HOW CAN I AVOID PAXIL WITHDRAWAL? Ask The Doctor Dr. Leland Heller Biological Unhappiness HOW CAN I AVOID PAXIL WITHDRAWAL? Question: I have MS and I recently started taking Paxil 12.5 mg day. I have been taking Anafranil for OCD for many years and it keeps that under control. When I started having more difficulty with walking etc. I found myself having trouble dealing with my worsening condition and my GP started me on Paxil CR. I have come across a forum about withdrawal from this medicine, that it is a living hell. Dr. Heller’s Answer: The simplest way to get off Paxil is to switch to Prozac for two weeks, then stop the Prozac. Prozac leaves the body slowly and avoids the withdrawal effects from Paxil. The other SSRI medications leave the system quickly and can cause side effects. Prozac is different. This is a previous answer Ive given for this question… What are the symptoms of SSRI withdrawal? 1) dizziness 2) light-headedness 3) vertigo or feeling faint 4) shock-like sensations 5) paresthesias 6) anxiety 7) diarrhea 8) fatigue 9) gait instability 10) headache 11) insomnia 12) irritability 13) nausea or vomiting 14) tremor 15) visual disturbances Symptoms began within 1-7 days after stopping an SSRI (sometimes with a reduction in dose), if SSRI used for a month. Approximately 50% are better in a week, for others the symptoms last much longer. Prozac leaves the body slowly and is not associated with SSRI withdrawal. Slowly tapering the SSRI is one way to avoid this phenomenon, as is a temporary switch to Prozac. 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Ask the Doctor Home MENU: Screening Test “Ask the Doctor” (BPD)Borderline Personality Disorder Annual Updates Biological Unhappiness Disorders & Official Criteria Dr. Heller’s C.V. & Picture How Dr. Heller Got Involved If You Want to See Dr. Heller as a Patient Testimonials Table of Contents for the Book ‘Biological Unhappiness’ How to Order “Life at the Border” Why Read ‘Biological Unhappiness’? Goals AD(H)D and Relationships BPD, Bipolar or ADHD? Suicide What if BuSpar makes me anxious or ill? A Suicide Attempt Per Minute in the US Grandparents raising Grandchildren Information About Children What Signs are there that Someone May ‘SNAP’? TV & Cartoon Characters with Depression & Other Disorders Dr. Heller’s Office Website Dr. Heller’s Lectures Mentally Healthy People Retraining the Brain Today is a Gift Reviews Links Webrings Site Index Home Video DVDs now available! You can watch and listen to Dr. Heller in the comfort and convenience of your own home. Provides full explanations and treatment descriptions of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) – 90 minutes, other Biological Unhappiness disorders – 90 minutes. Click here to find out more about Dr. Heller’s educational videos. “Biological Unhappiness” “Open this book and it will open your mind. By combining proven medical procedure with hope and inspiration, Dr. Heller has made a significant difference in thousands of patients who had little hope for recovery. “Biological Unhappiness” contains critical information for those who have lost hope.”Zig Ziglar, motivational speaker, author, See You at the Top, Over the Top, Success for Dummies, Raising Positive kids in a Negative World. Dr. Leland Heller Dyslimbia Press, Inc. 1713 US Hwy 441 N, Suite E Okeechobee, FL 34972 863-467-8771 Email: Hours: M-Thu. 8:30AM-5PMFri. 8:30AM-12 Noon*(*During November through April, the office is open until 3PM on Fridays.) All material not explicitly credited otherwise is copyrighted © 1999-2011 Dr. Leland Heller. All Rights Reserved. May not be duplicated without the permission of Dr. Leland Heller or Dyslimbia Press. Biological Unhappiness, BiologicalUnhappiness.com, & Dyslimbia Press are trademarks of Dr. Leland HellerDesigned and/or hosted by the webmasters at: US-Webmasters.com (TM) Start here to find it FAST!(TM)