Another bad side effect of Paxil

[Chemar]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20081110/hl_nm/...ssant_fertility

[myrose]

You know Cheri I always have wondered why it is (of course) recommended that women be in tip top health and stay away from most meds and certain things while pregnant, but not many things mention of what men should do (when trying to plant that little seed)

 

In other words I wonder what effects certain drugs that men take (and certain lifestlyes they have) have on the sperm at the time of conception....

 

Even though I am sure its been said...I just have never really read anything about how men should prepare...not like the women anyhow.

I do realize its probably more critical on the womans half but I bet alot of things unknown play a part from the mens side.

 

Thanks for the post....I have always been TOO scared of the SSRI's anyhow. I took one briefly years ago after making an out of state move from my family (very depressed) and even after I stopped taking that dam paxil I had funny feelings (hard to explain) for a LONG time afterwards. NEVER AGAIN! The wean off from that alone was nothing I would want to re-live!

[lynsey]

I took Luvox, another SSRI, for a short time to try and help with anxiety/depression.

It helped only a minimal amount, and I started reading frightening things about

what it could do in some people. So I thought I would get off it to be safe, and

- oh - my - goodness. The withdrawal getting off it was horrendous, and I was

on the lowest dose. It felt like my head was under water....the dizziness, the

withdrawal symptoms were so scary, and it took weeks to feel back to normal.

 

My sister is also on it, I told her to get off it, and she said she tried but the

withdrawal was awful, so she is still on.....

 

My first and last experience with SSRI's

[faith]

Well I am going on five years with Zoloft. I have tried twice to taper off and was doing well on an every other day regimen and then every two days, but once I stopped, about 10-12 days after is when the "crash" happens, and the depression and panic symptoms are worse then ever. I am always wondering how it would be if I just rode it out, but unfortunately, and coincidentally, my son's waxing will happen and I just can't cope, so I go back on.

 

Lynsey, how long would you say it took to get over the withdrawal symptoms? I would not mind headache and such, but the feeling of being depressed is too much for me to bear. Would you say your withdrawal symptoms included the feelings of depression coming back? I would rather just take my little blue pill and feel normal instead of the feeling of all my senses literally being "depressed" as in being pushed down.

 

Faith

[lynsey]

Hi Faith

 

I didn't really feel a massive depression coming back or anything like that, when I stopped the Luvox.

But then my luvox was to treat more anxiety than depression, although I had both. Also, Faith, I was

taking it during the same time and probably for the same reasons as you, to deal with my anxiety about

my sons TS. I would get massively anxious, mixed with some depression.

 

What I really felt when I got off was totally spaced-out. My head felt like it was in another world. It is

very hard to describe. My head felt muddled, not clear, like I was under water. I felt like I was high on acid or

something - well, I've never taken acid, but my head just felt so weird, and yet I was not on the Luvox!

I didn't quite put 2 and 2 together that this was withdrawal, because I didn't expect it.

I forget what dose exactly I had been on but it was really low, like 1/2 tablet. My problem was,

I just stopped taking it. I didn't feel I needed to titrate off, because I was on a half dose. My mother said to me

later, you should have taken a pill cutter and cut that 1/2 tablet into quarters, or even smaller, and

titrated slowly off that way, and she was right. I had no idea how stopping it would make my

head feel so zombie-ish. I think I did feel a slight increase in anxiety, felt like crying a lot, maybe a

slight increase in depression.

Faith, the worst part lasted a couple weeks. Then I slowly -- very slowly, started coming back to normal.

But it felt like it took a couple months or more to be completely clear, and I hadn't taken Luvox for that long,

less than a year, maybe only 6 months.

Could you try cutting your tablets in half, and then into quarters, and try going 3/4 tablet for a few weeks,

and if you feel ok, go 1/2 tablet for a few weeks, then 1/4 tablet for a couple weeks, and see how it goes?

Ask your doctor if this might be a reasonable thing to try.

Then it will be very very gradual and maybe the depression won't hit you so much. Or you may find

you can just stay at a lower dose (like 1/2 tablet) without going off completely just yet. But talk to your

doctor first and see what he thinks. Good luck to you honey, I know how you feel when the waxing starts,

it's tough for a mom to see, no doubt about it, it kicks you in the gut. But remember, the waning will come also....

 

 

lynsey

[Toms_Mom]

Faith,

I just wanted to add I have been on and off of Zoloft for 6 years. I took it initially to avoid post partum depression with my last child. I had Post partum with each child, and it lasted longer with each child. So when I got pregnant with my 4th I decided to try medication, because I was so worried about how bad it might get. It worked well for me and helped me feel "normal". When I went off of it I did not titrate down at all- my dr. said it was fine to just quit. And I had no withdrawal symptoms. The problem was after a few months I would get depressed again, I'd start the zoloft again - feel better- then quit again and this just became a cycle. My dr. told me I should just stay on it for 6 months to a yr. , but I would always start feeling better, then forget to take the pills and before you knew it I was off the zoloft again. I wonder now if this was sort of a withdrawal for me- that I would get depressed again over and over after quitting. The last time I was on zoloft I was laying in bed sleeping and I was awoken by this heavy tremor in my head- it really scared me and I don't know if it was caused by the zoloft or not, but I haven't taken it since. It's been about 2 years.

 

After my son started with the tic disorder, I felt like I needed something really bad. I didn't want to go back on zoloft so my dr. prescribed lexapro. After reading about the side effects online I decided not to take it. I decided to try treating it naturally- just like we do here! I have been taking omega 3 fish oil, and Unstress by Megafoods- its a b complex, and a multi. I can really feel the difference when I forget to take my vitamins. I also try to exercise everyday and make sure I get outside in the sun at least 30 min. a day. I hope this continues to work. Maybe if you start a good routine of supplements when you come off you could avoid the letdown that always comes. ( if you don't already supplement) I wish you luck!

 

Mary

[faith]

Thanks so much for sharing your experiences and suggestions with me. I am going to try again but I think it'll be after the holidays. Really I have no side effects tho, its worked quite well. When I told my doctor I was doing every other day and then every two days, he said "then you don't need it". But I tell ya, the feeling after 10 or so days was painful, I'd rather feel physical pain than mental. I think I could ride out the withdrawal if it was just me alone, but when you have a family to take care of, you can't just lay under the covers with a snickers bar.

 

Faith