Paxil/Buspar and my story

[djnexus911]

So ive been having really bad anxiety and panic attacks for a few years now and they seem to have gotten much worse over the last few months, sometimes I wake up like I cant breath in a panic, sometimes I get anxious thru the day, also sometimes I feel like I cant breath and have tightness in my chest. In the last 2 months ive prolly been to the ER around 5 times they are getting to know me well. The doc at the ER put me on ativan for 2 weeks or so over a month back and then I went back to the ER and they gave me xanex 0.5 for 20 days and told me they couldnt write me for anything else until I followed up with a doctor. The xanex has helped calm me down quite alot just taking one a day around noon everyday. And I took on a whim at night when I had a bad family issue that sent me into a panic attack that calmed me down in a few minutes. I also get severe back pain all the time, pain in my leg or legs at times, slight chest pains in diffrent area's sometimes trouble swallowing with tingling sensations (dont know might be acid reflux) Also the last 2 months i started going to this mental health place, and it has taken 2 months but ive finally seen the doctor the other day and not just the counseler and she started me on paxil 10mg and buspar 5mg tablets taken 1 1/2 2 times a day and then 1 1/2 3 times a day after the first week. I havent taken a xanex in 4 days, and have been taking the paxil and buspar for 2 days now but already after 2 days I feel diffrent in a bad way. I started getting these brain zaps that felt like someone was shocking my brain for a short period of time. And also today I felt a tightness in my chest worse than it normally is that felt like trouble breathing that sent me back to the ER today and they checked my lungs and heart with a stethoscop and vital machine all turned up ok and sent me home (they know me quite well now) when I got home tonight I started crying which is actually something I normally dont do and then started to get angry a little bit. I dont know if I should continue this medicine the doctor put me on or not, I need to get my life straightned out so I can feel better and get another job and do something with my life. Im 25 years old. But I also dont wanna go thru side effects that ive read about here for a chance it might not work for me or have bad side effects getting off. I also deal with some paranoia sometimes when driving I get this feeling that people are looking at me when I drive which is kinda odd, sometimes I avoid diffrent places because I dont like running into people I know for some reason. I typically stay to myself and dont really hang out with alot of people. I feel like a complete and udder mess. It sucks.

Shawn

[micmic]

very helpful, thank you so much for sharing your story! :)

[Robbed]

It is because of the garbage that you are going through with these meds that I think they are bad most of the time. I have personally known a handful of people who have gone through similar problems as a result of taking medications like Paxil. Also keep in mind that Paxil is widely known to be the most addictive SSRI out there, spurring lawsuits over Glaxo Pharmaceutical's claim that it is 'non habit forming'. Honestly, I think you really need to ask yourself what you have done to deal with your anxiety problem in a non-pharmaceutical way. Because, even when medications work at their best, they merely mask symptoms and NEVER get to the root of the problem. Of course, at their worst, well, you aint seen nothing yet. So my suggestion is to shelve the Paxil.

From everything you describe, your anxiety problem has some VERY well defined psychological roots. Although these may not be easy to deal with, doing so will go MUCH farther when it comes to dealing with your anxiety problem. Also, you might try getting a good self-help book like 'Complete Self Help for your Nerves' by Claire Weekes. Although this book does not really help you deal with issues like paranoia and social anxiety, it is REALLY good for helping you to deal with anxiety symptoms and anxiety disorder itself. Finding a good therapist can help as well. But, as you have already found, most tend to promote the use of medication. And good therapists can be hard to find. Perhaps this is why most people who successfully overcome anxiety disorder do so on their own.