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Paxil withdraw supplement helps

Posted , 22 users are following.

rad04868
rad04868

I stopped Paxil 2 months ago after almost 3 years 20 mg a day

I lowered my dose to 10mg first but then couldn’t manage to completely stop for about 4 more more months

When finally quit-Withdraw side effects were very bad. I was searching on line for someone who detailed Day by Day effect so I know what to expect but didn’t really find anything 

Physical side effects lasted about a month but the depression and anxiety was harder to deal with than the brain fog and vertigo.

If you are planning on quitting Paxil here is what helped me

1. Tell your boss, family and friends what you are doing. 

2. When you start getting windows of clear brain function and stability ( around day 10) use it for exercise or sex. It’s an investment in your wellness.

3. Supplements and healthy food

Vitamin B and 5 HTPE on empty stomach in the morning- this was a game changer for me. I still take that and I’m not planning on stopping anytime soon.

Magnesium when I have panic attack helps, it’s not xanex tho

I’ve heard St. John wort helps too but I haven’t tried.

As much as I try to avoid drugs Paxil was a must for me 3 years ago.

I almost lost consciousness from panic attacks and few times on the the road. Paxil helped me realize that it was all in my head so now I just have to deal with my own brain knowing that the rest of the Ford is in good shape.

I was curious how other quitters are doing 

0 likes, 25 replies

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  • Jane2806
    Jane2806 rad04868

    Edited

    How are you doing now-have you completely recovered?  Iam in the process of tapering from Paxil.  I have been on SSRI's for over 15 years now, so I am having a hard time getting off of them.  I was on Zoloft the majority of the time, but it stopped working as well so was switched to Lexapro last October, which was awful!  The doc then tried 20 mg of Paxil and after a few weeks I started feeling really anxious on it as well.  I decided to come off and was told to drop much too quickly by my doctor and started having withdrawal symptoms.  I am now on 8mg of Paxil and holding till my symptoms stabilize.  I don't think many people understand how difficult this process can be.  I know it will still be over a year for me to be completely free of this medication.  Thank you for sharing your experience.  I feel we can learn so much from each other.

    • Nada678
      Nada678 Jane2806

      Edited

      Hello Jane 2806

      Have you managed to come off Paroxetine? I am on 5 mg but the withdrawal symptoms are so severe I can barely function. I am scared of going any lower because I don't have any support. I just wish I could stabilize. How much do you drop at a time and how long do you hold? Thank you

      Nada

    • Jane2806
      Jane2806 Nada678

      Posted

      Hi Nada,

      I actually had to increase my dose up to 9 mg as I have not been doing well.  It really hasn’t helped.  These meds are awful to come off of.  I would just take your time and wait till you are feeling better before you taper any more.  I plan to hold for at least 6 months.

    • catali
      catali Nada678

      Posted

      Hello Nada678

      I'm wondering the same things about reducing the doses. I went back to 10mg after a really bad WD experience. I'm still anxious and depressed but at least I'm getting more sleep at last. I'm very scared of triggering it all again, but am also really keen to get off these drugs before they do me any more damage. (I also have amitriptyline to come off). Would be great to share experiences if you're willing? How are you doing now?

  • Guest
    Guest rad04868

    Edited

    I was prescribed Paxil by my doctor for my anxiety. I’ve only been on them for 9months I really didn’t want to go down the AD road but eventually gave in. It did help with my anxiety but I would have really bad migraines so I stopped cold turkey (I know really silly) 

    I haven’t been on them very long but the withdrawal symptoms are so bad I’m on day 4 and it’s been hell!!! Brain fog, dizziness/vertigo (the worse one) lump in my throat, derealization and bad anxiety  I have 2 small children who rely on me so I try my best to get up and put on a smile and act all normal for them but Inside I’m struggling with the symptoms. Hopefully they go away soon. I too have tried supplements magnesium, St. John’s wort I also have rescue remedy for when my anxiety gets bad which helps a bit. 

    • Jane2806
      Jane2806 Guest

      Edited

      I would try reinstating at the dose you were at if not a bit smaller dose.  Then once you've stabilized you could taper very slowly at about 10% from your more recent dose.  I have learned the hard way that this is the best way of getting off these horrible meds.

  • catali
    catali rad04868

    Edited

    I'm also struggling to recover from a horrendous withdrawal episode. GP gave me a taper that was far too fast, tried me on mirtazapine before going back to the seroxat. I'm now on half my original dose, 10mg.

    I'm so scared that my short term memory has been v badly affected. I'm not sure whether this is from long term use of ADs or just from the withdrawal which included extreme I somnia and intense anxiety. I think I've been traumatized by the experience. I now feel really badly depressed. I'm sure I need to continue a very slow withdrawal but I'm petrified of triggering more WD symptoms. How do you know when you're stable enough to try the next reduction? Any ideas or advice would really help!

    Friends, family and medics all seem to be determined to suggest going on alternative ADs. To them it just looks as though I m suffering from my original illness of recurrent depression. They don't seem to be able to understand or believe that it's the medication itself that is doing the damage. Surely there are enough of us with these experiences to prove these drugs can have such appalling consequences? Thanks all of you out there that give me hope that in not alone in this! Xxx

  • rad04868
    rad04868

    Posted

    Thank you all for sharing your experiences. I’m sorry to hear they aren’t that great sad.

    My update is that one tough year later I managed to stay off Paxil with the help of St John Worth twice a day and Vitamin B when I know hard days are ahead.

    I’m still afraid that the anxiety ghost  will come down and haunt me again  but so far I have been avoiding it well

    I hope my experience motivates you.

    However I knew I was ready to quit when I did it, so don’t hurry but also don’t miss your chance.

    I was shaky for about 4 months after I stopped Paxil, but also went through a tough patch of relocating buying a house changes at work and getting Lyme disease and antibiotics for 60 days. Even with all that Paxil stayed in the drawer.

    Good luck!

    R

  • Dwalsher
    Dwalsher rad04868

    Posted

    can I ask how the initial drop from 20mg to 10mg was? Ive been on Paroxetine for 24 years. My G.P has reduced my dose by 30mg to 20mg and it seems a lot to me.

    • laura79036
      laura79036 Dwalsher

      Posted

      Hey Dwalsher, I know your comment was 13 months ago, but I'm replying anyway.

      I feel that with Paxil, the dosages are much stronger as they go up. Like, the 20 mg feels very mild compared to the next dose up which is 30. And if you take half of a 40 mg pill= 20mg. , it is stronger than the actual 20mg. pill. Two 20 mg. pills do not equal a 40 mg pill. The 40 is much stronger than two 20's. That has been my experience.

      Curious if anyone else has found that to be true?

      With decreasing paxil, I think it's best to go by 5 mg. increments or less.

      I would love to taper off and be just fine. But for some reason, my brain/nervous system just needs what the ssri's provide.

  • tc619
    tc619 rad04868

    Edited

    how long was your brain fog? Outside of the nausea this is the worst part of it.

  • Visbell
    Visbell rad04868

    Edited

    I've not read through the messages yet...but commenting as a Pharmacist...

    5HTP or St John's wort with antidepressants can cause a seriuos interaction called serotonin syndrome...please look into it up.

    But once off the antidepressants...then of course either (not both) can be tried...but after about a 2 week period after stopping the antidepressant.

  • ali60536
    ali60536 rad04868

    Posted

    I promised myself I would write this when I decided to stop taking seroxat (paroxetine) after 6.5 years at 20mg.

    I think its easier to write about negative experiences than positive ones. But thought I would share my experience whichever way it went.

    I hoped coming off Seroxat would go well but was not convinced after reading the horror stories.

    Firstly I should clarify that I really think the medication saved my life. I had unsuccessfully tried other AD's which hadn't alleviated my crippling anxiety. Seroxat was different. It worked for me.

    Anyway I decided to come off the medication mainly because I continued to be well and secondly because it had started to have a couple of minor negative side effects.

    So I read everything about withdrawal. I had very little expectation that I would be able to do it.

    I spoke to my psychiatrist (not my GP) who was reticent but very supportive.

    I took herbal supplements that were recommended and started a cross taper with fluoxetine over a period of 10 days (Day one to six; I took 10mg paroxetine and 20mg of fluoxetine. Day seven to ten; I took 5mg paroxetine and 20mg fluoxetine; day eleven onwards I took 20mg fluoxetine only). The problem with withdrawing from paroxetine is its very short half life apparently. Fluoxetine has a much longer half life, and is, according to my psychiatrist, easier to come off.

    Three months on I have not had a single withdrawal symptom from paroxetine. I still feel okay. I now take one 20mg fluoxetine tablet every three days - I think this is more a safety blanket though; I'm not sure I actually need it. So I think the reason I decided to write this is to urge you to speak to a psychiatrist or a GP who is knowledgeable and supportive to make sure that you find the easiest route off the meds for you. And share your experience with a sympathetic friend who will encourage you through it.

  • nancy0422
    nancy0422 rad04868

    Edited

    I had been on Paxil for more than 10 years, 10 mg/day. i just quit cold turkey about six weeks ago when I realized i couldn't even cry about a death in the family. The first two or three weeks off the drug, i didn't feel many withdrawal symptoms. But now I'm dizzy, jittery, sweaty, and sad. wondering why it took so long for withdrawal to hit, and how I might be able to help

    myself get through it. determined not to go back on Paxil.

    • kelley36633
      kelley36633 nancy0422

      Posted

      Hi just wondering how you are doing now which i guess would be 3.5 months out? im at 6.5 weeks and struggling a lot.

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