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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 12 of 12. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Pattisun on July 2, 2001, at 20:00:10
I have been taking 20 mg of Paxil each morning for 5 years. I don't like the weight gain.
It did help initially with my panic attacks and depression.
How can I get off?
How long did it take?
How did you do it?
Want to try something other than an SSRI.
I now have Fibromyalgia and want something to help me sleep, relieve pain, and without having me gain weight.
Posted by SalArmy4me on July 2, 2001, at 20:50:57
In reply to Withdrawal from Paxil, posted by Pattisun on July 2, 2001, at 20:00:10
I was thinking about Neurontin and/or a benzo for you, like Xanax or Serax--to avoid weight gain altogether.
> I have been taking 20 mg of Paxil each morning for 5 years. I don't like the weight gain.
>
> It did help initially with my panic attacks and depression.
>
> How can I get off?
>
> How long did it take?
>
> How did you do it?
>
> Want to try something other than an SSRI.
>
> I now have Fibromyalgia and want something to help me sleep, relieve pain, and without having me gain weight.
Posted by Pattisun on July 2, 2001, at 20:53:46
In reply to Re: Withdrawal from Paxil, posted by SalArmy4me on July 2, 2001, at 20:50:57
> I was thinking about Neurontin and/or a benzo for you, like Xanax or Serax--to avoid weight gain altogether.
>
What is Neurontin?I've been taking Klonopin for 6 years now. Works like a charm (combined with COGNITIVE THERAPY) for panic attacks.
thanks
Patti
> > I have been taking 20 mg of Paxil each morning for 5 years. I don't like the weight gain.
> >
> > It did help initially with my panic attacks and depression.
> >
> > How can I get off?
> >
> > How long did it take?
> >
> > How did you do it?
> >
> > Want to try something other than an SSRI.
> >
> > I now have Fibromyalgia and want something to help me sleep, relieve pain, and without having me gain weight.
Posted by SalArmy4me on July 2, 2001, at 21:06:40
In reply to Re: Withdrawal from Paxil, posted by Pattisun on July 2, 2001, at 20:53:46
see http://www.psycom.net/depression.central.gabapentin.html
Gabapentin is sometimes used for fibromyalgia, but more often used for bipolar disorder.
Here are the benefits of Neurontin:
--It can be used for many different mood disorders
--It less drowsiness, sexual side-effects,
--it does not have anticholinergic side-effects
--it comes in many different dosages now (600s and 800s).
--it requires no blood-tests
--it can be titrated quickly
--it has gained the respect of psychiatrists in less than a decade of FDA approvalHere are the studies that prove Neurontin's efficacy:
5: Vieta E, Martinez-Aran A, Nieto E, Colom F, Reinares M, Benabarre A, Gasto C. Adjunctive gabapentin treatment of bipolar disorder.
Eur Psychiatry. 2000 Nov;15(7):433-7.6: Frye MA, Ketter TA, Kimbrell TA, Dunn RT, Speer AM, Osuch EA, Luckenbaugh DA, Cora-Ocatelli G, Leverich GS, Post RM. A placebo-controlled study of lamotrigine and gabapentin monotherapy in refractory mood disorders
J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2000 Dec;20(6):607-14.9: Bennett J, Goldman WT, Suppes T.
Gabapentin for treatment of bipolar and schizo-
affective disorders.
J Clin Psychopharmacol. 1997 Apr;17(2):141-2.10: Pande AC, Pollack MH, Crockatt J, Greiner M, Chouinard G, Lydiard RB, Taylor CB, Dager SR, Shiovitz T. Placebo-controlled study of gabapentin treatment of panic disorder.
J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2000 Aug;20(4):467-71.15: Brannon N, Labbate L, Huber M.
Gabapentin treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder.
Can J Psychiatry. 2000 Feb;45(1):84.16: Dallocchio C, Buffa C, Mazzarello P.
Combination of donepezil and gabapentin for behavioral
disorders in Alzheimer's disease.
J Clin Psychiatry. 2000 Jan;61(1):64.17: Herrmann N, Lanctot K, Myszak M.
Effectiveness of gabapentin for the treatment of
behavioral disorders in dementia.
J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2000 Feb;20(1):90-3.19: Schaffer CB, Schaffer LC.
Open maintenance treatment of bipolar disorder spectrum patients who responded to gabapentin augmentation in the acute phase of treatment.
J Affect Disord. 1999 Oct;55(2-3):237-40.20: Maurer I, Volz HP, Sauer H.
Gabapentin leads to remission of somatoform pain
disorder with major depression.
Pharmacopsychiatry. 1999 Nov;32(6):255-7.21: Sokolski KN, Green C, Maris DE, DeMet EM.
Gabapentin as an adjunct to standard mood stabilizers in outpatients with mixed bipolar symptomatology.
Ann Clin Psychiatry. 1999 Dec;11(4):217-22.23: Botts SR, Raskind J.
Gabapentin and lamotrigine in bipolar disorder.
Am J Health Syst Pharm. 1999 Oct 1;56(19):1939-44. Review.24: Magnus L.
Nonepileptic uses of gabapentin.
Epilepsia. 1999;40 Suppl 6:S66-72; discussion S73-4. Review.26: Young LT, Robb JC, Hasey GM, MacQueen GM,
Patelis Siotis I, Marriott M, Joffe RT. <
Gabapentin as an adjunctive treatment in bipolar disorder.
J Affect Disord. 1999 Sep;55(1):73-7.28: Perugi G, Toni C, Ruffolo G, Sartini S, Simonini E, Akiskal H. Clinical experience using adjunctive gabapentin in treatment-resistant bipolar mixed states.
Pharmacopsychiatry. 1999 Jul;32(4):136-41. Review.
29: Hardoy MC, Hardoy MJ, Carta MG, Cabras PL. Gabapentin as a promising treatment for antipsychotic-induced movement disorders in schizoaffective and bipolar patients.
J Affect Disord. 1999 Aug;54(3):315-7.30: Harden CL, Lazar LM, Pick LH, Nikolov B, Goldstein MA, Carson D, Ravdin LD, Kocsis JH, Labar DR. A beneficial effect on mood in partial epilepsy patients treated with gabapentin.
Epilepsia. 1999 Aug;40(8):1129-34.31: Pande AC, Davidson JR, Jefferson JW, Janney CA, Katzelnick DJ, Weisler RH, Greist JH, Sutherland SM. Treatment of social phobia with gabapentin: a placebo-controlled study.
J Clin Psychopharmacol. 1999 Aug;19(4):341-8.32: Grunze H, Erfurth A, Amann B, Normann C, Walden J. [Gabapentin in the treatment of mania].
Fortschr Neurol Psychiatr. 1999 Jun;67(6):256-60. German.34: Dodrill CB, Arnett JL, Hayes AG, Garofalo EA, Greeley CA, Greiner MJ, Pierce MW.
Cognitive abilities and adjustment with gabapentin: results of a multisite study.
Epilepsy Res. 1999 Jun;35(2):109-21.37: Letterman L, Markowitz JS.
Gabapentin: a review of published experience in the treatment of bipolar disorder and other psychiatric conditions.
Pharmacotherapy. 1999 May;19(5):565-72. Review.38: Cabras PL, Hardoy MJ, Hardoy MC, Carta MG. Clinical experience with gabapentin in patients with bipolar or schizoaffective disorder: results of an open-label study.
J Clin Psychiatry. 1999 Apr;60(4):245-8.40: Hatzimanolis J, Lykouras L, Oulis P, Christodoulou GN.
Gabapentin as monotherapy in the treatment of acute mania.
Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 1999 Mar;9(3):257-8.45: Erfurth A, Kammerer C, Grunze H, Normann C, Walden J. An open label study of gabapentin in the treatment of acute mania.
J Psychiatr Res. 1998 Sep-Oct;32(5):261-4.46: Dopheide JA, Wincor MZ.
Gabapentin and lamotrigine in the treatment of bipolar disorder.
J Am Pharm Assoc (Wash). 1998 Sep-Oct;38(5):632-4.47: Ferrier IN.
Lamotrigine and gabapentin. Alternative in the treatment of bipolar disorder.
Neuropsychobiology. 1998 Oct;38(3):192-7. Review.49: Ghaemi SN, Katzow JJ, Desai SP, Goodwin FK. Gabapentin treatment of mood disorders: a preliminary study.
J Clin Psychiatry. 1998 Aug;59(8):426-9.53: Pollack MH, Matthews J, Scott EL. <
Gabapentin as a potential treatment for anxiety disorders.
Am J Psychiatry. 1998 Jul;155(7):992-3.55: Soutullo CA, Casuto LS, Keck PE.
Gabapentin in the treatment of adolescent mania: a case report.
J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol. 1998;8(1):81-5.56: Knoll J, Stegman K, Suppes T.
Clinical experience using gabapentin adjunctively in patients with a history of mania or hypomania.
J Affect Disord. 1998 Jun;49(3):229-33.57: Sheldon LJ, Ancill RJ, Holliday SG.
Gabapentin in geriatric psychiatry patients.
Can J Psychiatry. 1998 May;43(4):422-3.58: Chouinard G, Beauclair L, Belanger MC.
Gabapentin: long-term antianxiety and hypnotic effects in psychiatric patients with comorbid anxiety-related disorders.
Can J Psychiatry. 1998 Apr;43(3):305.61: Watson WP, Robinson E, Little HJ. <
The novel anticonvulsant, gabapentin, protects against both convulsant and anxiogenic aspects of the ethanol withdrawal syndrome.
Neuropharmacology. 1997 Oct;36(10):1369-75.62: Young LT, Robb JC, Patelis-Siotis I, MacDonald C, Joffe RT.
Acute treatment of bipolar depression with gabapentin.
Biol Psychiatry. 1997 Nov 1;42(9):851-3.64: McElroy SL, Soutullo CA, Keck PE, Kmetz GF. A pilot trial of adjunctive gabapentin in the treatment of bipolar disorder.
Ann Clin Psychiatry. 1997 Jun;9(2):99-103.65: Ryback RS, Brodsky L, Munasifi F.
Gabapentin in bipolar disorder.
J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci. 1997 Spring;9(2):301.66: Schaffer CB, Schaffer LC.
Gabapentin in the treatment of bipolar disorder.
Am J Psychiatry. 1997 Feb;154(2):291-2.67: Stanton SP, Keck PE, McElroy SL.
Treatment of acute mania with gabapentin.
Am J Psychiatry. 1997 Feb;154(2):287.68: Singh L, Field MJ, Ferris P, Hunter JC, Oles RJ, Williams RG, Woodruff GN.
The antiepileptic agent gabapentin (Neurontin) possesses anxiolytic-like and antinociceptive actions that are reversed by D-serine.
Psychopharmacology (Berl). 1996 Sep;127(1):1-9.69: Dimond KR, Pande AC, Lamoreaux L, Pierce MW.
Effect of gabapentin (Neurontin) [corrected] on mood and well-being in patients with epilepsy.
Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 1996 Apr;20(3):407-17.
Posted by Edward on July 3, 2001, at 13:15:36
In reply to Withdrawal from Paxil, posted by Pattisun on July 2, 2001, at 20:00:10
When I came off it I went cold turkey out of impatience. Two days later I stayed in bed all day hallucinating and having nightmares. I then tried to kill myself. I was on 150mg.
Posted by Pattisun on July 3, 2001, at 14:57:10
In reply to Re: Withdrawal from Paxil, posted by Edward on July 3, 2001, at 13:15:36
Do you see why I've been on this damn stuff for over 5 years. That's some scary sh**!
I printed out a page where a lady broke off very little pieces at her pills and very, very slowly got herself off.
I am going to try her approach!
Patti
> When I came off it I went cold turkey out of impatience. Two days later I stayed in bed all day hallucinating and having nightmares. I then tried to kill myself. I was on 150mg.
Posted by lrc on July 4, 2001, at 18:38:48
In reply to Withdrawal from Paxil, posted by Pattisun on July 2, 2001, at 20:00:10
> I have been taking 20 mg of Paxil each morning for 5 years. I don't like the weight gain.
>
> It did help initially with my panic attacks and depression.
>
> How can I get off?
>
> How long did it take?
>
> How did you do it?
>
> Want to try something other than an SSRI.
>
> I now have Fibromyalgia and want something to help me sleep, relieve pain, and without having me gain weight.20mg for approx 1 yr. 15 mg for 10 days, 12.5 mg for 8 days, 10mg for 7 days, 9 mg for 7 days, 8 mg for 7 days, 7.5mg for 4 days, 7.25mg for 4 days. I'm still working my way to 0mg. Zaps are mild, insomnia is improving, nightmares are gone, vivid dreams still haven't left. Still tired a lot. Good luck
Posted by Pattisun on July 5, 2001, at 10:48:49
In reply to What is working for me., posted by lrc on July 4, 2001, at 18:38:48
Thanks for this formula? Are you approximating dosages according to how much you cut off each pill?
(i supposed but just checking---already started to taper today)
Patti
> 20mg for approx 1 yr. 15 mg for 10 days, 12.5 mg for 8 days, 10mg for 7 days, 9 mg for 7 days, 8 mg for 7 days, 7.5mg for 4 days, 7.25mg for 4 days. I'm still working my way to 0mg. Zaps are mild, insomnia is improving, nightmares are gone, vivid dreams still haven't left. Still tired a lot. Good luck
Posted by chiaratara on July 5, 2001, at 16:58:06
In reply to Re: What is working for me., posted by Pattisun on July 5, 2001, at 10:48:49
that sounds like a very healthy approach. i was off of paxil for 3 years before i jumped back on it during grad. school.
the first time i went off of it, i was on a backpacking trip through scotland. i found myself forgetting to take it and i took that as a sign. i was so busy having fun, that i didn't fell affected by it at all. could you take a mini vacation? get busy, or try something new that takes some energy and is exciting. i think the distraction of being in someplace completely different helped me.
i had a friend that broke her pills up into little pieces as well. she came off of paxil very well. you can also start taking the medication every other day as well, and ween that way.
Posted by chiaratara on July 5, 2001, at 17:00:24
In reply to Re: What is working for me., posted by Pattisun on July 5, 2001, at 10:48:49
one more thing, Pattisun.
i think it is a good, healthy sign that you are approaching this the way you are. i think that it shows a confidence in yourself that you can do it. i truly believe that if you have that confidence, then you are ready to come off of an AD.
Posted by Pattisun on July 6, 2001, at 0:22:49
In reply to Re: What is working for me., posted by chiaratara on July 5, 2001, at 17:00:24
Thanks for the encouragement. I am ready (finally) to do this. (took me a long to get "ready" to stop smoking, but once I make up my mind, really wasn't bad)
:-) Patti
> one more thing, Pattisun.
>
> i think it is a good, healthy sign that you are approaching this the way you are. i think that it shows a confidence in yourself that you can do it. i truly believe that if you have that confidence, then you are ready to come off of an AD.
Posted by lrc on July 7, 2001, at 18:30:58
In reply to What is working for me., posted by lrc on July 4, 2001, at 18:38:48
> > I have been taking 20 mg of Paxil each morning for 5 years. I don't like the weight gain.
> >
> > It did help initially with my panic attacks and depression.
> >
> > How can I get off?
> >
> > How long did it take?
> >
> > How did you do it?
> >
> > Want to try something other than an SSRI.
> >
> > I now have Fibromyalgia and want something to help me sleep, relieve pain, and without having me gain weight.
>
> 20mg for approx 1 yr. 15 mg for 10 days, 12.5 mg for 8 days, 10mg for 7 days, 9 mg for 7 days, 8 mg for 7 days, 7.5mg for 4 days, 7.25mg for 4 days. I'm still working my way to 0mg. Zaps are mild, insomnia is improving, nightmares are gone, vivid dreams still haven't left. Still tired a lot. Good luckAt 10mg I got tired of cutting pills and started the liquid. A lot easier to measure the dosage. I'm on 6mg now and still doing good.
This is the end of the thread.
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