grey_purple_bliss Posted May 13, 2006 Share Posted May 13, 2006 I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this... so I've been taking Paxil for anxiety for a couple of months. At some point, it started really screwing with my sleep. I would wake up in the middle of the night and not be able to fall back asleep for hours, or just wake up every hour on the hour without any discernable cause. I was also having really vivid nightmares and often waking up in a cold sweat. After telling this to my Pdoc, she had me lower the dose (from 20 mg to 15 mg) for a week to see if the sleep side effect would straighten out. Almost immediately, I could sleep again, but the Paxil stopped doing anything for the anxiety. Upon raising it back up to 20 mg, I had the opposite problem: I was sleeping for 12 or 13 hours a day and was still exhausted. It was like I couldn't get enough sleep. I would so much as think about doing something and curl up in bed instead. After telling this to said Pdoc, she prescribed Celexa, and gave me a schedule to taper off the Paxil. So I've been tapering off it for about a week and a half now, and I've rediscovered some sleep bizarreness I used to have before I was taking any medication at all, and had totally forgotten about. I can stay up until 5:00 or 6:00 in the morning without being tired, and when I finally do go to sleep, it can take up to an hour to fall asleep. Then, if I set my alarm, I can wake up in three, four, five hours and be instantly awake, really hyper and chipper and productive. But in the long run, this isn't a good idea, because I will crash later, usually in the way that I'll suddenly get really pissed off or depressed over nothing and end up sleeping to quiet my brain. I guess what I'm wondering is if anyone knows what I'm talking about, or if this is just me. Also, does this sound like a sleep issue or something else? Thanks for reading, and sorry for rambling! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AirMarshall Posted May 14, 2006 Share Posted May 14, 2006 Hi GPB, Welcome! I'm sorry I can't say that I have any experience with your situation. It is actually rather interesting, but I dont' recall hearing other similar tails. Keep working with your Pdoc. And do your best to keep a normal sleep schedule and good sleep hygiene. We have some help topics posted above. Feel free to post, and any of the mods will be glad to help you. a.m. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Croix Posted May 14, 2006 Share Posted May 14, 2006 There have been tons of similar tales around here. I've gone through the exact same thing my ownself these past few weeks. In short, can't take antidepressants. Throw me into manic hell. No sleep, hyper, etc. I've had to go off both ad's, and take a mood stabilizer to get back to normal. Some people just can't take them. Now, I'm not a doctor and I don't know if this is what's going on in your case, but it certainly is a possibility. I was put on ad's for anxiety too, not depression. They had the same effect on me they've had on you. I'll never take another one, I can tell you that. Stick to my benzo's thankyouverymuch. Talk to your doc again. It doesn't sound like ad's are the answer for you either (Again, I'm not a doc, just my non professional opinion) Good Luck Croix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
borzage Posted May 14, 2006 Share Posted May 14, 2006 I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this... so I've been taking Paxil for anxiety for a couple of months. At some point, it started really screwing with my sleep. I would wake up in the middle of the night and not be able to fall back asleep for hours, or just wake up every hour on the hour without any discernable cause. I was also having really vivid nightmares and often waking up in a cold sweat. After telling this to my Pdoc, she had me lower the dose (from 20 mg to 15 mg) for a week to see if the sleep side effect would straighten out. Almost immediately, I could sleep again, but the Paxil stopped doing anything for the anxiety. Upon raising it back up to 20 mg, I had the opposite problem: I was sleeping for 12 or 13 hours a day and was still exhausted. It was like I couldn't get enough sleep. I would so much as think about doing something and curl up in bed instead. After telling this to said Pdoc, she prescribed Celexa, and gave me a schedule to taper off the Paxil. So I've been tapering off it for about a week and a half now, and I've rediscovered some sleep bizarreness I used to have before I was taking any medication at all, and had totally forgotten about. I can stay up until 5:00 or 6:00 in the morning without being tired, and when I finally do go to sleep, it can take up to an hour to fall asleep. Then, if I set my alarm, I can wake up in three, four, five hours and be instantly awake, really hyper and chipper and productive. But in the long run, this isn't a good idea, because I will crash later, usually in the way that I'll suddenly get really pissed off or depressed over nothing and end up sleeping to quiet my brain. I guess what I'm wondering is if anyone knows what I'm talking about, or if this is just me. Also, does this sound like a sleep issue or something else? Thanks for reading, and sorry for rambling! It sounds like a hypomanic episode, the staying awake & alert and not needing much sleep... then crashing later. But I could be entirely wrong. Did you receive a diagnosis from your pdoc? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest FrannyNZooey Posted May 14, 2006 Share Posted May 14, 2006 Wow I can really relate, and what finally got me to go to a clinic for such. I stay for week to get on a med finally, which I have. It works, but no pill is golden. Last night was so exhausted by 10pm, I really feel that sucks, since I was always night owl. I slept from 10:30pm-5:30 AM. Without a hitch, like a baby, like I am ready for the REAL WORLD, now that is scary Seriously read last part of my thread, so many struggles, you will see what I mean! And how sleep was my enemy. Take care of yourself, for sleep deprivation, can either be sign of being in mania, or cause to throw person that never would have it into one! Aly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grey_purple_bliss Posted June 2, 2006 Author Share Posted June 2, 2006 It sounds like a hypomanic episode, the staying awake & alert and not needing much sleep... then crashing later. But I could be entirely wrong. Did you receive a diagnosis from your pdoc? (sorry for taking so long to respond) I haven't actually. I've been told GAD before, but recently there's only been this implied anxiety disorder of some sort. Eh. But I haven't really mentioned this to her or anyone else, I guess because that's not what I came to her for in the first place. It seemed irrelevant. Either way, I have to switch pdocs after the summer because she works at my college and I'm transferring. -.- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HaloGirl66 Posted June 2, 2006 Share Posted June 2, 2006 It sounds like a hypomanic episode, the staying awake & alert and not needing much sleep... then crashing later. But I could be entirely wrong. Did you receive a diagnosis from your pdoc? (sorry for taking so long to respond) I haven't actually. I've been told GAD before, but recently there's only been this implied anxiety disorder of some sort. Eh. But I haven't really mentioned this to her or anyone else, I guess because that's not what I came to her for in the first place. It seemed irrelevant. Either way, I have to switch pdocs after the summer because she works at my college and I'm transferring. -.- Definitly bring this up with your new doc. Sleep issues of all sorts coincide with mood disorders and stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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