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paxil and buspar

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Posted 10/1/2010 11:12 PM (GMT 0)
Ive only posted once before. so, my name is Tracey and i have been dealing with anxiety/ panic. Its so bad, I dont want to leave my house because even getting in a car causes me to freak out. Problem is though, I need to. I attend school and I have 3 children that are dependant on me.
So, I was finally able to get into a dr today. Awhile back when I went to the Er, they prescribed me xanax and it worked great. i know that it can be habit forming and everything. The dr that I saw today, was mad that the Er dr gave me xanax because of that. He gave me paxil that I am to take once daily and buspar twice daily.
The part that bothers me is the " in the moment" panic/ anxiety. Before it would happen, Id take the xanax and within 20 minutes I was fine. Now, I am scared that that is going to happen, and I will have no options. the fact that it also could take up to three weeks to kick in bothers me to, I need to be able to semi- function and leave my house before then!!I guess I will start taking the meds tomorrow morning.
Has anyone here had a positive experience with either medication helping them?

Thank- you :-)
Posted 10/2/2010 4:15 PM (GMT 0)
I use Buspar and have had fairly good luck with it.  I take it twice daily every day.

Good luck finding a combo that works for you.

Kindly,

Kitt

Posted 10/2/2010 7:38 PM (GMT 0)
thank you fpr your response, Kitt. Can I ask how long it took to feel less anxiety/ panic, for you? Im not a big fan of benzos, but I cant fathom the thought of having to sit around for a month waiting to start to feel different. I am already close to having to quit school, just so that I dont have to leave the house anymore. I panic in cars mostly and in any " social" situation. The dr, just flat out refused and never even bothered to ask me what symptoms I had or anything, just had me fill out a depression questionnaire, and I am not depressed!
anyway...thanks again
Posted 10/2/2010 10:05 PM (GMT 0)
Because of their addictive potential psychiatrists often will prescribe an anti-depressant for a person with anxiety instead of a benzo for long-term use. Some (but not all) antidepressants also help with A/P. Personally I was given Xanax to use daily until the antidepressant kicks in. My doctor told me that as long as I taper off slowly and carefully that I shouldn't have to worry about physical addiction issues. I'm not there yet as the antidepressant is still building up in my system and we're still determining the proper dosage. But you deserve a psychiatrist that you feel comfortable with and trust. If you don't feel you're being listened to, maybe you should consider a new doctor. Many psychiatrists sadly are rush rush... but there are also some great ones out there.
Posted 10/2/2010 10:43 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Fugs, this was a GP... so maybe I should go the psychiatrist route. I wanted to try therapy anyway.:)
Posted 10/3/2010 10:07 PM (GMT 0)
You're welcome. But if you're interested in therapy then you'll likely have to find someone in addition to a psychiatrist. Most (but not every) psychiatrist focuses strictly on medication management. Therapists on the other hand tend to be either psychologists (lPhD, PsyD, LPC etc.) or social workers (LSW, LICSW, PhD, DSW etc.). The initials will vary depending on their degree and your state. You can look online to find out what the initials and different licensing levels are in your state.
Posted 10/4/2010 2:58 AM (GMT 0)
There are so many great options out there for dealing with anxiety, medication being one of them. Cognitive behavioral therapy worked really well for me. I personally have a prescription to xanax, that I didn't take for a long time because of the worry about addiction etc. I felt guilty taking it, but after a lot of soul searching and talking to friends and family, and finally decided that if I need it, I'm going to take it. I take xanax about once weekly now, .25mg, and my doctor told me that at that low of a dose, and the infrequency of taking it, that I will not have any physical addiction. Mentally though, I feel better just knowing it's in my cabinet if I need it. So that's my motto, if you need it, then take it, but follow your doctor's advice, and definitely find other natural ways for dealing with anxiety. I have an app on my iphone that has a relaxing meditation tape that I can listen to for about 15 minutes. It works great! I can use it anywhere, just plug in my earphones, and listen to it while shopping, driving (in only one ear) walking around, I've even had it in while watching tv. Try and learn some breathing techniques and definitely look in to some books, one that saved my life is called From Panic to Power. I feel bad I can't remember the author, but if you google it, you'll find it. I cried through the whole first chapter :P You don't have to rely on meds to get you through hard times. Find inner strength and learn to rely on yourself and you will start feeling empowered and hopefully you will start feeling better soon. All my luck to you!
Posted 10/4/2010 4:37 PM (GMT 0)
I know that feeling, I was diagnosed with anxiety about a month ago and my dr prescribed me Lorazepam, but because of addiction issues that I read, I have not been able to take it yet due to fear. Although recently my anxiety is getting worse... I think I just have to get the courage to take it.
Posted 10/7/2010 5:36 AM (GMT 0)
carlybob1,
I am very surprised that you were prescribed paxil. Paxil was taken off the market in many European countries a number of years ago. I was on paxil for five years. No one told me that your brain becomes dependent on it. I stopped taking it and went through horrible withdrawal. Don't ever stop taking it without doctor supervision and tapering off of the drug.
S
Posted 10/7/2010 4:44 PM (GMT 0)
subzero-
thanks for letting me know. although, unfortunately, my anxiety causes me to be scared to try meds I havent tried before. So, I havent tried the Paxil anyway.
Posted 10/7/2010 9:51 PM (GMT 0)
Two that have worked well for me is citalopram (anti-depressant) and Alprazolam (as needed anti-anxiety). I have been taking them for two years and have had no side effects. Good luck! I hope you feel better soon.
S
Posted 10/7/2010 11:06 PM (GMT 0)
my issue is that they ONLY want to give me the paxil and the buspar. I want to find someone that will give me something like for a sudden attack. how can I tell my panic that there is something in my body trying to get rid of it but it will take 3 or more weeks? haha
Posted 10/8/2010 3:38 AM (GMT 0)
Hi, I understand you being scared of meds.. I have not try them yet because of fear ...but as I have read a sudden cure for anxiety does not exist, when I started with my anxiety before getting depressed they prescribed me Lorazepam and although I did not take it, I found a program called Panic away very helpful, along with breathing tecniques and yoga.. it works! worth trying Good luck!
Posted 10/10/2010 6:09 PM (GMT 0)
carlybob1,
One of the wonderful features of better living through chemistry is that we have many drugs available for anxiety. I don't understand why your doctor isn't tailoring your meds to your exact needs. Any doctor that will only prescribe one treatment for a condition is not living up to his oath. Sometimes it takes a few tries with different medicines to find the one or combination of medicines that will allow you to feel great. The medicines are not a panacea. It is still better if we develop life skills that address the root causes of our anxiety. I hope your doctor will change her/his mind or that you find a better doctor.
S
Posted 10/10/2010 8:06 PM (GMT 0)
Carlybob1,

I took Paxil, which became Paxil CR, for nearly 20 years. I was prescribed the medication for depression, and it worked well for that. When my anxiety issues developed later, I noticed that I had fewer uncontrollable attacks, that my attacks were milded, when I was taking Paxil than when I wasn't (I tried a few times to switch to another med, or just to stop taking it).

It was pretty benign, but there were some difficulties when I tried to stop:
1) I couldn't stop outright from a high dose. I'd get headaches and disconnectedness feelings within about 36-48 hour whenever I tried.
2) My anxiety and depression would rebound when I stopped.
It did work for me to taper off of it, *very* slowly this year, with my doctor's help. I do miss the levelling effect it had on my anxiety, but after 20 years, I was interested in exploring whether it had effects on other body systems (serotonin, a body chemical which Paxil helps to adjust, is also involved in the systems that set off allergies, and my allergies have become very scary for reasons having nothing to do with Paxil). Too soon to tell yet with that experiment.

All that said, I wouldn't expect it to harm you if you tried it for a while. Indeed, it never seemed to do me any harm to take it; I just wanted to try moving in a different direction, without it, for my health. Whenever I wasn't taking it, there definitely was less "rebound anxiety" than with the benzos I've taken for short periods, for what that's worth.

Good luck,
percycat
Posted 10/19/2010 12:28 AM (GMT 0)
I started taking Buspar on 9/28 I was given the prescription back in May but I was afraid to try. I was on Lexapro and gained so much wieght. Buspar makes me feel whole, I do not jump of the gun and i do not over obsess about foolish things anymore. I am taking 7.5 mg twice a day. I do have a question I am having really bad dry skin has this happened to anyone else on Buspar? Also, has anyone gained weight or experienced any hair loss. I was on Topamax for my migranes and had severe hair loss and saw this could be a side effect on Buspar. Thank you in advance.
Posted 4/7/2014 6:07 AM (GMT 0)
I am trying to get my son stabile. He has had severe psychosis along with other issues. He panics thinking some one is trying to kill him. He refuses to take haldol which is an amazing med for him except he dont like the way it makes him feel. it does make him more reasonable and able to make sound decisions. I want to try him on paxil as well as the buspar he is already on. Does anyone have any thoughts on these meds?
Posted 4/7/2014 3:03 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Shorty,

I am sorry to hear of your son's struggles. It is frustrating when we want to help someone to feel their best, but we're not feeling the same way about the Rx plan...

Is your son still a minor, or are you caring for him as an adult?

Does he have a psychiatrist that prescribes for him? What are his/her thoughts?

I am not sure that our members can answer your question in the thorough manner that it deserves, since the source of panic is coming from a different place...in other words, his may respond differently since it is psychosis induced.

Therefore, I hope that you get some answers that you seek...but ultimately, I think that I would go along with his precribing doctor's recommendations.

I wish you both the very best. Peace and strength to your family!

Scaredy Cat
Posted 4/7/2014 3:35 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Tracey
I have the same problem, no depression just the anxiety, couldn't even get off the porch, drive a car or go shopping and I am terrified of medication. I did however start on Prozac which I realize is a very controversial medication, but I trust my wonderful doctor and I kept swallowing the darn pill trusting she was right! I would have a panic attack 5 minutes after swallowing it which logically I knew was related to my fear of medication. However a few weeks later it is working I can drive now, get groceries etc, I do also keep a bottle of Ativan on me in case of an emergency panic attack just having it helps, I never take it bit knowing I can if I need to greatly helps. I hope you get the care you need and right meds as required you will get better with patience and time
Posted 4/7/2014 5:01 PM (GMT 0)
shorty4_10

Hello and welcome to HealingWell. Psychosis is a temporary loss of contact with reality and is a sign of an underlying mental illness: schizophrenia, Alzheimer's Disease, bipolar disorder or psychotic depression for example. Psychosis is not a permanent state; it can be treated and the majority of people afflicted can live satisfactory lives.

Symptoms include disturbances in perception (hallucinations, e.g. hearing voices or seeing things that are not there).

Bizarre or clearly unjustified beliefs and judgements (delusions, e.g. beliefs of being persecuted with no external evidence), or thoughts of people being able to read one's mind.

Disorganized thinking (speaking in ways that are confusing), or bizarre behavior.

Highly-effective treatments are available, including a combination of antipsychotic medication and family intervention, cognitive behavioral therapy, supportive psychotherapy and case management, skills training, and education.

Reference: Douglas Mental Health University Institute

The key to treatment is often stabilization using medications, then therapy ETC.

We do not have a forum here in HealingWell that  speaks to how to deal with psychosis. It is a very complicated mental health issue and rather than cause more harm than good you would be well served by a forum that includes psychosis and/or schizophrenia as one of their topics.

I am going to recommend a forum to you that has a great reputation ~ Forums at Psych Central:

 

http://forums.psychcentral.com/schizophrenia-psychosis/

 

If you just want to visit with us re your own anxiety, as this must truly cause you worries and anxiety, please consider starting a thread of your own as this thread is 4 years old. This is easily done:

 

Once you decide that you want to post for the first time, please click on New Topic box near the top left side and introduce yourself to the rest of our community. Tell us a little about your self that you don't mind us knowing. If your first post is a reply to someone else's post you may get over looked. And we wouldn't want that to happen. 

Lastly we are glad that you found us. You will find us to be a very diverse, knowledgeable and compassionate forum.

 

kindly,

Kitt

 

Posted 4/8/2014 6:26 AM (GMT 0)
I have taken both Paxil and Buspar. Personally, I did not respond dell to the Paxil and had terrible side effects, but everyone's experiences are different. I currently take Buspar and it is my savior, I could not cope with my anxiety without it. Initially it made me tired but that subsided in a few weeks. Other than that I have not had a single side effect in the 2 months I've taken Buspar.
Posted 5/11/2015 2:12 AM (GMT 0)
I've been using paxil (once a day) and buspar (twice a day) for a couple months and I've had fantastic results!
Posted 5/11/2015 3:58 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Charlotte and welcome!

Glad to hear you are having good results with your Rx's! :)

May you continue to do well...

...and post with us anytime for sharing and support!

(consider starting your own thread of introduction if you are comfortable doing so!)

Scaredy Cat
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