week. Suddenly I don't have an appointment with her for a month. We were working on stabilizing my meds, now...? At this point I'm considering finding another pdoc if I can and if I can make an appointment sooner than a month away from now.

How did your GP become a doctor if he/she "knows nothing" about psych meds? Maybe she should read up on them. Hugs , if you want them.

[*Laurie*]

Originally Posted by still_crazy

no real advice. paxil, unfortunately, can be difficult at both ends--starting (including dosage increases) and stopping (OMG...paxil discontinuation...un-fun...).

Yes. SSRI withdrawal is it's own special hell.

on the plus side, its effective for anxiety, OCD, ruminations, etc. I just don't take it because it made me way too apathetic and placid. a lot of people benefit from it, though.

Yeah...I took it many years ago and found it helpful, as I recall. I don't want to stop taking it...I'm just not exactly sure what's going on.

not to pry, but...are you on other things? antidepressants can boost blood levels of a number of other psych drugs. the one that jumps to my mind is the tranquilizers/antipsychotics. when a shrink added an ssri to my ongoing 'atypical,' i was OK, then way too tranquilized. i thought it was an ssri thing. a shrink at another clinic told me he should have reduced the 'atypical,' and it was probably from increased blood levels of the tranquilizer. blah. isn't psychopharmacology fun?

How interesting! I had never even thought that one med could boost another - but that makes perfect sense! No, not prying at all - I'm on Lamictal, low-dose Seroquel, low-dose Gabapentin, Klonopin, and the Paxil. I have been having black-out sleeps...like I am entirely out. When I awaken I'm actually confused for a minute, I've been so thoroughly asleep. I wonder if the Paxil is causing the Seroquel to amp up? Hmm...


hope things get better for you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[*Laurie*]

Originally Posted by Calla lily12

How did your GP become a doctor if he/she "knows nothing" about psych meds? Maybe she should read up on them. Hugs , if you want them.

to you, too . And thank you.

Right?!?!?! I don't dislike my GP as a person, buuut...she has not impressed me as the greatest doctor, by any means. Perhaps I'm mistaken, but it seems to me that she doesn't take mental illness seriously and just plain doesn't care to *know* about psych meds. Very odd, I think.

[Wild Coyote]

I hope you are feeling better?

Thinking of you.


WC

[*Laurie*]

Thank you so much, WC. The support on this thread is truly helping me cope.

[Camellium]

Thank yout lucky stars your not on Effexor. I don't know how I'm ever going to get off this drug

[*Laurie*]

I'm so sorry Camellium. I was on Effexor many years ago and, as I recall, the pdoc did a cross-taper to a different AD. I don't remember having severe withdrawal, but then I might have forgotten over the years.

Paxil is definitely not for me. At least, not more than 10mgs. - which I don't think is even a clinical dose. I was taking the 20mg. and by this week-end I was horribly agitated and frantically angry at everything and everyone. It seems that my bipolar disorder has become worse in the past few years.

I have an appointment with my pdoc on 9/3 ; so far it hasn't been cancelled. To me, it seems irresponsible of any medical office not to have a back-up if a pdoc is away. Aside from the help I'm getting on this forum I am lost as to what's what. Anyway, I've decreased the Paxil down to 15mg. and raised my Lamictal from 150mg. to 175mg. I'm desperately trying to get a hold of my situation. And fighting feeling absolutely crushed by this.

[*Laurie*]

Had an excellent session with my therapist today - she's in the same clinic as my pdoc. Therapist says that no, pdoc is not leaving the clinic; that she did have a sudden medical problem and will be back next week. *Whew* That was a huge relief to hear.