Making it without Paxil

[mandamandamay]

I have been on Paxil (20mg) daily for 5 years. I moved last year and hadn't found a new doctor in my new location. (Long story, won't bore you.) Didn't worry much as my previous long time doctor had been calling in refills for me. Found this last month that can no longer happen...by state law they need to see me. Found a new local doctor, scheduled an appointment, waited 3 weeks for it and it was intake only. They accepted me as a patient and scheduled me in with the primary doctor...for October 6th.

I'm out of Paxil. Already got an emergency extension from my pharmacy. No one can call anything in for me. I have all the side effects of withdrawal. Flu like symptoms, headaches, insomnia, extreme irritability, panic attacks and hypnic jerks. And I still have 11 days to go...

What can I do to alleviate at least some of the side effects for a few days until I get my appointment? I've been told that I can take benedryl. Does this actually help? Someone suggested the ER but I worry they 1) won't help me and 2) will look at me like some kind of addict. Any ideas?

[AnxiousNoMore]

I would head to ER if you are in agony because of abrupt withdrawal. Neither of your objections to going there seem likely.
I doubt benedryl will do anything except maybe put you to sleep to kill time.,

[AnxiousNoMore]

Are you in the same state as before, because if not then you could see if it is still legal for your doc to phone in a script and have it sent by Fedex to you. The reason you have withdrawals, if that is truly what is happening, is because your body was accustomed to the Paxil and can't figure how to survive without it yet (sort of layman description of your issue) so there is likely no substitute that will get rid of the withdrawal symptoms.
Your post indicates you accidentally ended up off it so I am guessing you want back on again anyway.

[Paxiled]

Something about this sounds fishy to me -- when I lost my health insurance for five years my former psychiatrist kept calling in my refills without seeing me.  My understanding is that the requirement to see you is only for controlled substances, such as benzodiazapenes, but paxil, though it probably should be, isn't classified as an addictive drug.  Therefore, your fear about the ER thinking you're an addict doesn't apply to this drug.  But Paxil withdrawal can be pretty devastating especially when you quit cold turkey as you have and can last a while, so I'm wondering why you didn't tell the practice where your new doc is that you're in withdrawal from Paxil and can he call in one refill before you see him.  Personally, I'd also only take this drug while under the care of a really good psychiatrist, not a regular doc, as it's a tough one to take and stop taking.  Something to think about for the future.  If you have to go the ER they will ask who your regular doc is and should contact him.  As I said, this is not a controlled substance, so he doesn't in fact have to see you by law to prescribe it as I understand the law.  The same should be true for your old doc.  Sometimes you have to be very aggressive in fighting the system to advocate for yourself, and this is one of those times.  As for reducing the withdrawal symptoms, you can try taking a good dose of fish oil -- sometimes it helps with some of the physiological symptoms.  Now, some people are lucky and the withdrawal is like the flu for a couple of weeks -- it's actually called the Paxil flu -- but in your case, I'd get back on it as quickly as possible since you want to stay on it.  If you successfully complete your withdrawal, this drug is unusual and it sometimes doesn't work the same after you've quit it successfully.  Get out there and raise some noise!