Wow, could husband's Paxil be working already?

[gcvmom]

husband restarted Paxil on Wednesday and he's already appearing so much more relaxed and at ease with the world. I hope this is not my imagination. He'd been off it about a month. And now the psychiatrist has restarted him at 1/2 the dose he was on before.

He went golfing yesterday with his brother in law and came home in such an amazing mood I had to ask him if he'd had something to drink (alcohol) at dinner! (He hadn't had a diet Coke). We sat for over an hour and actually had a pleasant conversation which rarely happens when he's anxious or depressed (and even then, it usually ends up in an argument).

What a turnaround from the start of the week when he was having nightly meltdowns!

 

[flutterbee]

There is something to be said about the placebo effect.

I've heard that Paxil is really hard to come off of. A woman I worked with years ago spent 6 months weaning off of it. I wonder if some of the agitation was withdrawal and going back on it has eased that.

 

[Jena]

Thats a good point Heather, I knew someone on it as well. Withdrawals from it can be severe.

Well, whatever it is that's going on yea for you and I hope it keeps up!

 

[mrscatinthehat]

Yes it can make that radical of a difference that quickly. Glad you are seeing it.

beth

 

[totoro]

Well whatever it is, hang onto it! No bad board juju.... This will last!!!

 

[gcvmom]

It's just so amazing to see the affect it as on him. He's upstairs in our guest room busily getting it organized for when his parents come out in a week or so. He'd never attempt something like that when he's agitated or depressed -- instead he'd be sitting at his computer playing Mahjong for hours on end.

Better living through chemistry!

 

[Josie]

When I took Lexapro, another SSRI, for the first time, I took it in the morning. I could feel a difference that very night when I realized I wasn't stressed about everyone trying to talk to me at once. I don't think it was a placebo effect because I didn't think it would work that quickly, if at all.

Since then, I've read that it works quickly on anxiety and takes longer for depression.

With your husband, part of it could have been withdrawal also which would contribute to it working quickly.

I'm glad he is getting back to his old (improved) self.

 

[Lothlorien]

I've heard of dreadful side effects when weaning off the Paxil. His attitude, lately, may just have been the long-lasting residua of coming off. I'm so glad that you won't have to spend Christmas hiding under the bed.

 

[Star*]

Here's a first hand account of coming off of Paxil xr - it was me.

I was on Zoloft and had a TREMENDOUS love for the little happy days and light fairies and life was bliss.....I now know why people DO drugs. If I could have felt like that for the rest of my life chemically induced or not I would have pulled out my own teeth's fillings and sold them for Zoloft. Alas - the effects were short lived and the doctor just kept increasing and increasing...to no avail. Eventually I started to have suicidal thoughts. THOSE were weird. Not like I wanted to die - but just consumed by planning it out. No doubt, told my doctor and he switched me to Paxil xr.

A few days into the Paxil OMG.....it was BETTER than Zoloft for me. Whatever chemical concoction it created in my head? Life was better than ever, I could cope with life if a rhino pooped on the hood of my Jaguar in a traffic jam....the euphoric feelings came back and it was like night and day. The best part? I felt UBER organized. I went from clean titan to clean queen - it was phenominal. UNTIL.......I couldn't afford the prescription and they don't make Paxil xr in a generic. THEN problems began. I nearly thought three days after stopping it cold turkey I was going to die, ended up in the ER, and spend a night in the hospital with pain and problems like I've never had. The ER nurses touched me and I would throw up, had chills, thought I was literally dying.

I read up on it once out of the hospital that going off it cold turkey is a GIGANTIC no no. I dont' know about most people but I thought I was going to die. No joke - literally felt like it was the end. I don't know what it did to my brain or my body - but once the ER staff found out I went off Paxil cold turkey they booked me a room. Changed my mind that day about euphoric drugs and their effects and......messing with my teeth or fillings.

I do know that the good he feels is real - it's a fantastic place to be mentally. Just please be sure if he ever goes off - he is weaned slowly.

Hugs - glad to see you got yer ARrrrrrrrrrrrrgh back.

Star