Paxil

carlapv · Sep 16, 2003

As I was reading through some of the posts lately, I have seen that some of you are on Paxil. Have any of you had a problem getting off Paxil? I was on it for about 18 months a couple of years ago and had a heck of a time getting off it. The withdrawal was awful. I had to wean off by going to 1/4th tablet every other day. Some people have had to get it in the liquid form so that they can wean even slower. I went into the hospital with A Fib and pneumonia at the very end of the weaning process and with all the meds I was given for the A Fib I finally got off the Paxil. I did a search on Paxil on google and came up with all kinds of forums of people trying to get off Paxil.

Like all medication Paxil effects people differently, but I would surely recommend that you discuss this with your doctor.
it was truly a nightmare for me.

Carla

Ross · Sep 16, 2003

Carla Paxil is fine for short term use, but anything other then short term, there are problems with addiction. You need to see about getting something that will work for what you need it to work for and not worry about using it long term unless you have other issues that might make it necessary. I don't think so though.

carlapv · Sep 16, 2003

Thanks Ross,
I am currently on Wellbutrin. I strated that when I first stopped smoking about 7 or 8 weeks ago. I have one more refill left on my prescription. It kinda takes the edge off , if you know what I mean. I truly hope that I never have to take anything long term again.

Carla

Creed3 · Sep 16, 2003

Hi Carla,
I was on Paxil years ago. I had taken it for about for about six months or so. When I went off of it, to try to get pregnant, it was horrible. My doc didn't have me taper off. He told me to just stop, which was the WRONG thing to do. By the third day of no Paxil, I became so sick for about two weeks. I was sick to my stomach, headaches, felt like I had a massive hang over for two weeks straight. I seemed like I was living in a fog or something. I later have heard other people have had an awful time with withdrawl from Paxil. When it came time for me to go back on something, I chose Prozac. It has been working just fine for me. I'm sorry to hear you had to go through that terrible withdrawl from the Paxil.

Take Care!
Gail

hensylee · Sep 16, 2003

When my dear Joe was close to the end of his life, I went to my dr and said I didn't know how to handle death or what to expect and he put me on Paxil. I stayed on it for a long time - way too long. Then one day I decided, on my own, to stop. I did the take a pill for two days, then take a half, then one next day, then skip - kinda thing, like that. I didn't get sick or anything but I think I got a bit crazy because everything was funny to me (well, most things are, anyway, but this was a far out kind of funniness) and it lasted for several weeks but finally things settled down and I knew it was licked. I didn't suffer at all. And nobody ever noticed that I wasn't quite right, except me.

Nancy · Sep 16, 2003

Joe's been on Paxil for a long time. It works well for him.

He did try Effexor for a short time, that was the most terrible experience. He had to go off it because his blood pressure skyrocketed to 200 over whatever, and going off that, even with a highly managed taper, was excruciating for him, sickness, electric shock types feelings weird dreams. I did a search on the NET to see about others who've had similar problems, and there were many, many posts about going off Effexor and how devastating it is. He did finally manage to get off the damned stuff, but I do think it affected his health. Right after getting off it, he went into a medical tailspin and then spent a month in the hospital in very serious condition.

Maybe it was a coincidence, but I still have bad feelings about that drug.

He's back on Paxil now.