Question:
I do have a question though. I've been seeing a psychologist (my
general practitioner prescribed the Paxil) about the nocturnal panic
attacks and she keeps trying to convince me they are caused by anxiety.
I keep telling her that I am not an anxious person, but she doesn't
believe me and I'm not believing her. She told me to keep a "worry
log," but it's pretty empty, so she tells me my anxiety must be
subconscious. What do people here think? Is it unlikely to have panic
disorder and not to be an anxious person in general.
Answer:
I just started Paxil a few weeks ago for nocturnal panic attacks. I
started at 2.5 mg and went up by 2.5mg a week and now I've been at 10mg
for over a week. I'm waiting to go higher because I've been having
trouble sleeping courtesy of the Paxil. Now tonight, for the first
time, I had a panic attack while awake. I actually had my husband call
911 because I kept saying to myself "this can't be a panic attack. I
didn't fall asleep yet." Now I'm having trouble sleeping. I do have a
few Xanax left. My doctor tried that before the Paxil. Maybe I'll try
that and it will help me sleep. I've read a lot of the past messages
on this board about Paxil temporarily causing increases in anxiety, so
I guess I'm not looking for more information, just reassurance that
everything will eventually be OK.
And I do agree. It isn't very common but it is possible to have Panic Attacks
without being an anxious person. Like Elliot said there is some writing
about that and in real life i know someone who has this. In her case she
has Xanax as needed. Meaning when she feels the Panic Attack emerging
she will take the xanax.
IMHO this is an much better option than taking a SSRI allways.
I am on seroxat for 6 years now and it serves *me* well but if I could
do without it I would
