need to quit Paroxetine ASAP

[earlgrey]

Just have a question first is Paroxetine = Paxil?

Anyway I just got back from the hospital, I stopped taking my Paroxetine and had a panic attack. I was dizzy all day and nauseous and my worrying got worse and worse into the night, I couldn't let myself go to sleep. I have to contact my doctor about how to wean off but what is everyone elses experiences with getting off it? I'm having horrible disturbing dreams that are leaving me depressed and traumatized. I wake up feeling empty, alone and about to cry. This is like some sick joke someone's played, what an evil drug. I would rather go live in the bush to avoid the worlds anxieties.

[10x10]

Hi earlgrey,

Yes paroxetine is paxil.

I know EXACTLY where you are coming from. I have recently gotten off Paxil and it was a hellish ride. My first piece of advice to give you is DO NOT GO COLD TURKEY. This is the worst possible thing you can do and the symptoms you are feeling are TOTALLY normal.

My next piece of advice is that it is possible to ween yourself off Paxil by cutting down VERY slowly. And by slowly, I mean 10% every 4-6 weeks. You need to allow your body to adjust to the change. I did this a while ago, but found once I got to 5mgs it became a nightmare. I was constantly agitated, depressed, couldn't concentrate, everything. It was an absolute nightmare. I think perhaps I was weening too quickly (2.5mgs every 3 weeks).

Finally, here is what worked for me. I went to a psychiatrist (I would advise this any day over visiting a GP, you should see a psychiatrist because this is their specialty). I was prescribed 20mgs of Prozac to mask the withdrawals of Paxil. And it WORKED LIKE A CHARM. Seriously! I started taking Prozac for a week still with my 12.5mgs of Paxil, then after a week I just cut down 2.5mgs of Paxil every couple of days and I honestly felt NO withdrawals. I had been trying to get off Paxil for 2 years. I honestly wish someone had given me that advice in the first place.

In saying that, these drugs won't work the same for everyone. But Paxil is a short term effect drug, which means you will have severe withdrawals pretty quickly. I would honestly recommend another drug to mask the withdrawal effects of Paxil, and then you can consider coming off that drug in the future.

Good luck to you!

[Damavandi]

HI Earlgrey:

10X10 guided you how to quit paxil, in a very professional way. Now, I have a new suggestion for both of you.

For 40 years, I suffered from panick attacks, and depression. Accidently, I found out that I am deficient on vitamin D3.
I went to an endocrinologist, and got 300,000 IU injection (monthly) of vitamin D3 till my blood test shows that I am at the upper normal limit. Three days after having the first injection, my depression began to go away, by the time I got to the 3rd injection
I was cured 100%. NO MORE DEPRESSION, AND NO MORE PANIC ATTACKS.

Whenever I look back at my lost 40 years, I can not prevent cursing all those doctors
that did not understand where the problem was. Please save yourselves, and get a vitamin d3 (25-OH) blood test at a good lab.
I am sure you people definately are low on this vital vitamin. Please insist to be treated with high doses of vitamin D3.

Best wishes,
Ali

[earlgrey]

10% for 4-6 weeks? Yikes that's just scaring me more, I've hardly been on it more than 2 months. I only have 5 pills left until Tuesday I guess and most people are suggesting I drop from 20 to 10 right now. :S this is becoming scary because I want off it asap yet the sooner I get off it the harder it will be too.

[laurandisorder]

Earlgrey - you HAVE to wean off slowly.

Paroexetine is a nightmare to go cold turkey on. My partner has been on it for years and it worked well for the first 5 years, but over the last few years I had noticed a massive increase in his depression symptoms and suggested that he see his doctor to get advice on weaning off and going on something else.

He didn't. He decided to go cold turkey instead and he was SO ill. It played havoc with his digestive system and his sleep. He was SO depressed and miserable - neither of us could
cope with it.

He had to go back on it. I have hope that he'll see a real psychiatrist and get some help with his medication when the time comes, but that's his choice.

So wean off incredibly slowly. Go and see your Doctor immediately to fill another script and perhaps get a different antidepressant to use whilst tapering down your dose. You may be able to wean off quicker if you haven't been on it very long.

[10x10]

Earlgrey,

It is up to you to decide how you get off the medication, all we can do is offer you advice. But I would really, really recommend (as someone who has experienced the withdrawal effects of Paxil firsthand) that you ween slowly and allow your body to adjust to the change, or you may just end up going back on the drug to deal with the withdrawal effects.

[10x10]

And I very much agree with laurandisorder, try another drug to mask the withdrawal effects.

Don't go cold turkey to avoid buying more Paxil. That is just foolish.

[alankay]

Taper slowly with this one Earl.
Paxil is known for this as well as helping some folks greatly but because of it short half life, it needs to be slowly tapered off of although this is easier for some and hard for others. Your doc should know alll about his and help you the proper way. It will take time to adjust to being off it and on another. Zoloft is easy to stop and start for many. PM me any time. Alankay

[OMGHM]

I am on Paxil 10mg and then raised to 20mg 3 months ago.
But I still get symptoms. Although not as bad as before, and the first 3-4 months, I think it just took the medication awhile to kick in.

Is it possible for me to wean off Paxil slowly since my dosage is low?

And I've heard that Paxil can increase risk of birth defect. I'm worried.
How long does Paxil stay in your system? If I plan on having kids in the next 12 months, should I stop taking Paxil?