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FROM sertraline back to paroxatine

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debra34304
debra34304

Hi every1 as any1 ever been on paroxatine? Then swapped to another AD. As I was on paroxatine for 17yrs then went onto sertraline for 3months. Now back on to paroxatine. I was just wondering how long it should take for 20mgs to kick back in. Any advice or reassurance please 🌹

0 likes, 22 replies

22 Replies

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  • Purpleheather
    Purpleheather debra34304

    Posted

    I came off it once and took Effexor for a few months. Went back on Paroxetine. It kicked in quite quick - within the first week. Was a great relief!
    • debra34304
      debra34304 Purpleheather

      Posted

      THank you for ure reply purpleheather . Was u on it for anxiety and panic attacks. I’ve been back on it for 8days now with little improvement. What mgs did you start back on? And does it work just as good as the first time around 🌹

  • Purpleheather
    Purpleheather debra34304

    Posted

    I’m on it for anxiety, OCD and depression. Think I’d been on it 2 years before trying Effexor. Then went back on and have been on it ever since! Over 23 years in all. When I went back on I started on 20 mg and increased up to 50mg. (Had been on 60 mg before). Now I’m on 60 mg again but hope to go back to 50 mg. It worked just as well when I went back on. Maybe you need a higher dose? I was thinking of trying Sertraline (seems to be the most popular AD now). Did it not work for you?
    • debra34304
      debra34304 Purpleheather

      Posted

      Hi purpleheather did you ever suffer with depersonalisation due to ure anxiety. As I’m suffering with that aswell and that what scares me the most. How long does usually last for? And sertraline didn’t really do anything for me. Y do u want to swap if the paroxatine works well for u 🌹

  • Purpleheather
    Purpleheather debra34304

    Posted

    That sounds awful. I think I have experienced it in moments of extreme anxiety, but not for long. Had no idea it had this name. It’s my GP suggesting I should maybe try something else. That’s because I was in a very bad way in December when my beloved cat died. Seems nothing works when you are at your lowest. In fact, thinking about it, that’s why I changed to Effexor all those years ago ...... because my cat had died! In which case it must have been 18 years ago, so I had been on Seroxat then for  15 years, not 2 as I said before. I should learn from that and stay on Seroxat, but I’m always thinking about “new” drugs on the market, that might work better.

    I really hope it kicks in for you soon. Sounds like you are really suffering. I take diazepam in emergency situations. In December I was taking them more often, but now hardly taking. I was addicted to them many (33) years ago, so know how dangerous they are, so I’m ultra careful.

    Hope this helps.

    Heather x

  • julie73211
    julie73211 debra34304

    Posted

    Hi Debra

    I was on paroxetine for about 6 years, I came off completely, very slowly for about a year.

    Last November after a dreadful few months i started with severe anxiety and OCD, my doctor started me on sertraline which I was on for about 6weeks and it made my anxiety worse, I tried to persevere but it just didn't work. It also messed with my lethyroxine meds.

    At Christmas time I saw another doctor who told me to half sertraline for a week then stop it and go back on paroxetine, which I have done. It takes about six weeks for sertraline to get out your system which for me was a week or two back. I must say I now feel loads better in myself, yes the anxiety and OCD is still there but no where near as bad.

    I hope this helps you, if you need to talk just message ok.

    Take care x

    • Purpleheather
      Purpleheather julie73211

      Posted

      Hi Julie

      Your comments are very helpful to me! Interesting about the Sertraline making it worse. Think I will stay on Paroxetine then. I don’t know how bad your OCD is, but I totally sympathise. It’s a crippling disorder that can take over your whole life. It certainly did with me! Sometimes I forget how bad I was. I still have OCD, but it’s manageable. I hope the same (if not better) happens with you.

      Heather x

    • debra34304
      debra34304 julie73211

      Posted

      Hi Julie can u remember how long the paroxatine started to kick in? I’m on day 9 now back on 20mgs of paroxatine and feeling really anxious, panicky and feeling really scared. I just can’t wait till it kicks back in. Any advice or reassurance please 🌹

    • julie73211
      julie73211 Purpleheather

      Posted

      Hi Heather

      I'm pleased you found my comment helpful, if I was you I would stay on the paroxetine as you know it helps you. They do say sertraline is a gentler medication but it made my anxiety so much worse, I'm just so relieved the sertraline is out by system now.

      Yes I totally agree OCD can take over your world, I always thought this illness was a case of having labels etc a certain way, shows how much I knew about it as mine isn't that at all. I hand wash all the time , which is now getting under control, I still do it but not half as much, also the obsessive thoughts which is so horrendous to live with , anyone who doesn't suffer with this illness couldn't understand, I know the think they do but they don't.

      I'm pleased yours is more manageable now Heather , I know mine isn't as bad as a couple of months ago.

      Take care x Julie x

    • debra34304
      debra34304 julie73211

      Posted

      Hi Julie you know how you said that the sertraline takes so long to get out of ure system? It won’t stop the paroxatine working will it? Wot mgs r u on and how long did it take to kick back in fully 🌹

    • julie73211
      julie73211 debra34304

      Posted

      Hi Debra

      No it won't stop the paroxetine working, although as it's getting out your system you can get anxious , I know I did , but it's the withdrawal from the sertraline , which may be why your anxiety is heightened at the moment Debra. You will get there. All I can say is now the paroxetine is working for me I feel a whole lot better than in sertraline.

      It's horrible I know , as a couple of months ago I was where you are now.

      Try to persevere and take each day as it comes and you WILL get there.

      I know everyone is different but I'm keeping everything crossed for you.

      I started back on the paroxetine at 20 mg , see my doctor again next week and he did say he may increase me to 30 mg then

      Hope this helps x Julie x

    • debra34304
      debra34304 julie73211

      Posted

      Thanx a lot for that Julie much appreciated. I’ve put my dose back up to 30mgs now as thats where I was when the doctor took me off them. How long did ures take to kick back in? I just can’t wait to start feeling the benefits again from paroxatine. I wished I ad never swapped. Going through all this crap to go back on paroxatine. 🌹

    • julie73211
      julie73211 debra34304

      Posted

      Hi Debra

      I would say it took about 2 weeks to kick back in, where I started to feel a difference. Once sertraline was right out my system I could definitely feel the benefits. It's seems as though you had the same reaction to sertraline as I did.

      If I was you I would stay on 20mg until the sertraline is out your system then increase to 30mg which is how I did it, although everyone is different and you know what's best for you.

      Hope you start to feel better soon Debra, it's awful isn't it

      Julie x

    • debra34304
      debra34304 julie73211

      Posted

      Hi Julie thanks for that. Do u think that once the paroxatine starts to kick back in? Do u think it’ll help my depersonalisation . I really hope so cus it’s so scary feeling like this. Feeling detached and like I’ve lost myself and feeling detached to my luv 1s 🌹

    • debra34304
      debra34304 julie73211

      Posted

      Hi Julie how did you know when the sertraline was out of ure system? And what feelings did you get once the paroxatine kicked back in x
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