Question:
Okay here is the deal guys. To make a long story short my GP does not want to keep prescribing me Klonopin so she had recommended paxil in the past and I said no but now I have an appointment for tomorrow to try to get her to prescribe Lexapro. The problem I have is a lot of people have horror stories saying SSRI meds made them worse. I got a BIG BIG move coming up in like 30 days because my house sold! If it were you guys would you try to start an ssri like lexapro just a month before a move? Like if the SSRI makes me feel crapy and after 2 weeks the side effects have not gone away if I quit it after 2 weeks would I feel back to like I do now within 2 weeks after that so the move is not any harder than it has to be? I do have like 20 klonopin left that I can use for the move but I am just wondering if I should wait until after the move to try to start lexapro? so main questions are: #1 Should I start lexapro now? If I do have an adverse reaction and quit would I be feeling back to my normal anxiety lvls within a week or 2 of quitting so I can move okay? #2 Can a GP prescribe lexapro and if so are they usually willing to? all GPs seem to love Paxil hehe Just so you all know I am on a county run program and my GP is all I got :) and once I move I will have to find a new one so I was hoping to get a script so I would be okay for a while up there. Maybe ill just get a script for lexapro and lie and say yeah this is a great med can I stay on it? Then get her to give me like a 90 day script that way when I get up there I can then use it. Hmmmmm hehe Any help or suggestions would rock guys and gals, Dustin
Response:
:so main questions are: : :#1 Should I start lexapro now? If I do have an adverse reaction and quit :would I be feeling back to my normal anxiety lvls within a week or 2 of :quitting so I can move okay? If this were "me", I would wait until after I had moved to start a new med. The problem is reactions to meds are so very individualized and there is no way to predict how this would go for you. It could be fine, it could be rough. If you did have a reaction, you should feel better within a few days of quitting, but there is always that YMMV thingie to take into consideration 
I would stick with the Klonopin for the move, but thats just me. If you can deal with moving with the way you feel right now, why rock the boat? 
:#2 Can a GP prescribe lexapro and if so are they usually willing to? all :GPs seem to love Paxil hehe Can they? Sure! Will yours? Don`t know, have to ask her Some doctors have personal preferences when it comes to meds. Just tell her that you are too spooked about Paxil but feel excited and positive about Lexapro. :Maybe ill just get a script for lexapro and lie and say yeah this is a great :med can I stay on it? Then get her to give me like a 90 day script that way :when I get up there I can then use it. Hmmmmm Ohh…….I believe in being honest with doctors It also makes me nervous that if you did this, you wouldn`t be under a doctors care in your new home when starting this med. Take care Jackie ~*~The past is our definition. We may strive, with good reason, to escape it, or to escape what is bad in it, but we will escape it only by adding something better to it~*~
Response:
Dustin I would be COMPLETELY honest with your GP. TELL HER you are moving in a month and have worries about changing meds at this time AND maintaining continuity of care after your move. Selling a home and moving are a couple of the top stressors in life. She should know that. Enlist her help in making sure you have a contact GP in your new location and get your records sent ahead. Even if you don’t like her choice of referral doc, you’ll have your med records close to you. Your concerns/questions… #1 Should I start lexapro now?
If I felt stable on my current meds I would not chose this time to change. #2 Can a GP prescribe lexapro and if so are they usually willing to?
Yes lexapro is in commerce now and anyone with a license to RX it can do so. I’m pretty sure the GP’s offices are swamped with free samples of most SSRI meds as the market is changing fast and there are a lot of new formulations. an aside, the most frightful Adverse Reaction I have had to new SSRI meds is diarrhea. Sue
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Okay here is the deal guys. To make a long story short my GP does not want to keep prescribing me Klonopin so she had recommended paxil in the past and I said no but now I have an appointment for tomorrow to try to get her to prescribe Lexapro. The problem I have is a lot of people have horror stories saying SSRI meds made them worse. I got a BIG BIG move coming up in like 30 days because my house sold! If it were you guys would you try to start an ssri like lexapro just a month before a move? Like if the SSRI makes me feel crapy and after 2 weeks the side effects have not gone away if I quit it after 2 weeks would I feel back to like I do now within 2 weeks after that so the move is not any harder than it has to be? I do have like 20 klonopin left that I can use for the move but I am just wondering if I should wait until after the move to try to start lexapro? so main questions are: #1 Should I start lexapro now? If I do have an adverse reaction and quit would I be feeling back to my normal anxiety lvls within a week or 2 of quitting so I can move okay? #2 Can a GP prescribe lexapro and if so are they usually willing to? all GPs seem to love Paxil hehe Just so you all know I am on a county run program and my GP is all I got and once I move I will have to find a new one so I was hoping to get a script so I would be okay for a while up there. Maybe ill just get a script for lexapro and lie and say yeah this is a great med can I stay on it? Then get her to give me like a 90 day script that way when I get up there I can then use it. Hmmmmm hehe Any help or suggestions would rock guys and gals, Dustin
Response:
Thanks for your advice Sue. I was actually just looking at the web site for paxil and it says it is the only ssri approved to treat gad, panic, depression, OCD, and PTSD but I though Zoloft did all that too. Hmmm I will probably wait but the thing is that my current doc will not prescribe me any more benzos so I have weaned myself off them. I have been off of them for like 2 weeks now but now I feel crappy again. I am saving what Klonopin I have left for the move Also if I cannot get any more Benzos I kinda wanted to wean onto an SSRI while I still had some Klonopin to ease into the ssri. Hmmm I guess I will still try lexapro rather than paxil. :)
Response:
Thanks Jackie yeah you are right I should be honest. Now my only other decision is should I try Paxil or Lexapro? hmmmm See I like that Paxil is approved for all the other things like OCD and PTSD which I may have both. I do not know if lexapro will help with ocd or not. Owell I gotta do something. The benzos alone make me depressed and my doc wont give me an ongoing script anyway :) On a side note my spell checker in outlook is FUNNY! With all the med names it tries to change lexapro to leapfrog and celexa to celia lol funny stuff I even added them all to dictionary and it still tries to change em. :)
Response:
Hey Dustin, #1 Should I start lexapro now?
NO! I say this because you are very med phobic (like myself ; ), and your worry will increase your anxiety. When I started on Paxil, I gave myself a PA 5 minutes after swallowing the first pill. Now, after tolerating it, I know for a fact it takes at least an hour for any sort of reaction…I admit it does increase your anxiety YMMV, but it does not cause PA’s. I did it to myself. Ack! <bleak…. If I do have an adverse reaction and quit would I be feeling back to my normal anxiety lvls within a week or 2 of quitting so I can move okay?
Look at my answer above ; ) After the first pill/PA I didn’t take Paxil for 5 days, and still my anxiety increased…Once again, did it to myself. I know this for a fact. When I finally stopped taking Paxil Oct. 6. I felt no withdrawal at all…During this time I only felt better when I increased my Xanax……which BTW probably needed to do so whether I took Paxil or not… #2 Can a GP prescribe lexapro and if so are they usually willing to? all GPs seem to love Paxil hehe
Any MD can prescribe anything if they choose too…. My situation. Just so you all know I am on a county run program and my GP is all I got and once I move I will have to find a new one so I was hoping to get a script so I would be okay for a while up there.
If money is an issue ; ) Do you know anyone seeing a shrink? I ask because the one I see doesn’t charge me for visits (even though I offer everytime) because I was referral from my Aunt….I know you have AG, and might not have one in your area, but just a thought… Maybe ill just get a script for lexapro and lie and say yeah this is a great med can I stay on it? Then get her to give me like a 90 day script that way when I get up there I can then use it. Hmmmmm
Nope…..If you do have an adverse reaction to Lexapro, and forced to seek medical attention, what are you going to say? You’ll be in big trouble Mr… ; ) This is the reason I don’t order Xanax without a prescription online (probably a scam anyway)…. Well, I gave you my 8 days of hell with Paxil (Oh no, here comes Jackie 
which hopefully I made verty clear was something I did to myself (which I proved later on). I would say, if you do try it, don’t worry, but to us anxiety suffers that sounds stupid!, We know this and is also part of the problem ; ) Later, KF…
Response:
Okay here is the deal guys. To make a long story short my GP does not want to keep prescribing me Klonopin so she had recommended paxil in the past and I said no but now I have an appointment for tomorrow to try to get her to prescribe Lexapro.
If Klonopin works for you, don’t go fixing something that isn’t broken. Find another doc, wherever, who will prescribe K. As to starting an SSRI and moving soon, I wouldn’t do it but if you decide to try Lexapro (but why would you?) I’d wait until I’d settled down in my new environment. Philip – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –
Response:
Thanks Jackie yeah you are right I should be honest. Now my only other decision is should I try Paxil or Lexapro? hmmmm See I like that Paxil is approved for all the other things like OCD and PTSD which I may have both. I do not know if lexapro will help with ocd or not.
All SSRI’s work for the all anxiety disorders. The FDA approval is a matter of politics and money. Lexapro is supposed to have the lowest side effects profile but of course YMMV. Philip – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –
Response:
All SSRI’s work for the all anxiety disorders. The FDA approval is a matter of politics and money. Lexapro is supposed to have the lowest side effects profile but of course YMMV. Philip
Thanks for the info Philip. You told me that in another thread I started also. I am sorry for asking repeat questions :P But to answer your question…. The reason I feel compelled to try an SSRI is because I believe I have some OCD issues that keep me locked into the constant worry. When I am on klonopin it does ease the constant Physical symptoms like random Dizziness, fast heart rate, out of it or foggy head feeling and so on and blocks PAs too but I still think what if this what if that even when I feel good. Also my mother is Bi Polar and my Dad is a recovered Alcoholic so chances are I might need some SSRI type of med to help me regain composer at this point. Also the klonopin makes me feel depressed. :) And some days I cannot tell if I am depressed or anxious. So I think an SSRI ongoing as maintenance and benzo as needed is the ticket for me (if SSRI work for me) Dustin
Response:
If Klonopin works for you, don’t go fixing something that isn’t broken. Find another doc, wherever, who will prescribe K. As to starting an SSRI and moving soon, I wouldn’t do it but if you decide to try Lexapro (but why would you?) I’d wait until I’d settled down in my new environment. Philip
Opps I answered your question about why I think I should be on an SSRI above in this same thread Philip. I responded to your other post in this same thread instead of this one :) please read above and let me know what ya think. Dustin
Response:
:Now my only other decision is should I try Paxil or Lexapro? hmmmm Make 20 small pieces of paper, write Paxil on 10 of them and Lexapro on the other 10. Place paper in hat or jar and shake, shake, shake. Now close your eyes and pick one piece of paper and that will be the med you ask for ~~~ Don`t worry that Lexapro isn`t approved by the FDA to treat OCD, it could very well be effective for that….. and that`s really all that matters. Jackie ~*~My life has a superb cast but I can’t figure out the plot~*~
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – All SSRI’s work for the all anxiety disorders. The FDA approval is a matter of politics and money. Lexapro is supposed to have the lowest side effects profile but of course YMMV. Philip Thanks for the info Philip. You told me that in another thread I started also. I am sorry for asking repeat questions :P But to answer your question…. The reason I feel compelled to try an SSRI is because I believe I have some OCD issues that keep me locked into the constant worry. When I am on klonopin it does ease the constant Physical symptoms like random Dizziness, fast heart rate, out of it or foggy head feeling and so on and blocks PAs too but I still think what if this what if that even when I feel good. Also my mother is Bi Polar and my Dad is a recovered Alcoholic so chances are I might need some SSRI type of med to help me regain composer at this point. Also the klonopin makes me feel depressed. :) And some days I cannot tell if I am depressed or anxious. So I think an SSRI ongoing as maintenance and benzo as needed is the ticket for me (if SSRI work for me) Dustin
And why not? They work for so many people… indeed Klonopin is known for exacerbating existing depression and even causing some depressive symptoms. I think you are right. I also feel that CBT would be a good thing to try for OCD and for everything. Philip – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –
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