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Hi! My name is Dianna. I was a member of Paxil Progress and just found out today the web site shut down.
I tried to just stop taking Paxil and made it 10 days. I had no idea how bad it would get. I figured maybe a week but was determined to keep going. I caved because I couldn't handle how awful I felt.
Paxil did make a difference for my anxiety but I sure wish I had done research.
I am glad this site is here so I don't feel so alone.????

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Hi Dianna,

 

I'm glad you found your way here.  After going CT, getting back on Paxil was actually the right thing to do.  How long ago did you reinstate your dose?  Have things settled down any since then?  It would be great if you could please put your withdrawal history in your signature – all drugs/dates/dosages etc - so we can see your situation easily whenever you post, and help you more accurately.  Thanks.

 

When you do feel your Central Nervous System has stabilised again, you could begin a much gentler taper, reducing by no more than 10% of your current dose each month.  This allows your brain time to adjust as you go, and lessens any withdrawal.  Also:  Tips for Tapering Paxil.

 

Many people find Fish oil and Magnesium useful during withdrawal.   

 

The troublesome thing with SSRIs is - as you found out - that you can't just flush their effects out of your system.  They change the way your brain works, and that takes much longer to heal.  Suddenly stopping the drug puts your brain and Central Nervous System into shock.  It's like yanking a trellis out of a garden instead of gently untangling the plants and slowly removing the wood – it’s too much trauma for the plants/your brain.  (For the source of that simile, plus further discussion, see http://survivinganti...el-your-brain/)

 

Anyway, have a read of those and then you can come back to this thread to discuss things further.  This can be your journal to record your tapering and healing progress, and to ask questions. 

 

Welcome to SA,

Karen

2010  Fluoxetine 20mg.  2011  Escitalopram 20mg.  2013 Tapered badly and destabilised CNS.  Effexor 150mg. 

2015 Begin using info at SurvivingAntidepressants.  Cut 10% - bad w/d 2 months, held 1 month. 

Micro-tapering: four weekly 0.4% cuts, hold 4 weeks (struggling with symptoms).

8 month hold.

2017 Micro-tapering: four weekly 1% cuts, hold 4 weeks (symptoms almost non-existent).

2020 Still micro-tapering. Just over 2/3 of the way off effexor. Minimal symptoms, - and sleeping well.
Supplements: Fish oil, vitamin C, iron, oat-straw tea, nettle tea.

2023 Now on 7 micro-beads of Effexor. Minimal symptoms but much more time needed between drops.

 'The possibility of renewal exists so long as life exists.'  Dr Gabor Mate.

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Hi Dianna -- Welcome to Surviving Antidepressants (SA)

 

There are many former members of PP here, some even using the same user names. Paxil is a veritable little monster of a drug. I'm sure that you'll have success in reducing your dose by a gentle, slow, gradual taper like that suggested in the topic Karen has linked above.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.
1997-1999 Effexor; 2002-2005 Effexor XR 37.5 mg linear taper, dropping same #beads/week with bad results

Cymbalta 60 mg 2012 - 2015; 2016: 20 mg to 7 mg exact doses and dates in this post; 2017: 6.3 mg to  0.0 mg  Aug. 12; details here


scallywag's Introduction
Online spreadsheet for dose taper calculations and nz11's THE WORKS spreadsheet

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  • Moderator

Hi Dianna--  Welcome to the group. There are a large number of us who have made the transition from PP or Prior Place as it is frequently referred to.  We have found a wonderful home here with a very knowledgeable staff of moderators.  The feel is a bit different from PP, in a much better way I think.  Karen has given you some good links to get things started.  Having your signature block will really help.

 

General consensus is that Paxil is a hard drug to taper.  I've been tapering from 40mg for a while now and although it hasn't been pain free, it has been manageable and so far successful.  Doing a slow careful taper should have you off of your 30mg and back to a normal life with little difficulty.

 

Brass

20 years on Paxil starting at 20mg and working up to 40mg. Sept 2011 started 10% every 6 weeks taper (2.5% every week for 4 weeks then hold for 2 additional weeks), currently at 7.9mg. Oct 2011 CTed 15oz vodka a night, to only drinking 2 beers most nights, totally sober Feb 2013.

Since I wrote this I have continued to decrease my dose by 10% every 6 weeks (2.5% every week for 4 weeks and then hold for an additional 2 weeks). I added in an extra 6 week hold when I hit 10mg to let things settle out even more. When I hit 3mgpw it became hard to split the drop into 4 parts so I switched to dropping 1mgpw (pill weight) every week for 3 weeks and then holding for another 3 weeks.  The 3 + 3 schedule turned out to be too harsh so I cut back to dropping 1mgpw every 4 weeks which is working better.

Final Dose 0.016mg.     Current dose 0.000mg 04-15-2017

 

"It's also important not to become angry, no matter how difficult life is, because you can loose all hope if you can't laugh at yourself and at life in general."  Stephen Hawking

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