Paxil and Lexapro

[qwert1977]

Has anyone made the successful switch from Paxi to Lexapro with little or no side effects?  My doctor has decided to switch me from Paxil CR 25mg. to Lexapro.  I was on the Paxil 12.5 CR for about a month and a half and was having my heart beat pretty fast.  He thought that my fast heartbeat might still be my anxiety, so he asked if I would be willing to go up to 25mg CR which I have been on for the past 12 days.  My heart has continued to beat fast so he has ordered an EKG and blood work just to make sure everything is okay and also would like me to try Lexapro.  He wants me to cut the 10mg down to 5 and then the 5 down to 2.5 to start and work my way up from there if I tolerate it well.  I am terrified that I am going to have w/drawl symptoms from going off my Paxil but he told me that since I'm not completely going off medication he thinks I will handle it well.  I have had a really hard time just initiating the Paxil back into my system (lots of side effects), so I'm very nervous about switching.  Part of me just wants to keep sticking it out on the Paxil but then I think maybe if I just give the Lexapro a try I will like it better.  Your responses would be greatly appreciated!  Thank you!

[bronzbabe]

I was on paxil 20 mg for 7 years, and i have been on lexapro 10mg now for months.  I love lexapro!  No side affects!  Paxil was awfull for me to get off of, it took me 5 months to wean off of it.  And you do not gain weight from Lexapro.  My best friends wife is a psycologist, and she told me that lexapro is a "neutral" , while some others do have a weight gain effect.  The only thing i can say about people gaining weight is they feel better on the medication (relief of anxiety), therfore they tend to eat more.  You just need to watch your eating habits, if you are at all concerned about weight.  Hope this helps:)

[Jakes1964]

Interesting post, my doctor is also wanting me to switch without tapering. I'm a lil nervous a about doing it.

[Paxiled]

I believe in this very old post the poster did taper first, if you read it.  It was also causing a possibly dangerous side effect in the poster.  You should probably have put this in a new post so more people would see it, but here's what you don't say -- what drug does the doc want you to switch to?  Is the Paxil working fine?  Are you having dangerous side effects?  Is your doctor a psychiatrist?  I ask these questions because they matter in making your decision.  A regular doc knows a lot less about actual experience with these meds than does a psychiatrist who does it every day and it's all he or she does.  I would question whether a psychiatrist would want to switch you from a drug that is working well for you to one that you have no idea if you'll even absorb it, let only that it will work -- individuals differ greatly as to how a drug will affect them.  If you're talking about Lexapro, for example, it's not a "cleaner" drug.  It appeared in early studies to have fewer side effects, but I don't think that has ever been proven.  I mean, if you want the newest drugs, there are much newer ones than Lexapro if your doc just likes newer better.  Also, the poster here was only on Paxil for a very short time, which makes stopping easier than if you've been on it for a long time.  Because Paxil seems to be a much stronger drug than others -- not in that it works better but in that it's much harder for the brain to let go of it and go back to working naturally again -- often other ssris just won't work for you once you've been on it.  That's been true for me so far.  Some of the above posts were incorrect -- Lexapro can cause weight gain just as Paxil can -- again, it depends on the person.  Paxil is certainly more established as a weight gaining drug, but you're the only you, so what Lexapro did for one isn't necessarily what it will do for you.  I gained a lot on Paxil over several years of taking it and didn't gain much on Lexapro, but Lexapro gave me a strange head pressure which is a common side effect of this drug but not of Paxil.  You just never know.  My advice?  If the Paxil is working and you've been on it for a long time, stay on it until you want to stop medication altogether or until it stops working.  You're already facing all of its problems, so you're not going to avoid them, right?  If nothing's broke, don't fix it, but again, you don't mention if something is broke or not.

[Jakes1964]

Interesting post, my doctor is also wanting me to switch without tapering. Im a lil nervous a about doing it. H esaid its the newer cleaner drug.. But I'm afraid of the withdraws..

[MichiganMan123]

HI!!
I have taken paxil 12.5mg (for many years). Now I am noticing it is not doing me much...not sure if its the inactive ingredients of paxil cr (Mylan Pharm) since I was taking Paxil CR by Apotex (Pharm-Its a non generic by labled generic by GSk) who no longer manufacter this med. I am thinking about trying Lexapro or to increase my paxil CR. Very confusing and since most people don't understand what we go through when a med is not as effective, its a living hell.What was your outcome? Did you stay on Paxil or switch to Lexapro? Please let me know what you did, how you did it? and the outcome so far.
Thank you so veyr much!!

[dplond]

Hello,  I know this has pretty old post but how did that schedule work for you.  I have the same schedule but this being week 1 having some anxiety issues and just wondering if this is what I need to do.  I was up to 40mg on Paxil and since May had gone from 20 to 30 to 40 then had another attack hence the decision to try the switch.

[kimmie1900]

i just switched from paxil to lexapro without weaning & am on day 6.  mad on day 5 & no patience.  Day 6 I cried ALL day.  Still very very sleepy.  all day even after going to bed @ 8:00pm.

[billpaxil]

you might want to read about the different half life for each of the SSRI meds., as some appear to be easier to come off of than others.  The ones with longer half lifes appear to be easier to come off of at a later date.  

[Paigewilson]

Has anyone done a lateral switch to Lexapro from Paxil without weaning?

[HockeyShark]

I switched, from 20 Paxil to 10 lexapro a little over a year ago after being on Paxil 12 YEARS.

The Lexapro is SO MUCH BETTER!

Everyone is differnt however, so give it a try, it might be a very good thing. If not you can always switch back.

[gismatrix]

I switched from paxil to lexapro directly.  I did not notice any problems with regard to withdrawal or increased anxiety but did have more palpitations with lexapro...it was quite a pronounced difference, so my doctor had me switch back.  

[TMGirl]

I have the same question as qwert 1977, my doc says to switch from paxil cr to lexapro just like that, no weaning off of paxil,  I am ready for a nausea ride!  Any feedback??

[tpagurl]

I love Lexapro!  It has helped me so much with my social anxities and it has also helped with my PMS symptoms and crying spells.  I feel like I have a grasp on things now.  I take 20 mg everyday.  I haven't had many side effects.  The first 2 weeks I would wake up 10 times a night.  But now that doesn't happen anymore.  Good luck to all of you!

[SCAREDTODEATH39]

I had very bad nausea and diarehea , sore throat,follicitus,night sweats occasionally and the odd rash. My experience is getting better, the physical side effects are waning somewhat after 8 weeks, but the last 8 weeks were tough.

[qwert1977]

My doctor told me that I could switch straight from the Paxil to the Lexapro w/o weaning off the Paxil.  Do you think that sounds right?  

[jcrowe61]

I am on my 3rd week of switching from Paxil to Lexapro and week one was bad but week 2 wasn't too bad and this week has been even better.

I  was taking 30 mg of Paxil and felt terrible, mostly tremors and headaches.  

Here's my schedule:

   Week One:    AM -  5 mg Lexapro  PM - 20 mg Paxil
   Week Two:    AM - 10 mg Lexapro PM - 10 mg Paxil
   Week Three:  AM - 10 mg Lexapro PM - 5 mg Paxil
   Week Four:    AM - 10 mg Lexapro PM - 0 mg Paxil

After that if  I need to increase the Lexapro I can.

So far I feel better on the Lexapro, I can actually breathe.