fatigue and SSRIs

begalli · Sep 23, 2004

Hi Emerald.

My mom started taking Prozac about 8 months ago and was having terrible sleep problems and fatigue. I recommended that she ask her doctor if she could take it at night and poof! the sleep problems disappeared.

I'm not sure if this will work though for you because isn't Paxil dosed twice/day?

Anyway, there are lots of good SSRI's out there. Maybe you just need a different drug.

begalli · Sep 23, 2004

Also, as you may know, it really takes a good 4-6 weeks for the drug to build itself up in your system and for you to get used to it.

You may need to stick it out a bit longer.

Feel Better Soon!

wam79 · Sep 23, 2004

You may feel better with more time to get used to the med ,but I would contact your prescriber and ask about the fatigue. Tired all day is no good and feeling drowsy while driving is dangerous. You might need a different dose or another med.

explorer · Sep 23, 2004

I was just recently started on Paxil and have been experiencing extreme fatigue. I feel like I could sleep all day long and get drowsy while driving. Does anyone have any experience with this-- is it just specific to Paxil or to all SSRIs? I'm wondering if I would have more luck with a different SSRI but I've only been on the Paxil for 2 weeks so I feel like I should tough it out a little longer. Any info. would be greatly appreciated.

Something else you might consider is Paxil CR. It gives you a timed release dose instead of dumping it all in your system at once.

:balloons:

sharann, BSN, RN · Sep 23, 2004

I believe that most of the syptoms such as sleepyness are transient and will lessen or go away in a short time (days to weeks)

Burnt Out, ASN, RN · Sep 23, 2004

Anytime I started with the SSRIs, I would become very drowsy too-would sleep well, but had trouble waking up and I would get sleepy while driving too.

Are you taking your Paxil at night? It does take 4-6 weeks for all of it to take full effect, but maybe you could have your dose decreased a little?

Hope the drowsiness leaves you soon!

EmeraldNYL, BSN, RN · Sep 23, 2004

I am on Paxil CR, so I take it once a day, but usually when I wake up (in the afternoon, cause I work nights). So maybe I should try taking it when I get home in the morning before I go to bed? I just hope this sleepiness goes away soon because I don't have any energy. I'm on a tiny dose, just 12.5 mg, and so far I haven't had any more panic attacks and feel less depressed, but this side effect of fatigue really stinks!!! I'm not really a high-energy person to begin with and even before I started taking Paxil I slept a lot, now it's even worse!

Todd SPN · Sep 23, 2004

SSRIs have that effect on me. Was on one for a month while attending school. Slept in late one morning and was late for clinicals. Got written up. Actually fell asleep while driving and ran up on a curb. That's when I d/c'd them.

Euphrosyne7, MSN, RN · Sep 23, 2004

Hi

I am also on a low dose of Paxil ...the extended release.....sounds like you are taking the same with the 12.5 dosage..........initially it did the same to me so I started taking it closer to bed time and that helped a bit but then I found I couldn't get up in the morning! I then started going to be earlier and notice that as long as I sleep longer than I usually would (about 8 hours a night) I am not as tired during the day..........also, (and this might not work for everyone) I kind of moved around my time of taking it (by 1/2 hr every other day) and found that if I take it around 3:30 pm, I go to bed no later than 10:30, I can get up at 6:00 am and be ok for the day.........I also drink coffee now (where I NEVER did cause it would bring on panic/anxiety) when I am feeling particularly tired and it seems to give me a little boost with no anxiety/panic.

Also after taking it, I started noticing I couldn't concentrate and had problems remembering things but that seemed to taper off and now I am pretty well regulated, my memory is back to normal and all is well. Prior to this, I had severe panic/anxiety and had taken a few other SSRI's that didn't work for me so Paxil has been such a help for me. I also have been seeing a cognitive/behavioralist psychologist who specializes in phobias/panic, etc. and she has been a great help as well..........I have been feeling so good that I am actually ready to try and wean off the Paxil...particularly that now I have some skills developed to help me when anxiety/panic occurs.

I would suggest giving it some more time and maybe talk to your dr. about moving the dosage time to sometime that might work better for your schedule. Also it has only been 2 wks so you may in fact just need a bit more time for your system to get used to it.....and although since it is timed released it is probably getting into your system faster than the regular paxil, it still will take another few weeks to be completely at the "therapeutic dose" at all times.

I wish you well and hope that all works out fine for you!

Carla

SmilingBluEyes · Sep 23, 2004

I have no use for SSRI's. They cause extreme problems in my family members (facial tics, dependence, sexual dysfunction, etc). I have been on wellbutrin in the past for my depression issues with great success. But like anything, it has its risks, the most serious one being lowering one's seizure threshold. If you are not feeling better in 2-4 weeks, I would talk to my doctor about another medication if at all possible were I you. Hang in there and best wishes for feeling better soon! Remember, talk therapy is just as important as medical treatment in the case of depression, it's incomplete to treat depression and NOT treat emotional issues that underlie its existance. HUGS! Been there, done that, have many t-shirts from the experience.

purplemania, BSN, RN · Sep 23, 2004

I took Paxil about two years, and never got to the point where I felt energetic. I worked nights then, so took it before going to bed. I am now on Lexapro, another SSRI, and doing MUCH better. IBS symptoms all but gone. I take it at night because I work days now.