paxil withdrawl

I applaud you for trying to come off Paxil. My wife has also struggled to do this, and I've had a similar battle with venlafaxine. We've both failed... so far. The withdrawal symptoms (or, as the medical profession prefers to call them, discontinuance effects) are truly horrendous, especially the brain zaps.

I've made some progress lately by stepping down my venlafaxine from 150mg daily to 37.5mm, using a pill cutter to divide the tablets (NB you can't do this with with Efexor capsules, only with generic versions in tablet form). My wife is set to go down another route, which is to substitute fluoxetine (Prozac) for paraxetine (Paxil), on a tapering dose reducing over time to zero. This supposedly helps to avoid the withdrawal symptoms.

I wish you every success with the 'cold turkey' approach, but it's a hard road ahead.

a reply to: JohnnyCanuck

yes, I agree with you Johnny. But I think in my case they brought me even further down.
Sleeping 10-12 hrs a night isn't right.
not caring if your house looks like crap or not isn't right.
nor your barn, yard, flower gardens, etc.
I feel like I am waking up. Not just because it's been 5 yrs since my husband died, but since I am getting off the paxil.
I am determined. I am angry. angry at big pharma.
I understand some people are benefited big time from it. It has a place for some people. But i feel like it was bringing me down more so than life itself.

a reply to: SummerLightning

oh no, I'm not going cold turkey. tried that and failed. twice.
this time I an reducing by 10% every 3 weeks. of course I got a bit overjealous and dropped to 10 mg from 40 mg in 11 weeks. didn't really mess me up until now.
but I'm determined to work through it , as unpleasant as it is.
I just feel so alive now, hard to explain. wiggy but happy.
you guys can do it. just take it slow, I'm jumping the gun a bit on the reduction thing.

a reply to: Thefarmer

lol.. did that like over 30 years ago.
might have to take it up again. at least it is natural

originally posted by: horseplay
a reply to: JHumm

Oh gosh, thank you I only posted to vent and... well... secretly for support.
trembles were getting the worst of me and I knew it was paxil. although I was starting to think I was getting parkisons or dystonia. both symptoms are side effects of paxil and related drugs.
was on low dose xanax for years before Nick died, then she put me on attivan and (mega) paxil after he died.. I got off of it - the xanax and attivan OK but don't regret being on it at the time really. It's the paxil w.d that is off the charts.

It's quite bizarre too in regards to tapering off. I tried cutting my dosage by like 25mg every 2 weeks, and the withdrawals were just as bad. I found posts online of people recommending opening the pills and removing like 2 beads a week for 6+ months to taper off the stuff. It'd take years for me to taper off at the dosage I was at (375mg) if I were to follow directions like that. So that combined with my lack of success using traditional tapering methods, I decided to go cold turkey. First 3 or so days were pretty smooth with the exception of the brain zaps, but I solved that with benadryl (diphenhydramine here in canada, not sure if that's the active ingredient in US).

Irritability came next, which I tried to solve with alprazolam (panic disorder) The after effects of Xanax (I'd say come down but its a downer so..) REALLY exacerbated the irritability, and it was when I had my first manic episode.

I have read a lot of stuff about medications triggering underlying conditions, talking about people going manic when first taking effexor. Then they stop taking it, and it turns out they have bipolar disorder and now need antipsychotics. I can't help but wonder if it's the withdrawals or if I've secretly unlocked some monster in my psyche.

originally posted by: TheToastmanCometh
I have been considering getting off prozac...i take about 40mg...but the thing tjat bothers me is even a day w/out the pills, my body os just wracked with pain like a deep burning sensation akin to fibromyalgia. It pins so bad that my body get's stiff and maube seize up? I might talk to my doctor, but she'll put me on something else...

yes, my dr was (is) the same way. I love her but she doesn't get it.
I haven't told her yet I'm going through this. hell, last time I tried she doubled my paxil dose.
I just want to show up at my next appt and say, oh BTW....
if the side effects of being on it bother you enough, you will look for a way out.

I've had Seritonin Toxicity. I know meds can cause more problems than solutions. Good luck I know you can do it.

i have been on paxil for 20 years. I tried unsucesfuly to come off last year..I know about the brain zaps as well as electrical sensations all over my body.a reply to: horseplay

But the worst feeling is a Hot-Cold feeling that usually starts at my chest and goes to my feet. and the feeling of doom and thinking you are dying..I am going to try and kick the habit again. My heart is out to you and I wish you well.

originally posted by: SpongeBeard

originally posted by: horseplay
a reply to: JHumm

Oh gosh, thank you I only posted to vent and... well... secretly for support.
trembles were getting the worst of me and I knew it was paxil. although I was starting to think I was getting parkisons or dystonia. both symptoms are side effects of paxil and related drugs.
was on low dose xanax for years before Nick died, then she put me on attivan and (mega) paxil after he died.. I got off of it - the xanax and attivan OK but don't regret being on it at the time really. It's the paxil w.d that is off the charts.

It's quite bizarre too in regards to tapering off. I tried cutting my dosage by like 25mg every 2 weeks, and the withdrawals were just as bad. I found posts online of people recommending opening the pills and removing like 2 beads a week for 6+ months to taper off the stuff. It'd take years for me to taper off at the dosage I was at (375mg) if I were to follow directions like that. So that combined with my lack of success using traditional tapering methods, I decided to go cold turkey. First 3 or so days were pretty smooth with the exception of the brain zaps, but I solved that with benadryl (diphenhydramine here in canada, not sure if that's the active ingredient in US).

Irritability came next, which I tried to solve with alprazolam (panic disorder) The after effects of Xanax (I'd say come down but its a downer so..) REALLY exacerbated the irritability, and it was when I had my first manic episode.

I have read a lot of stuff about medications triggering underlying conditions, talking about people going manic when first taking effexor. Then they stop taking it, and it turns out they have bipolar disorder and now need antipsychotics. I can't help but wonder if it's the withdrawals or if I've secretly unlocked some monster in my psyche.

oh geezl don't give up. You were probably going too fast. lexapro is the same as attivan, I was on that too. I think with women it makes us happy ( I used to call it my shopping drug), but with men not so much. Doesn't make them happy at all., or want to shop. lol
I believe now the secret is to taking it slow. cold turkey doesn't work on any SSRI. It is painstaking, but a gradual reduction seems to be the ticket. still unpleasant, but manageable. I think. So far.
and no, the monsters you refer to are chemically created. not in you. created by big pharma chemicals. IMO.

originally posted by: glock26
i have been on paxil for 20 years. I tried unsucesfuly to come off last year..I know about the brain zaps as well as electrical sensations all over my body.a reply to: horseplay

But the worst feeling is a Hot-Cold feeling that usually starts at my chest and goes to my feet. and the feeling of doom and thinking you are dying..I am going to try and kick the habit again. My heart is out to you and I wish you well.

awesome ! I have convinced a new member to sign up with ats !
welcome!
and would you like the blue pill or the red pill or the paxil pill...

wow, i thought 8 or 9 yrs was a bad thing. I'm not promoting the website or anything but paxilprogess has a lot of good advice. it's not a pleasant road by any means.

but I'm headed down it.

a reply to: Iamthatbish

thank you.
me too. this time.

Sounds almost like you are having partial seizures from the withdrawal.

Try eating something like pickled herring or sour kraut with hot dogs. Kimchi is also a good mellower. Aged foods contain some of this chemistry, coffee with cream and sugar also does. There are four types of tyramines, you need to experiment to try to figure which one is the culprit. I was prescribed Paxil, but only took about ten pills. I actually liked the high, but did not trust taking anything like this on a permanent basis.I know the feeling, just about the feeling you get from eating a good cinnamon roll with a cup of coffee. Cinnamon toast would be another possibility.

Now these would be a replacement for the paxil, not actually a cure for what is causing it. That is a little harder to figure out, problems with enzyme creation or a multitude of other possible problems could cause that. We do need certain foods to keep us settled, all of us.

I have been on Paxil for about 6 months now for Social Anxiety. The only problems that I have noticed so far is the fact that I feel very strange about 7 hours after I take the medication (30mg at 11pm every night) almost like I feel drunk. I also wake up in the morning eat breakfast and immediately want to take a 2-3 hour nap. This thread is really making me want to consider working on cutting back on it ASAP. Funny thing is, my main fear when I first met with my psychiatrist is my thoughts of suicide earlier in life. He assured me that Paxil has never made anyone want to hurt themselves.

Hi

Excuse typos
It's an awful drug to be on because of the withdrawals and you are in fact addicted to them.
I withdrew off Paxil and attempted suicide several times.
I am now withdrawing off Effexor. So I am doing this much slower.

I'm not an expert by any means.
I think if you are having these symptoms, you are weaning too quickly. The longer you have been on it, the harder it's gonna be. The slower the weaning should be. The higher the dosage as well, will make it harder.

You need to reduce the dosage by a very small amount. Then you stay at that new lower level for a few weeks to a month . Keep reducing like this. I went to a doctor to get a lower dosage. He said this is tough because they only come in capsule form, and 37 mg is the lowest they come in, so the pills can't be chopped. I said yes I see how they set that one up, so you remain on them! I am on 75 mg a day. So I asked for some 37 mg capsules as well to alternate.


I am having some emotional issues but no physical symptoms thus far. I am managing.

--

The problem arises when you start thinking. I'm doing ok. I can go faster, I can get right off them but no you cannot! Do not do this!

My doctor said keep a journal so you don't forget what you took.

I got my regimen online at a website ran by a drug counsellor. It was how to get off Effexor with no withdrawals.

Paxil is worse to get off. I feel for you, I really do.

The thing I told my doctor is that after my experience with Paxil, on the Effexor I have never ever taken them at the exact time of day anyways . Sometimes 9 am, sometimes 2 pm. So I was already on a muddled up regimen. I did that on purpose.

Anyways this is just a general idea. I am not a doctor.
I only know I'm right about weaning very slowly and not fooling yourself with feeling it's ok to just abruptly stop taking them.

Here is my source I apparently copied into my notes.
I don't have one for Paxil but it would be similar.

How To Stop Taking Effexor Posted by Ross Neher on 2 May 2007 at 9:05 am

I'm lucky in that my psychopharmacologist was one of the top doctors at Bellevue and really knows his meds.

Quitting Effexor is a very time consuming process but here's how to do it: If you're taking, say, two capsules daily pick out two days (i.e., Tuesday and Friday) and take only one capsule on those days. Do that for a month. Then take two capsules on every third day (i.e., one one two, one one two). Do that for a month. Then take just one capsule a day for a month and repeat the above process until you are off the drug. You should not experience the horrific withdrawal symptoms mentioned in the posts.

I modified it to suit me.

I forgot to add. Drink plenty of water so you are flushing it out of your system quicker. Also helps with dehydration caused by hot fevers and chills


I'm lucky when I went to get the new dosage my own doctor was not available. I saw another. Liked him much better. He just asked if I had a mental illness like bi polar. I said no. I got on them to see me through a divorce. I'm rid of the guy now and will not so depressed. I was on Paxil, following a stroke. I got depressed after that.

So sorry for your loss.

a reply to: horseplay

For the thread and its implications alone five big stars if I
could give them. And not even a digression, I'm sorry about
your husband, It's the worst thing ever. But you can do this.

Flagged for everybody to come and see the "boots on
the ground" fighting the possibly unintended consequences.
I'll give the MDs prescribing these MAOIs / SSRIs the benefit
of the doubt-- as they may have at the beginning been reading
more flyers than FDA warnings.
However the FDA gave Paxil two big, sterner warnings during
just the later '90's after the drug matured sufficiently to acquire
some stats on age and general health demographics versus effect.

My dog in the fight got in with my doctor and he started me on
40mg a day with or without food. After it looked like I was "safe",
he had me blocked out to 100-120 a day--- akin to the noticeable
resemblance in emotional acuity somewhere between Stimpy our
blue-nosed cat and Hymie the Robot (aka Dick Gautier on Get Smart.
Not kidding, totally wiped deadpan Dick.

I fortunately never flipped into dropout or lightning mode although
too many normal occurences seemed hilarious; and other topsy
turvy, quite inappropriate responses to common external stimuli.

I explained the two much more severe warnings from the FDA to
my physician, along with the personal impact of the stuff on me.
I was promptly rebuffed, and with soft pedaling the risks versus what
might have been the vast improvement in his Eli Lilly Preferred... I
ramped off manually.

This crowd is the last to which I need explain the w/symptoms. It
was my first time, and it took a total of four months to do so-- but
it was better than hearing from a Ph.D. lady on the Internet stream
describing her psychotic break from immediate cold turkey.
I never looked back, and even got my other issues gradually addressed
and resolved without pouring the equivalent of hot tar onto all my
endorphin receptors. Well the clinician I originally contacted was an
addiction counselor with a lot of chemistry coursework, warning me
I was eating mental dynamite.

I can still hear the malevolently reprogrammed DIck saying, "I'm sorry Max
but I'm going to have to kill you now." Almost twenty-five years later on and
in actual implementation not so funny a memory. Glad I wasn't ever him,
avoiding the remote possibility of it even more of a relief now.

I just worry how many well meaning specialists don't even get the information
they need to prescribe this stuff... especially in light of there being no
correlation shown in any formal study ANYWHERE linking a promulgated
"mental disorder" to a chemical imbalance in the brain.

In the long run horseplay, it's better to be around for the bad news than
shrug off the world with a pill or two. None of us are designed for them.
ED:: For the record, my cards all said Paroxetene Hydrochloride. The new stuff.

originally posted by: JohnnyCanuck
a reply to: horseplay
I was prescribed Paxil when I was going through a rough spot 10 years ago. I found I didn't even need to wean myself off as I started to forget the daily dose until one day I hadn't taken it for a week...so I stopped entirely. My father was on Paxil for the last decade or so of his life, related to PTSD resulting from WW2. He told me that if Paxil had been around years ago, his life would have been entirely different.

Which is all to say that antidepressants have helped a lot of people regain their lives, and it's important to discuss them with your doctor, as they can be tweaked to provide the best results.

WOW Johnny. That's the first I've ever heard of an accidental
lapse in dosage with no ill effects. Great for you and your dad!
It seems the drug has the best effects on more mature patients.

And old chum you're a lumberjack and were probably ok anyway

Want to take a nap..lol I have been soo tired since I started taking it. My doctor switched me from Paxil to Prozac boy that didn't work, I wanted to hurt people. So I went back to Paxil..a reply to: RiskyDevil

originally posted by: InFriNiTee
Fluohexatine (aka Paxil) almost made a friends' mom kill herself. .

That is not Paxil, that is Prozac and it's spelled Fluoxetine. I know because I was just prescribed it and I"m looking at the bottle now. I know a few people who had bad experiences with Paxil which is why I didn't want to take it. It was mostly when it came to getting off of it, withdraw and things like that. I don't really want to be on Prozac but I'm bi polar and have postpartum depression. I asked my doctor today as a matter of fact for something. I can't take the one thing that helps because currently where I live it's still considered a stupid drug so I have to do something until it's not. I am literally losing my mind. I will try the prozac and if it works great, if not then I'll stop. This will be the 4th medication I have tried now.

I also take Flexeril, which is a benzo, and that does not bother me and I've taken it on and off for years for back spasms. One script lasts me months because I don't take it every day. I take it when it is needed. That is the problem with these meds they are being prescribed for the wrong things so people take them daily when they really aren't meant to be taken daily and they become addicted and have all kinds of side effects. I get absolutely none from my Flexeril and it helps my back problems when they are there. I can go weeks without taking one and other days I could take one for a week straight depending on how active I am. I knew someone who was prescribed friggin Seroquel for INSOMNIA! That is a HIGHLY potent anti psychotic. How do I know? I was on it for about 6 mths and well it worked to an extent but let me tell you those side effects were HORRIBLE and I did not like how it changed me into someone I did not even recognize. I would never ever take it again.

I do take some herbal remedies for some things but when it comes to mental health I haven't found much of anything that works besides the one thing I can't mention. For me to even take Prozac shows my desperation because I do not like pharmaceuticals ESP ones for mental health because of all the side effects. My doctor said there is a really good one with no known side effects but even with insurance it's $300.

Yikes, 40mg? I was on Paxil for years - and it was needed in my case. When it stopped being effective, the doc put me on 40mg. I was a ZOMBIE! 4 months of sitting on the couch practically drooling. I decided to sign up for a medical study on transcranial electromagnetic stimulation. I had to be off any antidepressants for a certain amount of time, so the supervising doc titered me off Paxil over the course of 6 days. Mostly headache, jitters and irritability for side effects.

I felt great when I was in the 6 week study. Not sure if it was the placebo & placebo effect or the real thing & it stopped working once I was no longer getting treatment once a week. A month after the study ended, I hit the wall depression wise again. Held on for 8 months, then had to throw in the towel. Got a doc that really listened to the history - now I'm on a low dose of Effexor. Not ideal, but better than trying to handle the depression without help.