How long do side effects last after stopping Paxil?

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Hello. I was on Paxil cr for three weeks 12.5mg. I was extremely nauseous and waking up with panic. I stopped Paxil 5 days ago and the nauseA seems to be getting better but I'm still waking up really anxious and panicky. I need to take klonopin to make it stop. Does anyone know how long this will last?

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5 Replies

  • Posted

    I dont know how long it will last but I do know that even for 3 weeks taking it you will have the withdrawal effects. I guess you just stopped abruptly and are getting those effects. Your side effects may last a couple or more weeks still. What you can do I think is take a very slight dose and gradually come down from it to reduce the side effect. for instance maybe take 5 mg/ per day for a week,  then 2.5 for another week .....then go off of it . By that time you should be ok.  just a suggestion
  • Posted

    Hey vanilla, think you'll be fine in a couple days. Considering that you've only been taking this drug 3 weeks at such a low dose you should be fine very soon. Paxil is one of the strongest ssris and hardest to get off of but remember your symptoms of anxiety etc were developing as you were on these pills so whatever you're feeling right now shouldn't be blamed or pinned as outright withdrawl. You're doing a disservice to your mental well being as well as yourself by blaming it om withdrawl considering its only been such a short time. At the same time I have no idea how this medication has affected you and everyone is different so I can be wrong and you might actually be going through withdrawl and not just showing symptoms you were experiencing due to the drug. My advice would be remember you've only been on this drug a very short time and there IS a way out, take everything you read about withdrawls and every symptom you experience with a grain of salt as the brain is very powerful and can make us exagerrate what we're feeling. At the same time I could be very wrong as i am not a doctor but I'm just reassuring you that you will be fine! Take it easy with those other pills too, the answer isn't to get dependent on another substance either as that can be cause you to feel much worse but take them when you really need to. Remember you're just detoxing a drug that some have described as satan itself and your body is just going through a process, you'll be fine soon enough as paxil only stays in the body 6 days at most.

    • Posted

      Thank you! I don't think I'm having withdrawals as what I'm experiencing started a few days after I started the drug. So I think it's more of a side effect. I'm just hoping it goes away soon.

  • Posted

    Hello Wendy, yes. I was on paroxetine for around 2/3 years and I started to get very anxious and down all of a sudden. I blamed it on my change of job and circumstances but I knew my medication should have enabled me to cope. I decided to go to the doctors to come off paroxetine and although happy now oh my god was it hard. I started to come off gradually and by 3 days later I was a nervous wreck and couldn't stop crying. I went back to the doctors and decided to do it quickly rather than prolong it. I weaned myself off of it over 3 days and went straight on to Sertraline. I suffered with terrible withdrawals ( I hear paroxetine is the worst ). I had brain zaps and nauseous feelings. As soon as I started my new meds I feel better. My recommendation is if you need to come off paroxetine because it isn't working do it slowly if you can if not do it quickly but make sure you have time off work and no commitments. It is very hard but know you will get through it.

    The side effects eased by going on to another drug!

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  • Posted

    I stopped Lexapro on the 18th December last year but feeling so low since.... not sure if its withdrawal or side effects from not been on the drugs

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