My doctor put me on Paxil a few years ago to help with my moods and depression, and it was a LIFESAVER!!! I can't imagine going through what i went through without it, again. BUT this past weekend I went away and forgot my pills at home. So i went 3 days without them. I crashed....i would cry at the drop of a hat, was dizzy, came home and nearly broke up with my fiance because he was on the phone when i got home and didn't welcome me home right away. I have done some research since and i guess that going off paxil is almost like kicking a crack habit! Now i am scared....anyone here kick the paxil habit and live to tell???
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I've heard that coming off of anti-depressants can be really hard and that you need to do it very, very gradually in order to avoid or minimize the withdrawal symptoms. From what I gather, stopping cold turkey is just not an option if you want to remain a functional human-being. It's actually really unfortunate that more doctor's don't provide adequate information on the withdrawal side effects at the time that they are prescribing anti-depressants. I've heard that people can get themself into a vicious cycle of never being able to get off them, because the side effects are so bad, they start to take the anti-depressant again just to make the side effects stop.
Anyway, it's a good thing that you now have information on this, so you know what you will be facing when you are ready to come off of the Paxil, and you will be able to put together a withdrawal plan with your doctor to make it as easy as possible.
Hi Coree-
I took Paxil for a number of years and coming off of it was very difficult. You need to decrease your dose very slowly (like cut down 1/4 dose every 3-4 weeks) I stopped, and I thought I was fine, but then my issues came back slowly ...and I went back on it again. I have taken Paxil now for almost 5 years. Once, in grad school I didn't get my meds before running out (my mom mailed them to me at school) and it was horrible. I remember feeling like I was spinning and feeling car sick when I was sitting in class. Yuck. Good Luck with your decisions.
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Current Med Routine:
-No More Rx meds!
Inositol 1000mg
I did take Metformin XR 1500 (d/c 9/07)
Actos 45 mg (d/c 8/07)
Paxil 20mg (d/c (last dose) 8/07)
Zantac 150 (as needed)
LOST 30# after stopping these......???
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Back when I was on paxil I had my old family doctor, he was about ready to retire when I decided to stop paxil, he told me, Oh sstop and you'll be fine... NO. I cried for like 3 days straight. I was dizzy, panicky, and scared. It took about 3-5 days to be ok enough to return to work. You are supposed to stop gradually. I learned the hard way/. but I lived to tell about it, and I am fine.
Ever since then I have not been able to go back on any antidepressants. They only make me worse. So I am controlling my anxiety through exercise. My anxiety is/was hormone related. Ever since losing weight I have been MUCh better!
Wow, its crazy isn't it!! I feel so normal on them, then when i go off i am worse than when i started....like i can really imagine why people go completely off the deep end and do things they would never normally do. I yelled at my kitty....so loud he jumped and ran away. I DON'T yell at my furbabies...I felt like the worst mom in the world. So i hid until the paxil kicked in again. We are trying to have a baby, and if we do i am NOT going off this stuff until they are at least 18years old and can make some sense of my insanity. Crazy nasty wicked stuff...I have been on other anti depressants and come off them with no problem...this is definately different!
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I am currently being weined off my paxil and not likeing it too much. My dr said it was contributing to my weight gain. I am down from 60 to 40 and suppose to be going down to 30. Though I think I will hold out for a bit longer. I have been crying an aweful lot! I will let you know how it goes ...
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I have heard that the effects of Prozac are similar....i think, don't quote me on this, that Paxil is supposed to do the same for you with less medication...I don't know anything about coming off Prozac.
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I have tried to come off Prozac twice so far. The last time was a few weeks ago. I cut down from 20mgs to 10mgs for about 4 weeks and then my doctor told me to take it every second day. About five days later I was back to crying for no good reason. Nothing had changed in my life, I was due to go on a fantastic holiday and everything else was fine - the only difference was the lower dosage of Prozac. I am back on 20mgs again and will wait until winter is over before trying again in about February but this time I am going to tell the doctor how I want to do it.
The thing that annoys me is that when I tried to come off it this time he told me he would go at my speed and didn't. In February I am just going to have to be really firm and make him listen to me.
Crashing on Paxil 
Coming Off Prozac 
