Hi I'm new and I'm going off Paxil

12-01-2004, 12:47 AM

Hi I'm new to this board. My name is Jessica.
Hmmm, where do I start?
I took regular Paxil 40 mg for almost 5 years...that was 2 years ago.
It helped incredibly with my anxiety, social anxiety, and depression. It helped me come out of my shell but i dealt with a lot of unwanted side effects which I'm sure a lot of your have experienced...excessive sleepiness, forgetfulness, scattered..so since we had just moved and I wasn't working yet I found a psychiatrist and decided to explore what I could do. She wanted to take me off Paxil and have me try Prozac. She thought it would help and I may not experience the same bad side effects so I decided to give it a try.
She weaned me off Paxil but I don't remember how fast she did it. I know my withdrawal lasted a month. I assumed it had to have been too fast cause I had a horrible withdrawal. I felt like I had the flu, my head pounded, extreme dizziness(vertigo so bad, I couldn't drive), motion sickness feeling, stomach cramping. The Prozac was not a success, it did nothing but give me migraines.

I went to see a new Dr. and he put me on Paxil CR, I have been on Paxil CR 25 mg for 2 years now.

Recently we moved to Philadelphia and I started seeing a new psychiatrist, I explained to him that I am still having the same side effects on Paxil CR that I had on the original Paxil. I have stayed on it because I would rather live with those symptoms then have social anxiety, panic attacks, and depression. I have not gone up on my doseage because I'm afraid my side effects with worsen..even though my 25 mg of Paxil CR is not covering all my anxiety. Well, my new Dr. hates Paxil and he thinks that effexor will be a better drug for me (mind you please do not tell me any bad experiences with effexor you have had)
I have ADD and he feels that will help my ADD as well.
So Nov. 1st I started taking 12.5 mg of effexor (as well as my regular 25 mg of paxil) each week I have gone up 12.5 mg.. I am now on 50 mg.
Next week my Dr. plans to start my weaning off Paxil. He promises he will wean me off as slowly as possible. He told me that since the Effexor is in my body, it will help the withdrawal.

I just wanted to know if anyone had been on the reg. Paxil and Paxil CR at different times and went off them and noticed a different withdrawal?

If anyone went on Effexor from Paxil and didn't have a bad withdrawal from Paxil?

And if anyone has any tips to help symptoms of withdrawal from Paxil?

As you can tell, I'm scared to death because I have to work during this time or transition...

I'm so glad I found this board.

Thanks

RockSinger · 12-01-2004, 05:26 AM

Quote:

anyone went on Effexor from Paxil and didn't have a bad withdrawal

HAHAHAHAHA......HEEHEEEHEEHEEHEEHEE.............

Sorry..........

Go back and read my first post I ever did.......and'm still here in this mess 6 months later.

I think you will not choose this route.

safarigal · 12-01-2004, 05:46 AM

What Rock meant to say is that he went from Paxil to Effexor just like you and he is having MAJOR withdrawal problems from Effexor.

It doesn't matter which SSRI you use, they will all have side effects and withdrawal effects.

Just taper really slowly from the Paxil. Say 2.5 mg every 2 weeks and your withdrawal shouldn't be so bad.

scotty · 12-01-2004, 09:41 AM

Paxil and Paxil CR are the same drugs with the same side effects and the same action. The only difference is that one has a thicker sugar coating over the pill.I know that you don't want to hear anything bad about Effexor, but I have to tell you its just as bad for side effects and withdrawal as Paxil and may be even worse in the withdrawal department. My husband is weaning off Effexor now and its going to take at least a year to wean off to avoid systemic withdrawal.(This information is from his psychiatrist!!)Telling you that adding Effexor will help with paxil withdrawal is a lie!
Have you tried any other non-drug treatments for your depression,SAD??

RockSinger · 12-01-2004, 10:53 AM

Yeah.......that's what I meant...

Scott · 12-01-2004, 10:55 AM

effexor is worse because of the even shorter halflife than paxil.. plus it isn't just an ssri, it also works on the adrenal system.. this will lead to a hypersensitive nervous system upon quitting effexor.

sourced from crazymeds.org

Quote:

Cons: The absolute worst discontinuation syndrome of an antidepressant. Effexor (venlafaxine hydrochloride) is a medication people utterly loathe to have taken. It is not uncommon for someone to change doctors during or immediately after Effexor (venlafaxine hydrochloride) discontinuation.

Scott · 12-01-2004, 10:56 AM

luckily i didn't stay on effexor longer than 2 weeks because it made me so dizzy

rms · 12-01-2004, 11:04 AM

Goodluck, it ain't gonna be easy so try to be strong...

12-01-2004, 12:47 AM	#1
mirandanews Posts: n/a	Hi I'm new and I'm going off Paxil Hi I'm new to this board. My name is Jessica. Hmmm, where do I start? I took regular Paxil 40 mg for almost 5 years...that was 2 years ago. It helped incredibly with my anxiety, social anxiety, and depression. It helped me come out of my shell but i dealt with a lot of unwanted side effects which I'm sure a lot of your have experienced...excessive sleepiness, forgetfulness, scattered..so since we had just moved and I wasn't working yet I found a psychiatrist and decided to explore what I could do. She wanted to take me off Paxil and have me try Prozac. She thought it would help and I may not experience the same bad side effects so I decided to give it a try. She weaned me off Paxil but I don't remember how fast she did it. I know my withdrawal lasted a month. I assumed it had to have been too fast cause I had a horrible withdrawal. I felt like I had the flu, my head pounded, extreme dizziness(vertigo so bad, I couldn't drive), motion sickness feeling, stomach cramping. The Prozac was not a success, it did nothing but give me migraines. I went to see a new Dr. and he put me on Paxil CR, I have been on Paxil CR 25 mg for 2 years now. Recently we moved to Philadelphia and I started seeing a new psychiatrist, I explained to him that I am still having the same side effects on Paxil CR that I had on the original Paxil. I have stayed on it because I would rather live with those symptoms then have social anxiety, panic attacks, and depression. I have not gone up on my doseage because I'm afraid my side effects with worsen..even though my 25 mg of Paxil CR is not covering all my anxiety. Well, my new Dr. hates Paxil and he thinks that effexor will be a better drug for me (mind you please do not tell me any bad experiences with effexor you have had) I have ADD and he feels that will help my ADD as well. So Nov. 1st I started taking 12.5 mg of effexor (as well as my regular 25 mg of paxil) each week I have gone up 12.5 mg.. I am now on 50 mg. Next week my Dr. plans to start my weaning off Paxil. He promises he will wean me off as slowly as possible. He told me that since the Effexor is in my body, it will help the withdrawal. I just wanted to know if anyone had been on the reg. Paxil and Paxil CR at different times and went off them and noticed a different withdrawal? If anyone went on Effexor from Paxil and didn't have a bad withdrawal from Paxil? And if anyone has any tips to help symptoms of withdrawal from Paxil? As you can tell, I'm scared to death because I have to work during this time or transition... I'm so glad I found this board. Thanks

12-01-2004, 05:46 AM	#3
safarigal Moderator Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 4,891	What Rock meant to say is that he went from Paxil to Effexor just like you and he is having MAJOR withdrawal problems from Effexor. It doesn't matter which SSRI you use, they will all have side effects and withdrawal effects. Just taper really slowly from the Paxil. Say 2.5 mg every 2 weeks and your withdrawal shouldn't be so bad. __________________ Julie Paxil free since Nov 2002! Forum Rules Withdrawal FAQ

12-01-2004, 09:41 AM	#4
scotty Administrator & Advocate Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: new jersey Posts: 38,588	Paxil and Paxil CR are the same drugs with the same side effects and the same action. The only difference is that one has a thicker sugar coating over the pill.I know that you don't want to hear anything bad about Effexor, but I have to tell you its just as bad for side effects and withdrawal as Paxil and may be even worse in the withdrawal department. My husband is weaning off Effexor now and its going to take at least a year to wean off to avoid systemic withdrawal.(This information is from his psychiatrist!!)Telling you that adding Effexor will help with paxil withdrawal is a lie! Have you tried any other non-drug treatments for your depression,SAD?? __________________ AKA Laurie "If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere." ~Frank A. Clark

12-01-2004, 10:53 AM	#5
RockSinger Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Maine Posts: 663	Yeah.......that's what I meant... __________________ The Paxil Withdrawal Song http://www.geocities.com/barb_kno/rocksinger.html

12-01-2004, 10:56 AM	#7
Scott Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: somewhere in between Posts: 11,616	luckily i didn't stay on effexor longer than 2 weeks because it made me so dizzy __________________ Scott aka Scott What has happened to it all? Crazy, some are saying Where is the life that I recognize? Gone away But I won't cry for yesterday There's an ordinary world Somehow I have to find And as I try to make my way To the ordinary world I will learn to survive surviving an ssri reaction alternative anxiety treatments

12-01-2004, 11:04 AM	#8
rms Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 339	Goodluck, it ain't gonna be easy so try to be strong... __________________ I'm working on stopping beeing sick of everything Seroxat user since February 2003 Currently: Trying to get my life back! Status: Impossible...

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