help, been without paxil goin on 3 days!

punky · 02-17-2006, 01:15 PM

I am losing it right now. I've been trying to get my doc to call in my new script because i was supposed to taper to 12.5 mg day before yesterday. I had been taking 25's. I wish i had one left right now! The doc office keeps saying check back with the pharmacist and the pharmacist is saying to check with my doctor! I am in such horrible withdrawl! My gma keeps calling and ringing the phone off the hook and she doesn't understand and i can't deal right now!!!!!!! The last time i had to go without i went into a blind rage and the cops showed up. I am so scared this is gonna happen especially if i have to go the whole weekend without it!!!!!!

Ok my question is....since i've missed 3 doses and may miss more, will this affect my tapering progress that i've accomplished so far? I am so worried that everything i've gone thru is for squat! I am so pissed off because i keep telling the freakin doc office that i am trying to wean off it and now this is goin on three days without it! GOD this is so frustrating. Anyone help please.

heyK · 02-17-2006, 01:19 PM

I can't answer how this will affect your wean. But I do have another suggestion: some pharmacies will "comp" you a free pill or two if you explain your situation and you have a history of being on that drug. Go in to your pharmacy and find out. Good luck.

Pat Shields · 02-17-2006, 01:46 PM

Oh, that's awful - I have been in that situation myself and I can feel your pain. I didn't know what it was and I thought I was having a stroke or a seizure. Do what Keith said - sometimes they will give you enough to tide you over until you get the script. Let us know how this turns out.

scotty · 02-17-2006, 02:24 PM

Call the doctor, TELL HIM you are completely out of paxil and in cold turkey withdrawal. Let him know that you WILL hold him accountable for any problems that arise of of this... that should get him to call it in.

Healing · 02-17-2006, 03:05 PM

punky -- this is not going to compromise your wean. You'll be fine as soon as you get a pill.

Do you know anyone taking Paxil you could bum a pill off of? Can you go to your doc's office and ask for a sample? Do you have another doc who might have samples?

Hang on. You'll be fine soon. Worst case scenario, can you go to the ER and request a pill?

You have options. Don't go too long without a pill. You're suffering too much, and you don't deserve that.

punky · 02-19-2006, 12:40 AM

Wow that hell is finally over. Thank you for all of your responses. I have been outta comission to say the least. I finally got my pills today. It took me having to page the oncall doc after the office closed so i could talk to him myself. Apparently they did call the script in more than once. UGH! I will make it a point to never go through that hell again by calling in my refills at least a week in advance!

The good news is i am offically down to 12.5mg! Whew!

sherijo · 02-19-2006, 12:45 AM

So glad to hear you got your meds punky! What a nightmare!
good thinking on your part for paging.. they need to get their acts together!

sheri

bon13 · 02-19-2006, 03:38 AM

punky,
so glad you got your refill. what a relief!
thanks for updating us.
take care!

elsey · 03-04-2006, 01:44 PM

Hi, I had a similar experience last week.

Thursday 2/23 last pill (25 mg Paxil CR). Felt ok until Monday 2/27. I couldn't take it any more Tuesday nite, so I paged my doctor. I feared going back on it, because of the same thing - didn't want to go thru all of that for nothing...So, I'm on 12.5mg. I still don't feel that great, but much better. My current symptoms are stomach ache and a dizzy sensation. I don't feel nauseus (which was the worst part) and I'm thankful for that.

I also feel like a junkie.

My question is....NOW WHAT?? I'm in no rush to decrease my dose anytime soon. But, when I am I think I'll switch over to Paxil (non-CR) and then start cutting pills. Is that how it works? I can't imagine going from 12.5 CR to 0. Ugh......

Thanks!
______________________________________________________
Sept. 2003-June 2004 =>10 mg. Lexapro (no withdrawal)
July 2005-Feb. 2006 => 25 mg CR
Feb. 28-present=> 12.5 mg CR

Katesmom · 03-04-2006, 02:01 PM

Welcome to PP elsey!

25mg to 12.5mg is a huge jump!!! The current recommendations on this board are tapering 10% of your current does every 3-5 weeks. This can only be achieved by using liquid Paxil. If you are unable to get the liquid, you can also use 10mg pills and quarter them with a pill cutter. Decrease 2.5mg every 3-5 weeks.

Why so slow? Well, SSRIs alter your brain chemistry and have been doing so for a while. When you stop taking the meds, your body has to learn to compensate for this long-term shortfall of seratonin. It will not happen overnight! So, by going slowly, you allow your body to catch up with what you want it to do. It also allows you to function relatively normally while your going through the withdrawal. I went too fast and could not care for myself or my child for weeks. It was so scary!!!!

Because Paxil only has a half-life of 21 hours, be sure you continue to take a consistant daily dose as you withdraw. Skipping doses will only throw you in and out of withdrawal and confuse your poor brain!

Take it easy on yourself throughout the process. You have a lot of healing to do!

elsey · 03-04-2006, 02:50 PM

Thanks for the info!

Through this whole thing, I kept wondering how someone with kids could get thru this. I mean, when I got home from work I slept and that's it. I had absolutely no energy to do anything productive esp. take care of a family.

punky · 03-05-2006, 02:25 AM

It'll take ya awhile to level out at 12.5, but it can be done. I've been on 12.5 for a good bit now down from 25mg.

If you can find the regular paxil pills great. The liquid is even better. I'm going to be seeing if I can get the paxil liquid monday. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Hang in there!

elsey · 03-12-2006, 11:08 AM

Ok, how long does it take to feel "normal" after going from 25mg CR to 12.5mg (yes I realize this was too big of a jump)? My nausea is gone (yay!), but still feel weird in the head a bit and am sweating more than usual and am tired.

Now, this sweating/fatigue could be caused by thyroid problems I seem to be having (low TSH in last blood test, and I'm going to have more tests this week).

Help, thanks.

punky · 03-13-2006, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elsey

Ok, how long does it take to feel "normal" after going from 25mg CR to 12.5mg (yes I realize this was too big of a jump)? My nausea is gone (yay!), but still feel weird in the head a bit and am sweating more than usual and am tired.

Now, this sweating/fatigue could be caused by thyroid problems I seem to be having (low TSH in last blood test, and I'm going to have more tests this week).

Help, thanks.

I dropped from 25 to 12.5 too. That was on Feb. 19 and now i am feeling great. This may not be typical and in fact i posted a topic about it. I am still mood swinging and tend to snap at the little things. But i am no longer depressed and in a hole. Overall, I feel like a new person...for now!

02-17-2006, 01:15 PM	#1
punky Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: North Carolina Posts: 834	help, been without paxil goin on 3 days! I am losing it right now. I've been trying to get my doc to call in my new script because i was supposed to taper to 12.5 mg day before yesterday. I had been taking 25's. I wish i had one left right now! The doc office keeps saying check back with the pharmacist and the pharmacist is saying to check with my doctor! I am in such horrible withdrawl! My gma keeps calling and ringing the phone off the hook and she doesn't understand and i can't deal right now!!!!!!! The last time i had to go without i went into a blind rage and the cops showed up. I am so scared this is gonna happen especially if i have to go the whole weekend without it!!!!!! Ok my question is....since i've missed 3 doses and may miss more, will this affect my tapering progress that i've accomplished so far? I am so worried that everything i've gone thru is for squat! I am so pissed off because i keep telling the freakin doc office that i am trying to wean off it and now this is goin on three days without it! GOD this is so frustrating. Anyone help please. __________________ 7/00-1/1/06 Paxil 20-40mg 1/2-2/18 Paxil CR 25mg 2/19-5/3 Paxil CR 12.5mg 5/4-5/9 Paxil CR 25mg 5/10-5/15 Paxil CR 12.5mg 5/16-6/10 Paxil CR 10mg 6/11-7/13 Paxil CR 6.25mg 7/13-7/31 Paxil CR 3mg 8/1-9/5 Paxil CR 6.25mg 9/6 to 9/11 Paxil 10mg/5ml Suspension 5mg (2.5ml) 9/12 to present Paxil 10mg/5ml Suspension 7mg (3.5ml)

02-17-2006, 01:19 PM	#2
heyK Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 418	Re: help, been without paxil goin on 3 days! I can't answer how this will affect your wean. But I do have another suggestion: some pharmacies will "comp" you a free pill or two if you explain your situation and you have a history of being on that drug. Go in to your pharmacy and find out. Good luck. __________________ 1993 - end of 2001: Zoloft (75 mg) 2002 - 2003 (total of 11 months): Prozac + Buspar (to deal with the Zoloft withdrawal) Off all drugs for a year going through withdrawal with no letup in symptoms, so in 2004 I (regrettably) went back on Zoloft to try a slower taper. 11/19/05 - Finally off again.

02-17-2006, 01:46 PM	#3
Pat Shields Ms. Pee Pee!! Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: St. Louis, Missouri area Posts: 4,636	Re: help, been without paxil goin on 3 days! Oh, that's awful - I have been in that situation myself and I can feel your pain. I didn't know what it was and I thought I was having a stroke or a seizure. Do what Keith said - sometimes they will give you enough to tide you over until you get the script. Let us know how this turns out. __________________ Patricia Paxil Fat (made May 27, 2006) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbF48Ur4xtc No Paxil Fat(made May 20, 2007) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qfvVVbSyJc Paxil Story Pt I(made June 2, 2007) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DINAdgszHfo Pt II(made July 15, 2007)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bQnWeAWmDk I like my coffee like I like my men - whatever's available that doesn't cost too much. "Free" is good. "Leftover" is OK too. -Pat Shields

02-17-2006, 02:24 PM	#4
scotty Administrator & Advocate Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: new jersey Posts: 38,588	Re: help, been without paxil goin on 3 days! Call the doctor, TELL HIM you are completely out of paxil and in cold turkey withdrawal. Let him know that you WILL hold him accountable for any problems that arise of of this... that should get him to call it in. __________________ AKA Laurie "If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere." ~Frank A. Clark

02-17-2006, 03:05 PM	#5
Healing Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 736	Re: help, been without paxil goin on 3 days! punky -- this is not going to compromise your wean. You'll be fine as soon as you get a pill. Do you know anyone taking Paxil you could bum a pill off of? Can you go to your doc's office and ask for a sample? Do you have another doc who might have samples? Hang on. You'll be fine soon. Worst case scenario, can you go to the ER and request a pill? You have options. Don't go too long without a pill. You're suffering too much, and you don't deserve that. __________________ 1996-97 - Paxil x 9 months, tapered, suffered 8 months withdrawal but didn't know it was withdrawal, so... 1998-2001 - Zoloft, tapered, again unwittingly went into withdrawal, so... 2002-03 - Paxil x 20 months, developed severe headaches, so... Sep 03 - May 05 - Paxil wean took 20 months, severe physical, moderate psychological symptoms Sep 03 - Jun 05 - took Prozac to help with Paxil wean - not recommended Jul 05 to date - post-taper, severe psychological, moderate physical symptoms

02-19-2006, 12:40 AM	#6
punky Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: North Carolina Posts: 834	Re: help, been without paxil goin on 3 days! Wow that hell is finally over. Thank you for all of your responses. I have been outta comission to say the least. I finally got my pills today. It took me having to page the oncall doc after the office closed so i could talk to him myself. Apparently they did call the script in more than once. UGH! I will make it a point to never go through that hell again by calling in my refills at least a week in advance! The good news is i am offically down to 12.5mg! Whew! __________________ 7/00-1/1/06 Paxil 20-40mg 1/2-2/18 Paxil CR 25mg 2/19-5/3 Paxil CR 12.5mg 5/4-5/9 Paxil CR 25mg 5/10-5/15 Paxil CR 12.5mg 5/16-6/10 Paxil CR 10mg 6/11-7/13 Paxil CR 6.25mg 7/13-7/31 Paxil CR 3mg 8/1-9/5 Paxil CR 6.25mg 9/6 to 9/11 Paxil 10mg/5ml Suspension 5mg (2.5ml) 9/12 to present Paxil 10mg/5ml Suspension 7mg (3.5ml)

02-19-2006, 12:45 AM	#7
sherijo Banned Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: chicago, illinois Posts: 1,358	Re: help, been without paxil goin on 3 days! So glad to hear you got your meds punky! What a nightmare! good thinking on your part for paging.. they need to get their acts together! sheri

02-19-2006, 03:38 AM	#8
bon13 Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: California Posts: 211	Re: help, been without paxil goin on 3 days! punky, so glad you got your refill. what a relief! thanks for updating us. take care! __________________ Prescribed 10 mg Paxil Jan 2001 for anxiety/panic Tapered 6 months with 2.5 mg cuts Pax-hell Free as of 1/6/06! COURAGE IS NOT THE ABSENCE OF FEAR, BUT RATHER THE JUDGMENT THAT SOMETHING ELSE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN FEAR -- Ambrose Redmoon

03-04-2006, 01:44 PM	#9
elsey Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: midwest Posts: 17	Re: help, been without paxil goin on 3 days! Hi, I had a similar experience last week. Thursday 2/23 last pill (25 mg Paxil CR). Felt ok until Monday 2/27. I couldn't take it any more Tuesday nite, so I paged my doctor. I feared going back on it, because of the same thing - didn't want to go thru all of that for nothing...So, I'm on 12.5mg. I still don't feel that great, but much better. My current symptoms are stomach ache and a dizzy sensation. I don't feel nauseus (which was the worst part) and I'm thankful for that. I also feel like a junkie. My question is....NOW WHAT?? I'm in no rush to decrease my dose anytime soon. But, when I am I think I'll switch over to Paxil (non-CR) and then start cutting pills. Is that how it works? I can't imagine going from 12.5 CR to 0. Ugh...... Thanks! ______________________________________________________ Sept. 2003-June 2004 =>10 mg. Lexapro (no withdrawal) July 2005-Feb. 2006 => 25 mg CR Feb. 28-present=> 12.5 mg CR

03-04-2006, 02:01 PM	#10
Katesmom Moderator Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 13,706	Re: help, been without paxil goin on 3 days! Welcome to PP elsey! 25mg to 12.5mg is a huge jump!!! The current recommendations on this board are tapering 10% of your current does every 3-5 weeks. This can only be achieved by using liquid Paxil. If you are unable to get the liquid, you can also use 10mg pills and quarter them with a pill cutter. Decrease 2.5mg every 3-5 weeks. Why so slow? Well, SSRIs alter your brain chemistry and have been doing so for a while. When you stop taking the meds, your body has to learn to compensate for this long-term shortfall of seratonin. It will not happen overnight! So, by going slowly, you allow your body to catch up with what you want it to do. It also allows you to function relatively normally while your going through the withdrawal. I went too fast and could not care for myself or my child for weeks. It was so scary!!!! Because Paxil only has a half-life of 21 hours, be sure you continue to take a consistant daily dose as you withdraw. Skipping doses will only throw you in and out of withdrawal and confuse your poor brain! Take it easy on yourself throughout the process. You have a lot of healing to do! __________________ Katesmom aka Kim started Paxil Oct. 2003 for PIH Paxil free since 19 Jul 2005 ". . .the cruelest lies are often told without a word. . .the kindest truths are often spoken, never heard." -- Ben Folds

03-04-2006, 02:50 PM	#11
elsey Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: midwest Posts: 17	Re: help, been without paxil goin on 3 days! Thanks for the info! Through this whole thing, I kept wondering how someone with kids could get thru this. I mean, when I got home from work I slept and that's it. I had absolutely no energy to do anything productive esp. take care of a family.

03-05-2006, 02:25 AM	#12
punky Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: North Carolina Posts: 834	Re: help, been without paxil goin on 3 days! It'll take ya awhile to level out at 12.5, but it can be done. I've been on 12.5 for a good bit now down from 25mg. If you can find the regular paxil pills great. The liquid is even better. I'm going to be seeing if I can get the paxil liquid monday. Keeping my fingers crossed. Hang in there! __________________ 7/00-1/1/06 Paxil 20-40mg 1/2-2/18 Paxil CR 25mg 2/19-5/3 Paxil CR 12.5mg 5/4-5/9 Paxil CR 25mg 5/10-5/15 Paxil CR 12.5mg 5/16-6/10 Paxil CR 10mg 6/11-7/13 Paxil CR 6.25mg 7/13-7/31 Paxil CR 3mg 8/1-9/5 Paxil CR 6.25mg 9/6 to 9/11 Paxil 10mg/5ml Suspension 5mg (2.5ml) 9/12 to present Paxil 10mg/5ml Suspension 7mg (3.5ml)

03-12-2006, 11:08 AM	#13
elsey Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: midwest Posts: 17	Re: help, been without paxil goin on 3 days! Ok, how long does it take to feel "normal" after going from 25mg CR to 12.5mg (yes I realize this was too big of a jump)? My nausea is gone (yay!), but still feel weird in the head a bit and am sweating more than usual and am tired. Now, this sweating/fatigue could be caused by thyroid problems I seem to be having (low TSH in last blood test, and I'm going to have more tests this week). Help, thanks. __________________ July 2005-Feb 2006: 25 mg Paxil CR Feb 2006-June 2007: 20 mg Paxil July 2007-Feb 2008: 10mg Lexapro Feb 2008-May 2009: 5mg Lexapro & 150mg Wellbutrin added in Feb 2009 May 2009-July 2009: 2.5mg Lexapro Sept 2009-Present: NOTHING

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)