Re: Worse before better on paroxetine?
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Originally Posted by
jonjon
-Side effects to report are nausea after taking pill. I take it with dinner so that helps reduce the nausea.
Nausea may be directly caused by ADs, or by the heightened anxiety they trigger. Ginger and vitamin B6 supplements are often effective.
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-Dry mouth for which I use biotene mouth spray.
The Biotene products are usually very effective.
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-Headaches are worse and have taken paracetamol.
Paracetamol, aka acetaminophen, is preferred to the NSAIDs as SSRIs are also mild anticoagulants.
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-Increased anxiety which I think is the cause of the headaches.
SSRIs and other serotonergic ADs affect blood vessel tone, constriction and dilation, and that is probably the main cause of the headaches.
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My main concerns are the increasing anxiety and related headaches as I need to show my face at work for a couple of hours on Monday and driving sends my anxiety/panic into the stratosphere! Even just thinking of it.
While SSRIs may heighten anxiety at the beginning it sounds like it won't be the only, or even main driver.
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Hope you get around to reading those books Ian. Lol
I'm having minor surgery early next week so I'm taking a couple of them with me to while away the hours between feasting on hospital food. :ohmy:
Re: Worse before better on paroxetine?
Ok so second day at 20mg and headaches much worse. Barely made it down the road for a coffee.
Anxiety just as bad as ever but nausea and dry mouth have disappeared.
Not sure how much more of these headaches I can take as they feed the thought “I’m not getting better”.
Funny thing is 2 weeks into 10mg dose I had some good moments so wondering whether I have to wait another 2 weeks for this dose to settle or maybe I jumped up too early.
Good luck with the day surgery Ian, hope your ailment gets resolved.
John
Re: Worse before better on paroxetine?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
jonjon
Ok so second day at 20mg and headaches much worse. Barely made it down the road for a coffee.
Drinking coffee might not be wise atm as it significantly constricts blood vessels, as may SSRIs.
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Not sure how much more of these headaches I can take as they feed the thought “I’m not getting better”.
No point in thinking this as it will likely take 5 plus weeks before you're likely to get better.
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Funny thing is 2 weeks into 10mg dose I had some good moments so wondering whether I have to wait another 2 weeks for this dose to settle or maybe I jumped up too early.
It may take several weeks for the initial side-effects to diminish. As per an earlier post, paroxetine doses can be increased after 5 days without increasing the severity of side-effects. Delaying the increase won't significantly reduce any spike in side-effects severity.
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Good luck with the day surgery Ian, hope your ailment gets resolved.
Thanks. This is the third time I'm having the knee worked on. The first was a failure, probably more because of events immediately after the surgery rather than the op itself, the second was a great success which gave me 20 pain free years so it's a better than 50:50 chance.
Re: Worse before better on paroxetine?
Yes I’ve got a dodgy knee with a meniscus tear but I’m getting by with physio at the moment. Might consider surgery if it gets worse down the track.
Took the day off work as I don’t think driving today is such a great idea considering headaches last night were horrendous and it spiked my anxiety. Let’s see what tomorrow brings.
Re: Worse before better on paroxetine?
Quick update, headaches still present but not as bad.
Anxiety dipped yesterday and got hopeful but this morning it was back up again.
I’ve heard that anxiety is the last symptom to go when on AD so hopeful i will start getting some relief.
Shouldn’t have had a coffee at 5pm yesterday!
Re: Worse before better on paroxetine?
Spoke too soon. 4days at 20mg and TOO many pounding headaches. Going back down to 10mg.
Re: Worse before better on paroxetine?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
jonjon
Spoke too soon. 4days at 20mg and TOO many pounding headaches. Going back down to 10mg.
Does your GP know about the headaches and if so what did she recommend?
Re: Worse before better on paroxetine?
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Originally Posted by
panic_down_under
Does your GP know about the headaches and if so what did she recommend?
I’m seeing psych in 2 weeks.
Have had headaches before but they were related to anxiety.
These are definitely from the medication. Been back at 10mg for 2 days and headaches have reduced.
I take paroxetine with dinner around 7:30pm and get slight headaches around 7:00am in bed.
I wonder if I should be taking it later maybe just before bed or even first thing in the morning?
Re: Worse before better on paroxetine?
No guarantees, but it would be definitely worth trying taking at other times of the day.
Re: Worse before better on paroxetine?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
panic_down_under
No guarantees, but it would be definitely worth trying taking at other times of the day.
Thanks! Will take it at bedtime tonight and see how I go.