COMING OFF ANTIDEPRESSANTS

[fellow traveler]

AD HISTORY DURING TX (NEVER ON IT BEFORE) - WAS ON 10MG PAXIL FROM 1/3 - WENT TO 20MG 4\3 TO HELP WITH ANEMIA - CUT BACK TO 10MG 8 DAYS AGO ON DOCS ORDERS, DO TO BAD AD REACTION AFTER END OF TX IN EARLY JULY (PROBABLY TOO MUCH AD) - HE SAYS AFTER A WEEK I SHOULD GO TO 10 MG EVERY OTHER DAY.  MY PILLS ARE 20MG WHICH I HAVE BROKE IN HALF TO MAKE THE 10MG THAT I TOOK THIS WEEK.  OTHER THAN A LITTLE FATIGUE, I HAVEN'T HAD ANY PROBLEMS CUTTING BACK - NOTHING LIKE THE FATIQUE I HAD A FEW WEEKS AGO.  2 QUESTIONS.  1) FROM ANYONE'S EXPERIENCE, IS GOING TO 10MG EVERY OTHER DAY AFTR GOING FROM 20MG TO 10 MG AFTER A WEEK A REASONABLE SCHEDULE FOR COMING OFF PAXIL? 2) SHOULD I GO TO 10MG EVERY OTHER DAY OR TRY TO BREAK 20 MG INTO A 5 MG AND TAKE THAT EVERY DAY? THANKS GUYS
JEFF

[aaapattie]

I take Paxil.  Currently and I have at various points in my life for the last six years so I have weaned before.  In my uneducated opinion, that schedule will work fine to come off.  My problem with doing the every other day thing is I forget which day it is.  So for that reason only I would break the pills into quarters and take one every day.  If you have insurance buying the pills, ask your doctor for a script for 10mg pills and you can break them in half and it will be easier.  Just my thoughts.  Nothing you should bank on.  God bless.  Pattie

[fellow traveler]

PATTIE
THANKS FOR YOUR ADVICE - I'LL GIVE IT A TRY.  LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING OFF IT - BEEN A LONG YEAR.  AGAIN - THANKS FOR ANWERING MY QUESTION - VERY NICE OF YOU.
JEFF

[minneapolis]

nobody on this forum is a doctor and the last response-aaapattie- only stated an opinion. do not change or reduce medications without talking to the doctor that prescribed the drug. i have noticed lately that some people on this forum are offering "opinions and advice" that make it sound like they are medical professionals. lynn

[aaapattie]

Oh Gee!!!  I had no idea I sounded 'professional'.  I thought I made it very clear that I was only offering an uneducated opinion...just my thoughts...don't bank on what I say.  Minny is correct.  I'm certainly no doctor or any medical professional.  (However, as much time as I have spent in the hospital since I got sick (I'm not HCV - other AI and liver disease) I should be getting close to the time necessary for on-the-job training! Ha!)  God bless.  Pattie