I've been on this for over 10 years.
I cry at the drop of a hat.

This time we're trying lexapro, not going too well at all, have added some risperdal.

Has anyone been highly addicted to this and what has worked for any of you.

What other drugs have you taken in place of Paxil.

I know its different for everyone, but just though it wouldn't hurt to have some ideas, maybe they will help.(I've tried Wellbutrine, Effexor, Prozac,)

Have any of you been hospitalized?

and if so did it help and what was involved in getting this out of your system?

at the time I quit I had just finished a very effective IV routine, so I was able to exercise intensely. also I switched over to lexapro in a small dose at the same time. drank large amounts of coffee and water. and within two weeks the worst symptoms were gone. I still take lexapro in a small dose and so I still may experience the withdrawal.

Lexapro is WORSE then Paxil to come off of. Look on the internet at Lexapro withdrawal and you will see, like Paxil, it is a living hell.

Not only do you get the Zaps, Stomach Cramps, Vomiting, Mania, Temper Rages, Crying spells,
Sweats, Chills but Celexa and Lexapro have been known to sometimes cause voice commands and visual hallunications on withdrawal. It also can cause diabetes so keep a close eye on your glucose levels and also your thryoid.

My daughter has been weaning off a Lexapro at 1 Mg a month and it has been 14 continouis days of symptoms each month followed by two weeks of being somewhat stable.then the next cut occurs.

During the taper you will notice a intense fatigue and also a weight gain due to craving carbs.The physical and emotional pain of withdrawal are overwhelming but not as severe at slower tapers

She has gone down 5 Mg thus far.

Lexapro is NOT easier to withdrawal from then Paxil................it is worse in many ways because it can also cause a sense of depersonalization and obessive compulsive habits. All SSRI damage the metabolism and this needs to be healed.

I would suggest that you taper no more then 5% of your current dose a month..to enable the neurotransmitters in the brain a chance to learn to function without the extra serotonin.

The zaps are caused by misfiring of the neurotransmitters due to a deregulation of the serotonin levels. Slow is better on the brain.

You can e-mail me if you like because I have spent 4 months researching SSRI withdrawal amd have spoken to numerous physicians and many patients that have gone thru it successfully.

REM sleep deprivation also happens while taking the SSRI and also during withdrawal. In this state where one does not enter the REM phase of sleep during the night cycles of sleep, the body enters a REM state while awake causing one to feel like they are experiencing a dream or a sense of detachment or feeling unreal.

Magnesium is the key to a sucessful withdrawal, Marnie would love to hear this.

Magnesium helps to retore the sleep cycle as well as heal the nervous system. Withdrawaing from any SSRI will be difficult and painful but the slow taper will protect your brain.

I have heard of a few that have success by replacing their paxil with very low doses of Prozac (but not lexapro). Prozac has a half life of about 24 days which allows the body a cushion while tapering.

Paxil, Effexor, Lexapro and Zoloft are all short half lives which make tapering a nightmare because half of the drug has been eliminated from the body in about 22 hours. Therefore many begin to suffer withdrawal with a missed dose or even a late dose.

Good Luck.

Get the liquid Paxil. Let me know what you tried in the past and at what speed you attempted to taper/ Also let me know what symptoms that you experienced at what point of the taper.

Once one tapers, the symptoms will play out for about 14 days and then it is good to allow the brain 2 more weeks to stabalize before the next taper.

You will see this symptom list repeat itself thruout the taper. As you get below 10 or (if you were only taking 10 Mg) then below 5 Mg you will ahve to slow down the taper to 1/2 or 1/4 of a milligram per month.

When you get down to 1 Mg you may have to wean by drops depending on how sensitive you are to the serotonin drop. Once at this low dose many I have spoken to have added amino acids to aid the healing.

So sorry to hear your daughter has been going through this nightmare too. It's the last thing you want to see your children go through it must tear you up inside.

I've been on 40 mg of Paxil for the past 10 to 12 years. I don't know how I'm ever going to get off this stuff?

The Lexapro is doing nothing, I'm up to 20mg
and just got down to 30mg of Paxil and was not doing well at ALL.

Dr. put me on large dose of Risperdal to keep the rage down and was working but, (side effect, toothpain WOW!!!)so off that. and I've been strickly on ATKINS and have gained 9lbs isn't that depressing!And I though if anything I may start loosing more weight going off Paxil. HAAA!?

Not sure if its combo of Lexapro and Risperdal or just one.

My Dr. mention putting me on Prozac and that made me feel great when I had tried it a long time ago, but it worked too good, great for mood and also like speed and couldn't sleep for a week and set me in bed with pain for a week. I had more energy and was so happy. I cleaned my entire house. I went from fatigued to fabulous sp?

Not sure how low of a dose they have of prozac maybe it would be worth trying again?

I haven't gotten the zaps like people talk about I just have tears, never ending tears, they just don't stop. Also very dark, deep, deep, hopeless, depression and rages etc. Well I don't want ot write this on here I will email you privately tomorrow off to bed for now.

Thank you for taking the time to respond to my post it was very helpful to hear I'm not alone and gave me some idea to think out as I don't think the lexapro is working and doesn't sound like its a good choice to get involved in.
Talk to you more tomorrow.
Swiss

You've made me wonder if I might not want Prozac.

Something that makes me fabulous after being so fatigued. Oh, that sounds so niiice.

Prozac becauseit is liquid, can come in any dose.you just measure it out.

How did you taper from 40 to 30 of the Paxil. Not all at once I hope. That culd be why you are withdrawals.

Talk to your doctor..........LEXAPRO is horrible and addicting.

Prozac can ve substituted to make withdrawals easier but you will still get them, just not as severe.

You may want to slowly wean the Paxil why you are slowly incorportating the Prozac.

30 Mg Paxil with maybe 5 0r 10 Prozac supplemented
25 Mg Paxil with 10 Mg Prozac
20 Mg Paxil with 10 Mg Prozac
15 Mg Paxil with 10MG Prozac
10 Mg Paxil with 20MG Prozac
5 Mg Paxil with 20MG Prozac
2 1/2 Paxil with 20Mg Prozac
0 Mg Paxil with 20 MgProzac
You may need to stabilizefoor 3 to 4 weeks between each taper

Once you feel stable on the Prozac start tapering off the Prozac

20 Mg prozac to 17 1/2 Mg (using liquid)

17 1/2 MgProzac to 15Mg

15Mg Prozac to 12 1/2 Mg

12 1/2 MgProzacto 10 Mg

10 Mg Prozac to 7 1/2 Mg
5 MgProzac to 2 1/2 Mg

2 1/2 Mg to 1 Mg

1MG Prozac to 0

Youwill not eally experience the withdrawal until about 24days after your last taperto zero Mg.

The withdrawals should be miminal.

GoodLuck, ask your doctor if hemaysuggesta similiartapering plan for you to allow your brain a chance to geuseto lowerserotonin levels.

1. Medicine is not an exact science. Take substances at your own risk. Stick with stuff that has a long track record, or weigh the risk/benefit ratio. Don't mix too many drugs. Each drug has its own risk profile, it goes up exponentially when you add drugs together.

2. Many of these drugs are dumped on the market to make money. The SSRIs have been dumped on the market faster then any other drug class. Please recall the phen-fen debalcle which cost a lot of women their lives due to pulmonary hypertension.

3. Studies indicate that aerobic exercise is an excellent mood elevator. You don't have to run or bike, just walk. Put on your walkman and walk, telling yourself you are getting better the whole time you are walking. Do it at least every other day.

4. You can get off the stuff....you might be anxious, you might cry, you might lose sleep, you might lose or gain weight, just remember it is a matter of time for your body to detoxify. Like another post on here said, drink water.

The last thing is, you might be stuck with residual effects. I remain unconvinced that the SSRI class is safe. I feel they are especially dangerous if combined with anticholinergics such as amitriptyline, cyclobenazprine, and many others on the list and they may cause permanent problems.