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Mental health

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Original poster

Any advice on Paroxetine?

21 replies

orangeandlemons · 07/07/2012 17:43

Have been on a million different ad's, the majority of which have had terrible side effects. The only ones left are, Paroxetine and Duloxetine.

I was put on Mirtazapine as a last attmept, but it just doesn't do much. Am very grumpy and bad tempered on it, and feel like everything is happening through a glass wall, particularly interacting with others.

As it is anxiety, Pscych recommened Paroxetine as a last line drug. Too scared at first so took mirtazapine. This has worked against anxiety ratherwell, but mood is crap.

Have script for Parox, but daren't actually get it. Any advice?

OP posts:

TheGruffalosbitch · 07/07/2012 20:13

Ok, I really hesistated writing this because my current state is probably clouding my judgement. but I will try to give you just the facts and not too much of my opinion.

Paroxetine worked for me, I was on it for 12 years and was mainly anxiety free in that time, I dont know how much of this was due to paroxetine and how much was due to a very good cbt therapist. It wasnt without its ups and downs but I definatly had more ups than downs.

Now the bad bit, It made me very tired, not just the 1st few weeks but all the time, If you let me I could happily sleep 20hrs a day, I thought this was just me and its not until im no longer on paroxetine that I realise that actually its not normal.
Like lots of SSRI's it really effects your sex life. (Paroxetine is meant to be the worst out of all of them) Without going into too much detail I havent had a proper orgasm is 12 fucking years!!!
And last but not least the withdrawal, oh god the withdrawal it is bloody awful. I tried it several times and each time I ended up worse than before, check out sites paxil progress etc.

If you want something that will get rid of your anxiety then it will probably work but please, please research it 1st, I wish someone had said this to me when I was 17 and handed my prescription

Original poster

orangeandlemons · 07/07/2012 20:17

Thanks for that.

I've been on 2 SSri's in the past, but neither of them affected the ability to havean orgasm. It seems to be the only side effect I don't get. I geteverything else, including horrible anxiety.

Anyway, I can't take either of them, nor citalopram, so am kind of looking at paroxetine or staying on this shit

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Bluestocking · 07/07/2012 20:23

I was on Paroxetine for about ten years. It gave me my life back and I'll always be grateful to the GP who finally persuaded me to take it. But it did stop working eventually. I didn't find the withdrawal problematic - in order to stop taking it, i was prescribed a liquid version which enables a very gradual reduction in the dose. However, once I was on a dose which was too low to be clinically effective, the black dogs came back big time. The GP prescribed Citalopram which was useless for me, didn't even touch the sides of the anxiety. After several months of struggling with that, I referred myself to a psych who prescribed Venlafaxine which works well for me. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

MrsMuddyPuddles · 07/07/2012 21:23

I'm currently on Paroxetine, have been for about 3 weeks now. I think it's working, but it is early days as of yet... I went on it for depression, but have noticed not anxious days and I've been so anxious for so long that I didn't even realize that I WAS anxious, I only noticed on the bad days

The only effect on my sleep is that I've increased back to my normal 7 or 7.5 hours, from a far too little 5 hours a night/night waking and unable to fall back asleep. My sex drive is better than it had been on depression (I hadn't even noticed that it had gone!) but not quite what it had been before (not necessarily a bad thing, as DH has always had a lower drive than me)

My biggest complaint is constipation helped/fixed by having lots of prunes, but I am sick of those now and a slightly lesser complain that I seem to have a nasty temper again. This one, I can't tell if it's the drugs or "me", as I had a terrible temper as a teenager, then grew out of it/managed to swallow things that irritated me... so I can't tell whether I'm cranky because of it or because of me no longer swallowing things...

MrsMuddyPuddles · 07/07/2012 21:27

ps- Why are you scared of it?

Also, for what it's worth... the idea that it is addictive has a bad reputation for "withdrawl syndrome" actually appeals to me but then, I considered taking up smoking or something as a way of self harming

I'll also worry about going off it if it does the opposite of working, like lofepramine doesn't work for me, or once I get better.

Original poster

orangeandlemons · 08/07/2012 12:07

Ha, I'm scared of it, beacuse of the fact it is an SSRi. Citalopram made me suicidal, sertraline nearly had me hospitalised with anxiety, and I'm allergic to prozac. That's why

Interesting what you say about the temper, because that is one of the main reasons I want to come off Mirtazapine. I am vile tempered on it and am usually all sweetness and light

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TheGruffalosbitch · 08/07/2012 13:06

let us know what ever you decide to do orangesandlemons and we will hand hold you all the way through xxx

Original poster

orangeandlemons · 08/07/2012 22:13

Have decided to stick with the Mirt. Have felt much muchbetter today, transformed really. Even been contemplating going abroad again after refusing to set foot on a plane through fear for the last10 years.

Now I want to go to Italy, and am detrmined not to let fear of flying stop me. This is unheard of for me, so I fugure they must be doing something pretty dramatic.

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TheGruffalosbitch · 09/07/2012 06:54

Yay I'm really pleased for you x

MrsMuddyPuddles · 09/07/2012 13:11

Glad to hear that they are working! Hope it stays that way :)

It's interesting that this is the only non-SSRI you've been tried on... maybe go back and ask about other tetracyclic ADs if you decide that your family you can't live with the temper side effects?

Not to enable your fear of flying, but are you aware of The Man in Seat 61?

Original poster

orangeandlemons · 09/07/2012 20:10

I've tried all those too Amitriptiline makes me very paranoid, imipramine I only managed 11 days a it made anxiety unbearable. Chlomipremene which is by far and the best ad I have ever taken made me eat my head off.

As for the mirt, well felt crap again today. Well .....oh, I don't know...I feel happy enough but just keep thinking about what it would be like to slit my wrists, but I don't feel depressed or in the least suicidal, I just keep having these random thoughts all the time, when the mood is OK really. But am not sure it is somehow right..................

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MrsHelsBels74 · 09/07/2012 20:15

I think the trouble with negative thoughts is if you've had them recurrently for a long time they kind of become an ingrained habit if you like. I've had depression all my adult life & thought a lot about suicide/self harming. I'm quite happy & balanced at the moment but these thoughts still pop into my head at random moments. I think as long as you recognise them for what they are & try not to dwell on them they won't do you any actual harm. Unpleasant yes, but no indication of your state of mind.

Hope this helps & hope you feel better soon

Original poster

orangeandlemons · 09/07/2012 20:23

But I get them much more than I've ever had them before, and much more often, yet I'm supposed to be better...but I'm just confused.

Sometimes I feel happy in that SSri sort of way, but other times I feel really tearful and down for no reason at all, and I'm just confused by it

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PermanentlyOnEdge · 09/07/2012 20:37

I am hesitant about recommending an AD as everyone has a different response, but paroxetine saved my life, along with a seriously good psychiatrist. I had been on many, all with unpleasant side effects, and when Prozac stopped working after nine months, I was put on this.
It was before they knew about the increased risk of suicidal thoughts ,early 90's, though, and I was rapidly put up to a dose that is now banned, (60 mg?) and I was admitted a week later as I was a danger to myself. Despite this, I know it saved my life. The dose was adjusted back down to 20 ( whatevers, don't know what it's measured in) and I was on it for six years, and my life turned around. I've now been off all AD's for 8 years.
Withdrawal though was dreadful. After six years I thought it pretty much wasn't doing anything anymore. Trying to come off saw me falling apart, with severe anxiety attacks (sent home from work), and a constant feeling of electric shocks running through me. It went on non stop for two weeks. Because I knew it was just withdrawal, I just forced my way through it, knowing it would end, chopping the tablets into ever smaller pieces. And it eventually stopped, and I was fine.
I guess as with all AD's, don't underestimate the effects it may have, but it's worth the risks if all else has failed. Nothing is worse than the hell that is depression.

MrsMuddyPuddles · 09/07/2012 23:29

How long have you been on the mirt? From hanging out on this MH board, I've learned that one has down (sometimes very down) days that don't mean that the meds aren't working, they're just a bad day if you see what I mean... but if the average day is getting worse and worse, that's when to change. I think. I dunno.

Hope this waffling helps! :o

Original poster

orangeandlemons · 12/07/2012 17:23

I'm having periods of 3 or 4 days where I feel like shite. Last night kept wwwaking up and felt...well, haunted is the only word.

So it looks like paroxetine

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MrsMuddyPuddles · 12/07/2012 20:39

How long are the periods between the shit ones?

Original poster

orangeandlemons · 12/07/2012 21:14

About 3 days crap, 4 days good

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MrsJohnMurphy · 12/07/2012 22:18

I had paroxetine in the past, only for a few weeks though, it did work for anxiety but made me feel odd, it maybe would have lessened with time. I finally ended up on dosulepin, which really worked for me, made me a little drowsy, but solved the anxiety and really helped me sleep if taken at night.

I was a git for just taking a medication for awhile then stopping all of a sudden, did it for the dosulepin too once I felt better .

The only side effect I ever had from stopping was with the paroxetine, sometimes when walking when I stepped down I would get an electric shock feeling in my head. It wasn't terrible though and it soon went away.

MrsMuddyPuddles · 12/07/2012 23:42

Good to know that "discontinuation syndrome" isn't always hell, MrsJohn :)

Orangesandlemons is this pattern of hell vs good better, worse, or the same when compared with other meds/pre meds? Though I am apparently "more myself" with this paroxetine and a friend "hasn't heard you [me] like this in a long time" so looks like it works for me...

Original poster

orangeandlemons · 13/07/2012 09:09

Definitely worse, and have been on most of them . Then I get some good days when I think I will be OK, but I just crash again.

Started to taper mirt down last night ready for a switch. Did try to get in to see GP to ask if I should raise the dose on mirt, but can't get in for ages, so Hey ho another round of side effects and shit.

DD's birthday today, and feel utterly utterly shite. Tearful, down, woke up this morning thinking I should kill myself, so I guess it's not working, although I went on it for anxietyand it has worked against that, but it seems to have dragged the mood down

Mrs JM how did it make you feel odd? Did it make you want to eat, whichI have heard it is terrible for, and another reason why I want to come of Mirt which is awful for this.

MuddyPuddles, how are you now? Has the temper gone? Do you feel better?

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