Starting meds...questions

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-25-2004
Starting meds...questions
7
Wed, 08-09-2006 - 10:20am
Okay, so I made the decision to start meds and I took the first one this morning. I guess I'm just wondering how others felt during the first couple of days. I am feeling more calm already, except for the few blips of anxiety. I am incredibly sleepy, though. And when I actually have positive thoughts I keep wondering if it's me or the meds. Does that make sense? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-25-2005
Wed, 08-09-2006 - 11:09am
Hi Jess The only thing I tried to do is
keep busy and ignore anything I felt for the first
3 weeks! Other than bleeding or severe pain I was convinced
was my imagination and FEAR!! I take Paxil and I really did
not have side effects I was teaching full time at the time
and was really busy! Within 3 weeks I was able to concentrate
better, make decisions, feel calm and less panic attacks!!!
GOOD LUCK TO YOU I hope you feel good with the med! Judy
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-11-2004
Wed, 08-09-2006 - 11:54am

To reach full effect, AD's usually take 4 to 6 weeks. @ first, you may feel like you're *on* something. Just a little different or a bit off your game. You could have nausea, diarrhea, a slight increase in anxiety (may be the meds/may be just worry about the meds) dry mouth, headache or insomnia. That is all normal & what I have experienced. The good news is that you will adjust quickly, Jess. These things will pass in a week to 10 days.


Nothing works overnight. But we sure would like it too:) You won't notice any dramatic changes. Slowly your anxious feelings, constant worry, obssessive thinking will pass. It's not like pain meds. When

 

 


 



iVillage Member
Registered: 03-22-2003
Wed, 08-09-2006 - 12:08pm

Hi Jess, I'm glad you started the meds!

Sheri Ann

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-25-2004
Wed, 08-09-2006 - 7:33pm

Thanks for the words of encouragement. It was a big decision for me to start the meds. The last time I was on them, it was not really my decision. I had a nervous break down and was not really in any shape to make any decisions. I just did what the doctor told me to do. When I got off of them, I really wanted nothing to do with them ever again. This time is definately different for me. I made the decision. The only problem is that I don't remember much about the first time I went on them, so it feels like the first time, and even though I talked to both my pdoc and tdoc, I still feel like I don't know what to expect.

I am feeling MUCH better today. I think that it's partially psychoschematic. lol I know I took the meds and I know they're gonna help, so I'm feeling better already. I also think that it's partly do to the fact that the hour is almost here for dh to leave and nothing terrible has happened. I've been dreading it so much, that the reality really fails to measure up in comparison to my worried imaginings.

Thanks again for taking the time to reply to my posts. I truly appreciate it and feel blessed by the compassion and support of perfect strangers.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-22-2003
Wed, 08-09-2006 - 11:29pm

I am so happy to hear of the positive results!

Sheri Ann

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-21-2004
Thu, 08-10-2006 - 11:25pm
That does make sense and congrats for taking the first step!!! I did feel clamer the first couple of days when I started taking my meds and sleepy too. I don't know if I felt better b/c that's what the medicine is suppossed to do-like it was in my head. I was sleepy for the first couple of weeks and then it went away. After I had been on my meds for about 2 mos I had an awful time with sleeping. I had a hard time getting to sleep and then once I did get to sleep I would wake up atleast 3 times in the night. When I woke up in the morning I wasn't tired. It was weird. If you don't mind my asking what medicine are you on? Congrats again!!
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-25-2004
Fri, 08-11-2006 - 6:02am
I'm taking Celexa. My pdoc thought that would be a good choice for me. I was on paxil before and it worked fine, but I gained LOTs of weight on it. I'm really hopeful that this is going to work just fine for me.