My Story :)

[MeadowLark]

First of all, I am so happy to have found this website! Here is my story.
I began Paxil cr in 2007 due to anxiety and severe PMDD: 12.5mg which became 25 mg. I feel that the doctor prescribed it very quickly to me. However, after being on it, I realized how much better my life could be. I became more confident in social settings and actually participated in social settings. Looking back, I could see how dehibilitating my anxiety was and how I needed to be on a SSRI.

However, I had negative side effects to this drug. I gained 20 lbs and felt very groggy in the evenings, going to bed super early and sleeping in late and constantly yawning throughout the day. I also found that my mind felt slower too.

In 2010, three years being on it, I wanted to see what my life could be like without it and if I really needed it or if I just could utilize my coping skills I acquired through counselling and reading great self help books. I SLOWLY titrated off. I forget exactly how the dosage went, but I remember it went something like this:

25; 25; 25; 12.5; 25; 25
12.5; 25; 25; 12.5; 25; 25
12.5; 25; 12.5; 25; 12.5
12.5; 12.5; 25; 12.5; 12.5
12.5; 12.5; 12.5; 12.5; 12.5
12.5; 12.5; 0; 12.5; 12.5
0; 12.5; 0; 12.5; 12.5
0; 12.5; 0; 12.5; 0
0; 0; 12.5; 0; 0
0;0;0;0;0;0;0

I did not have any withdrawal symptoms, probably because at the time I was regularly consulting with my doctor every 2 weeks before a dosage change, doing a Masters in Counselling Psychology, was off work and was exercising regularly! I noticed that off Paxil, I had more energy and was able to get back to my weight before I went on it. It was like my metabolism sped up. My thinking felt clearer too.

Unfortunately I remained off it for only a few weeks. I went through a tough situation which spiralled me into a deep depression and was recommended by my doctor to go back on it, this time up to 50mg a day. Along with counselling, Paxil kept me sane.

Now in 2012, I wanted to see if I could go off it, especially after finding out the dangers of having an SSRI in your system when you’re pregnant and wanting to have children in the next few years. I got down to 37.5 mg by going down by 12.5 mg for a few weeks but could not make it to 25 mg. I felt my mind racing and found myself crying uncontrollably at little things. Accepting that I need to have some antidepressant to help my anxiety, I researched all the different SSRI, finding out that Paxil is the toughest to get off and the most harmful to pregnant women (Category D). I wanted to get on Celexa, however my doctor consulted with a Psychiatrist and thought it was best to be on Zoloft. The plan was to go from 37.5 Paxil CR to 25 mg with 25 mg of Zoloft. The aim was to be 50 mg of Zoloft and 0 mg of Paxil CR.

So last week I began Zoloft while coming off of Paxil. That first night, my usual 10 pm sleep began at 4 am. I was very wired. I laid in bed constantly needing to move my legs. I felt very high as my thoughts seemed to float and morph from one thought to another in waves. I had to take Ativan (.5mg) to get to sleep! It helped to take the Zoloft first thing in the morning. I took Ativan for the first three nights, and by the sixth night I had gradually been able to get back to my usual bed time! I took solace in reading online about the many people out there experiencing the same side effects and knowing they will disappear. I absolutely love this pill more than Paxil. I have so much more energy and am not groggy throughout the day, even the nights with less sleep! My mind feels clearer as well. It’s been a week now and I’m nervous to make the next step: 50 mg Zoloft and 12.5 Paxil CR. My doctor suggested to go down yesterday, however I am going to wait another week and see….

[MeadowLark]

Having alot of sweaty sleeps and vivid bad dreams the past few nights!

[NoRx4me]

It's only a matter of time before Zoloft is also a Category D for pregnancy (if it's not already). The SSRI's are basically all the same.

[aberdeen]

What's with the night sweating and weird dreams? I go through that alot too.

[Brassmonkey]

Night sweats and vivid dream are pretty typical. I hate the sweats, luckly mine cleared up for the most part after I got going with my taper, they come back mildly after a drop once in a while but not like they were. I found wrapping my pillow in a towle made things a little more tolerable.

Most of the time I can get into the vivid dreams which range from wierd to OH YEA with the occasinal nightmare thrown in. The nightmares I could do with out, but the rest keep me from getting bored while I'm asleep.

[MeadowLark]

Had a very emotional weekend. Could be due to Pms too. On Sunday I made the next step: 50mg Zoloft and down to 12.5 Paxil. No noticible side effects as of yet, only stomach aches.

[MeadowLark]

Wokeup this morning drenched in sweat and anxiety nightmares so vivid that they felt like they really happened. First evening in a while where I didn't feel down.

[lotusflower]

Meadowlark,

Welcome to PP!! You mention that you want to get pregnant and plan to continue taking ssri drugs? Have you considered a very slow taper and CBT therapy for help with the anxiety? Zoloft made me a tired, depressed, irritable, numb, walking zombie. The first year was fine....then it was 12 years of fast tapers that left me feeling suicidal.....until I found this community and learned to taper the right way. Think about it, especially if you hope to get pregnant.
best, joanne