Question:

Aztek hands down?

Response:

Jeez, I heard someone bot one !

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Aztek hands down?

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Aztek hands down?

‘58 Buick Limited ‘59 Olds

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That aztek reminds me of what a scaled-down version of the Family Truckster might look like……wonder if they have the Pea Green color

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the Olds Achieva

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the Olds Achieva

Oh, they are not all that attractive, but I would not say they were the UGLIEST thing GM ever came up with.  With all due respect to the folks who like ‘em I had an Achieva on rental for a couple of days about 3 years ago.  A real nothingburger of a car.  But no, I don’t think it was that ugly…

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No question, it’s the Aztec. A GM screw-up of global thermo-nuclear proportions. I just hope that among those 2000+ GM executives who are being forced by the General to drive the things around Detroit are numbered the idiot-laden committees that approved the thing for production. It makes the Edsel Ranger look tasteful and refined. Yuck! — – GRL "When someone annoys you, remember that it takes 42 muscles to frown, but only 4 muscles to extend your arm and smack them on the back of the head."

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Aztek hands down?

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That aztek reminds me of what a scaled-down version of the Family Truckster might look like……wonder if they have the Pea Green color

I think you CAN get a Aztek in metallic pee.

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The Achieva really looks good nowadays. neat profile. at first i hated the design. now after a few years, they look neat.

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No question, it’s the Aztec. A GM screw-up of global thermo-nuclear proportions. I just hope that among those 2000+ GM executives who are being forced by the General to drive the things around Detroit are numbered the idiot-laden committees that approved the thing for production. It makes the Edsel Ranger look tasteful and refined.

I find myself wondering: how long a run is GM gonna make of those before closing up production? You mentioned the Edsel Ranger.  Well, the Edsel got a lot of mocking in the press by various columnists, TV personalities, and all that.  I have heard no such similar mocking of the Aztek. Does anyone have any sales figures on that beast?

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I find myself wondering: how long a run is GM gonna make of those before closing up production?

You have to wonder, especially with vehicle sales going in the crapper as of recent.. As strange as they are, however, I’ve seen more then a few driving around here locally, so apparently _someone_ is buying them.. Personally, I like the front end, could live with the side view, but the rear-end is just too bizzare for even me, and I’m pretty forgiving when it comes to "Different" vehicles.. Take the new Impala, for instance..  When it first came out everybody screamed bloody murder about the rear taillights..   I never "Hated" them, persay, but they did have to grow on me, and now I envy the car quite alot, and the fact that the plant here in Oshawa can’t make them quickly enough speaks volumes towards the fact that they are selling like hotcakes….   Now, if only I could afford one.. — Mark – Oshawa, Ontario, Canada Chevy Astro / GMC Safari Message Board! Click Below! http://pub37.ezboard.com/bchevyastroandgmcsafari

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Hands down is right! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Aztek hands down?

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……and GM scraped Olds with decent looking cars! RJL

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – No question, it’s the Aztec. A GM screw-up of global thermo-nuclear proportions. I just hope that among those 2000+ GM executives who are being forced by the General to drive the things around Detroit are numbered the idiot-laden committees that approved the thing for production. It makes the Edsel Ranger look tasteful and refined. Yuck! — – GRL "When someone annoys you, remember that it takes 42 muscles to frown, but only 4 muscles to extend your arm and smack them on the back of the head." Aztek hands down?

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…….and GM scraped Olds with decent looking cars!

Decent to very nice, and that were not selling.  

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That aztek reminds me of what a scaled-down version of the Family Truckster might look like……wonder if they have the Pea Green color

More like a kid’s playhouse on wheels…

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That aztek reminds me of what a scaled-down version of the Family Truckster might look like……wonder if they have the Pea Green color More like a kid’s playhouse on wheels…

When I was a youngster, they had these big compacting trash trucks running around in Los Angeles.  They were White trucks, and the compactor unit was Leach.  When I first saw an Aztek from the back, it brought back the picture in my mind of those trucks.

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……and GM scraped Olds with decent looking cars!

Debatable..  But decent looking or not, they were poor sellers. Olds was nothing but a Cancer for GM..  It’s not something they needed to keep around. — Mark – Oshawa, Ontario, Canada Chevy Astro / GMC Safari Message Board! Click Below! http://pub37.ezboard.com/bchevyastroandgmcsafari

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Debatable..  But decent looking or not, they were poor sellers. Olds was nothing but a Cancer for GM..  It’s not something they needed to keep around.

Hmmm, this is true.  I’m 24 years old and a die-hard Oldsmobile fan.  But, as an Economics major, I have to agree it was a good idea to kill Oldsmobile as a division.  I’ve watched the auto industry for several years now.  I’ve noticed that Buick seems to be trying to change it’s stodgy-traditional image of being a "old person’s" car.  Here you have the latest array of concept cars and the new Rendezvous "SUV" aka minivan with a defined front end.  If Buick is not able to change it’s image, I can only see it taking the highway to auto heaven with Oldsmobile in a few years.  I mean GM is obviously moving towards two main divisions, Chevrolet-Chevrolet Trucks and Pontiac-GMC.  Cadillac and Saturn both have their niche in the marketplace that is well defined.  Unfortunately, GM has been very slow at meeting customers’ demands and the import competition.  So, it only makes sense that traditional brands such as Oldsmobile and Buick be euthanized. Now, I mentioned that I am an Oldsmobile fan.  So, IMHO, it will be missed.  I thought the Olds cars were heading in the right direction design-wise.  Now that Olds is dead, I really have to question my loyalty to GM.  I mean, what kind of management do you have when you take one of the top selling American nameplates to demise in less than two decades.  Then again, there is GM’s SUV obsession.  Most people would agree that due to rising insurance rates and gas prices as unstable as a southern California faultline, the SUV craze has seen it’s zenith.  Unless GM can find a way to dump the tortoise attitude at meeting the customers’ demands, it’s market share will only continue to dwindle. Anyway, I will get off my soap box now.  I just had to vent. Take care and God bless, Jeremy

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Why not just keep Cadillacs, Chevrolet, Park Avenues, Grand Ams and Prix’s. Everything else is duplication or doesn’t sell.  Have different handling/tire packages available on Chevrolets to please people who want handling or floating.  Market share is going to go down to maybe 25%, they couldn’t even figure out how to market their best driving car line.  Current new Olds owners for their next car probably won’t go for boyracer Pontiacs or floating Buicks, but they may use their $1500 vouchers for Chevys if they need to save the cash instead of getting that Maxima, Jetta, or Accord they really want to get.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – ……and GM scraped Olds with decent looking cars! Debatable..  But decent looking or not, they were poor sellers. Olds was nothing but a Cancer for GM..  It’s not something they needed to keep around. — Mark – Oshawa, Ontario, Canada Chevy Astro / GMC Safari Message Board! Click Below! http://pub37.ezboard.com/bchevyastroandgmcsafari

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That aztek reminds me of what a scaled-down version of the Family Truckster might look like……wonder if they have the Pea Green color More like a kid’s playhouse on wheels…

More like a scaled-down municipal trash truck. DS

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Nah, 1967 Bel Air, I had one of those battleships. Yeesh!!! About as long as a football field, no shape. The Aztec is not my favorite, but I don’t think that it is that bad. Personnaly, I think the Ford Focus is about the ugliest thing on the road now. Aztek hands down?

– See ya!!! Danman

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I agree, I think you will see automobile manufacturers start to streamline their lineups. I mean, what is the use in making the same vehicle with minor cosmetic changes and selling it under 5 different names (import and domestic names I might add). It just doesn’t make good financial sense to do that. With so many automobile manufacturers getting in bed together (Ford, Mazda, Nissan) (GM, Honda, Isuzu, Toyota) (Chrystler, Mitsubishi), brands have really become a thing of the past. We kinda have generic vehicles now that are some sort of bastardization of several different manufacturers. I think you would be hard pressed to find a car true to it’s name anymore. I have a Nissan Pickup. It was built in a Ford plant with parts supplied by Nissan that were made in Tennessee. Eventually, I think you may see GM be reduced to Chevrolet, Cadillac, and maybe Pontiac. They could go after the Buick/ Olds market with some lower line Cadillac’s. It seems as if they are putting all of the performance vehicles under the Pontiac flag, and Chevy is going after the daily driver/ economical vehicles. Chrystler is killing Plymouth. I expect that it is only a matter of time before Ford kills Mercury. Certainly this trend will continue over the next 10 years. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Debatable..  But decent looking or not, they were poor sellers. Olds was nothing but a Cancer for GM..  It’s not something they needed to keep around. Hmmm, this is true.  I’m 24 years old and a die-hard Oldsmobile fan.  But, as an Economics major, I have to agree it was a good idea to kill Oldsmobile as a division.  I’ve watched the auto industry for several years now.  I’ve noticed that Buick seems to be trying to change it’s stodgy-traditional image of being a "old person’s" car.  Here you have the latest array of concept cars and the new Rendezvous "SUV" aka minivan with a defined front end.  If Buick is not able to change it’s image, I can only see it taking the highway to auto heaven with Oldsmobile in a few years.  I mean GM is obviously moving towards two main divisions, Chevrolet-Chevrolet Trucks and Pontiac-GMC.  Cadillac and Saturn both have their niche in the marketplace that is well defined.  Unfortunately, GM has been very slow at meeting customers’ demands and the import competition.  So, it only makes sense that traditional brands such as Oldsmobile and Buick be euthanized. Now, I mentioned that I am an Oldsmobile fan.  So, IMHO, it will be missed.  I thought the Olds cars were heading in the right direction design-wise.  Now that Olds is dead, I really have to question my loyalty to GM.  I mean, what kind of management do you have when you take one of the top selling American nameplates to demise in less than two decades.  Then again, there is GM’s SUV obsession.  Most people would agree that due to rising insurance rates and gas prices as unstable as a southern California faultline, the SUV craze has seen it’s zenith.  Unless GM can find a way to dump the tortoise attitude at meeting the customers’ demands, it’s market share will only continue to dwindle. Anyway, I will get off my soap box now.  I just had to vent. Take care and God bless, Jeremy

– See ya!!! Danman

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Awesome on the inside,   but ugly on the outside.! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Aztek hands down?

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I first time I saw one (aside from a dealer lot-many in stock) was on a return trip from the airport after dropping my brother off for an early morning return flight the day after Christmas. It was still dark and I wondered what the ugly vehicle was ahead of me. Up to this point my focus on the Astek being ugly was the front end. Well the rear end deserves its portion of criticism also. This is the only time I have seen an Astek on the road. Hopefully the Buick version will look better. BTW, I do like some other designs most others dislike. I liked the 96-99 Taurus and the new Maxima and even like its rear end styling. Dave – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Aztek hands down?

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Aztek

I dunno. The new Monte Carlos and Impalas look pretty goofy. "It’s a crazy world, have fun with it." -Jerry Springer "Remember, when someone annoys you that it takes 42 muscles to frown, but it only takes 4 muscles to extend your arm and whack them in the head." – unknown What is a Team Goon? http://www.teamgoon.com My Personal page: http://teamgoon.i85.net FORMAL NOTICE: unsolicited commercial email will be read at a charge of $500 per item. Harvesting of my email address, and receipt of such email shall be considered to constitute acceptance of contract, and will be billed immediately.

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Question:

I have been on Prilosec for the last two months! I use to take 5-8 tums per day. I have had 4 tums in the last three months. It is an absolute wonder drug!

I took prilosec for twenty eight days as part of the treatment to get rid of h-pylori and it is a good drug but at $3.00 per pill it was a little too much for me.

Response:

You are right that it is very expensive.  I just paid $111 for 30 capsules. No wonder the drug companies have such a big advertising budget!!  Luckily, my insurance reimburses me 80% but that takes several weeks. Tim Washington State

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have been on Prilosec for the last two months! I use to take 5-8 tums per day. I have had 4 tums in the last three months. It is an absolute wonder drug! I took prilosec for twenty eight days as part of the treatment to get rid of h-pylori and it is a good drug but at $3.00 per pill it was a little too much for me.

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Good news here, there is a psuedo-generic in the pipeline for prilosec.  I read about a month ago some company reverse engineered a drug to perform the same function as Prilosec.  Prilosec maker’s sued for patent infringement and lost.  Drug is supposed to be in Phase III’s in the U.S..  I hope this competition can only reduce the prices charged.  We’ll see…. -Kevin

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – You are right that it is very expensive.  I just paid $111 for 30 capsules. No wonder the drug companies have such a big advertising budget!! Luckily, my insurance reimburses me 80% but that takes several weeks. Tim Washington State I have been on Prilosec for the last two months! I use to take 5-8 tums per day. I have had 4 tums in the last three months. It is an absolute wonder drug! I took prilosec for twenty eight days as part of the treatment to get rid of h-pylori and it is a good drug but at $3.00 per pill it was a little too much for me.

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A third (Aciphex) and fourth (Protonix) proton pump inhibitor has been recently introduced with more on the way. Some of the HMO’s have already written me asking me to change brands. Let’s hope a price war ensues. — CBI, M.D. Please note: It is impossible to accurately diagnose medical problems without seeing the patient and reviewing the entire history. These posts are intended to be helpful and informative. Always check with your doctor before following any advice given.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Good news here, there is a psuedo-generic in the pipeline for prilosec.  I read about a month ago some company reverse engineered a drug to perform the same function as Prilosec.  Prilosec maker’s sued for patent infringement and lost.  Drug is supposed to be in Phase III’s in the U.S..  I hope this competition can only reduce the prices charged.  We’ll see…. -Kevin You are right that it is very expensive.  I just paid $111 for 30 capsules. No wonder the drug companies have such a big advertising budget!! Luckily, my insurance reimburses me 80% but that takes several weeks. Tim Washington State I have been on Prilosec for the last two months! I use to take 5-8 tums per day. I have had 4 tums in the last three months. It is an absolute wonder drug! I took prilosec for twenty eight days as part of the treatment to get rid of h-pylori and it is a good drug but at $3.00 per pill it was a little too much for me.

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Her lung specialist said that at a recent conference, it appears that most kids w/asthma actually have acid reflux.

Good thing you changed doctors. Quite a few people with asthma fight acid reflux. I control mine with a tagamet before eating especially at night. Good luck with your chikd and I hope  she outgrows it. I would also recommend that she be checked by an allergist.

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I have been on Prilosec for the last two months! I use to take 5-8 tums per day. I have had 4 tums in the last three months. It is an absolute wonder drug! Tim Washington State

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Her lung specialist said that at a recent conference, it appears that most kids w/asthma actually have acid reflux. Good thing you changed doctors. Quite a few people with asthma fight acid reflux. I control mine with a tagamet before eating especially at night. Good luck with your chikd and I hope  she outgrows it. I would also recommend that she be checked by an allergist.

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My 5 year old daughter is a severe asthmatic. Every time we think we get a grip on it , something new starts it up. We keep oxygen at home. She recently had her adenoids removed, maybe they were contributing. Her lung specialist said that at a recent conference, it appears that most kids w/asthma actually have acid reflux. It may be worth it for any of you to check in to. The meds she’s on are unreal: 220mcg flovent, 2 puffs 2x a day, singulair, and serevent. They also added ryna-12, which made no difference and when she catches a cold, she goes on prelone and albuterol. Talk about a mean child! Her oxygen saturation drops below 90 and we then put her on oxy. Her old lung specialist tried pulmicort and basically gave up when it didn’t work, hoping she would outgrow it. Check in to the reflux issue. Good luck.

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Question:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I think I translated it:- I got to thinking and I don’t recall that my insert says anything about interactions. Aleve is a pain reliever, and has naproxim sodium in it. I was using it before, but now my meds are changing around and I am on three steroids, plus Clarintin and I worry. Thanks for all the help so far!!! -AB- Three steroids?  How does that work?  Surely it would be more effective to introduce another group of medication, rather than increasing the one that is most likely to cause side-effects. Do you take the ‘oxis/serevent’ group? Or ’singulair/accolate’ ‘flixotide’ These are all nonsteroidal drugs which have proved useful in the treatment and control of asthma.  They are particularly useful in the case of moderate asthma (which yours sounds like) Good luck, breathe easy… J

Three steroids: Serevent, Pulmicourt, and Albeurterol — I took a long look at my life… perhaps you heard the scream that followed? Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.

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Three steroids: Serevent, Pulmicourt, and Albeurterol

That’s one long-acting, non-steroidal bronchodilator, one corticosteroid, and one short-acting, non-steroidal bronchodilator. Chris Owens

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I was wondering when someone was going to point that out. Shannon

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Three steroids: Serevent, Pulmicourt, and Albeurterol That’s one long-acting, non-steroidal bronchodilator, one corticosteroid, and one short-acting, non-steroidal bronchodilator. Chris Owens

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Three steroids: Serevent, Pulmicourt, and Albeurterol

Of this list, only Pulmicort is a steroid.  The other two are bronchodilators [serevent = long-acting, albuterol = short-acting]. BIG difference, and used for fundamentally different things. SW.

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Three steroids?  How does that work?  Surely it would be more effective to introduce another group of medication, rather than increasing the one that is most likely to cause side-effects. Do you take the ‘oxis/serevent’ group? Or ’singulair/accolate’ ‘flixotide’ These are all nonsteroidal drugs which have proved useful in the treatment and control of asthma.  They are particularly useful in the case of moderate asthma (which yours sounds like) Good luck, breathe easy… J Three steroids: Serevent, Pulmicourt, and Albeurterol —

Serevent and Albuterol are NOT steroids. The inhaled cortical steroids do not affect the body systemically either. — Robert Schuh "There Can be Only One!" Trane, Jaco, Jimi and Bird are GODS! Donate your organs. Save a life.

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I think I translated it:- I got to thinking and I don’t recall that my insert says anything about interactions. Aleve is a pain reliever, and has naproxim sodium in it. I was using it before, but now my meds are changing around and I am on three steroids, plus Clarintin and I worry. Thanks for all the help so far!!! -AB-

Three steroids?  How does that work?  Surely it would be more effective to introduce another group of medication, rather than increasing the one that is most likely to cause side-effects. Do you take the ‘oxis/serevent’ group? Or ’singulair/accolate’ ‘flixotide’ These are all nonsteroidal drugs which have proved useful in the treatment and control of asthma.  They are particularly useful in the case of moderate asthma (which yours sounds like) Good luck, breathe easy… J

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Does anyone know about if there are any problems with people taking Pulmicourt and using Aleve as a pain reliever? Also, is there anyway to find out the level of steroids from prolonged use of them to control the asthma? -AB- —

I’m not aware of any drug interactions between Pulmicort and Aleve. However, Aleve is an NSAID (naproxen); approx. 15 % of asthmatics are allergic/intolerant of aspirin, naproxen, ibuprofen and other NSAIDS, and can experience breathing difficulty from using them. Pulmicort comes in one strength in the US, 200 ug/puff. It doesn’t build up in your system; it’s metabolized over a few hours. Ellis

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – n other words there is no specific information on drug interactions in the leaflet, at least no as supplied in the UK. Dont understand your question? Perhaps, because english is not my motherlanguage, what is aleve. 1. Astra gives you a paper with the medicine (must be!) A comment on this — the ‘physician’s insert’ only comes with meds in the US.  Well, it may come in other countries too, but some countries DO NOT GET IT, including Canada.  it is entirely possible that the original poster comes form a country where this info is not included with the med, and therefore they have no easy access to it. Thank you for this information. In my Germany (what an intact world) the paper must be with the medicine. From " Fachinformation " for Pulmicort Turbohaler published by Astra for physicians and pharmaceutics from Nov. 1998 "…7 Wechselwirkungen mit anderen Mitteln Budesonid normalisiert, wie alle Kortikosteroide, die Ansrechbarkeit auf beta-2 Sympathomimetika. Die Metabolisierung von Budesonid zu 16alpha- Hydroxyprednisolon und 6beta-Hydroxybudesonid wird durch Substanzen gehemmt, die

Question:

Have you?  I mean, tried a tablespoon or 18 grams a day of inositol for anxiety (not bi-polar or depression).  Does it work?  Will less than 18g work?  The studies seem a bit dated and aren’t very plentiful. Figaro Yes. It works for me. Albeit, my panic attacks came on in middle age. The GP said I was a "classic case" I found it funny as I wasn’t anxious only uncomfortable.

Do you mean that yoou weren’t conscious of having anxiety, even outside of panic attacks?  That opens the question as to whether inositol would help people with GAD, or only PD, OCD and/or depression. I won’t expect a lot of studies. Myo-inositol is unpatentable; therefore, it can’t be a cash cow for some giant drug company.

Yes, I understand your point.  Our drug development system relies too much on capitalistic greed <g.  Still, most of the studies seemed to originate from Ben Gurion U and I didn’t see anything particularly recent.  Some of the European countries are more active in exploring non-pharmaceutical/herbal/dietary supplement types of treatments.  Would be nice to see something from one of those countries, Germany in particular. It works by restoring serotonin sensitivity in part though according to the following abstract this is not the complete story. PMID 11853115  Used to Tx OCD     date 2002

I couldn’t see anything in the abstract that speculated/concluded anything about "restoring serotonin sensitivity".  Do you have any other references I can check? Did that help?

Don’t know yet.  But it’s worth looking into somemore.  Thanks for the info. Figaro

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Have you?  I mean, tried a tablespoon or 18 grams a day of inositol for anxiety (not bi-polar or depression).  Does it work?  Will less than 18g work?  The studies seem a bit dated and aren’t very plentiful. Figaro Yes. It works for me. Albeit, my panic attacks came on in middle age. The GP said I was a "classic case" I found it funny as I wasn’t anxious only uncomfortable. Do you mean that you weren’t conscious of having anxiety, even outside of panic attacks?

Yes. That opens the question as to whether inositol would help people with GAD, or only PD, OCD and/or depression.

It may "only" be the latter. I’d sure try it for the former, if I could if I had the problem. I recall it having effects similar to a SSRI drug per what I’ve read. It also helps with binge eating and bulimia nervosa per our Israeli friends. I won’t expect a lot of studies. Myo-inositol is unpatentable; therefore, it can’t be a cash cow for some giant drug company. Yes, I understand your point.  Our drug development system relies too much on capitalistic greed <g.  Still, most of the studies seemed to originate from Ben Gurion U and I didn’t see anything particularly recent.  Some of the European countries are more active in exploring non-pharmaceutical/herbal/dietary supplement types of treatments.  Would be nice to see something from one of those countries, Germany in particular.

Given that it works for me, I’ll trust Ben Gurion University. The date of their work matches my definition of recent. There is some relatively recent work using a metabolite of myo-inositol called D-chiro-inositol that may "decrease insulin resistance and act to at least partially restore insulin sensitivity and glucose disposal." This is American research on diabetic rats, rhesus monkeys, and homo sapiens. PMID 11900279 I think this finding is suggestive. Anyway, it suggests the supra-nutritional levels of inositol has other applications. But here again this related compound seems to be enhancing the action of a receptor; albeit, not in the nervous system. It works by restoring serotonin sensitivity in part though according to the following abstract this is not the complete story. PMID 11853115  Used to Tx OCD     date 2002 I couldn’t see anything in the abstract that speculated/concluded anything about "restoring serotonin sensitivity".  Do you have any other references I can check?

I see that the abstract entitled in my computer as "mechanism" does not quite say that it "restores serotonin sensitivity". Still that is how I understand it. see PMID 11853115 This paper indicates that its actions are "downstream" of the receptor. It is entitled, "Defining the neuromolecular action of myo-inositol: application to OCD." by Harvey BH, Brink CB, Seedat S, Stein DJ. The paper is originates in South Africa and is a discussion of mechanism. Myo-inositol action is to increase the "message" resulting from the binding serotonin to its receptor, matches my definition for restoring serotonin sensitivity. Did that help? Don’t know yet.  But it’s worth looking into somemore.  Thanks for the info. Figaro

Fair enough.

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Did you ever try a tablespoonful of inositol powder per day? Do a PUBMED search if you don’t believe me. Use search words "inositol", "panic", and "anxiety", Might help with the anxiety, however, inositol is a 2nd messenger (precursor) in cellular transmission.  Over excitation of this transmission process is primarily the most accepted theory of bipolar mania.  Lithium is thought to deplete the secondary messengers. Lithium is used in the treatment of bipolar.  Hummh? Anxiety or Mania? MP A valid point. I seem to recall posting a similar caveat some years ago somewhere on the Usenet. But just to keep it interesting, there is early experimental evidence that inositol supplementation may have role in "drug resistant" bipolar patients.  Here is a quote from an article off of www.medscape.com that reports a recent medical conference. " Andrew Nierenberg, MD, (15) of the Dept of Psycahiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital, reported a small 6-week placebo-controlled study using inositol, a natural substance involved in the phosphoinositide (PI) cycle. The PI cycle has long been implicated in the pathophysiology of BPAD and the mechanism of action of lithium. Inositol or matching placebo was given to 16 subjects with bipolar depression resistant to several weeks of treatment with therapeutic levels of litium or valproate. Although mania rating scales did not change significantly in either group, 33% of the inositol group met criteria for response vs none of the placebo group. Of interest, inositol is being evaluated in a randomized placebo-controlled fashoin in the STEP-BD study, so larger scale data on this interesting option are forthcoming." STEP-BD study  = Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for BPAD BPAD  = Bipolar affective disorder BP =  Bipolar disorder William A. Noyes Very interesting research.  I will definitely review the article(s) that hopefully will be published from this research.  My curiousity is what happens to persons who are otherwise normal who would take inositol as a supplement.  Haven’t taken the time to review any research on inositol as an adjunt or treatment.  Just am familiar with the mechanisms of it and its possible role in mania. MP

In normals person, it will have no effect on mental function, consciousness, etc. It also is said to have antioxidant and antigylcating properties.

Response:

Did you ever try a tablespoonful of inositol powder per day? Do a PUBMED search if you don’t believe me. Use search words "inositol", "panic", and "anxiety", Have you?  I mean, tried a tablespoon or 18 grams a day of inositol for anxiety (not bi-polar or depression).  Does it work?  Will less than 18g work?  The studies seem a bit dated and aren’t very plentiful. Figaro

Yes. It works for me. Albeit, my panic attacks came on in middle age. The GP said I was a "classic case" I found it funny as I wasn’t anxious only uncomfortable. I felt as if short of breath but not, the pulse rate was elevated, and had a desire for cool outdoor air. So I found myself sitting out on the porch in the middle of the night. I was fortunate as I knew what was going on from the start …….even before I talked to GP. He said it was all in my head. Gee thanks…I thought. No help there.  Fortunately, I had heard of inositol And yes, a lower dose of a heaping teaspoonful  (6 grams ?) serves as an effective maintenance dose for me. But doses at the 1 or 2 gram levels don’t help. I won’t expect a lot of studies. Myo-inositol is unpatentable; therefore, it can’t be a cash cow for some giant drug company. It works by restoring serotonin sensitivity in part though according to the following abstract this is not the complete story. PMID 11853115  Used to Tx OCD     date 2002 Inositol has antioxidant and antiglycating properties. And seems to have anticancer properties by way of boosting natural killer T-lymphocytes. Inositol up because it works for me, because it is vastly safer than the meds. I am not saying it will work for everyone but it seems like it should a first line Tx for panic attacks and OCD. It use in pregnant women is controversial as it is alleged to tend to induce uterine contractions. PMID 9855568 — Review of Uses — not a mainstream journal Still this part of the population would seem also to a target of inositol supplementation as it be used to prevent some neural tube defects in neonates. PMID 12542915 —  date 2003 I’ve taken inositol for some years, now. Off and on at the start. Now regularly at the lower dose. I haven’t had a full-blown panic attack since the late 90’s. I bump the dose up, if I feel like one is possible. Did that help? YMMV .

Response:

Did you ever try a tablespoonful of inositol powder per day? Do a PUBMED search if you don’t believe me. Use search words "inositol", "panic", and "anxiety",

Have you?  I mean, tried a tablespoon or 18 grams a day of inositol for anxiety (not bi-polar or depression).  Does it work?  Will less than 18g work?  The studies seem a bit dated and aren’t very plentiful. Figaro

Response:

Did you ever try a tablespoonful of inositol powder per day? Do a PUBMED search if you don’t believe me. Use search words "inositol", "panic", and "anxiety", Might help with the anxiety, however, inositol is a 2nd messenger (precursor) in cellular transmission.  Over excitation of this transmission process is primarily the most accepted theory of bipolar mania.  Lithium is thought to deplete the secondary messengers. Lithium is used in the treatment of bipolar.  Hummh? Anxiety or Mania? MP

A valid point. I seem to recall posting a similar caveat some years ago somewhere on the Usenet. But just to keep it interesting, there is early experimental evidence that inositol supplementation may have role in "drug resistant" bipolar patients.  Here is a quote from an article off of www.medscape.com that reports a recent medical conference. " Andrew Nierenberg, MD, (15) of the Dept of Psycahiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital, reported a small 6-week placebo-controlled study using inositol, a natural substance involved in the phosphoinositide (PI) cycle. The PI cycle has long been implicated in the pathophysiology of BPAD and the mechanism of action of lithium. Inositol or matching placebo was given to 16 subjects with bipolar depression resistant to several weeks of treatment with therapeutic levels of litium or valproate. Although mania rating scales did not change significantly in either group, 33% of the inositol group met criteria for response vs none of the placebo group. Of interest, inositol is being evaluated in a randomized placebo-controlled fashoin in the STEP-BD study, so larger scale data on this interesting option are forthcoming." STEP-BD study  = Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for BPAD BPAD  = Bipolar affective disorder BP =  Bipolar disorder William A. Noyes

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Did you ever try a tablespoonful of inositol powder per day? Do a PUBMED search if you don’t believe me. Use search words "inositol", "panic", and "anxiety", Might help with the anxiety, however, inositol is a 2nd messenger (precursor) in cellular transmission.  Over excitation of this transmission process is primarily the most accepted theory of bipolar mania.  Lithium is thought to deplete the secondary messengers. Lithium is used in the treatment of bipolar.  Hummh? Anxiety or Mania? MP A valid point. I seem to recall posting a similar caveat some years ago somewhere on the Usenet. But just to keep it interesting, there is early experimental evidence that inositol supplementation may have role in "drug resistant" bipolar patients.  Here is a quote from an article off of www.medscape.com that reports a recent medical conference. " Andrew Nierenberg, MD, (15) of the Dept of Psycahiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital, reported a small 6-week placebo-controlled study using inositol, a natural substance involved in the phosphoinositide (PI) cycle. The PI cycle has long been implicated in the pathophysiology of BPAD and the mechanism of action of lithium. Inositol or matching placebo was given to 16 subjects with bipolar depression resistant to several weeks of treatment with therapeutic levels of litium or valproate. Although mania rating scales did not change significantly in either group, 33% of the inositol group met criteria for response vs none of the placebo group. Of interest, inositol is being evaluated in a randomized placebo-controlled fashoin in the STEP-BD study, so larger scale data on this interesting option are forthcoming." STEP-BD study  = Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for BPAD BPAD  = Bipolar affective disorder BP =  Bipolar disorder William A. Noyes

Very interesting research.  I will definitely review the article(s) that hopefully will be published from this research.  My curiousity is what happens to persons who are otherwise normal who would take inositol as a supplement.  Haven’t taken the time to review any research on inositol as an adjunt or treatment.  Just am familiar with the mechanisms of it and its possible role in mania. MP

Response:

Did you ever try a tablespoonful of inositol powder per day? Do a PUBMED search if you don’t believe me. Use search words "inositol", "panic", and "anxiety",

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello everyone, I posted here a few weeks ago about being prescribed seroquel for GAD/panic.  I really appreciated the feedback, and I don’t want to go on that med. I was on rivotril for years and years, until I started to have some memory problems.  After discussion with my P, I weaned myself off.  I have been med-free for three months, but I really can’t live this way…despite using the CBT techniques as best I can.  SO, my shrink first prescribed celexa….and I HATED it.   So that was where the seroquel came in next. I will be seeing my P next week, and I wanted to have some suggestions for other options.  I am really not interested in SSRI’s, although I know they are the first line.  I HATE their sexual side effects, the feeling I am emotionally flat, and bodily electrified.  So I would like to find something else.  What about buspirone?  What about remeron?  If not these drugs, any other suggestions? Thanks loads! Ron

Response:

Did you ever try a tablespoonful of inositol powder per day? Do a PUBMED search if you don’t believe me. Use search words "inositol", "panic", and "anxiety",

Might help with the anxiety, however, inositol is a 2nd messenger (precursor) in cellular transmission.  Over excitation of this transmission process is primarily the most accepted theory of bipolar mania.  Lithium is thought to deplete the secondary messengers. Lithium is used in the treatment of bipolar.  Hummh? Anxiety or Mania? MP

Response:

Hello everyone, I posted here a few weeks ago about being prescribed seroquel for GAD/panic.  I really appreciated the feedback, and I don’t want to go on that med. I was on rivotril for years and years, until I started to have some memory problems.  After discussion with my P, I weaned myself off.  I have been med-free for three months, but I really can’t live this way…despite using the CBT techniques as best I can.  SO, my shrink first prescribed celexa….and I HATED it.   So that was where the seroquel came in next. I will be seeing my P next week, and I wanted to have some suggestions for other options.  I am really not interested in SSRI’s, although I know they are the first line.  I HATE their sexual side effects, the feeling I am emotionally flat, and bodily electrified.  So I would like to find something else.  What about buspirone?  What about remeron?  If not these drugs, any other suggestions? Thanks loads! Ron

Response:

They say Zoloft helps anxiety, I take it more for depression, but I think it’s helped for both, how about that?  What really really helps me is Xanax. I would not have gotten as far as I have with anxiety relief without it.  I also take BuSpar, but I don’t know how well it works… I’m not sure if it is that that is helping, or the Zoloft, so…I don’t know. Good Luck, Robin

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello everyone, I posted here a few weeks ago about being prescribed seroquel for GAD/panic.  I really appreciated the feedback, and I don’t want to go on that med. I was on rivotril for years and years, until I started to have some memory problems.  After discussion with my P, I weaned myself off.  I have been med-free for three months, but I really can’t live this way…despite using the CBT techniques as best I can.  SO, my shrink first prescribed celexa….and I HATED it.   So that was where the seroquel came in next. I will be seeing my P next week, and I wanted to have some suggestions for other options.  I am really not interested in SSRI’s, although I know they are the first line.  I HATE their sexual side effects, the feeling I am emotionally flat, and bodily electrified.  So I would like to find something else.  What about buspirone?  What about remeron?  If not these drugs, any other suggestions? Thanks loads! Ron

Response:

4ax.com:  What about remeron?  If not these drugs, any other suggestions?

I’m taking remeron (aka avanza in Australia), and apparently its meant to be a good all round drug for depression and anxiety. BUT, in my experience while it has lifted my depression, it hasn’t done much for my anxiety – though now I’m on valium to help manage that. On the upside, it helps with sleeping (becareful with your first couple of doses, as it will knock you flat on your back..with my first dose, I slept for 14 + hours, and that was half a tablet heh). It doesn’t have the sexual side effects of SSRI’s. I don’t know if it is just me, but it seemed to work alot quicker than the SSRI’s I’ve been on (Ciprimil, Luvox, Prozac and Zoloft). I also don’t have the depersonalisation that I experienced while on SSRI’s. On the downside, it will probably make you put on weight (I put on about 5- 10kgs, but I’ve read reports of alot higher weight gains), Until your body gets used to it, you’ll probably sleep alot . And, because its eliminated from the body relatively quickly, if you skip one dose, you might start to feel some withdrawal effects. Of course, this is just my experience with it, and you might respond completely differently.

Response:

What about buspirone?  What about remeron?  If not these drugs, any other suggestions?

When you are making selections on what medication to choose, there are a few things that you should take into consideration.  Symptoms, age, past treatment response, family history of response, side effects, and drug interactions to name a few.  If anyone in your family, maybe a father or mother has taken medication for a similar condition, it may just as well work for you.  If you are older (elderly), you may want to avoid the tricyclic’s (TCA’s) due to their side effect profile.  It sounds like you’re main concern is regarding side effects, so I will list some other medications and their possible side effects for you. You mentioned you didn’t want to take SSRI’s, which are 1st line in the long term therapy of GAD, but there are others. Alternatives: Some nonpharmacologic modalities include avoiding caffeine, stimulants, diet pills, and getting plenty of execise (these choices are "on top of"). Benzodiazepines (BZD’s) are the most effective and safe med’s used to treat acute anxiety symptoms in GAD.  The dose is individualized, and duration of therapy usually should not exceed 4-6 months, but some patients require longer treatment.  They are usually used in addition to other medications if needed to treat anxiety. Bupropion (Wellbutrin) is a dopamine/norepi reuptake inhibitor, has a low drug interaction profile, is more activating, and has LESS SEXUAL side effects than others.  It may however potentiate the anxiety symptoms, but that is usually dose dependent. It is not indicated for GAD, but it should help with any depression, however it will not do anything for the anxiety.  A concomitant BZD may help to treat the anxiety. Venlafaxine (Effexor) is a dual serotonin/norepi reuptake inhibitor. It has a low drug interaction profile.  It does have the potential to mild or moderately increase HR/blood pressure at higher doses (225 mg/d) which is attributable to its norepi reuptake inhibition. Mirtazapine (Remeron) can be sedating at low doses (has histamine activity) but at higher doses it can over-ride that effect.  It is good for patients that exhibit anxiety and depression, but it does have the potential for more weight gain than others.  It may be advantagous to patients who can tolerate its sedative effects and who do not respond well to SSRIs or cannot tolerate the sexual or other adverse effects of the other AD’s. Busiprirone has efficacy equal to BZD’s, but lack the muscle relaxant, sedative-hypnotic, motor impairment, and dependence properties.  It should help with the anxiety.  The anxiolytic effects may take more than a week to become established, which make it suitable for generalized anxiety states.  It is not very effective in panic disorders.  It is generally reserved for patients who are nonresponsive to other medications. Tricyclics can be used also.  They have equivalent efficacy to the SSRI’s.  However, the most significant advantage of SSRIs over TCAs is a more favorable side effect profile.  There is a dose related sedative effect, they can have a "quinidine-like" effect in that they can cause hypotension (low blood pressure), and anticholinergic effects (dry mouth, difficulty urinating, blurred vision).  The secondary amines have less sedating effects such as desipramine and nortriptyline. Atypical antidepressants such as trazodone or nefazodone (Serzone) can be used.  Nefazodone has LESS SEXUAL side effects than SSRIs.  IMHO, nefazodone may want to be avoided due to its "black box warning." These both can cause some sedation (nefazodone less than trazodone) and they do have a bad drug interaction profile (nefazodone-inhibition of CYP 3A4). In the treatment of mixed anxiety and depression, this is the relative ranking of drugs healthcare professionals use when making a choice (depends on doc and part of the world you come from): 1) SSRI’s 2) Venlafaxine (Effexor)- need to monitor for blood pressure 3) Nortriptyline (Pamelor)- monitor for ECG changes and hypotension 4) Nefazadone (Serzone)- monitor for drug interactions and hypotension 5) Mirtazapine (Remeron)- monitor for weight gain and hypo/hypertension These suggestions are based on treatments used here in the states and may be different elsewhere.  Hope this information helps. MP PharmD 2006

Response:

Question:

simion wrote:

I know the feeling. I get the willies when I visit my family. Can hardly hold a cup of tea.

Good one.

Response:

In message <Cjg9b.8108$4j3.7…@bignews6.bellsouth.net

, Smoove B

<to…@bellsouth.net

writes I have tremors also, but my doc diagnosed them as familial tremors.

I know the feeling. I get the willies when I visit my family. Can hardly hold a cup of tea. But also, being chronically tense, as many obsessional people are, can cause the muscles to tremble. That’s my experience anyway. — simon

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -

From: "Mike" mikea…@nobody.net This is something that has bothered me ever since I was a teenager.  I’ve never been able to figure it out, so I thought I would post about it here. Anyway, I have this problem with tremors, and fine motor problems in general.  I first noticed it as a teenager, when lying on my side on the bed, propping my head up with my hand and arm so I could read my homework assignment.  I noticed that I couldn’t move my arm or hand smoothly without causing tremors in the muscles being used for that motion.  Subsequently I learned that this is made much worse when the muscles in question have been stressed (such as propping my head up, or carrying a heavy shopping bag.) Also, the more "strength" I put into the motion, the more exacerbated the tremors. As an example, imagine the motion involved with twisting the throttle on a motorcycle.  That movement induces tremors in my hand, particularly if I tense those muscles, or if they’re tired. Also, I’ve always had some fine motor control problems in other ways – my movements seem more "jerky" than other people.  Course, maybe I’m just obsessing over it (I have OCD, after all.) It doesn’t appear that anyone has ever noticed these symptoms, so I don’t want to exaggerate them.  It doesn’t really affect me, other than just making me curious as to the cause. I’ve done some reading in the past, and my symptoms don’t match Parkinson’s or other similar diseases.  The closest match I can find is the diagnosis of "Essential Tremor", which really isn’t a "true" diagnosis at all, but just a catch-all for tremors without any other obvious cause. Just curious if anyone knows if this type of thing is more common among those with OCD and/or Tourette’s?  I.e., could the same chemical imbalances related to these disorders also have an impact on fine motor control? Thanks, Mike

Hi Mike. Curious question to me ! My son is the one in the family with TS – tics only (and is now 22). But ET, Essential Tremor, runs in my family. My father has it, my sister, my brother, and me. All to different degrees. My dad and sister have very shaky hands. People have asked me if my sister has Parkinson’s due to her shaky hands. My brother and I have it very mild where you just see a paper shake if I am holding it up with  unsupported arms. My sister is now in a study with a neurologist who is doing research to see if there is a connection between ET and Parkinson’s. In fact, I was going to call him and see if he treats TS patients, as well. He is so wonderful! He dxed my father with hydrosephalus (sp?), water on the brain, when all other doctors threw up their arms and gave up. So no answers for you, but seems plausible about your theory. Jan

Response:

This is something that has bothered me ever since I was a teenager.  I’ve never been able to figure it out, so I thought I would post about it here. Anyway, I have this problem with tremors, and fine motor problems in general.  I first noticed it as a teenager, when lying on my side on the bed, propping my head up with my hand and arm so I could read my homework assignment.  I noticed that I couldn’t move my arm or hand smoothly without causing tremors in the muscles being used for that motion.  Subsequently I learned that this is made much worse when the muscles in question have been stressed (such as propping my head up, or carrying a heavy shopping bag.) Also, the more "strength" I put into the motion, the more exacerbated the tremors. As an example, imagine the motion involved with twisting the throttle on a motorcycle.  That movement induces tremors in my hand, particularly if I tense those muscles, or if they’re tired. Also, I’ve always had some fine motor control problems in other ways – my movements seem more "jerky" than other people.  Course, maybe I’m just obsessing over it (I have OCD, after all.) It doesn’t appear that anyone has ever noticed these symptoms, so I don’t want to exaggerate them.  It doesn’t really affect me, other than just making me curious as to the cause. I’ve done some reading in the past, and my symptoms don’t match Parkinson’s or other similar diseases.  The closest match I can find is the diagnosis of "Essential Tremor", which really isn’t a "true" diagnosis at all, but just a catch-all for tremors without any other obvious cause. Just curious if anyone knows if this type of thing is more common among those with OCD and/or Tourette’s?  I.e., could the same chemical imbalances related to these disorders also have an impact on fine motor control? Thanks, Mike

Response:

I have tremors also, but my doc diagnosed them as familial tremors. Brandon "Mike" <mikea…@nobody.net

wrote in message

news:uVOdnb4R7tgonP-iU-KYvg@giganews.com… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -

This is something that has bothered me ever since I was a teenager.  I’ve never been able to figure it out, so I thought I would post about it here. Anyway, I have this problem with tremors, and fine motor problems in general.  I first noticed it as a teenager, when lying on my side on the bed, propping my head up with my hand and arm so I could read my homework assignment.  I noticed that I couldn’t move my arm or hand smoothly

without

causing tremors in the muscles being used for that motion.  Subsequently I learned that this is made much worse when the muscles in question have

been

stressed (such as propping my head up, or carrying a heavy shopping bag.) Also, the more "strength" I put into the motion, the more exacerbated the tremors. As an example, imagine the motion involved with twisting the throttle on a motorcycle.  That movement induces tremors in my hand, particularly if I tense those muscles, or if they’re tired. Also, I’ve always had some fine motor control problems in other ways – my movements seem more "jerky" than other people.  Course, maybe I’m just obsessing over it (I have OCD, after all.) It doesn’t appear that anyone has ever noticed these symptoms, so I don’t want to exaggerate them.  It doesn’t really affect me, other than just making me curious as to the cause. I’ve done some reading in the past, and my symptoms don’t match

Parkinson’s

or other similar diseases.  The closest match I can find is the diagnosis

of

"Essential Tremor", which really isn’t a "true" diagnosis at all, but just

a

catch-all for tremors without any other obvious cause. Just curious if anyone knows if this type of thing is more common among those with OCD and/or Tourette’s?  I.e., could the same chemical

imbalances

related to these disorders also have an impact on fine motor control? Thanks, Mike

Response:

Question:

What is a good starting dose for paxil. doc said start at 20. Does it cause sexual side effects in men? What about drinking alcohol and taking it. What are some side effects that should be called into the doctor over? Sue Before you buy.

Response:

What is a good starting dose for paxil. doc said start at 20. Does it cause sexual side effects in men? What about drinking alcohol and taking it. What are some side effects that should be called into the doctor over? Sue

Hi Sue, People with anxiety disorders should start Paxil at 5mgs, increasing the dose in 5mg increments every week or so. Paxil should kick in around 6 to 8 weeks. Paxil is notorious for sexual dysfunction in men ( I will enlcose a link for a website that has alot of info on med induced sexual dysfunction. http://panicdisorder.about.com/cs/medsdysfunction/index.htm It is always advisable to not drink while taking AD`s. You should always talk to your doctor about this, and do things in moderation. Any side-effect that is causing significant distress should be discussed with your doctor. Take care Jackie

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – What is a good starting dose for paxil. doc said start at 20. Does it cause sexual side effects in men? What about drinking alcohol and taking it. What are some side effects that should be called into the doctor over? Sue Hi Sue, People with anxiety disorders should start Paxil at 5mgs, increasing the dose in 5mg increments every week or so. Paxil should kick in around 6 to 8 weeks. Paxil is notorious for sexual dysfunction in men ( I will enlcose a link for a website that has alot of info on med induced sexual dysfunction. http://panicdisorder.about.com/cs/medsdysfunction/index.htm It is always advisable to not drink while taking AD`s. You should always talk to your doctor about this, and do things in moderation. Any side-effect that is causing significant distress should be discussed with your doctor. Take care Jackie

Thank you very much Jackie. Its apreciated. Sue:-) Before you buy.

Response:

What is a good starting dose for paxil. doc said start at 20.

Sigh…much too high. Start at 5 mg and stay there for a week and then raise the dose in weekly increments of 5 mg or whatever is comfortable. Does it cause sexual side effects in men?

It very often causes sexual dysfunction in men and in women. What about drinking alcohol and taking it.

Every doctor will say it’s a nono but IMO very moderate drinking won;t hurt. What are some side effects that should be called into the doctor over?

What side effects are happening? Sue

Philip – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Before you buy.

Response:

Hi Sue, What is a good starting dose for paxil.

About 1/4 the smallest dose tablet. In this case 5mg. Pill cutters available at pharmacies will make cutting easier and less bloody. NOTE1: Okay this with the prescribing doctor first. There may be a good reason why this isn’t okay in some situations, but he/she would need to come up with one.   NOTE2: this doesn’t apply to Paxil, but some antidepressants are available in prolonged release formulations (Effexor XR etc). These should NOT be cut. doc said start at 20.

Doctor needs to be educated about the different needs of anxiety patients compared to those with depression. Antidepressants almost always cause an initial increase in anxiety for purely physical reasons. Most of this can be reduced, though, unfortunately, not completely avoided by starting on small doses and ramping up in similar small doses at 7-10 day intervals. Does it cause sexual side effects in men?

Despite the claims of some manufacturers, all antidepressants may. What about drinking alcohol and taking it.

1)  The biggest problem with alcohol + ADs is that the effect can be unpredictable. Some days you can drink a fair amount of alcohol without greater than usual effect, other days just a small drink will turn your legs to rubber. Alcohol should be treated with caution and no driving etc afterwards. 2) Alcohol can, often does, make anxiety disorders worse. Having 1 or 2 drinks is usually not a problem, indeed may be beneficial, but if it gets to 3-4 then 5-6 etc, you can quickly get into serious trouble because alcohol and anxiety start to feed off each other into a rapid downward spiral. What are some side effects that should be called into the doctor over?

If started at a low dose with small increases, as above, there shouldn’t be any major problems. SSRI meds are very safe, even in huge overdose quantities. Anything that does cause concern should be referred to the prescribing doctor, if only for the re-assurance value. I won’t list all the possible side effects because I can guarantee that half the folk that read it will instantly start experiencing all of them. However, full information about Paxil and other ADs can be found at www.mentalhealth.com  - click the ‘medications’ button and then scroll down the list that appears in the l/h frame. Sue

Good  luck Ian

Response:

Sue, They started me at 20, its now up to 30.  Doc told me not to drink while on the medication, said it’s not a good idea!  Don’t know about the sexual side effects in men, but, with me…well, don’t know if it’s the drug or the problems with my depression and/or anxiety.  Maybe should call doctor if there’s any signs of headaches, fever, dizziness, etc.! Kerri – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – What is a good starting dose for paxil. doc said start at 20. Does it cause sexual side effects in men? What about drinking alcohol and taking it. What are some side effects that should be called into the doctor over? Sue Before you buy.

Response:

my experience has been that a lower starting dose has fewer side effects.  I can’t drink alcohol with it, either.  (one beer, okay, but it hits me like a brick wall!) It can lessen sex drive, but I didn’t have that problem. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – What is a good starting dose for paxil. doc said start at 20. Does it cause sexual side effects in men? What about drinking alcohol and taking it. What are some side effects that should be called into the doctor over? Sue Before you buy.

Response:

What is a good starting dose for paxil. doc said start at 20.

I think it depends on the disorder. I have anxiety mostly but depression also. When I tried paxil, we started at 5mg for a week, then 10 then 20. Does it cause sexual side effects in men?

It did for me, but it won’t effect everyone the same way so it may not affect you that way. What about drinking alcohol and taking it.

Please don’t. It’ll make everything better if you don’t. What are some side effects that should be called into the doctor over?

I had weight loss, extreme tiredness, sexual dysfunction, involuntary muscle movements/tremors, and it made the anxiety actually worse. It all got significantly worse as soon as we went up to 20mg. That was enough for me and doc to try something else, since I don’t normally have such strong reactions to SSRI’s (I took prozac some years ago and had much milder side-effects). OTOH, a friend of mine takes paxil and had hardly any side effects and it seems to be helping him quite a bit. So, as my doc says, it’s like trying on shoes – try a med untilyou find one that "fits". IMO, it’s ok to talk to the doc about any side effects, particularly if they’re strong or really interfering with your life. We’ve recently switched me to zoloft and, although it’s still pretty early, I am not having side effects to that degree. So I’m in the same boat as you, trying different meds to find the right one…. LS Before you buy.

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – What is a good starting dose for paxil. doc said start at 20. Does it cause sexual side effects in men? What about drinking alcohol and taking it. What are some side effects that should be called into the doctor over? Sue Before you buy. Paxil should be started at 5mgs then slowly move up.  20mgs for depression and

30-60mgs for panic.  Also for you men.  paxil is also prescribed for premature ejaculation and TRUST me it works.  Paxil will delay your ejaculation and it wont be near as powerfull. donny Confess your sins.  Turn from your sins.  Believe in your heart.  Ask Jesus to save you.

Response:

What is a good starting dose for paxil. doc said start at 20.

I started at 20mg and quickly rose to 60mg with no problem.  Some people seem to need smaller doses and slower increases as they complain about various annoying side effects when starting Paxil. Does it cause sexual side effects in men?

It sure does.  One of Paxil’s off label uses is for the treatment of premature ejaculation and let me tell you this drug does a fantastic job of delaying orgasm.  At 60mg I was totally unable to orgasm even after hours of trying and would just have to give up due to exhaustion and boredom. Before you buy.

Response:

I’d ask your doctor for 20 mg "plain" Paxil tablets, and start with 10 mgs every day with dinner, after a couple weeks, raise the dose to the full 20 mg tablet.  Paxil CR is nothing more than a patent ploy used by that drug manufacturer to keep making a brand name product, because their patent ran out on Paxil – subsequently there are generic brands of plain Paxil available.   I’m hearing rumblings amonst paxil patients that some of the generics are lesser than…. You may want to try brand name Paxil.  I have no use for Paxil CR personally, as you can probably tell by my "thoughts", which you asked for. Gary   I just started Paxil CR for panic disorder. 12.5 and increasing weekly up to 37.5 hopefully.  Over the last 3 days I’ve noticed more sedation than the other SSRI’s I’ve taken.  So, I’m trying to decide if I should take it at night or daytime.  Any thoughts and how has it worked for anyone?   Thanks   Scott

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I’ve been on Paxil CR since 2003. I started at the 12.5 dosage and i’ve been at 37.5 for over a year now. It’s helped me a great deal and it’s gotten my panic disorder under control. I’m going to be coming down off of it this year actually. You know alot of people always think they need to be at the highest dosage possible. I think that you should not fall into that trap. See how the 12.5 works for you if you are okay then maybe you don’t need to increase. I went up gradually going from the 12.5 for a few months, to the 25 for a few months, and the 37.5 for over a year, and that’s where i’ve been at and it’s worked great for me. It takes time to kick in though it took about four weeks or so for it to really do the trick for me. Some of the side effects of waiting for it to kick in are dry mouth and lack of libido. While taking Paxil you may also experience weight gain. So hang in there. I’ll let you know however that Paxil does not work for everyone. It worked for me though and i’m happy about that.

Response:

I just started Paxil CR for panic disorder. 12.5 and increasing weekly up to 37.5 hopefully.  Over the last 3 days I’ve noticed more sedation than the other SSRI’s I’ve taken.  So, I’m trying to decide if I should take it at night or daytime.  Any thoughts and how has it worked for anyone? Thanks Scott

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I switched about 16 months ago from Paxil to Celexa. It was a pretty seamless transition. Celexa has proven very effective for my panic and anxiety (like Paxil), without the sleepiness. I gained lots of weight on Paxil, but have stabilized on Celexa. And I stopped falling asleep at my desk at work every afternoon, which was happening on Paxil! I also have felt for some time that the Celexa actually gave me a better lift for my depression than the Paxil did, especially over the long haul. (I had to increase my Paxil dose after about 6 months, as it was beginning to "poop out" for the depression; I have not had to do this with Celexa.) Hello Anne How did you switch from paxil to celexa. Weaning of paxil,or just a change overnight ? Just wondering,cause I do feel the sedating effect from paxil. Would be glad with some information about the transition Love from Anna I can

Question:

Hi, I’ve been on 50mg of Zoloft for 8 weeks which has worked great overall.  My only complaint is a lot of muscle tension.  It’s faded somewhat over these first 2 months, but is it likely to subside even more or am I probably stuck with it? Thanks! Fritz

Response:

Wow, I didn’t get the muscle tension.  I got an upset tummy and the runs for a few weeks and then that went away.  The only lingering side effect I have is lack of sex drive.  Hate it. Hope your tension goes away.  Good luck,  Amanda – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi, I’ve been on 50mg of Zoloft for 8 weeks which has worked great overall.  My only complaint is a lot of muscle tension.  It’s faded somewhat over these first 2 months, but is it likely to subside even more or am I probably stuck with it? Thanks! Fritz

Response:

For me zoloft killed my libido seemingly forever…I no longer have ‘the fire’ and i do miss it!! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Wow, I didn’t get the muscle tension.  I got an upset tummy and the runs for a few weeks and then that went away.  The only lingering side effect I have is lack of sex drive.  Hate it. Hope your tension goes away.  Good luck,  Amanda Hi, I’ve been on 50mg of Zoloft for 8 weeks which has worked great overall.  My only complaint is a lot of muscle tension.  It’s faded somewhat over these first 2 months, but is it likely to subside even more or am I probably stuck with it? Thanks! Fritz

Response:

Wow. I’m glad it wasn’t just me. My doctor warned me about it, but I figured that it was more important to get through every day with a clear head than get a little action once a month. That’s my only side effect, but it’s a doozy! ~Paul For me zoloft killed my libido seemingly forever…I no longer have ‘the fire’ and i do miss it!!

The only lingering side effect – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have is lack of sex drive.  Hate it.

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Question:

I have been taking seroxat/paxil for some years now, but it seems to have stopped working, and anyway it messes up my sexual response. I did try Prozac for a short while but it made me manic and insomniac.  Any recommendations would be welcome.

I used seroxat for mere months and besides the sexual sideeffects I also suffered from insomnia. Even so much that Dalmadorm 30 mg did not help. It gave me a shallow restless and short sleep of perhaps 3 to 4 hours. Perhaps prozac would work better for me.

Response:

The best person to ask, obviously, would be your doctor or your psychiatrist. Personally, I was on Paxil for 4 years (if I remember correctly) and then suddenly got very depressed at the beginning of this year. Unfortunatly antidepressants can "poop out" on some people, which is what happened to me, and likely you. My shrink switched me to Zoloft (sertraline) because it is helpful for anxiety as well as depression, like Paxil. I’ve never had sexual problems on either drug so I’m not sure if Zoloft is as bad as Paxil for that, but I’d definitely mention the sexual side-effects when you see your doc. Good luck! Tara – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have been taking seroxat/paxil for some years now, but it seems to have stopped working, and anyway it messes up my sexual response. I did try Prozac for a short while but it made me manic and insomniac. Any recommendations would be welcome.

Response:

I have been taking seroxat/paxil for some years now, but it seems to have stopped working, and anyway it messes up my sexual response. I did try Prozac for a short while but it made me manic and insomniac.  Any recommendations would be welcome.

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Question:

what your experiencing are panic attacks, i get them quite often.  i take st. johns wart to help me relax.  jamie

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Hi! My name is Tracy and I had my first anxiety attack a few months ago.  I woke up and felt I was having a heart attack: fast heart beat, sweating, numbness in my right arm, so bad I had to keep it elevated (thinking is would help the circulation.  I even went as far as dialing 911 just in case I dropped dead – I figured it would be the last thing I would hit….thinking it was the end.  Well when I woke up the next morning, happy to be alive, I played with fate, was a lucky person. and really believed I fought a heart was on my way home when those "heart attack symptons" reoccured, only in my mind I played with fate once before  and new something was seriously  wrong even thought as far as of going to the hospital, but figured it would pass by to go….where she asked.  and me a person who hates going to the dr. insisted we go to the hospital immediately.  Of coarse getting everyone panicked, we were off to  the hospital which was fifteen minutes away.  I didn’t think i was going to make it.  We arrived at the Hospital and they admitted me immediately and ran an ekg, and took blood, even a cardiologist came and took blood.  While waiting for my results the doctor thought that I was just having an axiety attack (yeah right I thought)  he later confirmed that it was indeed a axiety attack and that I was hyperventilating.  (i disagreed – I did not think I was breathing out of control – I know what hyperventilating is) My carbon dioxide level and oxygen levels were high and low wich gives you that dizzy feeling. The worse that could of happened was that I passed out. He gave me a prescription and that was it – that was about 5 months ago.  3.  I just had my third axiety attack while out was friends on Saturday….once again happy to be alive and still wonder if my doctor is correct – am I really having axiety attacks or am I having heart problems and because I’m only 31 he won’t pursue more detailed testing.  I don’t want to die –  And I know I’m not crazy.  I am glad to know i’m not the only one who gets these attacks. I felt better only when I read other people’s experiences.  So many friends don’t understand what it feels like, so to read someone else’s experience makes me feel not reality this is really really short.

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Hi Tracy, welcome to our NG!! You are definitely not alone, everyone here is battling against an anxiety disorder of some sort. I myself experienced symptoms which mirror those you have described. I thought I had some sort of heart dysfunction or defect that was going to kill me at any instant. I woke up in the night with it, delt with it in social situations and when I was alone…it really was terrifying. After a complete physical and cardiac examination (by the head of the cardiology dept. in the largest hospital in my province) nothing could be found…I was only 21 yrs old. Well, three years later here I am, alive!!! The only thing is that I am trying to live with Panic Disorder!!! My medication allows me to live a fairly normal life, despite the occasional unexplained anxiety, which I guess is normal. Good luck to you and try to participate in the group I have found it very beneficial!!! all the best jason – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi! My name is Tracy and I had my first anxiety attack a few months ago.  I woke up and felt I was having a heart attack: fast heart beat, sweating, numbness in my right arm, so bad I had to keep it elevated (thinking is would help the circulation.  I even went as far as dialing 911 just in case I dropped dead – I figured it would be the last thing I would hit….thinking it was the end.  Well when I woke up the next morning, happy to be alive, I played with fate, was a lucky person. and really believed I fought a heart was on my way home when those "heart attack symptons" reoccured, only in my mind I played with fate once before  and new something was seriously  wrong even thought as far as of going to the hospital, but figured it would pass by to go….where she asked.  and me a person who hates going to the dr. insisted we go to the hospital immediately.  Of coarse getting everyone panicked, we were off to  the hospital which was fifteen minutes away.  I didn’t think i was going to make it.  We arrived at the Hospital and they admitted me immediately and ran an ekg, and took blood, even a cardiologist came and took blood.  While waiting for my results the doctor thought that I was just having an axiety attack (yeah right I thought)  he later confirmed that it was indeed a axiety attack and that I was hyperventilating.  (i disagreed – I did not think I was breathing out of control – I know what hyperventilating is) My carbon dioxide level and oxygen levels were high and low wich gives you that dizzy feeling. The worse that could of happened was that I passed out. He gave me a prescription and that was it – that was about 5 months ago.  3.  I just had my third axiety attack while out was friends on Saturday….once again happy to be alive and still wonder if my doctor is correct – am I really having axiety attacks or am I having heart problems and because I’m only 31 he won’t pursue more detailed testing.  I don’t want to die –  And I know I’m not crazy.  I am glad to know i’m not the only one who gets these attacks. I felt better only when I read other people’s experiences.  So many friends don’t understand what it feels like, so to read someone else’s experience makes me feel not reality this is really really short.

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi! My name is Tracy and I had my first anxiety attack a few months ago.  I woke up and felt I was having a heart attack: fast heart beat, sweating, numbness in my right arm, so bad I had to keep it elevated (thinking is would help the circulation.  I even went as far as dialing 911 just in case I dropped dead – I figured it would be the last thing I would hit….thinking it was the end.  Well when I woke up the next morning, happy to be alive, I played with fate, was a lucky person. and really believed I fought a heart was on my way home when those "heart attack symptons" reoccured, only in my mind I played with fate once before  and new something was seriously  wrong even thought as far as of going to the hospital, but figured it would pass by to go….where she asked.  and me a person who hates going to the dr. insisted we go to the hospital immediately.  Of coarse getting everyone panicked, we were off to  the hospital which was fifteen minutes away.  I didn’t think i was going to make it.  We arrived at the Hospital and they admitted me immediately and ran an ekg, and took blood, even a cardiologist came and took blood.  While waiting for my results the doctor thought that I was just having an axiety attack (yeah right I thought)  he later confirmed that it was indeed a axiety attack and that I was hyperventilating.  (i disagreed – I did not think I was breathing out of control – I know what hyperventilating is) My carbon dioxide level and oxygen levels were high and low wich gives you that dizzy feeling. The worse that could of happened was that I passed out. He gave me a prescription and that was it – that was about 5 months ago.  3.  I just had my third axiety attack while out was friends on Saturday….once again happy to be alive and still wonder if my doctor is correct – am I really having axiety attacks or am I having heart problems and because I’m only 31 he won’t pursue more detailed testing.  I don’t want to die –  And I know I’m not crazy.  I am glad to know i’m not the only one who gets these attacks. I felt better only when I read other people’s experiences.  So many friends don’t understand what it feels like, so to read someone else’s experience makes me feel not reality this is really really short.

What you desecribe is the classic beginning of Panic Disorder. Yes, you have panic attacks. The thing to do is see a psychiatrist who is specialized in anxiety disorders (is there a university clinic in your area? often a good bet), get properly diagnosed and prescribed some meds. I’m sorry to welcome you to ASAP, the club nobody wants to belong to but everybody is glad exists ) Philip

Response:

Hi.  I am also a new comer to this group.  Let me tell you a little about what I have gone through.  After my daughter (I was 25 ) was born 23 years ago I started to feel the same way you did, losing my breath, feeling very weird like I was losing my mind and completely out of contro.  So I also went to the doctor and he told me I was having a panic attack and maybe I needed to take some time off work.  I did but the panic attacks were still happening.  I got to a point where I didn’t want to go anywhere (and that is  not me I love to go out and have fun).  So after going to the doctor a million times and to the emergency room because I thought I was having a heart attack or I had some other life threatening disease, I finally read some books and told myself I tired of this and I want it to stop.  So with the help of medication called Tranxene and a lot of hard work on my part I finally felt better.  It took me a long time.  Now 20 years later my attacks have come back. (I’m trying to keep this short) I think the reason is this.  A year and half ago my husband at 46 suffered a massive heart attack.  He is doing fine, but it was the worst thing I have ever gone through.  I held up pretty well until 6 months later.  I started driving to work, my hands and feet got clammy I started to get that weird feeling of losing control and burst into tears.  I was so scared to drive.  I finally called my boss and had him drive me to the doctor.  It was the same thing panic attack!!  He put me on Tranxene (I am not a very good pill taker).  I have been on it since last May.  I stopped taking it about 2 weeks ago and just 3 days ago I started those feelings.  So I am going to take it regularly and get myself back on track.  I have been to a shrink and I got nothing out of it.  I have found that having someone to talk to and keeping myself busy helps.  The problem with me is I worry about everyone and think I can fix the world.  I have been where you are  and I know you will be ok.  It’s just so frightening.  I hope I have helped you in some way and if you every want to talk more e-mail me.  Nothing like this was every available when I first started my panic attacks and being able to talk to someone and knowing they have felt the same way you have does help.  I wish you the best and do know you are ok.  I have to remember to think positive.. Take care…

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi I’m a new comer to this group & was wondering if I could get some explanation as to what a panic attack is. I guess I can start off by saying what I have experienced & go from there. I’ll try to keep it short. About a year ago while driving to work (at night, I work midnights) I started losing my breath, feeling very wierd, my arms were going numb, thoughts of wanting to kill myself (which is definately not me!!) i thought i was having a heart attack (I’m 39 now) I made it to work but was to shakey i couldnt cope, went home but was just dazed & confused. I went to my doctor & she said i had a panic attack. I had one similar several days afterwards but wasnt as bad and i tried hard to control myself, after all both times I was driving!! So that was it, back to the doctor & have been on 50mg of Zoloft since. Now I was supposed to start weening off the zoloft this month & what happens, I have one of these attacks at work. So now i’m still on it. I am going to go see a shrink I guess, i dont want it to get worse, I’m getting to the point where I am almost scared of driving & going to work. I feel very strongly that it is my midnight shift that is doing this to me, because I cant think of anything else that it could be. Is there anyone else out there that works nights that is going through this?? The zoloft is good though & i have been very reassured that it is a safe drug to stay on for many years if needed, but i would like to get off it. If anyone has taken the time to read my long storey get back to me with your storey or thoughts I would appreciate it. Thanks & think positive!!!

Hi Frank, Welcome to ASAP! A panic attack can be a very  individual thing. Your attack does sound like a Panic attack. Mine are different, I get very hot, flushed, dizzy, off-balance, shaky, can`t concentrate and tingling sensations in my fingers. I think I either am going to die or go crazy. I think you should see a Pdoc, one that is knowledgeable in anxiety disorders. CBT therapy is a very good compliment with medication. You might want to give serious thought to increasing your Zoloft dose. You are on a very low therapeutic dose, and you are experiencing alot of discomfort still. You might want to get a script for a benzo to be used on a "as needed" basis. Doing CBT, increasing your Zoloft and getting a benzo, could really get you back on your feet again. Yes, you can stay on Zoloft for a long time. About getting off meds, first you need to get better and be better for awhile, before you think of getting off meds. Some of us need meds for the rest of our lives, others need it on and off, depending on setbacks and remissions, and then there are some that are on meds for awhile, get off the meds, and never need them again. Unfortunately, you won`t know, until you go off I am not sure that the night shift "caused" your anxiety, although it could be a contributing factor. I use to work the graveyard shift in a nursing home, and I didn`t like the way it made me feel. It wasn`t anxiety, I just felt off. After a few months I begged to get off that shift, and I felt much better. If you can, change your hours, maybe a note from your doctor could help with that. Take Care and good luck!! Jackie

Response:

Hi I’m a new comer to this group & was wondering if I could get some explanation as to what a panic attack is. I guess I can start off by saying what I have experienced & go from there. I’ll try to keep it short. About a year ago while driving to work (at night, I work midnights) I started losing my breath, feeling very wierd, my arms were going numb, thoughts of wanting to kill myself (which is definately not me!!) i thought i was having a heart attack (I’m 39 now) I made it to work but was to shakey i couldnt cope, went home but was just dazed & confused. I went to my doctor & she said i had a panic attack. I had one similar several days afterwards but wasnt as bad and i tried hard to control myself, after all both times I was driving!! So that was it, back to the doctor & have been on 50mg of Zoloft since. Now I was supposed to start weening off the zoloft this month & what happens, I have one of these attacks at work. So now i’m still on it. I am going to go see a shrink I guess, i dont want it to get worse, I’m getting to the point where I am almost scared of driving & going to work. I feel very strongly that it is my midnight shift that is doing this to me, because I cant think of anything else that it could be. Is there anyone else out there that works nights that is going through this?? The zoloft is good though & i have been very reassured that it is a safe drug to stay on for many years if needed, but i would like to get off it. If anyone has taken the time to read my long storey get back to me with your storey or thoughts I would appreciate it. Thanks & think positive!!!

Response:

Frank, My first anxiety attack was about 5 1/2 years ago while I was driving. Like you I thought I was having a heart attack.  I didn’t want to kill myself but was sure I must be dying.  I had a lot of stresses in my life at that time so once I realized that it was anxiety attacks I was having  I did go to a therapist. I also take Zoloft.  I started at 50 mg but have decreased it to 25 mg.  I have tried to wean off it several times and each time I have a panic attack.  I don’t like taking meds all the time but I believe it is better than going through the feelings of panic and constant anxiety. So who knows how long I will take this stuff.  I feel pretty good when I am on it. I do have times when I don’t feel as well but everyone has good and bad days whether or not they have PA’s. Do you have any particular stressful things going on in your life?  Or did you when the panic attacks started?  It might be a good idea to find a pdoc who specializes in anxiety who can help you to recognize possible triggers. The one thing about panic attacks is that they seem to strike "out of the blue" and that is the most frustrating part about them.  Because you don’t know when you’ll have one you sometimes start to avoid situations where you had one before. (Like driving, grocery shopping, eating in a restaurant)  It is a vicious (sp?) circle but you know what? You are NOT ALONE.  And you will get through them. Good luck and keep us posted. Nori — Posted via Talkway – http://www.talkway.com Exchange ideas on practically anything ™.

Response:

The zoloft is good though & i have been very reassured that it is a safe drug to stay on for many years if needed, but i would like to get off it.

Frank, Is medication the only way you are managing? Not that I am knocking it! I am using three different meds, myself. But I am also doing something that I did not do the last time I was in remission from panic. I am now making the effort to learn Cognitive Behavioral techniques. A few years ago, the med of my dreams rid me of Panic, General Anxiety and Agoraphobia for just over a year. But it did not last, I started having breakthrough attacks and didn’t have the skills that I have since gained in controlling the symptoms. Changing my thoughts, correcting my breathing, muscular relaxation and slowing my heart beat are things I have become pretty good at, but not perfect. And there are many more symptoms that I must work with. I would just like to suggest that you get yourself some long lasting coping skills before going off of your med. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy has worked for so many. Some without any meds. But I believe combining the two is very powerful. My two cents and wishing you well, Kathryn

Response:

Hi Frank, The following a criteria for panic attacks recently distributed in a brochure to Australian GPs A discrete period of intense fear or discomfort, in which four (or more) of the following symptoms developed abruptly and reached a peak within 10 minutes:     palpitations, pounding heart, or accelerated heart rate     sweating     trembling or shaking     sensations of shortness of breath or smothering     feeling of choking     chest pain or discomfort     nausea or abdominal distress     feeling dizzy, unsteady, lightheaded, or faint     feelings of unreality or being detached from oneself     feelings of losing control or going crazy     fear of dying     paraesthesia (numbness or tingling sensation)     chills or hot flushes I reckon I have experienced each and every one of these! Given that your symptoms are recurring I suggest that you discuss your medication, dosage, with your doctor. It doesn’t sound like a good time to wean off. I am also experiencing a recurrence of some symptoms, in particular situations, so my medication is being reviewed. I guess where lucky that our conditions are treatable. Take care, Meryl

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi I’m a new comer to this group & was wondering if I could get some explanation as to what a panic attack is. I guess I can start off by saying what I have experienced & go from there. I’ll try to keep it short. About a year ago while driving to work (at night, I work midnights) I started losing my breath, feeling very wierd, my arms were going numb, thoughts of wanting to kill myself (which is definately not me!!) i thought i was having a heart attack (I’m 39 now) I made it to work but was to shakey i couldnt cope, went home but was just dazed & confused. I went to my doctor & she said i had a panic attack. I had one similar several days afterwards but wasnt as bad and i tried hard to control myself, after all both times I was driving!! So that was it, back to the doctor & have been on 50mg of Zoloft since. Now I was supposed to start weening off the zoloft this month & what happens, I have one of these attacks at work. So now i’m still on it. I am going to go see a shrink I guess, i dont want it to get worse, I’m getting to the point where I am almost scared of driving & going to work. I feel very strongly that it is my midnight shift that is doing this to me, because I cant think of anything else that it could be. Is there anyone else out there that works nights that is going through this?? The zoloft is good though & i have been very reassured that it is a safe drug to stay on for many years if needed, but i would like to get off it. If anyone has taken the time to read my long storey get back to me with your storey or thoughts I would appreciate it. Thanks & think positive!!!

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Question:

WebfootVA schreef: – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – BTW, though you said you take it at night.  Do you eat dinner late or do you take it with a snack?  If I started to eat my dinner at 9pm I would not only have bad indigestion, I’d probably weigh about 10 pounds more than I do now! Hi Iris, I do both.  I used to eat late dinners when I worked until 9pm so I could eat with my husband in the past.  For me, this was never a big deal.  I either eat a very light dinner at 5pm with my kids and a big snack later on, or I just have a late dinner, but I always eat before the meds. I also work out 5-6 times a week in the mornings at the gym as I’ve tended to gain weight with any of the meds in the past and I didn’t want to go that route again.  It also helps a lot with the everyday stress and gives me exposure to the rapid heart rate….rapid breathing symptoms, which I’m hoping will eventually help me prevent relapse once this goes into remission again. take care, Lene Well, I’ll probably have to take it in the morning then, or at least with my dinner around 7pm.  If I eat much later, I feel queasy when I go to bed. I need to start working out again.  I don’t have a weight problem but I am noticing a growing flab problem!  Exercise was my salvation when I had PA’s 10 years ago, but now I’ve developed a bit of a phobia–also, I suspect tied to the rapid heart rate, sweating, etc. BTW, the doc wants me to start out on 25 mg for a week then increase to 50mg where I’ll stay if the drug is successful.  Is 25 mg a low enough dose to start? Should I ask him for a lower dose?  I only weigh about 112, although I have a friend who doesn’t even tip the scales at 100 lbs and she started at 50 mg with no problem. Ever more questions. Iris —

  Iris, I feel your doctor knows about your fear of meds (which I recognize completely) and therefore starts your medication on a very low dose indeed. You should have no problems taking this at any time of the day. And: the proof of the pudding is in the eating. Try it and do it asap because you’ve been torturing yourself for too long now. Just do it! You’ll survive. Just as I did, so many times now (and still fraking out over every new med but having learnt to take it. If I can do it, you certainly can! I wish you knew me better to discover how true this is… Philip Peters

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – WebfootVA schreef: BTW, though you said you take it at night.  Do you eat dinner late or do you take it with a snack?  If I started to eat my dinner at 9pm I would not only have bad indigestion, I’d probably weigh about 10 pounds more than I do now! Hi Iris, I do both.  I used to eat late dinners when I worked until 9pm so I could eat with my husband in the past.  For me, this was never a big deal.  I either eat a very light dinner at 5pm with my kids and a big snack later on, or I just have a late dinner, but I always eat before the meds. I also work out 5-6 times a week in the mornings at the gym as I’ve tended to gain weight with any of the meds in the past and I didn’t want to go that route again.  It also helps a lot with the everyday stress and gives me exposure to the rapid heart rate….rapid breathing symptoms, which I’m hoping will eventually help me prevent relapse once this goes into remission again. take care, Lene Well, I’ll probably have to take it in the morning then, or at least with my dinner around 7pm.  If I eat much later, I feel queasy when I go to bed. I need to start working out again.  I don’t have a weight problem but I am noticing a growing flab problem!  Exercise was my salvation when I had PA’s 10 years ago, but now I’ve developed a bit of a phobia–also, I suspect tied to the rapid heart rate, sweating, etc. BTW, the doc wants me to start out on 25 mg for a week then increase to 50mg where I’ll stay if the drug is successful.  Is 25 mg a low enough dose to start? Should I ask him for a lower dose?  I only weigh about 112, although I have a friend who doesn’t even tip the scales at 100 lbs and she started at 50 mg with no problem. Ever more questions. Iris —   Iris, I feel your doctor knows about your fear of meds (which I recognize completely) and therefore starts your medication on a very low dose indeed. You should have no problems taking this at any time of the day. And: the proof of the pudding is in the eating. Try it and do it asap because you’ve been torturing yourself for too long now. Just do it! You’ll survive. Just as I did, so many times now (and still fraking out over every new med but having learnt to take it. If I can do it, you certainly can! I wish you knew me better to discover how true this is… Philip Peters

Philip: What a nice reply!  I’m going to print it out and tape it to the mirror, ’cause I’ve decided I’m going to start tonight! Iris (hoping to be successful…) —

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – BTW, though you said you take it at night.  Do you eat dinner late or do you take it with a snack?  If I started to eat my dinner at 9pm I would not only have bad indigestion, I’d probably weigh about 10 pounds more than I do now! Hi Iris, I do both.  I used to eat late dinners when I worked until 9pm so I could eat with my husband in the past.  For me, this was never a big deal.  I either eat a very light dinner at 5pm with my kids and a big snack later on, or I just have a late dinner, but I always eat before the meds. I also work out 5-6 times a week in the mornings at the gym as I’ve tended to gain weight with any of the meds in the past and I didn’t want to go that route again.  It also helps a lot with the everyday stress and gives me exposure to the rapid heart rate….rapid breathing symptoms, which I’m hoping will eventually help me prevent relapse once this goes into remission again. take care, Lene

Well, I’ll probably have to take it in the morning then, or at least with my dinner around 7pm.  If I eat much later, I feel queasy when I go to bed. I need to start working out again.  I don’t have a weight problem but I am noticing a growing flab problem!  Exercise was my salvation when I had PA’s 10 years ago, but now I’ve developed a bit of a phobia–also, I suspect tied to the rapid heart rate, sweating, etc. BTW, the doc wants me to start out on 25 mg for a week then increase to 50mg where I’ll stay if the drug is successful.  Is 25 mg a low enough dose to start? Should I ask him for a lower dose?  I only weigh about 112, although I have a friend who doesn’t even tip the scales at 100 lbs and she started at 50 mg with no problem. Ever more questions. Iris —

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BTW, though you said you take it at night.  Do you eat dinner late or do you take it with a snack?  If I started to eat my dinner at 9pm I would not only have bad indigestion, I’d probably weigh about 10 pounds more than I do now! Hi Iris,

I do both.  I used to eat late dinners when I worked until 9pm so I could eat with my husband in the past.  For me, this was never a big deal.  I either eat a very light dinner at 5pm with my kids and a big snack later on, or I just have a late dinner, but I always eat before the meds. I also work out 5-6 times a week in the mornings at the gym as I’ve tended to gain weight with any of the meds in the past and I didn’t want to go that route again.  It also helps a lot with the everyday stress and gives me exposure to the rapid heart rate….rapid breathing symptoms, which I’m hoping will eventually help me prevent relapse once this goes into remission again. take care, Lene – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –

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Okay, after taking Zoloft for the first time last night, I felt so wired up today. How long are the side effects going to take? Why do some people have more side effects at first than others? PS make sure you eat with it.  I noticed a BIG difference in severity of side effects depending on whether I had a full stomache or not.

Good advice Lene.  I’m still working on starting my Zoloft (sigh…) and the reason I was leaning toward taking it at breakfast was to lessen the side effect possibility.  I’ve had this reaction with several other drugs. If I take them with food (if it’s an option), I always tolerate them better.  I’m not a scientist, but I think food slows the absorbtion rate, so your body can better adjust. BTW, though you said you take it at night.  Do you eat dinner late or do you take it with a snack?  If I started to eat my dinner at 9pm I would not only have bad indigestion, I’d probably weigh about 10 pounds more than I do now! Iris —

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Okay, after taking Zoloft for the first time last night, I felt so wired up today. How long are the side effects going to take?

<snipped for space I’m not a doctor but I do believe that, while there is a possibility that you are experiencing a reaction to Zoloft, it’s an infinitessimal one. Most likely you have hyped yourself up over it with anticipation. ISTM a little too early for any reaction at all, good or bad… Sad to say, we anxiety types do this all too easily — Gary Cooper

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Okay, after taking Zoloft for the first time last night, I felt so wired up today. How long are the side effects going to take? Why do some people have more side effects at first than others?

Side effects with zoloft at first are extremely common.  I’ve been on it for 10 weeks, My side effects lasted about four weeks.  However, my husband who is also on zoloft for chronic pain management had few side effects and none of the ones that I did.    I found that I had to work a bit with the time I took it, to manage the side effects better at first. Some people are just more sensitive to meds.  Myself included.  I usually have side effects to everything.  Try and keep in mind that that the side effects are a temporary situation and well worth getting through in order to give it a chance and see if this is the answer for you. PS make sure you eat with it.  I noticed a BIG difference in severity of side effects depending on whether I had a full stomache or not. take care Lene – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –

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Okay, after taking Zoloft for the first time last night, I felt so wired up today. How long are the side effects going to take? Why do some people have more side effects at first than others? Is it kind of a Riddlin effect.  Kids who take it and don’t need it tend to react to it differently and get hyped up.  and whereas kids who need the medication the most feel the effect immediately.    mmm.  in that case  is it true that if you’re feeling overanxious when initially using Zoloft   that you’re closer to healthy than you are sick?    just a hopeful thought

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