Paxil, Marijuana, and bad withdrawls...any suggestions?

hi, i've been smoking pot since i was 12 (i am 22). i quite once when i was pregnant and once in the spring of 2006 (lasted 5mo).

last spring i quit because i began having panic attacks, severe nausea(dry heaving), hot flashes, depression and severe lack of energy and appetite due to stress (i stopped nursing my 21mo old, she went away for her first 2wk vaca w/ my mom, i got drunk for the first time in 3yrs, i had sex for the first time in 3yrs, and i had just moved into my first apartment alone...all around the same time). my doctor gave me Klonopen to help while my Paxil kicked in and it seemed to work. i was really sick for about 1mo before i went and saw a doctor and 1mo after.

after a few days my panic attacks stopped, my Paxil kicked in, i was good to go...a few months later i was able to go back to smoking pot the way i had been before.

in the past few weeks i haven't been taking my Paxil very well and this past weekend i have been experiencing the same things as i was in the spring. i had my dr. give me more Klonopen, but it didn't help. i went to the ER sun. morning and they gave me Phenogran for the nausea. so i took it last night and within a few minutes i was in the middle of a panic attack and i was sweating like crazy.

i'm going through major withdrawls now, i can't eat and when i think about it, i obsess over it and i freak out and i have a panic attack. i want to smoke a few hits just so i can eat, but i know if i do, i'll get high and i'll get a panic attack. it's a vicious cycle!

i found this site and i am sooooo glad that there are other people out there that know what it's like to quit smoking weed. it also doesn't help that the mj withdrawls coincide with my Paxil withdrawls (the nausea, the sweating, lack of sleep and appetite) so my symptoms are two-fold. i've been a mean bitch, snapping at everyone, i find no joy in my daily activities, i'm lucky to get off my couch. because food makes me want to yak i've been feeding my daughter food that is easily prepared (stuff i'd never really give her before) and i just want to sit and cry and cry and cry. i'm a single mom with some really good friends, but no one to share the responsibilities with and i'm just feeling so depressed.

i know these feelings will pass soon, once my Paxil kicks again. but what do i do until then? i do the deep breathing, trying to force myself to eat, etc. but is there anything else i can do? is there anyone that wants to chat or need help getting through the same thing?

I have the exact same problems as you, I'm thinking of getting on Paxil, but am scared of the side effects....I would love to chat w/ you sometime, I totally feel your pain, the only time i can eat and feel normal is when I'm high, but being high gives me aniexty....shoot me an email at turnitblue23@yahoo.com and we can setup a time to chat....

yeah im 25 now and been on paxil for 4 years my panic attacks started when i was about your age , i am a pot smoker as well, i know exactly what u are talking about my son was 16 months when i got on it it truly has been a lifesaver for me i would love to chat with you if u have aim im at sabrinaa3181.

hi,
I am 24 years old and I had my son when I was 15. He is now 8 years old. I too am a single mom and go through SOME of the same things as you...I experiencened my first ANXIETY ATTACK when i was 8 months pregnant with my son in a unfamilar shopping mall. I blacked out twice and nearly a third time. I have BIG social problems and get fustrated very easily due to my full plate at home and at my full time job.. It is really too much for one person, but I make sure I am the best mom for my son....I have been smoking since I was 16...I hardly ever really use to smoke but in the past 2 years my boyfriend (whom does not take responsibility or help with my son) and I have been smoking religiously....I find i need it to calm my nerves. We smoke like 3-4 times daily and 4-7 times on Saturday and Sunday....(its not the good kind but it does the job) we spend anywhere from 60 dollars to 100 dollars a week!!! we have the money but when you think of all the time from your child and all the money...its kinda depressing! Anyway, I have really big issues as I mentioned before...I was prescribed zoloft & clonzopam for my anxieties when i was 17 but i didn't like the side affect (loss of speech). Since then, weed has helped me greatly.....however i was just prescribed PAXIl by my doctor (who really just handed me the drug) and i'm scared to smoke with it....I would quite smoking but i truly believe THC is the correct medicine for my type of problem...i am very social, relaxed, and happy and even horny (on some occ. depending on the type of chronic) BUT THE MAIN PURPOSE I USE IT.,...it calms me down....after work, after my sons homework, before dinner, after dinner, before bed....i can't sleep at night (like ever) and it helps me fall asleep (especially if i get the munchies and pig out) I totally understand where you are coming from.... Thanks P -

I think it's the Klonopen. I've been smoking weed for many years and have not quit as it seems to relax me at night. Since taking the Klonopen I don't eat, am nauseous most of the time and feel about food the same as you.

I ran out of the Klonopen early for some reason (no, I'm not taking more than I'm supposed to/I think the drugstore ripped me) and have been suffering withdrawels similar as you describe. I'm supposed to get more on the 9th of May but I personally feel the Klonopen is the problem and as soon as the negative reaction to stopping it is over I don't think I'll take it anymore.

Weed is only psychologically addictive and could be slightly problematic but I'll bet it's not the real problem. All the psychologists I have seen think the weed is good for helping to mellow but I have observed that whatever emotion you might be having is exagerated by the pot. I know several people who react this way including my wife and son.

I personally think avoidance of these things one at a time could help and logging in a personal journal all your feelings including what's going on around you during them. Journal when you're happy and feeling well also. Doctors will keep you on all this crap whether it's helping or not. They will add drug on top of drug until you gotta go to rehab to stop. It's better to use some strength and stop each one until you know how it affects you.

Smoke pot when you feel happy and record your feelings. Smoke some more when you feel edgy and do the same. Another thing is that pot gives you the munchies so you can eat but you'll just eat a lot of crap. If you're going to do that, keep healthy stuff prepared for ease of getting something quick that's not junk food. Journaling your feelings will assist you in finding the real problems so you can figure it out and deal with it effectively.

There are many ways to get through this but relying on your personal power is always the best way to help yourself get thru a situation. Use medication to assist only as much as you have to. I'm 47 years old and my issues come from military experience with bad things. I have been given all kinds of drugs by the VA (vetterans administration). Most of them made me crazy or mean. I also got big time anxiety from most of it. Currently I am on Cymbalta (seems like good stuff) and it works in killing pain as well as stabilizing me. The pain from my injuries is more than likely my biggest problem. I don't sleep so they added the Klonopen as well as Seroquel. To much Seroquel at first gave me violent nightmares so we cut dosage in half and things were better. Klonopen was added next to help me sleep. I personally think it's wicked bad stuff and am going to leave it behind.

Oh yeah, another thing. When you start having these issues, go for a walk. If you're angry walk like you're angy(hard and fast). Anxiety, do the same. Anxiety and stuff like that can be as simple as excess energy that needs burned so you can relax. All of these drugs make you lazy so force yourself to work out somehow to some extent.

While not the same issues there is a lot in common here and your description of feelings (especially the appetite issue and anxiety) are quite near mine. Back in the 70's my Mom got addicted to Valium and went through much of what you describe. She got off of them but went thru hell before she figured out that it's a down hill out of control run using drugs to get by when you don't need(by the way she is 71 years old and has started smoking pot for anxiety). Doctors are not the Gods they like to feel they are. They are human beings like you. It's their business to keep you coming back(they gotta pay for the Lexus, jaguar, Mercedes and the trophy wife somehow ya know). Not all of them are bad but for the most part I think they bear considerable observance and are not trustworthy. I would suggest you also get second opinions without telling them about the first doctor and his/her opinions.

I'ts your life your talking about here so put some effort to this and you can be happy and drug free ('cept maybe a little weed when you already feel pretty good!

Rik

Marijuana will not cause such symptoms. A strong drug like Paxil will, and severe withdrawl symptoms are common.

Ok you don’t cure coming off of drugs with other drugs(espically if the other drugs are not herbal). You sound like you are a f@#$^&* drug addict. If you are smoking some pot and freaking out then you shouldn’t be smoking it in the first place. Your problem is you have a mental fixation with things. You have been smoking pot for 10 years and you have it pixilated in your mind that you need it too eat. I have had similar problems but you don’t withdrawal off weed. You are thinking about it too much. You don’t want to quit, nor do I think you have support for it. I suggest you go to rehab and then you will see people with bigger problems and it makes your problems seem less important. I went to rehab for weed (court ordered) and it helped me quit.