Paxil withdrawl

[hotload]

I have been on paxil for about 9 yrs. Last dosage was 40mg. /day. I also had xanax .5 mg. for emergencys. I changed doctors due to new inurance and the feeling that whenever I went to my Psychiatrist He'd ask how I was /never listened and just wrote Rx's. I mentioned to my new Dr. that I gained about 30 lbs during the treatment and she told me it was a big weight gainer. So she weened me off paxil and now I'm on Wellbutrin 200 mg./day. The side affects have been unbearable and had 4 panic attacks in the past week. Once I called the EMS (ya know ,no matter how much your not having a heart attack I still fear it) and after they arrived and my xanax kicked in I was ok. Two times this week I drove myself to the Hospital cuase I was fearing a heart attack (by the way I'm a 50 yr. old with slight Hypertension,probably why sometimes I think I'm having a heart attack) once they did an EKG (perfect) felt better and left. The next day I had one and with the help of a freind and xanax it went away.Then testerday it happened again and once again ,off to the Hospital. This time they did blood work to check and assure me (everything was ok). Now I wake up in the morning waiting for itto happen again.I'm VERY emotional allof a sudden,nauseus,sweaty palms,fear. Is there anything I can do to help with these side effects cause I almost can't function with the fear of another attack. I CAN'T take it ANYMORE! Please help!
Don H.

[Paxiled]

I responded to you by private message.  You said right above, "wellbutrin is a pick me up."  In fact, wellbutrin is used quite a bit in the US for people with primary depression, but isn't recommended for those with primary anxiety.  You're right, it is often combined with a drug that has too many side effects to lessen those side effects.  But it is also used a lot as an antidepressant, and if you read this forum and the depression forum you'll see a lot of people just right here who are on it -- even for anxiety, which is probably a bad idea but the doctors you're citing regarding cross tapering are merely repeating what pharmaceutical reps have taught them.  Very few psychiatrists bother to learn much about the medications they prescribe, and studies bear this out -- they also give tests people don't need and do surgeries people don't need.  This is largely due to the way medicine is taught, not because they're bad people.  

[DYSLEXIC]

Sorry people I tried to post SSRI straight tapers and other cross over meds but the site wont let me post articles . if you go on crazy meds and put SSRI to  SSRI  straight  taper , you will find loads of letters from people who do this and nothing else when changing meds ,also tapers from different class meds . I dont just make this up

[DYSLEXIC]

show me where I said wellbutrin was not a antidepressant , Wellbutrin  is anAD used on its own but its to stimulating for anyone with anxiety. In  America wellbutrin is mainly use with another AD that may be working but a side effect is  flat and dull feel. they add wellbutrin has to lift the mood. On its own it often lifts the mood to much , hence its  ban in ENGLAND has junkies love it , it may stop you smoking to. READ the post before you answer.  You no nothing about cross taper so don't comment on it , it is used all over the world on SSRI to SSRI  taper. I have just done another myself although small , 5mg Lexapro to 50mg sertraline and up to 100mg sertraline after a week  no problem apart from Lexapro constipates you and sertraline the opposite , just because you have never don't expect others haven't . this practice has been around 20 years and I have took meds for40 years I have a clue to whats what , read up about it, 70 year old doctors may want you to taper and be sick has a dog for months , but modern science is kink today

[Paxiled]

This is a very old post, so you might get more answers if you start a new one.  The above is incorrect, wellbutrin is an antidepressant, not a pick me up.  It is stimulating, but so are snris, so it's not the best for anxiety.  And the above is completely wrong about withdrawal and how to treat it -- going to another drug even in the same class does not do anything about withdrawal as they target different receptors.  Paxil is the hardest of all these drugs to stop taking for most people, and those who specialize in helping people stop taking these meds (and your psychiatrist is most likely uninterested in this) counsel that you completely stop the medication before starting another.  Prozac is used if at the end of your taper you're having a bad withdrawal, not when you're still at a therapeutic dose of the drug you're quitting.  Quit this medication as slowly as you need to, and if at any point it gets out of control go back to the last dose at which you felt find and taper off more slowly.  The schedule for quitting isn't a generalized one that suits everyone -- people react quite differently.  Some have no withdrawal at all, some have moderate ones, some have terrible ones.  You taper according to where you fit in the spectrum to be safe.  Good luck.

[DYSLEXIC]

PAXIL to Wellbutrin   is medical madness , paxil is for anxiety  . wellbutrin is a pick me up to mix with a med that's making you tired  . junkies take ZYBAN  same med in England for upper.  If you were on SSRI paxil you could have cross tapered to any other SSRI  overnight . I have lost count how many times I have said this on the forum . I do this every time no detox for 5v week no start up for 7 weeks ,   DO IT 2 WAYS  first find the same dosage of both different meds , me I take the med I am on then the next day take the new med, or  take half of each ssri the first day and the full new one the next , long winded tapers are for moving from 1 class of med to another type,  not  SSRI TO ANOTHER SSRI

[allisonds1982]

I've been on paxil for a bit over 10 years. started at 20mg, then down to 10mg and on 20mg. Had problems coming off a while ago and trying to conceive soon. My new psychiatrist recommended going from 20mg paxil to 20mg Prozac over night. Will that  protect me against withdrawl? He said taking both simultaneously can be problematic as it can be too much serotonin. It's much easier to come off of Prozac as we all know.
I heard this approach is used by some on these boards:
Week 1 Paxil 20mg + Prozac 10mg
Week 2 Paxil 15mg + Prozac 20mg
Week 3 Paxil 10mg + Prozac 20mg
Week 4 Paxil 5mg + Prozac 20mg
Week 5 Stop Paxil stay on 20mg Prozac

[Paxiled]

Two rules of life I've learned in suffering from this nonsense for many years:  never trust your doctor completely and never trust a website completely.  But what websites are good for is you hear from actual sufferers instead of detached docs, and what you see is everyone has a different experience with these meds.  This is to be expected, as we all metabolize things differently and these meds affect the brain, which really isn't well understood.  But you can't predict how you'll feel either by how a drug is explained by a doc or by how it affects a particular individual.  It's a weird world out here.

[hotload]

Yesterday I took my xanax to get rid of the awful feeling and as the day went on my symptons  kind of  receeded and had a pretty good day.Was even able to go to the food store w/o worrying about another attack in public.For all the years I was on paxil I NEVER had that problem. Now again I wake with that awful feeling again,luckily I'm laid off during the winter so I don't have to be concerned w/ going to work with all of these withdrawl symptons. I'm gonna take my xanax again. This site has been helpful yet can sometimes cause confusion seeing everyone has different experiences and advice.I'm trying to put my trust in my Dr. which I feel is important but now I have all these questions that might seem that I'm doubting her care.

[Paxiled]

I can't tell if you're suffering Paxil withdrawal or not, but wellbutrin is a very stimulating antidepressant and isn't generally used for someone who has anxiety as a main problem.  This is probably adding to your problem whatever the cause.  Sometimes they'll add wellbutrin to an ssri to minimize certain side effects, but for a major anxiety sufferer that med can be problematic.  As for the 30 pounds, it's a lot, but quite moderate for Paxil users.

[hotload]

Yes I am gatting my meds. prescribed by a psychiatrist and I will mention the klonopin. Should I give the wellbutrin a real try or if it doesn't work will there be bad withdrawls again. I really appreciate your responses!
tHANKS

[nursegirl6572]

So, you tapered off over a period of about 2 months or so?  In my personal opinion, with Paxil, people should be tapered a bit slower....like over a period of about 4 months minimum, simply due to the history of so many people having such a rough time getting off the med.  The good news is, for a great number of people going through this, it DOES improve and eventually go away all together, it just takes time.  So, you've been on the Wellbutrin for about 2 months?  I'm honestly not a big fan of this med, especially after coming off an SSRI like Paxil.  If I were you, I would speak to the prescribing doctor about possibly trying another med, considering that you haven't seen any improvement.

Continue to use the Xanax on an "as needed" basis for when the anxiety is at a high...and when you go in to speak with your doctor, inquire about possibly trying a long-term benzo, like Klonopin.  That may be all you need, you may not require another anti-depressant type medication if the Klonopin ends up tackling the anxiety and panic attacks.  Just keep in mind that any regimen you try has to be given an ample amt of time to really start working in order to properly assess if it is going to be effective for you or not.  And, don't forget to ask about talk therapy...it is a vital part of the process.

If you aren't already, I would recommend that your medication and therapy regimen be directed by a psychiatrist rather than a general practitioner.  It simply makes sense for us to seek the help of a specialist.  If you had diabetes that was difficult to manage, you would likely be referred to an Endocrinologist.  The same thing applies to our mental health as well.

Keep us updated, and please....try to hang in there.  I know you are feeling horrid, but it won't last forever.  We're here for you.

[hotload]

I'm sorry its been about 2 months starting at 40 mg. and eventually brought down to 0 mg.. Started on wellbutrin at 100mg and 3 weeks later up to 200mg.

[hotload]

Is there anything I can do to help with the withdrawl from Paxil /now on wellbutrin200mg/day. I thought I mentioned that in my request for help.

[nursegirl6572]

Hello, and welcome to the forum, I'm sorry you are having such a rough time!  Believe me, we've all been there!  A few questions...when was your last dose of Paxil, and how long did you taper off of it?  The problem with these meds (Paxil seems to be especially problematic) is that many people experience severe withdrawal symptoms....therefore the more gradual the taper, the better.  If your taper wasn't a gradual one, you are most likely in the throws of those w/d's.

You already know that what you're experiencing are panic attacks...you've had medical testing to prove that nothing is wrong with your heart.  Therefore, have you tried therapy as a way to teach you coping mechanisms for the panic attacks?  I know it is hard to fight the urge to run to th ER but eventually, you are going to have to try to learn to get through the panic attacks until you can get some relief, either with therapy, another med, or both.  Did you get a new psychiatrist?  If not, start there.  Explain what's been going on and go from there.

Feel free to come here and share....there's a lot of people here who live what you're going thru every day.  There's a lot of support and information here.  We're happy to help.  Hang in there...I know how rough it is!