lexapro vs paxil cr need advise ?

mralex666 · 10-06-2004, 03:55 PM

hi, i went to my doc today because i want to quit paxil so i told him and he switched me over to lexapro 10mg he said that i can just quit the paxil and start taking the lexapro the next day?? WTF i told myself i metion to him that i read alot of withdrawal side effects from paxil he told me i should be fine since i'm only taking 12.5 mg.. so this is why i'm posting my plan is to taper off like mybabygoon told me to she told me to cut the 12.5 mg and take it for 2 weeks that sounds good. my other question is should i try lexapro i don't really know much about it and is it also tough to get off it. i'm taking this for minor anxiety.. thanks everyone...

MizzT · 10-06-2004, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mralex666

he told me i should be fine since i'm only taking 12.5 mg..

has he personally done it??
yeah....my doc said i would be fine too. he he he he

have you tried ddecreasing yet to know whether or not you react to the drug?? there IS always the possibility that you will have no symptoms.
otherwise taper slowly and methodically.

As for Lexapro....Forest Labs released data over the summer that Lexapro proved less effective than placebo in trials and while it has less withdrawal problems....there is no saying that there will be no symptoms. but its less effective than placebo......so have an M&M instead.
I think the Green ones are for OCD, the Orange ones are for Anxiety, the Red ones......

peace
beverly

mralex666 · 10-06-2004, 05:08 PM

defonz, no i haven't tried tapering yet i'm going to start tomarrow by cutting it in half for 2 weeks like babygoon told me to do i hope it goes smooth..as for the lexapro i think i'll skip it and try the herbal route like kava kava and E sam.. plus i'm going crazy not drinking while football season is going on.. thanks for you help

PayPerView · 10-06-2004, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by defonz3

Quote:

Originally Posted by mralex666

he told me i should be fine since i'm only taking 12.5 mg..

......so have an M&M instead.
I think the Green ones are for OCD, the Orange ones are for Anxiety, the Red ones......
beverly

haha

well, the LexaPro has been making me more anxious, nauseas and giving me a blasting headache, so overall I am very enthusiastic and positive it is the right drug for me!

mygoonbaby · 10-06-2004, 11:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mralex666

defonz, no i haven't tried tapering yet i'm going to start tomarrow by cutting it in half for 2 weeks like babygoon told me to do

Mralex666, I think you are mixing me up with someone else. No, I didn't say to cut anything in half for 2 weeks? I think you misunderstood. I had asked Scotty, how long Ryan was on the (6.25 mg. paxil cr) because I was about to cut my dosage down to that, and Scotty/AKA Laurie said Ryan was on that dosage for 2 weeks and then went off.I have been on it alot longer than Ryan was and I'm not sure how long you've been on it but.. maybe you should go back and re read all that, because I don't want you to have any problems or anything..no, I had said, I cut my dosage since being on 20 mg. of regular paxil, I went on the paxil cr 25 mg., then cut to 12.5 mg. of cr, and now I'm down to 6.25, of the paxil cr. (by cutting the 12.5 cr. in half)..I hope I haven't confused you more, but you misunderstood and you have some names mixed up, here. Which, that is no problem or anything, but I don't want you to have any trouble with cutting or changing doses because of this mixup. I just wanted to clear this up.

I hope I did??

mralex666 · 10-07-2004, 03:32 PM

i sure did mix both of you up.. i'm sorry!! well here's my story i've been taking paxil cr at 12.5 mg for the last 4 and 1/2 months and i wanna quit taking it so i'll try what scotty said about ryan. which was to cut the 12mg in half and take that for 2 weeks the nothing after. hey scotty i have a pill cutter will the 12mg cut good? just curious...

mygoonbaby · 10-07-2004, 07:27 PM

Hey.. no problem mralex, it's probably the paxil that mixed ya up, LOL!
Oh and I know ya asked Scotty, but I thought I'd give ya my two cents too ..I have had pretty good luck cutting the 12.5 in half with a pill cutter. It's been working good to cut it with a pill cutter.
Mygoonbaby

mralex666 · 10-08-2004, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mygoonbaby

Hey.. no problem mralex, it's probably the paxil that mixed ya up, LOL!
Oh and I know ya asked Scotty, but I thought I'd give ya my two cents too ..I have had pretty good luck cutting the 12.5 in half with a pill cutter. It's been working good to cut it with a pill cutter.
Mygoonbaby

thanks i'll go buy one..

scotty · 10-08-2004, 03:14 PM

Yes the pill cutter worked really well. While it might not be exactly 6.25mg its close enough. Good LucK!!

puggo63 · 10-11-2004, 01:48 PM

I have been on 30 mg of Paxil for over 8 years. ( I suffer from panic attacks and clinical depression). Within the last year I have been having episodes of depression and panic again . My MD switched me to Lexapro 20mg 3 weeks ago. He recommended tapering the Paxil from from 30mg>25>15>15 every other day> 0. This while beginning the Lexapro 20mg at the same time. I could not tolerate having both SSRI's in my system, I stopped the Paxil completely while still taking the Lexapro. I had some of the withdrawal symptoms with the nausea and gastrointenstinal problems(diarrhea) being the worst then the insomnia and heavy sweating then anxiety and insomnia. Now I feel very moody with some depressive episodes. The pill cutter makes it very easy to cut the tablets but I recommend taking the bull by the horns(Paxil withdrawal) and give it a good fight. There is hope at the of this mess.

10-11-2004, 01:57 PM

I know for a fact that you can switch straight over from the Paxil to the Lexapro and you won't have any withdrawel symptoms from the Paxil either. I know that to be true because I did it...and no it's not like a placebo because it really helped my depression while I was taking it. I went off of it cold turkey and it didn't bother me one bit.

defonze, You seem to know so much about everything.......what are you a doctor or something?

silence4now · 10-11-2004, 02:35 PM

Hey mralex, I believe that darrennyc tapered down to 12.5 and then quit pretty easily. So it can be done. But it's different for everyone. I went CT off 4 mg and had the fight of my life.

Just curious why you choose to take these drugs for mild anxiety?

10-06-2004, 03:55 PM	#1
mralex666 Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Los Angeles CA Posts: 470	lexapro vs paxil cr need advise ? hi, i went to my doc today because i want to quit paxil so i told him and he switched me over to lexapro 10mg he said that i can just quit the paxil and start taking the lexapro the next day?? WTF i told myself i metion to him that i read alot of withdrawal side effects from paxil he told me i should be fine since i'm only taking 12.5 mg.. so this is why i'm posting my plan is to taper off like mybabygoon told me to she told me to cut the 12.5 mg and take it for 2 weeks that sounds good. my other question is should i try lexapro i don't really know much about it and is it also tough to get off it. i'm taking this for minor anxiety.. thanks everyone...

10-08-2004, 03:14 PM	#9
scotty Administrator Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: new jersey Posts: 47,014	Yes the pill cutter worked really well. While it might not be exactly 6.25mg its close enough. Good LucK!! __________________ AKA Laurie "Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase." MLK

10-11-2004, 02:35 PM	#12
silence4now Join Date: May 2004 Location: SE U.S. Posts: 3,455	Hey mralex, I believe that darrennyc tapered down to 12.5 and then quit pretty easily. So it can be done. But it's different for everyone. I went CT off 4 mg and had the fight of my life. Just curious why you choose to take these drugs for mild anxiety? __________________ Lisa - Paxil free since May 2004 _________________________________ God's economy is always positive.

10-06-2004, 05:08 PM	#3
mralex666 Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Los Angeles CA Posts: 470	defonz, no i haven't tried tapering yet i'm going to start tomarrow by cutting it in half for 2 weeks like babygoon told me to do i hope it goes smooth..as for the lexapro i think i'll skip it and try the herbal route like kava kava and E sam.. plus i'm going crazy not drinking while football season is going on.. thanks for you help

10-07-2004, 03:32 PM	#6
mralex666 Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Los Angeles CA Posts: 470	i sure did mix both of you up.. i'm sorry!! well here's my story i've been taking paxil cr at 12.5 mg for the last 4 and 1/2 months and i wanna quit taking it so i'll try what scotty said about ryan. which was to cut the 12mg in half and take that for 2 weeks the nothing after. hey scotty i have a pill cutter will the 12mg cut good? just curious...

10-07-2004, 07:27 PM	#7
mygoonbaby Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Michigan, USA Posts: 184	Hey.. no problem mralex, it's probably the paxil that mixed ya up, LOL! Oh and I know ya asked Scotty, but I thought I'd give ya my two cents too ..I have had pretty good luck cutting the 12.5 in half with a pill cutter. It's been working good to cut it with a pill cutter. Mygoonbaby

10-11-2004, 01:48 PM	#10
puggo63 Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Miami Florida Posts: 36	I have been on 30 mg of Paxil for over 8 years. ( I suffer from panic attacks and clinical depression). Within the last year I have been having episodes of depression and panic again . My MD switched me to Lexapro 20mg 3 weeks ago. He recommended tapering the Paxil from from 30mg>25>15>15 every other day> 0. This while beginning the Lexapro 20mg at the same time. I could not tolerate having both SSRI's in my system, I stopped the Paxil completely while still taking the Lexapro. I had some of the withdrawal symptoms with the nausea and gastrointenstinal problems(diarrhea) being the worst then the insomnia and heavy sweating then anxiety and insomnia. Now I feel very moody with some depressive episodes. The pill cutter makes it very easy to cut the tablets but I recommend taking the bull by the horns(Paxil withdrawal) and give it a good fight. There is hope at the of this mess.

10-11-2004, 01:57 PM	#11
peekaboo210 Posts: n/a	I know for a fact that you can switch straight over from the Paxil to the Lexapro and you won't have any withdrawel symptoms from the Paxil either. I know that to be true because I did it...and no it's not like a placebo because it really helped my depression while I was taking it. I went off of it cold turkey and it didn't bother me one bit. defonze, You seem to know so much about everything.......what are you a doctor or something?

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