I have no other options, should I take this medication to solve my problem?

Question

Hello everyone,

I first broached the topic of chronic pain, specifically my chronic pain a few months back while I was in insufferable pain. Well... much has remained the same, I am still in pain and suffering on a day-to-day basis.

There is one medication that I KNOW will absolutely absolve me of all pain... however, will this just be a cover-up? First of all, the medication is paxil, which can treat certain forms of polyneuropathy, which seems to be affecting me. Paxil, will work over the course of a few weeks, ending with the complete cessation of pain -- but is it the right solution?

Would you take an SSRI to solve your chronic pain (hypothetical if you're not suffering at the moment)? Many people take SSRIs for depression alone, not for chronic pain...

What do you think?

Av

Answer 1

Av,

I would certainly take an SSRI if I were in your position. If you are certain it will get rid of all your pain, you should definitely go ahead. I am not an expert on Paxil, but SSRIs in general are generally pretty benign (they may cause slight decrease in libido, but nothing terrible). I'm curious why you say you are certain it will get rid of all your pain -- have you used it before? What do you see as the downside? It shouldn't matter to you if SSRIs are used for depression; many of the same serotonergic pathways are involved in pain.

As for the "cover-up" issue: remember that taking an SSRI doesn't *prevent* you from pursuing other paths. You can still pursue other treatments to fix the root cause of your pain while using Paxil.

To me, it's an obvious choice, unless there are other factors you haven't mentioned. On another note, you may want to try different SSRIs and SNRIs to see if they work better.

Answer 2

Are you absolutely sure that it's depression? Many doctors will misdiagnose Bipolar disorder with depression because most people go to the doctor while they're in the depressive swing. When you get the medication, it'll take about two weeks to start working. Starting back on the job right after starting a new medication isn't the best idea. The job will add stress and will reduce the effectiveness of the medication. You will eventually be able to work again but it could be a month or more.

Answer 3

I suffer from peripheral neuropathy so I sort of understand your pain. I would take the medication if you know that it gives you relief. You know just as well as I do that there are not very many options out there for neuropathy patients when it comes to pain medications. I started taking Wellbutrin to help me stop smoking, it has helped my pain and heck yeah I am going to mention it to my Dr. if I can keep taking it for my pain. I did research and found out that it has been known to help neuropathy patients anyway, just not approved by the FDA. I wish you a pain-free day.

Answer 4

I took Paxil for years and it is a very good drug in that it has fewer side effects than other antidepressants/pain relievers. It worked for about 5 years for me but slowly stopped working as good so I had to try a different medication. The one I'm taking now has a few bad side effects (ED for one) but does help the chronic pain from an accident I had. So, if Paxil helps you I think it is a good drug to use long term.

Answer 5

I have heard of Cybalta which is a SSRI and a mild pain reliever -not just paxil alone. I believe it is also easier to ween off.

check out Cybalta on-line or ask you
doctor-I hope it a psychiatrist that is prescribing if not go to one-GP should think twice about dealing with these issues-just my thoughts

Answer 6

SSRI's don't have that much of a down-side. I don't see why you shouldn't give it a try.