Weaning off Paxil..HELP
Question:
Can anyone tell me how to wean myself off of paxil. I take 10mg a day now. I tried to cut down to 5mg a day for 2 weeks and then take 5mg everyother day but the side effects were mindblowing. I had a BUZZZZZING in my head, I was crying at the drop of a hat, and I had absolutely no memory. anyone have any other ideas??? my doctor told me to do the above…obviously not asking him again. he just gave me a prescription for prozac (which I havent filled) and told me to switch to that. I just want to be off medication. I am 32 years old. I dont want to take daily medication anymore.
Hi, Some people no matter how slow they try to wean off Paxil have withdrawal symptoms. You could try weaning much slower and decreasing your dose in smaller increments. Instead of going from 10mgs to 5mgs, go to 7.5mgs. It can be annoying cutting your tablet into smaller pieces, but it might make the difference. I have heard of people that shave a tiny bit off the tablet, so the amount they are decreasing is so minute. Quite a few people when weaning off Paxil complain of funny sensations in the head. Some people describe it as a *electric* shock feeling. As uncomfortable as these withdrawal symptoms are, they are not dangerous and will pass. Good luck. Jackie And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, "How could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags." And he puzzled and puzzled ’till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before. "What if Christmas," he thought, "doesn’t come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more."–Dr. Seuss
Response:
Your doctor is correct in prescribing Prozac as the best way to wean off Paxil when having difficulties. Usually 20 mg for 3 days and then you stop totally. YMMV. Dr.S. www.algy.com/pdi – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Can anyone tell me how to wean myself off of paxil. I take 10mg a day now. I tried to cut down to 5mg a day for 2 weeks and then take 5mg everyother day but the side effects were mindblowing. I had a BUZZZZZING in my head, I was crying at the drop of a hat, and I had absolutely no memory. anyone have any other ideas??? my doctor told me to do the above…obviously not asking him again. he just gave me a prescription for prozac (which I havent filled) and told me to switch to that. I just want to be off medication. I am 32 years old. I dont want to take daily medication anymore.
Response:
Can anyone tell me how to wean myself off of paxil. I take 10mg a day now. I tried to cut down to 5mg a day for 2 weeks and then take 5mg everyother day but the side effects were mindblowing. I had a BUZZZZZING in my head, I was crying at the drop of a hat, and I had absolutely no memory. anyone have any other ideas??? my doctor told me to do the above…obviously not asking him again. he just gave me a prescription for prozac (which I havent filled) and told me to switch to that. I just want to be off medication. I am 32 years old. I dont want to take daily medication anymore.
I’ve weened off Paxil twice and, as you say, it’s not a pleasant experience. Although I started weening at a higher dosage, the approach I used might help you too. Go back to a daily dose of either 5mg or 10 mg, whatever the least amount is that makes the withdrawal bearable. If you re-start at 10 mg, take this dose for a couple of days, then reduce to 5 mg. Stay at 5 mg until you get uncomfortable again, then go up to 10 mg for one day. Continue to use this routine, staying as long as you can at 5 mg until you’re eventually comfortable at that level. Normally, I’d suggest just stopping altogether at this point, but since you’re apparently sensitive to meds, begin taking 5 mg every other day; if you start to feel bad again, then go up to 5 mg for a couple of days in a row. Follow this procedure until you can stay at 5mg every other day, then cut it to one 5 mg pill every 3 days, etc. No matter how you withdraw, you’ll feel some discomfort. However, I’ve found that using an approach like the one covered above, makes the withdrawal a little more tolerable. Good luck. Doug Dunbar To reply by e-mail, please remove xx
Response:
I absolutely must disagree with Dr. Shipko’s advice to stop taking Paxil completely. Take the Prozac if you must but by any means necessary, DO NOT just stop taking the Paxil. Go SLOW! Even if it takes longer than you want. It’s taken me almost 20 weeks to get off of Klonopin and it has not been fun at all. I took Paxil for three months for migraines and I went off it….slowly. Best advice? Take to a different doctor…preferably one who specializes in anxiety disorders and/or people with depression. Good luck. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Can anyone tell me how to wean myself off of paxil. I take 10mg a day now. I tried to cut down to 5mg a day for 2 weeks and then take 5mg everyother day but the side effects were mindblowing. I had a BUZZZZZING in my head, I was crying at the drop of a hat, and I had absolutely no memory. anyone have any other ideas??? my doctor told me to do the above…obviously not asking him again. he just gave me a prescription for prozac (which I havent filled) and told me to switch to that. I just want to be off medication. I am 32 years old. I dont want to take daily medication anymore.
Response:
It’s taken me almost 20 weeks to get off of Klonopin and it has not been fun at all. What was the dose of Klonopin you were on? How did you taper the Klonopin dose downwards? What sort of problems did you have coming off the Klonopin? Thanks, Chip ~a Klonopin user~
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I absolutely must disagree with Dr. Shipko’s advice to stop taking Paxil completely. Take the Prozac if you must but by any means necessary, DO NOT just stop taking the Paxil. Go SLOW! Even if it takes longer than you want. It’s taken me almost 20 weeks to get off of Klonopin and it has not been fun at all. I took Paxil for three months for migraines and I went off it….slowly. Best advice? Take to a different doctor…preferably one who specializes in anxiety disorders and/or people with depression. Good luck. Have you yourself tried substituting Prozac for Paxil and then get off Prozac? I don’t think so. The thing is you’re wrong: one can switch SSRI’s in a matter of days. No withdrawal symptoms will occur because Prozac simply takes over as it’s a med from the same group. I know it can be difficult to wean off of Paxil and that’s why this is good advice: you don’t have to wean off it, you just replace it with another SSRI with which no withdrawal problem is associated. So the doctor is right (both *just me’s* doctor and the inimitable Dr. S. <g Can anyone tell me how to wean myself off of paxil. I take 10mg a day now. I tried to cut down to 5mg a day for 2 weeks and then take 5mg everyother day but the side effects were mindblowing. I had a BUZZZZZING in my head, I was crying at the drop of a hat, and I had absolutely no memory. anyone have any other ideas??? my doctor told me to do the above…obviously not asking him again. he just gave me a prescription for prozac (which I havent filled) and told me to switch to that. I just want to be off medication. I am 32 years old. I dont want to take daily medication anymore.
From personal experience, Dr. Shipko and Philip and your doctor are all right. I switched immediately from paxil to celexa with absolutely NO withdrawl symptoms from paxil. Maria
Response:
Chip, What was the dose of Klonopin you were on?<<<
2.5 mg per day for three years How did you taper the Klonopin dose downwards?<<<
knocked off .25 mg every two weeks…last dose of .25 mg down from 2.5 mg was today…starting tomorrow…no meds at all. What sort of problems did you have coming off the Klonopin?<<<
Still have about three to five more days before it’s all completely out of my system but during the weaning process: headaches, insomnia, gastrointestinal upset, muscle aches, the "shakes", tiredness, anxiety about all of the other withdrawl symptoms. Can’t tell if the anxiety/panic has returned until the meds are completely gone.
Response:
I absolutely must disagree with Dr. Shipko’s advice to stop taking Paxil completely. Take the Prozac if you must but by any means necessary, DO NOT just stop taking the Paxil. Go SLOW! Even if it takes longer than you want. It’s taken me almost 20 weeks to get off of Klonopin and it has not been fun at all. I took Paxil for three months for migraines and I went off it….slowly. Best advice? Take to a different doctor…preferably one who specializes in anxiety disorders and/or people with depression. Good luck.
Have you yourself tried substituting Prozac for Paxil and then get off Prozac? I don’t think so. The thing is you’re wrong: one can switch SSRI’s in a matter of days. No withdrawal symptoms will occur because Prozac simply takes over as it’s a med from the same group. I know it can be difficult to wean off of Paxil and that’s why this is good advice: you don’t have to wean off it, you just replace it with another SSRI with which no withdrawal problem is associated. So the doctor is right (both *just me’s* doctor and the inimitable Dr. S. <g – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Can anyone tell me how to wean myself off of paxil. I take 10mg a day now. I tried to cut down to 5mg a day for 2 weeks and then take 5mg everyother day but the side effects were mindblowing. I had a BUZZZZZING in my head, I was crying at the drop of a hat, and I had absolutely no memory. anyone have any other ideas??? my doctor told me to do the above…obviously not asking him again. he just gave me a prescription for prozac (which I havent filled) and told me to switch to that. I just want to be off medication. I am 32 years old. I dont want to take daily medication anymore.
Response:
Can anyone tell me how to wean myself off of paxil. I take 10mg a day now. I tried to cut down to 5mg a day for 2 weeks and then take 5mg everyother day but the side effects were mindblowing. I had a BUZZZZZING in my head, I was crying at the drop of a hat, and I had absolutely no memory. anyone have any other ideas??? my doctor told me to do the above…obviously not asking him again. he just gave me a prescription for prozac (which I havent filled) and told me to switch to that. I just want to be off medication. I am 32 years old. I dont want to take daily medication anymore.
Response:
Can anyone tell me how to wean myself off of paxil. I take 10mg a day now. I tried to cut down to 5mg a day for 2 weeks and then take 5mg everyother day but the side effects were mindblowing. I had a BUZZZZZING in my head, I was crying at the drop of a hat, and I had absolutely no memory. anyone have any other ideas??? my doctor told me to do the above…obviously not asking him again. he just gave me a prescription for prozac (which I havent filled) and told me to switch to that. I just want to be off medication. I am 32 years old. I dont want to take daily medication anymore.
Paxil is associated with a sometimes rather nasty withdrawal problem, as you experienced. Getting on Prozac while getting off Paxil is a good solution. Within days the Paxil will be out of your system and Prozac will have taken over. You can then stop Prozac quite quickly as no withdreawal symptoms are associated with it. Whether you actually can live withlut meds I can’t judge of course but if you will experience anxiety after having come off Prozac it will not be withdrawal but your body telling you that you still need medication. And then again, maybe you’ll be quite fine. I sure hope so. Please keep us posted! Philip
