switching from paxil (9 yrs) to Zoloft and scared

[angelinamarina]

Hi,
I have been on paxil for 9 years.  It truly gave me my life back and I am thankful for the medication.  However,  I have gained 75lbs in 9 years and I also have been feeling very fatigued either from the weight or the paxil.  And, we are going to do IVF to hopefully get pregnant.  I heard paxil is not good for pregnancy....my 5 yr old was exposed to a low dose of paxil when I was pregnant (docs thought paxil was OK then for pregnancy!)  and she has a lot of problems...she is a special needs kid....so i have no desire to even take a chance with it again.  Doc said zoloft is safer so here I am trying to switch...I HAVE to be on something or I will be a shut in crying in the corner from anxiety and depression.  .right now i am taking BOTH and I am feeling a bit like I am on an acid trip.  I am on 40mg paxil and 20 mg (break tablet) of zoloft.  The zoloft makes me feel really anxious and almost like i am going to have a panic attack but the paxil is still working well enough to stop it.  I am worried about when I actually wean off of paxil....if i am going to be a panic attacking freak again.  argh.  I am so scared to wean off.  When I have lowered my dose in the past, I started FREAKING OUT and my face went numb, and I cried and screamed and it was ugggly.
Anyone done the paxil to zoloft switch?

[greenlydia]

I don't know anything about these kinds of meds and pregnancy, but you, sadly, have found out what can happen. Please see your OB/GYN and have a very frank discussion with him/her about your situation. Have you tried therapy to deal with your anxiety/depression? Don't want to get into a big lecture here, but if you've been on these meds for 9 years, that tells me that you've not yet figured out what or why you have these issues. Until you finally do, it won't go away. But, it is a very personal choice in how we deal with our baggage.
You saw first hand what even a low dose of these meds can do so I repeat that you really need to speak with your doc about your options.
I wish you the very best of luck.
Peace
Greenlydia  

[Paxiled]

Paxil is a tough drug to quit, so take it nice and easy, but this thing about Zoloft being safer, I'd look into that.  My reading of these drugs is that none of them is recommended during pregnancy.  

[kittykkat60]

im in the middle of comming off zoloft the side affects are horendious i wouldnt recomend it ask your doc about lovan i had a friend who took it whist pregnant baby was fine