New

jjhill · 12-12-2006, 01:03 AM

I hope this this forum will help with having the support needed to get off of my paxil. I have tried cold turkey from 10mg and that really sucked. I am back on an waiting to see my dr to see what I can do. It sucked to find out that Paxil may have contirbuted or my have even been the cause of my son's ASD and all the other complications he has. I hope that I will get some useful information and ideas from different people because I will take what I can get.

jjhill

scotty · 12-12-2006, 09:09 AM

Welcome JJ! Try to get liquid paxil to wean from 10mg. cold turkey from 10mg is way to much. The maximum you should wean is 2.5mg at a time with 3-4 weeks in between(or when symptoms subside). Liquid makes it easier if you have to wean by 1mg at a time, which some do. If you can't get liquid get 10mg tablets and cut them in quarters.

Homerbcool · 12-12-2006, 09:45 AM

Hey JJ..welcome to PP..this place is full of real world advice and people..so ask away..we have so much information on ths site.

If i may ask..how long were you on paxil and for what reason...these will help not only in assisting getting off of paxhell, but to assist in living symptom free and med free...

mstimc · 12-12-2006, 11:58 AM

Welcome to the site, JJ! I've been a member less than a month and have found the people here very understanding and very helpful. They put me on the right track for a good taper and I'm doing well. I find the folks here to be very supportive, especially when you're going through rough times.

jjhill · 12-12-2006, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Homerbcool

Hey JJ..welcome to PP..this place is full of real world advice and people..so ask away..we have so much information on ths site.

If i may ask..how long were you on paxil and for what reason...these will help not only in assisting getting off of paxhell, but to assist in living symptom free and med free...

I've been on paxil for about 10 years, I was originally put on it due to some depression. I started at about 20 mg/day and then a couple years ago I got it down to 10 mg/day. I got to taking it every other day for a while, and it worked. Then I had to go back to everyday and it has been that way for a while. I am just waiting to see my dr about my options and things so hopefully I will get some help in that regard.

I now have 2 kids, age 4 and 2. When I got pregnant with my 1st the Dr. said paxil was safe to be on throughout my pregnancy, everything was normal and worked out fine. On my second chile, again the Dr told me that paxil was safe and I again took it my whole pregnancy. However with my second the day after my son was born he started having seizures. He had seizures for about a week and as they were trying to determine the cause of the seizure they found two cysts in his brian which were caused by a stroke that he apparently had while still in the womb. He was also born with a moderate Atrial Septal Defect (hole between the two Atria of the heart). The doctors again told me at the time that this likely had nothing to do with the paxil. However now I'm pretty convinced that it has everything to with it. In doing some research paxil increase the risk of ASD and also limit a fetus blood supply which could have resulted in the stroke.

Now my husband and I, are thinking of having another child down the road but I want to be off this first, so I am ready to try once again to get off this drug. My husband is hugely supportive and is actually the one who found this site while he was researching paxil.

I'm thinking I'm going to try the suggestions as posted here and try a 2.5 mg deduction for starters. I'm seeing my doctor tonight and hopefully I can get some liquid paxil, or some 10 mg tablets to start the weaning process.

Thanks for your suggestions and wish me luck. I'm sure as this goes on I may be on here needing more advice and support as we go on.

jeanie · 12-12-2006, 01:56 PM

Good Luck jjhill. I hope your doctor is supportive. Mine was not, so I am going it alone with the help of this amazing website. I have learned so much from these people here. Everyone is so helpful and supportive. Good luck in your taper, we are all here for you

scotty · 12-12-2006, 02:15 PM

JJ, I'm so sorry about your child. What hell to have to go through. I have to agree with you... paxil probably did have something to do with it. I believe that we are seeing the tip of the iceberg in fetal problems.

Homerbcool · 12-12-2006, 02:37 PM

JJ..if i may..how are the kids doing now

LCrawford67 · 12-12-2006, 02:55 PM

Welcome, JJ! I'm so sorry about your child. Laurie's right, I believe this is just the tip of the iceberg regarding this.

I was lucky enough to find a supportive doctor to help me taper. I'm going to a compounding pharmacy to get accurate doses and there's a tapering schedule spreadsheet posted that you can use as a tool to help you through this. I took it to my doctor and he prescribed my compounded scripts based on that.

jjhill · 12-12-2006, 04:06 PM

Kids are doing great. The 1st seemed to to have had no effects from the paxil at all and is perfectly normal/healthy. Got lucky with her. The second is doing much better. He did suffer some brain damage as a result of the stroke but lucky enough child brains are able to adapt and find new neural pathways then an adult brain, so he has a few delays in development but is coming along just fine as for his ASD he still may need open heart surgury to correct it, but the hole is getting smaller as he grows, its just a matter as to whether it closes on its own or not. The cardiologist will look at it again here soon. If it still hasn't closed sufficiently by the time he's 3 (1 yr from now) then he will need open heart surgury to sew a plug into the hole and close it. However, even if he does need surgury his long term outlook is excellent. Once the hole is closed either on its own or by surgury he should have no other lasting effects. So a rough first few years, but in about another year or so it should no longer be any issue at all. So all in all he's doing great, and we're happy with his progress. After all it could have been a lot worse.

jjhill · 12-13-2006, 01:59 PM

Well I went to the Dr yesterday and he thinks that I am able to ween myself off of Paxil in a month so we shall see if it is true. I really hope that that is all it takes. I am taking 5mg a day for 2 weeks then i am going to take 5mg every other day for two week and then stop. The only thing that I am noticing is that I have a headach but I don't know if it is directly related to withdraw or because of my history of headaches. Well I will wait a few days and see how things are going and hopefully it will only take the month like the Dr said.

Homerbcool · 12-13-2006, 02:26 PM

JJ..sorry to be the one to pop your doctors bubble..but doing it thsi way is paramount to going cold turkey..do not take the pill every other day..take it every day, without fail...stay at 5 for a while, at least 4-5 weeks...see how the side affects are..this time is to allow the brain to heal...get the liquid paxhell..and tper 10% off each dose, stay for the length of time mentioned above at least...then drop again..the last 5mg is the toughest and can also do the most "damage" if not slowly tapered down from...

Of course, yuo could listne to your doctor, but and this is a big but..when was the alst time he tapered off of this poison....he is just giving you the same advice that he was given by a sales rep for GSK..I am certian people willchime in beind me to add their advice...good luck...

Remember the kids are the ones that you need to consider through out this....as well as you of course,

Katesmom · 12-13-2006, 02:28 PM

OH NOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is how I was told to wean! THAT IS COLD TURKEY!!!! These doctors do not know how this drug works!!! ARG!!!!

Paxil's half-life is 23 hours. You need to take a dose every 24 hours or you go into withdrawal. Most people don't feel it that quickly, but if you purposely skip a day, then take it another day, then skip another day, by day three or four you are going to be in hardcore withdrawal. This on and off thing is actually harder than just quitting and that's saying a lot!

You really have to take a consistent daily dose of this drug to continue to function in your life throughout this process. You have to titrate the dose, not the time period.

And, for me, that first week, when I went down 50% of my dose was constant mania. I thought I felt great until I crashed. That is too much, too fast.

Honestly, if I were you, I would quarter the 10s and take 7.5mg for at least 3 or 4 weeks, then to 5 for three or four weeks, then 2.5mg for 3 or 4 weeks, then off. That is as fast as you should do it. Otherwise, I think you will end up bedridden like I did. And I only took this drug for 20 months.

LCrawford67 · 12-13-2006, 03:16 PM

No, no, no! You're asking for a world of hurt doing it this way! For the life of me, I do not understand why these idiot doctors keep telling people this!!!

Homerbcool · 12-13-2006, 03:45 PM

Conhomer Say "wise woman, you answer own question..by using word IDIOT!!!!!!!!!

12-12-2006, 01:03 AM	#1
jjhill Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 4	New I hope this this forum will help with having the support needed to get off of my paxil. I have tried cold turkey from 10mg and that really sucked. I am back on an waiting to see my dr to see what I can do. It sucked to find out that Paxil may have contirbuted or my have even been the cause of my son's ASD and all the other complications he has. I hope that I will get some useful information and ideas from different people because I will take what I can get. jjhill

12-12-2006, 09:09 AM	#2
scotty Administrator & Advocate Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: new jersey Posts: 38,590	Re: New Welcome JJ! Try to get liquid paxil to wean from 10mg. cold turkey from 10mg is way to much. The maximum you should wean is 2.5mg at a time with 3-4 weeks in between(or when symptoms subside). Liquid makes it easier if you have to wean by 1mg at a time, which some do. If you can't get liquid get 10mg tablets and cut them in quarters. __________________ AKA Laurie "If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere." ~Frank A. Clark

12-12-2006, 09:45 AM	#3
Homerbcool "colors outside the lines" Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 15,949	Re: New Hey JJ..welcome to PP..this place is full of real world advice and people..so ask away..we have so much information on ths site. If i may ask..how long were you on paxil and for what reason...these will help not only in assisting getting off of paxhell, but to assist in living symptom free and med free... __________________ That's one of the curses of anxiety--we make possibilities into certainties.....Tim

12-12-2006, 11:58 AM	#4
mstimc "Mr. EPPA" Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Southern Calif. Posts: 8,138	Re: New Welcome to the site, JJ! I've been a member less than a month and have found the people here very understanding and very helpful. They put me on the right track for a good taper and I'm doing well. I find the folks here to be very supportive, especially when you're going through rough times. __________________ MSTIMC --Tim C. "If there's no baseball in Heaven, then I ain't goin'! --Casey Stengel 20 mg per day since late 1999 November 2006--Found this site and right way to taper April 15, 2008 ZERO! Supplements: Prayer, Multi-vitamin, fish oil, Prayer!

12-12-2006, 01:56 PM	#6
jeanie Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: NC Posts: 873	Re: New Good Luck jjhill. I hope your doctor is supportive. Mine was not, so I am going it alone with the help of this amazing website. I have learned so much from these people here. Everyone is so helpful and supportive. Good luck in your taper, we are all here for you __________________ Jeanie Nov 4th started the weaning process 10-5 mg Nov. 28th---2.5 mg Dec. 26th--1.25mg Jan 7th----ZERO Scripts taking-ZERO Paxil made me feel sleepy, content and nonchalant. Supplements- Multivitamin, B complex, C, Fish oil, magnesium citrate and E. Therapy- attending church, listening to Christian music and praying. Thank you, PAXILPROGRESS I can do all things thru Christ, who strengthens me.

12-12-2006, 02:15 PM	#7
scotty Administrator & Advocate Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: new jersey Posts: 38,590	Re: New JJ, I'm so sorry about your child. What hell to have to go through. I have to agree with you... paxil probably did have something to do with it. I believe that we are seeing the tip of the iceberg in fetal problems. __________________ AKA Laurie "If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere." ~Frank A. Clark

12-12-2006, 02:37 PM	#8
Homerbcool "colors outside the lines" Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 15,949	Re: New JJ..if i may..how are the kids doing now __________________ That's one of the curses of anxiety--we make possibilities into certainties.....Tim

12-12-2006, 02:55 PM	#9
LCrawford67 Moderator "Everybody poops" Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 26,493	Re: New Welcome, JJ! I'm so sorry about your child. Laurie's right, I believe this is just the tip of the iceberg regarding this. I was lucky enough to find a supportive doctor to help me taper. I'm going to a compounding pharmacy to get accurate doses and there's a tapering schedule spreadsheet posted that you can use as a tool to help you through this. I took it to my doctor and he prescribed my compounded scripts based on that. __________________ aka LC aka Laurie C. Paxil, 20 mg since 1997, for IBS Two unsuccessful attempts to quit. Started tapering 11/27/06 PAXIL FREE 12/29/07 If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice. ~Meister Eckhart Thanksgiving, man. Not a good day to be my pants. ~Kevin James

12-12-2006, 04:06 PM	#10
jjhill Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 4	Re: New Kids are doing great. The 1st seemed to to have had no effects from the paxil at all and is perfectly normal/healthy. Got lucky with her. The second is doing much better. He did suffer some brain damage as a result of the stroke but lucky enough child brains are able to adapt and find new neural pathways then an adult brain, so he has a few delays in development but is coming along just fine as for his ASD he still may need open heart surgury to correct it, but the hole is getting smaller as he grows, its just a matter as to whether it closes on its own or not. The cardiologist will look at it again here soon. If it still hasn't closed sufficiently by the time he's 3 (1 yr from now) then he will need open heart surgury to sew a plug into the hole and close it. However, even if he does need surgury his long term outlook is excellent. Once the hole is closed either on its own or by surgury he should have no other lasting effects. So a rough first few years, but in about another year or so it should no longer be any issue at all. So all in all he's doing great, and we're happy with his progress. After all it could have been a lot worse.

12-13-2006, 01:59 PM	#11
jjhill Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 4	Re: New Well I went to the Dr yesterday and he thinks that I am able to ween myself off of Paxil in a month so we shall see if it is true. I really hope that that is all it takes. I am taking 5mg a day for 2 weeks then i am going to take 5mg every other day for two week and then stop. The only thing that I am noticing is that I have a headach but I don't know if it is directly related to withdraw or because of my history of headaches. Well I will wait a few days and see how things are going and hopefully it will only take the month like the Dr said.

12-13-2006, 02:26 PM	#12
Homerbcool "colors outside the lines" Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 15,949	Re: New JJ..sorry to be the one to pop your doctors bubble..but doing it thsi way is paramount to going cold turkey..do not take the pill every other day..take it every day, without fail...stay at 5 for a while, at least 4-5 weeks...see how the side affects are..this time is to allow the brain to heal...get the liquid paxhell..and tper 10% off each dose, stay for the length of time mentioned above at least...then drop again..the last 5mg is the toughest and can also do the most "damage" if not slowly tapered down from... Of course, yuo could listne to your doctor, but and this is a big but..when was the alst time he tapered off of this poison....he is just giving you the same advice that he was given by a sales rep for GSK..I am certian people willchime in beind me to add their advice...good luck... Remember the kids are the ones that you need to consider through out this....as well as you of course, __________________ That's one of the curses of anxiety--we make possibilities into certainties.....Tim

12-13-2006, 02:28 PM	#13
Katesmom Moderator Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 13,706	Re: New OH NOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is how I was told to wean! THAT IS COLD TURKEY!!!! These doctors do not know how this drug works!!! ARG!!!! Paxil's half-life is 23 hours. You need to take a dose every 24 hours or you go into withdrawal. Most people don't feel it that quickly, but if you purposely skip a day, then take it another day, then skip another day, by day three or four you are going to be in hardcore withdrawal. This on and off thing is actually harder than just quitting and that's saying a lot! You really have to take a consistent daily dose of this drug to continue to function in your life throughout this process. You have to titrate the dose, not the time period. And, for me, that first week, when I went down 50% of my dose was constant mania. I thought I felt great until I crashed. That is too much, too fast. Honestly, if I were you, I would quarter the 10s and take 7.5mg for at least 3 or 4 weeks, then to 5 for three or four weeks, then 2.5mg for 3 or 4 weeks, then off. That is as fast as you should do it. Otherwise, I think you will end up bedridden like I did. And I only took this drug for 20 months. __________________ 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

12-13-2006, 03:16 PM	#14
LCrawford67 Moderator "Everybody poops" Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 26,493	Re: New No, no, no! You're asking for a world of hurt doing it this way! For the life of me, I do not understand why these idiot doctors keep telling people this!!! __________________ aka LC aka Laurie C. Paxil, 20 mg since 1997, for IBS Two unsuccessful attempts to quit. Started tapering 11/27/06 PAXIL FREE 12/29/07 If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice. ~Meister Eckhart Thanksgiving, man. Not a good day to be my pants. ~Kevin James

12-13-2006, 03:45 PM	#15
Homerbcool "colors outside the lines" Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 15,949	Re: New Conhomer Say "wise woman, you answer own question..by using word IDIOT!!!!!!!!! __________________ That's one of the curses of anxiety--we make possibilities into certainties.....Tim

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