PLEASE HELP getting married soon

[nicnoc237]

Hello

I'm looking for some advice. I think I'm suffering with my anxiety and depression again but also scared I may have something else wrong with me.

Im getting married in 6 weeks so really need some help!

I have been taking Paroxetine 20mg for a long time now and have been slowly weaning off since January. I got down to 5mg. I then stopped altogether and within 2 days I was a mess - crying, depresed and really anxious so I went vack on them - I have been back on 20mg for 3 weeks now and I'm not feeling any better - I'm scared the Paroxetine may have messed up my brain or isn't working this time as I'm not feeling better - this should be a happy time for me yet instead im feeling strange all the time, I don't feel like me - I feel loopy and just want to feel like me again in time for my wedding. ...please help me someone :'(

Nicola x

[michigan07]

I agree with paxiled as Paxil is extremely difficult to come off of and combining that with a major life event can certainly not help. Paxil did change the chemical balance in your brain but that's what it is ment to do. When the chemical balance in your brain changes it will cause significant effects to the body and when you stop what has caused those changes there will be withdrawals, much like the "Paxil flu" paxiled spoke of.  As paxiled mentioned taking care of yourself is what's important now. I'm sure your significant other will understand and be supportive of what you're going through. Withdrawals from Paxil suck and you don't have to go through it overnight. With the help of a psychiatrist you can make a good plan to get off the medication in time, a time with less life changing events. On the other side if the medication is doing its job being on it combined with good therapy might be the best route. On a side note try not to worry of what it was like "before" our bodies will eventually stabilize themselves  sometimes with the help of meds and therapy, otherwise you will place yourself in an endless cycle of worry. Concentrate on the now and take the right steps and know that each day will be better than the next.

[nicnoc237]

Thank you. I'm still not feeling any better. I saw my doctor who wanted to keep me on the dose for a little longer to see if it kicked in but it hasn't.  I feel so strange and cant even remember what I felt like before now. ...I'm so scared the tablets have messed up my brain permanently.  I want to feel like me again and happy when I get married....please help me someone :'(

[Paxiled]

And I should add, your health is more important than the timing of your marriage so take care of you right now.

[Paxiled]

Paxil is the toughest of all these meds to stop taking.  You obviously needed to taper off more slowly.  Sometimes with paxil the same dose won't work again, you have to go higher -- it's a very difficult med.  Even though you tapered down, it wasn't slow enough for you, and the web is full of people who were never able to stop this med.  It takes a lot of courage, strength, and patience to change some things in life, and Paxil is one of them.  All this drugs "mess up" the brain, that's their intent -- they alter the way the brain normally functions and it's very hard for some people for the brain to go back to operating normally.  But for most people it eventually does, but I suspect the normal trepidation of getting married has added to the difficulty.  This probably wasn't the optimal time to stop.  Hopefully you can find a dose that gets you back to "normal" and then try tapering much more slowly, as slowly as you need to, knowing that even then you may have to suffer some time with the "Paxil flu."  Patience, hope, and peace.