Paxil withdrawals

[Naggy]

I have been taking Paxil for 12 years now. I suffer from PTD, OCD and Bi Polar Disorder. I have notice that since I started taking Paxil I have gained 50 pounds and even with change in eating habits and exercise it is difficult to lose the weight. I have tried to get off Paxil only to suffer from withdrawals which are nasty. Nause, dizziness, vomiting, cold chills, shaking. Now, even when I forget to take it 1 day I experience these symptoms.
Is there anything that I can take instead of this medication to help me with the OCD and how do I ease the withdrawal symptoms.

[susieq87]

I am not a DR but I have experienced these withdrawals and I was told by a pharmacist to never just stop taking anything completely, to taper off of a medication even if we are replacing with something else.  Most SRI's do cause some weight gain.  Generally, the symptoms from the withdrawal are over within two weeks but as I said they can be relieved some by tapering which means cutting dosage lower andlower.  Good luck

[jdtm]

A friend of mine stopped Paxil and then started on Celexa without waiting for the entire withdrawl time.  She, too, suffered from the same symptoms that you have listed.  There are many other SSRI's (and Paxil fits into this category as does Celexa) that could be used which might be of more help to you.