Posted by Sunnely on November 20, 2000, at 19:24:01
In reply to Re: From Paxil to Serzone, posted by fitgrl on November 20, 2000, at 16:57:13
> Crystal,
> I can't really give you any advice, but I have switched from paxil 20mg to wellbutrin 100mg twice daily.
> I stopped the paxil 3 days ago. I tapered off of it by taking on half the dose for a week. My doctor said it would be ok to go ahead and stop the paxil all together and start the wellbutrin.
> I am responding to you because I am feeling the same as you are. I am dizzy and don't have my balance like I normally should. I'm not sleepy and my stomach isn't upset, but at times through the day I feel ok and then its like all of a sudden, I feel horrible.
> I feel for you. I'm not sure you should've stopped the paxil so quickly. You should've tapered off of it. I'm not sure which is causing me to feel this way, but I really have been thinking its the wellbutrin doing this, but not sure now. Good luck, Michelle++++++++++++++++++++=
Hi Michelle,
If you have been taking Paxil for quite some, it is most likely withdrawal symptoms from abrupt discontinuation of Paxil. Unless there is a serious medical concern, it is NOT OK to abruptly stop Paxil at 20 mg/day (and switch to Wellbutrin immediately). It requires a gradually transition from Paxil to Wellbutrin. FYI, Wellbutrin does not have serotonin-enhancing property. So in effect, when you abruptly stopped Paxil, your system went into an acute serotonin deficiency ("hyposerotonergic state") causing the withdrawal symptoms (dizziness, loss of balance, etc.). Wellbutrin, being devoid of serotonin-enhancing effect, was unable to prevent the withdrawal symptoms of Paxil from happening.
You may need to resume Paxil, then gradually reduce the dose to the level of your tolerance of the withdrawal symptoms. You can continue Wellbutrin at the same dose or increased as needed.
poster:Sunnely
thread:49107
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20001115/msgs/49147.html