Help With Quitting...

jack napier · 12-03-2009, 01:23 PM

Hello,

You've all been such wonderful and supportive people to me with some sage advice in the past. And that's despite my irresponsibility with this drug. So, I thank all of you. I now have another question and appreciate all your comments.

About a year ago, it was suggested to me to go with 20mg instead of the 40mg I had been on for years because I had disrupted the 'treatment' by missing several days here and there. The idea was that I was effectively between 20-30mg anyway since I had only been taking the 40mg once every couple days.

I did go from 40mg to 20mg of paxil and stayed level for the next year (at 20). After some initial suffering and adjusting, I felt much better and with a lot less side effects at 20mg... While 40 to 20 is not a jump I'd recommend to anyone, I felt great to be able to lower my dependence on this drug.

My current situation: I've been without the paxil for 3 weeks now simply because I've been out of the country and had problems getting refills that I didn't expect. I have my refill now, but have not had the same kind of withdrawal I had from 40mg. The electric zaps have turned into these slight but very annoying fever-headaches and, of course, there are the sudden moments of pseudo anxiety/depression... But overall the withdrawal feels much more physical than mental.

The question I have for you now: Do you suggest starting back at the 20mg and slowly tapering from there? Or should I try to tough this out cold turkey as I had gone around three weeks without any major pains of withdrawal? What do you think I should do?

Thanks for your time, once again.

Norma · 12-03-2009, 01:32 PM

Personally, I would taper. During the ten years I have been on this poison I have tried many times to get off of it. Sudden, big changes never produce good results for me.

scotty · 12-03-2009, 01:32 PM

Go back to 20mg and taper from there.

jack napier · 12-03-2009, 01:41 PM

Thank you both, very much.

Norma, your ten years on this poison mirrors my own. If you are currently tapering, I wish you the best.

I have gone back on the 20mg dose and will taper very slowly from there.

Norma · 12-03-2009, 02:43 PM

I am still tapering. It can be challenging at times, but I am making progress.

Good luck with your taper too!
Norma

12-03-2009, 01:23 PM	#1
jack napier Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: California Posts: 6	Help With Quitting... Hello, You've all been such wonderful and supportive people to me with some sage advice in the past. And that's despite my irresponsibility with this drug. So, I thank all of you. I now have another question and appreciate all your comments. About a year ago, it was suggested to me to go with 20mg instead of the 40mg I had been on for years because I had disrupted the 'treatment' by missing several days here and there. The idea was that I was effectively between 20-30mg anyway since I had only been taking the 40mg once every couple days. I did go from 40mg to 20mg of paxil and stayed level for the next year (at 20). After some initial suffering and adjusting, I felt much better and with a lot less side effects at 20mg... While 40 to 20 is not a jump I'd recommend to anyone, I felt great to be able to lower my dependence on this drug. My current situation: I've been without the paxil for 3 weeks now simply because I've been out of the country and had problems getting refills that I didn't expect. I have my refill now, but have not had the same kind of withdrawal I had from 40mg. The electric zaps have turned into these slight but very annoying fever-headaches and, of course, there are the sudden moments of pseudo anxiety/depression... But overall the withdrawal feels much more physical than mental. The question I have for you now: Do you suggest starting back at the 20mg and slowly tapering from there? Or should I try to tough this out cold turkey as I had gone around three weeks without any major pains of withdrawal? What do you think I should do? Thanks for your time, once again. __________________ 98-00: 40mg paxil, .5mg klonopin 00-02: 40 mpg paxil 02-03: nothing, cold turkey (8 months or so) 03-07: 40 mg paxil (psychiatrist recommendation) 07-08: 40 mg paxil (often missing doses) 08-xx: 20 mg paxil (trying to stabilize at a lower dose) Last edited by jack napier : 12-03-2009 at 01:28 PM. Reason: grammar.

12-03-2009, 01:32 PM	#2
Norma Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 137	Re: Help With Quitting... Personally, I would taper. During the ten years I have been on this poison I have tried many times to get off of it. Sudden, big changes never produce good results for me.

12-03-2009, 01:32 PM	#3
scotty Administrator Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: new jersey Posts: 40,828	Re: Help With Quitting... Go back to 20mg and taper from there. __________________ AKA Laurie "By ignoring the environmental factors the psychiatric profession gives itself complete job security by diagnosing life as a mental illness. The only people who will not qualify for a disorder are those who are dead." Joseph Arpaia, MD

12-03-2009, 01:41 PM	#4
jack napier Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: California Posts: 6	Re: Help With Quitting... Thank you both, very much. Norma, your ten years on this poison mirrors my own. If you are currently tapering, I wish you the best. I have gone back on the 20mg dose and will taper very slowly from there. __________________ 98-00: 40mg paxil, .5mg klonopin 00-02: 40 mpg paxil 02-03: nothing, cold turkey (8 months or so) 03-07: 40 mg paxil (psychiatrist recommendation) 07-08: 40 mg paxil (often missing doses) 08-xx: 20 mg paxil (trying to stabilize at a lower dose)

12-03-2009, 02:43 PM	#5
Norma Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 137	Re: Help With Quitting... I am still tapering. It can be challenging at times, but I am making progress. Good luck with your taper too! Norma __________________ Summer 1999 – stress overload, declining health December 1999 – Doctor diagnoses depression & anxiety, 20mg paxil. January 2000 to May 2009 – Paxil dosage rises to 40mg. Numerous failed attempts to quit. June to July 2009 – too fast taper, wind up in ER. Read paxilprogress and decide to stabilize at 30mg. September 2009 – 27mg November 2009 – 24.3mg January 2010 - 21.8 February 2010 - 20 April 2010 - 19 May 2010 - 18 June 2010 - 17 July 2010 - 16 August 2010 - 15

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