DO NOT stop taking Seroxat/Paroxetine/Paxil (or any SSRI/SNRI) without medical supervision. Withdrawal symptoms can start as soon as you miss a single dose and can go on for many months (years in my own case). Withdrawal symptoms can include akathesia, agitation, mania, psychosis, self harm, suicidal thoughts and actions, violence, fear of loud noises, electric zaps of the head and body, thoughts of homicide, profuse sweating, disturbing nightmares, lack of empathy toward other people, anger, severe memory loss, nausea.
It’s all too easy for withdrawal symptoms to be dismissed by doctors as your original illness returning – however, it is much more likely to actually be the SSRI causing the problems. There are places you can turn to for advice and understanding if your Doctor is unable to offer this.
Professor David Healy has written a new (June 2009) withdrawal protocol which you can download here – Healy_Withdrawal_june_09. You can print it out to take along to your Doctor if you need to.
There is a free e-book (pdf) available – The Paxil Withdrawal Guide, by Darcy Baston. Darcy is the founder of Paxil Progress, which is probably the best support site and forum in the world for people who want to know more about SSRI addiction or who need support and understanding with withdrawal problems.
Harvard psychiatrist Joseph Glenmullen’s new book The Antidepressant Solution: A Step-by-Step Guide to Safely Overcoming Antidepressant Withdrawal, Dependence, and “Addiction,” can now be ordered online.
There is a short page on the MIND website about Seroxat Withdrawal which includes a link a withdrawal plan written by Professor David Healy – Halting SSRIs.
Dr Peter Breggin’s book – Your Drug May Be Your Problem: How and Why to Stop Taking Psychiatric Medications can be ordered online. Dr Breggin has developed a program enabling “…patients to free themselves from psychiatric drugs, emphasizing throughout the importance for patients to keep control over the withdrawal process”.
If you have a sceptical Doctor then Dr. Breggin’s website might be required reading for him or her.
Label Me Sane is an organization designed to assist people with withdrawal and tapering from benzodiazepines, antidepressants and other psychiatric drugs. They offer a support hotline and have medical staff available for consultation.
Contact: www.labelmesane.com
The Road Back has designed withdrawal protocols for all types of psychiatric drugs and will assist with their side effects and tapering management with natural therapies, contact: www.theroadbackprogram.com.
Taper Safely is a non-profit organization dedicated to informing the public on the dangers of SSRI antidepressants, how to Taper Safely off of them under the care and guidance of MDs and professional practitioners, and other safe and natural alternatives. For assistance in finding an alternative MD and/or treatment program near you, contact: http://tapersafely.org
The Alternative to Meds Center located in San Francisco is an inpatient service based on an orthomolecular treatment model. If you prefer a medical detox center that helps people withdraw from psychiatric and other prescription medications, with assistance in tapering and rehabilitation using yoga, acupuncture, exercise, and nutrition contact: www.alternativetomedscenter.com
My own experience of withdrawal was a nightmare – all I can say is take it slow and use liquid Seroxat/Paxil.
Good luck – you’re not alone.
January 24, 2008 at 4:19 pm
This is a great list. I’m sure a lot of people will find it. It didn’t even occur to me in 2001 that there was any way to get off ssri’s without a medical person’s help and when my nurse just kept telling me I needed to stay on it longer, I thought my only choice was to go cold turkey. I’m so grateful I refused the Paxil because someone had said it gave him insomnia. Thank you so much for keeping this site up.
April 3, 2008 at 11:09 pm
Hi I am on my second week of withdrawal from 20 to 15 , I am halfing the thirty and i am feeling really aggitated and can not think straight, I had dropped from 30 to 20 and after about three weeks I felt a bit normal but since going down to 15 I dont know if i can stay like this my kids lifes are hell, I keep shouting a them, any ideas as to what would help. lynn
June 5, 2009 at 10:10 pm
I am so sorry I did not check back. I hope you are okay. If you have the money for therapy, schema therapy helps with agitation in general.
July 27, 2009 at 5:59 pm
HI ITS NOT GOING TO BE EASY FOR YOU. BUT IT WELL WORTH IT IN THE END. iM OFF SEROXAT 18 MONTHS. IN SEPTEMBER 2007 I MADE A DECISION TO WEAN MYSELF OFF THE MONSTER PILL SEROXAT, LITTLE DID I KNOW WHAT I WAS LETTING MYSELF IN FOR. I TOOK JST 4 MONTHS TO COME TOTALLY OFF THE DRUG THAT WAS A BAD DECISION THE MORE SLOWLY YOU DO IT THE BETTER. YOU MIGH BE EXPERIENCING HEAD SHOCKS NAUSEA SWEATING LIKE DYING OR THE TAKING OF YOUR OWN LIFE. THESE FEELINGS PASS BUT IT WILL TAKE MONTHS A LOT OF MONTHS. FAR BETTER THAN BEING A SERIOXAT SLAVE ALL OF YOUR LIFE. FAMILY AND FRIENDS SAY IM A MUCH NICER PERSON SINCE C OMING OFF THE DRUG. I STILL SUFFER SOME SIDE EFFECTS BUT IM IN A MUCH HAPPIER PLACE THAN THE 9 YEARS SPENT ON THAT DRUB. THEY DRUG COMPANY STOLE THOSE YEARS FROM ME AND FROM MY CHILDREN . SEE MY CHILDREN WERE AGED 9 AND 13 WHEN I STARTED ON IT NOW THEY ARE ALL GROWN UP MY SON HAS LEFT HOME AND MY DAUGHTER IS TURNING 21
May 18, 2008 at 8:00 am
[...] Seroxat/Paxil withdrawal help [...]
October 21, 2008 at 7:41 pm
this is the first time I have seen this forum. I came off seroxat cold turkey in 2001, neither my family or I understood the problems I had b4 or after. I did it alone and cold turkey. It was hell.
For anyone who reads this forum follow the advice offered, come off slowly get support.
7 yrs on I still get manic agressive homicidal dreams severe paranoia and I am totaly unable to emphasize with anyone. I want help but don’t know where to go maybe my mind is to screwed up to fix now cuz I quit the way I did. Don’t make my mistake, look at the advice offered here consider it it might just make the difference to save u from my fate
November 19, 2008 at 2:06 am
I am on Seroxat at the moment, got to view this page because I couldn’t stand the nightmares I was experiencing right now and woke up trying to find a solution on the internet. To be honest it makes me really scared, I don’t know what is the meaning of having such vivid dreams, is it dangerous? When I tried to cut my dosage by half a tablet (as ordered by my doctor) I had terrible electric sesations in my head and body…
November 21, 2008 at 11:59 am
The vivid nightmares are totally seroxat related.
They can be very scary, it’s a mind-terror drug.
It should be banned.
November 26, 2008 at 7:52 pm
I am going “Cold Turkey” and this is my 5th week. It is a living nightmare, I cant discribe what hell i am going through. I have tried to take my own life is the very worst thing I have tried to do. My hubby and our 2 kids are also going through hell living with me and my manic mood swings, one monent i am ok the next i have an over whelming urge to sob, next i am just so so mad and aggresive it is just sheer hell on us all. I am dying of the heat one sec then freezin the next, i cant think stright i can just bring my self to eat, and me head is in bits, i have always got this swishy feeling going on ……….. After telling this to my doctor she then priscribed Valium and sleeping tablets!! I will not take those as i DO NOT want to get addicted to another drug to get of seroxat!! I fell like its just me , what can I do?
June 5, 2009 at 7:47 am
I have only ben without my seroxat for a few days as my shrink is away and forgot to tell me to get another prescription! I am currently experiencing the swishy electrical sensations that everyone has describles. You are definitely not alone. I am hoping the posts left here will help us all get off these drugs in the best way. Hang on in there
June 5, 2009 at 10:13 pm
I hope you are okay. If you are still suffering, maybe you can find a different doctor. I believe some people have had eventual success with a very, very slow taper down. Good luck. If you are better, please consider reporting your experience to the FDA.
December 31, 2008 at 3:07 am
It’s not just you Jenny, we all went through it and it is hell.
The only way is to warn others of the dangers of Seroxat.
Take care.
I Wish you the best, and I hope things ease for you soon.
January 2, 2009 at 12:34 am
I have been on Seroxat for about two years for mainly panic attacks. I have been advised by my doctor to switch straight from 40mg Seroxat to 50mg Sertraline tablets-leaving 24 hrs in between.
I did this 3 days ago and experience almost contstant ‘electric’ shocks especially when I move my head or eyes. Along with this I seem to be getting palpatations, nightmares and terrible hot and cold sweats. I have researched the ‘electric shocks’ and apparently they are called “Brain Shivers” and can last up to a month…great!!!!
I dont even know if the doctor is correct putting me straight on to my new medication as I thought it involved a week between cutting down the old meds and building up the new dose of meds.
Have been crying at everything alternating with a terrible temper…I only hope things get better.
The doctors need to tell people these effects of withdrawal so people arent stuck on the drug due to fear of the side effects when coming off it!!!
January 15, 2009 at 8:58 pm
I was on Seroxat for about four months up until and just after the death of my father in 2003. My doctor thought it a good idea at the time. Thanks doc.
I was in the London Fire Brigade for twenty years, during which time I have run into thousands of fires and other pretty dangerous incidents when every sane person was running out. Also, during my sixty years on this planet I have jumped out of planes, been stabbed, held prisoner, been in a couple of near fatal road accidents, abseiled down cliffs, been in a hurricane at sea, and many and various other experiences that were a little on the scary side.
Being on Seroxat was, without doubt, the most frightening experience I have ever had in my entire life.
Manifestations of its ’side effects’ included homicidal and suicidal ideation; ‘electric’ shocks (I’ve had a few of those too: real ones. Seroxat provided the worst); nausea and vomiting for up to six hours at a stretch; paranoid delusions; being unable to walk – you name it. Oh, and I can’t forget the sheer terror of – I still don’t know. The horrors just used to just come out of nowhere. Truly dreadful. Oh, and tremors? If I needed a drink, I’d have to put an inch of water in a pint glass. It was that or spilling the lot.
How on earth did the manufacturers manage to get away with it? It is totally beyond me.
It took me about three months to get anywhere near ‘normal’.
My only advice regarding this demonic medication is 1/ don’t even think about taking it, and 2/ if you are taking it, reduce your dosage very, very gradually. Under medical supervision, of course. I hope that your own doctor is better than mine was. She just shrugged and looked at her watch. That was one of the times when the homicidal ideation crept in.
If you are a doctor and you are still prescribing it (It can’t still be available, can it?) then you deserve to be struck off.
And on that happy note, I wish anyone out there who is suffering now, or has suffered from it, the very best for a full recovery.
Cheers
John.
January 15, 2009 at 9:36 pm
My heart bleeds for the sufferers who’ve left their experiences.
I am not sure if protocol permits, but I would have no objection to anyone contacting me directly, in which case I’ll provide my email address.
I am an experienced counsellor, for what that’s worth (Samaritans), but my value would probably be in empathy. I’ve been there, done it; I have the Seroxat tee-shirt, the CD and the tattoo (Figuratively speaking of course).
In my experience, especially with situations like this, it’s good to talk, even if it’s an exchange of email.
I will await contact and permission by this site’s moderator before leaving my email address. However, if it’s deemed inappropriate to exchange mail, be of good cheer – you are not alone and recovery is possible. Just do it right. Trust me, it’ll be OK in the end.
Cheers (again)
John.
January 17, 2009 at 9:30 am
I have no idea what normal conventions are, but please by all means leave your email address, John.
I’m like you – I simply can’t believe that GPs still readily prescribe Seroxat (or any other other SSRI/SNRI) to their patients.
The reason I started this blog was to help people and spread information. If only doctors would listen to us.
January 17, 2009 at 11:34 am
Thank you Admin.
I have a few more anecdotes: both my own experiences and those documented of others. I’ll perhaps include a couple of these (there’s a long list) in the next ‘message in a bottle’. They may have been covered before, but I think that this campaign, for that’s what it seems to be, needs all the support it can get.
Having googled SSRIs in general and Seroxat in particular, I find that they are still being prescribed. Incredible.
I have been prescribed SSRIs on two occasions: the first after a motorcycle accident – PTSD was the diagnosis); the second during my caring 24/7 for a cancer and alzhiemers suffering dad. Enter Seroxat.
Did I need SSRIs? I don’t think so. Did they do me any good whatsoever? A resounding NO.
At least with diazapines, despite them leaving you a bit of a zombie and not able to drive, they do their job (I’ve taken them on a short-term basis on three occasions in my life).
I’ve been taking a pretty strong codeine medication since the accident in 1995. This has side-effects, but it works for my complaint (chronic back pain), so that’s why I take it. Seroxat did me no good whatsoever. ‘Keep it up’ I was told. ‘It takes time to get into gear’ or words to that effect. It didn’t take long for my scent to become like that of a ‘wild animal’, according to those close to me; for my tongue to go white like the rind of Camembert; for me to drag someone out of their car for a perceived slight in heavy traffic. The list goes on. (This is the tip of the iceberg and I have whittled this entry down considerably – I have no wish to get either boring, long-winded or both).
And Seroxat? for what? For what improvement of my mental or physical state?: Zero.
When is the medical establishment going to conclude that the stuff which might have seemed like a good idea at the time is now clearly dangerous?
There have been other ‘miraculous’ treatments during the 20th century: Heroin? (Great for that chronic cough! Buy some now!), Radium? (Orally, of course, but pity about the radiation sickness and cancer), Cigarettes? (Get those lungs cleared! Settle your nerves! Look cool!). Benzodiazapines? (Keep taking them for as long as you want!); Tired? Listless? Fat? Hey, we have great new stuff! : Amphetamines! Pregnant? How about Thalidomide! (On sale and prescribed for SIX YEARS!) And before that: purging, bleeding, the application of leeches etc etc.
So, if you want to talk in confidence, here I am.
neighbour1@aol.com
However, if you want your experiences aired for others to see, just write in to this site and we’ll share . Sharing is, after all, the raison d’etre for this site, or so it would appear. It’s up to you. I can’t claim to be an expert in this field, but, as one of my own observations goes: the definition of an expert is anyone who knows more about a given subject than I do, especially if they have first-hand experience.
Anecdotal evidence is just that – anecdotal, until it becomes so well documented that it provides good evidence and constitutes a true study. I was a coroner’s officer for some time too – investigating sudden deaths, but I have to be more circumspect here. Suffice it to say that Seroxat occasionally reared its ugly head.
Seroxat victims, like atheists, are difficult to organise: similar to attempting to herd cats. But providing that there’s enough of us, perhaps we can make a lot of noise.
Cheers
John.
January 18, 2009 at 4:02 am
I sit here on my computer and can barely type. I’m so sick that I would pay to be inside someone else body right now. I hate the day I ever set foot in my previous Mental Health Facility, these people don’t care about prescribing these drugs to people, all they care about is the kick backs they get. With that being said I have being taking ” Paxil” the hell drug for over eight years and I’m determined to get this poision out of my system. All I can muster is hang in there.
January 30, 2009 at 3:13 pm
I am four days off 20mg doseage of Seroxat. After 8 months on this drug!! I ahve decided to come off it, because its doing nothing for me. I don’t really understand why I was prescribed it in the first place. The last 3 days have been bad. Awfull nightmares, I am now getting tight chest feelings, my eyes feel heavy and tired, buzzing in my head and flashes going off also. I am feeling sick also. I have read the above with inters espeicailly Neighbour and can concur that the idiotic stuff can make someone into a raving lunatic. I hope I have the courage to see this through. I was no angel 10 to 15 years ago and took my fair share of illegal drugs (coke and E), and had some pretty awfull come don days…but this at the moment is very scary and 50 times worse
January 31, 2009 at 8:36 pm
I have been off and on anti-d’s for over 12 years, every time I go to doc, he asks how I am feeling and despite me saying I am not depressed, just stressed and agitated, I knows when I am depressed!!! I always come away with anti-d’s. I came off mine 6 weeks ago (seroxat) after being back on for 4 months , the “electric shocks” is doing my head in, when will this pass?
I really, really do not want to go back to the doc as he will tell me to go back on them and I am not taking drugs that (a) do not help and (b) I don’t need them, only thing I want is some beta blockers, they help me!!!!!
J
x
February 1, 2009 at 4:10 pm
It is now 5 days cold turkey…the zaps are still zapping and I am visiting the loo a lot!!! loud noises do my head in…jumping out my skin BUT i am beggining to feel like i did before i satrted taking this seroxat crap. I feel human!!!! and i didnt have to take over an hour to orgasm today..much to my wifes relief lol. This drug must be take n off the market….1 week ago i wudnt even have the patience or inclination to even type this…thats what it does do you…makes you feel half arsed about everything…sat here been zapped but hey i have a smile on my face and the future is a future again …luv and best wishes to you all x
June 5, 2009 at 7:56 am
Thanks, Sean, for letting me know how you feel after just 5 days cold turkey …. and the fact it also affected your libido. I’ve been on this drug for 3 years, going up to a dose of 62.5 and now down to 20 … I so desperately want to get off them and am trying to go cold turkey … Thanks Carrie
February 8, 2009 at 3:01 am
Well I cannot believe that today I typed in search “zapping in head”, and found out its my Paxil..I thought I was slowly dying..I cant believe so many of you know about the brain zaps..They scared me so much..I couldnt explain it to anyone, and terrible headaches..my doctor made me go down on my Paxil about a month ago, and I never knew all this would happen..I am so glad to have found you all, too bad its such a terrible thing we all have in common.. Best of luck to you fellow zappers!
February 13, 2009 at 1:54 am
Glad to see that you guys have positive attitudes. That’s really important.
Attaboys!
Attagirls!
It will get better.
Neighbour.
February 15, 2009 at 11:29 am
I was slowly reducing seroxat after having been on it for 5 years. GP advised ‘ no withdrawal symptoms’ however when i got down to 10 mg and started getting shakes, hot flushes, nausea, angry, mood swings etc he said there can be some symptoms but they dont last more than a few days.I then found out i was 4 weeks pregnant and they cut me off from seroxat completely. GP advised that i would be fine after a few days and would just have to put up with it as it wont hurt me. I took last seroxat tablet on Tuesday and have been feeling worse an worse ever since. Yesterday i spent all day with shakes and hot burning fce so had a flannel on my head laying on the sofa, also felt to nauseous to eat. Today the shakes arent there but i am irrational and angry and cant focus on anything, even brushing my hair. I will be back to gp tomorrow, asking to see a gp who doesnt see mental health as ‘people making it up’ but would be grateful for any suggestions.
Zoe
February 22, 2009 at 1:50 pm
I have been taking Seroxat on and off since 1994. I am a recovering alcoholic (20 years of sobriety and counting) I have suffered with depression and anxiety all my life. Initially Seroxat helped these complaints, however over a period of time I realized I was losing interest and motivation in life itself. I stopped taking Seroxat completely in 1999 and went through hellish withdrawals for many years it was ridiculous but I persevered. I had blood shot eyes, sleep disorder, panic attacks, extreme confusion, impaired vision etc etc. I never seemed to recover and six years later due to an terrible life event I had a nervous breakdown (a bad one) I went to my Doctor and started taking Seroxat again. Now I am on 30mg of Seroxat and I dearly want my libido and lust for life back. Thank God I came across this page because no one understands anything about Seroxat (no Doctors etc) unless you have experienced it. Today 22/2/09 I have decided to start a detox. However this time I am going to take it real slow. I will go from 30mg to 26.15mg for a month and see how that goes then I will continue lowering my dosage. I was wondering, because of my anxiety would it be ok to take beta blockers in order to reduce my feelings of anxiety while I am withdrawing from Seroxat. Any help will be greatly appreciated.
JohnK
February 24, 2009 at 9:34 pm
I had some really vivid nightmares when I first went on the Paxil. But I was aware of it as a side-effect, and didn’t let it bother me. After awhile, they were just entertaining. Now, I’m going off the Paxil, and had one night of strange dreams, but that went away. Now I’m down to 10mg and am just really dizzy. Take it slow, if you’re going off, and drink lots of water! If you’re just going on Paxil….it does really help. It helped me immeasurably. But I’m done with it now.
March 9, 2009 at 4:11 am
I am going to try to go off Paxil after one or two previous tries. I have been on Paxil for close to ten years. When I first started taking it, I have to say that it did help me. I was in an anxious and stressed out place in my life, and Paxil lightened my mood and actually made me a more productive person.
However Paxil had drawbacks – I’m pretty sure it’s been giving me headaches and dizziness, caused me to gain weight and knocked my libido out of commission. So I’ve decided to go off.
This time I am going to go off with “The Road Back” program. I am wrapping up the pre-taper portion of this program and am about to start tapering off. Needless to say, I’m apprehensive – having suffered negative effects the previous times I’ve tried to quit Paxil – primarily headaches, dizziness and anxiety. Fortunately I have not experienced the brain zaps (knock on wood).
My question is, has anybody else used The Road Back program? It involves taking a number of supplements – vitamins, Omega 3, protein powder mixes, etc. It seems logical, but it’s not cheap.
March 16, 2009 at 7:03 pm
Dear Admin,
Thank you for your excellent website. I am now off Seroxat after six years. It took me about six months to reach this goal by slow tapering (very slowly) away from this demon drug. I am very well familiar with the withdrawal symptoms described so well by others who visited your site and left their comment.
I am now on my third week free from this drug. It feels like I have stepped out of a nightmare that is so hard to describe and is only understood by those who have been there. Even though I have reached this stage, I believe there is a long way still ahead. So fare I do experience good and bad days but they are nothing compared to the years while I was slaved to this demon Seroxat. I wonder how long it will be until the occasional black clouds that still linger vanish for ever.
Best wishes,
Leon
March 20, 2009 at 5:00 am
Hi,
You guys are all scaring the hell out of me.
I have just started on Seroxat 12.5mg last night, and was told by my doctor that I will not feel any side effects til like 10 days, which is when I was suppose to see him again.
I noticed that an hour after I took the pill, my whole brain became numb and I could no longer think of unhappy thoughts, and if I did try to bring an unhappy thought up, my brain will just automatically dismiss it. It feels as though I had no control over my brain… like… when you feel tispy from drinking alcohol
Which was good, I thought. But I found it strange cuz I was told I would not feel anything until 10 days.
Then, I got tried, and I couldn’t sleep. And when I finally did, I woke up five hours later with my brain being super hyper, and all the voices which took me 5 years to suppress came floating into my brain and it wouldn’t stop screaming. And I became hungry. I tried to sleep it off, and when I woke up 4 hours later, I feel extremely tired and unable to do anything. Even typing this letter takes a lot of effort. And I became hungry again.
I was prescribed Ritalin 10mg as well as I was finally diagnosed with ADHD (I finally KNOW what the hell is wrong with me, which is good) and it is said that Ritalin is suppose to cause insomnia and help with my focus, but I still feel extremely tired.
I am not sure if I want to stop Seroxat, because I am really, really depress and I have no idea how to deal with it any more. But I don’t want to go through this ‘cold turkey’ you guys are going through, as it will make my already miserable life more miserable. Is there any kind of drugs that is not as bad?
March 27, 2009 at 9:55 am
Dear Min,
i am going through my withdrawl phase. I took seroxat for several years (because of my BDD). In addition i have to take ritalin on workdays. I was very scared to get off the Seroxat. It took me really long to realize that Seroxat itself was my problem. Withdrawl is awfull, but not as bad as this compromise in tabletform! I think for people with ADHD its very imporatnt to get the right dose of ritalin. I am on Ritalin LA 30 mg/d and it works fine. It keeps me balanced and focussed all day without paralysing me. Some people have to take 5mg Ritalin every 3 hours, some 10mg every 4. Once you have got the right dose, most people wont need the antidepressant anyway. And please DO stay away form Strattera, its a total scam.
I hope your physician has told you that ritalin 10 mg wears off after 3-4 hours and you have to take a nother tablet after this time, otherwise you will be dealing with a rebound effect that can be mistaken for a depression.
There are other SSRIs that are less “addictive” like Effexor (Venlaflaxin), but i think you should find an ADHD sepcialist who really bothers to work with you on the right dosage regime.
good luck, and don’t forget, we people with ADHD can get depressed when nothing happens when life has no ups and downs and all the black and whites are replaced by eerie shades of grey. Well thats what seroxat and all its SSRI relatives do.There maybe times when all is black and grey is welcome but in the long run, the grey is most dangerous situation for a person with ADHD.
April 6, 2009 at 10:12 pm
Hi all.
I am going through the withdrawal phase from stopping paxil cold turkey. I have been on it about 4 months for social anxiety. It helped a great deal as far as the anxiety, only to my dismay I realized it was the reason for the 15 lb weight gain since I started taking it. I eat healthy foods, and exercise about 5 times a week. I should be losing, not gaining. I decided to go cold turkey because it seems whether you wean off or go cold you have the horrible withdrawal symptoms, so why prolong my agony.
Today is day 3. The first day I was great. No noticeable side effects. Yesterday, day 2, it all started. The swooshing feeling in my head, the electric zaps, the nausea and frequent urination. I couldn’t fall asleep, and when I finally would, within minutes I was waking up from horrible horrible nightmares. Today, day 3, It feels like I have the flu. My body aches and when I walk, it feels like I am going to fall over. I just want to stay in bed.
Does anyone have any suggestions on the relieving these symptoms at all? I am so desperate I will try anything.
April 11, 2009 at 10:04 pm
Dear Ann,
Your case is very similar to mine. I took Seroxat for 4 months to heal an acute depression resulting from staying in an awful country for 3 years.
I’m 35 and never had taken previously antidepressant medications. Although I had my share of clubbing in my 20s and did all sorts of recreational drugs, I’ve never experienced such debiliating withdrawal symptoms. It’s my 4th day since stopping my 20 mg regime (cold turkey) and the symptoms have started to improve . On my second day, I couldn’t get out of bed; and when I did, I trembled like a fish out of water. Now, I can fairly say that I regained control over my body. The zaps are the most bothering symptoms, but it seems that homeopathy (Nux Vomica and Ipeca) is helping get rid of nausea and abdominal cramps. In addition, I’m drinking lots of water and taking 2 strong multi-vitamins ,many minerals (Zinc , Magnesium and Calcium) and high doses of Motilium that seem to decrease the “zaps”.
I’m positive that the symptoms can be dealth. please note that most homeopaths believe that Nux can be effcetive in relieving many of the drugs withdrawal symptoms and I think it works. Anyhow, it’s not harmful.
Finally, I must say that I’m very happy for quitting this ugly drug.
April 17, 2009 at 9:27 am
Hi all! I am now on my 49th day off this drug. It has been a semi-rough ride so fare. I am interested to know if anyone has been through the following or similar experience after quitting the drug?
1. Currently I sleep well during the night without vivid dreams.
2. I feel alright between 0800 to 1400.
3. During the afternoon, I begin to feel light headed, occasional dizziness, headaches, cannot consecrate or focus on simple tasks.
I wonder every day how long these symptoms may last; Does anyone know?
Best wishes,
Leon
April 19, 2009 at 12:53 pm
Personally I think that Seroxat causes long term neurological damage and god knows what else..
April 22, 2009 at 1:17 pm
its 5 weeks now, after i ve stopped taking seroxat, I quit cold turkey and I am almost feeling fine now. (omg I am sooo glad I ve quit! hair, skin fingernails have suddenly gone lots better, i ve got lots more energy, cholesterol level dropped significantly,and i can eat like god knows what without putting on any weight….and the smells sounds music etc that i am suddenly able to notice again…its fabulous)
April 26, 2009 at 12:59 pm
hi all very interesting comments i my self have been on seroxat for 5 years on and off i did manage to come off 60mg 2 years ago with great difficulty i hit another low period about 6 months ago and decided to go back on them again only on 20 mg what a nightmare! this time round the drug just made me totally distructive not caring about anything and drinking like a blue whale i strongly recommend anyone wishing to start this drug to totally dismiss the idea i am coming off this drug once and for all, i wish you all the love and happiness you could possibly want xxx
May 16, 2009 at 3:45 pm
I have been taking seroxat for 10 years(was carelessly prescribed them at the age of 13) and I have been trying to get off them for the last 2 weeks due to the fact that I have had to live with the severe side-effects of this drug for most of my life.A few years ago, I tried to come off them and I failed because of increased aggression and a pretty debilitating condition(paresthesia) caused by withdrawal. G.P’s constantly dismiss the withdrawal symptoms of seroxat as psychological(i.e. “it’s all in my head”)however, these symptoms are PHYSICAL (sensations of tingling/electric shock in the face and hands,muscle twitching,vertigo,distorted vision etc.) as well as psychological. I feel like I have been damned to an addiction which could have been avoided and lied to by the doctors and psychiatrists. This drug is supposed to treat deppression/panic attacks/suicidal thoughts yet, according to numerous articles relating to the drug, it CAUSES suicidal thoughts and self-harm.
Presently, I am taking less than 10mg in an effort to “ween” myself off them and the withdrawal seems to be mild so far(agressive tendancies have greatly increased though) however, I am very concerned about what kind of withdrawal I will experience when I stop completely(as previously mentioned,I failed at coming off them before and the withdrawal was absolute hell for me) I guess I’ll just have to be patient and wait and see.To everyone who is trying to come off this drug, unfortunately I don’t have any concrete advice(I wasn’t given any from my doctor.what a surprise:p) but I do say, don’t give up!Be determined and strong and firmly let your G.P know what you are going through. Withdrawal periods vary depending on how long you’ve been on paroxetine but eventually it will leave your system and you will feel like yourself again. Wishing you all the best(and sorry for going on about it.Just had to vent a bit)
Thanks.
May 26, 2009 at 1:08 pm
I was on Paxil for 10 years also, from the time I was 10. I was vomiting at that young age a lot due to that I had just moved to England and the language was very diffficult, so the doctors gave me 40mg of Paxil. (Called Seroxat) Since then I had moved away from England and now live in America, where I am given the Paxil under the name Paroxetine. I recently decided to quit the Paxil, and weaned myself off of it for two months, and then quitting for good 5 weeks ago.
Weaning did not help once I quit cold turkey. I am still vomiting every day, 5 weeks later. I have been hospitalised and very ill. I am unable to work or go to school and it is severely debilitating.
No one should ever start taking Paxil at a young age. I myself became a zombi and I could not judge right and wrong in the most logical fashion. I am not ashamed of my youth, I am ashamed of the system and what they allowed to happen to us.
I decided to post my story because the person above me not only had my name, but a very similar time frame!
June 1, 2009 at 1:13 pm
Hi All
Thank goodness I found this website. Been on seroxat for over 6 years for ocd – mainly unsupervised, except the first few months!
Saw a psychiatrist recently who wants to see what i’m like off them. I instantly switched, under his advice, to prozac for 1 month. The last week i went down to every other day. Now I’m two months without anything. I’m in AA and today i’m 5 months off alcohol and recreational drugs too. And so now I’m two weeks off anything.
I don’t feel like the seroxat actually helped with my ocd. Since coming off it, my ocd has remained the same……..
However, mood swings, anxiety, panic attacks, nightmares, guilty feelings, shame, fear, anger…….where did all that come from?! From not taking one little pill?!
Grrrrr. I’m so annoyed I ever took it in the first place. My ocd is as manageable as it ever was, but now I have all this other stuff to cope with.
Hating my life as i type. But i guess I better get back to work before someone comes over, sees me on here and maybe fires me for it! (See my projection and disaster-prediction?!)
I feel ever so slightly better though that I may not be alone with all this. I just don’t get how my moods and feelings can change within literally seconds. It’s a total nightmare………
July 7, 2009 at 10:44 pm
I have been on Paxil for approximately 10 years. I’m 42. Each symptom I aquired over the years were met with yet another drug to counter act the side effects. I have been across the country searching out specialists for chronic fatigue help. Thinking that there was really something wrong with me. All Blood tests were normal, I was normal mentally and physically. But why was I so tired. So so tired. I could barely take my kids to school. It was a game in our car, I’d put my head down at stop lights, and the kids would tell me when the lights turned green. I’d have to skip work, and go back to bed to sleep the day away as well as the night. I’ve been thru narcolepsy sleep studies, I’ve been thru all the studies even tried accupuncture. Everything comes up negative and no help. Everyone attributes it to raising 4 girls (16,14,9, and 7) and running my husbands business and the household and perhaps now I’m experiencing perimenopausal symptoms. But still I ask, despite my busy life, I still shouldn’t feel this way and want to sleep my life away. So now I’ve been given adderall to give me go-go juice for the day. And then Lunesta at night for the insomnia. What is perplexing to me, is that no Doctor ever said, Susan, your serious fatigue, memory loss, insomnia is really from your Paxil usage, and we need to get you off of this. You know, Paxil was a great drug for the time I needed it. It allowed me to settle down my mood swings and refocus and stabalize my thinking. But now that it is time to get off this drug: Myself, My family, my staff and all those who cross my once humble and christian path will feel like they are meeting satan himself. I am so concerned about this withdrawl, but I have to do this, the long term side effects have now outweighed any benefits of the drug. I swear if I did not work for my husband I would have been fired by now.
Doctors now want to do a brain scan because I have noticed a severe memory downturn. I blew him off, and will not. I will go with the obvious. Get off the paxil.
July 12, 2009 at 6:58 pm
Hi Susan, great to hear from you and people alike, i HAve been on seroxat for nearly 10 years @20mg per day, and now down to 4mg liquid but having terrible side effects, Im too constantly tired and have n oenergy , memory is terrible and im confused and can not concentrate. Can you tell me does the Adderall help you in anyway ? are there any side effects as I may consider this a option ? Would love yo hear from you ?
Andy
July 21, 2009 at 10:32 pm
This is my first time on a website like this, so I don’t know if I’m doing this right or not. I was prescribed Paxil, 30mgs, 11 years ago by my RHEUMATOLOGIST for treatment of Fibromyalgia. I did not want to go on a anti-depressant & didn’t think I needed one. I was not even thinking of them as any kind of treatment. They never entered my mind. However, my Dr. insisted this was a treatment to help me deal with the constant pain of the fibro. To my surprise, it did help. There was an adjustment period which I did not like, but he insisted I needed to give it some time. Sure enough, I did do a little better. It’s now been 11 years & I decided I wanted to come off it because I was getting concerned about the longterm side effects. I was developing other symptoms fairly recently of other problems & I thought it was a good time to stop & see if these other symptoms were related. I moved and now have a new dr. who started tapering me from the 30mgs to 20mgs for one week & then 10mgs for one week. It’s now been one week of none. The first 3 days were fine–then I got hit BAD. I have been crying-heavy crying-for 5 days now. Extremely nauseated, then dizzy like crazy; sweats & feel so hot I think I’m gonna freak out. Then I’m so cold. Emotionally, I wish I was never born! I can’t, or won’t, even write what my thoughts have been. The Anger & Rage is really frightening. The hate & disgust I feel for certain things & then the hate & disgust I feel for myself for feeling like this is just soooo confusing!!!. Heart palpitations, shaking inside, generally, the worst I’ve ever felt in my life. I want to be off this med. I need to know how long this is going to last & what I can do to help myself. Please, if anyone can help me, please write me, please.
July 25, 2009 at 8:47 pm
Kathleen, stay in touch with this site and get in touch directly with me if you so wish. You are not alone and there’s help out there/here.
neighbour1@aol.com
Cheers
John.
July 24, 2009 at 10:32 pm
Hi. I’ve been on Paroxetene for about 4 years. The reason was after I had 2 panic attacks in 2 weeks ending up in ER both times. Never had one in my life. I started at 30 mg and varied dosages. Over the last year or so I was reduced to 10 mg. Dr. always said he didn’t think I’d need to be on forever. I probably had 2 attacks after that during the 4 years. I had no intention of quitting right now. Actually it was prompted by running out, calling pharmacy and then needing dr. authorization. After about 2 days of no refill..I went in for emergency refill..they gave me 3 tablets. I took ONE…then lost the other 2!!!! I thought I’d be OK as the dr. would probably refill. WRONG…about 6 days later I was told RX was ready. By that time I was in full fledge w/d mode! I’ve been reading forum after forum and see the symptoms for paxil w/d are all common and I’ve got most of them! Exception: the brain zaps (Thank God). But I’m scared to death I’ll get them. Sounds like I’d know! But I do have a constant buzzing..main symptom of bother..extreme dizziness, bad, vivid dreams, feeling hot, mood swings, anger, muscle aches..lovely!!!! I had my physical a few days ago with dr. and he said since I had been through the “worst” of it and I was already on only 10 mg, we’d just leave me off. I called my homeopathic chiropractor who is my true go to guy. He diagnosed me a couple of years ago with adrenal exhaustion and through supplements made me feel like a new woman (with exception of improving libido from paxil)!! I saw him yesterday and he gave me St. Basil’s supplements (for anxiety/mood) and a 5HTP supplement (to take before bedtime..basically a form of serotonin…said it would help with the sleep/dreams). He said “a couple of weeks” is not right…he said w/d is more like 3-6 months for many. I pray that these supplements help as I feel like my boys think an alien kidnapped their mother’s body!! A mean one! I am going to try to drink the water and exercise (which I’m not great at). I’ll post on how the supplements work!!! Good luck to all of you!!!!
July 25, 2009 at 12:42 am
Dear Andy,
The Adderall has given me my life back for the most part. Without it, I would not have any life. I have the energy to enjoy my hobbies and drive long distances to visit family. Not to mention, I have been able to concentrate at work and get things done. I experience little to no side effects. Occasional headaches, but nothing that a couple ibuprophen can’t take care of. My gosh, that is terrible to be on such a low dose and feel that way. I will say, when I avoid sugar and eat mainly fruits and veggies, I feel better. No fast food what so ever. The adderall also gives me energy to go for a 20 minute walk. Diet and Excerise is key. It’s the thing we all hate to do, but feel so much better when I comply. There have been a few days a week, where I can muster thru without the adderall. I attribute that to diet and walking. Hope this helps.
July 25, 2009 at 10:47 am
I just got about three message alerts, indicating that someone else (three, actually), had just added their comments and observations about this demon drug. Is there ANYONE out there who has actually benifited from this stuff? I have yet to see one, single person. So, if yo’ve benifited from it, then come on down and tell us! Are doctors really so closed-minded and in the thrall, financial or otherwise of Big Pharm that they continue to serve out this stuff as though it was aspirin? The mind boggles. To recap: I was on it for about six months during the slow death of my father, who I was caring for. It took me a while to get over it, but I’m more or less OK now. That was six years ago, but I’m not altogether sure if I’m actually back to ‘normal’, as I have no control ‘Identical Twin’ with whom to compare. I am truly amazed that it’s still being prescribed. I have jumped out of planes, sailed through a hurricane at sea, had a gun held to my head. I’ve been stabbed, shot at, clubbed and cut; I’ve run into thousands of fires (ex London Firefighter) and been in many near-death experiences. However, my experiences on Seroxat/Paroxitine/Paxil were the most frightening of my life. Note that it has, like a dangerous criminal, many AKAs. Perhaps we should gather strength from each other, and acting as one, sue the arse of the bastards who make it. Just a thought. But, brothers and sisters, in the meantime, if you’re going to quit, then DO NOT cold turkey! Softly softyly catchee monkey. Wean yourself off it very, very slowly and gradually. Think of yourselves as very slowly surfacing scuba divers and come up real sloooooooow, to avoid the ‘Bends’ of Seroxat madness. You can do it. If you want to talk, albeit through email, then you can email me direct as a long-distance shoulder to cry on. None of us wanted to get to this stage in life and have to rely on Stoicism, but it has to be done with this one. Cheers. John in London (and now a free man!)
October 3, 2009 at 8:13 pm
Hi john, well hell it has been , been on seroxat for 5 years managed with it as you do!
Then i started to come of it, 2omgs down to 5 mgs after 5 weeks and then stoped.
Big misstake i am having a hell of a time dealing with my emotions i feel weepy ,sad ,alone ,and iam so angry at people and that does hurt.
Iam looking for some help please , how long will i feel like this ?
i do not whont to go back to seroxat .
Jack
July 25, 2009 at 10:50 am
Oh, and re my last post
neighbour1@aol.com
Contact me directly if you feel yourself on the edge. And despite my being a devout atheist – God bless this site and those who started it. Thank you for telling us all that we are not alone.
July 27, 2009 at 7:47 am
A BIT OF HOPE…..
So sorry to hear all the recent stories since my post. I just wanted to give a little hope.
I was on seroxat (paroxetine) for 6 years almost totally unsupervised. The I saw a psychiatrist who switched me 3 months ago to prozac – no “changeover” period. Then I stopped prozac after a month, so I’m now two months without anything.
It was hard at first, which is when I found this page. I had many of the symptons you describe. I was originally on it for OCD and my OCD started coming back.
Depression, suicidal thoughts, mood swings, intrusive and obsessive thoughts, compulsive behaviour, fatigue, nightmares……
I didn’t want to go back on it. And I didn’t want to stay where I was. So I just tried to discipline myself. I got to the gym – at least 4 times a week. I made sure I did exercise on other days such as walking at least half an hour. I kept in touch with friends on a daily basis. I started getting to work early as I feel more productive in the mornings. I forced myself to try and have a balanced diet and eat three square meals.
With all the things going on in my head, all the practical stuff seemed like a waste of time at first. But I’m sure it has helped. I feel like things are changing for the better on a daily basis. It is hard at times, but not as hard as the initial period, which has to be progress.
I am prone to mental disorders, i know that. So I know I won’t ever be like a “normal” person…….whatever that is, if it exists!
But I do know that at least now I am me, or I’m trying to be me and find out who me is. I wish I was never on seroxat, but then I can’t look back to the past cos I can’t change it. I turned 27 yesterday and this week I’ll be 7 months clean and sober (a day at a time). So I’m just trying to keep it in the day and be good to myself.
If anyone wants to email chat, feel free.
Jonny
xx
July 27, 2009 at 12:47 pm
sorry to disturb… i jus came back after seein the psychiatrist.. i was prescribed seroxat CR 12.5mg daily for my panic attacks and rather poor control of unhappy thoughts… the doctor told it was a very low dose..not much of side effects will be experienced… conveniently failed to explain of possible withdawal symptoms.. infact he told me to trust him and i will feel much better… now im holdin the med in my hands…wondering whether its goin to be worth it… IS IT?
im really sorry about all u guys who had to go thru this hell.. no one deserves such pain and suffering… really sorry pls do take care..
August 11, 2009 at 5:48 pm
I seem to be having a very different experience than some other people here. I ran out of my Paxil prescription around the end of June and figured I might as well get off it then. I quit cold turkey (I realize now that was a bad idea), and for the first month was fine. It’s been about six weeks now, and for the past couple weeks it’s been horrible. I can deal with the nightmares and vivid dreams, but I’ve had the out-of-body feeling and my mood swings are very intense – I get angry very quickly and frequently feel like crying. Today I got frustrated over something that should be minor and sobbed for about 15 minutes.
My question is, since I’ve now been off Paxil for around 6 weeks but am experiencing these awful symptoms, should i go back on it and wean myself gradually? I’d rather not do that, but if it’s the only solution to addressing these hellish side effects, I feel I might have to.
Can anybody offer advice, please? I feel like I’m going out of my mind and am having thoughts of suicide.
August 16, 2009 at 7:20 am
DLB,
I was on 40mg of Paxil for a few years and quit cold turkey. I started up again when I had serious anxiety problems about a month later. I then weaned myself down to 15mg per day and stayed there for about a year. I quit totally about 6 weeks ago. I have the head zaps now, and vivid dreams, but otherwise I feel great. I would recommend going back on and weaning off slowly. It worked for me.
Good luck and God bless. If you are having suicidal thoughts I urge you to cut down slowly. Please know that you are not alone and you will and can get through this.
August 25, 2009 at 7:13 pm
HI, DELIGHTED TO HAVE FOUND THIS WEB SITE, ABOUT 20 YEA RS AGO I WAS PRESCRIBED SEROXAT AS I WAS HAVING A LOT OF PANIC ATTACKS AND BECAUSE OF THEM I WAS ALSO VERY DEPRESSED, IT TOOK AWHILE FOR THEM TO WORK BUT EVENTUALLY I STARTED TO FEEL A BIT BETTER , ALSO I WENT FOR THERAPY, BUT ANYWAY MY POINT IS THAT UP TO A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO I WAS TAKING THESE REGULARY THEN STARTED MISSING DAYS HERE AND THERE BUT FELT OK, OR AT LEAST THOUGHT I DID, THEN I HAD A COUGH THAT I COULDNT GET RID OF AND WAS PUT ON STEROIDS AND CODINE AND FELT JUST DREADFUL, THOUGHT I WAS DYING, OR WOULD POSSIBLY HARM MYSELF, SO I DECIDED TO DO A BIT OF A DETOX, SO FROM 10PM ON A TUESDAY NIGHT UNTIL 3AM ON THURSDAY THE ONLY THING I PUT IN MY BODY WAS WATER, NO FOOD, NO TABLETS, AND AFTER THOSE COUPLE OF DAYS I FELT WONDERFUL, BETTER THAN I HAD IN AGES, REALLY ALIVE, FOR A FEW MONTHS I FELT WELL, BUT THEN A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO I STARTED TO FEEL A BIT DEPRESSED AGAIN AND DIDNT KNOW WHAT TO DO, MY SISTER IS TAKING VITAMIN B AND I FOUND FROM RESEARCH THAT ITS SUPPOSED TO BE GOOD FOR ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION SO I HAVE STARTED TO TAKE VITAMIN B COMPLEX, ITS ONLY BEEN TWO WEEKS BUT ACTUALLY THINK I AM A LITTLE BETTER, I HAD GOT TO THE STAGE WHERE I WONDERED WOULD I GO BACK ON SEROXAT, BUT AFTER READING ALL THESE STORIES I AM SO GLAD THAT I HAVENT GONE BACK ON THEM, AND NEVER SAY NEVER BUT REALLY HOPE THAT I DONT RESORT TO GOING BACK TO THEM AFTER READING ALL OF THESE STORIES, AND WITH THE HELP OF GOD THE VITAMINS WILL HELP. HOPE ALL OF YE SUFFERING WILL GET BETTER. REGARDS CATHERINE
August 30, 2009 at 6:45 pm
Hi All,
Was on 20mg of Seroxat/Paxil for about 3 months in order to assist with work related anxiety attacks. Have never been one for taking any type of tablets and therefore decided to come off and reduced the dose to 10mg for a week and have now been off for a week. Like many, I was prompted to search the web in order to find an answer to how long the side effects would last. The descriptions of other ’sufferers’ are uncanny, especially the dizziness, ‘electric’ shock sensations in the head during eye and head movement, sweats and the bad dreams. So, given the relatively short period of time that I was on these, what is the estimated time for the side effects to subside? Surely with healthy eating, plenty of excercise and fluids these chemicals should be out of my system within say two weeks? Anything longer than this can only be as a result of damage caused by the chemicals? Would greatly appreciate your constructive thoughts. Thanks. P
August 31, 2009 at 10:18 am
Hi everyone…I’m currently on my second week of reducing seroxat 20mg down to 10mg. Its been mental!
I’ve had >headshocks >headaches > sleep disturbances >wierd dreams (not nightmares yet tho) >bad mood swings from sad & emotional to raging anger >tierdness >nausea.
Its been difficult, and glad i’m doing this, however am putting everyone through hell. Work has been very hard, I’ve been losing my rag everyday, and thats not me!!!
October 12, 2009 at 6:42 pm
I have bee on 30 mg of Paxil for over 2 years now. At first I thought this to be a mircle drug. It did help. But as they up’ed and up’ed the dosages to finally hitting 30 mg, it came clear to me that I had a ball and chain drug. Not only that how fair can you go on this drug??? Um I think I will stick it out without it. Been 2 weeks now, and I am in worse shape than when I started taking this poison. I feel worse than a detoxing drug addict. What the hell is wrong with this doctors that prescribe these pills from hell. I have always had little faith in doctors, and now I have none. I wish you all well. If you are a new user of any SSRI/SNRI I recommend you think twice. If you are coming off them, remember to just breath (alot) and take time to relax if you can, cause it is a hellish rollercoaster you have just lauched and it is hrd to say when the ride will end. Fasten your seatbealt tight. Really tight.
November 19, 2009 at 1:33 am
I have now been on seroxat 20 mg for 6 years now and have never felt right from day one. I have had weight gain , erection problems ,sweating,nightmares you name it ive had them. I told the doctor i wanted to come off and dropped the dose from 20mg to 15mg . I am starting to feel some life come back into my penis but its still not right . (This drug blows viagra out of the water so i wasted money there) . My next move is down to 10mg followed by 5mg liquid which is the way my doctor has told me to follow. Touch wood i seem to be coping at the moment and i am determined to get off these forever . Good luck to all of you and i will keep posting along the way to let you know how things are going .
November 19, 2009 at 2:06 pm
Be careful Ronny – you might be going too fast there…
I had to go much slower and got onto the liquid as soon as I could.