I was recently on a course of 20mg of the SSRI type anti-depressant Paxil for a number of months. This was prescribed to me by my family physician after I went to her complaining of anxiety that was interfering with my life. The Paxil didn't do a thing for my anxious nature, so after giving it a number of months to do its thing I decided to return to my doctor and request a change of medication. I got one. I was advised to immediately cease using Paxil, and this is where my real troubles began. I began on a course of 300mg of welbutrin per day, but after just a little more than a week stopped taking it, because this amphetamine-like drug was definitely making my anxiety worse. After I stopped taking it I remained awake and un-drowsie for more than 72 strait hours and was so keyed up and bored I returned to posting on sciforms after well more than a year of writing off the buffoons I found here. . . but that isn't what I'm here to complain about. The real discomfort came from the Paxil. There is a thing, something I was never warned of when beginning on this drug, called SSRI discontinuation syndrome. Over the course of more than a week I experienced every symptom of the syndrome described in that article, and even as I write this am still plagued by "shock like" sensations. The shocks, are the worst symptom. They are worse than the sleep deprivation. When I initially began experiencing them I thought I was having a stroke, and immediately called my doctor who promptly had an assistant of hers return my call, three days later. During this time I looked up Paxil and discovered that the symptoms I was experiencing were consistent with this syndrome. I had never, and still have never, had the opportunity to discuss this with my doctor, even though it is something she should have mentioned both when first prescribing the drug, and when ordering me to cease its use. In the United States, where I live, this drug is marketed directly to consumers (that is the general public, not doctors) as non-habit forming. This terminology is banned in other nations, because of the severe withdrawal symptoms often experienced, and under the criteria of the World Health Organization Paxil is an addictive drug. None of these facts were shared with me by my doctor, and honestly I don't even know if she knows because she is simply too busy during the holiday season to return my calls. If I'm really uncomfortable, I suppose she thinks, I'll go to the ER. I just wanted to write this to see if anyone else has similar experiences with this drug, or drugs of the SSRI type, and to warn anyone being prescribed an SSRI for depression or anxiety that you aught to have a long conversation with your doctor about potential side effects, drug half-life, and what the doctor's duty's are when you wish to discontinue use of the drug. I have been experiencing debilitating symptoms for several days longer than the Wikipedia entry claims withdrawal should last, and I don't know when they will disappear. This drug was prescribed to me with very little fanfair or conversation from my doctor, and I feel that it is significantly more dangerous a drug than it is currently treated as.
I read in Site Feedback where some guy named 'Sexy Joe' posted 'lol' 20 times, then a spam. Possibly it was he they were referring to, but it is not clear from the way thread reads now. I certainly don't see where SpyMoose created any rule infraction.
No! I'm going to ban this stinker for posting this godawful post about pharmacology!!!! How dare he?! Hee. Yeah. Sexy Joe posted 20 lol's in 20 threads. He had to go.
