Paxil... or lack thereof... and anger management

[*Devon*]

Not really sure where to start... quick background:

My bf was raised by a father who solved problems with his fists. He has no patience and a very short fuse (never with me, just in general). When he was younger, he got in a lot of bar fights, etc, and he was in the Army.

He works on the base now and a few months ago, had an altercation with his supervisor and they sent him to the VA shrink, who prescribed Paxil. He's been on it for about 2 months. I don't really think he has a chemical problem, because the Paxil didn't make much difference, although he is slightly calmer. I think the dr just prescribed it as an "easy fix". BUT he had a lot of side effects, especially sexual, so he decided to just stop taking it. (I had no idea, he just told me this). So he's been off it for a week and he seems ok so far but I am really worried. I know you're not supposed to just quit cold turkey like that. He called his dr but she hasn't gotten back to him yet.

So basically I guess I'm wondering if there's anything he can do to avoid being put back on it, because I hate the idea of him being on antidepressants unnecessarily, and also wondering what effects to expect now and how to deal with them.

BOYS! :

[Collin'sMama]

IMHO, keep him OFF OF THE PAXIL. I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression when I was 15 and put on Paxil. It did help with both, I will give it that. But after a year, when I tried to go off.....it was bad. After two to three days without , I started having SERIOUS withdrawals. I would be off-balance horribly, couldn't stand to see light, hear noises, all smells made me so sick. I couldn't keep any food down, would quickly puke whatever I had eaten up. Everything made me vomit. Would be sooooooooo dizzy to the point where I couldn't walk. I would not sleep at all at night, was kept awake by very surreal, weird vivid dreams..........and sweat. I would sweat through my clothes, sheets, blankets over and over throughout the night (like I had just taken a shower I would be so drenched in sweat). My thoughts would be distorted and I'd be irrational.
This was being weaned off of the medicine too, not just an abrupt stop. I am now 23 and have tried many, many times to go off of Paxil with no luck. It just gets too bad....I have weaned down to 20 milligrams, but anything after that I can't handle. Get delusional b/c of lack of sleep and dehydration.

There a tons of lawsuits again Paxil for playing down the "withdrawal syndrome." This is the devil drug! Besides being stuck on it, I have NO libido, sex disgusts me, (which is a major side effect), I have extreme fatigue and constipation, dulled emotional respones. And my depression has come back three fold.

It's just bad, bad stuff. For more info check out www.quitpaxil.info/

And I'm not someone who is against anti-depressants......just this one. It has ruined my life in so many ways. I wasn't able to get off of it during pregnancy, I watched my infant have withdrawals for weeks (and stopped breathing, spending two nights in the NICU) and was unable to breastfeed b/c of the risk. The guilt kills me.

Apparently, the risks of severe withdrawal doesn't happen to everyone and the longer you're on it and the stronger the dose, the higher the chance.

But even if he does go back on anti-depressants, choose a different one!

I hope this wasn't too pushy, but if it would prevent someone from possibly going through the hell I go through .....

[*Devon*]

Wow... I am sorry you're in such a bad situation! I hope you are able to feel better soon

I am so glad he stopped taking it when he did...

He said his body was tingly for a few days, but that was it. He sees the dr today.

When he was taking it, we couldn't dtd at all. Now, we can, but he doesn't seem as interested as he should be ... but it's slowly getting better. He says it's a better medicine than the pills (I'm sure the dr is going to LOVE that one ).

I know so many people who were prescribed it... and none of them have any idea what the side effects are like! It's some scary stuff.