I recently went to the doctor and was given several prescriptions for an antibiotic and an anti-depressant. I was also given several samples of medicine for headaches. I took these soon after I got them, and about five hours later, couldn’t stop moving. I have been hyper and withdrawn, but mostly it’s uncomfortable on my muscles to stop moving my legs and arms. I’m only sixteen years old, and my mom told me that I’m acting like I’m on speed. I have exams this week and I’m wondering, how long will this last? The anti-depressant I was given was Paxil. Has this happened to anyone else?
I have heard that if you give ADD drugs to people that are not ADD, that it is speed to them. Don’t know if the same basic thing is going on here or not… Obviously, I’m not a doc
Contact your doc in the morning and report to him what you have told us. I don’t have any idea what might be going on with you, but I do know that many people have bad reactions to Paxil.
Yes, elevated serotonin levels from SSRIs might resemble a “speed” reaction in some people who didn’t actually have depressed serotonin levels in the first place. If it’s a reaction to the Paxil, you probably shouldn’t be taking it (a grain of salt here; I am not a doctor). We’d have to know what the headache medicines are to say anythign intelligent about that.
For heaven’s sake, don’t start or stop any medications based on our guesses or yours – talk to your doctor.
I wasn’t planning on stopping without contacting my doctor. I was more worried about the long testing (exams) coming up in two days, and wondering if it is just an initial reaction. I’ve looked up some information on the internet about Paxil, and reactions are common, but they shouldn’t last long, or outweigh the “good.”
The headache medicine is Vioxx. I’m taking 25 mgs a day…I take it once a day. I don’t know if it’s a common medicine. It’s an “adult” dosage, but that shouldn’t matter because I’ve been taking adult medicines for a few years. I took that earlier than the other medicines…by about 2 hours.
Did he give you anything like for a cold or sinus infection like…decongestants, antihistimines (sp) or that sort of thing? They always make me speed and I hate that feeling. I take Paxil and have never had any side effects from it, but maybe I’m just one of the lucky ones. Hope you feel better soon and get the problem solved. Call the Dr. ASAP.
Vioxx is an anti-inflammatory; I take it from time to time, and am not aware of any known speed-like symptoms. I have no clue about Paxil, except that it has lots of known side effects.
If it’s really bothering you, call a 24-hour pharmacy (preferably yours, if it’s open) and ask about the side effects. Even if you don’t talk to your doctor until tomorrow, it might give you some peace of mind.
Well, I’ve never taken Paxil, but I had a similar experience when I was put on Welbutrin (it’s an SSRI as well). I gave it a week before I couldn’t take it any more, then I quit taking them.
I spoke to my doc and he said that many SSRI’s will have that effect, but it’s just a matter of finding the right one for you. I’m on Effexor XR now and I love it. So, if you don’t like it, talk to you doctor but at least give it a week. There may be something else out there that’s right for you.
As for your exams, just make sure you’re still getting enough sleep (can be difficult when you’re on those kinds of meds, you feel like staying up later), eat right, and get plenty of rest / exercise. Remember, even if you don’t feel tired, your body has still been fatigued and needs to catch up. Your brain might be tricked into feeling awake and hyper, but your body is expending the same amount of energy so treat it right.
As with any advice of this nature, I am not a doctor, so please consult with one before taking any actions, but rest assured your experiences are common, and shouldn’t do you any great distress over the next week. If you’re not feeling back to normal by then, go see the doc.
Good luck on your exams!
Yes, the doctor did prescribe some decongestants. Wow, I sound really sick. She thinks I have mono or some other viral infection, and a bacterial infection on top of it. Not exactly great to have the week of exams, but it’s just my luck. :smack:
I would bet the farm that it’s the decongestant-- most common is pseudeo -EPHEDRINE— The most common side effects are increase in heart rate, increase in blood pressure, and insomnia.
Some antibiotics can also have a caffeine/stimulant-like reaction. These include Cipro, Floxin, Avelox, and Levaquin. All of these can be used for sinus infections.
I would cut out the decongestant first. I always counsel not to take them after 3pm. (For myself, if I take them any time after noon, I can kiss a good night’s sleep goodbye.)