What do your doctors say about withdrawal???

Hi there everybody,

I just found this forum & hope you can provide some insight.

I was ok on 20 mg, went down to 10 mg on alternate days for about a month, then 5 mg for 4 days then ZERO.

Of course went thru all the horrible physical withdrawal. It's been 10 weeks since I had any Paxil, so most of my phsical symptoms are gone.

BUT I still don't feel like my 'old self'. I get lot's of anxiety, can't sleep right, can't eat properly, don't enjoy all the stuff I used to. Basically I'm just pushing myself thru life.

I'm debating going back on the meds (Doc wants me to try Celexa).

Maybe I just came off too quickly?? How long should you wean yourself?? My doc seems to think it should not have been a problem for me to stop as quickly as I did.

I just can't help but think I'm 2.5 months free of Paxil now, so maybe I should just ride it out??

Any suggestions would be great???

Hello!

At last, it is your decision, but my advice would be to stay paxil free!
Your symptoms are psychological : and they seem real hard but maybe you can manage it? I have understand (by personnal experiences, 4 failed attemp to stop paxil and by reading posts here and there) that the worst period is between 2months and 6 months without paxil. It seems as if you can tough 7 month you will be OK!! You are more lucky than me because you are 2 and a half months and I am just 6 weeks free So basically, you would have to "hang in there" for just 3 or 4 months... I know it seams REAL LONG when we are fealing bad. My advice with be the same as anyone who is going through withdrawal :
1) take care of your self : try to eat well (buy ensure if you dont feel like eating), try to exercice, or at least take a walk, take vitamines, herbal tea
2) if you havent seen a psychologist to deal with anxiety, go see one, espacially one that is trained on cognitive therapy
3) you can take something to sleep if you are too exhausted. Not every night, but sometimes, to get a good sleep. It does not have to be prescription drug.... Some medications for allergy will do it...
4) try to avoid stress : if you have a job, stay away from the problems, try to be with people you can talk to about this paxil issue, and take it easy!!! it is rough, and if you are a performer, you have to take a rest : a bath, a massage, a good movie, anything!!!

5) and I think the most important thing, when you feel bad, is to tell yourself : IT IS NOT ME, IT IS THE WITHDRAWAL!!!! For myself, I went to see a psychologist, and I worked A LOT on my personnal problems so I dont want anybody to tell me that when I feel like jumping out the window, it is because I am "missing serotonine hereditary" or that I "did not worked my personnal issues"... it is the withdrawal and it is BAD!!!

I have seen to many post of people who were prescribed this drug for a non mental problem (ex: headache) and who end up suicidal, depressed or having panic attacks... is this not the ultimate proof we are not going insane???


I was also wondering, because i know I will soon be "attacked" by the anxiety of the withdrawal if there is a natural medication for anxiety, something that is non habit forming....??? does anyone know??? I amthe kind of people who doesnt trust any medication. Yes, since paxil, I am SO AFRAID of putting something else on my body!!! even something "natural"

Hang in there, keep faith, I am with you because I know how much this thing is HELL!

have a good day!!!

genevieve

forget the poor english, it is my second language...

[safarigal]

Cool Mama,

The thing about all SSRIs is that they don't cure whatever you took them for. If you had depression and/or anxiety before Paxil then you will still have one or the other or both.

I did find that for the first 3-4 months being Paxil free that I was more irritable and seemed to fluctuate in and out of mild depression.

And oh yeah, once you are Paxil free you have to learn how to deal with all the emotion that Paxil was suppressing. That will certainly make you irritable. I had to be really careful not to bite everyone's head off while I was relearning.

About herbal anxiety relievers: I'm using valerian tablets. Been on 8 mg paxil now for 4 weeks and the anxiety is always present. Valerian seems to smooth things out. Be sure to take a good amount, since standard 25 mg tablets do nothing. I'm using 200 mg tablets and they do work. As far as I know, they are perfectly safe and are non habit forming.

Hang on in there... I'm 10 months off paxil and a lot lot better. I had insomnia pretty badly especially - it's still getting better and better. Now I only occasionally have a bad nights sleep. Take Calcium and Magnesium for the nerves...valerian for insomnia (but not too much - I found my nerves became a bti frayed when i took too much...I dont believe that's there's no downside altho for sure they're pretty mild)....and physical exercise is VERY important to get those endorphines pumping (which helps you sleep)..even now I find I sleep better if I've been on a hard run.

[Scott]

yes, ride it out, the fact you feel any better is proof that you will get even better.. doctors are famous for ignoring withdrawal on these drugs..for that reason i went on 5 other drugs over 10 years instead of allowing myself to balance, i trusted the doctor.
you dont need a pill to get thru life.. what did we do 100 years ago?
these drugs should only be given in extreme situations, not because youre feeling unhappy about things you can change.