Posted by FP on April 22, 2000, at 23:48:06
In reply to Re: Paxil withdrawal fears, posted by liz on March 27, 2000, at 18:08:19
> > I was on 40mg of Paxil for nearly 6 months with tremendous success for depression and mild OCD symptoms. Recently the Paxil stopped working effectivly and the hope was to begin a new drug treatment. One of the reasons I was put on Paxil was the belief that it could be jused long term. That was my plan until it became ineffective in treating my depression. While using the Paxil nearly all my symptoms disapeared. The problem came when I was told to stop taking it cold turkey. Apparently some people can do thi8s effectivly, unfortunatly I was not one of those people. I began to experience the typical Paxil withdrawl symptoms within one week. Night sweats, vivid nightmares, nausea, tremorss, headaches and dizziness just to name a few. Despite several attemps to wean me off the drug withdrawl syptoms returned. Alng with others I felt as though I was "loosing my mind". However, now as of today I have begun a new treatment of effexor. I am optimistic this new treatment will help. I have heard meny suggestions about treament of the withdrawl syptoms. But the only advise I can offer is do not rush the process of quitting. If you are happy with the drug now don't stop taking it. If sometime down the line you feel you need to stop, do it gradually even on small doses. There is no reason to hurry and risk the "hell" some of us have been forced to go through. And do not loose hope you will make it. Be strong. And good luck.
I went through pretty much the same experience. Paxil suddenly stopped working and my doc took me off of it cold turkey. Bad idea. Wound up in the psych ward. Best thing to do is decrease the dose over 2-3 weeks while starting a new SSRI - that's what my current shrink does and it is much better; although some posters have said the hell of Paxil withdrawel will go away - and they are right! - there's always the problem that you might kill yourself first. These drugs demand serious respect. Paxil withdrawel is so ugly because, compared to many other SSRIs, its half life in the body is short.
Hope this helps.
FPPS: still curious to know why you had to stop - insurance benefits running out?
poster:FP
thread:18746
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000420/msgs/31029.html