Paxil Withdrawl??

[wishuponastarforever]

Someone I love very much has taken paxil for 4 years and has decided to go cold turkey. She has been off for 12 days. The withdrawl is just horrible. Has anyone been through this or know anyone who has?

Also for anyone considering this drug - get as much information as you possibly can before making this life altering step PLEASE!!

 

[Microcell]

My sister was on it for about a month and decided to take herself off it, she had never taken meds like this and didn't know until later you MUST titrate off- fade it out slowly. My sister got a nice ER bill out of going cold turkey, after a day she had trouble breathing and thought she was dying it was so bad!

I also worked with mentally ill and any kind of meds like that have to be titrated, ask any psychiatrist.

 

[Celluloidgal]

Someone dear to me also took Paxil. Less than a year on it, he decided to stop. It was bad. He is fine now, but going off the meds was a nightmare!

He wish someone (like the doctor) would of warned him what stopping the meds would be like.

 

[mudnuri]

most doctors do warn you not to stop cold turkey.

the info received with the rx (at least here) tells you that as well.

any "mind altering" drug, such as paxil, or any other for depression, anxiety etc... have this side effect.

It's the worst thing for a body to go cold turkey- they are much better cutting down the dose- UNDER DOCTORS CARE

My cousin went off a rx of 100 mg a day of zoloft- by 1 week of 75mg 1 week of 50 mg 1 week of 25 mg and 1 week of 12 1/2.....wasn't rough on him at all

Brandy

 

[rapriebe]

Yes, I am very close to someone who took Paxil and let me tell you it is not a pleasant experience trying to get off it. You have to gradually cut back on the pill. Ya need to take one every 36 hours for awhile instead of every 24, then take 1/2 pill for awhile, then a 1/2 pill every other day, then every third day and so on. It is a very disconserting process, very disorienting. But trust me, once you get it out of your system, you never want to take it again.

 

[rwade428]

I work at a pharmacy and am also on paxil. Regardless of whether the doctor or you pharmacist didn't tell you how you need to slowly decrease it if you are going off...here's the common sense approach.....don't stop taking a prescription drug unless your doctor advises or knows about it.

 

[Dizzy-Disney4]

I was on paxil for about a year and tried to come off cold turkey on my own.CAN YOU SAY STUPID??? It says right on the warning not to but...I'm ok I can do it. Oh my god, my husband almost took me to the er after three days.I was such a mess. He finally convinced me to take a pill and I did and went to the doctor who was ready to kill me.

 

[minnie56]

and weaning gradually. Abrupt cessation can be awfully bad for you!!!!

I have been weaning down from 20 mg to 10 over a month perios with no effects.Paxil is a powerful medication and the patient is always warned to never, ever stop it suddenly.

 

[Christine]

You must have missed all the news reports on Paxil last year. They finally came out and admitted that you cannot stop Paxil cold turkey. Must be gradual. For some reason, it is the worst of the SSRIs to try to stop. My hairstylist did the same thing and felt like she was having electric shocks all over her body.

These drugs like Paxil increase the Serotonin in your brain. If you abruptly stop, the seratonin drops dramatically and your brain freaks out. Not good.

 

[tinkerbellsfan]

I ACTUALLY WENT OFF OF IT COLD TURKEY AFTER BEING ON IT FOR 6MONTHS AND HAD A VERY BAD TIME OF IT. I FELT AS IF I WERE HAVING ELECTRIC SHOCKS IN MY BRAIN AND WOULD LOSE MY BALANCE VERY QUICKLY. IT IS A SCARY PROCESS TO GO THRU. MY HUSBAND IS CURRENTLY TAKING ANOTHER FORM OF AN ANXIETY PILL DUE TO POST TRAMATIC STRESS SYNDROME FROM SERVING OVERSEAS AND I HAVE WARNED HIM OF WHAT IT WILL BE LIKE TO COME OFF. BEST TO DO RESEARCH OFF OF THE INTERNET AND TALK WITH YOUR DOCTOR PRIOR TO DISCONTINUING THE MEDICATION.

 

[Desiree]

Going cold turkey off Paxil was the worst experience of my entire life. PLEASE get your friend to see a doctor.

 

[Ronda93]

While this is a little dated, I thought it was good reading for someone considering Paxil for SAD.
http://www.slate.com/id/95903