Aa
paxil 'withdrawal'
Greetings,
Last mon. I had a "speed-like" episode after 30mg of paxil a day for 27 days. I went to Crisis Unit. They said I was reacting to ambien. Not so. Impossible. They changed dose to 20mg, 2x day, but accidently gave me 50mg within 3 hours. I had extreme reaction - real scared. Its now Saturday 25, and I've not slept in 3 days. I'm stepping down on the 20's, to 10's, then off in 3-4 weeks. Does this seem right? Do you think klonopin could help the easing process given its feature of reducing seizure-like brain effects? This is really a drag, and I'm frazzled like a raw wire from lack of sleep.
Thank you.
Last mon. I had a "speed-like" episode after 30mg of paxil a day for 27 days. I went to Crisis Unit. They said I was reacting to ambien. Not so. Impossible. They changed dose to 20mg, 2x day, but accidently gave me 50mg within 3 hours. I had extreme reaction - real scared. Its now Saturday 25, and I've not slept in 3 days. I'm stepping down on the 20's, to 10's, then off in 3-4 weeks. Does this seem right? Do you think klonopin could help the easing process given its feature of reducing seizure-like brain effects? This is really a drag, and I'm frazzled like a raw wire from lack of sleep.
Thank you.
Withdrawal from Paxil has been a living HELL! I went on it for severe PMS, am going off for a hysterectomy. I want to know one thing, Why doesn't anyone tell you how hard it is to get off before you start taking it? I would not wish what I am going through on my worst enemy. Something has to be done. The makers of this drug are not giving the whole story. Yes, it makes you feel great, but...then what? I only hope my family and I can make it through the next week of the withdrawal, and pray that it doesn't last any longer than that!
Namas HFHS, Thanks for your response to the paxil thing I'm experiencing. Perhaps I didn't set all the info: out adequately, but what you describe _is_ what is happening. I am careful about sorting all this (necessary) and level of confidence is pretty high, it seems. This is day 4 "off" and, as U of Victoria "Psychotropic Advisory Service" indicates, withdrawal symptoms "peak" at 4-5 days. Most of the indicators are present.
Lee,
Its not quite clear to me what exactly happened in your case but it sounds like you may have had an increased amount of Paxil causing a "speed like" episode. Paxil, even though is an extremely effective anti-anxiety agent, rarely causes increased agitation, anxiety and insomnia. This is more prone to occur when the medication is first initiated or when increased.
Antidepressants may also cause hypomanic or manic symptoms in a small subset of patients. This scenario does not seem to be the case with you. I strongly recommend that you discuss these issues further with your personal physician before you make any further medication changes. Keep in mind that this information is intended for general educational purposes only. Please consult your personal physician for specific health concerns.
Sincerely,
HFHS MD-JM
Keywords: Paxil
Its not quite clear to me what exactly happened in your case but it sounds like you may have had an increased amount of Paxil causing a "speed like" episode. Paxil, even though is an extremely effective anti-anxiety agent, rarely causes increased agitation, anxiety and insomnia. This is more prone to occur when the medication is first initiated or when increased.
Antidepressants may also cause hypomanic or manic symptoms in a small subset of patients. This scenario does not seem to be the case with you. I strongly recommend that you discuss these issues further with your personal physician before you make any further medication changes. Keep in mind that this information is intended for general educational purposes only. Please consult your personal physician for specific health concerns.
Sincerely,
HFHS MD-JM
Keywords: Paxil
Please understand that you will most likely experience severe withdrawals from Paxil. The post below explains further...
PAXIL WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS MIMIC HEROIN WITHDRAWAL
Tell your Doctors, and perhaps they will make the connection! How hard has it been for you to wean yourself from Paxil? It's as agonizing as coming off of heroin..and shares most of the same symptoms and long term effects! While researching an answer to all of the awful symptoms I experienced during my Paxil withdrawal, I was unable to find any medical resources listing Paxil as a source of these particular symptoms we all experience. Guess where I kept finding my search results directing me to? Heroin withdrawal. The symptoms associated with heroin withdrawal that are similar to Paxil withdrawal are: nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, restlessness, and leg movements, or jerking. While heroin produces muscle and bone pain, insomnia, and cold flashes with goose bumps ("cold turkey"), which are not identical to Paxil withdrawal, the Paxil symptoms of headache, "electric shocks", dizziness and hot flashes as well as psychotic mental state (violent anger/hopeless depression, unwanted suicidal/homicidal thinking) are similarly debilitating and certainly result in the return to the use of the drug (paxil) in the same way that heroin produces that result! Most experts agree that the major withdrawal symptoms peak between 24 and 48 hours after the last dose of heroin and subside after about a week. However, some people have shown persistent withdrawal signs for many months. I think that most of us (the "experts" on paxil withdrawal!) would agree that, even with careful and lengthy periods of weaning off the drug, at least some of these frightening effects occur and are problematic in our lives for longer than the average heroin withdrawal duration of about a week! Most of us have found that, by the time a week has passed,off Paxil, the terrible sickness we feel has become so great, we are desperate to return to taking the drug again to alleviate the symptoms. And many often do return this way, again and again...simply because we can't afford to lose three weeks or more of work, withdrawing from a medication that Doctors routinely dismiss as not being a cause of such sickness (we all have a really bad case of the flu), or because we are so frightened by the strange, indescribeable physical and mental feelings of disassociation and nervous system "zaps" that we go back to the drug to restore clear thinking, fearing that we are "crazy"...especially since our doctors seem to have no understanding of any of these symptoms as relating to anything they have seen before. I hope everyone who is serious about finding the truth about the drug Paxil and it's horrible withdrawal symptoms will be sure to notify their health care providers of all of the symptoms experienced with this drug and insist that the details be documented and reported to the manufacturer, distributors, pharmacists and anyone in the medical field who can process this information officially and end the notion that these symptoms are "hearsay", simply because the drug company has not chosen to make them "fact"! And the next time you feel, or someone tells you that withdrawing from Paxil is "not that bad", remember that you are in the throes of a withdrawal so severe. that few others, except heroin addicts, have experienced, and YES, IT IS BAD! But it can be survived!
: Shawn Allen
PAXIL WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS MIMIC HEROIN WITHDRAWAL
Tell your Doctors, and perhaps they will make the connection! How hard has it been for you to wean yourself from Paxil? It's as agonizing as coming off of heroin..and shares most of the same symptoms and long term effects! While researching an answer to all of the awful symptoms I experienced during my Paxil withdrawal, I was unable to find any medical resources listing Paxil as a source of these particular symptoms we all experience. Guess where I kept finding my search results directing me to? Heroin withdrawal. The symptoms associated with heroin withdrawal that are similar to Paxil withdrawal are: nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, restlessness, and leg movements, or jerking. While heroin produces muscle and bone pain, insomnia, and cold flashes with goose bumps ("cold turkey"), which are not identical to Paxil withdrawal, the Paxil symptoms of headache, "electric shocks", dizziness and hot flashes as well as psychotic mental state (violent anger/hopeless depression, unwanted suicidal/homicidal thinking) are similarly debilitating and certainly result in the return to the use of the drug (paxil) in the same way that heroin produces that result! Most experts agree that the major withdrawal symptoms peak between 24 and 48 hours after the last dose of heroin and subside after about a week. However, some people have shown persistent withdrawal signs for many months. I think that most of us (the "experts" on paxil withdrawal!) would agree that, even with careful and lengthy periods of weaning off the drug, at least some of these frightening effects occur and are problematic in our lives for longer than the average heroin withdrawal duration of about a week! Most of us have found that, by the time a week has passed,off Paxil, the terrible sickness we feel has become so great, we are desperate to return to taking the drug again to alleviate the symptoms. And many often do return this way, again and again...simply because we can't afford to lose three weeks or more of work, withdrawing from a medication that Doctors routinely dismiss as not being a cause of such sickness (we all have a really bad case of the flu), or because we are so frightened by the strange, indescribeable physical and mental feelings of disassociation and nervous system "zaps" that we go back to the drug to restore clear thinking, fearing that we are "crazy"...especially since our doctors seem to have no understanding of any of these symptoms as relating to anything they have seen before. I hope everyone who is serious about finding the truth about the drug Paxil and it's horrible withdrawal symptoms will be sure to notify their health care providers of all of the symptoms experienced with this drug and insist that the details be documented and reported to the manufacturer, distributors, pharmacists and anyone in the medical field who can process this information officially and end the notion that these symptoms are "hearsay", simply because the drug company has not chosen to make them "fact"! And the next time you feel, or someone tells you that withdrawing from Paxil is "not that bad", remember that you are in the throes of a withdrawal so severe. that few others, except heroin addicts, have experienced, and YES, IT IS BAD! But it can be survived!
: Shawn Allen
A little more. 2nd day of tapering on 20mg of paxil. Another "speed" episode this AM which lasted all day: jerks/jolts, sweating, spaciness, dizziness, severe ringing in ears (which I have anyway - Meniere's), incoordination, and profound over-sensitivity (including anger - very rare for me). I've not slept in 4 days. I'm eating too much _junk,_ almost constantly. Victoria U. Psych Unit in Aust. says 5-8% of folk cannot tolerate paxil at all. This day has been another HELL,and there is no help in this place - even my counselor says there isn't another alternative. My ears will not do a hospital experience and the crisis unit is not set up to deal with this, after they caused it. I don't ask for help unless I need it, but I'm about at the end of the rope. Any suggestions? Thank you.
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