Week 1 of 4 done. So for the next 4 weeks it's like this: Last week - 75mg effexor / 10mg paxil (originally 150mg effexor, no paxil) This week and next week - 37.5 effexor / 20mg paxil Final week - 0mg effexor / 20mg paxil Rough headaches this weekend. Otherwise, "OK". Smoking some weed when my head gets really scratchy feeling and I can tell the meds aren't in me as strongly (you know what I mean if you've been on an anti-depressant and tried to go cold turkey...after day 3 or 4 your head just gets spacey and you feel almost flu like), helps quite a bit. Shockingly so actually. Always knew there were benefits, but never experienced any that I was aware of. In better shape than I anticipated a week in, hopefully week 2 goes well. Figured I'd write this here in case anyone else goes through a transition in meds, if I'm successfully hopefully something here can help someone else as well.
Saw Doc yesterday. All seems ok. I'm really tired on this stuff. Yawn a lot. Said it should go away. Otherwise though...good stuff. Way more laid back. Feel mentally like a new person. Just wanted to post an update. No regrets at all going through with the change.
Do any of you exercise? I mean for real, every day, get the heart rate up and keep it there for a while... I haven't seen any mention of it yet it is a fantastic way to help manage this. Try it. Drugs and definatly alcohol can be a dead end. Your body has everything you need to get well. Best wishes and thoughts to you guys.
I was in an accident and I've had multiple bad concussions from traumatic brain injury and ever since I've had terrible anxiety for no reason. I'm sure the concussions are the cause. I've tried medications and they don't work because my issue isn't caused by the thing these meds are designed to treat. I also went and talked to someone every week for about a year. That didn't help the anxiety but I did find it nice to talk through things with an unbiased party and it was good for venting. There seems to be a stigma around going to s shrink or councilor. It's less than it used to be but it really shouldn't exist because it's not just for the people with major mental health issues. I do wish I could get rid of this anxiety. Prior to the accident I was probably the least anxious person around. It definitely makes life difficult.
There are more and more scientific papers released showing direct link between mental state and gut bacteria. Sounds ludicrous and far-fetched, but medicine is a science still to discover a LOT. Started to have pretty bad anxiety in the last years and there was a strong correlation between food, gut biome and sleep. After taking a serious decision and starting to eat different and exercise and improving my sleep my anxiety is almost gone. But never seek health counseling on a hardware forum.
Yep...jogged 3 miles a day for a year. Didn't help. Cut out red meat, went on a crazy diet at the same time, lost about 20 pounds that I didn't need to lose. Didn't help. Saw a therapist for about a year, didn't help. It's easier to preach to people about things if they're not going through them. Not saying you, but in general, in society, many think there's a fix outside of pills and sometimes that's not the case. I don't want to be dependent on meds from heartless big pharma, but I am. Since making this thread I went from Effexor, to Paxil to Prozac, back to Paxil. My Therapist told me I was the hardest case she ever had. Tried what she suggested, it did nothing. Stopped seeing her around Jan of this year. Just wasn't doing anything but taking money from my wallet. Some people don't try other things first and rely on pills. I get that. But not everyone. I'm at my wits end lately with all this. But, there are more important things going on in the world where self focus seems pointless right now. Edit: I also gave up weed last April. Ironically feel worse without it. But sticking to it. Because the Doc said it can do more harm than good and I'm trying everything I can.
weird case I've ever heard, too. One thing you can try and will never hurt or cost significant amount of money. Try to up your probiotics and sleep pattern. Add as much probiotics ( there are small powder sacks) sold in pharmacy with up to 10 different bacteria. Cheap as peanuts. And melatonin and anything that will help you sleep at least 8 hours. Will that work? Don't know, but will not make your condition worse, that for sure.
Wasn't going to comment as thought this was a bit of a necrothread, and alot of the times that is from new posters trying to get their post count up. Good to see you checked back in Serotonin. Was hoping you were a lot happier, but easier said than done i suppose. Also and excuse my slowness, but i actually saw more of a Nine inch Nails thing in your username than the actual word. I've been having my own struggles for a while, but nothing serious (i think) I just don't enjoy anything anymore. I have no enthusiasm for games, movies, music. Not even bodybuilding which i have done for about 25 years now. Is this a thing? Self medicating with alcohol is unfortunately the norm for many Scottish males, as is not visiting a doctor. Tried a few other chemicals which various degrees of success. Weed is harder to get here, but was always something i disliked as i only even smoked when i was drunk and i don't think the two mix. Phenibut was probably the best and worst thing i have tried, but at it's worst it is employment endangering.
Cheers for that I was about to say i'm not mid life but no way am i making it to 80. Mid life was probably 10 years ago at a push.
Yep, no interest in anything is a big symptom of depression, "I have no enthusiasm for games, movies, music. Not even bodybuilding which i have done for about 25 years now. Is this a thing?" It's a thing. And it sucks. I'm right there with you. I pretty much had to make a choice between depression and anxiety recently. I went on Prozac in December...man, for almost a full month I felt AMAZING. I even cried to my wife one night out at dinner, just started balling explaining how great I felt after years of this. And then shortly after that, I had horrible anxiety start to build up. Horrible. Everything was giving me anxiety, I also had just started a new job Dec 23rd, so that was enough natural anxiety with more added on with this pill. I couldn't handle it. My Psychiatrist tried giving me something to help with anxiety but it didn't help. On top of all this, I started having trouble sleeping....4 hours a night on a good night, going to a new job where I have to be crisp and learn the new systems, etc. So by Feb. I sat down with my psych and said....I want back on Paxil. I don't think it's the long-term solution, but I need stability right now with what's going on in my life. He agreed. About a week into Paxil, anxiety gone, depression back. Games? Meh. Tv? Even more meh. Doing anything outside of my house (even before virus) blah, no thanks. So you have depression. Sorry for the rant. Don't talk about this much, feels nice to get it out. So yeah, went from anxiety and 4 hours of sleep, to depressed and sleeping...man...weekends, 12 hours no problem lol. But it's still better than the Prozac/anxiety. That was awful. You should see a therapist, if nothing else, just talk to your regular physician. Even they can go over some options for you. I have empathy for you. Feel free to PM me any time. Sometimes just talking about it helps. And you're right, my name was a play on Nine Inch Nails, as well as the brain chemical, I thought I was witty when I made it. Now I'd much prefer the lower case nin since I don't even listen to them anymore. But Hilbert has better things to do. Painful reminder every time I log in of what a douche I was, but I've grown up. That's good I guess. Finally, man do I have an awesome wife. She's really been supportive of all this. I can't imagine not having her as my rock. I'd of probably done something stupid by now. No joke. I feel terrible for what I'm sure I put her through with this, just not being as out going as her. She's a real Rockstar. One day when I'm better I'll owe her a lot of date nights.
