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Avatar universal

paxil withdrawal

why is withdrawal from paxil so intense.i'm on 20mg. a day, i,ve tried cutting back to 10mg  was on that for a month, then i tried to take 10mg every other day,the second day istarted having withdrawals,tremers,heart racing,weak,ihave never felt so bad in my life.so i always goback to taking the 20mg aday.
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11477255 tn?1418582756
After reading most of these comments, I don't understand why people talk about getting off of Paxil if they are feeling fine. If there are no side effects from the drug there is no reason to get off of it to begin with!
Helpful - 0
7810671 tn?1394405542
Please let me know how was your withdrawal. I was prescribed Prozac  for anti anxiety and post par-tum when my baby turned 6weeks old. He is now 3 months old today and for the past week i have been taking a half 20mg pill every other day also and im hallucinating, anxious, depressed, light headed, fuzzy headed, naucious, blurry vision. i can barley type im so weaken,,,can anyone help me understand<i suffered from seizure disorder epilepsy as a child. I stopped meds for that and cured myself at 19 by not taking the drugs.

I am scared can barely function.
This is the Straight Jacket of Pharmaceutical company's!!

Helpful - 0
480448 tn?1426948538
You've posted on an old thread.  You will get more input if you start your own thread, and I would recommend doing so in our Depression community:

http://www.medhelp.org/forums/show/57?camp=msc
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
i cut myself off cold turkey a week ago....the electric jolts at first were hard to endure but then when i kept myself busy and just handled it they are less aggressive then the itching that felt like bugs were crawling over me drove me crazy....at first i was omg i got bugs then i watched my skin and it was all in my head, i just add more lotion to my skin....
Helpful - 0
2030769 tn?1343647674
i dont know if this would help u, but I am currently on day two of effexor w/ds, and i have heard that it is similar to that of paxil w/ds.  I went cold turkey because tapering was just getting too hard to do.  I took 10mgs of prozac yesterday & 20mgs of prozac today and it has completely taken away those brain zaps and dizziness.  I don't plan on taking prozac anymore after tomorrow, but so far it has really made a difference from the last time i tried to quit effexor.  Of course it is only 2 days, but as you know, when you are coming off medication like this, 2 days feels like 2 years. Good luck!!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I am also attempting to quit using Paxil after being on it for nearly 14 years.  Similar to you, I started cutting back from 40 to 30 and now to 20 mg.  I am also having many of the same side effects...and they are incredibly difficult to deal with.  

Have your symptoms of withdrawl improved?  I am unsure if I want to continue dropping if the withdrawls continue.

Best of luck and I hope things work out for you.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Well, I have been on Paxil for nearly 10 years consistently and and on and off for about 4 years prior to that.  At the time I started taking it, I was in a very difficult place in my life.  I started out with 10 mgs and have been on 40 mg for the past several years.

I have felt that I have come to a better place in my life and have wanted to remove myself from relying on medications to solve my problems.  Unfortunately, I am well aware of the terrible withdrawl symptoms that are associated with Paxil (Jittery vision, sweat, nightmares, racing heart, nasuea, irritability, increased anxiety...).  

For the past three months my physician has been reducing my dosage slowly.  40-30 for 2 months, 30-20 for 2 months and next with be 20-10 mg.

Dropping from 40 to 30 mg was not a difficult as I initially anticipated.  I only experienced a couple of days of increased anxiety, sweats, jittery vision, nightmares, body aches, etc.  Within three weeks I felt much better and was ready to move on.  

One and a half months ago I dropped from 30-20 mg and unfortunately to symptoms seem to have amped up and continued for a longer period of time.  Especially feelings of a racing heart, nightmares, lethargy, increased moments of anxiety, and insomnia.

These most recent experiences have made me consider upping my dose back to 30 mg. to simply ease the withdrawl symptoms.  I am hoping that the symptoms will ease and I can continue to reduce my dosage.

Has anyone ever gone through a similar experience?  I would love to hear from you if you have.

Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Well, I have been on Paxil for nearly 10 years consistently and and on and off for about 4 years prior to that.  At the time I started taking it, I was in a very difficult place in my life.  I started out with 10 mgs and have been on 40 mg for the past several years.

I have felt that I have come to a better place in my life and have wanted to remove myself from relying on medications to solve my problems.  Unfortunately, I am well aware of the terrible withdrawl symptoms that are associated with Paxil (Jittery vision, sweat, nightmares, racing heart, nasuea, irritability, increased anxiety...).  

For the past three months my physician has been reducing my dosage slowly.  40-30 for 2 months, 30-20 for 2 months and next with be 20-10 mg.

Dropping from 40 to 30 mg was not a difficult as I initially anticipated.  I only experienced a couple of days of increased anxiety, sweats, jittery vision, nightmares, body aches, etc.  Within three weeks I felt much better and was ready to move on.  

One and a half months ago I dropped from 30-20 mg and unfortunately to symptoms seem to have amped up and continued for a longer period of time.  Especially feelings of a racing heart, nightmares, lethargy, increased moments of anxiety, and insomnia.

These most recent experiences have made me consider upping my dose back to 30 mg. to simply ease the withdrawl symptoms.  I am hoping that the symptoms will ease and I can continue to reduce my dosage.

Has anyone ever gone through a similar experience?  I would love to hear from you if you have.

Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Wow. I've been on Paxil for about 10 months. I became unemployed with no insurance and 2 kids so I decided to stop taking them and started wondering if what I'm feeling is normal. It's been 9 days since my last one and I have been experiencing much of the same as others. The most irritating is the vibrating head thing as well as heart palpitations. I was starting to worry I had a tumor or something. Anyway, I thought it would be over by now, but its not. Glad this site is here because at least I'm not going crazy.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
So....I have taken peroxitine (paxil CR) off and on for years.  I take it largely for the sexual side effect of delaying my normally quick ejaculation so I can experience sex without embarrassment.  Due to this, I've come to the point now where I take 5 or 6 pills at once, so around 150 mg every day.  I know this is bad, and I'm killing my liver.  However, until I find another way to have sex without embarrasment, I will continue.  Can anyone relate and or offer help?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Paxil is a great drug for me personally. But I did experience the full on effects of stopping Paxil when I stupidly let my prescription lapse. It was like nothing I've ever experienced: electric jolts in my legs, extreme and unctontrollable aggression, completely mood dysregulated, profound dissociative symptoms. There is a name for this condition in neurology; which I can't quite recall.  It is an identified neurological condition so I'm surprised to read that some MDs are unaware of it. I went from 60mg long-term use to nothing to see if I needed the Paxil. Well, I did. I am back on it and happy with it's efficacy in alleviating depressive symptoms but most certainly would never go cold turkey again. If for some reason I need to stop taking Paxil will have an MD wean me off.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Wow!   I've been on Paxil for 16 years.  I've tried to get off several times but I cannot tolerate the withdrawels.  I'm trying to get off again and started weaning from 40mg to 20mg for a week then down to 10mg for another week then stop completely.   I started taking 50mg of Pristiq while doing this.  I've been off Paxil for a week now and feel terrible.   I feel depressed, scared, my body aches, weird dreams, lightheaded, weak, and many other disabling feelings.  Any suggestions?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have been on paxil for 10 years. Every time I try to stop taking it, by the 5th or 6th day I am having incredible withdrawls. The worst is the feeling of my head being all fuzzy like snow on a bad tv channel. Then its like a zap.Nausea, loose bowels, anger, tension, body aches, halucinations, wild dreams, uncontrollable/unpredictable moods, odd ball appetite (one day you gorge, next day might be no food at all), double vision, odd ball sleep patterns (some times insomnia, other times can't seem to function at all for days).I was never much of a drinker or party girl, but noticed when I got more comfortable with it that the paxil worked like a sort of hangover drug. Have also experienced the heart palpatations, but never thought of it being due to the paxil. I lost one pregnancy while trying to stop the drug. My body went into a state of shock by the 10th day. Had to start back on it. I have also in the last few months started to experience numbness in my legs at random times. At one point I was told it was a pinched nerve in my right leg that would work itself out. But now it is in different areas in both my legs. Yes, right and left leg. I recently have been weening myself from 40mg a day to 20mg a day. Once I am comfortable with the 20mg I plan to cut that in half as well and continue this until I'm off of it. The more I read, the more terrified of what this drug is doing to my body and my life. I just don't know if there are some sort of home remedies that may be of good help for the dizziness and zaps. That is the most noticable and irritating withdrawl to deal with for me. Please help!
***@****
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
also, when you get down to 10 mg that is when it gets hard.  i went to the doctor and got a perscription of 10 mg pills so it would be easier to cut the pills down.  i also would suggest liquid paxil for an even more exact dosage.  once i get off of paxil this time i will never go back on it.  i gained 30 lbs on it and the doctor never told me crap about weight gain or the withdrawal symptoms.  that makes me mad!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
listen everybody.  there is only one way to ween off of paxil.  slow, slow, and then slower.  i have done it twice now and each time it took me 3 to 4 months to quit from 20 mg.  You will have to have a lot of patience and many days of dizzyness to contend with.  you just have to deal with it.  i do not like the head zaps so i had to go slowly so that wouldl not happen.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
wish michael schwartz chicago att. left his email address i would like to know more about his attempt to sue smith cline for not informing us about the HORRENDOUS withdrawel side effects from the drug paxil.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I too am trying to get off paxil.  I have read a lot about the withdraw that seems so common.  I just want you all to know that today I went to my doctor and she informed me that it is imparative that I get off this horrible medication asap.  She said the longer you are on it the worse your withdraw will be.  Also there are more and more people that have gone through the withdraw and had even worse symptoms such as homicidal tendencies.  There is one guy that was on paxil for less than a year and he is in jail for killing someone (this guy was a Christian who has never been abusive in any way).  He also has a lawsuit going against Smith Kline and Beechem for their aweful medication and lack of info provided that informs people and doctors of the heroin like withdraw and homicidal tendencies.  Keep your guard up.  If you choose to get off this medicine then make sure you have support and love from your family and friends.  Warn them of what you may go through so they can keep an eye on you.  I don't know about you guys but I have found that paxil has always made me forgetful and preventing me from having a sense of time.  I feel like I just woke up from a coma when I hear that we are near the end of the year 2000.  I was on 20mg paxil.  Now I am on 10mg.  I have already started feeling the crappy symptoms (hot and cold all at once, dizzy, wierd zapping sensation in my head, nausia, sweating profusily, tired, major insomnia).  This is no fun, but I am going to ride this storm out.  I know that it WILL eventually end.  I wish I had never taken paxil!  Good luck to you all!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
jj
I had been taking 10 mg's of Paxil every other day (my own decision) for approximately 4 months. I then quite cold turkey thinking that since the dosage was so low, I would not have withdrawal symptomes.  Well here it is almost 6 1/2 weeks later
and I'm still encountering a feeling of chills. It's worrisome and very disturbing. I hope it subsides soon, since I will not go back on.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I was on Paxil 20 mg for about six months and decided that since the cause of my anxiety was gone, so should the Paxil.  In consultation with my doctor, I reduced the dosage to 10 mg. by breaking the pills in half and used up the prescription - about ten days.  Just before I started to reduce the dosage, I checked the web and got a real eye-opener.  The weight I'd gained was not because I'd been eating too much (just the opposite in fact), and the loss of sexual sensation in spite of having a mind that wanted to play, was also something I'd experienced and yet did not attribute them to the Paxil.  After reading of others' experiences, I was more convinced that ever to get OFF this drug.  I cut the dosage down to 10 mg for about 10 days and within two days was experiencing many of the things others have experienced:  vertigo, lightheadedness, eyes sensitive to light, hot and cold feelings at the same time.  I am still having these sensations after a week and they may last another week or so.

When the anxiety was not a life-long kind of problem, just episodic, I feel now that my doctor should have suggested something like kava kava or St. John's Wort.  Certainly, the side effects of discontinuing them (if indeed there are any) are nothing like coming off paxil.  And the suggestion to go back on Paxil to alleviate the symptoms is, to me, just getting back on the merry-go-round and delaying the inevitable or forestalling it forever by staying on the drug.  The drug manufacturer (Smithkline Beecham) assures us that Paxil is not addictive but if you feel so bad coming off, isn't that almost the same?  Thanks anyway, I think I'll take the Kava Kava and go fishing the next time I feel anxious or depressed.  There is nothing so uplifting as the sounds (or lack thereof) and the beauty of a lake at sunset.  And if that's not enough, the prospect of an orgasm again is positively euphoric!!!  I'm looking forward to feeling like a healthy, normal female again.  Hooray!!!
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Avatar universal
concerning the lawsuit suggested by michael shwartz, he left no
address.i am interested in pursuing this matter further. if
anyone has his e-mail address,please post it on this site.if
anyone has succesfully gotten off of the drug paxil please
explain exactly how you did it!! i am desperate!!!!!!!!!




                                       wendyelks
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I am so angry about this whole paxil withdrawl.  Why wasn't I told by my DR that the complications would be so severe.  I am a 34 year old mother of 3 small children, and I can hardly cope with the nasea, dizziness, hot flashes, and headaches while carring for my children.  I've never been this sick in my life, and yes I am sick DRs.  When I went on paxile I was extremely dizzy and tired.  I informed my doctor of this a couple of times along with my pharmasist.  They both told me it was normal and to keep taking it.  From now on if my intuition tells me something is not right with the situation at hand I will listen.  As for most DRs and pharmasists I'm sorry to say you have been desensitized in your line of work by ailing patients, and if thats the case you need a career change.

Tammy
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Avatar universal

i am so thankful i found you folks. i thought i was going crazy. both doctor and pharmacist said i would not have a problem coming off. i have tapered from 20 to 10 to 0 but after reading your comments i am going to go back to 5 for a week or so. i have had the dizzyness, hightened sensitivity in my lips and teeth and a numbness in my hands and feet. i hope the symptoms will go away with a week or so of 5mgs. would like to hear from someone who has had these same problems who is now totally symptom free. of course there probably arent too many of you hanging around this sight. what a reeif to know i am not about to die.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hello Everyone:

I have been on Paxil for 4 years.  I started taking this after my 6 year old daughter was killed in a car accident.  It seemed to work well.  My thought was anything that could dull the incredible pain I was experiencing was welcomed into my life.  I am trying to get off of Paxil now.  I have been able to wean myself from 40mg to 30mg to 20mg to 15mg.  I hate the side effects.  What has made me decide to go off the paxil are the vivid nightmares eveynight, night sweats, dizziness and a complete feeling of being numb with no emotions.

I do have a chemical imbalance and do need to be on some type of antidepressant.  I might mention that I also take serzone.

If anyone has any recommendations, please write.

Thanks.
Dawn
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Avatar universal
I've was given Paxil last fall (30mg) and it worked great.  I feel stronger now and am trying to get off it, got down to 20's, then 15's (cutting pills) and then 10's but can't stop entirely. I have the electrical impulse feeling in my head as well as not being able to focus clearly.  My doctor recommended just getting off it cold turkey but I couldn't.  I called her after watching a 20/20 episode about paxil withdrawal and realized that I wasn't crazy and that there are withdrawal symptoms.
Helpful - 0
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