can I stop cold turkey

I was just put on paxil 3 weeks ago and already hate it. I started on paxil cr, 37.5 mg for 2 weeks and then because insurance wouldn't cover it, they switched me to regular paxil 40 mg. the side effects are horrible. tingling, insomnia, tremors. Since I haven't been on it long, would it be ok just to stop cold turkey and flush this crap out of my system. I am starting CBT next week for anxiety so I don't want this drug anymore.

[MizzT]

my vote is 3 weeks is short enough to quit. You may experience some symptoms....hopefully not bad tho. If you wean...it just means being on it for a WHILE!.
40 mgs is a hefty dose too.....i always wonder why they put people on so much when in the UK they are saying no more than 20 mgs is any more effective.
?!?!?!!??!!?!?!?

[kglo2004]

Hello there, friend! Welcome to the boards!

There are so many people on here who give AWESOME advice...one of the things you may read is that noone on here would suggest going off cold turkey....from what I have read from others, its hell....

The FAQs is a good place to start and reading through the other posts...I found it very helpful...

IMO, going slow was the way to go! Don't rush it and take your time...you don't want to make yourself sicker...

Like I said...others will be giving you great advice...take the advice...listen to them....

Blessings,

Kathy

Well, for most people, cold turkey is NOT the way to go.

Having said that, I tapered from 37.5mg Paxil CR to 25mg, and felt like crap. Took magnesium, calcium, cut the caffeine and sugar, drank lots of water and green tea. Also cut the processed foods, fats, ate salads and fruit. So basically, tried to eat nutritionally.

I felt a lot better. So I dropped to 12.5mg. Felt great 3 days later. Went cold turkey three days ago. Still feel great!!

You can read my thread here:
http://www.paxilprogress.org/forums/...ad.php?t=10091


So, the answer is, probably not. Especially if you have symptoms ON paxil, you'll probably have more coming OFF paxil. My advice would be to start weaning, and eat healthier. Cut the caffeine and sugar (makes a BIG difference), take a multivitamin, and take extra magnesium supplements. Eat fruits, veggies, complex carbs, skip the fatty foods and processed starches.
Drink lots of water.

My guess is this should help you feel a lot better. It's up to you where you want to go from there, but I was able to go cold turkey since I felt so great after implementing these healthy choices.

Good luck! I'm happy with my decision to go off Paxil cold turkey, but it's probably not for most people. Work with your body, listen to it, and go with it. Don't be discouraged if you have to take some time to get off Paxil. As long as you're moving forward, it's all good.

And congrats on getting into a CBT program! Those are sooooo hard to find, I was never able to get into one in my town. I'm just grateful I have a very supportive husband to help me through the worse times.



Sandra

thanks to all that responded. I'm very confused as what to do. I want to be off of it, but as usual, I know my doctor is going to say continue. I haven't been on it very long so I'm thinking I could just go cold turkey. But I'm again not sure

[scotty]

It's a tough one to figure out at what point in starting paxil that you can cold turkey off. My thoughts and opinion are that at 3 weeks you haven't altered things so much that cold turkey would be a big problem. You will probably have some symptoms of withdrawal, but they shouldn't be as bad a someone coming off long term use. If I was having the side effects you are after just three weeks, I would probably just stop.

[Daisyflwr22]

Wow, 40mg in 3 weeks....for me that sounds a little harsh. Side effect can get pretty bad, depending on your own body chemistry. I would taper off but not too slow since it's only been in your system for a few weeks. I agree with reading the FAQ section on this site, it helped me a lot. You should learn a whole lot from your CBT, I was in a program a few years ago and it helped me so much.

I've decided to talk to my doctor tomorrow and just say I want off. I'm sure it will be a battle, but so what. I'm really excited about the CBT and feel that that is the way to go and not go for the easy fix of a pill. If he suggest tapering, then I'll do it, if he suggest cold turkey, then I'll do that too. but right now I'm thinking the less this stuff is in my system, the better

I will keep posting on how it goes. I can't believe I found this site. this is so helpful and you all have been great

[Pat Shields]

Originally Posted by kglo2004

one of the things you may read is that noone on here would suggest going off cold turkey

I really don't mean to be offensive in any way. I just want to set the record straight for the questioner's sake. I am the cold-turkey queen, I think. That's how I did it, and I would recommend it to anyone who is strong enough to deal with it without thinking they are going crazy.

As I have said before, I believe in ripping off the Band-Aid, not prolonging the pain hair by hair. Pain can last only so long. What I would not recommend is doing it without support or being well-informed. I would never say to anyone, "Oh, you should do it this way, it's the only way, everyone else is wrong." I would emphasize self-education to make an informed decision.

Many people who ask if they can do it cold turkey ask because they are seriously considering it. It behooves no one to tell them that no, they can't. Before I continued the plunge into the bowels of Paxil withdrawal, I sought advice here at paxilprogress to learn what I would be facing if I decided not to put another tablet in my mouth. I got good advice and excellent information, and with that arsenal of weapons I decided to forge ahead. I decided I can deal with it. Others decide they cannot. Informed choice is the key, which is more than GSK gave the doctors who gave me the pill, or more than the doctor, if knowing all the bad stuff in advance, did.

For me, it worked. I was able to laugh at the bizarre, vivid dreams and hallucinations and to sit in the dark alone and curse the zaps. Maybe I should run a biased cold-turkey forum, eh?

[Pat Shields]

Originally Posted by crosspgh

if he suggests cold turkey, then I'll do that too.

I do not think you will find even ONE physician/prescriber who, knowing the withdrawal difficulties, would advise cold turkey. They have too much to lose if it does not work out for the patient. The industry standard is titrated withdrawal, so that is what they advise. Then if something should go wrong there is no malpractice involved. I will say again, make your own decisions. Don't count on the prescriber to give you the information to make that choice; after all, he is the one that gave you the stuff in the first place, and that was out of ignorance or malice, and I choose to believe ignorance.

[MizzT]

Pat...i have to agree with you; myself being another cold turkey, rip the bandaide off kind of girl. Wean....taper and feel that junk each and every month for the next 2 years? no way. Rip the bandaide off and bear thru it.....cause if this is what this poison is doing to me.....i wasnt taking another single pill.

It was radical and i have a particular understanding for hallucinations and real weirdness.....but paxil withdrawal cold turkey was beyond anything i had ever experienced. In the middle of it i figured i would just die. But i didnt....so i went another day. and i still didnt die. and eventually you realize you wont die.

its probably taken as long as it would have to taper....but at least i didnt have to face the pink pill each day.

i still think 3 weeks is gonna be no big deal to quit it CT.

I agree , I don't think 3 weeks is very long so tomorrow I'm done with the stuff, thank you for your support and I really can't wait to tell my doctor. I understand paxil has a very short half life. so half is gone in 24 hours. So hopefully by the weekend I'll be back to myself, but if it takes longer, thats ok too

[Pat Shields]

Originally Posted by defonz3

eventually you realize you wont die.

And even if you did, the Paxil withdrawal would be over that much faster. . . .hey, isn't there an up-side to everything?

[MizzT]

exactly!!!

[mygoonbaby]

Originally Posted by crosspgh

I agree , I don't think 3 weeks is very long so tomorrow I'm done with the stuff, thank you for your support and I really can't wait to tell my doctor. I understand paxil has a very short half life. so half is gone in 24 hours. So hopefully by the weekend I'll be back to myself, but if it takes longer, thats ok too

crosspgh,
If I was only on paxil for 3 weeks, then I'd definately just go off it. If paxil had given me a bunch of trouble when I first started taking it, like it has to you, I never would have stayed on it even that long I'm not very good at putting up with side efrects of things especially if my stomach gets upset and etc... but when I started taking paxil, it helped me real quickly, so I thought it was a miracle drug. I found out (not soon enough) that it wasn't!! I'm still tapering off it. I have been on it for over 3 years.
If you do have some side effects when you stop, atleast you will know what is happening and etc. Hopefully you won't have any at all I hope you don't have any trouble. Keep us posted.
Mygoon

[Scott]

it shouldn't take you longer than a few days to quit.. you aren't that adjusted to it yet.

Well its been 24 hours. A little anxiety about going to tell the doctor, but I'm the patient and too bad. I of course had anxiety, before, thats what brought me to try the drug anyway, but now I wish I hadn't. I just did the deep breathing and that help. I think I'll be ok, but my anxiety is a little high. Had trouble sleeping last night because of this stupid drug. so they gave me some ambien and I took that to sleep, but of course thats another drug you can get hooked on. boy do the drug companies have these doctors convinced.

ok, so far just a little more anixiety and thats not to bad. time to take a shower and get ready for the day. I'm going to win this battle with anxiety no matter what it takes

[jlynns]

I'm going to win this battle with anxiety no matter what it takes

Your attitude totally rocks!

Good luck today and stay strong with your Dr.

[kglo2004]

Originally Posted by Pat Shields

I really don't mean to be offensive in any way. I just want to set the record straight for the questioner's sake. I am the cold-turkey queen, I think. That's how I did it, and I would recommend it to anyone who is strong enough to deal with it without thinking they are going crazy.

Pat, No offense taken...I apologize if I generalized.. from what I have been reading, it has all been "go slow" and "taper"....

I'm so glad that it worked for you and thtat you are doing well!

Blessings,

Kathy

Doctor was not a problem. He said, yup, get the hell off and try the CBT and if that doesn't work we can address it. So I already feel better.

thanks for the support.

I should be fine in a couple of days. The tingling has subsided and my mind is calming, so thats a relief. he still wants me to take the sleep medicine, so I'll do that for a couple of days while this works out of my system

[Scott]

Originally Posted by Pat Shields

I really don't mean to be offensive in any way. I just want to set the record straight for the questioner's sake. I am the cold-turkey queen, I think. That's how I did it, and I would recommend it to anyone who is strong enough to deal with it without thinking they are going crazy.

As I have said before, I believe in ripping off the Band-Aid, not prolonging the pain hair by hair. Pain can last only so long

yeah but this bandaid is on your brain, not your arm... you tear this one off you take your brain with it. It's not prolonging the pain, if it's going to take you 18 months to heal, you're in for 18 months cold turkey or taper.. cold turkey does not speed up the healing process. Why make your life a living hell in the beginning more than it needs to be? You take the bandaid off slowly, let it heal, take it off more, let it heal etc.. or rip it off and hope you survive the trauma of missing a large chunk of your brain.

[Homerbcool]

that's pretty much how I see it Scott27...life can be misrable enough why make it worse on purpose if you do not have to

ok, day 2. I think its finally flushing from my system. Last night felt like I had spidey senses, if that makes any sense. Still feel anxious for no reason. At least most of the dry mouth is gone and I've been putting the water to me, so i think Im starting to get hydrated again. So alot of the systems have improved. Just real anxious and I'm going to try to keep busy today with some things and keep my mind of of it

[mygoonbaby]

Originally Posted by crosspgh

ok, day 2. I think its finally flushing from my system. Last night felt like I had spidey senses, if that makes any sense. Still feel anxious for no reason. At least most of the dry mouth is gone and I've been putting the water to me, so i think Im starting to get hydrated again. So alot of the systems have improved. Just real anxious and I'm going to try to keep busy today with some things and keep my mind of of it

Good luck to you today..! That anxious feeling is hard, that is for sure. I hope it passes soon.
Mygoon

[Pat Shields]

Originally Posted by Scott27

yeah but this bandaid is on your brain, not your arm... you tear this one off you take your brain with it. It's not prolonging the pain, if it's going to take you 18 months to heal, you're in for 18 months cold turkey or taper.. cold turkey does not speed up the healing process. Why make your life a living hell in the beginning more than it needs to be? You take the bandaid off slowly, let it heal, take it off more, let it heal etc.. or rip it off and hope you survive the trauma of missing a large chunk of your brain.

I definitely agree with what you say 100% and am with you all the way. I have not ever recommended the CT method over any others. I have always preached informed choice. I am also clear that it worked for me, and in the initial post I declared, "Others decide they cannot." I also said, ". . . with that arsenal of weapons [advice and information from you and others] I decided to forge ahead." With the information I gathered I made an informed choice to continue with CT.

All of that post was relating to how CT affected me, how I dealt with it, and what I believe. I tried to leave the impression that informed choice was the key. The original question of the thread is, "Can I stop cold turkey?" If everyone says no, that is not informed consent if even one of us knows otherwise. I am that voice in the wilderness. . . (ok, I'm losing it here, don't hit me any more). Whether the questioner can stop CT or not, I do not know. I did not answer that question. I merely informed that it can be done.

And it doesn't matter if the Band-Aid rips out my brain tissue - I have so many dead cells up there that I never used anyway, so no one could ever tell the difference between dumb and dumber.