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Paxil Withdrawal my story
Hi All,
Just wanted to chime in here and share my story, if you are considering and antidepressant or SSRI, choose Zoloft or Prozac, because from what I read, getting off of them is much easier on the body because it leaves your system slower then with Paxil.
I've been taking Paxil 20mg for 12 years and felt that it was time to go off. So a month ago I went down to 10mg and I am now down to 5mg. Even tapering slow, I have had TERRIBLE withdrawal. I have had severe headaches and lightheadedness, and have felt very depressed, like I can just cry all day. My dreams have been crazy at night, I have been having a lot of nightmares that I wake up from. It has been awful and if I didn't exercise like I do, working out 6 days a week, I really feel like I'd be suicidal.
Tomorrow I take my last 5mg. It is so terrible I have been tempted to go back to 20mg. But I am determined to get this evil crap out of my body.
I just want everyone to know that they aren't alone and wanted to share my story. I am hoping to make it through this. I am told it might be 2 months of symptoms. UGH!!!!
Just wanted to chime in here and share my story, if you are considering and antidepressant or SSRI, choose Zoloft or Prozac, because from what I read, getting off of them is much easier on the body because it leaves your system slower then with Paxil.
I've been taking Paxil 20mg for 12 years and felt that it was time to go off. So a month ago I went down to 10mg and I am now down to 5mg. Even tapering slow, I have had TERRIBLE withdrawal. I have had severe headaches and lightheadedness, and have felt very depressed, like I can just cry all day. My dreams have been crazy at night, I have been having a lot of nightmares that I wake up from. It has been awful and if I didn't exercise like I do, working out 6 days a week, I really feel like I'd be suicidal.
Tomorrow I take my last 5mg. It is so terrible I have been tempted to go back to 20mg. But I am determined to get this evil crap out of my body.
I just want everyone to know that they aren't alone and wanted to share my story. I am hoping to make it through this. I am told it might be 2 months of symptoms. UGH!!!!
Best Answer
Glad to hear you're keeping in touch with your doc, that's so important. Let us know how you're doing! Take care!
So to make matters a little worse, I woke up today with a head cold. UGH!!! I really just feel like one hot mess. Actually this all is now very laughable, as I am trying to have a sense of humor about all of this.
I did speak to my Psychiatrist, and depending on how I feel Monday, I might go back to 10mg and wean slow again after I've stabilized off of that. Or she might put me on a low dose of Prozac because she said it is easier to wean off of that. Or I can continue through this, she said the worst part of it is usually the first week. By Monday I will be on day 7. So well will evaluate then.
Hope you are having a great weekend!!!
I did speak to my Psychiatrist, and depending on how I feel Monday, I might go back to 10mg and wean slow again after I've stabilized off of that. Or she might put me on a low dose of Prozac because she said it is easier to wean off of that. Or I can continue through this, she said the worst part of it is usually the first week. By Monday I will be on day 7. So well will evaluate then.
Hope you are having a great weekend!!!
Hi Maddie,
Thank you so much for your support. I am now 5 days of being Paxil free. I still feel like crap. The doctor is going to give me a script for some more heavy duty ib prophen to help me with the painful headaches.
I feel at this point, going back on will just put me more of a roller coaster. I am told there is an end to this. I sure hope so.
Seems like you have a great Psychiatrist. Mine, unfortunately leaves a little to be desired. I believe she should have tapered me slower.
I am taking tons of Omega 3, also started taking a supplement called SAM-e. Thanks again for the support. One day, I will be done with the withdrawal and feel like myself again.
Thank you so much for your support. I am now 5 days of being Paxil free. I still feel like crap. The doctor is going to give me a script for some more heavy duty ib prophen to help me with the painful headaches.
I feel at this point, going back on will just put me more of a roller coaster. I am told there is an end to this. I sure hope so.
Seems like you have a great Psychiatrist. Mine, unfortunately leaves a little to be desired. I believe she should have tapered me slower.
I am taking tons of Omega 3, also started taking a supplement called SAM-e. Thanks again for the support. One day, I will be done with the withdrawal and feel like myself again.
How are you now? I have been thinking about you.
I have been on 150mg Effexor XR for a number of years, and my doctor suggests I come off it. The first phase was to alternate 150mg and 75mg which I have done for six weeks. I saw my doctor yesterday, and she wants me to stay on this for another 2 months. After that I will reduce to 75mg daily for three months. She says the slower the better. It will be over a year before I can quit.
Daily I take a multi vitamin tablet, vitamin B complex and high dose of Omega 3. I also take a yoghurt drink with all the good gut germs and a yoghurt with the same. I am honestly feeling very well on this. I believe the vitamin B gives me more energy. I have walked as lot this week, and been involved in quite a bit of socialising, and feel mentally and physically well.
We will see later in the year how I am feeling as I slowly reduce my anti-depressant. For me no hurry at all. After all I have been on anti-depressants for 20 years!!
Let me know how you are. What have you decided to do??
I have been on 150mg Effexor XR for a number of years, and my doctor suggests I come off it. The first phase was to alternate 150mg and 75mg which I have done for six weeks. I saw my doctor yesterday, and she wants me to stay on this for another 2 months. After that I will reduce to 75mg daily for three months. She says the slower the better. It will be over a year before I can quit.
Daily I take a multi vitamin tablet, vitamin B complex and high dose of Omega 3. I also take a yoghurt drink with all the good gut germs and a yoghurt with the same. I am honestly feeling very well on this. I believe the vitamin B gives me more energy. I have walked as lot this week, and been involved in quite a bit of socialising, and feel mentally and physically well.
We will see later in the year how I am feeling as I slowly reduce my anti-depressant. For me no hurry at all. After all I have been on anti-depressants for 20 years!!
Let me know how you are. What have you decided to do??
Oh I am so sorry. I mean you listened to your psychiatrist, and you assumed she would help you withdraw without too many symptoms. Seems to me she did not really understand how bad the withdrawals would be. I am tapering VERY slowly indeed from Effexor. I have withdrawn cold turkey from it in the past, and was OK after 2 weeks. This time I am told by my doctor, if I do it slowly, I should not get a bad recurrence of what I thought was depression re-occuring, but could have been withdrawal.
It may not be too late to try and taper from the low dose. i don't want you suffering more than necessary. Keep in touch.
It may not be too late to try and taper from the low dose. i don't want you suffering more than necessary. Keep in touch.
I honestly think it is too late for that, unfortunately. I've already been free of Paxil for 3 days. I wish my psychiatrist did taper me more slowly.
This is what she had me do: Originally on 20mg. I went down to 10mg for a month, then nothing. Symptoms were so bad she had me go back up to 5mg for 2 weeks, and then nothing.
I was already feeling withdrawal a week into taking 10mg. She should have had me go down to 15mg for a month, 10mg for a month, then 5mg for two weeks to a month.
I think it is too late and boy, am I suffering. I had another bad day today. I am just shy of going insane from constant terrible headaches, lightheadedness, and I feel like crying all the time again. UGH!!! I don't wish this upon anyone!!!
This is what she had me do: Originally on 20mg. I went down to 10mg for a month, then nothing. Symptoms were so bad she had me go back up to 5mg for 2 weeks, and then nothing.
I was already feeling withdrawal a week into taking 10mg. She should have had me go down to 15mg for a month, 10mg for a month, then 5mg for two weeks to a month.
I think it is too late and boy, am I suffering. I had another bad day today. I am just shy of going insane from constant terrible headaches, lightheadedness, and I feel like crying all the time again. UGH!!! I don't wish this upon anyone!!!
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As for your taper...it's NOT slow at all! In fact, it's very VERY fast, with some significant cuts in doses. Cutting a dose in half, then 2 weeks later, cutting it in half again will absolutely cause some nasty symptoms. Also, there isn't enough of a stabilization period in between dosage reductions. Are you tapering under the guidance of a doctor?
If so, I highly recommend you asking for a much slower and more deliberate taper. Paxil is a med that, the slower the weaning process, the better. If you are trying to do this yourself, PLEASE seek the help of a doctor who knows his way around these meds. The right taper can make the difference between a hellish taper, or a bearable one.
"But I am determined to get this evil crap out of my body."
I understand that you feel that way, but there is no race here. You're tapering entirely too fast. A proper Paxil taper can take many months, to be done right...and will make a world of difference in your symptoms.
Keep us updated...let us know how you're doing!