Paxil withdrawal
Posted , 3 users are following.
Hey everyone ive been on 10 mg paxil for approxitely 6 yrs now. Anxiety does run in my family so that could contribute to why I was having severe anxiety at the time. Paxil did save my life however. I was having multiple anxiety attacks throughout the day, it was really really affecting me. However if I knew the withdrawals I would have asked to get on something else. Now I want to come off of it, I don't want to depend on it anymore. I also feel like my short-term memory is getting worse and I read that it could be a side effect of Paxil. I will say this to anyone considering coming off. The withdrawals are absolutely horrible, it is actually kind of hard to explain. Like electric jolts throughout your body. Severe mood swings.
0 likes, 2 replies
avril23791 Nj87
Posted
I had a hard time withdrawing from Paxil recently. I was on it for over 20 years. I went from 40 mg, then one week on 30mg, then one week on 20mg and then three months on 10mg. I was fine until I came off it completely and my mood then sank through the floor. I couldn't stop crying.
I am now having to adjust to Sertraline combined with a medical herbal tonic; I am slightly better. I was considered St John's wort but decided to stick with the UK NICE guidelines. I think the tablets have a real effect on brain structure which is why it is so hard to come off them.
catali Nj87
Posted
Hi Nj and Avril,
I got the electric shock symptoms v badly too. Couldn't sleep more than an hour or so at night. I was also suffering muscle spasms, drenching sweats day and night and intense anxiety. I'm so shocked at the appalling state I was in. I don't think it helped that my GP tried me on mirtazapine before suggesting a return to seroxat, so it was 12 weeks before I went back on a half dose (10mg) seroxat. I'm a little better now but still only sleeping a few hrs a night, still sweating too much, anxious and rather depressed now. I think I need to get more stable on this dose but will eventually have to face the question of how to cope with further withdrawal. The thought scares the life out of me. I've already been off work for an extended period. I now think seroxat may be causing other neurological symptoms. I have permanent pins and needles in hands and feet and I've been worrying about my short term memory which seems to have deteriorated. Neurologist has discounted seroxat as the cause. Has suggested chronic fatigue syndrome. I'm keen to keep in touch with others in similar situations if you're willing. It seems like there is very little professional guidance available. Have you come across the survivingantidepressants website? It seems to have the most comprehensive advice I've found so far. Keep posting please!