Negative Side Effects?

[Bianca01]

Hi Everyone,

For those of you on medication, did you experience any negative side effects during the first couple of weeks such as agitation and/or anger? How long did it take until you noticed improvement? I feel like I should write another question, but, can't think of one right now.

Thank you

 

[kimba]

I felt weird and manic and unreal for about 4 weeks. I am on a low dose Paxil. (10mg) Today I feel normal - just a bit verbal! I felt somewhat agitated and cofused at first and that is better. Also, racing thoughts still after 5 weeks. However, my depression is 99% gone and not so much anxiety. I have noticed too that although up til this week I had not noticed much decrease in my OCD but that has eased too some this week so I am hopeful. Also, some of my weird feelings and confusion was going on before the med - I guess due to anxiety. So I am trying to weigh what is the less of 2 evils. I have never really stuck with a med this long so as I said I am getting hopeful......will pray for you for an "increase in good outcome and a decrease on any side affects" which is what someone at church prayed for me when I first started on the Paxil. GOD BLESS

 

[ShannonJ]

Hi! Yes I have experienced side effects both coming on, during, and coming off of medication. Have you ever done a search using your drug name and "side effects" ? It might shed some light on what you are going through. The medication itself is complicated, I mean it adjusts the chemistry in your brain. Now not everyone's brain chemistry is the same so the way you react to the medication as it is "balancing you out" may be different then someone else. My experience with medication did not go well but I would not want to discourage anyone from using meds because it may just be that my chemistry is different and reacted differently. Just know that you are not alone in your feeling and most doctors I have seen say that it can take up to six weeks for the medication to take it's full effect. I'll pray for you!

 

[gracealone]

Hi Bianca,
Yes I had some negative side effects when beginning treatment with meds. and had to back way down on them and go up in baby steps. This helps to minimize those effects.
One warning about looking up all the side effects on the web. When my OCD was in the drivers seat doing that was a bad idea for me. It basically freaked me out and made me scared to death of all the medications. Remember that when your OCD is very active every negative possibility will loom larger than life for you.
Any how.. things settled down nicely for me with the meds. but I had to have some paradoxical anxiety in the beginning of treatment which is not uncommon.
Hope you are doing better.
Mitzi