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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by rusty on August 15, 2005, at 20:24:50
I am having MAJOR withdrawal sump. from Paxil. Now I'm beginning to wonder if withdrawl from other meds will result in same situation. Am also on Lamitcal and Trazadone
Posted by blueberry on August 15, 2005, at 20:24:50
In reply to Paxil withdrawal symptoms, posted by rusty on August 14, 2005, at 7:38:18
All psych meds are likely to cause withdrawal symptoms. The only one I ever took that didn't was adrafinil.
I've been in your shoes. What I did was restart the paxil, at a tiny dose...I would just break or cut a pill into chunks and take a little chunk instead of a whole pill. That would ease the withdrawals. I wouldn't take any more until I started to feel withdrawals again, and then I would take a tiny chunk. After a couple weeks of that, I was free.
There's no need to suffer like you are. Whatever med it is, the best thing to do is ween off very slowly in tiny steps. For example, if you were weening off paxil and went from 20mg down to 10mg and then to zero, those steps are way too big. Cut or break the pills into whatever sizes help. This way you can reduce the withdrawals dramatically. When I finally did take my last paxil chunk, after weening down from 20mg over a one month period, the only withdrawals I had were some dizziness, off balance, floating kind of feeling which only lasted about 2 days. I would guess that toward the end of the weening process, I was taking maybe 2mg a day in tiny chunks, and then every other day, and then every third day, and finally done.
Posted by Emily Elizabeth on August 15, 2005, at 20:24:50
In reply to Re: Paxil withdrawal symptoms, posted by blueberry on August 14, 2005, at 11:00:54
Paxil is supposed to be one of the worst to get off of. I saw a list once that said that Klonopin, Effexor, and Paxil were the worst 3 (I don't remember the rank-order though).
The folks on the withdrawal board can probably help w/ lots of tips.
Best,
EE
Posted by Mike081078 on August 15, 2005, at 20:24:50
In reply to Re: Paxil withdrawal symptoms, posted by blueberry on August 14, 2005, at 11:00:54
I agree 100% with that method to get off of Paxil. That's what I did 3 years ago when I tried to withdrawal. First tried going it cold-turkey then used the below method.
It's still a struggle but it's a lot easier.
As for getting off of Trazadone... other then the fact that my insomnia returned once it was out of my system, that was probably the easiest out of all the medications that I had to withdraw from.
> All psych meds are likely to cause withdrawal symptoms. The only one I ever took that didn't was adrafinil.
>
> I've been in your shoes. What I did was restart the paxil, at a tiny dose...I would just break or cut a pill into chunks and take a little chunk instead of a whole pill. That would ease the withdrawals. I wouldn't take any more until I started to feel withdrawals again, and then I would take a tiny chunk. After a couple weeks of that, I was free.
>
> There's no need to suffer like you are. Whatever med it is, the best thing to do is ween off very slowly in tiny steps. For example, if you were weening off paxil and went from 20mg down to 10mg and then to zero, those steps are way too big. Cut or break the pills into whatever sizes help. This way you can reduce the withdrawals dramatically. When I finally did take my last paxil chunk, after weening down from 20mg over a one month period, the only withdrawals I had were some dizziness, off balance, floating kind of feeling which only lasted about 2 days. I would guess that toward the end of the weening process, I was taking maybe 2mg a day in tiny chunks, and then every other day, and then every third day, and finally done.
Posted by rusty on August 16, 2005, at 13:01:41
In reply to Re: Paxil withdrawal symptoms, posted by Mike081078 on August 15, 2005, at 16:28:13
Thanks Mike. I was trying little chunks every other day. Took chunk Sat. night, but back muscle spasms started around 11:30 A.M. yesterday(Monday). Another chunk and spasms dissipated within 1 hour! Anxiety/rage this A.M. (Tuesday). But had read somewhere that DL-Phenylalanine (DLPA-375)has been known to help with multiple withdrawals (i.e. alcohol, smoking,Rx drugs) Tried that and rage was gone.
Only precaution (from health food store) was to wait 3-4 hours before consuming protein. Researched DLPA on net, seems like it's a protein. Haven't gone to alternative health/med to see what they say. Will tonight when have more time.
Posted by Empathy on August 20, 2005, at 11:32:50
In reply to Paxil withdrawal symptoms, posted by rusty on August 14, 2005, at 7:38:18
Among my friends, family and myself, Paxil has been the worst. The others not so much.
Are you tapering your doses slowly? Paxil is nasty if you just stop it abruptly. I always stop one medication at a time and I taper it down, down and down... it is just easier on my brain that way.
Posted by rusty on August 25, 2005, at 9:52:32
In reply to Re: Paxil withdrawal symptoms, posted by Empathy on August 17, 2005, at 22:26:06
Yes, I'm tapering. Thought every other day @12.5mg would work. Nope. So started to cut those into chunks. Better, have good daus & bad. Rage has diminished. Energectic one day, lethargic the next. Muscle spasms in neck, shoulder, bac has decreased, but not gone. Grinding teeth a little better. Didn't find you guys until I was in 2nd week of withdrawl. Like so many, I thought of heart attack, hysterical paralysis, insanity, Alheizmer's, etc. Glad to know it's withdrawal.
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