Paxil Advice Please

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-09-2004
Paxil Advice Please
2
Tue, 08-10-2004 - 5:51pm
I am going to try to come off my Paxil that I have taken for 2 years for GAD.

I have been on 20mg's and I feel I need to come off as I don't want to be on forever and the longer I wait the harder it will probably be.

I have gained weight on this drug and that also bugs me as I have had four kids and never had a problem untill I started taking Paxil.

If anyone has any advice please pass it on to me.

Thanks

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-11-2004
Tue, 08-10-2004 - 6:52pm
Leeann, You need to discuss coming off the paxil with your doctor. It is a very hard drug to wean yourself from. The withdrawl is bad. You must titrate down the dose. 20mg to 15mg to 10mg to 5mg with at least 3-5days at each level. Please contact your doctor about this. Hugs, Brenda

Hugs, Brenda 

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-09-2003
Wed, 08-11-2004 - 4:16am
Please talk to your doctor about how to wean yourself off of this drug. Paxil is notorious for bad withdrawal effects. You have to take yourself off it VERY slowly. I had a teacher who told me that it needed to be no more than going down 10% every week to ten days. But please don't take my secondhand information as gospel. Your doctor can tell you exactly how to go off of Paxil.

No matter what, you are bound to experience withdrawal effects from this drug. I don't know if you have ever missed a day or two of your Paxil, but I have. It's like going insane in a very particular way. When I went on it the doctors assured me that "Paxil is a good drug" and it wasn't addictive. Then over a year ago the big news came out that Paxil is addictive. Well I could have told them that from the way my brain felt like it was turning inside out when I missed a day.

I have been trying to find something that will help my anxiety as well. But even if I do, I'm so nervous about the withdrawal process. The drug is bad (always sleepy, weight gain, and no interest in sex) but the withdrawal is much worse.

I don't mean to scare you, but I think it's important to know what you are dealing with before you stop taking it. This is one antidepressant that you want a doctor to supervise when you go off of it.

Good Luck,

MariaC