"he was not concerned about rebound depression or anxiety"

I chose to go on Paxil in February of 1999 due to high levels of stress and anxiety that were related to being in my third year of graduate school. I intended to take it for one year and then discontinue. I went off the Paxil on 2/6/00 after consulting with my prescribing physician who told me that he was not concerned about rebound depression or anxiety (neither was I). On Thursday, 2/10/00, I began to experience a headache, not unlike those I have had in the past due to sinus pressure from weather changes. This headaches did not discontinue, rather, it increased in severity and by Saturday I was ready to do anything to stop the pain. On Monday I saw my physician who prescribed migraine medication. I spoke to him the next day to inform him that it was not working and was encouraged to continue using the Midrin. On Tuesday (2/15/00) evening, I was taken to the ER by a friend of mine, was checked out, and was given a shot of narcotics. The ER physician told me to come back the next day if my headache was not gone. I returned to the ER the next day and had a head CT Scan. The CT reading resulted in no evidence of any problems, including my sinuses being clear. I now have a prescription for Metaxalone which is a muscle relaxer. While the severity of my headache has reduced somewhat, I am still experiencing pressure and discomfort behind my eyes which is exacerbated by reading, driving, etc. making it difficult for me to function as I need to. I am currently convinced that these symptoms are due to withdrawal from the Paxil and would welcome any solution that does not require me to go back on an SSRI.

-- submitted by Ann, 26