Paxil

[phetaroi]

About 3 years ago my family was going through a major crisis, resulting in an extremely high level of stress. My doctor prescribed paxil (at the time 40 mg/day).

As with most things, time heals all wounds. Although the family event turned out badly, it is no longer a streesor. On my own I reduced my intake down to 13 mg/day.

I want to drop it all together. My doctor feels it benefits my high blood pressure (which was also at crisis point during the family cirisis).

I have heard horror stories about withdrawing from it, although that doesn't particularly worry me.

What concerns me more is that I heard that if you get off it, you cannot go back on it.

Is that true?

Maybe it's just not a big deal...although I worry that there are so many other meds (mostly over the counter) that I cannot take because of paxil. Maybe at this low dose I should just go on taking it and not worry. Cost is not an issue.

Any thoughts?

[Sheryl]

Where on earth did you hear that? It is not true.

You can go off Paxil and, should the need later arise, go back on it or on a related drug. However it is unadvisable to do this within a very short time as you'll play havoc with your brain chemistry. Once you are totally off it, let things stabilize.

It is also not the case that getting off the drug has to be difficult. Done properly (i.e. through gradual dose reduction, as you have done) and when the patient is ready for it, there is usually little or no problem. Problems occur when people try to abruptly stop taking it.

This and other SSRIs should no be discontinued prior to having had at least 6 months of treatment tho (unless adverse effect mandates it) as changes in brain chemistry will not yet have stabilized. Not a concern if you have been on it for 3 years.

Of course, if people who still need the medication try to go off it, they may plunge back into depression, but you indicate you are no longer depressed plus at 13mg you are already on a sub-therapeutic dose and I gather, feeling OK.

I think you can continue to taper off it.

[noahvail]

I agree with Sheryl. And while there is a *small* possibility that any psychotropic med might not work the second time around, there are so many other SSRIs out there that you'd have no trouble finding one that works.

[phetaroi]

Thought I would give you a progress report.

After originally taking 20 mg per day (although 40 mg were prescribed), for some time I have been down to 14 mg per day for several months.

Now, for the past several days I have reduced to 10 mg with no side affects whatsoever. I will continue that for another 10 days and then drop it down to zero.

Crossing my fingers...I know some people have suffered when going off it.

[phetaroi]

Final progress report:

Just my luck, at just about the time that the Paxil withdrawl symptoms kicked in (including mild dizziness and the zip-zap sounds inside your heard), I also came down with the real flu. However, I endured, and the flu is finally gone (it was a rough one) except for a residual cough, and the paxil withdrawal symptoms are gone except for some very minor light headedness on occasion...and that's 3 days after zero paxil. Yeah!