Paxil withdrawal

[Allison19]

I am 23 years old and was taking Paxil for 8 months, 12.5 mg. (The lowest dose possible). I decided to come off so I was told to take every other day for a week and then stop. Well, I can not even begin to describe how I feel--it is absolutely horrible! I am so incredibly dizzy, my lips go numb, I keep getting zap like sensations throughout my body, I am profusely sweating and nauseous, I could not sleep last night, my mind is racing...I could go on an on. I was told that there were no addictive effects with Paxil and I am so angry...and worst of all scared. How long is this going to last? Why was I told that this would not happen? This is so incredibly misleading and dangerous!! I strongly recommend that no one take this drug--one that is supposed to help yet makes anxiety heighten when coming off because of all of these physical symptoms. I am at work and can barely concentrate because I feel so ill, and so alone. NO one can understand what I am going through--I really wish I knew how long this was going to last! It seems that no one is taking me seriously. What do I do? Is there anything that I can do to make this go away? Please help me out.

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

I  will give you the same advice I just gave the former person. You can not stop these medicaitons in a week..it takes 3-4 weeks of weaning, reducing the dose, taking every other day, then everyt third day.   go back on it until your symptoms subside, then start weaning yourself.

[3rdMajor]

"NO one can understand what I am going through--I really wish I knew how long this was going to last"

It took me about 3 weeks to be free of the symptoms.  I was on 20-30 mg for over 10 yrs.  The symptoms you have are not harmful, or indicative of anything seriously wrong.  Just endure/ignore, and you will soon be free of them.

[Oopsies]

I had Paxil withdrawal as well. I was on 70 mg or so (I'm having a brain-fart and cant remember the exact dosage, sorry) for about 8 months. I had the head zaps too. It lasted 3-4 weeks for me.

[krista]

hi,

I'm 23 years old, and been on paxil for almost two years, I hate being on anything, but I have anxiety and needed something.  I'm on 20mg, I actually took 5mg for a year, so that might be the lowest dose.  anyways, I want to stop taking them, so I decided after I tell my dr. of course, to lower my dose by cracking them in half, and then the every other day thing.  
These posts of withdrawls kind of freak me out, as the reason why  I'm on paxil is for physcial anxiety symptoms.

[rainbow68]

I am a little worried about withdrawl now after reading these, I am also on paxil cr 37.5mg and they just added wellbutrin sr to take too, I wish i knew for sure that these are safe to take together.

[Oopsies]

I was on Paxil & Wellbutrin at the same time and I can't recall any adverse effects from taking both.

[Marie32]

Be CAREFUL -

I was on Celexa for 10 months.  I noticed "tics" involving the left side of my face/neck/shoulder shortly after the dosage was increased to 40mg, that got worse over time.  After withdrawing from the drug (which was horrible itself), the movements got much worse.  They have stabalized, but have not gotten better.  I have Tardive Dyskinesia.  I live every day, all day, and worse in the evening with horrible involuntary movements that are constant (about one movement a second).  These movements are so strong that my entire upper body is moved by them.  The only relief I get is when I sleep, they disappear.

If anyone ever notices involuntary movements on SSRI's, even if those movements seem trivial, TELL YOUR DOCTOR, and make them listen to you!  Mine told me not to worry, for months, until it was too late.

Celexa is supposed to be the one SSRI with the least side effects of them all.

[singtouh]

I am currently on 5mg of Paxil.  I believe the lowest prescribed dose is 10mg, but the pills are scored so you can just break them in half.  You could also use a pill cutter to take lower doses.  I was on 20mg of Paxil about 6 months ago and quickly weaned myself off--I think too quickly.  I felt nauseated for about 10 days and had some difficulty sleeping as well.  Everything normalized after about 3 weeks.  About 2 months ago, I went through a culmination of stressful incidents, and wasn't eating well or exercising regularly.  I was getting 2-3 hours of sleep a night for several days and knew that I had to go back on meds.  I went on 2.5 mg of Zyprexa and 10 mg. of Paxil and consulted with my psychiatrist.  I started getting night sweats about 2 weeks ago and told my psy and am now on 5mg of Paxil along with the 2.5mg of Zyprexa and doing very well.  I expect to go off of the meds in about 3 months. I know it's difficult but your symptoms will go away. Just make sure you wean yourself off gradually enough.  Moderate exercise also helped me. Take care!

[DoNotBeAfraidOfExcellence]

I just wanted to thank you for producing a medication that has stolen 5 years of my life and has imprisoned me physically and emotionally. Its a disgrace to know how uneducated doctors are to the side effects you claim are rare and are only seen as a relapse upon a doctors visit. So all the doctors do is stick you back on the exact poison you are trying to get off of. You give no withdrawal protocol to physicans. Taperering off method is a flaw. I had to take a leave of absense from medical school because your medication incapacitated me. Even when on paxil I had to try twice as hard just to be normal. Modeling career gone because of weight gain. Relationships strained, jobs lost because of the vicious side effects. Well guess what I have been off a month. Some how some way I am surviving. Thank god my family has a medical background and understands how your poison for profits scheme works. Well guess what I have ties to CNN, FOX, MSNBC. I would advice you to sell your stocks now because I am exposing the truth and bringing GSK down. I have doctors, politicians, and the media. Mark this email as the beginning of the end for this drug and new beginning for sufferers who GSK will have to shell out money to help the millions of lives GSK has destroyed.

My symptoms were panic to the point I thought it was just easier to end it. Throat tightening, could not swallowing, afraid to eat, oro-esophagus spams (hypertonia) dry cotton mouth, sensitive to everything, hyperventilation, flu like symptons, which made me take cold meds that actually made me more crazy because of the psuedoephedrine. The worst is when you try to explain to people they look at you as if you have two heads which makes it more frustrating. By the way GSK like to leave out that Paxil blocks the liver enyzmes which are suppose to detox your body from everyday toxins therefore your have a build up of toxins in your body. Paxils hits over 100 receptors not intended to be hit. For the complete list of sides collected from real users put paxil truth in a google search.

Good luck, be well

[HatePaxil]

I am a 46 year old housewife that is trying to withdraw from this "miracle" drug that seemed to cure all of my problems while I was taking it. My family doctore prescribed the drug for me when I complained of depression. Here is my Paxil story.

<p>I used 20mg of Paxil daily until three weeks ago for about four years with no problems. I called in my Paxil prescription renewal, as usual, to the mail order pharmacy, xxx, that my insurance company, xxx, uses. The pills mailed back to me were different and the label identified them as Paroxethine HCL Tabs. No other warning or mention of the switch was made to me. I started taking the pills thinking they were the same as name brand Paxil.<p/>

<p>I started having electrical type "Zaps" in my head the next day. They were happening several times a minute constantly. I was also dizzy and became increasingly depressed. Thinking that it was caused by the medication, I immediately stopped taking it after only six days. The reaction did not get better. My family doctor never warned me about problems withdrawing from Paxil, or that I would have a problem switching to the generic drug.<p/>

<p>The following are the symptoms that I continue to have, three weeks later:<p/>

<p>I don't trust my emotions right now and can go from laughing hysterically to crying in a second.<p/>

<p>The electrical shock like feelings in my head, "Zaps," make me forget where I am or what I am doing at that moment. The "Zaps" only last for a second, but they can happen several times in a minute. It is very disabling. I started having difficulty driving because the "Zaps" happened while I was behind the wheel and I would forget where I was. I have quit driving because of this dangerous distraction.<p/>

<p>I also experience dizziness. It is constant, but I am taking a motion sickness medication to help with that symptom.<p/>

<p>The depression is absolutely the worst that can be imagined. Death seems to be the only answer to escape the constant electrical type pain in my head.<p/>

<p>My husband thinks that I am insane. I am alienating friends and family with my erratic behavior. My life is in turmoil.<p/>

<p>I am afraid that if I return to my family doctor with these symptoms, she will only tell me to continue taking the Paxil or generic equivalent.<p/>

<p>If you have withdrawn from Paxil without any symptoms, you are very lucky. The doctors that post here about the severe Paxil withdrawal symptoms being nonexistent are out of touch and a danger to their patients. I am especially talking about HFHS MD-JM who posted on Friday, October 01, 1999: "I'm not sure if you have any questions for me but feel that you may be somewhat misinformed. Paxil, an SSRI antidepressant, is generally a safe and well tolerated medication at the time of initian and cessation. Also it is not an addictive substance.
A serotonin "withdrawal" syndrome that consists of flu like symptoms can occur after the abrupt discontinuation of medication(SSRI) most often when taking higher doses. In order to avoid such phenomenon, which most people do not experience, the medication should be tapered as slow as necessary--usually a few days to weeks." That is a dangerous doctor with horrible advice<p/>

<p>I am determined to get through this horrible experience and be my old self one day without Paxil.<p/>

[HatePaxil]

Sorry about the formatting. I added the tags and they were not needed.

[Anderzanders]

After taking Paxil for about 8 months my Psychiatrist decided that Paxil’s side effects where to great to continue medication.  I was experiencing drowsiness and compulsive sweating.  And the medication was not really working.  I stopped taking Paxil at 37.5 mg and was supposed to wean myself off in two weeks with descending dosages.  But I decided I was a trooper and would just stop taking Paxil and start my Welbutrin XL 150 mg.  I am a very impatient person!

This was a major mistake I had really bad withdrawal from Paxil and had to take a week off of work.  I felt like I had the flu and a fever combined and amplified so much so that I was border line delirious.  I had what others in this tread call “head zaps” and thank god I am not the only one.  My nerves felt like they were jumping out of my skin.  The zaps I felt were in my: palms, finger tips, feet, and head.  I felt very nauseous and my emotions were up and down.  I would go from happy to crying for no reason.  I slept most of the time because I would get the zaps every time I tried moving a lot.  I also had the zaps while lying in bed but not as often.  

My boyfriend was convinced I was crazy because his friend stopped taking Paxil and had no withdrawal.  Nor was I able to find any information on the internet about Paxil withdrawal.  I am glad to know that I am not crazy, it is the medication.  

[awb20]

I am 25 years old and I have been taking Paxil for 2 months.  I was only taking 10 mg a day. I was sick of paying the $100 a month so I stopped cold turkey.  BAD IDEA!  It has been 1 week since I stopped and every day has gotten worse.  I am so dizzy. I feel like I may pass out at anytime.  Pease help! How long does this go on for.

[awb20]

I am 25 years old and I have been taking Paxil for 2 months.  I was only taking 10 mg a day. I was sick of paying the $100 a month so I stopped cold turkey.  BAD IDEA!  It has been 1 week since I stopped and every day has gotten worse.  I am so dizzy. I feel like I may pass out at anytime.  Pease help! How long does this go on for.

[imdying]

I am a little relieved that everyone else gets "zaps". The best way I was able to describe it is my heart flipping and I can feel it in my head. My doctor thought I was just making stuff up. These "zaps" are the same thing I got after a party month in college, when lots of ecstacy was going around. I'm guessing I was withdrawing from those pills.

The thing that sucks the most though, is that I started taking it so I would be able to function at work (customer service call center) without killing myself. After quitting that godawful place, I stopped taking the paxil. I am still feeling the agony they call "citibank".

My anxiety is up 200% and I swear I have been having fights with friends and family that make no sense. I cried for 20 minutes just to hear my fiance ask me what was wrong, then yelled at him for not asking sooner. He kept asking hy I was crying to begin with- and I had no idea. I AM NOT REALLY THIS CRAZY.

[imdying]

I am a little relieved that everyone else gets "zaps". The best way I was able to describe it is my heart flipping and I can feel it in my head. My doctor thought I was just making stuff up. These "zaps" are the same thing I got after a party month in college, when lots of ecstacy was going around. I'm guessing I was withdrawing from those pills.

The thing that sucks the most though, is that I started taking it so I would be able to function at work (customer service call center) without killing myself. After quitting that godawful place, I stopped taking the paxil. I am still feeling the agony they call "citibank".

My anxiety is up 200% and I swear I have been having fights with friends and family that make no sense. I cried for 20 minutes just to hear my fiance ask me what was wrong, then yelled at him for not asking sooner. He kept asking hy I was crying to begin with- and I had no idea. I AM NOT REALLY THIS CRAZY.

[susans]

I was on Paxil briefly and although I didn't suffer any terrible side effects, I believe it was the beginning of a 50 lb weight gain in 3 years. What amazes me is that so many doctors don't "hear" people when they complain about horrible side effects. I guess I've been very fortunate in that my psychiatrist switches meds whenever I complain of side effects or even concern about weight gain, etc. I am currently on Lexapro which I'm not sure works, but it's not giving me any noticeable negative effects. I do use Xanax as well, use it wisely because it's the only thing that enables me to function like a normal person. Even with it, I am extremely stressed and anxious. My husband was on Serzone for years and was in a stupor from it and yet 2 psychiatrists ignored him complaints, whereas mine told me he hated that drug and it's been banned in Europe. I think you have to put your foot down - apparently everyone reacts differently from various meds, you know your body best.

[susans]

I was on Paxil briefly and although I didn't suffer any terrible side effects, I believe it was the beginning of a 50 lb weight gain in 3 years. What amazes me is that so many doctors don't "hear" people when they complain about horrible side effects. I guess I've been very fortunate in that my psychiatrist switches meds whenever I complain of side effects or even concern about weight gain, etc. I am currently on Lexapro which I'm not sure works, but it's not giving me any noticeable negative effects. I do use Xanax as well, use it wisely because it's the only thing that enables me to function like a normal person. Even with it, I am extremely stressed and anxious. My husband was on Serzone for years and was in a stupor from it and yet 2 psychiatrists ignored him complaints, whereas mine told me he hated that drug and it's been banned in Europe. I think you have to put your foot down - apparently everyone reacts differently from various meds, you know your body best.