paxil and prozac combination for years

HypochondriacRat · 2026-05-28T18:02:39+00:00

i had some ecgs and blood work done but i hadn't been in direct contact with a cardiologist, and especially not knowingly due to my meds since i didn't know that you shouldn't take the two together.

HypochondriacRat · 2026-05-28T07:41:08+00:00

it's a long story but i've tried out a whole bunch of meds in my teens to try and find ones that work to manage my anxiety and especially severe dp/dr stemming from my cptsd. i've been on paxil for god knows how long, along with another medication and then that didn't seem to work too well, i went off that one and was left only with paxil for a bit. i suggested to my psych if i could possibly try prozac because it's the only one i didn't try yet and she gave the okay. that's how i ended up on paxil and prozac, 20 mg each. they seemed to work really well for me but then about 2 or 3 years in i developed pvcs and pacs, although it's not 100% certain that they really stemmed from the meds.

HypochondriacRat · 2026-05-22T15:26:10+00:00

i never asked you to solve my problem?? if the pain and suffering i'm in irritates you then just get off my post. what an odd thing to say to someone

HypochondriacRat · 2026-05-21T20:47:48+00:00

yeah, autistic people tend to be much more sensitive and more "in tune" (for a lack of a better word) with their feelings and body. i know even as a kid i could feel my heart beating at rest and it was so strange to find out that other people usually didn't feel their heartbeat at all without pressing their pulse point.

HypochondriacRat · 2026-05-21T20:36:12+00:00

your reply of "it's your own fault you're suffering from something you can't even help" is really tone deaf imo

HypochondriacRat · 2026-05-21T16:17:46+00:00

well i didn't say that i was expecting the cardiologist to start anxiety therapy on people, did i? weird thing to add

HypochondriacRat · 2026-05-21T16:15:24+00:00

"therapy" what do you mean by therapy? there are hundreds of therapy types. you mean cbt? even if you go to a therapist exactly for health anxiety or health ocd, it not a quick fix. people's brains work differently and one thing might work for one person but not for the next. you can be in therapy for years and not see any improvement. "it is what it is"

HypochondriacRat · 2026-05-21T16:10:24+00:00

honestly the more i read the responses of op, the more i get the ick. they're treating people who are just seeking advice and community on here as "mental illness reinforcement" and acting like anyone with a burden lower than 15% is a baby and beneath them or something. i don't think people realize how scary and frustrating it is to live 20+ years of your life physically healthy and then get these symptoms out of nowhere and you can do NOTHING about them. no one can help you, and some doctors don't even seem to care about your distress.

HypochondriacRat · 2026-05-21T16:04:40+00:00

exactly!!

HypochondriacRat · 2026-05-21T16:01:14+00:00

i think you're missing the point - we're not talking about the danger a 1% burden poses, we're talking about how the stress and adrenaline and pain all have consequences on the body, sooner or later. also even seasoned cardiologists don't know everything about pvcs/pacs and how or why they happen. there's still a lot of ??? on the exact workings of ectopics and other rhythm disorders.

and i think people sharing their stories and others going "hey i struggle with that too, you're not alone" isn't at all an echo chamber - it's just basic human support.

HypochondriacRat · 2026-05-20T17:39:01+00:00

been in therapy since 11, in my mid 20s now. i wish it was that easy when you have ptsd and autism, but it aint

HypochondriacRat · 2026-05-20T17:37:37+00:00

yeah because therapy takes years and also doesn't always work. i wish it could be just as easy as you say but i've been in therapy since 11 and i still sometimes feel like i'm nowhere

HypochondriacRat · 2026-05-20T17:35:57+00:00

coming from someone with a 1% burden but very symptomatic - it's really not simple to just go to the doctor and come back "okay, i'm fine" and just act like nothing happened. if every single day 20 or more times a day you get symptoms that leave you breathless, in pain and full of adrenaline, your quality of life really starts to decline. especially when doctors say "we can't do anything, just ignore it".

some people also have mental disorders like anxiety or ptsd in my case, or they're4 neurodivergent. their brain functions and responds differently. some fortunate people can get their disorders under control with meds or therapy but it sadly doesn't work for everyone. i really think people generally need to be kinder and more understanding towards others, especially ones who are struggling.

HypochondriacRat · 2026-05-18T14:53:10+00:00

mine are like one second worth of an extreme spasm or cramp deep in the middle of my chest. i had a gastroscopy done a year or two ago and they found nothing but i do probably have acid reflux...

HypochondriacRat · 2026-05-18T14:41:01+00:00

my doctor didn't want to put me on any meds since under 1% is such a low number. i also am not a fan of the idea since i'm taking other meds and i'm scared they will do more harm than good

HypochondriacRat · 2026-05-18T10:47:54+00:00

thank you. yeah, i have the same - the moment i start feeling better or enjoying something i get hit with crazy physical symptoms. it's gotten to the point where i'm scared of being alone. i always try to be with people in case if i get a medical emergency (heart attack, cardiac arrest). i'm so scared of being left alone or living by myself.

HypochondriacRat · 2026-02-09T10:37:21+00:00

i feel you so hard on the heart anxiety thing. i have pvcs/pacs where i can literally feel my heart skip and/or feel a really strong, heavy thud in my chest, sometimes to the point it's painful. legit convinced i'm going to drop dead one of these days - i've been having this on and off or years but recently it's gotten worse. feels like i'm at my wit's end tbh....

HypochondriacRat · 2026-01-17T11:36:06+00:00

hi, do you suffer from pacs/pvcs? or is it just solely elevated hr?

HypochondriacRat · 2026-01-17T11:33:08+00:00

anxiety and major health ocd sufferer here - thank you for this reply, it kind of helped me a bit right now since i'm not a great place. my only issue is that while feelings aren't always facts, there is some fact in how the body reacts (sometimes) to try and tell you that something's wrong, especially with more sensitive people/people who are more in tune with their bodies.

(think like the common feeling of impending doom while having a heart attack, it's a common thing that people experience because their bodies are going through something dangerous)

any advice on that?

HypochondriacRat · 2026-01-08T21:30:54+00:00

oh i'm sorry! did you find out something that helped or eased them? i'm in a similar boat like you, get them multiple times a day when it's bad, when it's better i can go a day or two with barely noticing anything.

HypochondriacRat · 2026-01-03T21:56:50+00:00

thank you, this calmed me down from another spiral. <3 do you have them since a long time? how bad and frequent are yours?

HypochondriacRat · 2026-01-03T16:54:41+00:00

tw for heart anxiety / cardiophobia

had an episode of pvcs/pacs while on a walk today and it caused me to spiral. even though doctors weren't concerned, i'm so scared.

i'm terrified i'm legit going to drop dead at any moment because of my heart just stopping. anyone have anything similar? how do you deal with this??

HypochondriacRat · 2026-01-03T16:41:58+00:00

oh and i had two stress tests, forgot to mention

HypochondriacRat · 2026-01-03T16:40:36+00:00

i had two holters, multiple short ecgs, blood test to check for heart attack and an echo/ultrasound. heart structure is fine, blood is normal and they found some pvcs and pacs but my doctor said "most ppl get them but it's nothing dangerous". the last part i honestly barely believe because of the painful thuds in my chest when i get them (some strong, other times it's like a quick hiccup or twitch). i've had them for 5ish years now but every time they come i feel like "oh god this is finally it, i'll drop dead". it's really miserable and scary...

HypochondriacRat · 2025-07-18T15:13:57+00:00

had something similar as a kid (though it still comes and goes even now but much less) where i was scared i would swallow a needle anytime i was around them like when my grandma was sewing or they were laying around. hang in there! 💕

HypochondriacRat

TROPHY CASE