Quitpaxil: paxil withdrawal advice

Over the last few years, visitors have written in with a number of suggestions on how to deal with Paxil withdrawal. Since this site's purpose is to catalogue any information which might prove useful, I have included most of the material which has come my way. Some of the kookier ones,however, I have left out.

Please note , however, that these tips are not given by experts. I also have no way of knowing if they are accurate or medically sound. Should you follow any of these examples, especially when they involve medication, realize that you are acting on non-proven, non medically sanctioned information.

I strongly advise, that you should consult a trusted physician or pharmacist before taking any medication or natural remedy.

- decrease your dosage slowly (check with your physician)
- if possible, book a couple of weeks off from work and send the kids to camp.
- don't be afraid to inform your friends and family if you find that the symptoms are noticeable to others.
- eliminate as many possible stressors in your life as you can, (e.g. finances, duties, chores) before   starting withdrawal.
- find some kind of pleasant memory or thought which you can call upon in the darkest moment. This   helps to provide context and hope to the struggle when it is most needed.
- surround yourself with means to distract yourself from the symptoms, e.g. books, films, games etc.
- if possible, engage in some physical activity (golf appears to be an efficient aid according to at least one   visitor)
- stay away from recreational drugs, including alcohol.
- realize that there is an end to it.
- be in touch with your physician, if only for reassurance.
- to help you objectify the experience keep a written account of your the process.

Protocol for the withdrawal of SSRI Antidepressants - Dr. Healy
"You can stop taking Seroxat (Paxil)" - sent in by Howard Richardson
Practical Tips for Tapering Off - SSRI withdrawal guide from About.com ( some ads)
"J.B.'s" Guide to Paxil Withdrawal - sent in anonymously
Practical Tips for Tapering Off - from "About.com"
SSRI Withdrawal procedure - Guide for accupuncturists

Please note, that I am not a physician and have, therefore, no way to check if these methods for their medical validity. Proceed at your own risk.

What can I say about Paxil? I think your site covers off just about everything regarding withdrawal symptoms. And that's exactly what it is, serotonin withdrawal. People have to remember that there are good doctors and bad doctors. Bad doctors don't do their research on drugs and good doctors do, unfortunately my doctor fits into the former, at least in the case of prescribing me Paxil.

I will say this though, Paxil has the astonishingly non-unique effect of destroying your life while making you believe that your life is fine. Sounds like what you read about alcohol or marijuana? That's because it is. I came off Paxil cold turkey two weeks ago, and it's a good thing I did before I took another withdrawal on my credit line, or fully convinced myself that my friends and family aren't really that important to me. Now I'm piecing my life back together, trying to figure out what I've irrepairably damaged, and what can be salvaged.

When quitting, I would highly recommend a cold turkey or fast-taper approach (despite what my MD brother and sister-in-law say) as opposed to the tapered approach. For people like me it works great anyway. I'm the kind that if I'm 3 hours behind on my daily dosage of Paxil, I start feeling withdrawal. If the onset of withdrawal is this fast for you, then think of it like a band-aid. Pull it off fast or you'll just be putting yourself through hell for months. It'll hurt like hell and you're going to hate yourself and everyone around you, but get it over with and quit.

These are my tips though:

CHOOSE A GOOD TIME. If you live in Canada, January is not a good time. Wait until May when the sun's out.

GET IN SHAPE FIRST. You don't have to be running triathalons, but make sure you have the stamina to go for walks and light bike rides every day. You'll need to do this if you want to stay sane.

STAY AWAY FROM STRESSFUL SITUATIONS. This can not be emphasized enough. I'm extremely passive-submissive by nature, and even I nearly destroyed my life because of the anger that comes with withdrawal The first time I tried to come off paxil, I made the mistake of thinking that I could continue like normal. I thought it would be like Celexa, so no problem. Bit of a headache, some dizziness, but on the whole, no big deal.

Then, after about 4 days off the stuff and at the height of withdrawal, I put myself in the worst possible position. I reffed a high school basketball game between two of the best teams in the city. I was partnered with the worst ref in the league, and the game went into double-OT. Packed gym, people screaming, coaches yelling. Big mistake. The things that people say that normally roll off you, hit you like daggers when you're in withdrawal. The losing coach (who I'm surprised is allowed to work with kids) wouldn't let it go and kept at us long after the final buzzer. I'm a big enough guy to have ripped this coach in two. It took every ounce of determination I had to turn and walk away from that guy. I'm not a tough guy, but had I turned on him, I'm sure I would have killed him. I was that frayed. I went home and trashed my bedroom. I laugh at it now because it was my only opportunity to act like a 70s rock star with a valid excuse. I had to go back on the drugs before I hurt someone.

STAY AWAY FROM ALCOHOL AND DRUGS. This is surprisingly easy to do, especially once you're deep into withdrawal and a) you don't want to feel any worse, and b) you discover that it's the paxil that allowed you to abuse yourself the way you did while you were on it. The stuff makes you feel good no matter what. There's that one woman's story of how she dipped pretty hard into the cocaine while she was on paxil. Well, that's a bit extreme, but I bet it never would've happened if it weren't for the paxil. Booze took my money while I was on this stuff. It's hard to explain, but when you're on Paxil, you can drink four nights a week and somehow consider that to be normal.

REMEMBER ONE THING SOMEONE SAID AND HOW SPECIAL IT WAS TO YOU. Of course, for someone on Paxil this is a pipedream because nothing means anything to you except your next fun experience, but try to think of something anyway. Write it down, so you can pull it out and read it to yourself.. I laughed when I first heard this suggestion too. My experience on paxil withdrawal went from heavy physical symptoms (and agitation) to mild physical symptoms to depression. Remember, it's normal to feel depression when you're coming off a drug and you realize how you've screwed up your life while you were on it. You're in rehab, and there's a lot more to it than just the chemical dependency. Look forward and consider how you're going to make your life great again. Learn to hope again, call your mom, do whatever you have to do. By this point, you'll be able to FEEL again. Grasp that and remember how beautiful it is, even if you only feel pain. And cry your eyes out and then take a nap. You'll feel better when you wake up.

EXERCISE. Sorry, but the only thing that will kill that headache is cardiovascular exercise. It doesn't have to be intense, in face, less intense is better. After a day of hell, you can sit on a stationary bike at the gym for two hours lightly pedalling and you won't want to stop, just because it feels so damn good to not feel like shit. Also, you'll want to get those endorphins running in your bloodstream. Nothing like a bit of natural drugs to counteract the removal of the artifical ones. Also, the exercise will help you feel better about the binge-eating.

DON'T WRITE OFF ALL SSRIs. You might need them. None of us are perfect.

Finally, HOLD ON, you're in for the ride of your life. You know that scene in Trainspotting when the baby is crawling along the ceiling? Yeah. Don't be surprised if you hallucinate. Just grab something real and focus on it.

So after two weeks off, I still get the occasional zap, my concentration still sucks, but I'm back being myself again. My bank balance sucks, and I somehow blew off the greatest girl I've ever met, but hey, I was an addict. Maybe I can straigten things out with the girl . . . if not, there'll be another.

I just wanted to tell everybody that I was able to get rid of my Paxil withdrawal induced nausea with crystallized ginger. After a month and a half of nausea, I'm so angry I didn't try this sooner. It's more effective than dramamine, easier to keep down then a pill and has no known side effects

I've been going through withdrawl from Paxil and have some good advice that has really helped me with the dizziness associated with withdrawl. The way to get rid of the dizziness is to go running. It's amazing how well this works... if I have a headache and feel dizzy due to Paxil withdrawl, I run 3 miles, and the rest of the day, the withdrawl effects are completel gone!

I want to encourage everyone to stay optimistic and positive. I took the advice those who contributed to the website and I added my own strategy as well.
Nausea: Crystallize Ginger Works Dizziness: the Dramamine helped the dizziness, but not the jolting electric head "zaps" 2-week Vegetarian Raw Food & Liquid Diet Plan: To flush out toxins, I believed it helped me to recover in 6 days as opposed to 14 days.
Humor: Watched funny videos on Youtube and Watch comedies as much as possible. Excessive smiling helps. Listening to soothing or uplifting music: I listened to music of my faith more often.
Walking: Really helped! Bitching Session or Two: I found a (very) good, understanding friend, who allowed me to vent my frustrations. Warning: Don't do this excessively.
Omega 3 Fatty Acid: I did some internet research, and I decided to purchase OmegaBrite, and my head "zaps" went away (walking helped too).

Here's where I would like to add some advice, if I may. I have found exercise to be extremely beneficial. I wake up every morning feeling sick and cranky, so I force myself to the gym, and I feel 1000% better afterwards. The body aches and nausea disappear. I still have moments of dizziness and sensitivity to to too much sensory stimulation, but it is much easier to handle if I feel physically better. So, my tip is exercise! The endorphins help lessen the withdrawl symptoms.

I am a 31 year old teacher who has been on paxil for 2 years to treat my panic attacks. I tried to get off paxil 4 times and always experienced horrible side-effects that caused me to go back on my 30 mg daily dose of paxil. After gaining 60 pounds and getting rid of several doctors, I lucked out. I found a great doctor who, working with her psychiatrist friend, helped me get off paxil in just 9 days. Here's the plan:
Days 1-3: 30 mg paxil/ 10mg prozac
Day 4: 20mg paxil/ 20mg prozac
Day 5: 10mg paxil/ 20mg prozac
Days 6-9: 0mg paxil/ 20mg prozac
I then stopped taking prozac.
I never thought this would work. I thought my doctor was being naive and I'd be back in ther in 2 days telling her to find another plan. I'd tried slow weaning before and was too sick to get out of bed at 25mg a day.
I'm not saying this was easy, but it was nothing like I'd gone through any other time I tried quitting. I had no panic and almost no head zaps. I did spend a lot of time asleep and I didn't drive for a couple of weeks (my choice not to due to lack of need and attention span.) I have been off paxil for 22 days and am now experiencing some panic and insomnia, but I also went off 2 allergy medications and birth control at the same time I did this so my body is a little unhappy right now for may reasons. If you have tried other ways to get off paxil and have been unsuccessful, go to your doctor and try this! Good Luck!

How I quit:
Organic diet for the first week. Vegetarian only. Week two organic meat introduced. Only fluid was water or cammomile tea. Cammomile tea bothered my stomach so relied solely on water. After week one nicotine craves decreased 80% (I quit smoking when I quit paxil - both cold turkey).

I also take 1 tablet Stress Formula B supplement with 100mg vitamin C and 1 capsule Vitamin A to help with energy and toxin cleanse.

Use organic diet for as long as you can to help remove the toxin build up in the body. It is amazing how good the body feels when there is a reduction of processed crap when you are trying to recover from this drug.
Water, water, water. Keep hydrated. Stay in airconditioning during summer. Avoid direct sunlight to prevent dizziness, palpitations, and skin rash. Talk to anyone and everyone about what you are experiencing. It helps. Believe in yourself. This is not you. It is the drug. Acupuncture works very well to balance the body. Breathe slowly and enjoy everybreath. You will make it. My husband wonders why I was ever on the drug in the first place. He says I am better now than I have been in two years. I believe he is right. Hang in there and don't give up. You will make it.

I'm a primary care doc. i've had a few of my patients who are discontinuing SSRI's tell me that they've felt remarkably better immediately after eating some chocolate. tho' i usually give folks who are stopping a short-acting SSRI like paxil some prozac for a couple of days (the prozac's long half-life minimizes symptoms) chocolate might be worth considering, since there's some evidence that chocolate may affect neurotransmitter levels.

I am a 25 year old medical student, and I have been on paxil 20 mg for approximately 9 months for anxiety. I wanted to get off the paxil because of the sexual side effects (no libido, anorgasmic) that were wreaking havoc on my marriage of 6 months. I knew paxil could cause withdrawal, so with my psychiatrist's consent, I tappered my dose over 2 weeks: I week at 10 mg, an 1 at 5 mg. This was supposed to prevent withdrawal, but it didn't. When I went down to the 5 mg, the withdrawal began. I had incredible migraines almost every day, incapacitating nausea, dizziness, lethargy, hot flashes and chills, blurred vision, a strange noise in my ears when I turned my head, nightmares, etc. I eventually ended up in the ER due to the migraines and althought the doctors didn't know my symptoms where due to paxil withdrawal, even though I told them I had just stopped taking it. But the ER doc gave my PHENERGYN, which is basically an antihistamine that works on motion sickness. It is the ONLY thing that has helped me get through these last 2 weeks. It eliminated the nausea, decreased the blurred vision and sounds in my ears, and stabilizes the dizziness. I am not a doctor, so I am not advocating that this is for everyone, but it really helped me with my symptoms. I think anyone with similar sx to me should discuss taking phenergyn or another antiemetic (anti nausea/vomiting med) with their doctor. I'm at two weeks post-Paxil, and it gets better every day. KF

Another way to at least feel better and feel like you are doing something to help yourself is to try sublingual Vitamin B12 (sublingual means administered under the tongue.) It's NOT regular B12; the package will actually say "sublingual." I couldn't find it at the regular drug store-type chains, so I found it at my local GNC store. I'm suggesting sublingual instead of vitamin tablets because sublingual administration is supposed to be as effective as getting the B12 shot but cheaper and more pleasant. FYI - B12 is used for nervous system regeneration, for added stamina, for aiding in proper blood formation, and often used to help handle stress. I also have been drinking at least 64 oz. of water each day to help me feel like I am flushing the toxins from my body. Good luck to you all!

I now have been off of the paxil for only 2 weeks total the St. John Wart Hypericin I only took for two days and I have no withdrawal symptoms at all!!!! I think I am through it and very happy!!! So I definitely recommend the Hypericin to help other withdrawers to find their strength to get off the paxil!!

again - [drinking] lots and lots of water does help.

The more gently, the better.
2. Pill cutters are fab-u-lous! Less than $3.00 @ the pharmacy, they allow for the accurate halving o' those pesky pills.
3. Paxil exists in liquid form! Tell the neighbors! Wake the kids! If a 5 mg-dosage drop is too harsh on your system, the oral suspension liquid goo (orange-flavored, no less!) allows you to taper as little as one mg. at a time.
4. You're not going crazy."

The reason I am writing is to briefly tell you what has helped me throughout the last year in hopes you will pass this on. After I quit paxil my anxiety soon came back and I was "back to my old mind storm patterns". Out of curiosity I took a meditation class that my university offered. To say the least it has changed my life. I know it, and everyone around me knows I have changed as well. I am not the edgy, worried, anxiety ridden guy that I used to be. I am much more relaxed, calm, peaceful and happy. Meditation works, but you have to allow it to work, and you have to put in a lot of effort, but the payoff is priceless. It allows you to see the typical thought patterns that create anxiety, stress, depression and you see them for what they really are which is nothing. The best advice I can give is go straight to the source of the problem, go straight into your mind, discover the fear, the stress, the anxiety, the depression and truly understand it. If this is done you can be freed. This technique can only be done through meditation.

10 years. An entire decade I've spent on 20mg Paxil and have made several unsuccessful attempts at quitting over the years; the brain zaps always did me in and drove me insane. The nausea, the sweats, the vertigo, the rebound depression, and the intense rage were horrendous, but endless days of zapping always ended my struggle to get off, because taking the pill ended the zaps within an hour. Until now. Finally I'm clear. I will never know if I found an answer that can help others, but for me the only change this time was that I quit drinking prior to tapering off the drug. Virtually no zaps, and only vague symptoms of withdrawal. No word of a lie. No alcohol, and the nightmare of withdrawal gone. Now I'm attempting to deal with the return of strong emotion, because for a decade it's been locked away in a closet. Good news. I'm 30 pounds lighter and my sex drive has returned. I'm not constipated and I don't need 9 hours a night of sleep. I feel and look better than I have in years.Yeah, I just wish I could have those years back. And the money that went to GSK in return for a chemical straitjacket.

Please advise your readers to try acupuncture and Chinese herbs to help them deal with their withdrawal symptoms. I have done so and it is very helpful. Any reputable acupuncturist will know how to treat you and what herbs to give you for this problem

I started my own formula for the withdrawal process: Tylenol for the head aches, Dramamine for the motion sickness and dizziness. i eliminated all alcohol, pop, and caffeine. To get to sleep i would meditate and do breathing exercises. I also took Tylenol pm to cause drowsiness. i began taking in large amounts of water. And prayed. Hope this helps someone!!

I wrote you a while ago about my withdrawing off of Paxil using Valerian and Skullcap. Just to update you. As of today, I am taking 1/4 a pill and will be completely off the Paxil by Saturday. I am doing GREAT! Aside from some very short lived symptoms of light headedness and headaches, I did super! For the symptoms, I popped an extra Valerian root. This would take the dizziness away and allow me to calm down. To boot, I was on my period during the bulk of the withdrawal. I am impressed with the success of the natural herbal way to get off the drug. As for the night terrors that brought me to the Paxil in the first place... I have tried to get a couple of them, but with meditation I was able to quickly pass through them and go back to sleep. There is a way out of the drug and I am here at the other end and hey.. It's pretty neat!

Life is cool ...I'm off paxil and all other SSRIs! How? Yoga, Tai Chi, Acupuncture during the withdrawal. also a twice a day cocktail of 5HTP, Saint John's Wort, SAME, Vitamins, Flax oil, and pet therapy( my dogs)....good luck to all. Try the natural route It works!

...If anyone else that is writing to you is having trouble with massive night sweats I have a suggestion of trying to drink plenty of water during the day. It seems to have been helping me.

I was able to get off 10-15mg of paxil/day with little withdrawal by fasting. The third day I was extremely tired, (could have been caffeine withdrawal). Fasting is great to ward-off depression. I realize fasting is not for everyone but in my case it was the best way I ever got off paxil, (it was a 10 day fast)

I am a "lay" counselor at the church I attend and have just helped someone come out of "paxil hell" and have found Dr. Ann Blake Tracy's book a tremendous help . I had the honor of speaking to her by phone for over an hour because I was doing research on "bi-polar" diagnosis. Plus, I had ordered her book and tape on coming off of SSRIs' back in January to help my friend. She specifically recommended a special-ordered Noni juice. When I talked to her by phone 2 weeks ago, she again reiterated the effectiveness of Noni juice, not just for SSRI withdrawal, but also for people who are in their "manic" phase in depression. (We're talking serious delusions!!!) She has seen incredible results with this Noni juice. She believes that it has a particular digestive enzyme that dissolves excess seratonin in the body. But, don't buy the kind in health food stores-it's not processed properly.

Good luck to all of you that are trying really hard to get off this drug. You can do it. Here are a few suggestions: . 1) Believe in yourself. Control your mind and thoughts. Throw away negative thoughts and replace them with positive affirmations. 2) Drink lots of water all throughout the day. I don't mean the minimum amount of water (64oz) I mean at least 100 oz each day. It keeps your body flushed. It will also give you lots of energy. 3) Take a high potency multi-vitamin with herbs 4) Walk at least 30 minutes a day, 7 days a week to your favorite music. 5) Journal each day about how you are feeling and goals that you are setting for that particular day. 6) Eat healthy- It will make you feel better overall plus it will get off all the extra weight you gained on Paxil! (smile) 7) Get professional counseling and read lots of self help books. Try to stay with one author that you can relate to because they all have different methods and philosophies.8) Enjoy your wonderful life after Paxil !

..I did find that taking a Vitamin B supplement or a Multivitamin with B has dramatically increased these symptoms. Vitamin B is also useful in abating some of the side effects of the medication.

read 2 accounts of people who took 5-HTP while withdrawing from paxil, both of them reported tremendous success. I tried this as well, and theresults are astounding.
I wake up with the zaps, dizziness, everything. Two hours after taking 150mg of HTP, it's as if there was no withdrawal to begin with.

Well, I am amazed, but this worked. I reduced my dosage to 5mg per day after being on 10mg for weeks. I was on the 5mg's for a
week or so before quitting. I don't think that there is a true tapering off of this medication. Anyway, I have been having all of the dizziness and the "electrical shock" sensations as well. I tried the dramamine and sudafed and IT WORKED! This is the first time in 5 days that I have not been almost incapacitated by the sensations. I took bonine which is meclazine. It is the non-drowsy formula of dramamine. I also simply took sudafed since I am a little more sensative to large doses of pseudoephedrine. I took 60 mgs of sudafed rather than the 120 mg's that are in the aleve pills. Thanks so much for offering a solution to this miserable problem.

Iquit paxil by only taking the dosage that I was prescribed when I would begin to feel the symptoms which made it unbearable. In other words I would go as long as I could w/o it until I would feel symptoms. This began at 36 hours, increased to 48, then 3 days etc.... until I was off it

I found taking benadryl helped me to sleep. It also helped to mellow me out. Be aware though that when you stop taking benadryl that the symptoms come back but it is a good asprine. Best of luck to all the victims of this drug...The withdrawls do go away eventualy.

...Also, I found that popping a Dramamine helped loads with the dizziness and vertigo, and figured I should mention it.

I suffered severe withdrawl from Paxil that hit me like a ton of bricks, I got dizzy, felt detatched from reality, had the bad "electric shocks" and felt suicidal.
I smoked some cannabis (marijuana), to try and ease the pain, and found that all side effects immediately and totally disappeared, but returned once the pot wore off. Smoked pot for three days, and was never bothered by side effects again.

I recently quit taking Paxil cold-turkey a week ago. The first two days were the worst, but it is slowly getting better. Here are some tips that I have found helpful:
* Take 2 Amino Acid vitamins with each meal
* Kava Kava herbal supplements also work really well for any anxiety you may be feeling at this time
* Drink LOTS of water---it'll help ward off a lot of your dizziness(or in my case, feelings of fainting), and it'll also help flush the Paxil out of your system
* Chew on a piece of ice if you are feeling jittery or anxious (Hey, it works for me!)
* EXERCISE!!!!!!!
* Taking a Niacin vitamin every other day will also help get the Paxil out of your system, therefore decreasing your withdrawl period

My story is a long one. But I will keep it short. About 4 years ago I suffered a serious snowmobile accident. Chronic pain, PTSD, and major depression have been with me ever since. The standard course of action for meds are pain meds narcs.(oxycontin), Paxil 40mg, and Neurontin. After taking all of the above for about 2 yrs., My continued complaints of chronic fatigue led my dr. to take me off of something. He started with the Neurontin. Bad Move. Within the week all of the described paxil side effects kicked in. The side effects peaked with 3 of the worst and DARKEST days of my life. Feeling near death again (the first was the accident) I finally got ahold of a Psychiatrist who would see me immediately. He went right to his Rx pad and wrote one for Neurontin 300mg. We then decided to start the paxil tapper. He also is having me use benedryl to help curb the INTENSE retsless leg (and everything else) syndrome. I take about a half to 1 teaspoon of children's liquid benedryl. The combination seems to really help. I am also tappering off of the narcs at the same time. I'm a little shaky, but doing O.K. I'm hoping to completely free of both in the next 2 - 3 weeks, God willing!
My advice for paxil suffers = ask your Dr. about the Neurontin. And definitely use the Benedryl. 0.5 tsp every few hours throughout the day, with a little extra to help sleep at night. Good Luck!!!!!!

... Anyway, one thing I've also been doing is supplementing with Glutathione; I read about this supplement and how Paxil depletes it from your system. I tried to quit Paxil a few months ago, and experienced all the horrible withdrawal symptoms, but this time, I don't know whether or not it's because of the Prozac or the supplement, but I feel fantastic. Could also be that I've added running back into my life.

Hi. I just wanted to let everyone know that caffiene seems to make the withdrawal effects from the paxil weaning worse. So go without the caffeine if you can. I felt terrible the past two days and today I left off the caffeine and I can honestly say I feel 100 percent better than I did yesterday. I have been on 1/2 dose of my usual 30mg dose for 13 days. No dizziness, just mild aches and pains and changes in my appetite and taste. So,no caffiene for me until this is past. thanks for a great site. S.M.W

...I found that the intense dizziness that I get may not have anything to do with my panic attacks, but possibly the withdrawals from the Paxil. I took the last one on Sunday, 10-20-02. The dizziness started last night, Wednesday, 10-23-02. I thought that I was gonna have to take it again today. I work for a chiropractic doctor/acupuncturist/herbologist and today I came to work and told him what was happening. He took my pulse and said it was extremlely weak and he looked up some stuff on the different herbs and supplements he had. He gave me one called Sheng Mai San which is a ginseng & ophiopogon formula. I took three of them about 11:00, another three at 4:00, and am supposed to take another three tonight. It is 4:37 now and my dizziness is almost gone. I know this is a long story, but thought this might help someone else. The herb is made by Treasure of the East and again, it is called Sheng Mai San. I still have not had a Paxil since Sunday and am going to continue to take this to see if it works.

My suggestion is to see a chiropractor. He helped me through all of the headaches, brain zaps, and body aches. (Klonapin also helped with the anxiety & terrible insomnia.)Also exercise- I feel that working out helped a lot!

For insomnia and restless legs from SSRI withdrawal, I highly recommend valerian for relaxation and an essential oil spray called “O24” to soothe/numb legs that are feeling restless and creepy/crawly. I bought the spray at a pharmacy. It’s expensive but works great. This is my third time trying to get off the meds, but the first time I can sleep!

My suggestion :
For singles : surround yourself with one or two loved ones and enlist them as help mates. To watch over you. Talk to you in the middle of the night when your nightmare is preventing you from going back to sleep. To encourage you to eat, even when your nausea and/or acid stomach gives you the reflex not to. To FORCE you to go to the gym (perhaps it is good for them also?). Different sweat - better sleep after.

It was here that I first heard about liquid Paxil and I can't tell you what a miracle it has been for me. I have spent, literally, years trying to get off this drug, only to resume taking it when the side-effects of withdrawal have become too great. I began taking Paxil for panic attacks. I know now that I should have gone the counseling route first, but I was scared of the attacks and wanted a quick fix.
Let me tell you how I've gotten off without getting sick:
- I began weekly counseling sessions. Don't underestimate how much they can help.
-I lowerd the Paxil amount by one-half mg. every fourth day. If you'd like, you can do it more slowly. This is not a race. The idea is to feel good.
-I kept a journal. It gave me somewhere to vent at the company, and reminded me of when it was time to lower the dosage.
- I worked out for at least 30 minutes every day, regardless of how busy I thought I was. I found that after so many failed attempts to get off Paxil, I was a little anxious about getting sick again. The exercise kept my mind off my worry, and flooded me with endorphins.
- I drank plenty of water. Many thanks to whomever recommended water on this site. It really has kept me feeling good.

I decided to try to force Paxil out of my system ASAP so I took a bunch of vitamins, drank a lot of water, bought dramamine, got angry at Paxil, and warned my friends and family that if I acted like an asshole to them they shouldn't take it personally. And then the other thing I did was force myself to take long walks around my neighborhood. At first it sucked. I was dizzy and nauseous and everything looked like I was in the twilight zone and that i'd keel over at any moment. But I didn't keel over. I didn't faint. I
made it all around my neighborhood for hours. And it helped a lot. My boyfriend suggested that maybe my brain needed stimulation to force it to get back into pre-Paxil gear and I think that my super-walks helped to do that. The other thing that I did was eat all sorts of ethnic foods, like middle eastern and Indian. I figured a lot of spices might help and that besides, self indulgence would be a very good thing while quitting Paxil, which it was. Furthermore, since your senses are heightened when you withdraw from Paxil, I burned candles that I really liked and this helped. So maybe instead of avoiding sensual overload, get the kind that you really like.

I have found that wearing a sea band has helped tremendously with the nausea. It works by applying pressure to acupressure points on the wrist, which helps curb nausea and vomiting. Yoga has also been beneficial, and next week I'm trying acupuncture to help in the detox process. I also try to get at least 10 minutes of sunlight everyday, and allow myself chocolate. Certain carbs like baked potatoes, wheat crackers, and bread are also supposed to increase serotonin levels. Listening to classical music is also supposed to be a serotonin booster. Good luck to you all!

I've been taking 60 MG a day of Paxil for about a year now, and am not able to quit because it is the only medication that actually helps me. I have had to go without the Paxil on several occasions though. Once was to have a test for narcolepsy done, and a couple of times because I got my meds late (I get my meds from the V.A. Hospital via mail). This may sound crazy, but I discovered a way to not get as many "zaps". I noticed during my "3rd withdrawal" that the "zaps" only occured when I used my peripheril vision (looked left or right), and that the farther left or right I looked the more intense the "shock". For those that are really bothered by this symptom, try looking straight ahead most of the time, and moving your entire head to look to the left or right until you are wiened off the drug. I know this sounds crazy, but try it.

1. Acupuncture - treats the physical & mental withdrawal symptoms and coming off a drug - excellent.
2. Liquid suspension - sometimes the last 1mg is the hardest - I was supplied with a syringe that went down to 0.1ml increments - really helped on the final stretch.
3. Fish Oils I took 2 x 1000mg per day (total EPA = 660mg, total DHA = 420mg), take WITH vitamin C (500-100mg) and vitamin E (200-400 IU) - these protect the fatty acids from a reaction in the body called oxidation (which would make them useless).
4. Be as open and honest as you can with friends, family AND work - most people will surprise you and be really supportive - and it takes away the stress of lying.
5. Drink lots of water, exercise, have a healthy diet.
6. Take Vitamin B
7. Avoid alcohol and, where possible, stressful situations

I stopped Paxil cold turkey on March 21st/05. withdrawal hit hard on the 23rd. I stumbled onto this website and its helping me keep the faith that I will survive the effects of this terrible drug. I can't stress enough ,to keep yourself out of emotional situations because (for myself at any rate) its impossible to deal rationally with stress while coming off paxil. I find that meditation is a great help. I also use a sleep mask while meditating, it keeps me centered. the anger is the worst for me because i'm not an angry person. I have to keep telling myself this anger is the drug not me and will eventually subside. to all have given advice and testimonies, thank you. it really helps to know i'm not alone and there is an end to this dark frightening tunnel...

Get liquid Paxil. This was the only way I was able to quit. Luckily, I found a doctor who told me about the liquid, or else I never would have known! This way, you can reduce your doseage by very very small increments, such as a quarter milligram. It is impossible to try and do this by cutting a tiny piece of the pill. I don't know if liquid forms of other S.S.R.I's exist, but for Paxil, I found this to be the least traumatic way.

A word of advice: habitual marijuana smokers, quit pot a few days before going cold turkey from Paxil. If you have it in the house, you will be unable to resist the urge to self-medicate, even though it exacerbates Paxil withdrawal symptoms like zaps, insomnia, confusion, fatigue and depression. The water, vitamin, organic diet and exercise route is far preferable to the bender, which is what you'll be on when you're awake until 5 a.m. every night smoking pot and cigarettes because you can't stop, and you can't stand the idea of giving or throwing the shit away even though you're falling over from the zaps and shuffling around like somebody out of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. I realize we're not all addictive personalities, so I'm speaking from my own experience and advising those who are compulsive, addictive, and/or regular substance users to cut yourself a huge break and keep the temptations to self-medicate out of your environment while quitting or tapering off Paxil. I repeat: Contrary to what you may want to think, pot does NOT help.

Support can help tremendously. Someone that will listen to you and spend time with you. Family (if not a cause of your depression) can help. Possibly friends as well. (Although, both friends and family can possibly hinder in some circumstances...) At some hospitals, you may be able to take part in a program that will put you in touch with professionals who can help you get back onto the right track. Or, in touch with others that have already dealt with symptoms similar to your own. Either way, explore your support options if you intend to quit -- it can help tremendously.

I have been going through Paxil withdrawal (under the guidance of my doctor) and have experienced a lot of the physical symptoms. I have found something that seems to help a lot. It's a "detox" powered mix that I get at a local organic food store. It's known as a "green drink" which I understand to mean that it's made from green vegetables. It doesn't taste that great, but it seems to be helping.