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Hello everyone!
I have A big question: what's the best way to stop taking paxil (I alreadt talked to my doc, I am not so sure about his idea), I havr been taking Paxil for over 10 years, I am not happy with it at all. I tried to stop cold turkey on my own 6 years ago; IT WAS A BIG MISTAKE!
Would you please help me to do it the right way, without crashing like I did before?
I am about to start some Chinese herbs, anyone who knows a lot about it?
Thanks Everyone!
JD
Here are some links that may offer information that can assist you in this as well as people that you may speak with who have done this successfully.
Hope it helps.
http://www.alternativementalhealth.com/default.htm
http://alternative-medicine-message-boards.info/index.php
I hope this helps. You are correct.. there is a safe way to do this. Many psychiatrists..not all but many are unaware.
Dr. Abrahm Hoffer has also done extensive studies that you may want to read about.
Good Luck, God Bless!
Fawnsternurse
JDPARIS
OK...been reading about this drug alot more. It is pretty evil! I don't see it prescibed as much anymore or advertised for that matter. The problems with it have kind of been kept hush.
This is an eye-opening site:
Well, I can certainly understand that, Mel D.......uh.....what's a libido?
Seriously, I didn't have much of one *before* I started the Paxil, mainly because a) I was depressed, and b) I've been in the throes of perimenopause since I was 42, and between three-week-long periods, hot flashes, night sweats and disgust with my body, I feel about as sexy as a stick of gum.
When I asked why people feel they "should" get off antidepressants, I wasn't referring to any one AD in particular. What I meant was, if a AD is working and the side effects are tolerable, why would anybody even WANT to get off of it? Again, if you're taking antihypertensives, insulin, thyroid medication etc., you don't go off of them just because you're feeling better.......the symptoms WILL return sooner or later. Depression is no different; once you've had a single episode, the risk of having another rises exponentially, and if you've had multiple episodes you'd best consider staying on SOME kind of medication, because it's only going to get worse if left untreated!
I've been on it for 3 years -- I've come to the conclusion that my body needs it -- or at least my neurotransmitters do. I tried to decrease the dosage last summer -- big mistake. Can we say zero stress tolerance, anxiety, uncontrollable anger, depression? I was feeling symptoms that seemed worse on 20 mgs of the stuff than before I started taking it at all.
In short: Follow your doctor's instructions, make sure your doctor know what THEY'RE saying, make sure -- make really really sure you're serious about getting off of it.
Oh yeah and realize that "chinese herbal remedies" are not regulated by the government, do interact with other medications, and are not clinically proven to work.
VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN
22 Articles; 9,996 Posts
I guess my question is, WHY are you wanting to get off Paxil in the first place? Depression isn't a disease that can be cured by taking medications for a few weeks to a year or so.......it almost always requires lifelong management to prevent recurrences. After all, the meds are designed to help boost the brain chemicals that we need........take away the meds, and the brain chemicals go right back to where they were.
Frankly, I don't understand why so many people feel they "should" get off antidepressants. I mean, if you're on thyroid medication, or antihypertensives, or insulin, do you stop taking them just because your symptoms go away? It doesn't make sense to me.......I don't like having to take medication just to keep my brain chemistry on an even keel, but it's every bit as important as the meds I take to keep my asthma and my BP under control, and I don't anticipate coming off of it, ever. Why would I, when it controls my symptoms and literally helps keep me alive?
If the Paxil ever stops working, then I'll explore other medications....I won't go back to being the basket case I was in my unmedicated state.