yogini Posted March 24, 2008 Report Share Posted March 24, 2008 Hi everyone,I've been on 5mg Paxil for about a week now, which is 1/2 pill of the lowest dose out there. The first day I felt fine. The next two days I started feeling tired and slept all the way til noon w/o realizng it. I'm still fatigued, but I've only had a minor increase in POTS symptoms - but it is really not even as bad as I feel around my period. So things so far are going much better than I expected. It's probably b/c I started really slowly, thanks to the good advice here. Since small doses seem to work for me, I actually think I might wait a couple more weeks before increasing to 10 mg. Who knows, maybe 5mg wll even be enough. Because of my own experiences w/meds and reading other peoples' posts, I was really reluctant to try an SSRI. It was something that my docs recommended 4 years ago, but I was too scared. Just wanted to share my experience for those of you considering an SSRI that all in all it has been pretty bearable....now we'll just have to see whether it helps with my symptoms!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomtoGiuliana Posted March 24, 2008 Report Share Posted March 24, 2008 Hope it works for you. A low dose SSRI was a "miracle drug" for me. I had worsened POTS symptoms initially and it took weeks to have any effect. So, you do have to be patient! Good luck with the process! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MightyMouse Posted March 25, 2008 Report Share Posted March 25, 2008 My experience was the same--low dose equaled a more live-able life for me.Nina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yogini Posted March 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2008 Thanks guys. I am still zonking out for hrs at night and also in the afternoon! I also noticed that I feel HOT ad thirsty all the time and am sweating, even in my sleep. I am usually one of those people who is freezing cold all the time. Normally when this happens I get scared b/c this is a sign of being tachy, but my HR seems to be fine at these times... Does anyone else get hot and sweaty due to an SSRI?Anyway, none of these side effects are that big of a deal - I'll be sticking with the Paxil and may even increase it in another week or two. I think I even noticed a couple times that my HR is a little slower...if so, that's good news. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flop Posted March 29, 2008 Report Share Posted March 29, 2008 Hi Rita,when I first started Paroxetine I felt like I was on some sort of stimulant - I had so much energy I was bouncing and had a hard time getting to sleep. After a few weeks that side-effect wore-off and I was back to my usual sleep pattern. I know that is the opposite effect to what you are experiencing but hopefully yours will wear off too.I seem to be warmer and have occasional night sweats too - I hadn't made a link between them and paroxetine but it may be the cause. I just make sure that I drink lots and have a glass of cool water by my bed incase I wake up hot and thirsty (which I do most nights), I also have a table fan next to the bed and I'm able to switch that on when I'm hot without completely waking up.Hope the trial continues to go well,Flop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajw4790 Posted March 29, 2008 Report Share Posted March 29, 2008 Hi!I haven't tried Paxil, but Zoloft so far is the med that I have seen the most improvement with. Mainly with heat intolerance and dizzy/lightheadedness.Sounds like so far it is working, but are having to adjust. I too had to adjust and find the right SSRI and dosage. Some of them were not very fun rollercoaster rides! Hope you continue to see positive results! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yogini Posted March 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2008 Thanks ladies. I didn't see the heat/sweating thing in the list of Paxil side effects, but it was mentioned in patient discussions when I Googled it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarct Posted March 30, 2008 Report Share Posted March 30, 2008 Hi there,I am not on Paxil but have recently ben put on zoloft as well. The first few nights I took it I had to take my pants off in the middle of the night since I was so hot. I woke up and my skin was wet with sweat. I had a panic attack after the first night of taking it, insomnia for the last couple weeks. I am finally beginning to sleep more. Also I have periods of feeling tipsy. Kinda like I had a few drinks. They come and go. And I also get a sudden shortness of breath and rapid heart rate. I just have to close my eyes and mentally slow my breathing and everything calms down. The symptoms are winding down now. I heard it takes a good two weeks for our bodies to adjust to the medications. I have noticed marked improvement in my episodes. Like, I feel them come on, but it's all in my head. it doesn't affect my body function anymore. I still feel the buzzy feeling in my head, and get the metallic taste in my mouth after the tongue sting I get, but that is it. I have had a couple full on epsiodes, but nothing like before. I hope they work for you. It really has improved my symptoms big time. Good luck!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs. Burschman Posted March 30, 2008 Report Share Posted March 30, 2008 Paxil gives me night sweats. But it's also a miracle drug for me, so I put up with it. I'd rather be sweaty at night than incapacitated during the day! I'd advise patience, too. It might take a bit to make a huge difference. I hope it works for you!amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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