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Success
Stories 2 |
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more success stories.
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| "I
had recently come off paxil, September 15,2000,
to be exact. Prior attempts had not gone well,
so before I came off it this time, I cut down
my dose very gradually, after discussing it with
my doctor. I took my regular dosage of 1 pill
per day. I then cut it in half and took only a
1/2 pill a day for about 3 weeks. I then took
only 1/4 pill a day for several weeks and then
on September 15 I stopped taking them all together.
On the 17 September, I felt the dizzy spells again,
and thought I should take a 1/4 pill, but decided
to to let it go, and see how I felt. I now realize
that was the best thing. It has been almost 3
weeks now, and the dizzy spells come and go, but
are few and far between, and they don't last for
very long even when I do get them. I am very pleased
that I am finally off them and thought I should
share my experience with you, so that you could
share it with your readers and that perhaps someone
else may have success in the same way. I think
that by coming down in my dosage as gradually
as I did, it helped my body adjust to the fact
that it was no longer getting any. It was far
easier this time, that's for sure." |
| "I
had recently come off paxil, September 15,2000,
to be exact. Prior attempts had not gone well,
so before I came off it this time, I cut down
my dose very gradually, after discussing it with
my doctor. I took my regular dosage of 1 pill
per day. I then cut it in half and took only a
1/2 pill a day for about 3 weeks. I then took
only 1/4 pill a day for several weeks and then
on September 15 I stopped taking them all together.
On the 17 September, I felt the dizzy spells again,
and thought I should take a 1/4 pill, but decided
to to let it go, and see how I felt. I now realize
that was the best thing. It has been almost 3
weeks now, and the dizzy spells come and go, but
are few and far between, and they don't last for
very long even when I do get them. I am very pleased
that I am finally off them and thought I should
share my experience with you, so that you could
share it with your readers and that perhaps someone
else may have success in the same way. I think
that by coming down in my dosage as gradually
as I did, it helped my body adjust to the fact
that it was no longer getting any. It was far
easier this time, that's for sure." |
| I
know (don't ask how) that the way to get off Any
substance, if hospitalization isn't indicated,
is to tough it out. Eventually, you get through
it. With that knowledge in mind, I steeled myself
for a battle, and a battle it was. Three days
of feeling worse than seasick, with auditory hallucinations,
and vision disturbances: whenever I turned my
head left or right, there was a smeared afterimage
like the one you get when you pan a camera real
fast. I would lose my balance getting up to cross
the living room. Daring the subway was difficult:
I had to hold my head straight and keep my eyes
forward like the guard at Buckingham Palace. The
nausea was constant. Another thing---my emotions
came back with a roar, good and bad. My libido,
ten months dormant, came back to life in two days
(that helped ;-). I went on crying jags. I felt
suicidal on day four, and wondered why this was
the toughest thing I'd ever had to kick. But .
. . I noticed that it was ever so slightly better
on day five. Then maybe two per cent better on
day seven. I'm stubborn, and I really hate to
be under anything's thumb, so I was grimly determined
to get through. I had moral support from a couple
of friends who'd gone through the process, one
who had had it much worse. And I realized that
anything that kicked me in the head this hard
had to be a damned dangerous drug and not one
I was willing to go back to. If I did, I knew
I would lose all the ground in detoxing that I'd
so painfully achieved. It's now three months later,
and I am free of it. Not even the auditory buzzes
in the night any more. And I tell everyone I know
who's taking an antidepressant what happened to
me, and urge them to not stay on it any longer
than they flat have to, and not go on it unless
they are truly clinically depressed.. |
"Just
wanted to let you know how helpful your site has
been. I have been Paxil-free for one month and
I feel so much better now. I have been switching
doctors/shrinks as I changed health care and I
was sick of all the double talk I was hearing.
My current shrink told me he would not prescribe
me anymore Paxil until I was completely a non-drinker.
Since that was never going to happen (I don't
drink a lot but I do like to go out to bars on
weekends, apparently that was unacceptable) I
decided to see what would happen if I cut down
on drinking and got off the Paxil. I had no idea
what those "zaps" were and they were
so scary, I thought I had something wrong with
my brain. I had them all the time, several a minute
and sometimes one every couple seconds. My shrink
thought I was more nuts than usual, he had no
idea what I was talking about. Fortunately they
are very rare now, but unfortunately the dizziness
is still a problem after a month. The one advantage
to taking the Paxil in !
the first place is that my claustrophobia is so
much better, because when I was on the Paxil I
rode in a lot of elevators, planes, etc with very
little anxiety, and I became used to these activities,
so even now I rarely have a panic attack in a
claustrophobic situation.
Anyway, this site is very helpful and reassuring.
For people trying to quit, let me say this: if
your doctor/shrink is not helping you with the
withdrawal process, go to someone else who understands
and will help. This is serious business." |
Hi,
My wife found this web site for me. I have been
weaning of of Paxil now for 5 weeks. I am currently
not taking any at all. I started out cold turkey
but ended up in the ER. I was so out of control
and felt like just ending it all. The doctor in
the ER looked Paxil up in the PDR (the big book
that list the drugs and side effects). He told
me I could not be going thru withdrawl because
there was not anything mentioned in the book about
it being addictive. He then had the hospital shrink
come down to talk to me, all he would say is "maybe
you just need to be taking it". I was put
on it for stress at work by a regular doctor,
not a phyciatrist and since I not longer had the
stress at my job I wanted off of it. I ended up
going to a mental health center, they are the
ones that helped wean me off. The funny thing
is the shrink I saw there said he had never met
anyone with my withdrawl symptoms. The scratching
noise in my head was awful. I described it to
them as it sou!
nded like someone was sanding in my head. I have
had the strange dreams, night sweats, shocking
sensations in my mouth, tounge, and hands, twitching,
depression (my wife can not talk to me with out
it ending up in an arguement) and most of the
others listed. I was on paxil since June of 2001.
I never dreamed it would be so hard to get off
of. The medical profession needs to be warning
people about what is going to happen when they
try to quit taking it. I am doing better, still
have the tingeling, but not as often, the scratching
noise is still very prominent, especially if I
am walking fast or making sudden movements. All
I can say to everyone is HANG IN THERE. IT WILL
GET BETTER!" |
| I
am a 44 year old female who has been taking Paxil
for approximately 5 years. It was initally prescribed
for Panic Disorder, (related to my Fibromyalgia).
I started at 20 mg. but took only 10 mg. daily,
unbeknownst to my Doctor. I, like many others,
thought that I could stop and /or wean from this
drug. Alas, I began the journey into Hell! After
"cutting the dosage" failed, I decided
to cut the drug on different days. I began by
not taking Paxil on Fridays. This continued for
about 2 months. I then cut out Paxil on Wednesdays,
again continuing for about 2 months. By this time
I was only taking it 5 times a week with little
side effects. I too had suffered "electric
head" pins & needles in my face and lips,
anxiety etc. trying to wean via dosage. I then
stopped taking Paxil on Saturdays; thus building
to 2 days in a row without the drug. Then Tuesdays,
and so on, still maintaining my 10 mg. dosage.
If I required a "fix", during a certain
day - I simply took one. I suffered very little
side effects doing it this way. I, after about
a year of this pattern, have now not had a Paxil
in 2 weeks. I have had NO side effects other than
being a little quiet, so says my husband. I have
thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated your site and
have sent it to various people that hopefully
will benefit. I hope that in the next few weeks
I am maintaining my drug-free state with little
or no side effects. Anne-Marie |
Finally.
I'm off. My story doesn't compare to most of the
people who have posted to this site but they all
gave me encouragement and made me realize that
I wasn't going crazy with what was going on with
me.
I started because of post
partumn depression and was on 20mg for only 4
months - but I guess that was long enough. My
MD was smart enough to know that I just couldn't
stop. She had me start cutting them in half and
was on 10mgs for 4 months again. This is when
trouble started. When I forgot to take them I'd
hit that magic 3rd day and things would go wacko.
Brain zaps: I had what I termed "zings"
like an electical current going through my brain
- fast, very fast- and then "towel thwackers"
which to the best of my ability I described as
my brain being thwacked with a kitchen towel.
And best of all - total mind/body disassociation
and all I wanted to do was curl up in a ball and
close my eyes.
Well, I made it down to
5mgs and after 3 weeks of success on them I started
my own schedule. First I started skipping a day
in between, then taking it every 3rd day and then
every 4th day. I am have not had a dose in 10
days and feel fine. I'm thinking this is it but
I still have a few morsals stocked away just in
case.
|
I
was put on this hellish drug after I had my daughter
3 years ago. The depression had reached fever
point and they were trying to lock me up and take
away my baby. Obviously this only hieghtened the
feeling of utter worthlessness. I agreed to go
on these pills, told they would help, I gratefully
accepted. If I knew then what I know now, I would
have run a mile from them. They did dull the depression
at the beginning but the side effects became much
worse then the depression I was being treated
for. Within 6 months I had gained 5 stone, however
much I ate I felt hungry. I felt what I can only
describe as walking beside myself. I walked into
door frames and shop displays. The panic attacks
were truly scary, visiting the clinic with my
new baby was terrifying. Then came nausea, searing
headaches and perhaps the most embarressing...
producing milk from one breast even though I wasn't
breastfeeding. After 2 years and feeling like
my life was spirraling out of control I!
told my doctor I wanted off the pills. He reduced
my dose and the withdrawl really kicked in, the
dreams were terrifing, I really lived them. My
babies cry became amplified and pierced my brain.
After 7 days and night of complete torment, and
being no closer to being rid of these damned pills
I got a babysitter and went complete cold turkey.
I wont explain what happened in the next few days,
I doubt I could. However, I am now off them for
6 months and Ive never felt better. I am doing
a degree and living life to the max. I do however
have Chrohns Disease but they won't admit that
the Seroxat was responsible, they wouldn't would
they. It seems to coincidental that the symtons
began a month after I started taking them. Nevermind,
I just wanted to say that however bad you feel,
and I know bad is an understatement, it does get
better. I can see the world clearly, I am a good
mother and I can see a future again. Don't give
up hope, give up those bloody pills.
|
| Just
a short response to the subject. I am a 77 year
old woman who has had enough!! Paxil withdrawal
produced most of the symptoms that were described
by others. I was on Paxil for 5 years, 20 mg a
day. I wanted off because of weight gain of 60
pounds and little or no emtional response. I was
apathetic and showed no interest in life. I first
consulted my internist. He said to decrease the
dosage for 2 weeks and then quit. Wow then the
anxiety attacks hit so badly that I went back
on the drug. I saw a psychiatrist and his advice
was that Paxil was a good drug, just stay on it
and we'll find out what is causing you to be so
anxious!! A therapist that I had been working
with recommended that I see a psychiatrist who
was an expert in the pharmicology of these drugs.
He tapered me off over 8 weeks and I continued
in talk therapy during this time. I have been
off Paxil for 4 weeeks now and feel wonderful.
I'm able to cry, laugh and respond like a normal
person. I still have hot flashes and chills. I'm
seeing an acupuncturist and taking Chinese herbs
which have helped. I have started an exercise
program and have lost 10 pounds. I have been assured
that eventually the hot flashes and chills will
go away. In the meantime, I'm angry that I was
given this medication. I'd like to prevent others
from suffering it's effects. |
I
just want to share my story and let people know
it can be done and tell how I finally did it.
I have taken Paxil off and on for about 6 years.
I most recently had taken it for about a year
and a half for panic/anxiety attacks. I was finally
also diagnosed with adult ADD.
I started taking Wellbutrin and it worked wonders
both for my ADD and for the attacks. My doctor
started out weaning from my 40 mg of Paxil to
30 then to 20. I did ok until I went to 10..I
had severe brain tremors and hot flashes. I couldn't
continue with my withdrawls any longer so I upped
my dose to 20. My doctor said it couldn't be that
bad and to just maybe try 10 mg for a week. I
thought I was going to lose my mind. I couldn't
function in my work or home life. I made it through
about 10 days and then dropped to 5 mg. Much worse...
the brain tremors as I came to call them were
just terrible. I then started reading on the internet
about similar problems. A nurse suggested to start
chipping away at the pills a little bit each day
so that you take less and less each day. Why not
I thought. I started to chip a tiny piece (maybe
2 mg) and take that dose for 3 days then chip
a little more off and take that dose for 3 days.
It has taken me about 4 months but I am off of
it and have been for a month. When I got down
to about 2 mgs left. I was terrifed to go completely
off so I took it for about 2 weeks and then went
cold turkey on a week end. I still had a few brain
tremors but nothing like the first time I tried
to get off of it. I have been off of it for amonth
and feel great. The weird thing is that I had
taken Paxil about 6 years ago for 3 years and
went off of it without any complications. For
the first time in along time I feel in control
of my life. I have started exercising and have
lots of energy. I have lost 16 pounds in a month
and also have lost my HUGE appetite. I always
thought that Paxil was responsible. Now I know...... |
I
was on Paxil from April 2001 until November 2001.
I did not wean myself
off of paxil, but stopped cold turkey. At the
time I did not realize what was happening to my
body in ref to the withdrawals in which I was
going through. It wan't until a friend went on
the Internet and looked up Paxil info and discovered
what was happening to me was in fact PAXIL withdrawals.
I swore I would never, ever again subject myself
to a drug having the types of side effects associated
with PAXIL. Everything I've read on the Paxil
Withdrawal page are experiences I had felt. Well,
to those who are suffering from withdrawals and
are trying to quit cold turkey or wean themselves
off, there is good news.
The symptoms eventually cease. I'm sending this
on September 11, 2002. I
am Paxil free and "anti-depressant"
drug free. How did I do it? Determination. I'm
in the military, so there are other stressors
related there, but I basically made my mind up
that I did not ever wish to go through what I'd
gone through when I came off Paxil. |
I
have been off Paxil for three months now, after
having been on 30 mg. per day for the past five
years. I was put on it because of a depression
I was in and it did help me at the time. However,
in the past couple of years I really wanted to
get off this drug because anti-depressants are
not meant to be on for life -- they are meant
to be short-term, i.e. one year or so. Interestingly
enough, the doctor who had put me on this drug
was reluctant to take me off, and said that I
will probably be on it for life. Thus began my
search for a doctor who I found who has helped
many men and women off anti-depressants, safely
and successfully.
I knew the withdrawal symptoms would be a rough
ride for a bit, but I was prepared to do "whatever
it takes" to be paxil-free. So, last May,
my "new" doctor started tapering me
from 30 mg. to 20 mg. which I did for four weeks.
I experienced some dizziness and "disconnection"
with my body -- an unbalanced feeling. In June,
I went from 20 mg. to 15, and then 15 to 10 mg.
July 1st, I stopped all paxil. All of a sudden,
I felt completely lethargic -- it was as if the
life had been sucked out of me. I experienced
"electric shock pulses" in my brain
for a couple of weeks. And I was completely disconnected
from my body and had much trouble with walking
and balance. My doctor advised me that while getting
off paxil, I must eat 3 balanced meals a day --
get out for a walk in the fresh air every day.
I did not do this, and I think my withdrawal symptoms
were worse because I was not looking after myself
nutritionally or physically. Anyway, finally in
mid-August, I began a 6 kilometre walk every second
day -- I started to eat 3 healthy meals a day,
and I started feeling stronger with each week
that passed. I have continued this regimen, along
with taking amino acids, multi-vitamins and anti-oxidants
and I am feeling FANTASTIC! I feel "real"
again, and I have feelings/emotions that I can
"feel". While on Paxil, I "floated"
over everything -- now, my mind is clear and focused,
my short-term memory has improved 100%. So, rest
assured, the withdrawal symptoms do pass and it
is a huge sense of relieve to be paxil-free.
P.S. The doctor who helped me get off paxil does
not like the drug, because of the severe withdrawal
effects. He said there are other anti-depressants
that are easier to get off. BUT GETTING OFF PAXIL
IS WORTH IT AND THE WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS ARE TEMPORARY.
YOU CAN DO IT!
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| I
can't thank you enough for organising this web
site. I have only just realised what has been
happening in my life.!! I was first prescribed
Paxil or Seroxat as it is know in England by my
doctor.I was in a pretty depressed state and I
agreed to take it.(Reluctantly, as I have never
been keen on the idea that a drug was the answer
to mental problems. Stiff upper lip and all that.)
However it was a pretty desperate time in an otherwise
fairly sunny life and I was desperate for help.
It was great, I felt like my "old self" and apart
from a slight weight gain which wasn't an issue
for me, I was really pleased with the results.
My doctor advised me to stay on it for at least
a year. I did and then I moved to the United States.
There have been a few occasions when I have tried
to get off Paxil always with real problems. I
didn't associate the symptoms with Paxil withdrawal.
I am now 52, and always assumed the terror attacks,
headaches, anger, sadness etc might be hormonal.
I always ended up back on Paxil as it just seemed
to make me "o.k." I had absolutely no idea that
I could possibly have been suffering from any
kind of withdrawal. About 5 months ago I stopped
again, having decreased the dosage from 20 a day
down to 5 a day and then alternate days. I could
not possibly have come off this drug more slowly.
Fine I had stopped. At first it all seemed fine
and for about six weeks I was full of energy and
everything seemed fine and then Hell started.
This time I was convinced I was going through
the most horrendous menopausal syptoms and finally
ended up in the offices of a top endicronologist
in Los Angeles. I gave him an account of my past
health and mentioned that I had been taking antidepressants
on and off for the previous 5 years but was no
longer taking anything. We started on a series
of extensive blood tests looking at my hormonal
panel. I waited a few weeks, convinced I was going
mad. Finally I rang him and said, "look I have
to go back on Paxil, I have a really important
job interview in London and I can't afford to
behave like a mad woman." He suggested I did that
but go in to see him prior to my London trip.
All the tests had arrived back with him, and although
it showed I was in perimenopause, things looked
pretty good, and nothing in the hormone panel
led him to believe what I was suffering from was
directly related to menopause!! He then said he
was convinced I was suffering from extreme "withdrawal
symptoms" from stopping Paxil. At first it just
didn't add up or make sense to me. I had stopped
a few months before and didn't understand why
I was having symptoms so much later on. I now
realise that this is not unusual. Needless to
say I arrived in London told a friend what he
had said, and of course she told me there have
been frequent articles in the British press on
this topic, all depicting a variety of what had
happened to me. A few weeks ago Panorama, a television
program in the U.K, much like 60 minutes here
in the U.S, had devoted the entire program to
what was happening to people who came off Seroxat/Paxil
in the U.K. She has taped this for me and I shall
look at it when I return to London next week.
I am now taking 5 gm a day and will get off this
horrific drug with this doctors help. It's been
enormously helpful referring to your web site,
and if you like I would be happy to let you have
the Panorama tape if you would like to see it.
I have every intention of taking legal action,
not because I want a dime, but because I really
believe Glaxo need to act responsibly about this
drug, and allow people to know what they might
be getting into when they start taking it. I also
believe the only thing that they will react to
is a lawsuit and potential financial damage.I
would never have started it if I had any idea
there was any possibility that it might be addictive.
I was assured at the time by my doctor in England,
that this wasn't the case. Thank God I came across
this endicronologist!! and your web site.
|
| Dear
Frank
My daughter was prescribed Paxil
approximately 3 years ago for an episode of
depression. My husband and I interviewed the
clinical practitioner at that time to question
the decision as we were very concerned about
the possibility of any long term effects and
whether or not this treatment was in her best
interests. We were reassured this was the way
forward. For one reason or another, new country
of residence, new home, new job - she was advised
not to come off it Paxil, but to wait until
her life had stabilized to a more normal pace.
Well over the past 6 months or so, she has tried
to come off Paxil several times with the advise
of her family doctor, using a gradually reducing
dosage. Even with a very small reduction of
the drug she suffered from itchy teeth and nausea,
fatigue and headaches, to mention a few. Then
she came across your web site with its help,
advice and spiritual support and I can't thank
you enough with all my heart. You see, she decided
to go 'cold turkey' she couldn't stand the thought
of the very gradual reduction and the thought
of 35 weeks or so with the side effects. As
a mother it's one of the most difficult things
I have had to do, to witness her pain and suffering,
going through episodes of violent mood swings,
of desperate anger attacks, of sweating, insomnia
hot flashes, cramps - Need I go on… at
times she was like a possessed person, but I
had to appreciate she was possessed only with
Paxil withdrawal. There was one particular episode
of several days when I asked (near to pleading)
with her to go back on something. All those
vivid awful films one has seen of drug withdrawal
are exactly right! I was so scared. But she
kept going and after about 3 weeks, she started
to see some light at the tunnel end and with
the support love and friendship from us all,
she has quit Paxil for good.
Through it all I know you too
kept her going and I want to thank you for that
and to let other families of those brave people
trying to come off, that it is all worth it,
hold on, and you WILL come through - just as
my lovely brave heroic daughter has, and now
she has her future back again as a drug-free
individual.
A very helpful website I found
when I was in need of some words to help her
was: http://www.wildestcolts.com/ - it really
helped LA of California - this guy talks it
straight, there is nothing wrong in having a
depression but a drug duped state is not the
answer and we all have capabilities within in
that may just need tapping into.
I wrote this not only as a thanks,
but you may be able to encourage other mums,
dads, husbands or wives who have to stand back
and watch helplessly whilst their loved ones
go through withdrawal.
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Oct. 2002:
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visits: 20 958
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