Paxil Withdrawal

[Robin Mick]

I am writing on behalf of my husband, who has been taking 20 mg of Paxil daily for a little over a year.  He has been reducing his daily dosage in an effort to discontinue taking the medication.  For the first week, he took 10 mg, then halfed those pills, then moved on to every other day, and so on.  He is now in his 4th day with no Paxil whatsoever, and he is really suffering.  He is very sensitive to light and sound, and both worsen the debilitating headhache he is suffering.  He has contacted his doctor, who prescribed a migraine medication to lessen the pain.  He is unable to function in his daily routine with this pain.  

I've read a lot via the internet about this medication and such withdrawal symptoms.  I've also read that some people have only mild reactions.  Please, any suggestions that can be offered to alleviate his discomfort would be welcome.  And how long can we expect this to go on?  

Thank you in advance for your response.

[jacklyn]

HELLO THERE I MYSELF AM ON 20 MG.PAXIL AND I WENT A WEEK WITHOUT IT AND I HAD EXTREMLEY BAD HEADACHES AND I WAS SO DIZZEY AND SICK I COULDN'T GET OFF THE COUCH I WAS TOO SENSITIVE TO LIGHT AND SOUND I WENT TO THE DOCTOR AND HE THOUGHT IT WAS A INNER EAR INFECTION BUT HE GAVE ME ANOTHER REFILL OF PAXIL AND I TOOK ONE AND ABOUT 1 HOUR LATER I WAS FINE. MY DOCTOR TOLD ME THEY WERE NOT ADDICTIVE BUT I GUESS THEY ARE . I WISH I COULD HELP AND I WOULD LOVE TO GET OFF THE PILLS MYSELF.



                                     JACKLYN
                                         ***@****

[ddodie]

i am so happy to read the experiences of others going through paxil withdrawals.i have been feeling so awful and couldnt understand why my flu like symptoms werent going away. i knew that the swishing in my head would be part of the problem,but had no idea about the long list of other side effects. i feel nausea all the time and just want to go lay down. i have been off my last dose of 2mg for about a 14 days the withdrawals are still an issue for me. i dont feel depressed,just sick.some of the stories i have read on other sites say that it can take an intire year to feel paxil free.i am determined to stick it out, i am over feeling glazed and overweight. i want to look at nature again and feel the sensations i have been missing being medicated. i do see the difference in the midst of the ill feelings, and i think that the crying that some are going through could be part of the fact that your feelings are coming back. i am trying really hard to notice the right feelings too. i am frustrated tho, and wonder how long i have to feel like hell to feel better again.

[Terry Moede]

I'm not glad that people are suffering like me but I am glad to hear that it's not me it is the medication.
I started on Paxil in April of this year. I was having a first time severe bout with depression. I was started on a dose of 20 mg. Initially it worked well dealing with my depression and anxiety. After a while it seemed as though I had built up a tolerance to that level and my dose was increased to 30 mg and then to 40 mg. In the begining of November my doctor and I decided to decrease my dosage and try Effexor. My doctor did not tell me about any withdrawal symptoms. My dose was decreased from 40 mg to 20 mg for seven days and then from 20 mg to 10 mg for seven days. After about the seventh day at 20 mg I noticed that I was becoming more moody and emotional. I also noticed that when I would turn my head all the way to the left or to the right I would experience an electrical shock or impulse in my brain and it was accompanied with a ringing in my ears. During the seven days that I was at 10 mg the electrical shocks continued and became worse along with the ringing in my ears and the moodyness. I was becoming more and more short tempered. I was becoming unable to concentrate. There was some nausea I think mostly from the electrical shocks messing up my head. At the end of the seven days on 10 mg. I did a little research on the internet about Effexor and I decided that I did not want to start taking that without finding out more about it. On Friday November 17 I quit taking any Paxil. Friday evening the electrical shocks were increasing. I did not have to move my head very far to trigger them. I also noticed that at times my vision was slightly blurred at long distance. I had a very bad headache and the Ibuprofen that I took did not touch it at all. I was becoming more and more nauseated and dizzy. Friday night I had trouble sleeping. Saturday morning when I got up I felt fine until I started moving around. The electrical shocks were still there and that created nausea and dizzyness. I was very iratable and was very short tempered. By noon on Saturday I did not have to move my head to have the electrical shocks and the ringing in my ears all I had to do was move my eyes. I ended up laying in bed attempting to sleep. Saturday night I had trouble sleeping again. Sunday I stayed in bed until late afternoon sleeping on and off all day. When I got up Sunday afternoon the electrical shocks and ringing continued when ever I would move my eyes. The nausea and dizzyness continue. Sunday night I again had trouble sleeping probably because I slept off and on all day. This morning when I got up I felt fine until I started moving then the electrical shocks and ringing in my ears were just as bad as before and that creates the nausea and dizzyness. I am still sweating profusely also. I called my doctor this morning and she advised me that I should get back on the 10 mg of paxil and then she would wean me off of this stuff at a slower pace. I asked her if she had heard of these withdrawal symptoms and she advised that she had heard of this in a very small percentage of people. Apparently we are the very small percentage of people. She advised that she has had other patients that have quit Paxil and they did not have any symptoms.

[Terry Moede]

I'm not glad that people are suffering like me but I am glad to hear that it's not me it is the medication.
I started on Paxil in April of this year. I was having a first time severe bout with depression. I was started on a dose of 20 mg. Initially it worked well dealing with my depression and anxiety. After a while it seemed as though I had built up a tolerance to that level and my dose was increased to 30 mg and then to 40 mg. In the begining of November my doctor and I decided to decrease my dosage and try Effexor. My doctor did not tell me about any withdrawal symptoms. My dose was decreased from 40 mg to 20 mg for seven days and then from 20 mg to 10 mg for seven days. After about the seventh day at 20 mg I noticed that I was becoming more moody and emotional. I also noticed that when I would turn my head all the way to the left or to the right I would experience an electrical shock or impulse in my brain and it was accompanied with a ringing in my ears. During the seven days that I was at 10 mg the electrical shocks continued and became worse along with the ringing in my ears and the moodyness. I was becoming more and more short tempered. I was becoming unable to concentrate. There was some nausea I think mostly from the electrical shocks messing up my head. At the end of the seven days on 10 mg. I did a little research on the internet about Effexor and I decided that I did not want to start taking that without finding out more about it. On Friday November 17 I quit taking any Paxil. Friday evening the electrical shocks were increasing. I did not have to move my head very far to trigger them. I also noticed that at times my vision was slightly blurred at long distance. I had a very bad headache and the Ibuprofen that I took did not touch it at all. I was becoming more and more nauseated and dizzy. Friday night I had trouble sleeping. Saturday morning when I got up I felt fine until I started moving around. The electrical shocks were still there and that created nausea and dizzyness. I was very iratable and was very short tempered. By noon on Saturday I did not have to move my head to have the electrical shocks and the ringing in my ears all I had to do was move my eyes. I ended up laying in bed attempting to sleep. Saturday night I had trouble sleeping again. Sunday I stayed in bed until late afternoon sleeping on and off all day. When I got up Sunday afternoon the electrical shocks and ringing continued when ever I would move my eyes. The nausea and dizzyness continue. Sunday night I again had trouble sleeping probably because I slept off and on all day. This morning when I got up I felt fine until I started moving then the electrical shocks and ringing in my ears were just as bad as before and that creates the nausea and dizzyness. I am still sweating profusely also. I called my doctor this morning and she advised me that I should get back on the 10 mg of paxil and then she would wean me off of this stuff at a slower pace. I asked her if she had heard of these withdrawal symptoms and she advised that she had heard of this in a very small percentage of people. Apparently we are the very small percentage of people. She advised that she has had other patients that have quit Paxil and they did not have any symptoms.

[Brian Scott]

I thought I would add in my own experience as I am still in it.  About a week ago, I went off Paxil, which was prescribed by my psychaitrist for my motor tourettes symptomology.  I don't experience depression, but I guessed having extra insurance against it couldn't hurt as a bonus when he described it to me.  Well, I got a moderate case of the flu about 5 days ago.  A couple of days prior, I was thinking about going off the 10 mg. that I was on and didn't take them for two days.  When I got the flu, I definitely didn't want to put them into an already impossible to tame stomach, so I just stopped.  Well, as the flu began to subside two days ago, I experienced things I'd never felt before, which totally freaked me out.  Specifically, "hot clammy flashes" (even though I didn't have a temperature), incredible aggitation and a feeling like I was going to crawl out of my skin, weird sensitivity to light and difficulty seeing in dim light especially, pounding headache, loss of short term memory, total disorientation...but the most omnipresent and scary of all was the waves of dizziness that literally washed over me in increasingly short intervals.  When they did, I would come a hair's thickness from passing out (which nearly causing me to  crash my car in the middle of town twice to the doctor's).  They began only when I was sitting or standing and every few minutes throughout the day and when I awakened at night.  But today, the intervals shortened to about 5 - 10 seconds and their intensity increased so that I felt a numbing attack throughout not just my head but right down to my fingers.  Well, this literally scared the hell out of me and I went to my family practitioner.  He took blood pressure (which was dangerously low) and drew blood.  He suspected advanced lyme disease (I live in prime lime time CT) at which point neurological damage can be a reality.  But when I thought to tell him about stopping my low dosage of paxil (that I was only on for a month before stopping), he ran out of the room and came back with a 20 mg pill, had me break it in half and swallow it.  It is 3 hours later now and except for a lingering headache, all symptoms are gone, even the dizziness.  They began to subside after an hour.  

Non-disclosure of this magnitude is, in my opinion, irresponsible, extremely dangerous perhaps even  criminally negligent.  Would anyone be interested in joining me in a class action suit if I initiated it against SKB?  After my brush with death in the car today, I am considering it.

[Brian Scott]

I thought I would add in my own experience as I am still in it.  About a week ago, I went off Paxil, which was prescribed by my psychaitrist for my motor tourettes symptomology.  I don't experience depression, but I guessed having extra insurance against it couldn't hurt as a bonus when he described it to me.  Well, I got a moderate case of the flu about 5 days ago.  A couple of days prior, I was thinking about going off the 10 mg. that I was on and didn't take them for two days.  When I got the flu, I definitely didn't want to put them into an already impossible to tame stomach, so I just stopped.  Well, as the flu began to subside two days ago, I experienced things I'd never felt before, which totally freaked me out.  Specifically, "hot clammy flashes" (even though I didn't have a temperature), incredible aggitation and a feeling like I was going to crawl out of my skin, weird sensitivity to light and difficulty seeing in dim light especially, pounding headache, loss of short term memory, total disorientation...but the most omnipresent and scary of all was the waves of dizziness that literally washed over me in increasingly short intervals.  When they did, I would come a hair's thickness from passing out (which nearly causing me to  crash my car in the middle of town twice to the doctor's).  They began only when I was sitting or standing and every few minutes throughout the day and when I awakened at night.  But today, the intervals shortened to about 5 - 10 seconds and their intensity increased so that I felt a numbing attack throughout not just my head but right down to my fingers.  Well, this literally scared the hell out of me and I went to my family practitioner.  He took blood pressure (which was dangerously low) and drew blood.  He suspected advanced lyme disease (I live in prime lime time CT) at which point neurological damage can be a reality.  But when I thought to tell him about stopping my low dosage of paxil (that I was only on for a month before stopping), he ran out of the room and came back with a 20 mg pill, had me break it in half and swallow it.  It is 3 hours later now and except for a lingering headache, all symptoms are gone, even the dizziness.  They began to subside after an hour.  

Non-disclosure of this magnitude is, in my opinion, irresponsible, extremely dangerous perhaps even  criminally negligent.  Would anyone be interested in joining me in a class action suit if I initiated it against SKB?  After my brush with death in the car today, I am considering it.

[Brian Scott]

I thought I would add in my own experience as I am still in it.  About a week ago, I went off Paxil, which was prescribed by my psychaitrist for my motor tourettes symptomology.  I don't experience depression, but I guessed having extra insurance against it couldn't hurt as a bonus when he described it to me.  Well, I got a moderate case of the flu about 5 days ago.  A couple of days prior, I was thinking about going off the 10 mg. that I was on and didn't take them for two days.  When I got the flu, I definitely didn't want to put them into an already impossible to tame stomach, so I just stopped.  Well, as the flu began to subside two days ago, I experienced things I'd never felt before, which totally freaked me out.  Specifically, "hot clammy flashes" (even though I didn't have a temperature), incredible aggitation and a feeling like I was going to crawl out of my skin, weird sensitivity to light and difficulty seeing in dim light especially, pounding headache, loss of short term memory, total disorientation...but the most omnipresent and scary of all was the waves of dizziness that literally washed over me in increasingly short intervals.  When they did, I would come a hair's thickness from passing out (which nearly causing me to  crash my car in the middle of town twice to the doctor's).  They began only when I was sitting or standing and every few minutes throughout the day and when I awakened at night.  But today, the intervals shortened to about 5 - 10 seconds and their intensity increased so that I felt a numbing attack throughout not just my head but right down to my fingers.  Well, this literally scared the hell out of me and I went to my family practitioner.  He took blood pressure (which was dangerously low) and drew blood.  He suspected advanced lyme disease (I live in prime lime time CT) at which point neurological damage can be a reality.  But when I thought to tell him about stopping my low dosage of paxil (that I was only on for a month before stopping), he ran out of the room and came back with a 20 mg pill, had me break it in half and swallow it.  It is 3 hours later now and except for a lingering headache, all symptoms are gone, even the dizziness.  They began to subside after an hour.  

Non-disclosure of this magnitude is, in my opinion, irresponsible, extremely dangerous perhaps even  criminally negligent.  Would anyone be interested in joining me in a class action suit if I initiated it against SKB?  After my brush with death in the car today, I am considering it.

[Frank]

I have been taking Paxil and Lithium for 6 years, and it has been a life saver.  I AM concerned with all of the scary withdrawal symptoms that others have talked about here.  it would not change my decision to use Paxil, however; for me it has been a life saver.  Before Paxil, I was on Desipramine for a year, and then on Zoloft for 2 years.  My shrink was totally knowledgeable about "bringing me down easy" before I started the new meds.

I am in NO WAY trying to deny the awful exeriences that many people on this board have had.  I am just saying that depression sucks, and the relief I have had from Zoloft and Paxil, over many years, to me is worth whatever grief awaits me for a few weeks at the end.  (Easy for me to say, right?! :-)

I would even go so far as to say that it sounds like some of the physicians involved in the above cases were maybe NOT properly educated about the medication?

I truly do hope that you all are so much better by the time of this posting . . . and that you are all Staying Alive!

[me]

WOW, I'm trying to get off 20mg of paxil. Been taking it for the last 6 months. I have the eletric shocks in my head that are tied into my eye movements. If I move my eyes up and down quickly I get the shocks. I have headaches more than I usually do and I seem to be able to have erections more often these dasy! Woo hoo!! I feel sick a lot now too. Ive tried to go 1 day without it then take one then 2 days without it and then take one etc etc etc

[Moe]

Wow.  I am so glad to read some of your stories.  As with most of you, I have been trying to get off the 20mg Paxil per day which I have been on for about two years.  I was forced to changed doctors due to a re-location, and I am realizing now that it's the best thing that could have happened.  He suggested that my weight gain is directly related to Paxil intake, and that coming off of it was going to be rough.  He wanted to introduce me gradually to Prozac again (clinical depression), however he wanted me to slowly cut back on my Paxil dosage first.  Half every day, then half every other day... I was taking 1mg of Ativan on the days when I was totally unnerved.  My bottom lip would go numb, I was lethargic and totally spaced out.  Somedays I felt as if I was having a heart attack.  Pulse rate would be high and tight feeling in my chest. I felt like I was running on 1/2 a cylinder.  Funny, the weight gain caused me to be more depressed than before.  I couldn't understand the gain as I was still exercising and eating well.  As for now, things seem to have calmed down.  I am on Prozac now and completely off Paxil.  It's only been a week, but I think I'm ok.  The Ativan was a godsend.  I don't use it at all now.  Hang in there to all who are trying to get off Paxil.  It's worth it if you can just tolerate it.

[Kendra]

I've been on 20mg of paxil for six months for depression.  It did eliminate the depression for awhile but it also eliminated most other feelings and helped me gain 20lbs so I decided to quit.  My doctor told me that there were no withdrawal symptoms, but I know differently.  Cutting the dosage gradually gave me mild side effects that I knew would last for weeks or months until I was off it completely, so I've gone cold turkey.  Side effects include the swooshing in the ears, nausea whenever my eyes move, sweating, chills, crying, insomnia.  I have never felt worse in my life.  However, I have found that taking gravol (travel sickness pills) deals with some of the nausea and is relaxing.  The pharmacist I just called said paxil has a half life of 21 hours so side effects could be gone in a week or two.  I'm on day 5. Isn't this fun? But thanks to everyone for writing in and sharing the information that Smithkline Beecham won't.

[Kevin Murphy]

My 13 yr old daughter was on 5mg/day of Paxil for 1 year.  She tapered very slowly (you can only cut those pills so small.)  Doc told us Paxil is linked to breast cancer!  Bottom line is she has been out of school for 6 weeks.  She has very strong nausea and is suffering teribbly.  Nothing helps her feel better.  We are all so frustrated and angry.

[Kevin Murphy]

My 13 yr old daughter was on 5mg/day of Paxil for 1 year.  She tapered very slowly (you can only cut those pills so small.)  Doc told us Paxil is linked to breast cancer!  Bottom line is she has been out of school for 6 weeks.  She has very strong nausea and is suffering teribbly.  Nothing helps her feel better.  We are all so frustrated and angry.

[tracy]

I am taking 20mg Paxil a day.  Last weekend I forgot to bring them with me on a trip.  I missed Saturday, Sunday and Monday.  By the time I got home on Monday evening I was getting that periodic "buzz" or "electric shock".  The first time that happened to me was a few months ago.  I had stopped taking the Paxil because I started taking Tylenol Sinus due to allergies.  I thought there might be a problem taking both.  That's when I first got thoses "buzzes" and I thought it was the psudophedrin or whatever it is in sinus meds.  Now I know it's Paxil withdrawals.  It's an interesting sensation, but it's annoying since it makes it hard to focus and I'm sure it's dangerous to drive a car.  The "buzzes" occur randomly at 2-10 minute intervals and last for just a split second.  The shock feels like it's centered in my head but my whole body feels tingly like when your leg falls asleep.

[Wendy]

I am so glad to hear the above stories considering the fact that I am experiencing the same side effects that many others do.  I have been on 20 mg./day of Paxil for 9 months and have recently cut back to 10 mg./day for 7 days under the supervision of the prescribing doctor.  I have now been completely off Paxil for a total of 9 days with the following side effects:
-In a constant (24 hours a day) state of euphoria
-Ears pulsating
-Dizziness
-Nausea every 1-2 hours which sometimes results in vomiting
-Eyes feel like they are spinning/out of control
-Severe headaches
-Tired constantly
-Strange dreams
-Will cry at the drop of a hat
-Very sensitive to light and sound
-Short term memory loss
-Lack of concentration
I called my doctor on the 7th day of being off Paxil and described these symptoms only to be told that they had never heard of any of these side effects.  After reading all of the above stories I find it unsettling that a doctor would not know of these side effects when so many people suffer from them.  The doctor apparently found it amusing and said "if you like the feeling of euphoria...go with it".  To be honest, I don't like it.  I feel like I'm not in control of myself and it doesn't feel good at all to me.  Sometimes I feel I should not be behind the wheel of a car.  I intend to make my doctor aware of this website for reference.    

[John Adams]

I suffer from occassional panic attacks. I have always been a fairly anxious person. I began taking 10 mg.'s of Paxil and it was helping me but not that well. When I started taking 20 mg. it worked much better. I felt much more stable emotionally and capable of handling those situations that used to cause me anxiety. Well, I went in to get a refill a few days ago and they said that I didn't have any refills available. So, I have been without paxil for about 3 days now, while waiting for approval to continue taking the medication.

While I have been okay for the most part, I have been having a couple of withdrawal symptoms. The two symptoms I have been experiencing the most are electric shocks and tiredness. The electric shocks were kind of scared me, but I read that in these posts that other people experience them while withdrawing from the medication. So, knowing that others suffer the same symptom was comforting. My energy level has gone down considerably. I have had to take at least one nap each day for the past three days.

These "electric shocks" occur on my head. It kind of makes sense, because the medication affects the neural synapses. So, it is easy to understand that withdrawls would upset my bodies neural functioning, which is most noticeable in my mind. Since the brain is a huge organism of neurons.

I am quite upset that they discontinued my refills. Must have been an oversite. It is a little discomforting to know that if I ever decide to quit paxil for good that I will experience the withdrawl symptoms again.

For me paxil is a very good alternative to anxiousness, so I will continue use after the weekend.

There read a couple of posts that are helpful but a bit more pessimistic about the use of paxil. It is acceptable to me that the discontinued use of a drug would cause some withdrawls. You have to expect these things.

I hope my experience helps others whom experience similar symptoms.

[Mark Murphy]

After having taken 20mg daily of Paxil for 2 years, I have halved my daily dose to 10mg. While it has been an excellent drug to eliminate my depression, I must concur with the general internet claims regarding coming off this drug. The effect in my case is absolutely characteristic of the flu-like dizziness one can experience everytime you move or roll your eyes when you are sick with the flu.

After a week @ 10mg, I have observed that this dizziness intensity seems to cycle during the day. Eating seems to mitigate the effect somewhat. The symptom is inconveniant to say the least, especially if you are like most of us and must perform at whatever profession we may happen to be in.

Unless there has been a permenant physiological change to my seratonin re-uptake mechanism, I trust my body will equalize in time. I have heard that the half life of paxil is extremely short and that the drug washes out of the system within 72 hrs. I will attempt to cut down to 5mg and then 0 during the next 30 - 60 days. Mark M.

It is based on this that the drug company representatives suggest that it is merely "the return of the depression" that we are confusing with these symptoms. We all know this is ********. I would suggest that our brain has been "trained" by paxil to "act" a certian way much like a tree limb or grass reed bends out of shape by a wind over time. Even after the wind ceases, it takes awhile for the limb,(e.,g, this part of the brain), to incline back into its natural state or "shape".

In any event, this is my theory. I hope it is plausable and will give some hope to those who need it. Until then, we will just have to white knuckel it until we get back to our old self.If after a month or two, I feel the same way I do now, I will probablly find a good attorney to file a class action lawsuit.

[alaina]

Boy - this information has been very comforting - at least as I sit and read it.  I have been taking Paxil for about 18 months for depression and after discussions with my family physician, decided it was a good time to try to stop.  It has been 4 days now and I feel rotten.  I feel sick to my stomach constantly - I am shakey and I burst into tears at for absolutely no reason.  And sound bothers me emensly.  My doctor did tell me to expect not feeling "normal" but this is really bad.  Tell me it will end??

[Randy Willis]

I have been on 40 mg of Paxil and it has helped me with anxiety.
However, it had intolerable side effects.

I've been cut back to 20 mg.  Next it will be 10.  Then 5.  Then
I'll be on something else.

SIDE EFFECTS OF GETTING OFF OF PAXIL FOR ME:
1)a Panic Attack in church this morning (2 July 2000).
2)a headache over my right eye.
3)nervousness
4)slight trembling in my hands.

Will these go away?????????????????????????

[dave]

>Quote from Caldine:
>my eyes movement feels as though it is a few seconds behind my head turning (which is a very
>weird sensation)

Yes! I know what you mean. I've been on Paxil for 3 years now and never enjoyed being "chained" to a med., yet have had too good of an experience to stop. If I have missed a pill for a day or so, I get the above symptom (starting withdrawls). If your eyes move, your brain tells you that they moved, but the visual signal to your brain is a split second off. My Psych. had never heard of it and few have, but the symptom is 100% Paxil. It is the only drug I'm on and have never experienced anything like that before taking it.

[Rachelle]

I was diagosed with clinical depression 4 years ago and have been on Zoloft and Luvox.  I started taking Paxil about 2.5 years ago and have recently decided to stop.  Paxil allowed me to function but only at a very base level.  I was just scraping by.  I no longer wanted to be pill dependent.  I wanted to deal with my depression head on.  

I am coming off Paxil under my doctor's supervision and it has been absolute hell.  I have been taking it for over 2 years at 30mg.  I am constantly nauseous, dizzy, tired, irritable and extremely weepy.  I also feel as if I have a ball in the base in my throat that is very painful. I thought it was caused by my constant crying but I've just realized it could be some sort of indigestion.  My movements are slow, it takes an extreme amount of willpower to get out of bed in the morning and control my emotions at work.  And it has only been 1.5 weeks since I finished my last dose.  In order to push down my feelings of nausea I have tried to eat everything in sight and have gained weight as a result.  I am especially prone to starch cravings.  I was vaguely aware of withdrawal symptons associated with Paxil but if I knew then what I know now I would never have considered Paxil.

Right now, I'm rock bottom in my life.  I am experiencing  intense depression and constant thoughts of self doubt.  I hurt so much and I'm finding it harder and harder to live like this.  I feel that I should isolate myself from my family and friends so they don't have to see me this way.  They also have a very limited knowledge of this kind of disease (some don't even think it is an actual disease) so I feel that I have limited support.  This is the hardest thing I have ever experienced in my life.  I know these symptons have to eventually subside, but the question is when?  

I hope that anyone considering taking Paxil has access to the information provided in these sites.

[gold]

you responded to my posting on suffering from paxil withdrawal and I just wanted to thank you for taking the time.  Unfortunately - my DOCTor did not bother - and the reason I did not do in the first place what you logically suggested (slowly withdraw by alternating half doses) was because I was not told  by my doctor that I should.  I was not told that there is such a thing as paxil withdrawal or that a slow reduced dosage would greatly curtail the misery.  When I called my doc to describe my symptoms - she said I  definitely has an inner-ear infection.  Since I've never had an ear infection before, I thought it too coincidental that it just happened to be when I was withdrawing and I decided to investigate via the internet.  And that's when I found out - from people like you - that I had paxil withdrawal.  
I am absolutely fine now - week four - symptom free.  I'm not sure why I went on the paxil in the first place.  This experience was an eye opener for me.  I will not just blindly follow doctors orders again without asking questions - and I will never - ever take paxil again.  Thank you again for helping me. gold

[caldine]

I was on 20 mg of paxil for 2 months.  When I told my doc I wanted to stop taking the drug, she told me to take 10 mg for 7 days and then stop.  The next day my head was vibrating, I have a swooshing noise in my ears which makes me neauseus,  my eyes movement feels as though it is a few seconds behind my head turning (which is a very weird sensation), I am  crying, unable to concentrate, have a headache and in general have never felt this bad in my life - including before I ever started taking paxil.  After about a week - I feel a slight improvment - but I'm still not functioning fully.  I am absolutely furious about not being told of these withdrawl symtoms.  My doctor still insists it's a "flu-bug" and paxil does not have withdrawl symtoms.  I have only gotten relief from reading these other messages from paxil withdrawl sufferers and realizing it is real - I am not alone- and it will pass.  Now we just need to get the word out............

[caldine]

I was on 20 mg of paxil for 2 months.  When I told my doc I wanted to stop taking the drug, she told me to take 10 mg for 7 days and then stop.  The next day my head was vibrating, I have a swooshing noise in my ears which makes me neauseus,  my eyes movement feels as though it is a few seconds behind my head turning (which is a very weird sensation), I am  crying, unable to concentrate, have a headache and in general have never felt this bad in my life - including before I ever started taking paxil.  After about a week - I feel a slight improvment - but I'm still not functioning fully.  I am absolutely furious about not being told of these withdrawl symtoms.  My doctor still insists it's a "flu-bug" and paxil does not have withdrawl symtoms.  I have only gotten relief from reading these other messages from paxil withdrawl sufferers and realizing it is real - I am not alone- and it will pass.  Now we just need to get the word out............