I took 50 mg of this shit (Paxil). After 3 months I decreased 10 mg per week. At the dosage of 20 mg I tried cold turkey. It was a nightmare - but I was willing to do it and I made it! I always thought I have to go to the hospital, because the side effects were really scaring - so nervous and all the time zaps in the brain :)) Good luck with it.
A WORD OF CAUTION if considering using the liquid form to withdraw.............the active ingredients are never evenly dispersed, even if you shake it beforehand. Also, if you have a problem with excess stomach acid, it affects the absorbtion of the liquid and you have no control over how much you are actually getting, if any! Trust me, i went through hell trying to do it that way and didn't succed.....wish i'd been properly informed beforehand.
How long does it take for the fatigue and mood swings to disappear after stopping?
I completely stopped for 2 weeks now after 8 years of using this poison, but it's still pretty bad although i gradually reduced the dose to 0.5mg. over a period of 2 years before stopping, coming from 40mg.
Never again, but in just hope to feel normal soon, can anyone tell me how long this usually takes and if this is normal?
Been on this drug forever (well, on and off....mostly on.....for 13 years or so). Tried cold turkey many times and chickened out after two days or so because of the withdrawal. A website called "Paxil Progress" suggests a very slow tapering is the best way to go off this drug. I recommend that site to anyone who seriously wants to kick the Paxil once and for all. They seem like knowledgeable and caring people (the site is not affiliated with any corporation). I'm on 30 mg/ day now. Forever?
@Scrumpilump2000 No definatly not forever!You need willpower above all, i tried cold turkey too but it is impossible, i suggest you take off about 2mg. every 4 to 6 weeks, you really need to be patient and go slow or you won't have any succes stopping, believe me, even after 0.5mg. wich is considered a placebo effect dose i still have withdrawl effects, but biting through and having the patience and willpower is everything, it's not easy, but life isn't easy when you really want something right?
@DaZeDmerlin Hey there, thanks for the reply and the encouragement! I am tapering slowly and doing Ok so far. 10% cut in dosage every four weeks. Slow and sure. Anybody reading this and thinking about withdrawing from Paxil, please visit the site I mentioned above (Paxil Progress) for tips on withdrawing and all-around good advice and support.
@Scrumpilump2000 I wish you all the best with that, this drug is pure poison.
It's normal that you'll feel some withdrawl effects, your brain is used to the chemicals, and the last steps are the hardest, but believe in it and don't look back, even if you feel bad and think you'll need to take them again, just don't, once the chemicals have no effect anymore you can start changing your life. Good luck man!
First of all I want to wish every person who is getting off Paxil the best of luck. May you experience only minimal side effects, if any. I'd also like to add 2 points:
1) Tapering can also be done by dissolving Paxil in water, and taking the measured dose that way. That might be easier for some.
2) Some people (like me) can not taper. After 20+ years on a high dosage, any decrease brought on full-blown withdrawal. I "cold-turkeyed", took about 3 weeks. That was 3 yrs ago.
Thank you! I can identify with you so much, especially the scissors in the head, made me laugh because I so know the feeling. This is my 2nd time trying to taper, am doing it faster than before. did it with liquid before but the slow process had me in such a mess emotionally that personally found no easier than to come off at say 10mg a week. No mattter how slow you taper it is no easier for me personally, but everyone is different and it's probably wiser to go slowly.
i have been taking paxil for about 3 months now and have been here all these side effects ( weight gain, insomnia, ect,). so i want to know if i should stop now and try a different drug, or keep going. i just dont know what to do :(
I have just come off Paxil and when I saw the container of shards, I was like omg the same process, I didn't think to use a nail file.. The disequilibrium , I'm wondering how you filmed that,, I didn't know that was the word for that feeling.
I have just got off paxil a week ago. I was on it for about 3 yrs up to 40 mg and gained almost 100 pounds!!! My doctor put me on zoloft because it tricks your body so you will have no or less wthdrawal symptoms, so far just dizzy, feeling low.... I was 5'6 120 pounds and very active healthy physically...It makes you lazy now im a fatty:( I can not wait to get this weight off, I even cancelled my wedding cause of this drug!!! but it did help me very much in the begining.
I have been on paxil for a year and just switched over to Lithium, my dr has been gradually decreasing my dose for a week,but Even after 3 or 4 days on 10 mg I am still having horrible decrease syndrome. I am only on day two with NO paxil, does anyone know how long these feeling will last???
I didn't read all of the comments below, but I know EXACTLY what the Paxil withdrawal is like. I've tried numerous times and recently have been having sucess with going down 1mg every 2 weeks. Ie 40mg - 39mg - 38 mg etc. The compunding pharmacy makes 1mg pills and I am able to accurately make my own exact dosage using 1's, 10's, and 40's. Pharmaca.com
Bravo! to u and me. I still have a 1/8 of the 30mg pill as a souvenir I guess. It's been 2 yrs but I fucked up my college. Im trying my best to get back to college now. This shit totally mess my studies. when watched the video I felt all the pain I went through at the time. Dropping cold turkey is was nearly got me killed. And did exactly the same you did. breaking them into half then quarters and smaller then supplements, being hypomaniac, panic attack every morning... pure evil.. agony.i'd say
not to point you to another way or mislead you in any way. but I have read that some people do quite well with the LIQUID form of paxil. much easier on you when you are trying to quite. But this is coming from a man right now that has been on it for about 10yrs and im afriad to quite , Im afraid of the side affects. the rage, zaps. rage
@andyakio Thank you for the suggestion. I've now been off of Paxil for just over three years! At the time I made this video, liquid Paxil wasn't a possibility for me -- it hadn't gone generic yet, and CVS Pharmacy had quoted me a retail price of $198 for a bottle of it. (Obviously, I didn't have a prescription plan at the time.) So, scraping pills with a nail file was the only way to go. Now, I hear you can get liquid paroxetine for about $4/bottle. Go figure.
Withdrawal symptoms for me were not nearly as horrific as I've heard some people describe, thank god. No 'zaps', only an odd, occasional 'rushing' or 'swishing' sound in my head. Some insomnia. Increased irritability and anger. What prevailed was a feeling and a fear that I'd fall back into my old depressive and socially anxious self. I might also say that Paxil seems to smooth over my emotions, so I don't feel things so intensely, am not bothered by things as much. Good or bad?
Subie Turbo: the Paxil seems to help me with my depression and my anxiety (particularly social, but also free-floating). I think I am a highly sensitive person who perhaps has trouble shutting out things. Paxil seems to give me some armour and some measure of peace. However, I do not like to be on medication! But maybe I need to be, I don't know. I've been on it for many years and I kind of forget what it was like to be "clean".
Thank you for having the courage to make this film. I think it's beautiful.....not that your problems are, but a person just trying to find peace in this crazy old world and being able to express it like you have is beautiful. I tried to quit cold turkey and went for about five days, then I became afraid and went back on it.
Honestly I came off paxil years ago to go onto celexa and I had nothing like everyone on here has experienced, I just kept cutting back and the last few days with no paxil at all I had brain zaps but nothing compared to the torture some ppl have. I am actually coming off celexa to go back on paxil( I had a stupid doctor) withdrawals from celexa are BAD.. way way way worse then paxil and I didnt take no suppliments or nothing. Good luck to the ppl going through this. I was a lucky one!
This video is now over 3 years old. I have been Paxil-free for nearly three years, and I feel better than I ever had while I was taking the stuff. Paxil did not help me; Paxil was a quick fix that ultimately led to further damage and decreased my coping mechanisms. I did not taper off because I "forgot" how much its helped me; I tapered off because I knew there had to be a simpler and a more long-term solution.
xanax is way harder to kick but that's a benzodiazepine. paxil is an ssri's. no walk in the park either
hope everyone that wants to can get off this evil synthetic shit. america loves to keep people hooked on anything bad. give them alcohol to dull their senses and cigarettes to keep them productive. no psychedelics because we wouldn't want to give them keys to the doors of perception. they might want to think for themselves!
Thanks for the comment, Mayday...yes, I've seen terrible videos here on Youtube of people undergoing constant tremors / seizures from benzo withdrawal. Whether it's an SSRI or a benzo, I really wish patients could become aware of potential WD issues BEFORE they begin taking a certain medication. It would help them to make a better-informed decision.
@MaydayCavalier doc put me on paxil to get rid of xanax and i did which was the easiest part until i tired dropping paxil cold turkey after 2 yrs. I would never ever forget those days of my life.
i'm tapering off paxil and as of today i think it may be my very first day without a xanax since september 2005. this is off subject but i was taking 5mg's of xanax a day. my doctor didn't give a shit about my well-being and neglected to inform me on the dangers of these drugs. i'm probably taking 3 or 4mg's of a 20mg paxil. filing that son of a bitch down with a razorblade
by 2010 i hope to be drug free for the first time in five years. i'd like to give a shout out to "dr. curtis". FUCK YOU
It is pretty well documented that paroxetine can cause some pretty severe withdrawl effects, of course it can also cause none for some people.
Maybe your right and a huge percentage of people are just pussies, but remember that a chemical that may have saved YOUR life might be totally wrong for someone else.
It is extremely ignorant, narrow-minded and just plain stupid to say that it is either just the pills or just the person; it is the combination. All drugs affect everyone differently
ive already ran out a couple times and i was fine i felt a little sleepy though. im an EX cocaine addict so anything after that is babys milk you know? i used cocaine and other drugs to self medicate. but like i said i sorta have a high tolarance to any drug. but it works for me, but its not somthing i want to do for the rest of my life
Well it is the person no matter what with or without paxil. In terms of how people bodies react to paxil. I say it works for about 50/50 does good and bad. Type in how paxil helped me and read for yourself. Not that Im saying you disagree with me on that part but FYI. But paxil is worth a try. It also depends on what youre depressed for too. I was plainly trying to get raise out of people by calling them pussies and sure enough look at what you did. But on a serious note yeah
I dont have to look it up, I have been on and off a few anti-depressent medications (paroxetine included). I probably reacted to your first comment without thinking too much, I just think that It's better to have constructive comments then name calling, but anyway, I'm sidetracking. I do happen to agree with your points though, so, meh.
Really descriptive short film. Thanks. I got off it , thank God. LUCKILY didn't get the brain ZAPS . I SO feel for you guys that do. Everything else though. DREAMS, afraid to go to sleep , Nausea - THAT was my big thing - I felt like I was SO car sick....DRAMAMINE saved my ASS!!! & Ibuprofen. Tapered with a pill cutter. Down to 10 wasn't bad after about 3 days but down to 5 sucked, so I went back to 10mg then ,8, 7 or 6, then 5 , then 3 and finally the tiniest nub of a pill then off.
Thank you summerb. You did a great job at illustrating the withdrawal symptoms, though nobody can know for sure the impact these have on you until you go through it yourself. I have tried quitting cold turkey and repeatedly vomited and felt nauseous for days until I couldn't stand it anymore - I had to go back. These withdrawals are like heroin withdrawals. I just hope one day I can 'taper' off this *DRUG* as you have. Much Love.
I just dropped from 10mg to 0mg miligrams as directed by my doctor. I have been getting brain zap and I have been feeling really un-easy. Nightmares and wierd dreams are really getting to me. This is one seriously fucked up drug.
Don't know what Dystonia is....If it is muscle spasms ...NO U R not the only one, Ididn't get head zaps but muscle twitches. I got off by going SLOW, When I went from 10 to 5 it sucked, so I go t pill cutter and just cut off very little bits....I'd say I went down to 8mg then each time the symptoms would flare up for 3-4 days, I'd wait a week , then go to 7mg, (best estimate), then 6, then 5, then 4 ...each time a little flare up.... My big thing was nausea. I used Dramamine Good Luck to you
Thank you.. I managed to get down to 5mg for 2 weeks and so far no mayor muscle spasms...(dystonic reaction), but.. the brain zaps and insomnia are killing me... I'm now taking clonazepam and I think that's helping me to not get the panic attacks and therefore the muscle spasms.. in 2 or 3 weeks I'm going to try 0mg and hoping not to get there...
This "dystonic reaction" really hurts! the muscle spasms are so strong that at one point I thought my bones were going to brake. Good luck to you all.
Thank u for posting this. I am going through hell right now with my withdrawal from paxil and you made me feel like i'm not the only one. Much love to you!
I LOVE this video. I did not mean to stop taking Paxil. I forgot to fill my scrip before going out of town. After a couple of days, I started feeling "weird". After 5 days, I am CRAZY. I went and got it filled today, but started to read the withdrawl symptoms and freaked out. I have the zaps, nightmares, cold chills, headaches, etc. Tomorrow I am going 1/2 and see what happens. Good luck to all of you! Who knew???...except the drug companies of course!
Wow, you really did a great job depicting what it's like comming off this drug. I have been on Paxil since 1996. I have tried to get off of it 3 times...going on my 4th. Wish me luck!
Hope the tapering off went well for you. I got off all SSRIs (and other psychotropics), but the key was a VERY slow taper w/ the SSRIs (had experience w/ Paxil and Zoloft; both have nasty "cold turkey" effects).
I started to take paxil Around May,08.with 10mg.I couple of weeks ago i noticed that the pill stopped working for me.I decided that I shouldn't take more to get the feeling i was getting when i had 10mg in me. So as stupid as i was and not knowing the side affects last Monday I cut my dosage down half (5mg). Saturday I stopped taking it all together. Later on saturday i stared to feel the "zaps",head aces, nosiated.Sunday it was so worse. Today i am back at 5mg and i feel a lot better.any sugges
WOW! i really liked this video. very creative and very true. i'm coming off a high dosage of xanax from 3 years of use and i've been taking paxil for about 4 months. i know paxil is evil and once i finally get off the xanax i will taper off the paxil. the fingernail file was the best idea! i always tried to think of ways to cut the little bitches up and of course the pills are built so you can't break them up. pills. civil war for your brain. went from 5mg's of xanax a day to 1 now! uggh!
ive been on paxil since 17 im 21 now i just found out im ganna have a baby im on a very high dose due to emotional problems . any way when i found out i was pregnet i just stopped taking the paxil. big mistake naver just stop cold turkey ! you body goes into somthing called seritum shock . dont ever take paxil period . belive me there is nothing good that comes out of it except helping with depression. and you can find other anti depresents that are just as good as paxil but not as harmfull
I'm in the process of getting off this awful drug. I have missed work so much due to the withdrawal symptoms. I woke up Friday morning and the whole room was spinning... everything around me was moving. I have a rash on my legs, zaps throughout my body, I feel like I'm floating around and everything around me is not real. When is this going to end?????
oh, absolutely. it's a very common side effect. i had the most bizarre and realistic nightmares ever. you've just got to take them with a grain of salt, invest no meaning or analysis in them, and just realize it's part of withdrawal.
When I tried dropping the Paxil "cold-turkey", I experienced rather lucid dreams, and a peculiar mixing of waking and dream-life, a bit disconcerting, but likely the mildest symptom I personally experienced (vs. the "zaps" and general flu-like sense)...
Yup, I had the lucid dreams too. When I went cold turkey (which was my first attempt of withdrawing), the zaps were the absolute worst symptom. They were constant, with every step and/or every small move of the neck.
Indeed; I found the "zaps" (which I called "glitches") to be particularly bothersome while out jogging, or even changing positions. Something like mini-seizures. Even then, I knew it couldn't be a good sign. And then there was the day (after an early attempt at quitting "cold turkey", about five days after my last dose) where I felt myself simultaneously having a conversation w/ someone, and observing myself having that conversation...
omg, that makes me wanna cry. or is that my lack of paxil for 3 days? I get zaps to the head so bad. I hate it. I've cut 1/2 and im trying to cut down another 1/2. I was watching Air Force One just now bawling and i decided to look things up. As far as im concerned doctors and shrinks should have to take this stuff b4 they prescribe it. Paxil = The Devil.
I regret taking this crap. It was absolute hell coming off of it (the brain zaps were nearly constant). I had been taking 30 mg a day. My doctor told me to reduce to 20 mg for 2 weeks, then 10 mg for the last 2 weeks. I think that was way too fast. I now fear that coming off this poison too quickly (much less taking it in the first place) has scarred me for life.
I'm 16 in Grade 11 and I have been on paxil since I was 13 [20 mg] I am so tired of having this control my life. I feel as though this is a mask covering up my true self. Like I don't even know the real me. 2 days ago I stopped taking them, cold turkey. I've been having the zaps, dizziness, tiredness, and crying out of nowhere. I then gave in and took 2 just to feel "normal". What a vicious cycle. I feel like shit. I need help and I don't know what to do. This pill is ruining my life. :(
3. Take cold showers, as icy as you can..it replenishes the blood supply and detoxifies the body. Its difficult at first but as you stay in your body will warm up. You will get the giggles afterwards and feel fantastic.
4. Exercise a lot, drink a lot of water and eat HEALTHY.
5. Have friends and family that are there for you. If not IRL than make some online. paxilprogress is a good site for this.
Good luck this is a hard drug to come off of. These steps will help you tons.
If I can offer some advice to help you, here it is.
1. Drop 2.5 mg every 4-6 weeks AT MOST, it eases the symptoms A LOT. Cold turkey is dangerous and painful. More than 2.5mg every 4-6 weeks may present problems in the future. Research extended ssri discontinuation syndrome. Many people who dont taper right experience problems years into the future.
2. Marijuana helps and it may have something to do with the way it effects dopamine in the brain. Dont go overboard as anxiety may occur.
i agree. a tiny amount of marijuana can help anxiety, but NOT TOO MUCH. bong hits won't help. funny how a drug that used to give me panic attacks that got me on these evil drugs helps you get back off for some people. interesting. what have we learned here? drugs can open your mind, but like pandora's box nothing good can come out but hope in the long run. preachy? yeah, maybe. i blame the lsd. oh well. i'm very glad i did some drugs and i'm still alive. had a good time but now it's time to stop
my doctor fucked me and never told me this shit. I just spent 4 hours crying for no reason and its only because I didnt take paxil for 3 days while my script lapsed (I have only been on it for 6 months). St. Johns Wort and marijuana, here I come. FUCK PAXIL. I didn't need BIGGER fucking problems than I already had.
oh gosh, i'm so sorry to hear all of that. my doctor never told me about the bad effects either. in my first withdrawal attempt, i tried to take one pill every other day...and it was a miserable failure with constant crying, brain zaps, and fatigue. if you're going to taper, be sure to do it slowly!
also, be careful with st. john's wort -- it has much of the same effect as Paxil does (both good and bad). do your research first!
thank you! my doctor didn't tell me any of paxil's bad side effects (completely emotional blunting, for starters) nor any of its withdrawal effects. i started taking paxil after my doctor gave me a monthsworth of sample packages -- i didn't even have the benefit of a Rx Information Leaflet, and i didn't even think to look on the internet to see if Paxil was the carefree drug i had thought it was!
i hope everything is going good for you.Iam addicted to Citalopram and want to get off but am scared of the withdrawl symtoms.So i really dont know what to do.
thank you! you know, the withdrawal symptoms CAN be pretty awful, but it honestly varies from person to person. i was scared too, but every time i made a small dosage cut, i reminded myself that if things got to be too difficult, i could always go up to my original dosage again. do all the research that you can about citalopram withdrawal so you know what to expect!
I used to be one of the biggest proponents of Paxil. I was on 40 mg of Paxil for 8 years. I decided to wean myself off, to make a long story short, I did some things that I would never have done otherwise, and I couldn't cry anymore. After almost 9 months of being off Paxil, I am still experiencing the effects. I literally crashed last Christmas when a family crisis occurred. I've quit my job to "find myself", I'd rather feel than be a semi-human being.
I never knew about the side effects. I am a "doctor truster". I believed it would all be fine with a little Paxil. One of my good friends and her mother passed away within 4 months of each other. I never cried. In fact, I was out at a bar when I found out about her. It never occurred to me to cry or go home. I just stayed and played. That is SOOO unlike me. I never thought it could be the drug.
wow, that stinks...i was only on 10mg and i couldn't hack it, so they took me off cold turkey. I got bad side fx, but the same general symptoms...PS great music choice.
I've been prescribed 20mg of Paxil for dysthymia. After researching this online, I don't feel the side effects and withdrawal risks are justified by my marginal condition. I've been taking Paxil for only 5 days, and already noticing the side-effects and the zombification (can't concentrate at work.) - last night I cut my pill to 15mg and I feel lightheaded today. I should be able to quit very quickly if I've only been on for a few days, correct?
i can't imagine that only taking it for four days would leave you with much to worry about, withdrawal-wise. if i were in your position, i might take half a dose tomorrow & then be done with it completely. your lightheadedness can probably be attributed to the drug's onset in your system (as it takes awhile to fully take effect -- days, or even weeks), and not your cut to 15 mg.
i'm so happy to see that you've done some RESEARCH about dysthymia & SSRI's -- more people need to do the same!
AMZING video, i started taking paxil when i was 14 and im 18 now and still on it but im going to get off it now, last time i got off it i was 17 but 6 months later i needed to go back on it because of panic attacks and anxiety but paxil really did save my life, i was so fucked up, but it also has bad side effect VERTIGO !!! lol, good vid, summer
The side effects getting off some of these Rx drugs is terrible, I honestly believe the doctors aren't aware. Anyway if anyone here doubts me just go to the phone book and call any hospital or rehab place and ask about it.
paxil will make you feel real depression and confusion. I want to feel like I did before I started taking this shit. Shame on anyone who pushes paxil. Fire your doctor if he prescribes paxil!!!
god. that is insane that we are daily prescribed drugs that can do this to us... for symptoms too-often caused by modernity's ills and overextended time.
thank you. i made this video almost a year and a half ago, and believe me, it took a LONG TIME to fully get better. i'm feeling great now, though some withdrawal effects have lingered on (occasional zaps, and a totally wacky internal thermostat!).
there are more people in the US taking anti-D's than in any other country. did anyone ever stop to think that our anxiety and depression might be caused by our RIDICULOUSLY BUSY, individualistic, results-oriented lifestyle!?
no not really i took em when i was like 10 -11 now 16 i dont really remeber how many mg it was but i didnt have any withdrawl effects but i member being on em n bein hyper n shit
I relate to you on your drawer of paxil cut up in many different dosages. You actually gave me a chuckle with that! Was on 40mg for just under 3 years. I've weaned myself for the past 8 months... down to 2.5mg now. This has been the toughest battle, but i am going strong and couldn't be happier. Thanks for the video!
this is a beautiful vid and it almost made me cry because it's SO unfair how they've done this to us. i was doing 20 mg every other day for a while on my own, so this new doctor has me weaning-off over a 8 wk period, which seems short compared to everyone's stories. she has me doing 10 mg every other day, then every 2, then every 3, and so on. she never suggested pill-cutting. so i'm scared it won't work the way she's told me to do it.
the way she's told you to do it is pretty dangerous! paxil's half-life is only about 21 hours, so the level of paxil in your body will fluctuate. and believe me, you'll feel the roller coaster ride. i suggest consulting another doctor and looking at paxilprogress dot org for a better weaning schedule :) it's best to keep a consistent amount in your body each day, and slowly reduce.
I just started this three days ago, and am worried about it. It is already helping my depression, and I have to do something, I am out of work because of it.
i'm sorry you're out of work because of your depression. consider this: usually, paxil won't start to work for depression for an entire two weeks at the very least! you might be feeling a placebo effect. if you choose to stay on it, just remember: withdrawing can be VERY difficult!
I have been taking Paxil for a little over a year and have experienced some of the withdrawal symptoms when I forget to take Paxil 20mg. I plan to start tapering off of Paxil, but is afraid because of the unbearable symptoms. I plan to graduate from grad school in May and I don't want anything to get in the way of that. It's going to be HELL.
Been off SSRI pills for about two months now. Still suffering, however some of it stopped. Docs & drug companies do not tell us ahead of time what we are going to experience when withdrawing. Its all poison. Psychiatrists and drug company reps need to do jail time for these crimes. And, I know someday it will happen. Is anyone 100% back to normal after withdrawing?
Hey Summer, thought I'd stop in to see how many views you have. Woo hoo! See how much good you did by skipping homework for a night? Also I'm laughing at the pill cutter. I just cut up an entire bottle of the stuff. I have Paxil pieces everywhere from 2.5 to 15mg.
yes, i learned a HUGE lesson here about the nonvalue of homework, heh. and i am VERY happy that the number of paxil videos on here is growing! how are you doing, and what mg are you on?
i still have most of my shards too, in a little box. ew.
oh, believe me -- i have NO idea how i stayed in school, to be completely honest with you. i look back on it in amazement. i was only on 10 mg (the lowest "therapeutic" dose), too -- i can't imagine what it's like if you're on a higher dose!
I went from 25 to 20 recently and now 20-15mg for past 4 days....amazing what a little step down in dosage does.
Ive been on it for prolly 10 years or more.
Its terrible they did this to us...the withdrawal thing. Just terrible...but hang in there everyone. Just think of all the good things that come from nausea and confusion ie. weight loss, ummm..thats about it i think.
those 5 mg cuts you're making are actually quite big -- are you withdrawal symptoms very difficult? i had to cut by 25% drops at the maximum (i.e., from 10 to 7.5 and so on). trying that might save you some headache (and nausea and zappage and whooses and everything else...)
This video is absolutly awesome! I am going to be starting to go through withdrawal soon as I am tapering next week, not looking forward to it but I will remember this video when I am not throwing up or zapping
umm...im on 20mg and its been 5 months now...and i dont think doc would taper me off yet...but ya...how do you fight with depression now or prevent it from coming back? im sure u have some new routines into place
you've really got to look into non-drug therapies if you want to create a lasting change, like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (it worked wonders for me).
Hi there, i found your video amazing thank you. I've been on paroxetine for 9 years and Ive decided that its time to come off them. Ive been on 50mg a day for all that time! Im doing what youve done, taking the 20mg, halfing it then quartering the 10mg so Im reducing my dose by about 2-3mg. Gonna stick with that for a month or two and do it slowly and sensibly see how I am after that then go down to 45mg slowly slowly slowly wish me luck xxx
I wish you luck because it took me a year doing that to finally manage to stop it... and to be honest, the first weeks after I stopped have been hell.
My doctor prescribed paxil to me for anxiety/panic attacks many years ago. I took it for about a week then stopped. All I had to do was stop smoking weed because that's what was causing the attacks. I haven't had an attack in a really long time but I might be depressed. I'm not sure though. Now if I can only kick my alcohol/codeine addiction. Anyway, I like the song and I own the cd. good vid.
completly stopped the drug? i am suffering terribly from depression and sense of oncoming doom and dread now and i wasnt even originally prescribed for depression, ive been off the drug for approaching 2 weeks, i did it slowly over nearly 5 months, was on it for 8 years at 40!! i look forward to your reply.
hey fitnessguy! thank you :) as of roughly today, i've been off for just about nine months (yay!). it's really hard to say when the "cognitive fog", as i like to call it, finally went away. there WAS a tremendous improvement after i finished my final dose, and i improved steadily up until about the fourth month of finally being off. i'm glad you took 5 months to taper -- so many people go cold turkey without realizing the awful effects!!
thank you for your great reply. I cant believe you have managed to continue studying through all this aswel i cannot imagine how you did this! must have been just so tough. its fantastic that your getting better now though. it also shows theres a light at the tunnel for us too. keep up the good work! you are a beautiful girl!
Hi, this is a fantastic video! You say your cognitive abilities took 8 months to return, is this AFTER you had completly stopped the drug, or including the tapering? also was you originally prescribed it for depression and how long did it take for the depression to go AFTER you had
also, i began paxil for panic attacks & anxiety...but, the tapering process added a mild bit of depression into the picture, go figure. i think the depression was the result of my FEELINGS actually coming back -- as i'm sure you know, it's hard to squeak out even a sliver of emotion while on paxil. i remember my final month or so of tapering (& the weeks thereafter) as a huge flood of long-awaited sensations and feelings.
Im curious exactly how long did your withdrawal symptoms last. I think I may need to get back on and start this tapering the right way. I am on day 3 of cold turkey and i feel like im going to die.
i tried to cold turkey once, and i felt like i was going to die too! the entire tapering process took almost 8 months, and i was only weaning myself off of 10 mg. if you're on a higher dose, i'd recommend a weaning period of even longer than 8 months -- but it depends how long you've been on it, too. i'd been on it for almost two years by the time i started my taper. my biggest w/d symptoms lasted until about 3 months after i was finally off.
Well I had to put myself back on. I couldnt take it anymore. I am on 20mg and have only been taking them for about 5 mo. It's so sad how my body is so addicted. I am going to talk to my dr and do this the right, or hopefully less painful way. Thanks.
you're welcome -- but be careful, as most docs dont' know how harsh withdrawal can be. they usually recommend 2 to 4 week tapers, which are usually not NEARLY long or gradual enough.
Absolutely great video. You sum ideas up so perfectly without the need for verbal communication which many mental illnesses have issues with. It looks like you have set a template for better describing your feelings than any doctor or patient could.
hi,i am 18 and just started aropax (paxil) i have been on it for nearly 1 week,my dr said to go up to 40mg after i have been on it for a week and eventually i will be on 60mg. I am so worried about these side effects. I have been on another SSIR-LUVOX for 7months and that didnt help really.. Wanting to kno why u were prescribed for it?? I have suffered from eating disorders,severe panics and anxiety for yrs,and after only 1 week i feel so good,but almost too good. Very worried.please reply.
hi queenyell! :) let me put it this way: 40mg is a horse dose of paxil -- let alone 60! 60 really is the maximum approved dosage in the US and is far too much. all of the turmoil in the above video was caused by withdrawing from only TEN milligrams! i can't imagine what 40 would do. i was on paxil for panic attacks as well...
...i would check out paxilprogress (dot) com for more information before you continue and/or raise the dosage. it's a website/community with hundreds of people who are on (or have been on) paxil and other SSRI's. honestly though, the side effects of taking the drug were NOT worth it for me. the first few months were nice, but then i lost interest in everything. everything! my body was completely incapable of feeling passion or emotion for anything. not good.
Thank you so much for your response!! I really appreciate it. I am in australia,i thought 60mg sounded very high! I will deffinatly do more research but as i have tried other meds and counselling with fail i will give this a go with great attention. As for the last 3yrs from 15-18 i havent even been in school and this really is my last hope. Thank you so much,my dr didnt even tell me anything!!! Regards,lee
yes, it's very important to taper slowly! so many people quit cold turkey and it's really a miserable experience. heck, it's pretty miserable either way, quite frankly!
aw, thank you! at 8 months post-paxil, i am doing MUCH better. thank god i'm finally off the damn stuff -- you have no idea how my cognitive abilities have improved in the last 8 months! it was as if paxil was shutting down my own brain.
Thank you for posting this video and the link to paxilprogress. I just registered. I've been on paxil for 12 years and gained 70 pounds (a very skinny 125 to a pregnant-looking 195). The weight alone makes me depressed. I have bad withdrawl symptoms when I forget my pill (20mg) or try to taper too fast. I always return to the original dosage.
thanx for ur film its really cool!!!!I came down from paroxetin 3 month ago..as I started to cry about stupid things I felt so happy to have at least feelings again...the withdrawl is very similar to that of MDMA but u wont take this day by day.But the worst were the electrical brainshocks...good luck to everybody
you know, i've heard the same thing about the similarities between ecstacy and SSRI withdrawal -- especially regarding the brain zaps. i would not be surprised if the zaps had something to with serotonin, as both drugs act o
am starting next week am getting off paxil am getting off befor i get really bad thanks
LizandBryantgames 1 month ago
did u seriously use a nailfile or is this a joke?
quemedices1980 2 months ago
My WD symptoms are different, jsut extrem nervousness, and anger outburts, I would snap at everything.
prjibaro1 6 months ago
I took 50 mg of this shit (Paxil). After 3 months I decreased 10 mg per week. At the dosage of 20 mg I tried cold turkey. It was a nightmare - but I was willing to do it and I made it! I always thought I have to go to the hospital, because the side effects were really scaring - so nervous and all the time zaps in the brain :)) Good luck with it.
WildAxe07 6 months ago
A WORD OF CAUTION if considering using the liquid form to withdraw.............the active ingredients are never evenly dispersed, even if you shake it beforehand. Also, if you have a problem with excess stomach acid, it affects the absorbtion of the liquid and you have no control over how much you are actually getting, if any! Trust me, i went through hell trying to do it that way and didn't succed.....wish i'd been properly informed beforehand.
summeronjupiter 7 months ago
Please type in Ban Paxil using google search engine and sign the petition if you believe that Paxil is a bad drug
jessicaelainek 7 months ago
why did you start in the first place?
albertescamilla 7 months ago
How long does it take for the fatigue and mood swings to disappear after stopping?
I completely stopped for 2 weeks now after 8 years of using this poison, but it's still pretty bad although i gradually reduced the dose to 0.5mg. over a period of 2 years before stopping, coming from 40mg.
Never again, but in just hope to feel normal soon, can anyone tell me how long this usually takes and if this is normal?
DaZeDmerlin 7 months ago
Been on this drug forever (well, on and off....mostly on.....for 13 years or so). Tried cold turkey many times and chickened out after two days or so because of the withdrawal. A website called "Paxil Progress" suggests a very slow tapering is the best way to go off this drug. I recommend that site to anyone who seriously wants to kick the Paxil once and for all. They seem like knowledgeable and caring people (the site is not affiliated with any corporation). I'm on 30 mg/ day now. Forever?
Scrumpilump2000 10 months ago
@Scrumpilump2000 No definatly not forever!You need willpower above all, i tried cold turkey too but it is impossible, i suggest you take off about 2mg. every 4 to 6 weeks, you really need to be patient and go slow or you won't have any succes stopping, believe me, even after 0.5mg. wich is considered a placebo effect dose i still have withdrawl effects, but biting through and having the patience and willpower is everything, it's not easy, but life isn't easy when you really want something right?
DaZeDmerlin 7 months ago
@DaZeDmerlin Hey there, thanks for the reply and the encouragement! I am tapering slowly and doing Ok so far. 10% cut in dosage every four weeks. Slow and sure. Anybody reading this and thinking about withdrawing from Paxil, please visit the site I mentioned above (Paxil Progress) for tips on withdrawing and all-around good advice and support.
Scrumpilump2000 7 months ago
@Scrumpilump2000 I wish you all the best with that, this drug is pure poison.
It's normal that you'll feel some withdrawl effects, your brain is used to the chemicals, and the last steps are the hardest, but believe in it and don't look back, even if you feel bad and think you'll need to take them again, just don't, once the chemicals have no effect anymore you can start changing your life. Good luck man!
DaZeDmerlin 7 months ago
Combine it with a good diet and loads of exercise :)
simmo19801 11 months ago
First of all I want to wish every person who is getting off Paxil the best of luck. May you experience only minimal side effects, if any. I'd also like to add 2 points:
1) Tapering can also be done by dissolving Paxil in water, and taking the measured dose that way. That might be easier for some.
2) Some people (like me) can not taper. After 20+ years on a high dosage, any decrease brought on full-blown withdrawal. I "cold-turkeyed", took about 3 weeks. That was 3 yrs ago.
Good luck!
Merricat42 11 months ago
Thank you! I can identify with you so much, especially the scissors in the head, made me laugh because I so know the feeling. This is my 2nd time trying to taper, am doing it faster than before. did it with liquid before but the slow process had me in such a mess emotionally that personally found no easier than to come off at say 10mg a week. No mattter how slow you taper it is no easier for me personally, but everyone is different and it's probably wiser to go slowly.
andielcarpenter 11 months ago
you could always ask for liquid paxil ;) , much easier too taper
mattbe1980 1 year ago
i have been taking paxil for about 3 months now and have been here all these side effects ( weight gain, insomnia, ect,). so i want to know if i should stop now and try a different drug, or keep going. i just dont know what to do :(
darbyify96 1 year ago
Good for you - it ain't easy! So - did you finish grad school too? I hope so. Hugs.
thizizliz 1 year ago
CLDNT HAVE SAID IT BETTER MYSELF.
348dlopez 1 year ago
I have just come off Paxil and when I saw the container of shards, I was like omg the same process, I didn't think to use a nail file.. The disequilibrium , I'm wondering how you filmed that,, I didn't know that was the word for that feeling.
xx
brisbrett 1 year ago
I have just got off paxil a week ago. I was on it for about 3 yrs up to 40 mg and gained almost 100 pounds!!! My doctor put me on zoloft because it tricks your body so you will have no or less wthdrawal symptoms, so far just dizzy, feeling low.... I was 5'6 120 pounds and very active healthy physically...It makes you lazy now im a fatty:( I can not wait to get this weight off, I even cancelled my wedding cause of this drug!!! but it did help me very much in the begining.
xxterrynxx 1 year ago
I have been on paxil for a year and just switched over to Lithium, my dr has been gradually decreasing my dose for a week,but Even after 3 or 4 days on 10 mg I am still having horrible decrease syndrome. I am only on day two with NO paxil, does anyone know how long these feeling will last???
amandamcmom 1 year ago
5 days off this crap and doing pretty well .I can finally have sex with my wife and enjoy it ..
kritikaros1 1 year ago
I didn't read all of the comments below, but I know EXACTLY what the Paxil withdrawal is like. I've tried numerous times and recently have been having sucess with going down 1mg every 2 weeks. Ie 40mg - 39mg - 38 mg etc. The compunding pharmacy makes 1mg pills and I am able to accurately make my own exact dosage using 1's, 10's, and 40's. Pharmaca.com
danpsf 1 year ago
Bravo! to u and me. I still have a 1/8 of the 30mg pill as a souvenir I guess. It's been 2 yrs but I fucked up my college. Im trying my best to get back to college now. This shit totally mess my studies. when watched the video I felt all the pain I went through at the time. Dropping cold turkey is was nearly got me killed. And did exactly the same you did. breaking them into half then quarters and smaller then supplements, being hypomaniac, panic attack every morning... pure evil.. agony.i'd say
exceptional1414 1 year ago
I like the wai u did this. I jus started paxil 2weeks ago...
troubledwings33 1 year ago
I RELATE
PaganAngel7 1 year ago
not to point you to another way or mislead you in any way. but I have read that some people do quite well with the LIQUID form of paxil. much easier on you when you are trying to quite. But this is coming from a man right now that has been on it for about 10yrs and im afriad to quite , Im afraid of the side affects. the rage, zaps. rage
good luck to you and may god help you along
andyakio 1 year ago
@andyakio Thank you for the suggestion. I've now been off of Paxil for just over three years! At the time I made this video, liquid Paxil wasn't a possibility for me -- it hadn't gone generic yet, and CVS Pharmacy had quoted me a retail price of $198 for a bottle of it. (Obviously, I didn't have a prescription plan at the time.) So, scraping pills with a nail file was the only way to go. Now, I hear you can get liquid paroxetine for about $4/bottle. Go figure.
sssummer 1 year ago
Withdrawal symptoms for me were not nearly as horrific as I've heard some people describe, thank god. No 'zaps', only an odd, occasional 'rushing' or 'swishing' sound in my head. Some insomnia. Increased irritability and anger. What prevailed was a feeling and a fear that I'd fall back into my old depressive and socially anxious self. I might also say that Paxil seems to smooth over my emotions, so I don't feel things so intensely, am not bothered by things as much. Good or bad?
Scrumpilump2000 1 year ago
Subie Turbo: the Paxil seems to help me with my depression and my anxiety (particularly social, but also free-floating). I think I am a highly sensitive person who perhaps has trouble shutting out things. Paxil seems to give me some armour and some measure of peace. However, I do not like to be on medication! But maybe I need to be, I don't know. I've been on it for many years and I kind of forget what it was like to be "clean".
Scrumpilump2000 1 year ago
Thank you for having the courage to make this film. I think it's beautiful.....not that your problems are, but a person just trying to find peace in this crazy old world and being able to express it like you have is beautiful. I tried to quit cold turkey and went for about five days, then I became afraid and went back on it.
Scrumpilump2000 1 year ago
What good is this crap if it leads to such horrific side effects anyway? Seems like taking it is far worse than what it is supposed to be taken for.
SubieTurbo 1 year ago
Honestly I came off paxil years ago to go onto celexa and I had nothing like everyone on here has experienced, I just kept cutting back and the last few days with no paxil at all I had brain zaps but nothing compared to the torture some ppl have. I am actually coming off celexa to go back on paxil( I had a stupid doctor) withdrawals from celexa are BAD.. way way way worse then paxil and I didnt take no suppliments or nothing. Good luck to the ppl going through this. I was a lucky one!
newfiechaos29 2 years ago
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tlu30135004 2 years ago
My "original condition" was not depression.
This video is now over 3 years old. I have been Paxil-free for nearly three years, and I feel better than I ever had while I was taking the stuff. Paxil did not help me; Paxil was a quick fix that ultimately led to further damage and decreased my coping mechanisms. I did not taper off because I "forgot" how much its helped me; I tapered off because I knew there had to be a simpler and a more long-term solution.
sssummer 2 years ago
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sortashaman 2 years ago
xanax is way harder to kick but that's a benzodiazepine. paxil is an ssri's. no walk in the park either
hope everyone that wants to can get off this evil synthetic shit. america loves to keep people hooked on anything bad. give them alcohol to dull their senses and cigarettes to keep them productive. no psychedelics because we wouldn't want to give them keys to the doors of perception. they might want to think for themselves!
MaydayCavalier 2 years ago 3
You're right about the "benzos"; I had a helluva time w/ clonazipam withdrawal two years ago.
Best wishes for your drug-free quest; I well recall shaving down the Zoloft and Paxil w/ the razor blades. Takes patience, but you'll get there.
sortashaman 2 years ago
i hear you. the word "patience" is an understatement :-)
MaydayCavalier 2 years ago
Thanks for the comment, Mayday...yes, I've seen terrible videos here on Youtube of people undergoing constant tremors / seizures from benzo withdrawal. Whether it's an SSRI or a benzo, I really wish patients could become aware of potential WD issues BEFORE they begin taking a certain medication. It would help them to make a better-informed decision.
sssummer 2 years ago
@sssummer you're welcome and true that
MaydayCavalier 10 months ago
@MaydayCavalier doc put me on paxil to get rid of xanax and i did which was the easiest part until i tired dropping paxil cold turkey after 2 yrs. I would never ever forget those days of my life.
exceptional1414 1 year ago
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JJJadm 11 months ago
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JJJadm 11 months ago
i'm tapering off paxil and as of today i think it may be my very first day without a xanax since september 2005. this is off subject but i was taking 5mg's of xanax a day. my doctor didn't give a shit about my well-being and neglected to inform me on the dangers of these drugs. i'm probably taking 3 or 4mg's of a 20mg paxil. filing that son of a bitch down with a razorblade
by 2010 i hope to be drug free for the first time in five years. i'd like to give a shout out to "dr. curtis". FUCK YOU
MaydayCavalier 2 years ago
@Bruce:
It is pretty well documented that paroxetine can cause some pretty severe withdrawl effects, of course it can also cause none for some people.
Maybe your right and a huge percentage of people are just pussies, but remember that a chemical that may have saved YOUR life might be totally wrong for someone else.
It is extremely ignorant, narrow-minded and just plain stupid to say that it is either just the pills or just the person; it is the combination. All drugs affect everyone differently
sinewavex 2 years ago
ive already ran out a couple times and i was fine i felt a little sleepy though. im an EX cocaine addict so anything after that is babys milk you know? i used cocaine and other drugs to self medicate. but like i said i sorta have a high tolarance to any drug. but it works for me, but its not somthing i want to do for the rest of my life
crackernumber2 2 years ago
Well it is the person no matter what with or without paxil. In terms of how people bodies react to paxil. I say it works for about 50/50 does good and bad. Type in how paxil helped me and read for yourself. Not that Im saying you disagree with me on that part but FYI. But paxil is worth a try. It also depends on what youre depressed for too. I was plainly trying to get raise out of people by calling them pussies and sure enough look at what you did. But on a serious note yeah
BruceIsSoCool 2 years ago
I dont have to look it up, I have been on and off a few anti-depressent medications (paroxetine included). I probably reacted to your first comment without thinking too much, I just think that It's better to have constructive comments then name calling, but anyway, I'm sidetracking. I do happen to agree with your points though, so, meh.
btw the withdrawls for me were minimal also.
sinewavex 2 years ago
exactly what paxil is about
SmukkaBlunt 2 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
you people are pussies I didn't have any with drawls, paxil saved my life. maybe its not the pill it you guys
BruceGiron 2 years ago
Comment removed
sortashaman 2 years ago
my psych quit her practice with no notice and me on 40mg of this stuff daily.
i think i've tried every SSRI so it's tapering for me.
i quit effexor cold turkey in my early 20's and got all the same symptoms, including the zaps so i'm sure it's going to be similar this time.
sigh.
exquisitepain 2 years ago
Hi Summer. I had to come back and watch it again. Brilliant! I love the electrical cord, the scissors through the head, the spinning. Awesome.
traffictype 2 years ago 2
Really descriptive short film. Thanks. I got off it , thank God. LUCKILY didn't get the brain ZAPS . I SO feel for you guys that do. Everything else though. DREAMS, afraid to go to sleep , Nausea - THAT was my big thing - I felt like I was SO car sick....DRAMAMINE saved my ASS!!! & Ibuprofen. Tapered with a pill cutter. Down to 10 wasn't bad after about 3 days but down to 5 sucked, so I went back to 10mg then ,8, 7 or 6, then 5 , then 3 and finally the tiniest nub of a pill then off.
cupcoolone 2 years ago
thats y i dont fuck with pills, but sadly my friend doesnt feel the same as me
houseofcards65 2 years ago
Thank you summerb. You did a great job at illustrating the withdrawal symptoms, though nobody can know for sure the impact these have on you until you go through it yourself. I have tried quitting cold turkey and repeatedly vomited and felt nauseous for days until I couldn't stand it anymore - I had to go back. These withdrawals are like heroin withdrawals. I just hope one day I can 'taper' off this *DRUG* as you have. Much Love.
mlo4sho 2 years ago
I just dropped from 10mg to 0mg miligrams as directed by my doctor. I have been getting brain zap and I have been feeling really un-easy. Nightmares and wierd dreams are really getting to me. This is one seriously fucked up drug.
RandyTheRebel 2 years ago 3
I don't feel so alone
slamprecht1 2 years ago
You shouldn't. I just dropped from 10mg to 0mg.
RandyTheRebel 2 years ago
anyone experiencing muscle contractions/spasms.?
am I the only one having this withdrawal effect?
I get full body dystonia after 3 or 4 days off paxil... I'm down to 10mg now and I just can't stand the effects if I go lower than that.
zkorpioz 2 years ago
Don't know what Dystonia is....If it is muscle spasms ...NO U R not the only one, Ididn't get head zaps but muscle twitches. I got off by going SLOW, When I went from 10 to 5 it sucked, so I go t pill cutter and just cut off very little bits....I'd say I went down to 8mg then each time the symptoms would flare up for 3-4 days, I'd wait a week , then go to 7mg, (best estimate), then 6, then 5, then 4 ...each time a little flare up.... My big thing was nausea. I used Dramamine Good Luck to you
cupcoolone 2 years ago
Thank you.. I managed to get down to 5mg for 2 weeks and so far no mayor muscle spasms...(dystonic reaction), but.. the brain zaps and insomnia are killing me... I'm now taking clonazepam and I think that's helping me to not get the panic attacks and therefore the muscle spasms.. in 2 or 3 weeks I'm going to try 0mg and hoping not to get there...
This "dystonic reaction" really hurts! the muscle spasms are so strong that at one point I thought my bones were going to brake. Good luck to you all.
zkorpioz 2 years ago
yes my muscles knotted up so tight I couldn't move my head due to the spasms in my neck.
traffictype 2 years ago
what about sexual disfunction?anyone had?
mladen112 2 years ago
yes, but while you are on paxil... ones you get off paxil I should come back.
zkorpioz 2 years ago
Thank u for posting this. I am going through hell right now with my withdrawal from paxil and you made me feel like i'm not the only one. Much love to you!
Stephykitten23 3 years ago
I am also getting through a tough time. It's things like this that help me to remember that I will be OK soon.
Wolf0307 3 years ago
I experienced frequent hunger while on Paxi.
An while tring to taper down it became even more frequent.
mlynnc1 3 years ago
I LOVE this video. I did not mean to stop taking Paxil. I forgot to fill my scrip before going out of town. After a couple of days, I started feeling "weird". After 5 days, I am CRAZY. I went and got it filled today, but started to read the withdrawl symptoms and freaked out. I have the zaps, nightmares, cold chills, headaches, etc. Tomorrow I am going 1/2 and see what happens. Good luck to all of you! Who knew???...except the drug companies of course!
linahenson8 3 years ago
well i have 4 pills left. i cant afford my dr. visit this month! i didnt know withdrawal was involved w/ getting off of paxil.now im scared
to see what next week will be like. oh, i wont have my xanax either . any advice ?
cuzcuz 3 years ago
Wow, you really did a great job depicting what it's like comming off this drug. I have been on Paxil since 1996. I have tried to get off of it 3 times...going on my 4th. Wish me luck!
stefanya 3 years ago
stefanya,
Hope the tapering off went well for you. I got off all SSRIs (and other psychotropics), but the key was a VERY slow taper w/ the SSRIs (had experience w/ Paxil and Zoloft; both have nasty "cold turkey" effects).
sortashaman 2 years ago
I started to take paxil Around May,08.with 10mg.I couple of weeks ago i noticed that the pill stopped working for me.I decided that I shouldn't take more to get the feeling i was getting when i had 10mg in me. So as stupid as i was and not knowing the side affects last Monday I cut my dosage down half (5mg). Saturday I stopped taking it all together. Later on saturday i stared to feel the "zaps",head aces, nosiated.Sunday it was so worse. Today i am back at 5mg and i feel a lot better.any sugges
Mavafire14 3 years ago
Once I got to 5mg a day, I cut back to 5mg every other day for a while, then every third day and finally got off it after 14 years...
garyl43 3 years ago
WOW! i really liked this video. very creative and very true. i'm coming off a high dosage of xanax from 3 years of use and i've been taking paxil for about 4 months. i know paxil is evil and once i finally get off the xanax i will taper off the paxil. the fingernail file was the best idea! i always tried to think of ways to cut the little bitches up and of course the pills are built so you can't break them up. pills. civil war for your brain. went from 5mg's of xanax a day to 1 now! uggh!
LoonySkateDude25 3 years ago
ive been on paxil since 17 im 21 now i just found out im ganna have a baby im on a very high dose due to emotional problems . any way when i found out i was pregnet i just stopped taking the paxil. big mistake naver just stop cold turkey ! you body goes into somthing called seritum shock . dont ever take paxil period . belive me there is nothing good that comes out of it except helping with depression. and you can find other anti depresents that are just as good as paxil but not as harmfull
nfectedtoe 3 years ago
I'm in the process of getting off this awful drug. I have missed work so much due to the withdrawal symptoms. I woke up Friday morning and the whole room was spinning... everything around me was moving. I have a rash on my legs, zaps throughout my body, I feel like I'm floating around and everything around me is not real. When is this going to end?????
mrios12451245 3 years ago
Does anybody else get like really disturbing dreams while coming off paxil?
ItsaUFOduh 3 years ago 2
oh, absolutely. it's a very common side effect. i had the most bizarre and realistic nightmares ever. you've just got to take them with a grain of salt, invest no meaning or analysis in them, and just realize it's part of withdrawal.
sssummer 3 years ago
Yes! I had the worst ones night before last and when I would wake up and fall back to sleep, I was in the same dream. Damn this drug!
linahenson8 3 years ago
lol, sorry to hear that
ItsaUFOduh 3 years ago
When I tried dropping the Paxil "cold-turkey", I experienced rather lucid dreams, and a peculiar mixing of waking and dream-life, a bit disconcerting, but likely the mildest symptom I personally experienced (vs. the "zaps" and general flu-like sense)...
sortashaman 2 years ago
Yup, I had the lucid dreams too. When I went cold turkey (which was my first attempt of withdrawing), the zaps were the absolute worst symptom. They were constant, with every step and/or every small move of the neck.
sssummer 2 years ago
Indeed; I found the "zaps" (which I called "glitches") to be particularly bothersome while out jogging, or even changing positions. Something like mini-seizures. Even then, I knew it couldn't be a good sign. And then there was the day (after an early attempt at quitting "cold turkey", about five days after my last dose) where I felt myself simultaneously having a conversation w/ someone, and observing myself having that conversation...
sortashaman 2 years ago
omg, that makes me wanna cry. or is that my lack of paxil for 3 days? I get zaps to the head so bad. I hate it. I've cut 1/2 and im trying to cut down another 1/2. I was watching Air Force One just now bawling and i decided to look things up. As far as im concerned doctors and shrinks should have to take this stuff b4 they prescribe it. Paxil = The Devil.
abortbort 3 years ago
I regret taking this crap. It was absolute hell coming off of it (the brain zaps were nearly constant). I had been taking 30 mg a day. My doctor told me to reduce to 20 mg for 2 weeks, then 10 mg for the last 2 weeks. I think that was way too fast. I now fear that coming off this poison too quickly (much less taking it in the first place) has scarred me for life.
sliv812 3 years ago
*sigh*
I'm 16 in Grade 11 and I have been on paxil since I was 13 [20 mg] I am so tired of having this control my life. I feel as though this is a mask covering up my true self. Like I don't even know the real me. 2 days ago I stopped taking them, cold turkey. I've been having the zaps, dizziness, tiredness, and crying out of nowhere. I then gave in and took 2 just to feel "normal". What a vicious cycle. I feel like shit. I need help and I don't know what to do. This pill is ruining my life. :(
Braainstew182 3 years ago
3. Take cold showers, as icy as you can..it replenishes the blood supply and detoxifies the body. Its difficult at first but as you stay in your body will warm up. You will get the giggles afterwards and feel fantastic.
4. Exercise a lot, drink a lot of water and eat HEALTHY.
5. Have friends and family that are there for you. If not IRL than make some online. paxilprogress is a good site for this.
Good luck this is a hard drug to come off of. These steps will help you tons.
bootiful286 3 years ago
If I can offer some advice to help you, here it is.
1. Drop 2.5 mg every 4-6 weeks AT MOST, it eases the symptoms A LOT. Cold turkey is dangerous and painful. More than 2.5mg every 4-6 weeks may present problems in the future. Research extended ssri discontinuation syndrome. Many people who dont taper right experience problems years into the future.
2. Marijuana helps and it may have something to do with the way it effects dopamine in the brain. Dont go overboard as anxiety may occur.
bootiful286 3 years ago 2
i agree. a tiny amount of marijuana can help anxiety, but NOT TOO MUCH. bong hits won't help. funny how a drug that used to give me panic attacks that got me on these evil drugs helps you get back off for some people. interesting. what have we learned here? drugs can open your mind, but like pandora's box nothing good can come out but hope in the long run. preachy? yeah, maybe. i blame the lsd. oh well. i'm very glad i did some drugs and i'm still alive. had a good time but now it's time to stop
LoonySkateDude25 3 years ago
my doctor fucked me and never told me this shit. I just spent 4 hours crying for no reason and its only because I didnt take paxil for 3 days while my script lapsed (I have only been on it for 6 months). St. Johns Wort and marijuana, here I come. FUCK PAXIL. I didn't need BIGGER fucking problems than I already had.
Iemonette 3 years ago
oh gosh, i'm so sorry to hear all of that. my doctor never told me about the bad effects either. in my first withdrawal attempt, i tried to take one pill every other day...and it was a miserable failure with constant crying, brain zaps, and fatigue. if you're going to taper, be sure to do it slowly!
also, be careful with st. john's wort -- it has much of the same effect as Paxil does (both good and bad). do your research first!
sssummer 3 years ago
your way of tapering is great. Im sorry you have to go through this. Im assuming your doctor didnt tell you anything , or?
Jsmooth7444 3 years ago
thank you! my doctor didn't tell me any of paxil's bad side effects (completely emotional blunting, for starters) nor any of its withdrawal effects. i started taking paxil after my doctor gave me a monthsworth of sample packages -- i didn't even have the benefit of a Rx Information Leaflet, and i didn't even think to look on the internet to see if Paxil was the carefree drug i had thought it was!
sssummer 3 years ago
Wellbutrin is not bad
caulfield78 3 years ago
are you ON it, or have you tried tapering off of it?
sssummer 3 years ago
even filed my shards down
sonofgeorgebush 3 years ago
I have a box of shards -- Gone from 40 now at 20mgs
sonofgeorgebush 3 years ago
i hope everything is going good for you.Iam addicted to Citalopram and want to get off but am scared of the withdrawl symtoms.So i really dont know what to do.
atlbroad 3 years ago
thank you! you know, the withdrawal symptoms CAN be pretty awful, but it honestly varies from person to person. i was scared too, but every time i made a small dosage cut, i reminded myself that if things got to be too difficult, i could always go up to my original dosage again. do all the research that you can about citalopram withdrawal so you know what to expect!
sssummer 3 years ago
I used to be one of the biggest proponents of Paxil. I was on 40 mg of Paxil for 8 years. I decided to wean myself off, to make a long story short, I did some things that I would never have done otherwise, and I couldn't cry anymore. After almost 9 months of being off Paxil, I am still experiencing the effects. I literally crashed last Christmas when a family crisis occurred. I've quit my job to "find myself", I'd rather feel than be a semi-human being.
terrysabean 3 years ago 2
I never knew about the side effects. I am a "doctor truster". I believed it would all be fine with a little Paxil. One of my good friends and her mother passed away within 4 months of each other. I never cried. In fact, I was out at a bar when I found out about her. It never occurred to me to cry or go home. I just stayed and played. That is SOOO unlike me. I never thought it could be the drug.
linahenson8 3 years ago
Summer, Excellent representation. Wish I could show this video to the psychiatrists I"m meeting Friday....
shellpooge 3 years ago 2
smoking weed helped my withdrawal (and still is)
bootiful286 3 years ago
oh btw i wonder if they have it in liquid form.
maggieforce 3 years ago
they do! (also, did you get the message i sent you?)
sssummer 3 years ago
wow, that stinks...i was only on 10mg and i couldn't hack it, so they took me off cold turkey. I got bad side fx, but the same general symptoms...PS great music choice.
maggieforce 3 years ago 2
I've been prescribed 20mg of Paxil for dysthymia. After researching this online, I don't feel the side effects and withdrawal risks are justified by my marginal condition. I've been taking Paxil for only 5 days, and already noticing the side-effects and the zombification (can't concentrate at work.) - last night I cut my pill to 15mg and I feel lightheaded today. I should be able to quit very quickly if I've only been on for a few days, correct?
rmzalbar 3 years ago
i can't imagine that only taking it for four days would leave you with much to worry about, withdrawal-wise. if i were in your position, i might take half a dose tomorrow & then be done with it completely. your lightheadedness can probably be attributed to the drug's onset in your system (as it takes awhile to fully take effect -- days, or even weeks), and not your cut to 15 mg.
i'm so happy to see that you've done some RESEARCH about dysthymia & SSRI's -- more people need to do the same!
sssummer 3 years ago
AMZING video, i started taking paxil when i was 14 and im 18 now and still on it but im going to get off it now, last time i got off it i was 17 but 6 months later i needed to go back on it because of panic attacks and anxiety but paxil really did save my life, i was so fucked up, but it also has bad side effect VERTIGO !!! lol, good vid, summer
reddragon454 3 years ago
The side effects getting off some of these Rx drugs is terrible, I honestly believe the doctors aren't aware. Anyway if anyone here doubts me just go to the phone book and call any hospital or rehab place and ask about it.
bri13615 3 years ago
smoke weed
PartVIII 3 years ago
....no.
sssummer 3 years ago
you're so hot
hugeslacker 3 years ago
Hahahaha, I can so relate to this. Nearly split my sides when I saw the 'shards' box....I thought I was the only one :-) Great vid.
molyneux1000 3 years ago
paxil will make you feel real depression and confusion. I want to feel like I did before I started taking this shit. Shame on anyone who pushes paxil. Fire your doctor if he prescribes paxil!!!
RU4REALLALA 3 years ago
god. that is insane that we are daily prescribed drugs that can do this to us... for symptoms too-often caused by modernity's ills and overextended time.
i hope you're better.
letambourinnoir 4 years ago
thank you. i made this video almost a year and a half ago, and believe me, it took a LONG TIME to fully get better. i'm feeling great now, though some withdrawal effects have lingered on (occasional zaps, and a totally wacky internal thermostat!).
there are more people in the US taking anti-D's than in any other country. did anyone ever stop to think that our anxiety and depression might be caused by our RIDICULOUSLY BUSY, individualistic, results-oriented lifestyle!?
sssummer 3 years ago
i just quit flat out fuck paxil
paintballmoreyo 4 years ago
did you experience any withdrawal effects? yikes! i tried cold turkeying once, basically, and it was hell.
sssummer 4 years ago
no not really i took em when i was like 10 -11 now 16 i dont really remeber how many mg it was but i didnt have any withdrawl effects but i member being on em n bein hyper n shit
paintballmoreyo 4 years ago
i'm glad you quit! now, they know it's not safe for people under 18...and boy, at 10 and 11 you're right in the middle of growing!!
sssummer 4 years ago
yea im pretty fucked up i guess lol n depressed weed helps for that not that paxil shit
paintballmoreyo 4 years ago
I was taking 20 mg Paxil for over 10 years. I was in New Orleans and after Katrina, quit Paxil cold turley. I haven't had any bad effects in 2 years.
LDL007
Jimbosamy 4 years ago
I relate to you on your drawer of paxil cut up in many different dosages. You actually gave me a chuckle with that! Was on 40mg for just under 3 years. I've weaned myself for the past 8 months... down to 2.5mg now. This has been the toughest battle, but i am going strong and couldn't be happier. Thanks for the video!
Serenitee111 4 years ago
this is a beautiful vid and it almost made me cry because it's SO unfair how they've done this to us. i was doing 20 mg every other day for a while on my own, so this new doctor has me weaning-off over a 8 wk period, which seems short compared to everyone's stories. she has me doing 10 mg every other day, then every 2, then every 3, and so on. she never suggested pill-cutting. so i'm scared it won't work the way she's told me to do it.
ceeepeas 4 years ago 2
the way she's told you to do it is pretty dangerous! paxil's half-life is only about 21 hours, so the level of paxil in your body will fluctuate. and believe me, you'll feel the roller coaster ride. i suggest consulting another doctor and looking at paxilprogress dot org for a better weaning schedule :) it's best to keep a consistent amount in your body each day, and slowly reduce.
sssummer 4 years ago
I just started this three days ago, and am worried about it. It is already helping my depression, and I have to do something, I am out of work because of it.
sevenedges 4 years ago
i'm sorry you're out of work because of your depression. consider this: usually, paxil won't start to work for depression for an entire two weeks at the very least! you might be feeling a placebo effect. if you choose to stay on it, just remember: withdrawing can be VERY difficult!
sssummer 4 years ago
I have been taking Paxil for a little over a year and have experienced some of the withdrawal symptoms when I forget to take Paxil 20mg. I plan to start tapering off of Paxil, but is afraid because of the unbearable symptoms. I plan to graduate from grad school in May and I don't want anything to get in the way of that. It's going to be HELL.
stepwalk85 4 years ago 2
Been off SSRI pills for about two months now. Still suffering, however some of it stopped. Docs & drug companies do not tell us ahead of time what we are going to experience when withdrawing. Its all poison. Psychiatrists and drug company reps need to do jail time for these crimes. And, I know someday it will happen. Is anyone 100% back to normal after withdrawing?
paulswebdiscounts 4 years ago 3
Hey Summer, thought I'd stop in to see how many views you have. Woo hoo! See how much good you did by skipping homework for a night? Also I'm laughing at the pill cutter. I just cut up an entire bottle of the stuff. I have Paxil pieces everywhere from 2.5 to 15mg.
traffictype 4 years ago
yes, i learned a HUGE lesson here about the nonvalue of homework, heh. and i am VERY happy that the number of paxil videos on here is growing! how are you doing, and what mg are you on?
i still have most of my shards too, in a little box. ew.
sssummer 4 years ago
wow. i had no idea. i'm not on this med, or any med actually,i self medicate, but i didn't know none the less. i should read more about this.
this is a straight forward expression of feelings.
i'm glad i watched it, it broadened my horizons.
jayseanNO9 4 years ago
thanks! trying to get off this drug was a real trip for me.
sssummer 4 years ago
The first time I tried to quit Paxil it just about killed me. This time I've worked out a tapering schedule that will take nearly a year.
chrisandersonblalba 4 years ago
oh, believe me -- i have NO idea how i stayed in school, to be completely honest with you. i look back on it in amazement. i was only on 10 mg (the lowest "therapeutic" dose), too -- i can't imagine what it's like if you're on a higher dose!
sssummer 4 years ago
Great Video!
I went from 25 to 20 recently and now 20-15mg for past 4 days....amazing what a little step down in dosage does.
Ive been on it for prolly 10 years or more.
Its terrible they did this to us...the withdrawal thing. Just terrible...but hang in there everyone. Just think of all the good things that come from nausea and confusion ie. weight loss, ummm..thats about it i think.
spybeach 4 years ago 2
thank you!
those 5 mg cuts you're making are actually quite big -- are you withdrawal symptoms very difficult? i had to cut by 25% drops at the maximum (i.e., from 10 to 7.5 and so on). trying that might save you some headache (and nausea and zappage and whooses and everything else...)
sssummer 4 years ago
This video is absolutly awesome! I am going to be starting to go through withdrawal soon as I am tapering next week, not looking forward to it but I will remember this video when I am not throwing up or zapping
dondawg00 4 years ago
umm...im on 20mg and its been 5 months now...and i dont think doc would taper me off yet...but ya...how do you fight with depression now or prevent it from coming back? im sure u have some new routines into place
persianjiggy 4 years ago
you've really got to look into non-drug therapies if you want to create a lasting change, like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (it worked wonders for me).
sssummer 3 years ago
To be honest Im really scared but determined xxx
scotscub76 4 years ago
Hi there, i found your video amazing thank you. I've been on paroxetine for 9 years and Ive decided that its time to come off them. Ive been on 50mg a day for all that time! Im doing what youve done, taking the 20mg, halfing it then quartering the 10mg so Im reducing my dose by about 2-3mg. Gonna stick with that for a month or two and do it slowly and sensibly see how I am after that then go down to 45mg slowly slowly slowly wish me luck xxx
scotscub76 4 years ago
I wish you luck because it took me a year doing that to finally manage to stop it... and to be honest, the first weeks after I stopped have been hell.
Aializia 4 years ago
My doctor prescribed paxil to me for anxiety/panic attacks many years ago. I took it for about a week then stopped. All I had to do was stop smoking weed because that's what was causing the attacks. I haven't had an attack in a really long time but I might be depressed. I'm not sure though. Now if I can only kick my alcohol/codeine addiction. Anyway, I like the song and I own the cd. good vid.
Roryoreo 4 years ago
completly stopped the drug? i am suffering terribly from depression and sense of oncoming doom and dread now and i wasnt even originally prescribed for depression, ive been off the drug for approaching 2 weeks, i did it slowly over nearly 5 months, was on it for 8 years at 40!! i look forward to your reply.
fitnessguyx 4 years ago
hey fitnessguy! thank you :) as of roughly today, i've been off for just about nine months (yay!). it's really hard to say when the "cognitive fog", as i like to call it, finally went away. there WAS a tremendous improvement after i finished my final dose, and i improved steadily up until about the fourth month of finally being off. i'm glad you took 5 months to taper -- so many people go cold turkey without realizing the awful effects!!
sssummer 4 years ago
thank you for your great reply. I cant believe you have managed to continue studying through all this aswel i cannot imagine how you did this! must have been just so tough. its fantastic that your getting better now though. it also shows theres a light at the tunnel for us too. keep up the good work! you are a beautiful girl!
fitnessguyx 4 years ago
Hi, this is a fantastic video! You say your cognitive abilities took 8 months to return, is this AFTER you had completly stopped the drug, or including the tapering? also was you originally prescribed it for depression and how long did it take for the depression to go AFTER you had
fitnessguyx 4 years ago
also, i began paxil for panic attacks & anxiety...but, the tapering process added a mild bit of depression into the picture, go figure. i think the depression was the result of my FEELINGS actually coming back -- as i'm sure you know, it's hard to squeak out even a sliver of emotion while on paxil. i remember my final month or so of tapering (& the weeks thereafter) as a huge flood of long-awaited sensations and feelings.
sssummer 4 years ago
rtyu
fitnessguyx 4 years ago
okay, maybe i'm a bit behind on internet slang. huh?
sssummer 4 years ago
Im curious exactly how long did your withdrawal symptoms last. I think I may need to get back on and start this tapering the right way. I am on day 3 of cold turkey and i feel like im going to die.
AshabellaMarie 4 years ago
i tried to cold turkey once, and i felt like i was going to die too! the entire tapering process took almost 8 months, and i was only weaning myself off of 10 mg. if you're on a higher dose, i'd recommend a weaning period of even longer than 8 months -- but it depends how long you've been on it, too. i'd been on it for almost two years by the time i started my taper. my biggest w/d symptoms lasted until about 3 months after i was finally off.
sssummer 4 years ago
Well I had to put myself back on. I couldnt take it anymore. I am on 20mg and have only been taking them for about 5 mo. It's so sad how my body is so addicted. I am going to talk to my dr and do this the right, or hopefully less painful way. Thanks.
AshabellaMarie 4 years ago
you're welcome -- but be careful, as most docs dont' know how harsh withdrawal can be. they usually recommend 2 to 4 week tapers, which are usually not NEARLY long or gradual enough.
sssummer 4 years ago
Absolutely great video. You sum ideas up so perfectly without the need for verbal communication which many mental illnesses have issues with. It looks like you have set a template for better describing your feelings than any doctor or patient could.
Just .... great insiration.
madjuggla9 4 years ago
:) thank you. it's fun that you bring this up. that graduate degree i'm working on is in Communication! ha.
sssummer 4 years ago
hi,i am 18 and just started aropax (paxil) i have been on it for nearly 1 week,my dr said to go up to 40mg after i have been on it for a week and eventually i will be on 60mg. I am so worried about these side effects. I have been on another SSIR-LUVOX for 7months and that didnt help really.. Wanting to kno why u were prescribed for it?? I have suffered from eating disorders,severe panics and anxiety for yrs,and after only 1 week i feel so good,but almost too good. Very worried.please reply.
queenyell 4 years ago
hi queenyell! :) let me put it this way: 40mg is a horse dose of paxil -- let alone 60! 60 really is the maximum approved dosage in the US and is far too much. all of the turmoil in the above video was caused by withdrawing from only TEN milligrams! i can't imagine what 40 would do. i was on paxil for panic attacks as well...
sssummer 4 years ago
...i would check out paxilprogress (dot) com for more information before you continue and/or raise the dosage. it's a website/community with hundreds of people who are on (or have been on) paxil and other SSRI's. honestly though, the side effects of taking the drug were NOT worth it for me. the first few months were nice, but then i lost interest in everything. everything! my body was completely incapable of feeling passion or emotion for anything. not good.
sssummer 4 years ago
Thank you so much for your response!! I really appreciate it. I am in australia,i thought 60mg sounded very high! I will deffinatly do more research but as i have tried other meds and counselling with fail i will give this a go with great attention. As for the last 3yrs from 15-18 i havent even been in school and this really is my last hope. Thank you so much,my dr didnt even tell me anything!!! Regards,lee
ihatedrugs111 4 years ago
you have pretty hands - i am on paxil now - i am good. one day i will ween myself off - i knew to do "your" method :)
gmodesike 4 years ago
yes, it's very important to taper slowly! so many people quit cold turkey and it's really a miserable experience. heck, it's pretty miserable either way, quite frankly!
sssummer 4 years ago
Your video of tapering off paxil was adorable. I hope that you're OK. now and able to concentrate on your studies!
weasalw 4 years ago
aw, thank you! at 8 months post-paxil, i am doing MUCH better. thank god i'm finally off the damn stuff -- you have no idea how my cognitive abilities have improved in the last 8 months! it was as if paxil was shutting down my own brain.
sssummer 4 years ago
Do yourself a favor and flush all that crap.
louislindner 4 years ago
i'm still trying to figure out a cathartic (and safe) way to dispose of the remaining pills!
sssummer 4 years ago
Bonfire?
Thank you for posting this video and the link to paxilprogress. I just registered. I've been on paxil for 12 years and gained 70 pounds (a very skinny 125 to a pregnant-looking 195). The weight alone makes me depressed. I have bad withdrawl symptoms when I forget my pill (20mg) or try to taper too fast. I always return to the original dosage.
shorehunt 4 years ago
thanx for ur film its really cool!!!!I came down from paroxetin 3 month ago..as I started to cry about stupid things I felt so happy to have at least feelings again...the withdrawl is very similar to that of MDMA but u wont take this day by day.But the worst were the electrical brainshocks...good luck to everybody
paraphonoia 4 years ago
you know, i've heard the same thing about the similarities between ecstacy and SSRI withdrawal -- especially regarding the brain zaps. i would not be surprised if the zaps had something to with serotonin, as both drugs act o