Why not take a higher dose of Paxil? - Anxiety Message Board

milk · 02-24-2005, 03:57 PM

I am on 20mg now and its working. If I were to take 30mg or 40mg would it not work even better? I do not like to pump my body full of drugs, and I can get by on 20 mg, but if I took more, would the results be even better?

How does this work? Why should I not ask the doctor for a higher dose?

milk · 02-27-2005, 04:43 PM

Anyone have any ideas?

Michele400 · 02-28-2005, 04:05 AM

Hi
In response to "why not take a higher dose of Paxil"- how long have you been at the current dose? I started at 12.5 mg Paxil CR (the long lasting form, which is equal to 10 mg of the regular) and after a couple of weeks, went up to 25mg CR (equal amount to 20). I wondered if I would have to go up again, but after 10 days on that amount, all of my symptoms "leveled out" (heart palpitations, anxiety, constant thinking about it). As time went on, it got better and better. I feel like my "old self" now only a bit more focused and much more able to not get stuck in an kind of mode. Now, if I feel anxiety, it is for a concrete reason and it goes away once the reason is resolved. I don't want all anxious feelings to go away, it's appropriate to feel it once in awhile.
I also have Ativan, and can take .5mg or 1mg as needed. I only take .5 2 or 3 times a week now, to help sleep, and I'm fading myself off it slowly. It does help a lot as needed. When I first went on the Paxil, I took 1-2 mg a day (in .5 increments) to help me get over the anxiety until the Paxil kicked it. That lasted only a few weeks.
Hope this helps, Michele

bbybyrd · 02-28-2005, 12:59 PM

Are you on regular paxil or paxil cr? I was on regular paxil and had to keep getting it increased because after awhile it stopped working. I'm now on 37.5 of Paxil CR and feel great.

Sugar64 · 02-28-2005, 01:45 PM

Thanks for all the information about Paxil CR. I started it almost two weeks ago, and I'm hoping it really works for me. I took regular Paxil about 9 years ago, for a year, and did well on that, so my doc gave me the Paxil CR. I'm on 12.5 miligrams and can see myself having to go up to the next level of dosing. My depression and anxiety is situational, I'm going to be going through a divorce, but I've had generalized anxiety issues sinced my teens.