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.
seroxat secrets... 
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 24, 2010 at 8:10 am
Hello Julie,
I have just been looking at different sites re. Seroxat/Paxil withdrawal and found your comments helpful. I am in the process of withdrawing from this drug which unfortunately I have been taking for 19 years since the birth of my son. I have tried at least 4 times to withdraw and it has been impossible each time. The feelings in my head are terrible but am determined to finally withdraw this time in order to be placed on another anti-depressant if necessary.
So far I have managed to wean myself down to 10mg but my head feels as though it’s flying and I feel off balance but hopefully this isn’t going to last long. Next week I am going to start my 5mg dose daily.
Am I going to feel okay soon? How long will it take for these strange feelings in my head to disappear? I cannot understand why my GP every placed me on this drug because of my past history of attempted suicide attempts as well as being someone on the Autistic Spectrum. I am so angry like so many others.
Miranda
March 8, 2013 at 6:14 am
Cudos Julie…..I’m coming off of my Paxil now I’ve been on it since I was 18 I’m on 40mgs I we end myself off I went from forty to twenty to nothing now I’m really reagreattimg it I really meed someone to talk too I’m afraid to sleep because of ,y nightmares what was the longest period tht the zaps lasted for you are they gonna continue and never stop?
December 11, 2013 at 7:06 pm
did your skin feel like is is burning and then chills my eyes feel dry my head feel bad and has a swishing in it can that be due to this drug coming off of it
December 20, 2015 at 4:21 pm
Hi Julie, I decided to come off seroxat 10 months after being on them 20yrs.I’ve been getting frightening head zaps and these seem to start from my stomach plus it is worse when I lie down to go to sleep.I spoke to my doctor about this but he offered no help or advice.It was to me that he didn’t have a clue.
February 27, 2012 at 9:39 am
you are probably going too quickly. I go down 5 mg. once every 3 months. Then my body adjusts more smoothly. I know it seems like a long time to to drop only 5 mg. once every 3 months but I can guarantee its a lot easier for your body to handle every dosage drop by doing it this way. There will be less agitation this way but you have to be patient and not rush the weaning. Too many people want it all done over the course of a couple weeks. It took me a year to drop from 40 mg. paxil to 20 mg. and it was so easy. I have tried cold turkey and will never do that again.
Hope it all goes well for you.
May 30, 2013 at 7:49 pm
I have been on it four about 5 or 6 years now and I am now reducing the dose with help from my doctor. My dose was 20mg a day (tablet), which has gone down to 15mg (7.5ml) for 4 weeks and then 10mg for 4 weeks (5mls), then 5mg for four weeks (2.5ml) and lastly 5mg (2.5ml) every other day. Forgot to renew my prescription in time so have now been with out the Paroxetine oral suspension liquid for about 3 days now which is a pain esp as most pharmacies have to order it in as they usually just have the tablets. So getting mild withdrawal symptoms. I took it for anxiety. As it is I think I will have to take a Kalms herbal supplement to relax tonight.
May 31, 2013 at 8:08 am
That’s great Debs – but would have far too quick for me.
You must be one of the lucky ones!
May 31, 2013 at 2:50 pm
Not really lucky. It is time for me to come off. I on 5ml (10mg) a day now and suffering a bit this week as I didn’t renew my prescription in time. The withdrawal symptoms have been bad :(.
May 31, 2013 at 2:52 pm
And the Kalms tablet didn’t really work! 🙂
May 18, 2008 at 8:00 am
[…] Seroxat/Paxil withdrawal help […]
March 24, 2013 at 6:23 pm
i am on seroxet for 13 years off and on. i am try to win off very very slowly .took me 3months to reduce 5 ml.that means one ml per month. I am doing ok so far. I was on 20 and now twelve ml. I think reducing slowly is the only way and i am coping well. I do breathing exercise and meditation one hour everyday. it helps a lot .hope you try that way.
October 10, 2018 at 1:52 pm
Kindly say about the excercise which I also need now
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
August 5, 2010 at 11:57 pm
Ian,
I am coming off seroxat and thank you for your advice. Don’t give yourself such a hard time, and you are able to empathise with people. You would’nt have posted your advice here if you were not.
All the best
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.
October 29, 2010 at 11:04 am
N’importe quoi !
C terribles tous ces commentaires : le Deroxat est très utile alors pourquoi faire peur aux gens.
Moi je suis en train de me sevrer : je prenais 1 cpmé par jour depuis au moins 7 ou 8 ans ; et mon sevrage se passait bien : diminué d’un quart puis passée à 1/2 par jour mais j’ai eu des troubles quand passée à 0 cpmé : nausées et j’ai décidé de reprendre 1/2 tous les jours et d’essayer dans qqs temps de redescendre à 1/2 tous les deux jpurs.
October 29, 2010 at 6:12 pm
Bonne chance Sofia – tous ne sont pas aussi chanceux
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
December 23, 2013 at 5:14 am
I have been off my paroxetine for like 3 days now after taking it every day for 2 months the doctor started me off on 20MG a day with only 1 refill after my first script and I haven’t had the time off work or extra cash floating around to go see him again and reget my prescription renewed, The swishy head feeling is sooo horrible I can’t explain it, its way worse when I get up and walk around more then when I’m sitting and relaxing, and I also noticed that my insomnia has gotten worse after taking this medication then it was before I started taking it, I really don’t know if I should be on something else for my PTSD or have him prescribe me a sleeping aid to go with it next time I see him. :c I feel hopeless.
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.
January 6, 2013 at 7:54 pm
Hi Jenny, been coming off citalpram ssri,s suffering severly. but will hang in there.i am no hero but these tablets are pioson.Even now my head is in bits plus sore throat and bad coughs .been six weeks now but getting there .ITS NOT YOU AND NO DREAM THESE TABLETS ARE DEADLY .HEAD ZAPS LIKE LIGHTNING.if i gave you the list of symtoms i been going through we will be hear all night. spent most of last week vommiting .but buccastem tablets stopped it. chill. tell yourself theres a better life ahead.
March 24, 2013 at 6:31 pm
do meditation one hour daily and breathing exercises i am on seroxet and reducing my dose as well. So far i have reduced 7ml.one ml per month . Yes that is the only way.
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.
October 25, 2011 at 2:01 pm
hi john, i know its a while since you posted your comments about the anti-depressant. I have been on citalopram the sister of the drug for 3 months and have been off it for 19 weeks i have several withdrawal symptoms, the one that i am left with at the moment is a bit like anxiety, i can feel a strange feeling in my chest and throat, i have been told off several medics that the drug will be well out my system now! but is it the chemical change that the drug has caused. I was on seroxat 16 years ago and that was hell! Look forward to hearing from you. How long did it take you to get it out of your system
February 28, 2013 at 12:34 pm
Thanks John, I’m currently suffering withdrawals after going cold turkey. The only thing that keeps me going is believing these symptoms have to pass eventually. This drug should nor be allowed I can’t understand why it is.
September 24, 2020 at 3:01 pm
Please keep in touch and let me know how u go on
I’ve been on these paroxetine seroxat since 1984 after I lost my son .didnt know what they were giving me but told it was a short term drug now in 2020 and carnt get off them .tryed several times e even sertraline but eventually had to go back on the paroxetine .
I have no hope of coming off them now ..
I get very angry my moods are terrible. Family dont understand I’m now in my late 70s and alone now .so I get scared .
Keep fighting it hope you succeed .bless u
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.
February 6, 2010 at 10:37 am
I have been taking 20mg seroxat for 13 yrs since my husband died suddenly.I have been coming off it gardually for 4 months and now on no seroxat,but i have never been in such a bad place.what can i do i feel so out od life and everything i want to feel better but dont want to go back on seroxat again
February 13, 2010 at 1:12 am
Hi Karen
I’ve recently just started coming off Seroxat the last week or so, and it is hard. The GP told me to halve the dose which to be honest was bad advice as the side effects were too much. So i have taken it upon myself to do 20mg then 15mg alternate days and the side effects are still pretty severe. I can only tell myself it’s physical and i will be fine in time. It’s totally doable, you can make it, my GP did warn me it can have a rebound effect when coming off it, so hang in there.
March 8, 2010 at 6:14 am
Going off Paxil has been horrible. My life is on hold, I have constant vertigo,nausea fatigue, flu like symptoms. Every day I think the next day will be better but it isn’t. How long can this last?
April 1, 2010 at 10:38 am
Hi John,
I too am a counsellor and have been taking Seroxat (20mg) for 13 yrs. I have decided to come off it and so have been told to reduce it slowly. I would really value talking or e-mailing you if this is possible
Kind regards
Amanda
April 16, 2010 at 8:18 am
Hey there, I have been taking seroxat for 5 yrs and have reduced from 40mg to 10mg but my most recent drop from 20 to 10 has been the worst so far. Nausea, giddiness, irrational thoughts and depressive symptoms. Last night the bad dreams started. Reading others peoples comments and experiences makes you realise that this is “normal” and that I am not getting depressed again, its seroxat that is causing the problems. That said the sensations are real nonetheless. I think we all need to support each other here, so if any of you want to contact me feel free to do so x
April 22, 2010 at 3:23 pm
Hi all,
I have been on Seroxat for over 2 years and have been weaning off for the past 6 months. I insisted that my doctor gave me the liquid version and have been reducing my dose by 1mg a week. This has been OK for me, although I am now down to 12mg from 30mg and am struggling a bit!! I spoke to 2 doctors who denied that there are any withdrawal symptoms at all, before this one gave me the liquid. I take a mixture of tablets and the liquid to make up my MGs. Please note that the liquid form is double the dose of the tablets, ie. 1mg of liquid is ‘worth’ 2mg of tablet, so I take a 10mg tablet plus 1mg of liquid to make up my 12 dose. I think that I will now reduce by just half a dose per week as am not feeling so good, with a lot more shocks, sickness and cramping shocks in my stomach.
Anyway, hope that helps you – the reduction for me has been bearable, so get some liquid (use a syringe for doseage) and do it really slowly :o)
Good luck!!
Bridget
February 15, 2013 at 9:31 am
Hi Amanda i stopped a year ago after being on for 13 years did you manage to stay off Seroxat im still finding it hard a year on.
September 22, 2010 at 11:03 am
Hi Neighbor:
I am getting off Seroxat after 5 years, no more B.S. Withdrawal symbtoms are Killing me….I am lashing out at the wrong people, please help me… I took seroxat because I hurt the most beloved persons in my life (Wife and children)… I don’t know why I can turn from the most educated polite person to this monster in seconds.
My biggest FEAR is I will be back to square one, I will be back to that horrible life I used to live before Seroxat…..
My children are my life, how long these nighmares and this feeling of pity will last…. PLEASE TELL ME, anyone
March 28, 2011 at 10:03 am
Well it Happenned….
Here I am driving my kids crazy, in the verge of divorce after multiple affairs…
Nooooooooooooo, please God no…
I went to the pharmacy and got seroxat.. Took it yesterday, Sorry guys
March 29, 2011 at 6:28 pm
It’s not you – not the REAL you – it’s the Seroxat… how long have you been taking it?
March 28, 2011 at 10:14 am
Hi Kuwait
I don’t think a side effect of Seroxat is forcing you to have multiple affairs. Sure your sex drive comes back but you choose yourself what to do with that. And if you hate Seroxat so much why go back on it? There are other medications out there.
May 27, 2011 at 2:24 pm
hello iv been takeing this evil drug for fifteen years im trying to cm off it im down to 5mg and feel so ill iv never felt so scared will i get better please can u give me any advice thank u.
July 10, 2015 at 3:01 pm
dear mandy I also have been on paxil fifteen years…Helped me tremendously thru a missin daughter crisis and menopause…DON T BE SCARED,,,be determined to rid this satan pill….It probably will be taken off the shelfs at some point…but keep in mind it can take a longr and slower dosage time for us…15 yrs is a loong time…some nerv. systems need a real slo cut down time I also was soo ill but it just went away fourth day …I still am taking 10 mg. on the third week ..from 20 mg..no more zaps..no nausea, or eye pain’ headaches very slight..this week coming I will have my half…plz hang in their mandy….Scared shit…lol
February 5, 2014 at 12:12 pm
Please John could you get in touch having hell with citalopram withdrawl
February 26, 2019 at 12:58 pm
Bonjour, je suis bipolaire et croyez-moi tous ces anxiolytiques que l’ont m’a prescrit ont fait qu’agravé ma maladie. J’ai été découverte bipolaire en 2002 , avant je vivais avec sans le savoir , j’ai élevé mes enfants correctement et j’ai fait une bonne carrière dans l’hostellerie . Depuis plusieurs années et surtout cette année tout va très mal , pourtant je suivais bien le traitement qui m’a été prescrit par mon psychiatre, j’ai relu attentivement les notices des médicaments et surtout celui pour équilibrer ma bipolarité et bien ils ont de mauvaises interactions en eux , pires , ils me donnent tous des idées suicidaires , des cauchemars tels que vous tous les décrivaient et des sueurs moi qui avant été une frileuse , donc merci à votre forum qui par ce fait me donne enfin des explications au fait que tout les soir je veuille disparaître sans raison majeur.
Maintenant, le plus dure reste a faire mais au moins , je peux lutter car j’ai maintenant des explications et cela va m’aider à rester en vie
Merci à vous tous
Michèle
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.
June 16, 2011 at 5:10 pm
Dear Admin,
I am in a bit of a fix myself, Ive been on Paxil 20mg for around 4yrs, I was cutting doen a little by missing one days dose, and then had only 10mg on odd days. Did this for around 3-4 weeks. Think I have conceived had all the signs. My doctors told me prior to conceiving this drug is fine keep taking it 2 docs thats the worrying thing. If I had known all I know now I would never have let myself conceive. I was overjoyed with my partner now I am obsessivley on the net trying to find out. Now that I have cold turkeyed so to speak how will this affect my unborn?? I am handling so far and Im on day 4 of not having it.. something inside me feels extremely strong perhpas the thought of being pregnant is overriding it all. Yes im having some withdrawal symptoms dont get me wrong but I made a plan of action. Totally eating well, pampering myself mentally physically, stopped working, partner to be there for me, also going on my bike daily to build serotonin. I just need to know is whatim doing safe pls tell me? ?The sooner i know the better….because I may consider abortion if my unborn is at any risk from me suddenly stopping. Then start again….
August 22, 2011 at 2:37 am
I am trying to get off Paxil because we would like to have another child. However during my last pregnancy 5 years ago I took paxil the entire time. I was not told of any side effects to my baby. Now I see things on the TV about paxil babies with problems. However my son is a happy healthy 5 year old with no effects of the drug at all. We got lucky! I just hope I can get off this so we can try again. I am sure your baby will be fine too!
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.
February 26, 2019 at 1:17 pm
Bonjour John
Je suis contente de vous lire , j’aime votre humour qui me remonte le morale .
Je voudrais dire que nous nous sentons tous seul avec ces anxiolytiques, car peut de personnes lisent le peux d’infor mations qu’il y a sur les notices et d’aileurs peu de nos proches font cet éfforts pour ne pas les blâmer . Merci internet et surtout ce blog
Courage à tous
Michèle
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
September 22, 2010 at 11:22 am
Hey Sean:
You have desribed me to the teeth… I can’t believe we share this current situation ( I am four days off 20mg, but was on it for 5 years now, offcourse tried to quit 2 times and could not bare watching my family suffer my mood swings)….. Are you doing it cold turkey, I am doing almost cold turkey, I am just tired of it…. Tired of this pill that have controlled my life…. This time I will success, this time we will make it Sean. I will keep my promise, please keep yours.
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.
April 14, 2014 at 9:32 pm
Hello Karl,
how did it go with “The Road Back”? Im considering it myself.
Kind regards
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)
September 22, 2010 at 11:39 am
Good for you lilly
I am on my way, your story gives me hope, one week has past and waiting for the 5 weeks feeling you have talked about….. One thing I am noticing already, my sex drive is off the chart. Seroxat has supressed it for so long..what is up with that? have you had the same feeling?
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
June 7, 2017 at 10:45 am
I have really benefited from taking Seroxat. I was so unwell before I started to take the medicine, that I am really grateful for it being available. My entire nervous system did not function properly and I was in a continuous state of anxiety. Seroxat has made me get my life back on track and has made me feel well, positive and full of energy. I am now slowly trying to come off it which is why I am reading these posts. Reducing the dose a little bit over several weeks seems to be the answer. I’m not in a rush to come off it. And I would take it again if I needed to.
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 .
February 8, 2010 at 10:19 am
Hi Ronny, you know obviously I don’t have the erection issue being a woman but I do have sexual dysfunction (quoting the side effects here) and really I guess since I’ve been on them totally gone off sex since I can’t orgasm, sorry if that’s too graphic. I have also had the same side effects as you, weight gain, sweating, nightmares etc, not that I’m denying the fact that they haven’t helped me but I’m also just starting to withdraw and I was so happy to see your post. The fact you are coping makes me feel better and cross fingers I will too! Hope you are still ok!
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.
December 22, 2009 at 10:47 pm
Thankyou for creating this site. I’ve taken seroxat for 4 years now after suffering from clinical depression and anxiety panic attacks. Still trying to come off, even with help of a alternative medicine doctor. Currently taking natural supplements to re-establish all my neurotransmitter including serotonin after doing a neurotransmitters test. Serotonin, GABA, Dopamine etc were low. Taking a bunch of supplements cant get out of Seroxat though. Suffering anxiety and a lot of dizziness, cant function. Bad news.
February 8, 2010 at 10:16 am
Hi, I have been on Seroxat for 18 months (20mg) for severe anxiety and panic attacks. They’ve done their job and I have been feeling good with only the occasional panics. However I have gained weight and suffered these very vivid dreams and night sweats so decided the time was right to come off them. In the past I have gone cold turkey and had to return to them so this time thought I would be sensible and lower the dose slowly under the watchful eye of my doc. She has told me to take 20/10mg on alternate days but after reading this I think i’ll self m edicate and do 20/15 alternate days for a while. Yesterday I took my first 10mg and woke up today feeling totally spaced out, heavy tired eyes, depressed and weepy. I am determined to do it but I’m totally terrified of what the future holds. One of my greatest fears is feeling that anxiety which I originally took Seroxat for, but can’t stay on them forever I guess!
February 13, 2010 at 8:50 am
may doctor prescribed SEROXAT 10 mg daily for premature ejaculation treatment for 2 months… today is the first day …
Please Advice shall i start taking it ?
ahmad4@gmail.com
February 14, 2010 at 11:07 am
No do not start taking it. It will be of no help. I have been on it for 12 years. 2 weeks agoI cut my 40mg dose down to 20mg for a week. Then decided to go cold turkey for a week. The doctor gave me venlafaxine to switch to but haven’t taken it yet as i’m not sure if that is good advice. Feel all the symptoms mentioned by others and don’t know what to do?
February 16, 2010 at 10:32 pm
I reccomend not taking it, sure it would help with the issue but to be honest the side effects aren’t worth it. I’m at the moment trying to come off a 20mg dose and after 3 weeks can manage 15mg but still having withdrawel symptoms.
February 17, 2010 at 7:41 pm
Hey again people. I’m on my 3rd day of 15mg and could really do with some pep talk. I am in a word feeling numb, depressed, feeling like crying at everything, no get up and go, sitting staring into space and sometiems losing my temper at nothing, screaming and shouting. I don’t want to feel like this for day after day and need some assurance that eventually this will go!
February 17, 2010 at 8:15 pm
just as the seasons change i am sure your emotions will subside, a brave step you have taken , winter gives way to spring, and summer is yet to come you will be in full bloom in may what a very courageous person you are just as the chick flys fom the nest it soars to new heights only made possible from the courage to jump x
February 18, 2010 at 7:45 pm
Hi Louise
You will get better – how much did you drop down from to get to 15mgs? You really need to take it sloooowly.
Once you’ve stabilised at 15mg – and give it a real long time to feel OK – then I suggest you drop by 10%, so only reduce by 1.5mgs then wait to fell OK before the next drop.
There are loads out here who been through what you’re going though now – there is light at the end of the tunnel, but please take it slow and talk to your Doctor if you need to.
Good luck.
February 18, 2010 at 8:40 pm
I dropped from 20mg to 15. The doc told me to take 10mg but I couldn’t see the logic in that. I’m considering going back and asking for the liquid form so I can withdraw more slowly, cos I can’t take any more days like that. I was either depressed for like a wild animal with my mood swings.
February 19, 2010 at 7:38 am
Liquid would be good – it’s what I used. It is the only way to reduce by the 10% amount.
Some people can come off Seroxat more easily than others, there’s no one size fits all answer. It seems you’re having trouble the way I did – and it took me almost 2 years to reduce and stop taking it.
Take it easy – don’t put a time limit on things, just know you’re moving forward albeit slowly!
February 19, 2010 at 7:43 am
I just re-read your comments Louise – that Doc who suggested alternate days on 20/10 should read all the up to date info on Seroxat withdrawal.
The alternate day thing is crap – possibly dangerous even.
ARGHHHHHHHH – when will they learn?????
March 3, 2010 at 8:53 pm
Good evening.
I have been on Seroxat 20 mg or 10ml for the liquid form for ten years, and it worked wonder for my severe anxiety attacks, irrational fears and depression. I put on 30 kilos, not so good. Tried to lose the weight but no luck. At 46 now I decided to get Seroxat out of my system after reading about the put on weight side effect and how dangerous that drug is.
My first attempt has been a disaster with a GP giving a plan for a week. from 20mg to 0 in one week. I got so sick after 3 days that I had to call a friend to help.
That’s when I started to do some research and I discovered that what I thought was a miracle pill is actually a monster one.
So went back to Seroxat, changed GP and started to come off again with the liquid form over a 4 months plan.
Thanks to this help and website, I managed to adapt the plan.
It is now March and I am on 3.5 ml.
Up until the 3rd week of february I was fine or so I thought.
Before that I experienced the weeping and mood swings, and the tiredness.
But last week, I completely cracked up while I was visiting my family back home.
I cried so much, all the panick and anxiety attacks came back, fears, thoughts etc, all at once non stop, so much that I had to come back a day earlier from my trip to be able to see my GP before returning to work which is temporary with a view to permanent position.
Of course I don’t want to mess up my chances to get a permanent job, not after a year of non employement.
I was so bad that I don’t know how I made it on the plane and back home.
My GP advised me to go and see a Psyachatrist as I was never properly evaluated and also offered to put me on a new drug ( I didn’t pay attention to its name as I was too upset). I told my GP that I will think about it.
I managed to get through the day by saying to myself, another hour, you can do it, it will pass, another hour etc.
Then 5pm arrived and I went to my accupuncturist who is so nice and supportive.
After an hour session, a lot of crying and talking, I am able to write this.
I am feeling much more relaxed. I still have no appetite, but it’s the first time in 6 days that I feel relaxed and I have laughed.
The doc also advised me maybe to raise my daily intake of Seroxat to 4ml, but I don’t know what to do.
This is so hard, is it getting better?
Did all the anxiety came back because I am taking less drugs, will it go away, or will I need to go back to that drug or another one.
It is so scary. I thought I was in a world apart, completely out of reality, scared on my own.
I was looking at my partner and wondered why does he have to go through this, it is so unfair to him, and I started crying again.
But tonight because I feel a little better, I look at him and smile.
My English is not perfect sorry this is not my first language.
March 4, 2010 at 5:55 pm
Hi Isa, how are you today? – I hope you’re still feeling better.
Just take it slowly – when did you get down to 3.5 and from how much? Maybe going to 4 might help – then take a while to settle at this level to feel better – then 10% reductions only – no more – and take it slow.
I think what you’re describing is Seroxat withdrawal. You’ve been on the drug for 10 years and what you describe is classic withdrawal – I remember when I went through it (and acupuncture helped me as well). You’re not on your own – there are lots of us out here who know what you’re going through – and know you can beat it!
Have you looked at the forums Paxil Progress and Seroxat Mad? (the links are in my blogroll) and you’ll get lots of support at either of them.
And keep talking to your new GP.
March 4, 2010 at 7:36 pm
Hi Isa, I’m sorry you’re having problems. I also had bad advice from my GP who suggested cutting from 20mg to 10mg straight away. I have decided to do it my own way and have been taking 15mg for about a month now and am just about starting (STARTING) to feel ok. I am going to then move onto the liquid form.
The panic/anxiety is terrifying and like you Seroxat did do wonders for me at the beginning. You will be FINE, just remember that it is the drug talking and not your mind and believe that you will get better. I am having panic attacks too since beginning to withdraw but nto as crippling as you. I just try not to let them get out of control and not to beat me as they’ve done before. I believe you will come out of this a stronger person. Take care.
March 4, 2010 at 10:23 pm
Thank all so much for your support.
It feels good not too feel alone.
I went to work and managed to go through the day with the fear of having attacks. I am having pin and needles in my legs. Also I haven’t been eating a lot in the last 6 days. I just can’t relax and I feel so bad for my partner.
I had a bad episode coming home after work this evening and I could see the worry in his eyes and it scared me.
I was supposed to give a course this evening to an adult with litteracy problem, I am volonteering, and after 30 min I had to run from there, I couldn’t be there I was so bad and scared.
Feel like I can’t control my thoughts and it’s horrible.
I wish there was a group where I live where I could go to talk, but I don’t think there is.
Hopefully my GP will be able to help tomorrow.
The thing is I am not sure if it is the withdrawal effects which trigger this, or if it is me losing it again.
One other symtoms I had before me getting so bad, is that I couldn’t stand the noise anymore, loud TV, repetitive noises, it was driving me mad and so annoyed and angry.
Now that I think back, there were signs and I ignored them.
In janruary, one thing happened that scared me, but I put it down to the stress ( I have to admit I have been very stressed this last year ).
I was sitting in front of my PC at work and suddenly, blank, total blank, I could see where I was and knew my colleagues, but I didn’t know what I had to do or tell the customers, couldn’t remmember anything, and it took half an hour to come back to me, and of course went home and Ignored it.
I am wondering if it is part of the withdrawal effects.
Thanks again for your replies.
Isa
March 5, 2010 at 9:34 am
Hey Isa
The thing with anxiety is it’s a vicious circle, you’re scared of having panics so you do. That make sense? It sounds exactly the same as what I have been through a number of times before the tablets. Life was one long panic attack, I’d feel anxious constantly, and then have huge panic attacks 2-3 times a day, like you I couldn’t eat. Along with the tablets (at the beginning) I had to teach myself not to be so scared of them, it’s hard and easier said than done but it is possible. The worst thing you can do is run from a situation when you have one, try not to ingore it but to know it won’t kill you and that you can carry on regardless, it’s a slow process but I promise it will help. That aversion to loud noises as well is part and parcel. I think for you it sounds like a combination of withdrawl and your own fear of “losing” it again. I have every faith that you can beat this, and believe me I know words don’t help when you feel this bad, I have been there stuck in that hole.
Louise x
March 5, 2010 at 12:15 pm
Thank you Louise you are so kind.
So it will get better eventualy, that’s good.
I went to my GP this morning and he gave me a week treatment to start with for recovery. He talked about general anxiety disorder and depression, which I carry probably since my chilhood.
Something to relax and be able to function a bit better and a new ssri med, don’t ask me which one, I don’t want to know right now, just want to trust him and will see.
I took one relaxig tablet and went for a long walk with my partner and the dogs and feel much better already.
I managed to clean kitchen put the washing machine on, tidy my room, slowly but I am happy with that.
But I am so relaxed that I feel like sleeping when I stopped, so i try not to.
I am worried for my partner. He came with me to the GP this morning, he is so good to me, but I can see he is worried even though he is trying to hide it and put on a brave face.
Any idea on how to deal with family and partners. I don’t have kid, it might just as well in my case.
Thanks again Louise, you have no idea how much it comforts me to read you.
March 5, 2010 at 1:06 pm
Well that’s good, if you need med’s theres no shame in that, I think it’s just this particular one that is hard work. If you want you can email me direct lucoley@hotmail.co.uk, it will stop everyone else getting irritated withus back and forth hee hee.
With regards to your partner, don’t feel bad, it’s another symptom I guess, the guilt about others. I was lucky like you my husband was very good, patient although he didn’t fully understand which is normal unless you’ve felt the same. All you can is keep talking to him and telling him it’s temporary, and it IS. You knwo yourself you’ve been through it before and you will get better. But I really recommend trying to teach yourself not to be so scared of the anxiety, trust me it does help. It’ doesn’t CURE but it does give you a bit more ammunition to deal with it. The best way I explained it to my husband was it’s like being in a clear box, you can see everyone around you and you wonder how they have normal emotions and everytiem you move out of the box you panic. I used to get so jealous of other people laughing, it sounds silly now but it was so real. I too suffer with longterm depression and I have just about accepted I will always suffer.
Like i said get in touch if you need to.
xx
March 17, 2010 at 1:07 am
I ran out of paxil about a week ago, ive been taking it for about 3 or 4 years and the withdrawls are horrible! I can deal with feeling sick and everything but the shock like feeling you get will drive anyone insane.. its the worst thing i have ever experienced in my life.
March 22, 2010 at 11:51 am
After reading the different internet, I don’t know whether to jump back on Paxil or not. I saw a lot of people statements that withdrawal symptoms could last 2 weeks after quitting cold turkey. Researching further, now I find people talking about months, even years!
I took Paxil for 9 years or so (interestingly, I noticed I had “electirc shocks” in my first months of taking it; back then, my the psychiatrist I was seeing had no clue what I was talking about. I am glad to see…).
Bah, everything I want to say and ask is too much right now. It would be like a book. A disorganized book.
All I will say for now is, since quitting Paxil, my dreams are tremendous. And tremendously interesting, and superbly detailed. Sure, they may be filled with violence, gore, the macabre, but that’s cool, they are interesting as hell. No pun intended, but… okay, enough about the dreams. I am sure if someone “normal” had my dreams, they’d be freaking out. But I am glad I am at least dreaming.
I also want to say WTF is up with the close-call crying spells? I was watching Survivor yesterday (not a heart-wrenching, emotionally touching epic), and someone got slammed into a fence. I started chuckling, because it was humurous (because the person didn’t get hurt), but then almost had an outburst of crying. I went back and watched the scene again, and the same thing almost happened?
What a rambling mess this is. Anyway, I don’t know what to do now. More Paxil, stick it out, or what?
I know for certain I will need another drug to control severe depression and anxiety, but should I do that now or what?
Sorry for the effed up post…
March 22, 2010 at 8:34 pm
Hey Eric. I’ve gone cold turkey off Seroxat/Paxil in the past and this time decided to come off them by reducing. I’m on half my original dose at the moment. Yep the dreams are vivid, if only I could write a book about them i’d be rich! You did make me chuckle about the crying episodes, let me tell you that last Monday I dropped my dose by 5mg (after 6 weeks of stickng to 15mg) and omg by wednesday evening I was crying at nothing. Thursday halfway through a chat with a friend I decided to cry, felt fine after that. Cried about one hour later at the news on the radio. Saturday was one epic crying day for no apparent reason whatsoever. Accompanied with feelings of depression, hating myself, wondering what the hell it was all about. HOWEVER because I’ve been through this when I first dropped the dose I can honestly say it DOES get better! It was around 3-4 weeks before I settled on 15mg so I’m expecting it the same with 10mg.
If I were you and you already know you’re going to be taking something for your issues I’d swap now to ease the withdrawals. I’ve had a few mild panic attacks but nothing as severe as I was having before the meds but I can control them so (touch wood!) I’m going to give it a go taking nothing and see how it works out for me.
May the force be with you my friend!
March 24, 2010 at 4:21 pm
Thanks for the reply, Louise. I hope you are able to eventually continue without taking anything. That would be the ultimate situation, yes?
I didn’t make it past the day I wrote my post. I felt physically awful, screwed up in the head, with my entire body having continual shocks.
I ended up calling my doctor (at the VA) and left them a voice mail (no one at the office answered) and told them I was going through horrible withdrawals. Luckily, they called back within a couple hours and could squeeze me in for an appointment in about 2 1/2 weeks.
I ended up finding some Paxil from another source, thankfully. That will tide me over until I see the VA man, who will then hopefully instruct me in a good method to get off Paxil/switch to something else. It took until today to feel “normal” again, not awful like when feeling the withdrawal.
I decided to, and started, to come off Paxil a few months ago.
I dropped down from my normal dose by half a pill. After a while, when I wanted to drop to a dose less than full pill size, I took half a pill. A couple weeks of that, I then broke the half-a-pill in half again, ending up with a quarter pill. My finale was breaking those quarter pills into eights, which I took for four days before running out.
I had some of the electric shock feelings when I got down to (which is about 7.5 mg, I reckon), but nothing too bad. But man, when I stopped any Paxil at all, that was rough.
So I am back on it until I can find a good way to quit it. Good luck to you, Louise, and anyone else wanting to quit Paxil for something else, or for nothing at all!
March 24, 2010 at 9:13 pm
Maybe too quickly? I have been on the 10mg dose for 10 days now and still feel dizzy as hell, the emotional side is calming down little by little, but I knwo i’ll go through it all over again when I lower the dose again which is so frustrating. It’s like going backwards every few weeks. But hopefully in the long run it will be better because between having anxiety issues, being on meds, trying to come off meds I’ve forgotten how Louise actually is NORMAL!!!!
April 23, 2010 at 2:45 pm
Hi Louise!! I have come down from 30mg to 12mg over the past few months and the easiest way is to insist that you get the liquid as well as the tablets and use both together – then you can come down by 1mg per week – 5mg drop is way too much. By reducing dose slowly, you don’t get such bad symptoms and once the week has gone by you are ready to reduce by 1mg again. Just note that the liquid is double dose of the tablets, so 1mg on the syringe is actually 2mg of tablets – hope that makes sense!! Now I am down to 12mg though, it is harder, so I need to drop by 1/2 mg per week.
Good luck!
B
April 25, 2010 at 10:45 am
Hi Bridget
Thanks. I am still on 10mg, my dad died unexpectedly so I thought that now isn’t the time to be messing around with my emotions and they’re pretty much all over the place anyway. I am going to do what you suggested though and get the liquid version as I can see in the future that dropping to 5mg is going to be hell especially as my emotions are raw anyway. It’s weird becuase I say this with every drop then of course it all calms down and you feel fine and so carrying on with the tablets doesn’t seem such a bad idea after all……till you drop another 5mg!!!!
April 4, 2010 at 11:09 pm
WELL,HAVING BEEN IN DEPRESSIVE STATE WITH IT’S TURTURE FOR 7YRS BEFORE STARTING TAKING SEROZAT FOR 3YRS NOW AND FEELING BETTER ALSO.I THINK I SHOULD NOT IN A HASTE TO WITHDRAW FROM IT,RATHER IT WILL TAKE MORE 1YR TO SLOWLY COME OUT OF IT,I HERE ADVISED ALL TO DO SAME,THANKS.
April 4, 2010 at 11:29 pm
we all should remember that we exercised patient before observing improvement when we started taking seroxat,so why can’t we exercise that same amount of patient while dropping it? for example,if you raised a class cup up and drop it sudenly by force,it will definitely crash on the floor,but if you drop it gently on the floor,it will not get crashed. it’s the same in the case of stopping seroxat by sudden,thanks, i am dropping my dosage slowly slowly never in a haste.
May 20, 2010 at 12:03 pm
i am 18 years old !
I had been put on seroxat .. just 10 mg though ( thankfully)
a week back i stopped taking it myself ..
now i feel dizzy and disoriented most of the time … haven’t told anyone in family or physician about stopping my medication …
had been trying to ignore the symptoms but then i got on internet and googled this up .. after reading all this i m seriously worried !
dont know what to do 😦
help please !
June 8, 2010 at 6:42 am
Hi, I have been on Seroxat on and off for many years. Until 3 weeks ago I was on 20 mgs a day. However I felt it was time to withdraw from the tablet and with my GP’s backing he suggested I withdraw to 10 mgs a day for 4-6 weeks and then one 10 mgs tablet every other day for 4-6 weeks.
Well I reduced the tablet to 10 mgs a day about 3 weeks ago. All was fine to start with until 2½ weeks in when I felt constantly nauseaus, dreadful upset stomach (sample came back normal) lightheaded, and so the symptoms go on and on.
Just wondered whether anyone else has experienced these symptoms on withdrawal and whether they are here to stay 😦
Thanks.
June 30, 2010 at 6:07 pm
Hi Spike, I get the symptoms pretty much straight away but they last for weeks. My main one is the electric shocks, when I turn my head everything is off balance and liek a shaking inside, everyones different but they do go eventually so stick with it!
June 11, 2010 at 3:44 pm
This is my second attempt to wean off. Last year,I got down to 10mg, but couldn’t go any further.
This time, I started at 10, shaved a SMALL sliver off with a knife for about a week, shaved a LARGER sliver off the second week. Now I am down to about 6 mg this way. When I get 5, I can break my pill in half, to go twice the distance! When I get to 5, I may stay for two weeks before I start shaving again. Maybe I’m prolonging the misery this way, but haven’t had any of the EXTREME despair/depression/darkness that I had the first time. My main complaint this time is I am SO TIRED…I feel like my muscles are poisoned!
June 14, 2010 at 9:09 am
Good luck Charlotte.
Just take it whatever pace seems right for you.
Have you thought about using liquid Seroxat and a syringe to measure more accurately? In the UK it’s a no-cost option on the NHS – just ask your doctor.
If you do use the liquid, be aware that it is ‘double strength’ – so 2.5mls of the liquid equals 5mg in tablet form.
It would be helpful if Glaxo made made tablets in 5mg and 2.5mg strengths….
June 24, 2010 at 6:57 am
I am so afraid it is too late for me. I was on Seroxat for 5 years, and after some unsuccesful attempts to quit, I finally quit cold turkey in sept. 2007. I want to undescribable hell, but the docs kept tellng me it was not the drug but my depression (I took it for work-related stress and not for depression).
I learned from this site and PaxilPRogress the truth and the Antidepressant Solution of dr. Glenmullen and the letters of dr. Healy.
But too late, I got off cold turkey and it is too late to taper the right way. I have still lingering symptoms, now 32 months later! I am so much regretting not finding the crucial information at the crucial moment… and now it is too late!
Is there still hope? I really do not want to end my life but if things do not clear up I have little choice…
June 27, 2010 at 3:23 pm
There’s always hope Klaus.
It just takes time – you’ve stopped taking it and now just calm down and take things slowly.
The docs were wrong, but you’re in a better place now. can you talk to a doc about how you feel? Or anyone for that matter.
You’ve done the hard bit – don’t let Seroxat beat you now.
June 28, 2010 at 7:13 pm
It sure takes time… I leanred from PaxilProgress that 3 years recovery after a CT is not unusual. I am off work no for more than 2 years and the end is still not in sight, altough some issues have cleared up and I feel in many senses more myself again.
My GP keeps denying everything, even after I showed her the Withdrawal Protocol of dr. David Healy. And I do not want to consult a psychiatrist ever again in my life, but I have family supprt, a holistic doctor and work with a good kinesiologist.
But in the end it keeps a waiting game. Issues are mainly physical now but still pretty nasty. My only hope is the promise that everybody heals in the end, even after a horrendous cold turkey…
June 30, 2010 at 6:05 pm
I started tapering off this drug in January and found it really hard, I was only on 20mg so not that strong a dose but the withdrawel is so so very very hard. Every time I lowered it I’d hit this wall of depression, crying all the time etc. I managed to get down to 10mg in March and was planning on starting the liquid then my dad died suddenly in a horrendous drowning accident whilst on holiday with my brother. The fall out from this incident was so traumatic and an ordeal, that was April and we’ve just buried his ashes now. I decided that it wasn’t the right time to lower my dose further. My doctor agreed and after changing GPs finally got a lovely doctor who told me that seroxat is the worst one to come off.
However my problem now is that I am seriously depressed and anxious, I am so used to panic attacks that I can keep a lid on those JUST but every day is a struggle, I am losing my temper quicker at my kids, my husband, and just feel either numb inside or really weepy all the time. I am fighting against the idea to up my dose again as I’ll jsut be back to square one. I know what I’m going through has to be felt because it’s part of the grieving process but because of my history of depression/anxiety I think it is scaring me more because I don’t want to go back there.
June 30, 2010 at 7:46 pm
Hi Lou
Good to hear from you – but what can I say? So sorry to hear about your Dad – you absolutely did the right thing by not lowering your dose.
I had times like you describe when I was withdrawing – terrible tempers and feeling numb and weepy and struggling through every day. I’m stubborn and what I decided to do was to stop thinking about reducing and just creep forward day by day, at a stable level of Seroxat, towards what I hoped would be a better place. I so wanted to get Seroxat out of my system that I didn’t ever go back up in dose – but that was me – it might not be right for you to take this approach. The way I dealt with my temper was to just leave the room – just go upstairs or somewhere – just be alone – let it pass. I’d avoid situations with people if thought I was on edge (or might be) and it kind of worked for me.
Grieving is good – what you’re feeling is natural and perhaps if you can really accept it as just a part of life it’ll stop scaring you…. you won’t go back to where you were – you’re not the same person anymore. You know so much more now – maybe not all of it good, but you are in a better place. You WILL beat this.
Do you have anyone to talk to? Is your husband understanding all this?
Just know you’re not alone – and also know it’s NOT you or your depression/anxiety coming back – it’s the f***ing Seroxat!
July 7, 2010 at 4:01 pm
Hello Louise – I was really interested in reading your comments. I gave been on Seroxat for 12 years and have never been able to come off despite trying about 10 times. Next week with the help of a psychiatrist and a new anti depressant I am going to start coming off over a 5 month period. Would love to exchange views with you
January 29, 2011 at 4:29 pm
what tablet r u on now , i would also like to exchange veiws with u , i;ve tryed coming off many times but i suppose have too resign myself to the fact i;ll be on them the rest of my life hope u r feeling better and the new drugs worked regards joanne
July 18, 2010 at 4:09 pm
has anyone experianced weight loss when coming off seroxat it worrys me
September 23, 2010 at 1:35 pm
Hi joanne:
Yes I have. Taking seroxat for 5 years made me gain some weight, but I knew it was probably one of these sides effect I read about. I tried to get off seroxat 3 times and failed, but I have noticed that I was losing weight while attempting….. No this is my Third time quiting, this time I have this urge to quit for good, no more pill for me, no more…… I am experiencing wieght loss again, but I like it. I think it is natural to lose weight if you have gained some because of Seroxat… Pray for me while I pray for you…
July 18, 2010 at 7:57 pm
hi there again. i ask earlier if anyone had lost weight when reducing seroxat . i;ve been on them for 14 plus years since losing my son very tragicly and i think they suppress all my emotions now its all coming to the fore i;m crying for him all over again .i live alone so no one really to talk to .at my hour of need. i wanted to come off my tablets . i want to feel normal again . if thats poss. i have no social life for always at the back of your mind u think am i going to be alright .so u lose confidence in y/self . i have cut down from 20mg to 10mg but as yet not got the confidence to go that bit further. my tummy feels its going to leap out . get nausea agitated. i;m losing weight which i can ill afford to any suggestions would be so welcome or alternative medicine please get in touch .
July 31, 2010 at 11:52 pm
Hi joanne, Be strong girl…You can do this thing…I too am alone with no one to talk to regularly and also have the feelings of no confidence. Just replace the bad thoughts with the good ones, think of pleasant and beautiful things.
Take it slow….our thoughts are with you.
July 20, 2010 at 9:51 am
Hi Joanne,
I am now free of Seroxat. I completely stopped taking it early March this year.
I was on it for ten years and put on 3 and half stones in 2 years.
I started coming of it in August 2009, with the help of my GP, and very very slowly. Used liquid form as it is easier to get correct dosage.
Went from 20mg to zero.
Was doing fine up until early february this year, at this stage I was on 5mg.
It started to go wrong when I went back to my family for my mum death anniversary, where all my emotions came out, all emotions that were hidden by seroxat for the last 10 years.
I was doing so well that when I came back to my GP, he decided to stop it all together and gave me a different Anti depressant instead.
I dropped everything, work, life and went to my sister who helped me go through a very difficult month. I went for conselling to talk about all my emotions, and I felt much better after a good while.
I am feeling so much better now, but I know I owe it to my sisters and friends who rallied around me and helped a lot. I know it would have been a different matter if I had been alone.
I have lost a stone and a half since I started coming off Seroxat in August 2009.
I am hopefull I will be free of drugs very soon.
I take the new AD as a safety buoy, but I know now it is possible to live anormal life without it.
Another thing that really helped me as well, was walking, alone or with friends.
Take it easy, take it slow, and get well soon.
July 23, 2010 at 12:00 pm
I have been on Seroxat for almost 10 years, the last 2 years on 10mg, unfortunately I have felt a lot of fatigue, dizziness and a little more anxious, I am told It could be that Seroxat is no longer working for me and I am now tapering off using a plan from CITA, Council for Tranquilsers and Anti depressant withdrwal.
Has anyone had these kind of symptons although they are still taking Seroxat?
July 26, 2010 at 10:33 pm
I have been on paxil since i was 16, i’m 20 now, I was at 40 mg and dropped to 20mg for about 5 months and felt no changes and now im trying to get off it all together. I took 15mg for about two weeks and didn’t feel much except for the weird dreams. I am now on 10mg and feel depressed and have been crying for no reason. I plan to stop taking it all together tomorrow because I want to get it over with. I once forgot to take my 40mg a day for 3 days when I was 18 thinking that there were no side effects since my doctor didn’t tell me there were any. It was hell I was dry heaving and sweating, I wanted to die. I just hope that going off of 10mg won’t be as bad as that was. I just hope it takes only a couple weeks for the side affects to go away. Im actually really scared cause I know the next few weeks are going to test me, but I see that all of you people have gone through this and it gives me hope I can get through it to. Great website.
July 31, 2010 at 11:44 pm
I am, as of yesterday, beginning my descent from Paxil. I have been taking it for 15+ years. In the past I have skipped doses for 2-3 days and have only had the vivid dreams/nitemares, which I always felt like I was missing because of the drug itself. I miss having dreams. They are good to get rid of the confusion of our daily lives. My hubby killed himself 2 years ago and since then my feelings have been strange (like not having any), and I have been getting the sweats and anxiety even while on the Paxil. I think it has run its course with me and I am all too ready to dump it. I WANT MY LIFE BACK!
I have been reading all of these comments and feel much better about attacking this demon now. Just knowing there is a place to come to for support is strength enough for me right now!!!
Thank you for this website…..and thank you to all who have shared here. KUDO’s to you all!!!! Just remember — Baby Steps!
August 1, 2010 at 8:15 am
Dear all,
I’m so happy to finally be able to share my experience with you people.
I’ve been taking SSRI’s medications for the past 8 years. I’ve been on seroxat for a year and a half, and now considering quitting coz as you all mentioned its living hell. Even when I’m still on the medication, I still suffer from brain shivers every now and then especially the left side of my brain and when I move my eyes. In my case, my major problem was not depression and panic attacks as I consider themsymptoms of my problem. My major problem is that I have emotional disorder; confused about my gender identity. I’m a female, and since I was 7 years old I knew I was different. I lived all my life in denial, and every time anyone used to talk about homosexuality, or bisexuality I used to freak out, and panic. and I was so pressured by our culture and societry. for me being bisexual or a lesbian is HORROR!! Everytime I start liking a woman, or get attracted to i go into a minor depression and anxiety, and my thoughts just get stuck in a doorway and that I’m never gonna be able to feel comfortable around women ever again! but again this might not be true, and maybe the medication is not helping me to express my real emotions because really SSRI’s makes me feel like a zombie or a living machine!!
I’m still in the process of accepting myself, and loving myself and don’t know if I will ever reach acceptance and peace of mind and to be able to have a relationship with a woman. Anyhow, adding to this major problem, I went through tuff times during childhood, teenage, and adulthood. And honestly this is what causing all my depression and anxiety. Now I’m an addict to seroxat (30 mg per day).
I have to say that doctors are so commercial these days, all what they look for is money. I had terrible experiences with doctors where I reached to a point that they convinced me that I have a chronic disease, and have to stay on meds till the rest of my life!!! Which is not true!!?
I learned that the brain needs good nutrition and vitamin supplements and minerals. TRUST ME food may screw your mind. I have hypoglycemia as well, and it has very similar symptoms to anxiety. Please check out the food you’re having as it really helps.
I’m still in the process of discovering what is the best nutrition plan for my brain and how to quit seroxat without going through hell, as i tried to quit before, and I honestly felt like dying! i mean i can relate to what you people are talking about!
I really would love to share my story in more details, so if anyone out there would like to share his/her story as well, please contact me
r_bassil@hotmail.com
Thank you again for giving me the chance to share my story.
Love
Yasmeena
August 8, 2010 at 9:34 am
In February 2007, I have had a sever panic attack. I was working all day long in my office on the computer and suddenly I looked outside behind me (where the window is) and I noticed that it was dark. I had the feeling that I have missed the day and the severe panic attack started. Before that, it used to come especially when I go home knowing that I love my family so much and I love being with my kids. However, on that day, things seemed to be out of control. The glass of whisky I use to take when I go home did not work. Things quickly turned bad. I felt like I was dying or going crazy, it was a very very stange feeling. They took me to the hospital. Did a heart test and all was good. So they gave me a shot of valium.
The next day, I took a Deanxit tablet to make sure it does not happen to me again. Then each day a tablet for around one week. Then, I thought it is time for me to stop Deanxit. So when I did, 2 or 3 days later, i was in a depression. I don’t know if this is true, but I was incapable of doing anything. Hopeless, anxiety can’t talk to anyone even my kids…. All this of course multiplied by 100 or 1000. So I restarted taking deanxit but it wouldn’t work anymore. So I started taking Lexotanil. Also, nothing. Things were going worse. I can’t work, I can’t do anything.
I went to the doctor and he said that this is because of the severe panic attack I have had. He prescribed for me Seroxat 20 mg (one table a day), one Deanxit (one tablet a day), and Lexotanil 1.5 mg (one tablet a day). I felts really good after that.
After 3 or 4 months, the doctor asked me to cut off Lexotanil. I did, and there was no problem at all. After that, he asked me to quit on Deanxit. I tried for 2 or 3 days but I couldn’t. I went back to Deanxit. In February 2010, I decided I have to start reducing Deanxit. I did and started to take it when necessary. Sometimes once a week, sometimes twice a week. Or twice a month. However, It was always not easy and I never felt as relaxed as I used to when I was taking Deanxit. In March, the doctor agreed, upon my request, to reduce the dose of seroxat. I reduced it and started taking one tablet every 2 days for 3 weeks. Then half a tablet every 2 days. Of course, the dose of Deanxit has slightly gone up, instead of one or two tablets a week, now 1 tablet every 3 to four days on regular basis because it is becoming more necessary.
3 weeks ago, I stopped seroxat totally. After 4 days, the hell is back. Sever feeling of anxiety, depression, and other feelings I can’t explain. I restarted the seroxat for 2 to 3 days and sometimes 2 tablets a day. It felt good after that. The last time I took Seroxat was 5 days ago. Yesterday it was the hell again. So I decided to take one today with one Deanxit. Two tablets of Lexotanil (1.5 mg) didn’t have an effect last night.
Any comments pleaseeeee.
September 3, 2010 at 10:25 pm
i just want to say im on seroxat 30 mg 7yrs now and it gave me back my life i do get zaps if im late taking it otherwise it has made me feel normal again .
September 4, 2010 at 8:39 am
I’m pleased for you.
I’m not sure why you take 30mgs though – 20mgs is the recommended dose for depression according to Glaxo.
That’s when I found out how terrible the drug was – when I tried to reduce from 30 to 20…
September 11, 2010 at 4:35 pm
I’m in the uk and have been taking seroxat for around 11 years. 20mgs is the recommended dose but I was told by GP that a higher dose is needed if that does not work.
the past 4 months I’ve been on 3omg, and also in the past. I have stopped cold turkey a few times because I’d felt better. My depression &anxiety came back worse.
However I’ve been at the stage where I’ve felt happy since a move to the west country, the countryside &ocean have done wonders…so I tried again to stop..halving my tablets for 1 week ,then stopping . 3 weeks later and I feel like hell. Every day I have felt sick, sat down, walking in the supermarket etc. I jump at doors closing, silly things. I feel off balance and just feel strange. None of this was ever present before these drugs.
I am going to have to start back on them I think. I have some in the house, I just want to feel right, but feel upset and cheated. I’m also having to stop myself crying a lot and having palpertations what feels like my heart ! got me worried about heart attack LOL the dreams are scary sometimes until i wake up fully…they feel like ‘waking dreams’ . I HAVE been sick and had upset tummy too.
No one understands.
September 11, 2010 at 4:45 pm
Hi Dan – try Paxil Progress or Seroxat Mad – both good forums with people who understand and will listen to you. The links are on the right hand side of Seroxat Secrets in my Blogroll.
You need to have been through it to understand…
You say “I have stopped cold turkey a few times because I’d felt better. My depression &anxiety came back worse.” Can I just be clear – it wasn’t your depression coming back, it was withdrawal. Pure and simple.
Also maybe have a look at the ‘Seroxat/Paxil withdrawal help’ page at the top of Seroxat Secrets – some good links there.
You’re not alone.
September 11, 2010 at 4:47 pm
..oh forgot to let people know I started taking the drug for panick attacks that came out of the blue one night (horrible..feel like your dying) and short periods of mild depression but I was in nasty relationships at the time & drinking more than I should to cope.
I’ve just started 15mg seroxat . I know I was more stable BEFORE I ever took this drug.
September 9, 2010 at 5:02 pm
I have been on seroxat for 10 years 30mg then reducing five years ago to 20mg dont remember the side effects as was pregnant at the time. I have tried several times since to reduce but gave up each time as withdrawel was so intense. I am now taking 20mg and every other day breaking the tablet in half. I feel awful ive had all the side effects listed headaches shocks to the heads crying temper feeling like i cant go on, constant headaches and i also have 4 children to care for as a single parent. i am determined this time to carry on its been five weeks and im not giving up. Has anyone come of these tablets and felt ok after. Im scared im going to feel like this for ever. Im scared as to when to cut down next as i dont want to feel worse then what im feeling now. Even if i ever manage to get of these completely will i always feel the withdrawel effects? How long should it take to completely come out my system? I was never depressed when prescribed these tablets i had given birth to my 2nd child when my partner left me for someone else and had to sell my home so i was sad and wrongly prescribed this awful medication. Any stories of success would really help. My e mail is scrawneybutt@hotmail.com
Thanks
September 9, 2010 at 7:59 pm
Tracy: all I can say is take it slowly.
Use the liquid rather than the pills and don’t do every other day – smooth things out and go real slow – no more than a 10% reduction then stabilise before the next 10% drop.
Please go over to Paxil Progress for advice and support. The link is in my blogroll.
You can get off it – I did!!
September 10, 2010 at 10:01 am
Hi Thanks for your reply. I looked at Paxil Progress it was great. I have been to docs and got liquid. I made a mistake i am on 10mg not 20mg. what i wanted advise on like i said im taking full dose one day then half the next. Now i have liquid do you think i should take 10mg one day and maybe 9mg the next? Or should i stick to the 5mg what i have been doing as if withdawel is the same i dont want to up the dose again. Or do u think i should take the 10mg minus the 10% drop daily like you said so every day i take 9mg until i feel ok then drop it again to 8mg? Also is is true that 1mg of liquid will be like taking 2mg as im scared going to get dose wrong. Any advise please x
September 10, 2010 at 10:35 am
Hi Tracy,
1 ml of liquid is equivalent of taking 2mg. I have a regime from a charity called CITA (Council for Information on Tranquillisers, Antidepressants and Painkillers) their web address is: http://www.citawithdrawal.org.uk
They stress that any withdrwal should be very slow, for example the first 2 weeks of the regime is to take your normal dose, in your case 10mg for 3 days drop to 9mg for every 3 days, on the fourth day back to 10mg. Good luck with it.
September 10, 2010 at 8:58 pm
i been taking seroxat for 2 years , i am stopping now . The brain shocks are the worst , I take a deep breath to reduce the interval between the shocks . I think it helps a little bit . Breathing is very important .
Try using Omega 3 pills , i am using it , supposed to help with the brain shocks . Calcium and magnesium are good for the heart beats , magnesium itself should help a bit with brain shocks too . Calcium reduces the heart rate .
October 26, 2010 at 2:17 pm
I took Seroxat for approx 1 month in 1999 when I had post-natal depression. After a few weeks of taking it, I just felt numb to everything, I felt I had lost all my ability to feel any emotion at all. I decide to take myself off them as feeling numb was no better than feeling depressed. A few months later I started to get the painless electrical pulsating feeling flowing through my body. It only lasted a couple of seconds a time but could go on for days.
It is now 2010 and everytime I am ill, I get these for days on end. I had no idea the side effects of a drug could go on for almost 11 years. I wasn’t addicted to them and had no problem coming off them because I was only taking them for a short space of time, so I am surprised to be suffering from these painless but irritating side effects. I can only describe the sensation as similar to the feeling you get when you jolt from a dream you were falling in.
October 27, 2010 at 12:23 pm
thank you everyone who has filled this page with their experiences on taking this danger pill….my husband was prescribed this pill the day before..we jus thought we d refer the internet before taking it…i dont understand why he was prescribed this at all….thanx to the admin of this page and to you all who written in here… my husband is safe by not starting on this pill at all….god give all of u strength to come off it as soon as possible … and enjoy the rest of your lives to the full…
November 22, 2010 at 7:53 pm
wow where do i start,i started taking seroxat(peroxatine) about 15 yrs ago now for sever panic attacks which totally ruined my life for a good 2 yrs ..i was virtually house bound for that time which i found hard to take as i was 24 and always a relaxed and out going person..anyway after lots and lots of visits to my doctors and many other treatments i was finally put onto 20mg of seroxat, during all these yrs ive only tried to come off them once and that was about 4 months ago,when my doctor lowered my dose to 10mg,after 3 weeks of feeling pretty crap i was finally took into hospital after suffering sever chest pains which was thought to be heart related.after a 2 night stay and being given the all clear at was then put down to anxiety,which was caused by the lowering of my dose of meds.i have since been back on my 20mg and feeling back to my old self, but still some days suffer memory problems,and what i can only explain as my brain feeling very cloudy,even though i take my dose every day..i have a few times in the past run out over a weekend and can only explain the side effects as very unpleasant and feeling alot of the symptoms many people have already listed on here..will i be on this tablet forever,im not sure if i will ever be ready to go through the hellish side effects of coming off the meds totally..thanks for all the storys i does make you realise im not going through this alone.
November 26, 2010 at 7:01 pm
Hello jamie
You will need to reduce this medicine gradually . I did this without any supervision , i do not trust doctors any more . It was a doctor who prescribed this anyways . I started splitting the tablets into smaller pieces , and staying for some period on lower dose . It could take you few month to stop it but its totally worth it . Keep your self busy and try not to think about the medication while lowering your dose . Engage in new things , read , practice your favorite sport, paint , watch movies the key is keep your mind busy all the time . From my experience forgetting the medication is very important . Always take a deep breath to reduce the brain zaps . Use Omega 3 pills regularly .
Remember that the first few days or lowering the dose are the worst . I been there . Defeat the first period and things will get better . Tell your self that others defeated this ,and you can do it too . Good luck .
December 19, 2010 at 3:29 pm
I am on my second day of suddenly stopping Se***t I wont even advertise their death drug. I know this is going to be hell if I survive this? I know I will want to kill myself as I have been here before with the lower does daily routine. At present I feel hot, sweaty, anger, sick to my stomache, zaps, weak and feel like I need to just sleep, so here it begins the road to hell. I know this is going to get a lot worst and I am not even sure this will work but I am going to get mad with it im going to piss it right out my system. Sorry for the swearing but its part of withdrawl symptoms.
Symptoms:
I will go though the anger, night terrors, I mean nasty night terrors where you are afraid to go to sleep. Sickness, shakes understatement, panic attacks, anxiety, lack of memory, wanting to kill myself, wanting to kill others, agitaion beyond belief, mood swings, swearing, feeling of complete loss of control, madness, lack of focus with the eyes, virtigo, lack of concentration, this will be due to lack of sleep, not wanting to eat, this is a good thing as I have put a ton of weight on with the drug, unable to leave to house, wont be able to mix with people, suicidal thoughts yes I know I have said this already, but here it comes again this will not leave you, talking to yourself, asking yourself what is happening to me, going mental some more, getting more sick, become zombie like, lack of hygine, palpations, electric shocks in the head, wanting to die, just wanting to die, searching constent on seroxat groups for help but knowing there isn’t any. So you ask why on earth are you even thing of giving up this death drug just stay on it, WRONG! this drug stops working after a period of time but you are now addicted to it. They say its not addittive, they are bastards who lied to you to make money! I have managed to stop alcohol, I became an alcoholic on the death drug for 8 years. yet I cant stop ser***t. Anyone drinking STOP IT NOW!!! Take hold fight back get mad with this shit drug tell yourself I am going to stop it. IF YOU FEEL LIKE KILLING YOURSELF ASK YOUR DOCTOR TO PUT YOU IN A CLINIC TO MAKE SURE YOU DONT TAKE YOUR OWN LIFE. After all they put you on it did they not? I am going to do just this and if they say no I will go to the papers I will make this public because I have had enough of being treated like some kind of guinue pig for this drug company. Huge james has dropped this case all of a sudden and I would like to know why? Why all of a sudden after years and years of letters and court dates do we get a letter the next month saying sorry but we dont think we will win this case and goodbye???? How many of you had the same thing told that everyone decided to drop the case as well because I didnt, I am taking it further. Someone has had a payout somewhere at our expense.
December 27, 2010 at 7:44 pm
i took seroxat 20mg for 2 yrs and came of it in a month by slowly reducing the dosage. 3/4 of one pill the first 10 days, 1/2 the next 10 days and 1/4 the last 10 days. Apart from mild headaches I had no problems.
December 27, 2010 at 11:22 pm
I’m glad it went OK for you – you’re one of the lucky ones. Too many others have not been so fortunate.
December 29, 2010 at 6:25 pm
Hi there
Been on 15mg of Seroxat for 8 yrs. Really saved my life when I first went on it but really want to reduce now. Feel really achey and in loads of emotional pain. I have gone down to 12.5mg. Such a small reduction but I have tried in the past to withdraw and just felt so anxious and unwilling to to go through it. GP thinks I should just stay on but I have a gut feeling that this drug is too old and maybe a more modern SSR would be better for me. I do suffer from severe depression and can not afford to go down again but I am ready to be released from Seroxat. I feel on the verge of flu all the time and want to cry.
December 30, 2010 at 12:13 am
I think you’re describing Seroxat withdrawal symptoms… it’s not your depression returning, it’s related to the drug.
Do you know Paxil Progress? It’s a good forum and there are many people there who could help you.
I’m not sure how good your GP’s advice is… after a while many people find Seroxat simply no longer works for them and it can be a problem to withdraw from it and replace it with another drug.
Have a look at the ‘Seroxat/Paxil withdrawal help’ page at the top level of Seroxat Secrets. There might be some stuff there you could print out and take to your GP – you must tell him/her what you’re feeling.
Good luck.
January 8, 2011 at 8:17 pm
My dr just took me off 20 mg Paxil cold-turkey when she found out I was pregnant (was on it for 13 months prior to the + test). I have been off it 4 days now and I can’t stop thinking really awful thoughts and the pregnancy my husband & I were so excited about now sounds like a nuisance/future I don’t want (even though I was so happy when we found out and up until a few days ago, I did in fact want kids). Now I want the big “A”–begging my hubby for $ for it–and can’t seem to even recall WHY I wanted to get preggers in the first place. Called my dr and she said it’s just part of the withdrawal but I mean I REALLY, REALLY don’t want to be pregnant anymore and can’t shake this nagging feeling that I only wanted kids because of the false happiness created by the SSRI. What do I do?? My current mental state cannot be good for the thing growing inside me, but at this point, I don’t even want that thing anymore & truly feel that if I go full-term, it’s going to the adoption center. I WANTED to get pregnant but now I can’t stop thinking about getting rid of it 😦 Need advice. Thanks.
January 8, 2011 at 9:56 pm
Have look at Paxil Progress – there will be people there to support you.
It sounds like withdrawal – so it will get better, it will.
January 9, 2011 at 10:48 am
Keep on going that is the withdrawal making you feel so awful.
January 29, 2011 at 4:22 pm
hi again .after trying to come off seroxat 20 mg taking it slowly over 6 months , ive had to go back on them .no self confidence don;t want 2 go out .just want to lie in bed no interest don;t want to read watch tv nothing at all . im worried im having a breakdown/i.ve seen my gp and he wanted to change me to a differant drug called sertraline. he said just stop taking seroxat . and start the new one but i;m afraid of side effects. anyone advice me . it also woul;d be niice if there was someway of talking to the many people who r experiance these feelings. as i panic and think im going mad.im alone and neighbours who once did come and c me have all got fed up they think its all in my mind . so desperate to get a reply joanne
January 30, 2011 at 12:40 pm
hi friends. i;m here again 6 months down the line and had to go back on them seroxat] i;ve been on them again since xmas and still feel terrible. do;t want to get up out of bed .no interest in anything tele books as my appetite as gone. everything to much bother .stomach churning . is it the tablet going back on them or a breakdown im really frightened. doc. wanted to put me on sertraline anyone had any problems with them . please get in touch joanne . i feel so alone .
January 30, 2011 at 6:52 pm
Hi Joanne,
had to increase from 10 to 20mg last October and it took nearly 2 months before any relief in stomach churning etc.
over the 6 months of withdrawal did you come off slowly, I am advised to come of at half mg at a time. I am on 20mg and expect to take around 12 to 18 months to come off, the main point is to take withdrawal really really slowly.
January 31, 2011 at 12:05 am
This is my 3rd attempt in 9 years to come off seroxat, the hell drug, the bane of my life….
Last time I tried to come off it back in 2002 I had a manic breakdown and admitted myself into a psychiatric hospital. So yes I am very anxious about this attempt to come off of this @****** drug! I was on 20mg back in 2002, reduced by 1mg per week and by week 8 was when I completely lost the plot. I had 3 weeks and 2 periods of not sleeping whatsoever for 8 days…TWICE! The insomnia alone sent me insane but before that had sheer moments and feelings of pure terror and fear but could not tell you what I was so terrorized by.
I was put on this drug for panic attacks and to help chronic fatigue. The insane thing is I had never experianced real depression until taking seroxat.
Of course there is also the electric shocks when I move my eyes or head, the palpatations, the panic feelings, the headaches, the nausea, and I get these when not withdrawing, but it gets 100 times worse if I miss over a days dose.
My doctor has refused for the last 8 years to take me off, each time I was given a higher dose, much to my fear that the higher dose each time I had in the back of my mind how much harder it would be to withdraw the higher the dose.
Since having my dose increased to 40mg 5 years ago I have suffered even more problems, I have fully blown ME now, I had chronic fatigue to start with but my symptoms are so much worse, but go figure, on the days I need to go out I miss my dose of seroxat and I feel so much better (sadly I can only do this for 16 hours before the widrawel kicks in)
I have been for endoscopy (camera down the throat to look in my stomach) thanks to the acid pain, and severe nausea seroxat has caused. I have ended up on a high dose of anti sickness medication, medication for vertigo, sleeping tablets for 9 years, long term anti biotics for a acne problem that I am 95% sure is caused by seroxat. long term codeine painkillers for the severe headaches. This is all because of one drug. SEROXAT! Plus the more side effects the more tablets to deal with the side effects which then those tablets give you more side effects.
I hate my doctor for putting me on seroxat and not listening to me for years when I wanted off it.
My mother was on seroxat for 15 years and she never had a problem on it or coming off of it and she does not understand why I feel so ill coming off of it, just because she didn’t have the same problem.
Anyway. Right now I am on a 4 week plan by my doctor (my new doctor) to reduce from 40mg to 20mg by doing 40/40/20/ for 2 weeks then 40/20 for 2 weeks then I am going to be introduced onto amytryptaline (dont know how to spell it) This way I will not be left off of tablets and am hoping this will help with the withdrawel and any problems that arise. I am very frightened and anxious about this though because of my previous experiance withdrawing.
Not just seroxat though, I had severe problems withdrawing from effexor, another SSRI 12 years ago. I had brain zaps and all the other problems for months even though I was then put on seroxat, took along time to stop getting shocks through my head a nd body.
I just pray and hope that I can get off this and get my life back and salvage some of the 10 years I have lost 😦
I know what you are all going through, which is a hell you could not explain to anyone else.
February 9, 2011 at 9:53 pm
Down from 40mg to 20mg now which I have to do for a week, then I am down to 20mg every other day next week and start amytriptaline whilst on the seroxat every other day. I coped ok, better than last time when 8 years ago I was reducing by 1mg (which although very slow for some reason it was far worse in the long run) It was so long and drawn out and I was still suffering. So the way I have been told to reduce this time, although faster and probably gonna hit me hard now I have really dropped my dose it could be better not being so long and drawn out…I may be taking that back in the next few days now I have dropped from 40mg every other day to 20mg everyday.
Am on day 2 of dropping down to 20mg and last night the spinning in my head started and the terrible nausea which went with it. Until last night, apart from the odd day of severe headache, moderate dizziness and nausea I was actually coping very well.
Today is a different story. Although I feel unwell in myself, it’s not so bad, it is the pyschological side that is worrying me today. Never had a problem in my life with my memory. Have been using my internet banking for well over a year, memorised all my numbers. Today for 2 hours now I cannot for the life of me remember my number or password which is scaring me and not to mention really annoying. I cannot get into my bank account and keep sitting here throwing numbers around in my head which is now just really freaking me out. To anyone else this would sound stupid, but for me going through withdrawel it is scaring me.
I cannot be on this drug for life, I have to get off it one way or another, have tried twice in 8 years and failed. I have to stick this through and get off of it, now is as good a time as any and I have come through 2 and a half weeks of it now. I am trying to be strong and I am determined to do this. I keep telling myself that at worst I am gonna have 6 weeks of hell. But at 31 years old and a life ahead of me, what is 6 weeks if it means I get my life back at the end of it?!
February 9, 2011 at 10:13 pm
Good luck with your withdrawal. I am just starting mine been on Seroxat for almost 10 years. I have had different advice on how to come off from cutting down from 20 to 15 then to 10 then to 5 each week. The common advice is to take it very very slowly, 5% drops or 1mg at a time until I find my level I can cope with.
February 11, 2011 at 10:18 am
Hi All
It’s me again! I had to go back on my 20mg dose on October when I was suffering from severe anxiety and panic attacks and I TRIED my damned hardes to just cope with them but it got too much. I couldn’t sleep, and functioning on a daily basis was just ridiculous. I feel tons better now and I am bloody determined that this year i WILL come off the damn tablets. I went to the docs this morning for my prescription and got a lovely locum doctor I hadn’t met. He asked me why I was on Seroxat and I told him it was what I was prescribed years back so when I made a repeat trip to the doctors for the same problems she said she was going to put me back on it. At the time I told her my concerns about this drug after all that I had read and her words were “you’ve done alright on it before and you’ll be fine again”. How I wish I hadn’t listened and been more forceful that she put me on another drug. He told me today that now it’s recommended it isn’t prescribed at all and he really doesn’t like it. We talked alot about coming off it in a couple of months and he gave me a website to look on http://www.livinglifetothefull.com for CBT. Which I am going to give a go.
I just feel this is all so tragic and my belief in my own ability to manage this withdrawal has been totally shattered by my experience last year. Also my belief in my own ability to remain off meds altogether is wavering. I can’t beleive I can get myself into such a mess, I am a very confident, independent, strong person so why the heck do I get myself into these situations???
February 19, 2011 at 2:26 am
I am in the same situation. I tried to withdraw 8 years ago and I had like a form of breakdown coming off of them. Along with all the physical withdrawel the mental was the worse for me. I felt like I was actually going insane. I was frightened for no reason, had waves of fear go through me where I felt like I wanted to die.
I tried again to withdraw last week and the same thing happened so am back on 40mg again for the past week now. Finally the nausea, electric shocks and headache has gone and slowly my mood is going back to “normal”
There is a link on this site at the top for seroxat/paxil withdrawel guide. It’s helpful. It suggests coming off it really slowly at 2.5mg per month is the reccomended way to do it. It seems to be very well tollerated doing it this way. So in a few months when I have the energy to try it again I will be doing it that way.
I hate this drug. I fear I will be on it for the rest of my life. Have been on it since I was 20 and am now 31. I was prescribed it for panic attacks. It’s never helped, has made me worse and given me a whole range of nasty side effects which is why i want off of it. I don’t think I should of been prescribed such a nasty drug for panic attacks, they have anti anxiety drugs for that which are non habit forming. My anxiety actually got worse when I was given seroxat. I finally 18 months ago came through them on my own. I can’t see that seroxat finally kicked in after 10 years, it was all me that healed myself. Since trying to withdraw the panics have started again. I hope they just go away and are not a start up of what took me so long to get rid of.
I think the way to come off this drug is very very slowly. It could take a year, but what is a year out of the rest of your life…not much. slow withdrawel at 2.5mg should give far less symptoms and problems so I like to think that it wont mean a year of nasty withdrawel.
I spoke to people on paxilprogress site and alot of people have sucsesfully come off of it doing it slowly and they are fine now with no problems. So it can be done. These were people that had the same horrible problems as the rest of us coming off it. So it’s good to know you can get off it 🙂
February 11, 2011 at 2:24 pm
I have been on Seroxat for 9 years and this last year I have been trying to come off it. I have found it to be a living hell. I wish I could just be normal again. I have become a recluse. I can’t bear to spend time with anyone and yet I used to be the life of the party! Every time I go out my front door I feel scared. I’m a mess. I have suicidal thoughts and feel like cutting myself constantly – I have never self harmed and do not want to start in my mid 30’s! I get tremors and electric shocks shooting through my head, I feel sick and shake. I often have the flu like symptoms too. It is SO embarrassing not being able to function like a normal human being anymore. I can’t see the bloody point of myself. This is a nightmare. I feel so foolish to have gone on to this drug in the first place. I was mugged when I was younger and began to suffer panic attacks after the mugging. It was prescribed to me by a supply doctor who didn’t even know me – it was sold as a ‘wonder drug’ and I was told it was completely non addictive. I did not want to go on prozac as that scared me-Seroxat was sold as a non addictive anti-anxiety drug. WHAT A LOAD OF *****
It is ruining my life. I have a very challenging job and constantly have to deal with challenging situations, which I usually thrive on, but not anymore. I have come down from 40mg to 10mg and I am beginning to feel I will never be free of them. Every time I try to go lower than this dosage – I lose the plot. I don’t want to be this mad person anymore. As you come off the drug, you start to realise you have been almost in this feelingless trance for years. The big difference I noticed when I was was on the drug was my lack of care for anyone or anything – nothing seemed to bother me at all – a zombie. I have been offered Fluoxetine to take as well to help me come off Seroxat, but I just can’t see how taking another drug that I could get addicted to, is going to be helpful in any way and I am too scared to try. I am so angry at the drugs companies for not taking it off the shelves and it is heart breaking to hear that people are still being prescribed the drug. But as the second biggest money spinner in the world, we are never going to get the support and backing from the government that is required to stop these horrific drugs harming more people. It’s great for the economy if loads of people are on drugs – especially ones they know you’re never going to get off – very clever Mr GSK ! A disgrace-you are a disgraceful company. You disgust me.
My heart goes out to those suffering right now and I can only say that I wish everyone the luck and will to get off this poison. Speaking for myself I have no idea when this torture will end-I do not want to be a statistic, so I will keep trying and I hope that some day in the future I will feel like myself again. Z.x
February 19, 2011 at 2:35 am
You may have to come off of it slower.
I have been through this twice and failed, I failed again last week as I had feelings of being terrified and wanting to die. I felt like I was losing my mind aswell as wanting to be sick, my head felt like it was hanging off, I couldnt focus my eyes on anything and the shocks through my body!
Well you aren’t going mad, a sane person couldn’t have written all what you wrote 🙂
Can I just say, I took fluoxatine…the withdrawel off of that is almost as bad as seroxat and 2 weeks after coming off that was when I started taking seroxat. so if you want off of drugs don’t start taking that. yes it will take away your withdrawel symptoms because it’s another SSRI drug and you get the same problems coming off that too.
If you are really feeling that bad, sorry to say you might have to just go back on it. I had to make a choice whether it was worth losing my sanity and possibly harming myself or to go back on it. I chose to go back on it. I hate the drug, I want off it as I feel it has ruined the best part of 10 years of my life. But at the same time I don’t want to feel like I want to end my life. Nothing is worth feeling that low.
February 22, 2011 at 6:19 pm
Hi,
I just wanted to drop you a line and thank you for replying to me. I found your supportive words really helpful. I’m not in to facebook or any of the social networking sites and was hesitant about writing anything on here, but I felt so low at the time and sometimes you feel no one is listening about the dreadful effects of this drug and I just wanted to be heard…by someone. I am now back on 10mg a day but in liquid form which is 5ml. I need to stabilise on this amount before I try to drop again as I can’t cope or deal with another melt down at the moment. I have struggled to get from 40 to 10 for a year but it just doesn’t seem to get any easier, just worse. I am definitely only going to drop in 1ml stages from now on, I can’t drop anymore. I tried to do one day on it and one day off but this was way too much of a physical shock and the mental trauma is too painful. I have learnt my lesson to take this extremely slowly from here on in. It mustn’t get the better of any of us though, I will keep striving to get off this. I see this as a war between me a GSK and they are not going to beat me. You have to believe you can beat it some day, don’t you.
Anyway, I really hope you are coping well with life at present and thank you again for taking the time to get back to me. Good Luck and keep strong. At least we are not on our own.
March 3, 2011 at 8:27 am
HI ZARA I HAVE A SIMILAR STORY TO YOU, I GOT FROM 20MGTO 10MG IN 6 MONTHS THEN 5MG IN THE NEXT 4 MONTHS TOOK 5MG FOR 2 WEEKS THEN QUIT TOTALLY, HOWEVER STARTED TAKING VITAMIN SUPPLEMENTS …ITS BEEN HELL BUT I REFUSE TO TAKE ANOTHER CRUMB OF THAT POISON AGAIN…6 MONTHS ON AND IM STILL STRUGGLING BUT THERE IS A SLIGHT IMPROVEMENT IVE NOW LOST 9KG AND THE MORNINGS WHICH WERE HORRIFIC ARE GETTING BETTER…I STILL SEE TREE BRANCHES DIFFERENTLY AS WELL AS THE FRONT OF SPEEDING BUSES, NOT TO MENTION KITCHEN UTENSILSS BUT I KEEP FIGHTING IT ..DONT HAVE A JOB BUT ITS A FULLTIME BATTLE I TRY TO EXERCISE EVERYDAY BUT ITS HARD TO DO WHEN HAVING AN ANXIETY ATTACK ..THANKS TO W/D SYMPTOMS . FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE BOUGHT ME DEPRESSION BOOKS ON CBTHEORY QUIYE FRANKLY THIS IS TOTALLY BEYOND CCB THEORY …I BELIEVE WERE DEALING WITH BRAIN DAMAGE …WHO IS MAN TO THINK HE CAN PLAY GOD WITH THE BRAIN? ANYWAY KEEP FIGHTING TO GET OFF WE HAVE NO OPTION YOU CAN DO IT.!
March 12, 2011 at 8:16 pm
hi guys…I saw this website, and after reading all comments, i must say i feel so much better and STRONGER.
About 2 year ago, i started having panick attacks,and anxiety problems. After months of struggling with this problem, I decided to go visit an pscyhatrist. I was never fond of tablets, but he mentioned that I need to take a drug called SEROXAT, otherwise i will never get rid of this problem. I insisted that i have never thought that i need any type of pill medication, but he kept on telling me, tat its just for a few months, and i’ll come back to normal. So I started taking this EVIL drug. I must say that i was feeling so much better, and it eliminated my anxiety completely. But after a fews months i realised that I wasnt myself anymore, and could not continue taking this medication-as all it does–it hides ure problem, but ure condition will still be persisting and getting worst.
I decided to visit a pscyhologist, and I stopped seroxat immediately. Ohhhhhhh god i passed through hell, I can say that the first 2 weeks were the worst- I had hot flushes,and then shivering the other second. Trembling(i couldnt even speak to certain people), excessive sweating, mood swings and enormous fear. Now im into my third week and I must admit,that i feel SLIGHTLY better. My pschyologist is helping me alot aswel.
After reading all these comments, i will NEVER and NEVER touch this evil pill again. I thought that I was going crazy, literally, but now I know that its the seroxat side effects.. Guys after reading all these comments, please get that courage within you to fight it–we can all do it together…we control our minds–we dont want to let this evil pill take over, so lets fight it together.
this website,has got me to my senses, and showed me that im not crazy(cause believe me thats wat I thought about 2 hours ago)
March 18, 2011 at 4:59 am
Hi,
I was diagnosed with social phobia and depression, and had been taking seroxat (10 mg a day) for over 2 months. I decided to quit, the “cold turkey” way, since I noticed it was no longer helping me, and the quality of my sleep was being compromised. I’m on my 4th day now, and I can say I’m already experiencing hell. I feel dizzy, can’t concentrate, and get sweaty palms. I’m getting shaky and lethargic throughout the day. The slighest sounds would usually freak me out. I literally feel like a crazy person. After I get through this, I swear I’ll never take that pill, or any other SSRI, again.
March 26, 2011 at 8:30 pm
hi david,
I have stopped them cold turkey aswel in febuary. The first three weeks, i passed from the exact same experiences which you did..but it will all fade away as time passes. The only thing which is still bugging me abit is the sweating which sometimes i cannot control. However, I am feeling soo much better now, and Im building my own strong character…If I can do it, you can aswel. it takes some time but you’ll get there, believe me. Give it a few weeks and side effects will slowly diminish…and ure not crazy–hehe thats wat i said when i was passing throu that time, because for a second i was feeling happy, and the other second i would have terrible thought, I also use to have enormoussss fear from people which i cannot describe–sometimes I even use to loose my voice and couldnt speak to them. But now its been a month and all this fear diminished. keep strong, you ll feel much better as time goes by. remember one thing- you have a voice, you are nothing less than others. believe in and love yourself and always be positive in life..takecare
March 20, 2011 at 6:08 pm
hello everyone…
i m on seroxat CR 12.5 mg from a month…i m scared some of my friends told me to stop this drug …i tried and skipping for a day or two i am having weird kind of nightmares, mood swings, panic attacks, severe headache , nausea, weight gain etc
i am scared really wanna quit plzz lzz plzz can somebody help me ?? what should i do??
March 22, 2011 at 10:00 pm
Hey Rida
Don’t skip it. My advice would be to take it for the 6 months advised period then come off it. I’ve taken it off and on and when I@ve only been on it several months i’ve been just fine stopping it. It does work and makes you feel better it’s just coming off that’s the problem. I have also put weight on taking it, 3 years now and I am now lowering it 1mg at a time and so far no side effects. I can’t say it didn’t help me because it did but I do beleive it stops working eventually and that it’s incredibly hard to come off but it’s possilbe. Stay strong try not to over think it because it won’t help. xx
March 29, 2011 at 5:13 pm
Hi, I am 20, I was put on seroxat about a month and a half ago and told to stay on them for at least 6 months..Stupidly after a month i ran out and did not bother to get more; since, i have been feeling awful, i have thrown up, have a constant feeling of nausea, have terrible headaches, an increased sensitivity to light..has anyone else had that?? Also i have found myself crying over nothing and have self harmed again which i hadn’t done in years. My dreams are extremely vivid, my memory is suffering, and i have alot of suicidal thoughts.
As none of this is all that visual my mum and boyfriend think i am being soft; i started to think i was so it’s a relief to know i am not alone.
Can anyone offer any advise? I need help.
March 29, 2011 at 6:24 pm
sounds to me like you’re suffering Seroxat withdrawal – please talk to someone but be aware your doctor may not know (or believe in) the fact that many people suffer this way when they stop Seroxat.
The vivid dreams are real give-away. I don’t think the self harming and suicidal thoughts sound very good – please be careful.
Show this site to your Mum and boyfriend maybe?
If they understand they’re better placed to help you.
April 5, 2011 at 11:01 pm
hi, just reading all your comments has made me feel much better. i have been on seroxat for just over thirteen years. my doctor,the one who prescribed them all those years ago retired and my new doctor was shocked to see how long i had been on them. with her help i have been reducing the dose from 20mg a day and i am now on 2.5mls every day. this has taken since last august to get this far. i saw her weekly at first and now once a month. if i feel i need to which i have done, i can speak to her or the duty doctor. i have been given anti sickness tablets which i only used in the early days and now have access to diazipan if i need them. i used three the first month and one last month. these seem to help on bad days. spoke to the doctor today and she wants me to stay another month on this dose before reducing any further. i think to get off this drug a good doctor can make all the difference.
May 7, 2011 at 6:45 pm
I just wanted to say Months ago I started to have paxil reduced. Then a few weeks ago the dose was lowered again. A week into that the withdrawal started really kicking in. The withdrawal was the one thing I feared as this is not the first time I have tried coming off. I told my boyfriend that I was ready to just get off of it. I am 23 days Paxil free right now. It has been hell. I am still weak. I saw my Dr. this week ans she says there is a huge difference in me. I laugh now, I have feelings now all of this after 14 years of being stuck on this drug. I plan on staying strong the pills rent to the recycle thing. I want to warn people don’t do what I did. I am a very stubborn person who when I set my mind to something is hard to change. You also need support I had lots of it and still do. I deviated from the plan and am looking forward to better days
May 14, 2011 at 4:21 pm
I have used Seroxat at 30mg from 1997 for grief issues, i had no symptoms of anything, and had no problems when starting it.
Im 2005 i started getting symptoms, which i now know to be anxiety related, plus the fear thing which set in, and found myself a couple of times, unable to go from my living room into my kitchen, and had no idea why.
I visited my doctor and he ct me off seroxat, i had at this stage used the drug for 8yrs, and now i know i had built up a tolerance to it, and the drug had become ineffective.
Ct off rendered me pretty much non functional, as most here can understand.
I rang my doctor and explained while crying what i was feeling, pretty much everything that is described here, and
he prescribed me diazepam, propranelol and prozac, which i took from january 06 up until march, whereby i informed my doctor that i was still suffering from symptoms, so again, he ct me off those 3 too , 2 days later i had a benzo ct induced seizure. At that time, i had no idea why and the doctor was reluctant to explain why this had happened.
In april, the following month, i visited my doctor again, and explained that i was very emotional and had anxiety, he told me i needed to go back on 20mg, and gullible as i was, i believed him and went back on it.
I took this dose up until Nov 07, by that time i had found a support group called paxil progress, and found 1000s of others having the same symptoms, as up until this point i had no idea of why im was having these crazy symptoms or feeling ill – then i knew.
In nov 07, i summoned up the courage after my bad experience above, to start my very slow descent down from the devils poison, and it has taken me 56 long months of tapering/filing the tablet down to get to zero.
I got off on the tiniest sliver of paxil you ever saw in your lives.
My last dose was on wednesday 11th may.
Thursday 12th may was an exceptionally hard day.
Friday 13th was tolerable.
Saturday 14th – today
woke at 6.30am, feeling exceptionally teary, with jittery/shaky feelings, hot, relentless crying, told my husband, after having these symptoms for the last 56 months, i didnt want to do it anymore.
Not ….. that i dont want to live, i most certainly do, i have 2 daughters getting married this year, and have just had 2 new granddaughters born, why wouldnt I.
I just dont want these horrendous symptoms any longer, but i also know that going back on seroxat is not the answer, as i didnt feel well taking it.
Because of my long history with this drug, yes!!!!! i am so nervous, i am scared, in total , apart from the short 4.5 months i was off this, i have taken this poison for 14yrs, for GRIEF issues, omg, how gullible am i, in 1997, this drug was totally non addictive, and was hailed the wonder drug from america.
I have never in all my yrs experienced symptoms so horrific, akathesia, anxiety, panic attacks, fear, the list is endless.
I spend most of my days alone, my husband works, and as very few understand this, unless you have been there, id really love to talk to someone in the same boat.
Its very very hard to stay positive and upbeat, and to have support while going through this means everything.
Yes!!! i am upset, i was lied to and decieved, and denied the right to choose what medication i take, knowing the true facts beforehand.
I also was part of the failed litigation with HUGH jAMES, IT BREAKS MY HEART that GSK created all this pain and sufering with there wonder drug, and got to walk away free.
But most of all, i would like to know how others have survived the horror that is Seroxat WD!!!!
If anyone cares to chat my email address is
anjopom@yahoo.com.
Id be very grateful of advice aND MAYBE SOME SUPPORT TOO.
May 14, 2011 at 11:04 pm
Angie, I really don’t think you should post your email address on a public website as you don’t know who will contact you and there are some dodgy folk about! I myself am down to 6mg/3ml a day on this horrendous drug and it has been hell-everything you describe. I think to a certain extent we have no choice but to go through the vicious side effects, I don’t think there is any easy route, but you do sound like you have your head screwed on and I totally believe you are strong enough to stay off it become strong again-you have your beautiful family to get well for. I think it can also help to make sure you are getting a lot of exercise so you start producing more natural seratonin, also eating bananas, chicken, turkey, pumpkin seeds are also great for the brain and seratonin levels. Massage is also helpful and getting enough sunshine on your skin. You can also take selinium and vitamins, chromium and minerals. All these things can help a little but I believe it would take a few weeks to feel a difference. I really think you need to fight this and STAY OFF any Drugs-you have done SO WELL and it gives me hope that some day soon I too will be seroxat free. I’m thinking of you and know how you are feeling. All the very for your future. Z
May 14, 2011 at 11:14 pm
All that advice is good but I found in the worst of it I couldn’t eat and there was noway I could be on my feet long enough to exercise. I used nutritional shakes when I couldn’t eat. One thing also is drink water lots and lots of it. I am at 4 weeks off of this drug after 14 years. Stay strong You will make it
May 28, 2011 at 7:01 am
Thank god for this site…….
I have been taking Paroxetine (Aropax) for 2 years and am in the process of withdrawing. I feel as bad as I did when I was prescribed this medication in the first place!
I started this medication after suffering anxiety and panic attacks. After a heart event that frightened the hell out of me the panic attacks got worse and reluctantly I started 20mg a day.
A month ago my GP put me on Seroquel (25mg) at night to help me ‘chill out’ and get some sleep – they seemed to be doing a great job….then 2 weeks ago he advised I begin the withdrawl from paroxetine.
20 mg to 15 in the first week….wasn’t too bad….a little lack of focus and more jittery…but nothing to serious. Then last Tuesday (May24) I dropped from 15 to 10mg. The horrible feelings didnt start till yesterday (27th) so at least I got a few days to build my false sense of security!
For the last 2 days I have felt like absolute Cr#p, especially later in the afternoon…..like right now! I have nausea, diarroeh, hot flushes, cold chills, MASSIVE anxiety and had 4 panic attacks last night….short but pretty full on. I sleep well at night and thats down to the seroquel but if this is what my days are going to be like….Im not sure if I will cope. Im a mum of 2 teenagers, I work, study at uni and need to function……please please some advise on how to get through this…and someone please tell me they got through this hell …so I know there is something to hold on to.
May 28, 2011 at 8:08 am
Hi Lorna
I would advise that you just take it slower – 15 to 10 in one drop is too much. Just reduce by 10% steps and use the liquid and a syringe to be as accurate as possible. I took almost two years to reduce from 30mgs.
After each 10% reduction wait for a few weeks to stabilise and when you feel OK then make another 10% reduction, so each reduction will get smaller – 10% of 10mls is 1ml, 10% of 7mls is 0.7ml etc etc
Take it slow and tell the doc what you’re doing. Remember that the liquid is double strength as well – 5mls = 10mgs – or it is in the UK.
Also check out Paxil Progress – you’ll find support there.
Good luck – just go slow and don’t set deadlines.
May 28, 2011 at 9:50 am
Thanks for the quick reply…..I have joined Paxil Progress and see there is some great advise in there. I think I will ring my GP and discuss slowing this process down, even staying on 15mg for a month or so then dropping little by little. Thanks 🙂
May 28, 2011 at 5:32 pm
Hi Lorna,
I am also going through the horrors of Seroxat withdrawal. YOU MUST NOT lower your dose so quickly – it is actually dangerous. You must change over to the liquid form and ask your pharmacist for a syringe as the cup you get is just not accurate. I am now down to 2.5ml and I’ll be honest it is a living hell but I have realised I need to slow down the process-Im just so desperate to get off it. 5mg jumps is just too much for the brain and body to cope with. My side effects kick when lowering by only 1 point of a ml ! It is a long and difficult road but I know WE CAN DO IT. IT must be so hard when you have children to worry about, all the more reason to take it really slowly. But don’t give up just because it’s hard. Stay on the amount you are on until you stabilise for a period of time and lower it in very small amounts. My heart goes out to anyone who is suffering like me and you but we are must be stubborn and head strong and slowly take our lives back. You will be okay Lorna-you will. You have to get better for your beautiful children. It’s not you it’s the drug. You are a very capable woman and will find the strength to get through this. Be strong. Thinking of you.
May 29, 2011 at 4:30 am
Thanks Zara,
I have to sy I don’t even know if they do paroxetine in liquid form in Australia…..but I really hope so. There is no way I could cope with another huge drop in one go. As its Sunday here I havent had chance to talk with my GP but thats my first call in the morning. Then I will ring and book in for accupuncture – I have been told it can help with withdrawal symptoms. Today is day 6 on 10mg, I decided to stick with the 10 for now……if I can’t cope I will go back to the 15 – but no higher. I think remaining positive is going to be the thing that pulls me through this mess.
June 8, 2011 at 11:40 am
Hi,
This is the first time I have written but really struggling with the withdrawl side effects at the moment. I started Peroxetone last August after being in a terrible state then having very bad reaction to Citalopram. Feeling very stupid for starting it when you read all the horror stories about it, but was in such a bad place looking on the internet was beyond me at that time, but saying that it has really helped me since then and I noticed an immediate effect on my mood and was able to continue working throughout the depression and since…up untill now.
My doctor was very happy for me to stop taking it and I have followed his course of tapering which has been very fast I have come down from 20mg to nil in 2 months. This seems very fast compared to some people out there. tool my last 3.5mg tablet 3rd June 2011.
On the positive side I am feeling more like my self but this is buried under all of the side effects and currnetly unable to work (or drive) due to the dizzyness, electric shocks, neusea, insomnia, nightmares, inabaility to regulate tempreature, inability to concentrate or sit still and headaches, but my mood is good somewhere underneath this all.
Has anyone else stopped in this way and only had the physical side effects, not the increase in anxiety? If so how long did it take the symptons to go?
I am grateful for any advice but determined not to go back on the tablets it feels like a big achivement to be off them and like it is the right thing to do.
Thanks.
June 11, 2011 at 8:07 pm
hi so nice that i found this site. i am from bulgaria..i’ve been taking seroxat for two years. i, m trying to stop taking it now but it is sooo difficult.i have all these withdraw effects. it is really a nightmare. but i am sure i CAN do it. thanks to all of you for the advices here. it feels really better when u know that u are not alone 🙂
June 25, 2011 at 9:13 pm
i have taken seroxat for twenty years in racent months the theraputic effects have deminished my gp said double the dose a delay in prescription has produced more intense withdrawal than ever before i belive that this drug has simply blotted out issues it was meant to treat and apart the usual withdrawal symptons the ugly truths that led to the need for treament flood back into my mind
August 25, 2011 at 11:55 pm
Hi there,
I really need some advice/guidance.
I have been n paroxetine/paxil for 12 years.
Through out those 12 years i wasn’t sure if i could feel the effects but i was so young when i was put on them (14) that i think i was actually slightly unaware of what was going on at at all apart from the fact i was terrified all the time and needed some help.
Any way my antic attacks have been a pretty constant problem so 2 weeks ago my doctor suggested that i income of pail and transfer to cipralex another sari.
So i started by taking 1 pail and 1 cipralex for 2 weeks and now today i am taking only cipralex x2.
I feel awful…i am getting brain zaps which shock me from behind the eyes when i move my eyes around, pulsating in my neck and chest…spinning, crying, exhaustion, depression…is this normal.
The aim of weaning from one drug to the other was to avoid a lot of the side effects and at 1st i felt quite good but now i just feel crap.
Have you heard of any other swapping meeds stories and do you think it is normal to still get pail with drawl even though i am starting a new medication???
Also i wondered if you’d heard of anyone getting brain zaps even when they have been on a normal dose of pail as i had them ..midly through out there use.
Thank you so much for your time and best wishes,
Amelia
August 27, 2011 at 3:21 pm
Dear Amelia
It is my belief that when you have been on Paxil/Paroxetine/Seroxat for many years it is virtually impossible to have uncomplicated withdrawal especially if you try to stop taking it in two weeks, even if you are taking another SSRI in it’s place. The symptoms you are experiencing are what most people suffer when they try to wean themselves of Paxil. I can only imagine how horrific stopping them in two weeks has been for you. It has taken me a year to get from 20mg to 1.5ml. As I have experienced the terrible side effects that you describe myself, I know exactly how awful you are now feeling. For many people coming off Paxil should be taken extremely slowly, especially when you have been on them your entire adult life. Doctors are not always the most well informed regarding Paxil withdrawal as the information is not readily made available. Sufferers like yourself and me are often left to find out how to withdraw safely online or through the help of the wonderful people who run sites like this one as they recognise the desperation,terror and disability that many people suffer from Paxil withdrawal. You will find so much fantastic information on this site that almost all your questions can be answered.
I am no expert but my advice would be to go back on the Paxil (even though it pains me to say it as I personally resent the awful drug so much, I am anti any SSRI drugs, but that is another matter and something you may want to research yourself in the future when you feel strong enough to deal with it). By stopping it in only two weeks you have put yourself in a very vulnerable position. You must wean off Paxil extremely slowly – I myself have to get the liquid version and use a syringe to very gradually lower my dose – I can’t lower it more than point one of a ml and even then the side effects come on. At worst Paxil withdrawal can make you feel suicidal and your life is worth more than that so you must not let yourself get to that stage. If you really feel dreadful you should take the Paxil again and then it must be a very gradual reduction and if at any stage you feel you can’t cope just go back up to your last drop and stick there until you feel able to mentally cope with the next drop.
Please just slowly wean yourself off, over months or even a year, it is not a race – as I was once told by Bob Fiddaman who also runs his own excellent website. He went through hell after he just stopped taking the Paxil like you.
Just out of interest it would be worth checking if your anxiety gets worse at a certain time of the month, many teenage girls are diagnosed with anxiety when actually it is just hormones – which can be equally dreadful for some but if you can identify a link it is worth researching. Maybe you don’t need SSRI’s and would benefit from natural remedies. Whatever you decide to do you must do it slowly. It really upsets me that a doctor could think after having been on a certain drug for so many years that you could just swap it for another in a matter of 14 days – it is just madness and I feel very sorry that you have had to go through this hell.
Please know that you are not alone and it is not you going mad it is your brain/nervous system going crazy for the Paxil. You will get through this but you need to be very sensible about it.
In any case you should go back to your doctor and ask him, since you have been on the drug for so long was it a great idea to come off it so quickly? And you should try to get some help from your doctor to wean you slowly from one drug to the other – if you must take SSRI’s you should do it very safely.
Please also remember you are a young woman and there is a lot of evidence mounting up the points to Paxil being a teratogenic and if you intend to have children in the future you should be aware of this.
Things will get much better for you Amelia, I just know it. Please be strong and be safe – if you ever feel really low you must seek help. And please, please don’t rush coming off the Paxil.
All the very best
August 27, 2011 at 5:35 pm
I have been on Seroxat/Paxil for over 10 years I have been weaning off since March this year from 20mg and now down to 10.5mg, everything seemed fine until I dropped from 11 to 10.5 and after a few days I have started to feel very tired, headaches, dizziness, aggitated and generally feeling unwell. I have been told by a Psychologist that it will take me 18 months to come because I have been on for so long. Maybe she is right and I am coming down to fast. I am going to give it a few more days and if I continue to feel this way I will go back to 12mg and re-stabilish.
I have done a lot of research on Seroxat and it is obvious the slower you go the better, I need to listen to myself!
September 8, 2011 at 12:17 pm
I have been on 20mgs of Seroxat for ten years and am finially trying to wean myselff offf. I am going down by an mg over three weeks at the moment, It has been going well but I am now at 17mg and I had a dizzy fit yesterday and on and off feel like crying. Is this to expected? Does this suggest that it is going too fast? It is good to be able tot see other people’s stories as it feels quite lonely not to be able to talk to anyone about it!
September 8, 2011 at 6:42 pm
Those things and so much more can be expected. I am now about 6 months off of paxil. I gave up on the step down method and quit cold turkey. I had the support I needed to do it that way and my Dr. had put me on another med to help. I couldn’t get out of bed for a few days and then there were crying spells and so much more. I hope this helps you a little bit and hang in there it does get better
September 8, 2011 at 6:48 pm
Hi Anna
I’ve also been on 20mg. This is my 3rd attempt at coming off Seroxat and I’m doing it slowly this time. I started lowering by 1mg a week to 17mg and since then have done 1mg approximately every 4-5 weeks, I’m now on 12mg using the liquid version. Those symptoms you are experience are really normal for this. I get the crying thing alot but mainly I suffer from visual disturbances and headaches. My mood underneath it all is fairly good though, I know enough now to accept these withdrawal symptoms will happen. First couple of days of experiencing it I’m a mess and then I adapt. They tend to fade after a few weeks then you drop again and it can happen again. Strangely though not every drop is the same. My advice would be to take it slowly using the liquid, there’s no rush, as long as you come off it in the end, I’ve had to battle to accept that as initially I just wanted to be off it. Good luck and take care x
September 10, 2011 at 7:41 am
I am 46 years man who was living very naturally with life ups and downs until one day I had a problem and that problem put in depression for few weeks and I was about to get crazy. I went to see a GP who started giving me Lorazepam (initially marketed under the brand names Ativan and Temesta) and it started reducing my depression temporarily until a friend of mine gave an advice to see a psychiatric who had put me on seroxat gradually from 10 mg to 30 mg daily. At the beginning I suffered a lot from the side effects of this drug. Now I am still suffering of nightmares and if a little change of my daily routine I become very sad and depressed, also being so sensitive towards anything in my daily life. I wanted to getride of these crazy tablet ones for all and I have started reading to see what others say (choosing not to go to psychiatric again) whom I think will be the best people to help me in this situations. I have seen that reducing gradually the dose would be the best thing to do over a long period of time (don’t rush yourself) you were on that medication for a long time and it would required also long time to get rid of it. Being on this medication for 10 years making me feel that I am controlled by it and I can have my own control over myself. I am waiting for your advice.
September 12, 2011 at 3:12 pm
REad my other post Rasool, the devil attacks the weak…. and we are weakened by our very complicated lives. Pls dont label me a cookoo, because I am not. Just remember you can do anything u want to if u will it enough. My father had a will power i had not seen before or since, and i think I finally get it. Slowley or fast , whichever u prefer, find other medicines (try meditation for one, nutrition another what u eat seriously affects ur mind and can even mimic scitzophrenia in some cases and our foods are laden with crap nowadays) the ones that are really good for u and dont give u quick fixes. Have people who bring out the good in u around not leave u feeling lost or confused, wherever u can.Life is damn hard that is a fact and we r not supposed to be happy all the time, super confident, perfect social butterflies and certainly wont be by putting undue pressure on oursleves, we are told what we should be like by media and not listening to oursleves anymore, when we dont fit the medias ideal we start beating oursleves up, lol its a joke, when u see thru it all u just see it clearly, there are societies where people embrace differences, red indian will give u a name that is just for u and a special attribute, we have moments of happiness in life enjoy them, but life is hard and so will be living it drug free but drugs come with their own problems. THIS DRUG IS NO GOOD. I am not writing them all off here, they can help u for a time and some people need them they are so far gone in their problems and cannot get off them, i get that but too many people are put on them too easily and then have further problems on them, I would stay away from this drug is what im saying!!! Good luck
September 10, 2011 at 7:53 am
hey everyone ! I am on seroxat (20mg) for my social anxiety for just two weeks & after reading all above posts i have decided to discontinue it. Despite of the fact that i have been on this drug for very short duration, Do i still need to tapper down the dosage to avoid side effects or i just stop taking it ?
Regards,
David
September 10, 2011 at 8:23 am
You must tell your Doctor what you’re doing and ensure he helps you.
After two weeks I have no idea of the best way to stop taking it. Just to be sure I’d suggest a slow taper using liquid Seroxat.
September 12, 2011 at 2:54 pm
To all and David, I might be the only one who says this to u David, Having read all the previous posts and my own cold turkey off it when i got pregnant I personally think it makes no difference, people get the same symptoms i have noticed but mine were less dragged out (physical problems), especially as u r so new to it, i was on it for years! I had feelings like I was wearing somebody elses glasses disoriented, severe night mares for a week (nightmares every night whole time i was on it anyway so I handled them), pins needles and alsorts but i said if i hav to stay in bed all day every day for a while I am going to do it. Basically i said even if it kills me il come off and i did to my surprise that stuff did pass one day it went a week and a half later. Not to say things are perfect far from it I know its affected my mind in some ways, but i handle it, and I have made a decision that is never again after I read what it can do to embryos/ fetus’s i was sickened and what people are going through. IT IS SIMPLY NOT A SOLUTION this drug and id rather have my problems than become like a drunken fool on it thinking that everyhting is a joke incl my actions, How they gave it to women like me is beyond me as we obviously may fall pregnant and il tell u NEVER trust any doctor pharamasist completely either trust the common man and research everything on the net-double and use ur common sense to guide u. While being pregnant I have had dodgy advice from people who think they know it all and luckily i did my own research. The docs were telling me Paroxetine is safe for pregnancy, its great for pregnancy one told me, another absolutley safe these ‘m f’rs’ dont know what the hell they are doing. YES U HAVE done a great thing to come off it and well done for checking out unlike idiot me who didnt when i first had it assumed it was like fluoxetine etc!~ U DONT NEED THIS DRUG it gives u nightmares every night mine finally stopped when i stopped it and it makes u do crazy stuff and u still feel shit on shit days, yeh it made me more confident too confident! A bit of a loud mouth infact and not a very nice person anymore more of an idiot, i lost my essence. As u get older u realise ur ok the way u r and nobody is perfect, the world is pretty messed up right now and its constant bad news i actually know whats going on and its not good people ask the right questions and u will get the right answers, intelligent people often get depressed they pick things up and absorb it like a sponge if they are caring. Seriously people what is there to be happy about not much at the mo lets be frank… thats y we feel lost mostly or different its not just us its the whole damn world we live in based on lies and hypocriscy. lol. I have a different medicine now and formed my own community.. I speak to people who care for the truth mostly and find it out. Thats my medicine. THIS DRUG is simply a devil in disguise. I DONT EXPECT TO BE HAPPY EVERY DAY NO MORE, Thats another illusion we have been brainswashed into thinking by the media. I am real, genuine, and care for the things that matter and I am happy for that I have happy moments that I deserve but NO i stopped expecting to be a happy have it all hollywood character a while ago and do u kno what bad days and good i am just happier to be REAL. People I am now off it since June cold turkey and I tell u what i eat well and watch the right things not half the bull on TV and I like myself even when If feel bad. Ive been thru things in my life that made me very strong, I dont need a devil drug to make me ‘happy drunk’ but stupid. I know how to love myself and ACCEPT myself. Love to all of u i wish i could talk to every one of u. xxx anyone wants to talk to me ur wlecome butif i dont get back its because I am pregnant and focusing on learning about nutrition and doing my flat up at the mo. ps. meditation = free and makes u sharp awake and give lets ur mind empty the dustbin out. We all go back to God/ unconditional love again one day, it wont be like this forever. Reassure ur minds with this.
September 12, 2011 at 3:35 pm
All PAxil sufferers. I want to say we are ‘doing time’ here on earth, living in invisible cages and we are limited beyond our vision even though they tell us u r free lol, make the most of it where u can…. it will never make complete sense because we dont have all the answers no matter how much we learn in every aspect of life we will never have all the answers, we r lost sheep we can only do our best to live it in peace and harmony. STOP being hard on ourselves and keep away from PAXIL if u can i say. I do believe in justice and something better awaits, but no im not suicidal saying this, I just know whats happening in the world, or a little of it to know we are mostly not the problem, we just manifest the symptoms of the disease of this life. I had two near death experience in my life one when i nearly drowned too, and i went from being in the greatest physical turmoil to absolute peace when i left my body and I was about to enter somewhere extremley beautiful and indescribable, immense warmth light and goodness was oozing from it and speaking without words inviting me in, love was waiting that was familiar, it was soooooo inviting the only reason i didnt go was i didnt want to get my sister into trouble with my Dad for letting me drown so i went back. Read about famous people who had near death experiences and u will see. We were born in the biggest race of sperm u can imagine read up on it, and ul c how special u r, and u wont doubt urself again, ur a winner, to hav won that race, we r supposed to live this no matter how crap it is or good, each and every one of us until our appointed end are here for a reason. When it ends- Then it will all make sense i strongly believe. Life is crazy. Were just the victims. We all have a fight, the biggest fight is within us. Keep winning, by believing in u no matter how u dont fit the ideal u have been force fed. PEACE
September 18, 2011 at 3:47 am
I have been taken seroxat for more than five years with different doses , so is it safe to take it more than i did even for eternity , cause I think I can’t give up taking it cause I feel good while taking it , when I forget to take it for even a single night next day I feel bad , so is that ok ,
September 19, 2011 at 2:13 am
I have been weaning off Paxil since May after taking this drug for 10 years with a max dose of 40 milligrams. I am so so close to the end of my weaning; I am down to just 5 milligrams. Along the way I have had minor bumps with withdrawal symptoms but keep going forward as I am determined to kick this drug. Now the past few weeks have been very difficult with headaches, fatigue, “visual disturbances” and body zaps. The withdrawal symptoms are by far the worst I ahve experienced so far. So so annoying. I am determined not to let this get me down; There is a newer book out called “The Chemistry of Calm” I recommend it highly.
September 20, 2011 at 9:04 pm
My doctor prescribed me seroxat 20MG when i was 17, 10 years later at 27 i am still taking them. I also have nothing good to say. I remember within the 1st week of taking them i was hooked, i was only 17 and didn’t take my medication seriousely so forgot to take them one day. The next day i had severe headaches, vomiting, sweating and my body felt so heavy and exhausted i couldn’t get out of bed, it didn’t click at first it had anything to do with seroxat untill a few times of doing it you realise and i definately realised they are not to be messed about. I was living at home at the time and there was a programme on panorama quite a few people had either killed someone they loved dearly or themselves. My mum got worried and threw them away and said you won’t be taking them anymore. 1 week later i had a beakdown, delusions, sweating, flickers in my head now i have read the comments i know they are called electric shocks and i acted out a suicide attempt, i couldn’t sleep i was awake all night shaking and crying but i didn’t actually know why. It was actually the dentist that contacted my doctor and said i need help, it come out that i came i was taking paroxine and 2 weeks later after they were taken off me i cracked up. I never messed them about after that but in 10 years there have been times when i haven’t had them due to some circumstances and i trash the house looking to see if i can find 1 tablet at the bottom of the draw, i have called a helpline saying that if they don’t give me a prescription i will harm myself i would do anything to make sure i take them. In the past 2 years i have been experiencing my heart raceing, it races so fast i vomit I went for an ECG and other tests but nothing flags up, untill 1 doctor read from his book a side affect complaint is arrythmia so the doctor and I are not sure if this has developed due to taking this drug for so long, he put me forward for counselling to try and come off them with guidance and supervision. Finally we were getting somewhere untill the pharmasist accidently gave me 30MG instead of 20MG and i was taking them for 2 weeks, i had all the side affects and my work sent me home. I then noticed and realised and had to go back to 20MG but unfortunately due to them being so strong i am now addicted to 30MG and i am surprised it happened in a space of 2 weeks. I am back on 20MG now battling the side affects, i get the vivid nightmares, tremors, electirc shocks, sweating, nausea, vomiting, feelings of suicide and i could go on for ever. My message to everyone is when you have the feelings please tell yourself it’s a chemical and you wouldn’t feel like it if that chemical wasn’t there. Get professional help, visit sites like this so you know your not the only one, gradually come off them i have seen some people write on here liquid, thanks to those people i will look into that and good luck. Anyone thinking of taking them DON’T! and to anyone that has lost anyone i’m sorry.
September 21, 2011 at 9:15 pm
Steph – what can I say?
I feel for what you’re going through – maybe you could try liquid Seroxat as it allows you to reduce by smaller, more controlled amounts.
Ask your Doc about it.
It’s tough to quit – but the trick is (I think) to take it real slow and reduce by a 10% amount each time and wait until you feel OK at the new dose, then go again.
You will get through it – I know, I did. It won’t be easy, but you can do it if you want to – keep your Doctor in the loop at all times.
Good luck.
September 25, 2011 at 11:48 am
Dear all,
First, i’m so happy that i found out that i’m not alone. I’m on seroxat 30mg for onver two years. before that i stayed taking citalopram for 5 years. I changed a lot physically, i’m over weight now, gained 30 kg over the past 8 years. all my life i was a skinny person, NOT ANYMORE. Anyhow, i had lots of physical symtoms and did like millions of blood test but all is normal except that i have high cholestrol. Also i suffer from Hypoglaycima (low blood sugar) which hassimilar symptoms of depression, anxiety and panic attacks. ONE MAJOR SYMPTOM I’M SUFFERING FROM IS LIKE AN ELECTRIC SENSATION GOES FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF MY TUMMY, TO THE HEART, LEFT EYE, AND THEN MY BRAIN. I START THEN HAVING THIS SENSATION THAT MY HEART IS IN MY STOMACH AND MY STOMACH IS EMPTY. PLUS I FEEL LIGHTHEADED AND CAN’T CONCENTRATE MUCH. if i’m sleeping on my left, and moved my eyes to the left, it hits me like you’re hitting a guitar string that keeps vibrating! as if i had hit a nerve with my left eye! ( i know sounds creepy) USUALLY THIS HAPPENS AT AROUND 3 IN THE AFTERNOON TILL I GO TO BED. IT INCREASES WHEN I EITHER SKIP A PILL WHEN I’M PMSING (BEFORE MY PERIOD I EXPERIENCE THE WORSE PMS SYMPTOMS) ANYHOW, I SAW LIKE THOUSANDS OF DOCTORS ABOUT THIS SENSATION AND THEY SAY NOTHING PHYSICALLY IS WRONG AND ALWAYS SAY (IT’S ALL IN YOUR HEAD HEHEHE THE USUAL). Please if anyone out there who has the same symptom please please let me know coz i’m freaking out. i’m going to try to stop the medication but scared like hell to go back to depression or panic attacks and to be worse than before.
Please if anyone out there quit seroxat, please tell me that after you’re done you feel better 🙂 i need a push and hope that all will be OK
Thank all and wish you all the best.
This is my email, you can contact me directly on my email it’s bassilko@gmail.com
September 28, 2011 at 7:47 am
HI, I have now been off seroxat for 5 weeks and feel a little bit better, I dont want to be dead so that is good, but I am still suffereing from horrible feelings in my head and nausea and wanting to cry. I still look forward to sleep more than anything which isnt great for an active 35 year old newley wed. I read that it takes 3 months fro seroxat to get out of your system, does anyone know, I just want to see an end it sight. I thought it was 2 to 3 weeks so now I am in week 5 I am loosing hope. I am seeing the psychitrist on Friday so I am hoping he will tell me it wont be much longer. I want to enjoy life like a young woman sshould, and start a family, any advice???
October 25, 2011 at 2:21 pm
hi emma, i was on the sister to seroxat (citalopram) for 3 months, it has been 19 weeks now off it and i am still suffering with anxiety symptoms, i have had the horrible feeling in the head etc alot of the withdrawal symptoms have passed but this horrible anxiety is getting me down. I had a hysterectomy 16years ago and i was given seroxat, it nearly killed me coming off it, so i should have known better this time. How long were you on it love x
September 28, 2011 at 7:49 am
anyone know how long it stays in your system? x
November 15, 2011 at 9:10 pm
Hi.. I went on Seroxat 12 years ago. So stupid, my relationship had broken down and i was depressed and not sleeping. With hindsight and the benefit of age and a bit more wisdom (iam 38) I now think..doh!! Of course I was down – what did I expect?? I am angry that after a 5 min consultation with a doc I was put on these things!! I feel dead inside. My emotions aren’t real. I am sick of sweating at night, sick of panicking if I am going to run out, sick of them!!! I am sure for many with serious depression they are a life saver, for me and many like me I would never have taken them had I known they were addictive. The benefits have never outweighed any positives. I would urge anyone to truly look at their situation..are they really depressed or are they merely going for a bad patch? If its a bad patch, its part of life, don’t add to your troubles by taking drugs!!
I am taking the advice on this website and am gradually cutting my dose from tomorrow, I am also badgering the hell out of my doctor for help. The NHS were quick to put me on them, they can support me coming off them. I am really scared of what lies ahead. I have got a job, I can’t afford to be sick. I have to carry on with life. Last time I came off them I felt like a had the worst flu and my head was wired up to the mains. I am strong, I gave up smoking after 20 years overnight and didn’t look back but I am terrified of this.
I would really appreciate any support, comments and advice off people who are about to start withdrawal. Maybe we can support each other? I am crying my eyes writing this. I am desperate to be free. I don’t want recrimimations or to kill anyone from Glaxo. I just want be free and to be the bouncy fun loving girl I used to be. Please help. Thanks Nicola xx
November 15, 2011 at 10:42 pm
Hi Nicola
OK – you’ve taken step 1… you really want to quit.
Step 2 – get liquid Seroxat and a small syringe (be aware that 10mls liquid = 20mgs tablet). You will squirt the syringe contents into your mouth – no needles!
Step 3 – take it slow and never reduce more than 10% of the dose you’re on at any one time.
Step 4 – reduce 10% then wait until you feel strong and able to think about the next reduction. Stabilising may take 2 days or 2 weeks or 2 months or longer…..
Step 4 – don’t put any time limit on it – no pressure.
Keep your Doctor informed about what you’re doing.
You’re older now – be aware that your depression has almost certainly gone – but withdrawal may make you feel like it’s back – but it’s the withdrawal from the drug, not anything returning.
Lastly, please take it slow and talk to your nearest and dearest – it took me almost 2 years to stop – and then the hard work started!
You can do it – others have.
Just be careful – and if you have to go back on a reduction to a previous dose then do it and don’t beat yourself up.
Keep in touch – good luck
November 15, 2011 at 11:56 pm
Hi Nicola
I feel for you but this can be done so don’t despair. I have been on and off Seroxat since I was 18, I’m now 37. This time around it’s been 8 years constant and I’m now down at 10mg. My problem was panic and anxiety related to stress in life. I relate although it worked well for me it did rob me from my emotions and other “normal” feeligns. Like you my nhs doctor didn’t think twice about putting me on it and in actual fact the last time I was prescribed it 8 years ago I expressed my concerns about what I’d read about it she said I’d be ok, and she didn’t believe in the stories, like a fool I put my trust in her. How wrong was I! I would say withdrawing has been hard but not hell, it will be done. Big piece of advice DO NOT rush it, your goal is to come off so there is no need to rush. I started in January last year got to 10mg but all the panic came back, in hindsight my father had died in an accident and I was obviously grieving and stressed and deeply regret putting it back up to 20mg. Again in January this year I started and got to 14mg but my oldest daughter was raped and I was going on holiday feeling stressed, didn’t want to ruin it so on advice from my GP put it up again to 20. Since then (June) I have lowered it to 10mg using the liquid form which I highly recommend. I’m not saying it’s a walk in the park but sincerely it hasn’t been that bad so far. For me when I lower I feel really good for a week then the side effects set in, I’ll feel low and cry alot and get weird symptoms like sensitivity to light etc but I can live with it. I think if you know what the symptoms are and are coming from it helps. I did lower to 9 the other week and put it up again to 10 because I was feeling really anxious so I will wait a couple of weeks till I feel a bit more positive before doing it again.
If it helps email me, I can’t fix your problems but I am in contact with a lady I met here and just having someone who understands it all really does help, to rant or vent :-). Don’t forget the LIQUID not the tablets!!!!! Make your GP give you the liquid don’t be scared to be forceful and put your opinion across. They aren’t the ones going through it you are xx
November 22, 2011 at 5:14 pm
Hi there, i feel for you, its not going to be easy, my advice is go very very slowly off them, take up exercising, or some kind of hobby, keep a diary, because the withdrawal symptoms come in clusters, but do get weaker in time. Some days you will feel good other days desperate. Have a good friend you can talk to and tell them how your are feeling. x
November 23, 2011 at 4:17 am
Tytytytyty for this forum!! I began having severe anxiety attacks back in ’99, I mean I was rushed to hospital 3 times for possible heart attack. One day in the doctors office he noticed a little habit I have and began asking me some strange questions about the order of things, like pictures on walls… he wanted to know if the number of things on a wall or coffee table ever distressed me. In specific; can there be 3 pictures on the wall or does it have to be 4? Even or odd? To my surprise I was diagnosed with mild ocd. The remedy? Paxil. Over the years I have returned to paxil when anxiety and ocd ticks were getting out of control, but then I would just quit and go about life again. After an attempt on my life the anxiety became unbearable to the point that I was becoming agoraphobic, the solution? Paxil. No worries I thought, I’ve been on and off many times. This time when I quit cold turkey my body went outta control! I phoned the hospital one night to ask a question… I was laying in bed trying to fall asleep and couldn’t, my mind was racing when suddenly I experienced the most terrifying electric zap that began in the back left side of my brain and travelled to the front right side. Being from a small town the nurse who answered my call was well known to me. “Don’t panic, it’s your brain resetting itself, you quit your paxil cold turkey didn’t you.” Omg, really? I began trying to research this phenomena with limited results. I did find confirmation that in fact it did happen because I had quit cold turkey though, whew. I was terrified for a very long time that it would happen again, it seemed that if I was really tired I could almost feel the electricity building. Again the anxiety and twitches started to become too much about 7 months ago so back to the doc I trekked, the solution? Paxil. This time I thought, no worries I will wean off like I’m suppose to. Um, OMFG!!! I ran out of pills and by day 5 I couldn’t handle the almost constant little electrical shocks that seem to surge through my body and the nightmares, omg the nightmares! I was dreaming the most bizarre things you can imagine and it was all so vivid. I nearly ran to the pharmacy! Turns out I had no more refills and the look on my face must have alarmed the pharmacist because he assured me he could give me a few until I could get into see the doc. I went home with 3. Before I could get in to the doc I was again out – for another 6 days! I am having trouble functioning at all because of these electrical shocks and I can’t focus well on thoughts – hence the super long post! I decided to try researching again and here I am. I feel like I am going to have a stroke!!! The brain is twitching, the anxiety is rampant and I just feel like one of these bloody shocks is going to stroke me out or something! I no longer think I’m crazy tho thanks to all the people that have posted here. I do believe it’s time to kick this drug forever, but I’m scared of the shocks, omg I’m scared of that big shock that I just know is building! I will try the weening that I’ve read on here, I can’t thank you enough! I can’t believe this drug is legal! Um, it seems my eyes are not focusing like they should be either and I’m just going to go ahead and blame this withdrawl at this point. Thank you to all who posted, I feel reassured that it IS the drug doing this even though my doc looked at me today puzzled when I mentioned electric shocks!
November 28, 2011 at 10:04 pm
Hello every body . I’ve been on Seroxat for 12 years now . Tried many times to quit with out success . I feel very bad . I wish I never took it . Withdrawal symptoms were mostly sleeping nightmares of unbelievable magnitudes plus feeling shaky , not sure of yourself , tendency to cry and feeling lonely and sorry fro yourself . I feel bad about it . I hope a time comes when I have a month of traveling and I start withdrawal. I am taking 2o mg daily . Does it come in smaller dosages such as 10 and 5 ?? I always thought it doesn’t . A swiss dr. recommended syrup which I bought but couldn’t continue on it .
December 26, 2011 at 9:52 pm
Hellow to you all/
I have been taking Seroxat for 5 years, and clean from it for the last 4 month. I would like to know if any of you had expirienced a withdrawal effect like a need to breath very deep in order to insert air, and in general difficulty in breathing and a strong pressure on the chestand that do not stop. familiar to someone?
December 27, 2011 at 9:45 pm
HI Sharon
That is a very common symptom of anxiety or panic. I get this frequently. I frequently feel a pressure on my chest, like someone is sitting on it and even though I can breath it’s easy to panic and think I cannot. You are doing really good being off it for so long so just try and relax and think this is just residual symptoms from coming off it. I can sometimes feel that pressure all day and yes although annoying you have to work hard to remind yourself it’s nothing physical but just your mind doing it. Try not to let it get you down but notice that when your mind is occupied that it goes away!
December 27, 2011 at 10:08 pm
Thanks alot! But,can it be a withdrawal effect? (it also comes with very strange feelings in my throat and “Black circles” under my eyes that doesnt disapear)
December 27, 2011 at 10:10 pm
I guess it can be a withdrawal effect. It could also be your own anxiety, for me it’s a very very common anxiety symptom indeed. The strange feeling in your throat too. I have a whole host of anxiety symptoms which I don’t entirely blame on Seroxat. The black circles under your eyes I don’t think so, that’s more a sign of tiredness or not sleeping.
January 17, 2012 at 2:28 am
After reading so many people’s posts on here, I feel like I should stand up and say Hello, my name is_____. And I am a sufferer of Paxil. Today is day seven of my tapering off the drug. I was on 40mgs of Paxil for about 7 years. My doctor wrote out a schedule for me to ween off of Paxil. Today I took 5mgs. And as I sit here I am shocking away, twitching, and wiping snot from my nose thanks to a long period of tears.
My doctor gave me Clonidine to take for withdrawl symptoms. All it has done is help me sleep. Before, when I tried getting off Paxil myself, I experience horrible, vivid dreams. That is when I could GO to sleep.
I am writing on here to thank all those before me that spoke up.
January 21, 2012 at 10:16 pm
I took paxil (10Mg, and I have a low tolerance to meds) I believe for for 3 Weeks for anxiety. I stayed getting nauseous so I stopped taking it. It’s now been over a month since I stopped and I’m in a living hell. A few days after I stopped taking it I was rushed to the er having a panic attack. Since then I have felt this way. I am terrified 24/7 & sick to my stomach. I used to live on my emotions and now i’m completely numb. I am sooooo scared!! I am worried paxil messed me up forever, wayyyy worse than I ever was.
January 23, 2012 at 2:15 am
My advice is to get into your GP’s office as soon as you can! There are other options out there other than Paxil. Since my last post my doctor put me back on 40mgs a day and had to add Xanax on top of it. I am not happy about this but I am grateful for those horrible withdrawls to be gone. If you can get on something else, it would be better than Paxil.
January 23, 2012 at 9:35 pm
I am on day 4 of tapering, this is my 3rd attempt over 12 years and this time I am doing it using the prozac method! I went though all what you went through on my 2 previous attempts, the first time I actually checked myself into hospital for my own safety. I really would advise you to go see a doctor ASAP! It will not get any easier for you in the next few days and you need to come off paxil alot slower and alot differently. I would suggest getting it in liquid form and dropping by 1mg per 2 weeks. I am not a doctor though and do not know what your personal history is. What I would suggest is you go back on the 10mg if you have that right now until you can see a doctor.. I have been where you are and at the end of the day I just went back on my normal dose…ok so I am different to you. I have been on it for 12 years and at 40mg.
So far using prozac, I have swapped 20mg of the 40mg of paxil/seroxat for 20mg of prozac and I tell you the difference is huge. I am suffering a little physically, but mentally I am not too bad which is a huge step forward for me. I hear people on here suffering and refuse any other medication because of their hatred for SSRI meds and I share that hatred! But sometimes you have to weigh up how you are feeling and your sanity and you cannot put your hatred for paxil over your immediate well being.
Please see your doctor. It is normal what you are feeling, we have all been through it but you need to do this slower.
January 24, 2012 at 12:47 am
To avoid confusion I am now on 20mg of paxil/seroxat AND 20mg of prozac, was on 40mg of paxil so have swapped 20mg of seroxat/paxil for 20mg of prozac. FOR ANYONE GOING THROUGH SERIOUS WITHDRAWAL I have really found a huge difference in swapping it for prozac. I know it’s another SSRI but prozac has a long half life and many years ago I just come off the 20mg I was on and had no problems at all. I think it is becaause of the long half life it is the reason why prozac is one of the less troublesome SSRI’s to come off of.
Considering my previous 2 attempts to come off paxil/seroxat were terrifying even after 2 days and back then I was only on 20mg, this prozac method is really going ok. Obviously I do not feel great, phsyically the only problem I have is moderate zaps through my head. Usually by now day 4 I would be unable to move, have serious palpatations through my whole body, the nausea, head pain so severe, sweating. That would also be paired with terror, hallucinations, thoughts of suicide, wanting to die and a 24/7 panic attack. On the prozac method I am getting vivid dreams for the whole night, feel a bit down, cried on day 2 for 10 minutes and had a little insomnia the 2nd night too.
So, so far it’s is easier this way. I do not want to jinx it though so I wont go overboard. I am not sure if the vivid dreams is a withdrawal problem or a prozac side effect. I do hope it stops though.
I understand peoples hatred of seroxat/paxil. I am right there with you, It has ruined my life and caused me many health problems and mental problems that were never there before I was prescribed this hell drug. I have felt a slave to this drug and have taken 40mg of it and been on it 12 years just to stop withdrawal symptoms. However, even through my hate of this drug I have to say to people who are withdrawing whether it be too much too fast or cold turkey just because they want this drug out of their life please do not risk your safety, wellbeing and health. Listen to your body and mind, if you feel that bad and you feel you may harm yourself then you have to go back to the dose you were on and take it slower or try another method. I had to twice just take the tablet, if I hadn’t I might not be here to tell you this today. I have tried a few times, I tried coming off it too fast and had to admit defeat for my own personal safety. Third time I am hoping is third time lucky using prozac. Don’t let this hell drug make you harm yourself. If you are having serious problems mentally withdrawing, take a step back, get help and try another way.
I hope to keep you all updated on my journey and I really hope my updates can be a sucsess story because I know myself I want to read more and more stories of people sucsessfully saying goodbye to this drug. It gives me hope that I can too, and I hope I can do this and give you hope.
January 26, 2012 at 12:33 am
I was diagnosed with anxiety twenty years ago wont bore you with trying to come off seroxat usual withdrawals jerking limbs electric shocks etc but ayear ago my foot dropped ive been diagnosed with a rare motor neurone disease called primary lateral sclerosis i came off seroxat via venlofaxine sister drug i believe caused my progressive condition which will eventually paralyse me the drug makers glaxo kline or whatever their name is need us to get together and collectively sue them for the drug seroxat a poison they,re still prescribing
January 23, 2012 at 10:37 pm
Hi, I,ve been on seroxat for over 22 years. It saved my life,thanks God! there was time in my life when i was thinking if to live open door in my house,so somebody will pick. up my 3-years old from nurserry. the seroxat change my life ,all those years gone by without problem. I try twice /during holidays times/ reducing dosage from 30 to 25mg,but after several days ,symptoms return and i come back to previous dosage. nowi feel that seroxat dont doing any longer for me. I sleep to much,and dont feel to do anything. My GP increased for me dosage to 40mg/day,and so far no,improvment. I dont wont to go again with withdraw symptoms but i am thinking to start taking additionally John Worth suplement. I just wont to get out of bed and to be motivated to get on with my part time work.I wonder if any of you have had experience of beeing off from seroxat and starting using any other antydepresant? thank you for any advice.Marry
January 27, 2012 at 12:00 am
OK for s start you CANNOT take st johns wort with any anti depressant. It can be very dangerous with excess seretonin in your brain can do you harm so don’t take it while you are on anti depressants.
I was on 40mg of seroxat for 12 years until 7 days ago. I have tried to come off it 3 times and been so ill and suicidal. This time I have dropped 20mg of the 40mg of seroxat and replaced it with 20mg of prozac so I am taking at the moment 20mg of seroxat and 20mg of prozac. The first 2 days I didn’t feel too great but now on day 7 I am getting no withdrawal symptoms and no side effects which for me is amazing. I too was not getting out of bed, maybe once a week I would get out of bed and that was hard, I had no energy, no motivation and already on day 7 of prozac I am starting to get out of bed again and my energy has increased.
You do need to replace the seroxat with another SSRI if you are feeling depressed, the doctor will just swap it for something. I do recommend prozac for cutting out the withdrawal symptoms. It can make you feel worse for a while depression wise but if you stick with it you will feel better.
March 3, 2012 at 7:18 pm
so after that you will be addicted to prozac and and seroxat instead of seroxat alone!
January 24, 2012 at 2:51 am
I’m having a hard time coming off Paxil I’ve been at it for a couple Days and it’s hell. I’ve had every single side affect and trying to pull through. I’ll I can say is if I could go back in time I wouldn’t have taken the drug. To me the withdrawals are worse than the depression ever was. 😦 I’m going to give it all I got to pull through this living nightmare. Best to everyone else.
January 27, 2012 at 12:09 am
You need to either come off it really slowly, for example 2mg a fortnight (yes it takes a long time but you will eventually get off it) This didn’t work for me because like everyone else on here the withdrawal was so severe I actually worried for my life. My 3rd attempt to get off it now and am on day 7. This time I am coming off it using prozac. The idea behind this is paxil only has a 22 hour life which is why you get the withdrawal. Prozac has a very long life so it is a hell of alot easier to come off with minimal side effects. Day 7 and I have virtually no withdrawal symptoms which I feel like crying with joy because I never thought I would get off this drug after 12 years and 3 failed attempts. I have swapped 20mg of my 40mg of paxil for 20mg of prozac so at the moment I am down to 20mg of paxil and also 20mg of prozac. I have to wait a few weeks for the prozac to build up and then I can drop my final 20mg of paxil and replace it with another 20mg of prozac, then in a few months if I want off the prozac I can cut that down. i come off prozac years ago with no withdrawal symptoms so I am not worried about that because of the long half life I know it is nothing like paxil. At the top of this page there is a guide of how to withdraw using paxil liquid or using prozac if you want to read it. But to anyone who is finding it too hard, the prozac method really is a god send. It has made this 4th attempt so easy for me I am actually overjoyed already that I had said goodbye to 20mg of paxil and am halfway there in 7 days and I feel absolutely sane minded, and ok. The first 2 days were tough and I cried alot and felt anxious but I am doing well on day 7.
January 27, 2012 at 12:16 am
@Trish. Funny you say that (well not funny) I have ended up with neurological problems since seroxat, I now have a tremor in my neck, and have symtoms of MS. I have had M.E for 12 years since starting seroxat/paxil and I have problems with co ordination, dizziness, eye flickering and now this tremor which I am going to get a neuro consult for.
February 27, 2012 at 1:28 pm
paxil progress has a great tapering schedule and it is working for me. drop 10% of your dose every 3-6 weeks. nice and slow,
If you are on 20mg of seroxat (paxil american name) – it will take just over 18 months to taper off this nice and slowly with minimal side effects.
February 28, 2012 at 5:28 am
I have been on seroxat for more than 10 years and only 6 months ago I have decided to stop it by reducing the dose from 20mg to 10mg. I suffered a lot and now between time to time I become very depressed and sad, this is killing me as I get very nervous. Please advise?
February 28, 2012 at 1:21 pm
I have struggled with Paxil/Seroxat for the last 16 years. I have tried every imagiable way to try and reduce my dosage, I am not even talking about coming off it altogether, My question is this; I feel that different brands of Paroxatine have slightly different strengths, everytime I go to the chemist and get my repeat and they give me a different brand of Paroxatine I feel either withdrawals or a feeling as if my dosage has gone up 3 to 5 mg. I just wondered if anyone else has experienced this? I am not talking about Seroxat/Paxil because that is made by one company alone (I have recently demanded I have the original Seroxat) I am talking about Paroxatine which is the cheap version of Seroxat, I feel like suing Rowland Pharmacy. Please comment. My Doctor says maybe there is an issue with different brands of medication.
February 28, 2012 at 6:23 pm
My doctor told me it it the different fillers they use in them. The fillers can make the med act differently.
February 28, 2012 at 6:17 pm
thank you for this information. I never thought or even looked for brands name. from now i will checking each prescription.
March 3, 2012 at 4:50 pm
Dear All
I’m on seroxat 40 mg since 2006 and I’m dying here suffering from a lot of Side effects.
I read the withdrawal plan, It is very much reasonable, but where can I get the liquid form of seroxat?
And would I be using any other anti depressent if I’m completely of seroxat ?
please help pleaaaaase
March 3, 2012 at 6:26 pm
down to 10mg of seroxat, am heavily sedated today because of the sheer terror I am feeling. I do not know what to do and the doctors wont help me. I cannot live through this. I just want it to stop, I want it all to stop NOW!
March 3, 2012 at 7:12 pm
I know exactly haw you feel. I tried several times to reduce seroxat just by 5mg a day and after few only days i felt like you feel. I spoil my holiday because i try to only then reducing dose. I thought, its no worth it, and i ve been comeback to previous dosage, even i was on this same dose for years. I’ve using seroxat for 22 years and now aim on higher 40mg. I dont care any more to reducing dosage, Iam only worrying haw to change seroxat for some other antydepresant if they will no longer effective. I dont want any more experienced terror.. I will suggest you comeback to previous dosage and you will feel better, really its not worst to suffer ,
March 3, 2012 at 7:25 pm
@Marry
I started with 40mg, but there were days that the doctor reduces it till 20mg and I had no problem, so I am between 20 and 40 back and forth, but the thing is now or since a few months ago i am taking 40 mg seroxat and still am so depressed, I feel my head is pressured, so i take xanax too, I feel like a junky with all these meds, yet am not happy 😦
March 3, 2012 at 9:31 pm
1mg at a time and not for a day for a few weeks until you’re ready. Really I promise it is SO much easier, i’ve tried all ways and it’s the ONLY way. I’m down to 9mg and I am FINE. I drop a dose and have probably 2 weeks of depression but no physical symptoms and then I pick up again. I stay on that dose for at least 2 more weeks before I am confident enough to drop again. There is NO rush, the aim of the game is to be off them whether it takes a month or 2 years. So far for me it’s been nearly a year dropping from 20mg. It took a long while to get it through my thick skull that it is not to be rushed but really I cannot emphasise this enough, slowly and carefully you WILL feel much better this way.
March 3, 2012 at 8:05 pm
Well I am 6 weeks into my tapering. Was on 40mg of paxil/seroxat then dropped down to 20mg and added 20 mg prozac. 2 weeks ago I reduced to 10mg of seroxat and upped to 40mg on prozac and this is when the problems started. I felt so unwell within 1 hour of taking the extra 20mg of prozac and here I am 2 weeks 1 day on. NIGHTMARE! Early hours this morning I woke up in a sheer state of terror for absolutely no reason at all. Apart from feeling sick, nauseous and depressed for the last 2 weeks I was ok mentally so to speak. Obviously I wasn’t but I was dealing with it. This mania is what I cannot deal with. I have had adrenaline surging through my body since 5am and that was15 hours ago now and I am still like it now. I called the doctor and they have told me to take 4mg of diazapam. It has sedated me but I can’t sleep. I am really hoping and praying that when I take some more with my sleeping tablet later I will finally get some sleep and much needed relief from this surge of adrenaline. It is the most awful feeling. Has anyone else had this where your so frightened but not sure why and your heart is pounding through your chest and you shake, feel very ill and cannot stop it no matter what you do…..And can anyone please give me some hope by saying it does stop after a while? I need positive stories here. I am trying to hang onto hope and really pray I can get through this and come out the other side of it and kiss goodbye to this evil drug forever!
I have been on paxil/seroxat for 12 years now, this is actually my 3rd attempt coming off it. My 1st attempt was 10 years ago and that ended in me being hospitalised. I prayed I would never go through it again but I did last year attempt again but saw the warning signs and went straight back on the drug. I am too far gone this time as have been down 30mg for some weeks now so no point in taking it because it is not going to kick in straight away so it wouldn’t be a quick fix.
Anyway saw the doctor yesterday and she has told me to drop down to 20mg of prozac as maybe I am getting too much seratonin and that could be what has been making me feel so physically unwell for the past 2 weeks. I panicked this morning and took the 40mg of prozac. I now wish I had not done this as I think it has hyped me up even more!
Sorry for the long post, I just find it diverts my mind as long as I am typing I am not getting myself into such a panic, though still as I type and 15 hours on my heart is still pounding out of my chest, my stomach is still in knots, I also have a bladder infection so am constantly having to go to the toilet which is making things worse especially when I am trying to get some much needed rest and have to keep getting up to the toilet. I so hope this gets better because I cannot cope with being so terrified and what is so terrifying is not knowing why you are so terrifyed! Terrifyed of being terrified I think is the best way to describe it. A neverending panic attack…15 hour panic attack to be specific.
March 3, 2012 at 8:56 pm
try xanax whenever you panic
February 5, 2014 at 3:56 pm
Please John could you get in touch having hell with citalopram withdrawl
March 3, 2012 at 9:28 pm
Hi Stardust
It seems mad to me that you dropped from 40 to 20. I was only on 20 but that would be like me just stopping, way too quick!!!! Seriously if i could give you one piece of advice it would be to ask you doctor for liquid form and do it 1mg at a time it really is the only way and this is my 3rd time reducing so I’ve learned the hard way. It still doesn’t avoid the symptoms completely but they ARE way way better. I’m on 9mg now and fine with it, this is the 4th week of that dose and nothing at all symptom wise. Regarding your panic now I would recommend you up your seroxat dose to one that is manageable. I know it’s a stupid thing to say because i KNOW what that panic feels like and yes I’ve had it last for days let alone one day but you have to try not to be scared of it. It’s the reason I took the meds in the first place and I am slowly learning to self manage my panic attacks. The bladder thing I’ve found I get when I reduce a dose too, I constantly am running to the loo and have that pressure on my bladder. I would suggest maybe you’re taking too many meds but that is just my opinion. Another piece of advice I’d give you is really you are the only one that knows what level you can cope with, I’ve found over the years that the doctor can give me advice but at the end of the day she isn’t the one coping with symptoms. My GP would much rather I rush through this reduction method but screw her, I’ve listened to her in the past and ended up back at square one because the withdrawal was so bad, now I’m doing it at my own pace.
Stay strong, I know how that terror feels genuinely I really do.
March 3, 2012 at 9:34 pm
@Louise
How about xanax with seroxat?
does it make sense?
and the liquid form is not available in my country, how can I get it?
March 3, 2012 at 9:43 pm
I have done it with no other medication so I can’t vouch for that at all. I cannot beleive it’s not available there!!! What about shaving a little off the tablet with a knife? I’ve done that before in the past when I haven’t had the liquid, it’s hard work but same effect and worth it. But 20mg is madness, really it is, your body is so used to Seroxat that any other tablet I can’t see doing the job. It is up to you of course but if I were in your shoes I would be starting right back at 40mg and shaving the tiniest bit off it every day, same dose for a few weeks before shaving a bigger bit off it. I have found for me this works, I’ve found I get weepy and depressed after dropping even a small dose for a couple of weeks before I pick back up. I wait a couple more weeks then drop again. There is NO rush, I’ve tried doing it quicker. I’ve dropped from 20mg to 9mg in 10 months which seems so slow I know but the fact is I’m ok with it now, no major symptoms, as long as I come off it no matter how long that is what matters. If I’ve seriously struggled with a dose drop I’ve gone back up 1mg until I feel better.
March 3, 2012 at 10:52 pm
Thanks Louise. I did try the liquid method 10 years ago. I was on 20mg back then and tapered using the liquid at 1mg per week if I am remembering correctly. I got down to 14mg and the same thing happened.
I haven’t dropped cold turkey, it has been replaced with prozac, but that is not agreeing with me. It was all ok on 20mg prozac and 20mg of seroxat and I was fine for 4 weeks and had very little effects. It was when I dropped to 10mg 2 weeks ago and increased the prozac to 40mg that my problems started. I felt violently ill within 2 hours so for that reason the doctor yesterday advised me the prozac could be making me worse and dropped it to 20mg.
Well tonight I am in bed praying I sleep as I sit here shaking still. Dosing myself up on diazepam to try and calm the adrenaline down.
March 4, 2012 at 10:25 am
Seriously you have dropped too fast, that is why you are feeling like you are. I don’t think mixing Prozac with Seroxat is a good idea or a good way to try and come off Seroxat. Believe me I have tried many ways for many years to try and get off Seroxat. My advice is go back to 40mg of Seroxat for 6 weeks try and stabalise yourself then when you feel you are ready, drop your doseage to 35 mg for 6 to 8 weeks do this every 6 to 8 weeks untill you get to 20mg it could take you a year maybe more but in my opinion there is no other way to do it. Don’t underestimate the effects of the the withdrawals they are Evil. Have patience, keep busy and think positive but above all you must go back to 40 mg of Seroxat for at least 6 to 8 weeks and I feel you will start getting better. I hope this helps you, my thoughts are with you I know how you feel.
March 9, 2012 at 12:11 pm
My withdrawal side affects were after my gp put me down from 20mg to 10mg there side affect’s didn’t kick in to 3 week’s later first lot was headache’s and balance problem’s then there was abdominal discomfort pain and cramp’s,indigestion and nausea/queasy stomach like IBS then next lot was anxiety and nervousness.
March 10, 2012 at 3:12 am
I only took celexa 20mg for 3 months because I wasn’t completely convinced that I needed it in the first place – a huge mistake on my part. I asked my doctor how I should go about getting off of it. I went from 20mg to 10mg for 4 weeks and quit taking completely after that. After 3 weeks I started having the electric shock sensations. I have them all over, from head to toe. This has been goig on for 3 months. I really thought that since I was only on the drug for 3 months that this would go away sooner. I can understand why some people have withdrawal problems for a much longer period of time given that most who have posted have been on anti-ds for several years – this makes more sense. Literally, I was only on them for 3 months. Will these sensations ever go away?
March 26, 2012 at 8:33 pm
Yes they go away. Mine are lessening as we speak. I was on 40mg for 12 years. I get the odd zap 4 weeks in from completely stopping seroxat. I do get it when my eyes take a moment to catch up when I move them but they do get milder and then will dissapear 🙂 Don’t worry, they really will go away.
March 10, 2012 at 9:22 pm
Please do not panic. They will go away – I promise you. Unfortunately it just takes time. Be strong and know that this will not last forever. It is horrific when you are going through it but it is withdrawal symptoms and it WILL get easier. Exercise, drink loads of water. Eat really healthy food and take long deep breaths. It is extremely hard when you are in the grip of withdrawal – I have been there and thought it would never end. It took three months to get rid of the electric shocks after I had stopped taking seroxat/paroxetine for these to subside and I had taken the evil drug for 12 years – it took me over a year to come off them and I suffered all the symptoms you describe for the entire time and the three months after I had stopped. I felt so terrible I didn’t want to live but I have come through the hell and I am a million times better than I ever was. I’ve lost 7 stone now and I am healthier and happier than I have ever been in my life. Please be strong and know that one day you will feel better. I truly feel for you and would not wish ssri withdrawal on my worst enemy. You are not alone and you WILL get through this. My thoughts are with you and I pray that these awful side effects you are experiencing will soon be over. Best of luck and don’t give up. You can beat this. It will be the hardest thing you ever go through but know there is light at the end of the very dark tunnel. Very best Z.x
March 26, 2012 at 8:30 pm
Thank you Zara for your positive post. Meant alot to read that. I am doing better this week already. The past few days have been happy ones. I have my bad days but they get less and less. I just want people to know that it can be done. You can get off seroxat.
March 11, 2012 at 6:38 pm
hi i was on citalopram for 3 months and it s taken 8 months for all of the symptoms to go, mind you i did come them cold turkey, but i did not expect it to go on for so long, hang on there, it is a terrible time but keep on telling yourself its your brain repairing itself and getting used to not having he toxins etc.
March 14, 2012 at 1:07 am
I am no longer reading any posts on this site, for some it may be helpful but for others like me the negativity especially reading people’s withdrawal has gone on for years can terrify you in the middle of severe withdrawal.
I am 10 days off 40mg of this evil drug. I have been to hell and back yes. I even took an overdose of valium and was taken to hospital just over a week ago. I tried the prozac method of withdrawal, it did not stop the withdrawal, I have tried the slow tapering and that did not work. I AM OFF SEROXAT!!!! I AM OFF IT! I have paid a price and and am still paying the price mentally not physically so much. I had awake terrors that lasted 18 hours at a time where I needed to be sedated.
I am the type of person who was so sensetive to seroxat that just being an hour late on my dose I started to get withdrawal.
I suggest, people may argue with me on this but if you have tried slow weaning and you are still suffering withdrawal, just rip the bandage off quickly and quit the drug cold turkey. It wont prolong your suffering. PLEASE THOUGH IF YOU DO THIS MAKE SURE YOU HAVE SOMEONE LIVING WITH YOU, ARE UNDER DOCTORS CARE AND YOU HAVE PEOPLE ACTUALLY WITH YOU THE WHOLE TIME YOU ARE GOING THROUGH WITHDRAWAL BECAUSE IT IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE YOUR BRAIN IS IN A WHOLE OTHER PLACE AND YOU DO NOT THINK PROPERLY. I have suffered 12 years of seroxat and tried so many times and in so many ways to come off it. None of them stopped severe withdrawal symptoms.
I am on day 10 now I think of being seroxat free from 40mg daily for 12 years. The withdrawal does start to go away not in months or years but in a matter of a few weeks. Please don’t take notice of the negativity on here because it scared the hell out of me thinking the hell I was going through would be forever when in fact it isn’t.
I will be honest and tell you I am currently on 20mg of prozac and 15mg of mirtazapine which is a non SSRI and not addictive anti depressant which I can stop when I come out of all of this. I have also had to go on a low dose of valium.
I feel different off seroxat even just 10 days in. I no longer have major M.E symptoms which I have suffered for 12 years since I started on seroxat. I no longer feel I am in a daze or in a fog. I no longer have acid reflux, I also barely feel sick and nauseaus. My head feels different. I am very anxious and have been all over the place but please remember everyone is different and more importantly withdrawal does not go on for months or years, it starts to die down bit by bit.
I AM OFF SEROXAT AFTER 12 YEARS!!!!!! I QUIT IT, MY MUM SPAT ON THEM AND THREW THEM AWAY :))
This is a journey for me and I am having good days and awful days but I am off those evil pills!
I will update in one month, but I will no longer read the negative comments on here because they have terrified me. In fact I don’t want to read about this drug ever again. I have not looked up the side effects of my new non SSRI meds. I need to stop looking on the internet, it does you no good whatsoever and can be dangerous to read what other people say.
POSitVITY, POSITIVITY….WITHDRAWAL COLD TURKEY IS DANGEROUS AND EVIL, LIKE A BAD ACID TRIP BUT WHY PROLONG THE AGONY OVER A YEAR IF YOU ARE SUFFERING WITH SLOW TAPERING. RIP IT OFF, HAVE SOMEONE WITH YOU UNTIL YOU ARE THROUGH WITHDRAWAL AND IN A MATTER OF WEEKS ITS OVER. Be strong fellow addicts xxx
March 26, 2012 at 11:08 am
A great site and helpfull downloads. Am now of 2 0mg seroxat has taken 80 days in liquid for first 15mg fine last 5mg terrible been seroxat free for 28days and still getting withdrawl symptons ie. anger, tearful,racing heart negative thoughts, anxiety- although laughter, empathy and joy coming back too. All best and prayers to all in withdrawl mode. ❤
March 26, 2012 at 6:59 pm
Well done Deborah – good luck with your future
March 26, 2012 at 8:26 pm
I am on day 25 of being completely off 12 years of 40mg of seroxat. I did not do it cold turkey as such. I started on 20mg of prozac and lowered down to 20mg of seroxat. No change. 4 weeks later when I increased to 40mg of prozac and down to 10mg of seroxat was when it all started going wrong. Read my above comments. I actually would not recommend the prozac method if you suffer with anxiety because it just revs you up too much. I had to drop down to 20mg of prozac in the end and decided with the input from 2 doctors to just stop the seroxat as I could be getting too much seratonin. So did that 3 and a half weeks ago. Am not on 20mg of prozac and 30 mg of mirtazapine which is a tricyclic anti depressant and a very good one too. My aim was to come off seroxat and be drug free but due to the withdrawal being so horrific and my sudden suicidal ideas I had to be put on another anti depressant. However, it’s not an SSRI and just being free from seroxat has made me proud of myself.
Anyway, well the past 4 weeks have been hell, living nightmare ect….I have had my days of awfulness, suicidal, terror, adrenaline, panics, terror again…..the only thing the prozac did stop was the physical withdrawal.
Today, I am sane again. I felt happy to be alive. I have back laughter, joy, empathy, a reason to get out of bed, a reason to get dressed, a reason to smile. 3 weeks ago I was in an ambulance.
For me 10 years ago slow weaning didn’t work, the prozac method didn’t work so really my only option was to go through hell. I did have 24 hour support though and had someone with me all day everyday when I finally went cold turkey (I was in hell anyway so stopping the seroxat completely was just ripping off the bandage that was half hanging off anyway)
This took me 3 attempts over 12 years to finally get off the drug once and for all.
I want everyone to know that it can be done, you might go through hell, you might want to die…..BUT….IT DOES GO AWAY! IT DOES STOP! You might have your moments but the withdrawal gets less and less, the awful feeling of panic, terror, adrenaline, get less and less. Each bad day is followed by good days and the bad days get few and far between. If you need help ask for it, if you need a short course of sleeping tablets or whatever for anxiety get them. I have been on valium the past few weeks, I have been on beta blockers because the anxiety was raising my heart beat to 120 beats per minute.
I lived to tell the tale though so will all of you. Don’t give up. If after 12 years on 40mg I can be rid of it so can all of you that are reading this. Don’t let horror stories of this drug on the internet scare you, you can get off it. Yes it’s awful but it can be done and the withdrawal does stop.
I am not back to normal as such, but I don’t want to go back to how I was for the past 10 years, I am now learning to live again. Change is scary, but I am seeing everything now that I have been missing. I would say nearly 4 weeks in seroxat free though I am doing pretty damn well today 🙂
March 26, 2012 at 9:51 pm
Great news Stardust
I agree – it can be done!!
Just take time to learn to be yourself again… I’m guessing you’ll understand that.
March 27, 2012 at 12:42 am
I am, I am re discovering myself and who I am now, not who I had become on the seroxat. I had been on it 12 years and my personality changed, so did my love of hobbies and interests. I am now learning who I am and although scary at first I am enjoying the new me and enjoying re discovering all what I like and want to do with my life. Very doable people, just take your time, not like me, I did it all the wrong way. But I am coming out the other side and excited about the future for the first time in 10 years.
April 2, 2012 at 2:25 pm
Hi all. I am new to this post. I was on 5 mg Paxil for 5 years, then up to mg for 7 years for anxiety, worry and depression. AT first it was like a wonder drug, could live my life again without the constant worry and anxiety and insomnia I was experiencing. Over the years, It was still helping, but felt flat, emotionless, and started to get angry and short-tempered with my kids and husband. A few weeks ago I decided I wanted to get off this drug, although was scared to go back to the way I was before paxil. So I went from 10 to 5 mg. The first couple of weeks I had more physical symptoms (btrain zaps, foggy, balance problems) but felt more alive, could cry again, loved my kids more. I liked feeling again. But just this past week, week 5 at 5 mg, I was unable to sleep for 3 nights in a row, extremely anxious and depressed, and scared and worried all day. Then yesterday started getting suicidal thoughts, which I have never had before, ever. So my husband encouraged to up my mg to 7.5 last night and see how I feel. If ok, then try a slower taper. Maybe 10 to 5 mg was too much for me, too quickly. I also took an ativan last night to make sure I slept. SO today I feel a little better, but still an underlying sense of dread and fear. I am wondering if I am doing the right thing. Stabilize at 7.5, then get the liquid and taper more slowly?? I wish I never took this drug, but what can I do. I want off, but am scared my brain is ruined. I don’t understand how I could 5 mg for years and be fine, and then going from 10 to 5 was pure hell. Can I ever be ok at 5 again? or off paxil completely?
April 2, 2012 at 7:16 pm
Hi Katherine
if you think about it, 10 down to 5 is a 50% reduction – that’s a HUGE step.
I suggest you use the liquid and never drop more than 10% at a time and stabilise after each drop until you feel ready for the next reduction.
Slow, I know… but the safest way – don’t put any time limit on it, just take it easy.
Take care.
April 2, 2012 at 9:27 pm
Thanks for the advice. I didn’t think this would be so hard, since I didn’t think 10 mg was a lot, and didn’t feel like it was doing much anyway. Boy was I wrong. At first I felt ok, “feeling” again was refreshing. But now, it is pure hell. I feel awful, so scared and worried all the time, crying, crazy suicidal thoughts, not sleeping. Do you think 7.5 is the right step up, to wean off of? Or should I have gone back to 10, and then try to wean? Also, is the liquid form readily available? Not sure why my Dr. didn’t mention it. I am scared I won’t ever stabilize or ever be able to go off paxil. Thanks, K
April 3, 2012 at 12:39 pm
Hi Katherine.
I have been off 12 years of 40mg of seroxat now for 4 weeks. I am on 20mg of prozac and 30mg of mirtazapine and although I am not myself I am not in a constant state of what I was in 4 weeks ago. I know the feeling of worrying you will never stabalize again but it does get better. I have my good days and bad days. The good become more frequent than the bad. Sadly at the moment I am also having to deal with my nan being on life support so can’t really say how I am properly because of all the stress which I am not dealing well with. Until that happened a week ago though things were actually alot better for me.
If you read my posts from the 3rd of march this year you will see where I was then and where I am now. HUGE difference. 4 weeks ago I took an overdose and was admitted to hospital. I had 20 hours a day of sheer feeling of terror and wanting to kill myself. 4 weeks on….back to watching movies again, enjoying them, seeing friends, going out shopping. The past week since my nan took ill and was put on life support I haven’t been that great, but that is understandable. I was doing so well until then.
You can either continue with your dropped dose and wait it out, and you will come out of it and start to feel better. It’s not a case of it not stopping and not going away because it will go away. But it’s really about keeping yourself safe when you feel that bad because although you know in your heart it is a chemical reaction making you feel that way it does not in that moment when you feel suicidal make you think rationally. So my advise would be to go back up to the dose you were on and stabalize, get yourself feeling better then re address the dosage and try it slower in about 6 weeks time or when you feel ready. Like people say on here, there is no time limit on withdrawal, it can take a long time but the most important thing is your emotional welbeing and safety. It can be done, you will get off it, you will feel normal again. Look at how many of us have been through this. We are still here and living to tell the tale and you will too.
April 3, 2012 at 5:21 pm
Hi my names Karl gave up seroxat 6 weeks ago after being on it 13 years was only on 10mg a day for the last year and started to feel bad.Doctor decided to try me on sertraline rather than up my seroxat felt terribble stopped the seroxat fully took sertraline for three weeks it was sheer hell.So i stopped the sertraline and now on nothing,Last time i took a seroxat 10mg tablet was 6 and a half weeks ago so havent taken seroxat for all that time.Havent felt very good had anxiety feel tearfull and a bit snappy.Apart from this dont want to go back on seroxat does anyone no how long it will take to feel better and do they think it is withdrawal or my original problems coming back.Realy want to not take seroxat again even though it helped me cabnt take other ssrris because none of them agree with me and they make my anxiety 1000 times worse even if i stick with them.Its funny because seroxat was the only one that helped but i dont want to take it anymore because of al the horror stories surrounding it. So do you think its withdrawl anyone??? and will it pass???
June 23, 2012 at 9:53 pm
Hi Karl
I wanted to also answer this. I’ve been on Seroxat 10 years and have tried withdrawing probably 3 or 4 times in this time and ended up back on full dose. I’ve had a lot of really bad personal stuff happen in the last 2 years to myself and my family but for some reason last May I decided I really really wanted to be off this drug. I think for me it’s a control thing. So I started lowering my dose very very slowly using the liquid form. It’s been over a year and I’m now on 6mg (3mls of liquid) so it’s been a really slow process and not been a ball but it’s not been death either. It varies from drop to drop how bad I feel, there are some drops I do and I will be really depressed, weepy and panicky for 3 weeks before bouncing back. Some months I don’t have the mental symptoms but I have a load of visual issues, feel really sick and shaky, aches and pains everywhere (they’re the most reliable symptoms).
Like a few people have said here you have to remember the reason you went on it in the first place. For me it wasn’t depression but really severe anxiety/panic attacks, I think if I hadn’t taken them I’d still be ill. I have accepted I will always have that issue and I need to work on it. Because of all my personal issues in life the last couple of years I have been through some horrible stress, upset, depression despite the medication. A big revelation for me has also been as I lower it “real” feelings creep back in and it took me along time to get used to that. Seroxat not only blocks the panic but alot of other feelings too I think so when they start creeping back in it’s a real shock to the system and can tip you over the edge. It’s taken me a year to get used to that. I would say you’re suffering so much because you dropped so quickly and also it’s taking you time to adjust to all this “realness” that is going on. You’re safety net has gone but you WILL get over this hurdle I’m convinced. My advice would be to see it as not the seroxat but retraining your brain.
July 2, 2012 at 10:30 am
Hi Louise thanks for your message ive been through some serious stuff myself last few years so know how hard life can be lost my parents in my 20s etc. here if you need to chat, on facebook as well karl friend take care.
April 4, 2012 at 9:31 am
Any Answers anyone???
April 5, 2012 at 5:01 pm
This is a good site would of thought someone would have answered me lol
April 5, 2012 at 6:08 pm
Yes it probably is withdrawal.
It will pass but how long – who knows?
Took me years to feel more like I was before Seroxat
April 5, 2012 at 6:32 pm
Cheers admin sorry was just worried about not getting a reply felt a bit desperate to feel better you no how it is i read your story and hope im in your shoes one day looking back thinking thank god i dont take seroxat no more. Do the withdrawals get alot better after say 6 months? I have tried to swap to another antidepressant in the past to help withdrawal thinking once im on somthing different it will be easier to withdraw but no other ssris work for me just make me feel extremely anxious till i have to cease taking them.So im going to just have to go without any meds the only thing i might take is a beter blocker propanalol for the agitation i dont think this are addictive.?The only thing thats going to be the real test is going back to work any advice admin tips etc please share thankyou Karl ;0)
ps is there a chat room on this site and is it british based?
April 5, 2012 at 8:14 pm
Hello Karl I have been on seroxat since 1994 I can not get off it. I am on 25mg at the moment. I feel I need some sort of anti anxiety/depression medication so I am staying on it for the time been. However I have noticed my pharmacy have been giving me different brands of Paroxatine (Seroxat’s cheaper substitute) I have been wondering why at first Seroxat was good and on occasions it has not worked at all or its made me fatter or made me feel more depressed or anxious. I have sussed it out because I have been monitoring for the last 3 years the effects that the different brands have been having on me. Now I am certain that Paroxatine by different companies are all not the same. I begged my Pharmacy for the same brand but with no luck. I have felt ill on and off for 15 years and now I am sure I know why. I sent Rowland Pharmacy a complaint email 4 times but I have not got a response. I am now on proper seroxat and feel a bit better but its only 4 weeks and it takes at least 6 weeks to level out. I want to Sue Rowland Pharmacy for giving me cheap alternatives and different brands which I feel have been knocking me from pillar to post mentally for a long period of time. If anyone has any advice on howto go about suing a pharmacy please give me some. Thanks
April 6, 2012 at 9:08 am
Hi Johnk i had the same problem when i took it and always asked for the branded seroxat tablets of my doctor. I live in the southeast of the uk you can contact me at Karlfriend@live.co.uk if you want to talk seroxat.Ive been off it now roughly six and a half weeks and to be honest mate i cant belive how hard im finding it nearly started them again yesterday but resisted.I have in the past tried cutting down and going on to another antidepressant but every time i have tried the new antidepressants they make me feel terrible and cant tolerate them.Some people find swapping helps them get of the seroxat you ever tried Johnk? i wish it was that easy for me.I have quit smoking 20 a day for years and sorry to say it felt easier than this can not belive doctors are not aware of how addictive these tablets are when your on them your happy so you dont think about it till you try and stop then you realise how much s@it your in.Im finding the whole withdrawal thing very frightening and know it isnt my original problems it feel exactly like withdrawing of ciggarettes but a 100 times worse.Hope i get through this without going back on them the feelings ive had in my head rocking to sleep at night from agitation im just praying it passes so i can keep up with my goal to be free from these tablets.forever.Might add never felt depressed when i started these tablets in 1999 it was for chronic anxiety/panic attacks but coming off i have definately and had some weird anxious thoughts etc just hope being on them 13 years hasnt given me brain damage.
April 7, 2012 at 12:19 pm
I started taking Seroxat when advised by a Psychiatrist 20 years ago after 3 years of total abstinence from alcohol. The drug worked and I realised I had suffered from depression and anxiety all my life. I felt good, alert and optimistic for my future. I was working hard making money and had a nice partner. After about 3 years I started with the familiar symptoms of sexual dysfunction depression and anxiety and had no idea why. I felt too ill to work and my relationship collapsed. Something was drastically wrong with me and I had no idea what it was.
I stopped taking Seroxat cold turkey in 2000 because I felt that they had stopped working and my sex life was in ruins I now understand that the reason they stopped working is because Rowland Pharmacy gave me a cheap alternative.
I have contacted GSK and they told me that the Patent for Seroxat ran out around 1998 that’s when other companies could cash in on the drug and make some quick bucks that’s why I was giving the cheap alternative because Rowland Pharmacy saw an opportunity to make a quick buck. I never recovered from the cold turkey. I was sick as a dog for years and my sex life never got going again. I experienced extreme panic disorder, depression suicidal thoughts a general feeling of disassociation, sleep disorder and a general feeling of nervousness, I rocked myself to sleep every night if I could get to sleep and when I did sleep I had horrific nightmares. I lasted 6 years until I had a major mental and physical breakdown and PTSD (I am still recovering after 6 years) I had to go on medication and was very reluctant to go back on Seroxat but I was so ill I needed to. After about 2 years I felt I could start dropping my dosage from 30mg of seroxat.
I did not know at this time that different brands had different strengths and acted differently on the brain and body. I would get down to 25mg and sometimes I would level out and feel ok but I must say that getting to 25 mg from 30 was sheer hell. When I went for a repeat prescription it was pot luck which brand they gave me. Sometimes I was start feeling horrendous after about 3 weeks but still on 25mg and I had no idea why and sometimes I would feel horrendous for 3 weeks and then start feeling ok but get fatter and my sex drive would go again.
I sussed it out last year and told my doctor (he thinks its all in my head) I asked for branded Seroxat so I knew what I was taking and what the dosage was. It was very difficult but I managed to keep at 25mg. I felt that I would have to ride it out and wait till I felt better so I did. About 3 months ago I went for my branded Seroxat and got it but the box was slightly different but it said on the box GSK Seroxat so I thought nothing of it but was wary. After 4 weeks I got ill I was hot and shaking I felt disassociated and nervous I had nightmares etc etc, I was thinking that maybe I had been so ill for so long that I had brain damage or this was as good as its going to be. I contemplated suicide, I took Diazipam to try and kill myself at least 3 times, then I decided to call GSK and they told me that Rowland Pharmacy had given me a cheap Romanian Parallel import not made for the UK market, I was furious. The cheap Romanian parallel import is currently been tested for quality by GSK and I am waiting to hear the results.
I went to my Doctor and got another prescription of UK based Seroxat 4 weeks ago and I am feeling better but everyone knows here that it takes 6 to 8 weeks to find out for sure. I complained at Rowland Pharmacy and asked to see the manager and basically she couldn’t have gave a damn she was not interested and had no visible or audible signs of concern. I thought ok and I sent an Email to the head of Rowland Pharmacy Complaints Claire Broadhurst cbroadhurst@rowlandspharmacy.co.uk 3 weeks ago I have sent the same Email 3 times and begged for some response but to no avail.
I gave up alcohol 24 years ago and stopped smoking 3 years ago which were very easy in comparison to coming off Seroxat. I do realise that I suffer from clinical depression and anxiety I have done so as long as I can remember so therefore I need medication and I am thankful I live in a era that has solutions however over the years I feel that medication has done me more harm than good. I will stay on 25mg of UK based Branded Seroxat and see how things go for a while. More precisely I feel the Pharmacies and drug producers have done me more harm than good here Greed is the key word. If I had been left on Branded UK Seroxat I may not have experienced the living hell of the last 15 years. I feel I need compensating an apology something like a recognition by Roland Pharmacy of wrong done. Their greed has almost killed me and I am strong and experienced in mental illness so I just feel that someone who does not have the same experience as me would feel like they were going insane and take their own lives, sounds dramatic but this drug is very powerful and if not treated as such can be extremely dangerous.
Keep going people and if you suffer from depression take medication but you need to take the same medication that works for you and the dosage that suits you and finding this out can take a considerable length of time but there is no other solution at the moment,
May 1, 2012 at 1:15 pm
I have been off of Paxil for 3 weeks and feel as if I am losing my mind.. I have all of the familiar symptoms, including an explosive headache that cannot be relieved with any medication that I have been provided. I cannot stand to be near any sound whatsoever. I have 4 children who can be extremely loud, which makes my life a miserable hell right now. I am barracading myself in my room to avoid noise and light, only to have them screaming at the door. I am now at the point that I want to hurt someone or myself to make it stop. I feel like I could kill myself to escape this hell on earth. Nothing is worse that feeling like your head is going to explode, having children screaming in your ear, and having to means to stop it. I do not know what to do. I am beyond hopeless. This drug is pure hell! I only took it for 6 months and I feel like it will lead to the end of my hopeless, painful life. I quit cold turkey and refuse to ever take another Paxil again. I do not know what to do. Someone please help me before I hurt myself or someone else!
May 2, 2012 at 12:14 pm
What country are you in TT? I ask because in the UK we have a mental health home treatment team and they will help you and assess you at home and get you the right help.
Yes I quite paxil too on the 3rd of February. What I am about to write is not to scare anybody, it is simply what I went through and how it is starting to calm down. I tried 3 times to quit over the 12 years I was on 40mg of it. I tried slow weaning and it didn’t work, I ended up in the same situation 10 years ago so I was put straight back on it but at a higher dose. 2 years ago I tried 20mg/40mg regime for 2 weeks then to swap for another anti depressant. I lasted 1 week and had to go back on it. Back in january after christmas I made the descision that enough was enough after the drug had ruined my life, I never got out of bed, never saw daylight ect…so I decided to come off it using prozac. I was fine when I was on 20mg paxil and 20mg of prozac for 1 month, there was no change to how I had been for years. It was when I went down to 10mg paxil and upto 40mg of prozac that is all went very wrong.
I started to get paranoia, I couldn’t sleep because everytime I heard a plane go over my house I thought it was world war 3 starting, I felt terrified of I don’t know what I was terrified of. I overdosed on valium to try and sleep then ended up in hospital, they stopped the paxil and left me on the 40mg of prozac. I just got worse and worse over the next week. I had dilusions, suicidal ideations, an overwhelming urge to hurt myself, I was getting no more than an hours sleep at night (note that back in 2000 I was put on paxil for mild panic attacks, not depression and no other illness) I was now week 2 into having adrenaline surges that would turn into terror, I couldn’t be left alone and I just wanted to die. I got help with the mental health home treatment team here in the UK who dropped me down to 20mg of prozac and started me on a low dose of mirtazapine (a tryptic anti depressant) I calmed down for a week or 2 but then it all went wrong again. I think some of it had to do with what I have read on the internet about paxil withdrawal lasting for years, people telling me I had to go back on it. The internet can scare the hell out of you. Plus my nan was put on life support and I went to see her and this seemed to push me over the edge once again. This time it was worse, this was easter weekend so about a month ago now. I got to the point where I was so aggitated, so terrified, so suicidal which is terryfing because I have never been suicicidal in my life. I had an overwhelming urge to throw myself out of my bedroom window, I didn’t hear voices but something was making me need to do it and it took every single bit of strength I had left to not do it. I did however keep overdosing on valium and sleeping tablets until my mum took me to the hospital and said she couldn’t watch me anymore. So for my own safety I was addmitted to a phsyciatric hospital for 2 weeks. I was terrified, I was more in a state because I knew that I couldn’t get my hands on anything in there to end my life and that is all I wanted to do, I just wanted to die. I could not live through the withdrawal hell anymore nor the terror I was feeling, or the urge to hurt myself.
Never been in a mental hospital before, was terrified, thought they would lock me in a padded cell and inject me with some evil tranquilizers. THEY DID NOT! Hospital was amazing! I had my own bedroom, my own bathroom, we had a huge projection TV, 2 other TV rooms, a garden, games consoles, activities all day and best of all the patients I met.
They took me off the prozac as this was just making me worse, they increased the mirtazapine, put me on anti psychotics for my aggitation and to stabalize my mood, a low dose of clonazapam. Ok so it took a few days to get used to hospital but by the end of it I felt almost normal again. Coming home was scary but I have had good days and bad days but the bad days get less and less. I have been out of hospital for 1 month now but I do have the home support team round everyday to check on me.
Yes I know I am not med free which I wanted to be, however so many of my symptoms that I had during the 12 years of being on paxil have reduced greatly. I ended up with M.E and firbromyalgia from those pills which was a huge reason I wanted off paxil because I knew they were poisoning me and I was right because off them now I feel so much better. I have a more normal sleep pattern now, I am more active.
So my ride to hell started end of january, escalated on the 3rd february and have been free from paxil since 3rd february and free from prozac for 1 month. Am I ok? Not quite, I have some serious zaps in my head, the large dose of omega 3 supplements were helping with that but not helping now. Not nice but I can live with the zaps. I get random overwhelming feelings of unknown fear but this is getting less and I am learning to cope with it now. I get days where I feel I wont get over this, then the next day I am fine again. It’s been a living nightmare and I cannot say if it was all worth it at this moment in time, but to have some of my life back off the paxil then to be honest yes it has been worth it. But I was lucky, I had my mum watching me 24 hours a day, If I didn’t I really am not sure what would of happened to me and whether I would of taken my own life.
My advice to you would be seek help ASAP. You may have to go back on paxil and wean off it, or if you want to ride this out you need to do it in hospital, you cannot carry on the way you are because the chemical changes in your brain change the way you think and it can get very dangerous as I know all too well. Please get professional help now, be 100% honest with all the thoughts you are having and keep yourself safe because despite how you feel right now it will go away and get better so you just need to keep yourself safe because in a year you will look back on this and feel completely different. I am so glad I went to hospital, I am so glad I didn’t kill myself. 5 weeks ago I was begging my mum to let me go. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE GET HELP NOW. But also remember despite how you feel this very moment it does go away and you will get better. I am off shopping now, see look at that. 6 weeks ago I was screaming, now I am off out shopping, looking forward to cooking later and seeing my friend tomorrow. Hang on tight you will be me very soon x
May 1, 2012 at 7:50 pm
I managed to get myself off Paxil 30mgs over a 12 month period with just occasional dizzyness and brain wooshes but nothing that really prevented me from going about my normal life. However, I cut down at 5mg intervals every 2 months.
You cannot stop this drug cold-turkey and its also bad to drop too many mg in one go. Try 5mg stepped drops and don’t be in a hurry.
May 3, 2012 at 10:48 am
Hi Ian how long were you taking it? i was on it 13 years and 3 months off still realy struggling with insomnia and other symptoms but determined to stick at it but worried about losing my job because i havent been there for 3 months since i stopped the seroxat? Anyone else manage to still work why they were withdrawing??
May 4, 2012 at 12:42 pm
Karl it does go away with time, remember that when you feel really bad. I was on 40mg for 12 years until february 3rd this year when my weaning wasn’t making it any less severe for me (I am one person though, not saying slow weaning doesn’t work, it just didn’t work for me) so the doctor just stopped my last 10mg seems I was going through hell anyway. Have you stopped the seroxat completely? so you have been off it 3 months? Don’t go back on it now if you have been off it 3 months, you have been through the withdrawal now. Some people on here might say go back on it and wean slower but to of been off it 3 months there is no point going back on it. The other option is to go on a non SSRI anti depressant which I am on, I am on 45mg of mirtazapine, which also helps you sleep and although yes it is another drug, it is easier to stop than SSRI’s which I refuse to EVER take again. I have just found out that the M.E/chronic fatigue I had for 12 years was actually caused by seroxat and was not true M.E. I have found out my adrenal glands were depleted, one of the causes, long term SSRI use. I feel so much better physically now, half of my M.E symptoms have gone. The only thing I hate is I am still getting electric shocks in my head which I am trying to manage with 3000mg of omega 3 capsules a day and multi B vitamins.
As for emotional state, I am doing better than I was a few weeks ago and my stay in a psychiatric hospital. I am having moments of panic, but am learning to cope with this. Sadly my goal of being med free didn’t work, the withdrawal was so bad I had to be put on valium and a non SSRI anti depressant. But I can deal with that, they aren’t making me unwell, they aren’t doing to me what seroxat did to me and in some ways I am actually getting some of my life back that I lost whilst on seroxat. I was suicidal with the withdrawal so in a way the new drugs saved my life.
If you are struggling there are options to help you, maybe take some time off work for a while if you can. Talk to your doctor, explore other options like a non SSRI anti depressant I promise you they are nothing like seroxat. Of course with all psychiactric medicines you are probably going to suffer some sort of withdrawal but I do know that the ones I am on work differently and when I do stop them I will not go through hell on earth trying to come off them. You need to look at the here and now, what the symptoms are, what they are stopping you from doing and then explore your options to make you more comftable.
I nearly gave in a few weeks ago, I asked for another SSRI to make the pain go away, I am so glad I didn’t go for it.
Well I am 2 months seroxat free, 1 month prozac free ( I tried the swapping seroxat for prozac method. For someone who has anxiety this was the WORST method) Prozac was like a stimulant, oh it was awful paired with the seroxat withdrawal.
Anyway Ian, it might take a good few months for you to level out, my doctor can’t tell me when it will go away but she says it will and the longer I am off it the less severe it will be. I think it’s your body trying to adjust to not being loaded with chemicals. Your brain is suddenly starved of seroxat and it goes haywire! It needs to get itself back to normal, your body needs to get used to feeling emotions that were supressed for 13 years by seroxat. The human body is an amazing thing though at repairing itself. You are now feeling things again which is scary and after 13 years your body doesn’t remember how to deal with it without seroxat. That’s the way I look at it.
We will all get there, it just takes time. Try some hypnotherapy cd’s. try some herbal sleeping tablets, and talk to your doctor.
May 5, 2012 at 12:01 pm
Hi Stardust see you have been through a rough ride mate did you just stop from 10mg? Have you been able to go back to work and what meds are you on now do you still take the antipsychotics?? Im going to try and stick this out dont want to take any more meds but might ask for martazapine to help me sleep because im literaly getting half an hour an hour at best a night.I have thought about reinstating and doing a slow wean but i have read some people still suffer terrible even after doing that.You in the Uk mate if you are you can find me on facebook Karl Friend be willing to chat to you support each other through this ;0)
June 17, 2012 at 7:07 pm
I did try to add you on facebook Karl but think I got the wrong person.
Are you still not doing so good? How long off it now? I have been off it since 3rd march completely off it. Been off prozac now since 8th april. I have good days then along come some evil days where it all seems to come back at me all over again. Then I am ok again, then I am not. I just hope that one day soon a good day will come along and stay good. My doctor agrees I am still going through withdrawal. It has to go away eventually. Brain still fighting to get back to where it was without seroxat I guess, I just wish it would hurry up.
To be fair though as horrible as the bad days are, they are nowhere near as terrible as they were during the initial withdrawal. I am learning to cope by keeping busy.
June 18, 2012 at 7:42 pm
hi Stardust79 glad you are still trying im finding it very hard at the moment and have contemplated reinstating but after 121 days of im going to try and stick it out mate.still not back at work though that will be the real test.Cant belive this drug says on the leaflet that most withdrawals are over in a couple off weeks what a pile of crap and also like you i never had a suicidal thought in my life till i stopped Seroxat.On facebook its Karl friend theres a picture off me with my dog take care mate.
June 12, 2012 at 6:48 am
OK. I’ve started my slow withdrawal from seroxat. We agreed with doc to take half a pill on one day and a whole the next day. I’ll keep this up for a 3-4 months then move to an even lower dosage (probably half a pill each day). So far I’ve had a bit of the dizzying effects (luckily not as bad as some previous times I’d forget to take the pill) and the 24 hour headaches (maybe once every couple of weeks). The headaches so far are the worst. They’re quite intense and as I said can last up to 24 hours. I try to exercise (swimming) and socialize (tango dancing) which will hopefully help with the withdrawal and the mood overall. I have been more irritable than usual, but then again I’ve always been a very irritable (and maybe irritating as well) person (from adolescence) but I try to control it as much as I can. Any ideas on vitamins/food supplements to help with the mood/effects?
June 15, 2012 at 7:07 pm
I have been on seroxat for 22years and must say it has transformed my life. Before seroxat I suffered from severe anxiety and was too scared to do or go anywhere. Seroxat also helps me sleep as before my mind was way to active and took me at least an hour or so before falling asleep. Now I’m asleep as soon as my head touches the pillow.
Bad points. Lack of sex drive, huge weight gain 12 stone to nearly 19 stone now, but that’s about it. I would like to be off seroxat as I hate being dependant on them but on balance why come off them if your life has been changed for the better. Also I don’t like the idea of the atrocious side effects you all mention.
Do I or dont I.
June 17, 2012 at 7:01 pm
If it works for you then stay on it and leave it alone! I have been to hell and back since the end of January this years after 12 years on 40mg. I tried to switch to prozac as I heard this made withdrawal easier as I wanted off seroxat because it was doing nothing, in fact making everything worse. The prozac method failed, and I ended up in a suicidal mess.
I attempted suicide a few times (never been suicidal) Finally got to the point where I was about to throw myself out of the top window when i was sectioned and put into a psychiatric hospital for a few weeks. I was cutting myself, wanted to die, had 18 hour long panic attacks, thought I was going insane and was absoultely terrified of I don’t know what I was so terrified of but it was a living nightmare.
I am off the prozac now, have been off seroxat for 3 and a half months and although things have got better I am still not completely stable. I still have suicidal thoughts and panic attacks which last for days.
I am not drug free which was my plan. I am on even more medications now including anti psychotics, a stronger form of valium, sleeping tablets (which I have been on for 10 years since my last seroxat withdrawal attempt), sedatives and a non SSRI anti depressant.
I tried slow weaning twice and still had the same problem. I hate seroxat. I feel like I will never be ok again unless I go back on it, and there are days where I really do consider going back on it to make this all go away. I don’t think it is the answer though anymore. Not after nearly 4 months off it. I will say I am nowhere near as bad as I was during the initial withdrawal but life still isn’t easy.
Some people don’t get withdrawal, there is a high percentage that does and it is a living nightmare. But it doesn’t happen to everyone. But from my own experiance, if you find they help then why even think about coming off them?
I decided to come off them because of what they did to me, I actually ended up in a state of depression I could not get out of, I had M.E, I never got out of bed for 5 days at a time and become very aggressive and angry at everyone that didn’t deserve it. THAT IS WHY I CHOSE TO COME OFF IT.
Slow weaning seems to work well for most people, but we are talking about very slow, very very slow. There is no room for impatience when it come to weaning off seroxat. I tried slow weaning twice, it failed, though reading on here my slow weaning at 1mg per week was still too fast. I went from 20mg down to 14mg in 6 weeks 10 years ago and as soon as I hit 14mg off I went on my trip to hell….so they put me straight back on it and increased the dose.
Anyway I am off seroxat now, SSRI free for the first time in 16 years. It’s been a nasty ride. If it wasn’t for those looking after me, I don’t think I would be alive right now.
I would think very seriously before coming off it, especially as you say it has helped you. Most of the people on here come off it because it was making them worse. If you do decide to come off it then don’t do it alone, come up with a plan of slow weaning with your doctor and go from there.
June 18, 2012 at 7:27 pm
Sounds like you have been through it stardust79 well done for keeping it up think you will improve the longer your off it take care mate ;0)
June 18, 2012 at 7:32 pm
Hi Paul what dose off seroxat do you take? i have just come off after 13 years and im having a hard time must admit all the time i have taken seroxat it has helped but coming off has been the hardest thing ive ever done i started it when i was 21 how old were you when you started mate if you dont mind me asking? cheers karl
June 18, 2012 at 7:45 pm
did you get my message mate??
June 16, 2012 at 11:07 am
If it works for you and your life is better than before I would stay on them. If you stopped taking them the problems you had before will be worse and I am talking from experience. Weight gain and lack of sexdrive are not easy things to come to terms with. I myself lost my sexdrive for over 15 years so I decided (after doing cold turkey etc etc and doing myself serious harm) to just reduce my dosage by 5 mg and I stopped smoking. My sexdrive is there but not great however I can live with it. I lost some weight but even if I did not eat at all I don’t think I would lose anymore. I suffer from clinical depression, anxiety and OCD and have done so for as long as I can remember so I need medication and seroxat seems to help so I will stay as I am for the time been. I was on 30mg and now I am on 25mg. If you decide to do as I did you MUST use the same branded medication I nearly ended up in hospital by using 20mg unbranded and 5mg branded so demand branded Seroxat. Anyhow be careful and the only way with this drug is patience and time. Good Luck
October 28, 2012 at 5:20 pm
Hi john k how are you mate you still on Seroxat.
October 29, 2012 at 10:26 am
Funny you should ask I am dropped from 25mg to 20mg just over 3 weeks ago. I put it off for about a year because I was terrified of what may happen and how I would feel but it is not as bad as I thought at the moment if I get to 8 weeks on 20mg I will be in the clear. I am still having zaps sweats and not sleeping, anxious but it don’t feel as bad as last time I don’t know why. Maybe I am in a better place in my life so I can cope better I not sure but I wont feel I can relax until the 5th of December that is when I will have done 8 weeks on 20mg. There should be more support like a Facebook page or something. Hows things with you? thanks for asking about my progress
October 29, 2012 at 7:18 pm
Hi John im on facebook mate Karl friend location london theres a picture of me with my dog bee nice to talk to you on there you on facebook?
June 17, 2012 at 2:57 pm
Hi Paul my names Karl been on seroxat 13 years come of a few months ago and its been hell mate.You say you have been taking it 22 years if you dont mind me asking what dose do you take? and how old are you? because i think even after 22 years you could try and stop it if you did it very gradualy.Here to talk about seroxat to you or anyone who has been on this drug or trying to get off.
June 18, 2012 at 9:34 pm
20mg and 49 years old. I did come off it a few years back for a few months without any side effects apart from severe irritability. My co workers begged me to go back on it which I did. Maybe I should have stayed of it and things were have eventually calmed down. Reading some comments on here I feel I am one of the lucky ones who doesn’t get any bad withdrawal symptoms. Last time I stopped I simply stopped overnight.
November 27, 2012 at 11:22 am
How you going? you quit ive considered going back on.
June 18, 2012 at 9:36 pm
Sorry I misread your question. I am 49 years old now, not when I started.
June 22, 2012 at 6:40 pm
Hi Paul your lucky mate that 20mg has worked all those years without you building up tolerence do you think your stay on Seroxat forever?? to be honest im tempted to go back on it and try stopping again another time by withdrawing gradualy thing is ive gone 124 days without but still feel very rough and need to be able to function work etc.
June 22, 2012 at 7:10 pm
When you say still rough, what exactly do you mean? I would like to come off it as hate being dependant on drugs. However it does give me a much better standard of life. I will probably slowly come off it just to see how it affects me.
June 23, 2012 at 2:37 pm
What i mean Paul is i feel like my original problem is still here anxiety which i expected but also lots of other things which i have never experienced before i took Seroxat, Burning senstions in arms,legs,throat,Chronic insomnia,Suicidal thoughts,Depression,Electric shocks in head,strange sensations that feel like knives running over your skin which is the weirdest and most unpleasant ,and basicaly feeling like your going through hell. Apart from the Electric shock sensations which have stopped i am still feeling all this four months off Seroxat and it started about a month after i quit.The only thing i will say like you i was fine the whole time on it and it did help me function but coming off is harder than i ever thought it would be.I quit smoking 20 a day cold turkey and it was a piece of cake compared to this i have actualy contemplated going back on Seroxat just so i can function.If i do it gives me hope it still works for you after 22 years Paul do you still feel its just as effective? i think some people will be on this drug for life. Feel free to chat mate on facebook to karl friend theres a picture of me with my dog. p.s i was put on it originaly for anxiety and panic attacks not depression.
July 2, 2012 at 10:23 am
HI Paul do you still find 20mg affective after 22 years mate? if you do maybe it shows some people will be on it longterm because some people say it stops working after being on it a long time i never found it stopped working the 13 years i was on it maybe some people will be on it for life.
June 23, 2012 at 2:40 pm
Also like you Paul i hate feeling dependent on drugs and only ever took this 13years ago because my doctor said it wasnt addictive and thought i could stop when i was better, if i new what i did now i wouldnt have touched it with a barge pole if you get my drift.
June 23, 2012 at 4:30 pm
Hi Karl,
I was on Seroxat for 12 years and I have now been Seroxat free for 9 months. I hope I can shed some light on how you are feeling now. Now I am through the hell of Seroxat withdrawal I can see the situation in a much clearer light. I suffered horrifically whilst withdrawing from the drug and it took me one year to do so – having to take baby steps using the liquid form of Seroxat and a syringe to measure the amounts correctly. I found absoultely no help through doctors or any health care professionals whose only advice was to take Prozac to help or to stay on the drug as my original symptoms were returning…the usual rubbish they have been groomed to spout. I felt like I was going mad and the incredibly strong suicidal thoughts that I had never felt before were so strong that I feel I am very lucky to be alive and well today. I also suffered with the electric shocks through my head and I completely understand the feeling of knives running across your skin. Panic attacks were also a common and consistant part of my withdrawal. It does also definitely feel like the original anxiety that you suffered before going on the drug is coming back ten fold…but if you think about it, all Seroxat does is block out your feelings of anxiety, it doesn’t actually deal directly with the issues that have caused you to suffer anxiety in the first place. So if the reasons for the anxiety have been blocked out whilst on the drug it is obvious that when you are coming off the drug that they will resurface having never been dealt with before – just blocked out. Dealing with why you suffer with anxiety is something that you have to go through – you have to ‘ feel ‘ to be able to heal – all Seroxat does is block it out, it doesn’t help you deal with your emotional problems, which are nothing to be ashamed of but are painful to address honestly and directly and if you want to move forward in your life dealing with these issues face on and not drugged up is an essential part of recovery however difficult.
I too was told that the drug I had been put on over 13 years ago was not addictive and to say that I am angry with GSK is an understatement but I don’t want this email to be about the evils of the big Pharma’s – you can’t change the past but you can take a firm grip on your future. What you have achieved so far is AMAZING – I know how hard it is and you need to be proud of how far you have come.
The awful electric shocks and the feelings of knives across your skin is actually your nervous system waking up having been blocked for so many years – it goes in to over drive….BUT IT DOES PASS – I PROMISE. I had these symptoms through out the year I was withdrawing from the drug and for at least 5 months after I had stopped the drug completely – I thought it would never pass and this was how I was going to have to live my life forever. I also found myself dwelling on terrible situations from my past which I had clearly not dealt with before going on the drug and as they had just been blocked out for 12 years they came back to haunt me- I also thought I would never come to terms with these, but with time I have come through it and my life is SO MUCH better off SEROXAT and finally having dealt with things directly and sensibly and face on-I just cannot begin to tell you how much better I feel. Nine months down the line I am a completley different person, a person who is alert and active, a person who has a zest for life again and who socialises normally without having panic attacks. I have lost 8 stone and am now a size 12 again. I enjoy my days and look forward to things. I don’t sweat prefusely anymore and actually whilst I was on Seroxat I developed other fears like flying and used to be in a terrible state on a plane. I recently went on holiday and actually enjoyed the flight! I just cannot begin to tell you how much better life gets when you have come through the hell of withdrawal. Obviously life isn’t completely rosey all the time but it never is for anyone and I am definitely a very sensitive person but I always was – that’s me and I am glad I have returned to the person I always was who feels deeply and sensitively. I am always going to be an emotional person as that is who I am but blocking out emotions is not the way forward.
I found eating extremely healthily, drinking loads of water , taking regular exercise, multi-vitamins, omega 3,6 and 9, acai berry juice, walnuts etc etc all extremely helpful. I also found that since coming off Seroxat I rarely drink alcohol – I never was a big drinker but whilst on Seroxat I could down a bottle of wine and not even really feel it ! I truly believe Seroxat is an evil drug and if you have come this far you must continue and find the strength from somewhere to get through it. If you stick with it you have no idea how good life can be. I am happier and healthier than I have ever been and if you had seen me a year ago you would think it was a different person. There is SO MUCH LIGHT at the end of the tunnel. I totally get how hard it is for you right now but please believe me when I tell you that you can get through it – YOU CAN. DO NOT GIVE UP. Life is about living, sometimes we have to feel pain and difficult situations will always arise but it is far better to deal with them than mong yourself out on some chemical drug. It is possible to get off Seroxat – I am living proof.
I wish you all the luck, will power, strength and determination that you need to fight through this difficult time and I hope you are one of the lucky few who make it through the rain and come out with the sun on your face and the wind on your back, able to face life drug free.
YOU CAN DO IT.
Very best
June 23, 2012 at 6:38 pm
Hi Zara are you from the uk? your message brought tears to my eyes when i read it and i thank you very much for what you said.First of all i cold turkeyed from 10mg after being on it a year because my doctor tried to change me to sertraline another ssri which he said stop seroxat 10mg for two days then start sertraline i did what he said and basicaly the sertraline made me feel terrible so stopped it after three weeks.He then told me to go back on seroxat but i declined and this was four months ago.The only thing i have taken in the last seven days is an antidepressant called amitriptyline at a very small dose at night to help me get some sleep because after seroxat i was literaly getting an hour a night if lucky.It is a trycyclic antidepressant which can still be slightly addictive but nothing compared with seroxat if it helps me get through withdrawal a year down the line i will then stop it.
Cant belive you had the knife sensations i had it on my arms legs throat etc i seriously thought i was losing my mind im still getting it..Did you suffer terrible insomnia? how long did the suicidal thoughts last? never had one before i stopped these tablets. Do you think because i stopped from 10mg because i know you said you used the liquid cutting it down i will still get through it? My Doctor said go back on Seroxat and taper using liquid later on? thing is ive stopped Seroxat for 4 months and think i should just stick with it . Thankyou for your time Karl
June 23, 2012 at 6:57 pm
Also Zara did you manage to work still while you was withdrawing im going to try and get back next week!!!
June 23, 2012 at 7:13 pm
Hi Karl
Yes I am from the UK. I am not doctor though and don’t know much about amitriptyline. I could not have gone from ten mg cold turkey – I slowly lowered to 0.3 mg and then stopped on the anniversary of my grandad’s death – for some reason I felt he gave me the strength to do it and it was still awful at that low dose. If you have been off the Seroxat for 4 months I would stick with it now though as 4 months is a long time and you have put up with a great deal during this time. I did suffer from terrible insomnia but it does go eventually. I had suicidal thoughts for about a year unfortunately – during the entire time I was withdrawing and for 5 months after. I don’t understand why your doctor would say to go back on Seroxat later!!! Seems bizarre!!! I have no faith in the doctor’s advice regarding withdrawal from SSRI’s and found my own way through it. I found a lot of help on Bob Fiddaman’s website – he is a fountain of knowledge on all things Seroxat and if it hadn’t been for me emailing him one day and him personally giving me the strength and belief to get through it I don’t think I would have coped as he himself has been through this situation and has also experienced alot of what you and I have been through. He made me realise it wasn’t ‘me’ but the drug withdrawal making me feel so bad and although at times I found that hard to believe, I now know what he was saying is true. He has devoted his life to helping others in this situation. Have a look at his site : http://fiddaman.blogspot.co.uk/
I know when you are in the situation you are in now it is hard to believe it will pass or that you will get through it but get through it you will and when you are out the other side life will be yours for the taking and you will want to live it again. DO NOT GIVE IN to the suicidal thoughts – you cannot allow the drug to get the better of you and must be strong. Don’t put yourself in any stressful situations and really look after yourself. Don’t expect too much of yourself. I was working 7 days a week most weeks before starting to withdraw but I eventually had to just stop work for the period I was withdrawing as I just couldn’t cope. I am back working now and back to my usual pace of life but I could not have carried on and coped with the pressures of everyday work life and withdrawal. You have to be kind to yourself and realise that you need time to get over this testing period in your life and heal.
It will get better Karl. I promise. I wish I could give you a definite timeline but I believe it is different for everyone, what I do know though is that you will get there and at some point soon you will be able to put a lid on this period of your life and shove the box in the ground and move forward. It will happen. Please be strong and take care.
July 9, 2012 at 7:34 pm
hi Zara just saw you stopped when you got down to 0.3mg i thought you meant 3mg how did you measure such a small dose? and how often were you dropping the dose in the 18 months you weaned off 20mg
? cheers Karl
July 9, 2012 at 7:49 pm
another thing zara was your job okay about you having time out when you were withdrawing? i worry because ive been of 5 months mate and worry how long before they can sack me??
July 13, 2012 at 8:08 am
Hi Karl, sorry if my replies are confusing you. I used a syringe and should be talking in ml not mg ! Sometimes I only dropped by half a ml and other times just a ml. It varied how often and how much I dropped but it actually took about one year to stop taking it completely but I then suffered withdrawal after I had stopped taking it for about 6 months so it took out 18 months of my life.
I am self employed so it is easier for me to stop working – although it does take you ‘out of the loop’ for a while I have found it easy to get back in to the swing of it and have been very lucky that as soon as I was available so was the work. If I had had a specific employer I am sure it would have been more difficult – maybe you should just officially ask to take 6 months out. I don’t know your employers but maybe you can just be honest and say – I want to get my life back on track and need this time to enable me to come back in six months time. It’s very difficult I know but if there is anyway it would be possible it would help you enormously to have as little work pressure as possible during this difficult time. Good Luck. Z
June 23, 2012 at 7:52 pm
I hope you got my reply to your email. I decided not to work for a while but it depends whether you personally feel you can cope. You could try a day at work and see how you get on but best not to put too much pressure on yourself. Only you know if you can cope with work and you will know in your heart if you are ready. It has taken me a long time to get back to work ‘full steam’ to be honest but I am back on track now. I think you’ll just have to see how you feel next week and it very much depends if you have slept or not because trying to work when you are so tired all the time is difficult. Exercise will really help with sleep – try and shatter yourself out at the gym and then have a hot bath – as your body cools down you should find it easier to sleep. I found a meditation cd quite useful to help me relax as well. Good luck Karl
July 14, 2012 at 10:31 am
Hi Zara thanks for the reply so what your saying is it took you a year to cut down gradualy from 20mg of seroxat untill you stopped completely
then another six months off completely till you felt alot better.
July 2, 2012 at 10:13 am
Hi Zara still battling it out and am determined not to go back on Seroxat. Did you find your original symptoms come bck tenfold when you stopped and others? i had never had a suicidal thought in my life untill i come of but wouldnt act on it but it makes you terribly anxious.
Funny thing is i never had a problem the 13 years i was taking the drug and it did help my panic attacks anxiety etc but coming off is a nightmare as you know did you find it helped you when you was on it?.What strenghth did you take Zara? i was on 20mg the last year 10mg and i know you did a year taper was that from 20mg? did you do the 1mg drops like some people do.I stopped from 10mg like i said before which probably was a bad idea but now im four months + down the line determined to push on.I think Bob Fiddaman if i remember done the taper and then went cold turkey at 22mg that must have been tough.
Thankyou for your support means alot do you still suffer with your originals problems because i worry about mine panics/anxiety affecting me functioning but i am determined to quit this stuff even if i end up more anxious which i feel at the mo maybe its being exagerated by withdrawal. Thanks again x
July 5, 2012 at 12:42 pm
Hi Karl
I’m so sorry for my delayed reply – I am so busy with work and have been all over the place this week – chasing my tail to stay on top of everything. To be honest Karl I don’t think my ‘original symptoms’ were bad enough for me to have been put on Seroxat in the first place! So what I experienced trying to come off Seroxat was nothing like what I had experienced before taking the drug and was literally shocking! I did suffer some traumatic events during my younger life and I did suffer from anxiety and stress and had not learnt how to deal with that effectively before being prescribed the drug. Seroxat just blocks out the pain – it doesn’t allow you to deal with the situation because it gives you a false sense of security and just shoves all your issues away in a box. It made me feel better in the first year but I believe it stopped working as efficiently over the years. It dulled down every emotion I had and over the years changed my personality. I want to be a person who can feel pain, I want to be a sensitive person, I want to get upset if I watch something horrifically upsetting on the news…I want to be ‘myself’ and feel things the way I always did, to enable me to deal with them and move on. Blocking out pain and anxiety is fine but you can never truly process trauma and learn to effectively deal with stress if you are drugged out of your mind on an SSRI drug. I also found it made me more aggressive and dismissive of others. It made me less active and not as interested in my friends and family – I mean, now I have been off the drug for so long I can hardly recognise the person that that drug had made me become. Coming off Seroxat was the worst experience of my life and far more frightening than anything I had ever experienced in my life before. It is not easy to get off it and as I have said to you before I truly believe I am lucky to be alive as the terrible thoughts of suicide that I had during my withdrawal were so strong that it very nearly tipped me over the edge. When I started to withdraw I was on 20mg and I found withdrawal so bad that I couldn’t withdraw one mg at a time I was dropping by sometimes as little as 0.1 mg….baby steps, and I wouldn’t drop again until I had stabilised. It was a long road. I actually couldn’t work for a lot of the time I was withdrawing from the drug as I was afraid of how I would behave in public – this is obviously not possible for everyone but I was so poorly with withdrawal symptoms physically and mentally I just had to take a step back in order to take my life forward again and to finally be able to become drug free. When I finally stopped the drug it didn’t get any easier for sometime afterwards…I would say I really started to recover 6 months afterwards – So 18 months of my life was stolen by withdrawal. I get really upset at how much time I lost to it and how ‘monged out’ I was on the drug for 12 yrs but as my mother has often said to me, you can’t look back you have to just enjoy the future and I can tell you that I am fully recovered and I am working constantly and really enjoying life again. I am not in anyway suffering from withdrawal anymore. I am free.
If you call blocking out all your feelings and emotions and not dealing with anxiety and difficult situations a helpful thing, then ‘yes’ to some it may be seen that the drug was helpful but I don’t see it like that because I have had to come to terms with everything that I hadn’t dealt with since coming off the drug…it just massively delayed my progress. It may help with anxiety but at a massive cost – in my case it goes from massive weight gain to basically blocking out who I was as a person and much more…..
I wish I could give you a magic solution to how you are feeling now but the only solution is time. In time it well get easier and it is just a case of whether you have the strength to get through it. Some people find it so shocking they have to stay on the drug. You have to FIGHT like you’ve never fought before. You are fighting for your freedom – freedom from chemical drugs. If things get really bad Karl, then you should consider going back on to a smaller dose of the liquid form and drop really, really slowly. It still won’t stop going through withdrawal but it may be a little easier. I took strength from all the success stories and I really believed in my heart of hearts that what the drug had done to me was outrageous and I was bloody minded and determined to beat it. You have to draw strength from yourself – you are the key to your own success. Nobody can really help you – you are the only person who can do it ! But you mustn’t let yourself get to the point where you are in danger. I am fully aware that some people may not be able to cope and if it is a case of living or taking your own life I would hate to advise someone to ‘be strong and don’t take it’ etc etc and then be responsible for someone being tipped over the edge through withdrawal and killing themselves. Life is so precious and no one should give up on their life.
I really hope this time next year you will be able to advise others and will be one of the success strories but it is not a race and you must be kind to yourself.
Best of luck Karl.
Ps If I don’t reply to your mails instantly please forgive me – I am extremely busy at the moment and working to all sorts of deadlines and will be working away for the next few weeks.
PPS Fantastic news that GSK got fined 3 billion in America this week! Lets hope this is the start of many! Check out article in The Independent written by Stephen Foley. Lots of papers and news broadcasters have covered it though so not difficult to find on the internet. Bob Fiddaman has also covered the story.
July 5, 2012 at 1:49 pm
Hi Zara
Your story is inspirational for me and I feel exactly the same way about Seroxat. If i’m honest my symptoms of anxiety and panic/depression were enough to be taking something at the time, I had made myself extremely ill with it and wasn’t eating, lost tons of weight and genuinely couldn’t function so at first this drug was a miracle for me. Over time however like you experienced it made me a different person slowly but surely. I stopped being so confident as I was before, my conversational skills became zero, I stopped “feeling” in general, I never got excited, sad, angry about anything. I also had a 4 stone weight gain.
I first started withdrawing in January 2010 and my dad died in the April so my doctor recommended I go back up to 20mg which I stupidly did. I’d got down to 15mg last April and my daughter was raped and once again I suffered anxiety so again my doctor recommended I go back up. I remember arguing with her that it was taking a step back but she convinced me. About 4 weeks later after long hard thinking I decided I had to be strong and that like anyone else I was going to have bad things happen in life at times and I can’t always mask it with medication. It’s been over a year and I’m down to 3ml liquid which is 6mg. This may seem like a serious long process but it’s been worth it as I haven’t suffered the extreme intensity (so far) as others mention. On average I probably drop a ml every 6 weeks and for the first 3 certainly suffer with nausea, aches and pains, headaches and visual disturbances along with being weepy and just very down but it rights itself after a few weeks. I let myself have a break and stay on that dose for another 3 or 4 before I drop again. As I’ve withdrawn I’ve lost a bit of weight so far, and “real” feelings have crept back in. Sure I get angry and lose my temper over things I haven’t been, I get bored easy etc etc but that’s NORMAL and I love it. I’ve been going out more, got my social life back. On the downside of course I’ve had to learn on my own how to deal with the anxiety and sometimes panic attacks, I’ve had to go through the stress of a court case and feel like I couldn’t cope, but I did.
I’ve learned the hard way that it is so very very important not to rush the withdrawal, not to get frustrated at the length of time it takes. In the long term it’s more important to be healthy and to do it right. So thank you for letting me and others know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel!!
July 9, 2012 at 7:22 pm
Thankyou Zara so you took 18 months to wean off 20mg? i stopped from 10mg which i wish i hadnt but still feel ive come to far to go back on nearly 5 months off noticing minor improvements thanks for all your help.
July 2, 2012 at 10:35 am
Hi Carl
I have been reading your conversation with Zara with interest as I too wish to be rid of this stuff. I did cold turkey once straight from 20mg and didnt feel too bad at all. I just became very very stressed with my work colleagues who begged me to go back on it. I am a Managing Director of a medium sized firm (£2,000,000) turnover so the thought of pissing off all of my staff and them then leaving or worse still suing me made me go back on. I am now at the stage where I would like to give it another go but my biggest fear is that the original chronic anxiety comes back again which was awful as it felt like I was living in a dream. I am due to drive to Spain on hols during August (scared of flying) but when I return I think I will go cold turkey again (watch this space)
July 2, 2012 at 11:21 am
Dont go cold Turkey mate trust me i did from 10mg and a month later it hit me like a ton of bricks ive quit smoking 20 a day cold turkey and that was easy compared with this.Im here if you need to chat mate im from Essex you on facebook? add me if you are Karl Friend. So you still find it works for you Paul 22 years later? because if it does that sort of goes against these people saying it stops working. It didnt for me and it helped its just getting of mate didnt have a clue how hard it was going to be aint scaremongering its rediculously tough. I also have chronic anxiety mate panic attacks and thats why i took them and yes i have been able to function when i was on them work etc Not as successfully as you by the sound of it own buisness etc but they definately gave me my life back and enabled me to work which is in mental health funily enough.for the last ten years.
August 8, 2015 at 1:16 am
Totally agree never cold turkey I didn’t think this could be this bad….please do it right people and your never alone wither your male or female.
July 3, 2012 at 10:09 am
Did you get my message Paull ??
July 4, 2012 at 9:27 am
Hi Paul did you get my message ?
July 9, 2012 at 6:53 pm
Sorry I have been away. Message received and understood. Maybe I will take your advice and cut back slowly. It all starts in September which doesn’t bode well as I always feel worse during the darker months. He who dares though.
July 10, 2012 at 12:08 am
Hi guys
I am Sandra in uk seroxat for 15yrs 40mg and 25 days free cold turkey, tried before in 2001 but really bad luckily my husband and daughter only 21 at time found me throwing loads of pills down my throat and saved my life, to them my love and gratitude always.
I was put on seroxat after being diagnosed with chronic illness and was not in good place and was assured the drug was not addictive(lies) for a while felt great but only lasted few months but found I was living life like a zombi. Then got told I had another illness nothing which is curable so with the drugs it was all put to the back of my head locked away feeling nothing. We talked about moving country so like a fool we moved to Spain in nov 2000 all my daughters stayed behind 2 at university the youngest finishing school gcse’s so my elder two said hey she finishes school she comes out with u’s in holidays then she comes for good when finished school so off we go, I hated it every dam minute, so without telling anyone stopped my seroxat worse time ever but has told you in begging my family saved me and end of august came home to be with my girls .
2003 we got nice place here but hey I don’t go out I live in my nightie don’t was horrible to everyone but I’m home what more could I want, I WANT LIFE, but still throwing the 40 mg of
seroxat down me everyday no this is not life i’m horrible moody anti-social no sex for years but this is supposed to be normal life on seroxat and no-one questions you or asks you how do you feel when you go to dr’s just give you the repeat presciption, and told you will never come off this drug, I am begging to ? Now what’s going on what am I doing ( this might seem long winded but I need to get this out)
December 2004 joy my eldest daughter 29 tells u’s mum dad your going to be grandparents and in sept 2005 my little Rhese was born nana’s boy heaven he’s newborn just needs nana to cuddle and love him god how I love this child
2006 we decided to move to a bigger house lol I only had 1 daughter living at home but wanted bigger house for grandchildren, illness strikes ago in December 2008 given 5 yrs at the most, my eldest daughter who is a nurse gets me to her hospital in London and thank you James I’m still here not cured but going strong
2010 mum dad I’m having another baby beautiful Maggie born premature in June 2011 how lucky am I but no emotion I love them but can’t feel it
March 2012 yes you guessed it another illness bowel cancer lucky got there in time so they got it all but hey presto I thought I feel nothing this is wrong, I should feel something
I talk with John my husband of 37 yrs this is not right John I do nothing I accept this is my life, this not my life feel like it is happening but not to me I need some sort of counselling so off I go to GP armed and ready to scream please notice me I need help he wrote a letter there and then to mental Heath team
May 20th first time with dr at mental Heath clinic we talked for over a hour he tells me you should never have been on these tabs we going to get you off them and we need to unblock your head (oh buy the way I’ve weaned myself down to 20mg by now in 3 months no withdrawal) I felt great went had little holiday in the caravan with the kids, came home and decided to go cold turkey from 20mg to nothing (not for everyone) 10 days later casually said to John think I better tell you I been off seroxat for few days now thought better say something just in case I went onto meltdown
Well things going quiet good at the moment yes sweats headaches 2 days had few tears Saturday 7th July was the worst day lots of tears, got very angry seemed like it went on forever but John said it was 20 mins, my girls came round one at a time told me how proud they were off me but if I needed small dose nothing to be ashamed of, my best friend talked on the phone for over a hour to me, but I got up showered and got out of the house went to Leigh on sea with my grandson sat on the front John talked to me reassured me how strong I was and how proud he was and said over the last couple of days he found me again talking laughing reading wanting to go out
8th July got up showered got dressed laughed went for meal
9th July my husband rang GP and told him what I had done that I had come off seroxat and Mind he rang them too he got me a counselling session for this Thursday at 6’o’clock love this man . Poor Maggie has to go A&E so off we trott the phone rings it’s my GP I take the phone into ladies where he talks to me for 30 mins on the phone and says Sandra your doing it you don’t need anything I am here I am with you all the way but Sandra can I ask you a ? Do you want to harm yourself NO I DON’T then your getting there you gone this far you can do it but I’m here for you
Well sorry to bore you all but hey early days we just need to be there for each other what works for some may not work for others I won’t say it is easy because it’s not , but baby steps and today is another day
And hey I’ve read 3 books since coming off and that Mr Grey has stirred up some feeling that have been supressed for long time
Night guys and love and strength to you all x
July 11, 2012 at 9:57 am
Hi Sandra i was on Seroxat 13 years ago and went cold turkey from 10mg 5 months ago on the 15 of this month its the hardest thing i have ever done mate but im going to tel you somthing you might want to hear at the moment it does get better i promise you.
For four months i went through hell and honestly thought i was going mad etc i had every symptom you can imagine and at one point didnt sleep for 15 days when ive never suffered insomnia in my life.You will probably feel very rough for a good few months but then like me you will start to notice it gets somewhat easier.Im far from perfect but 2 months ago i was bedridden couldnt function at all had to sign myself of work for 4 and a half months and could just about eat take my dog out and constantly thinking im never going to feel better have to go back on seroxat etc.I cant put into words how ill i felt for months it was horrendous.
But you will start to feel better im back at work two days a week and went fishing all day with my brother yesterday.A month ago i literaly had just about enough energy to make myself somthing to eat due to the chronic insomnia.etc and thought my life was over. Im starting to feel like im making some progress and so can you im here if you need to chat.
Another thing i was originaly prescribed these tablets for anxiety/panic attacks and was never depressed suicidal etc but found like many others i had slight suicidal thoughts when coming off which i have never had and they are very frightening when you have never had a thought like that in your life.Let me tell you if you get this it is not you, you have to remind yourself it is coming off this drug causing it and it will pass.
The funny thing is Seroxat did help me all the years i was on it help me to function etc but the withdrawl is disgusting and if i had known this i would never had touched them with a barge pole but i was told they were not addictive 13 years ago.Also even though they helped i think they realy just mask your problems and they come back tenfold when you stop.
Take care i live near leigh on sea by the way which you mentioned in your post.. You can do this Sandra i wish you
all the best i know you will beat this dont give up you will eventualy get there.
July 12, 2012 at 5:18 am
Thanks Karl
Another day free, ok my head is racing but my family and friends and GP talk me through this and I’m not crying or feel suicidal like last time, tonight I have appointment at MIND, which I am funny enough looking forward too.
This time the withdrawal is different, I feel in control this time ( early days yet) also lost some weight funny my appitite is actually better enjoying food. I let you all know how the session goes and give updates every week, Karl sent you in-box via facebook
X
July 14, 2012 at 10:24 am
Hi Sandra didnt get a message on Facebook its karl friend theres a picture of me with my dog hope your feeling better.
July 17, 2012 at 12:15 pm
I to suffer with terrible anxiety panic attacks Paul and im worried how im going to cope longterm without seroxat is it still effective for you after 22 years mate?
July 17, 2012 at 7:22 pm
Apart from the usual side effects I would say that it is, yes. However after reading these comments etc I think we should all kick the shit and get on with positive thoughts etc. Easy to say but I will be giving it a good go after my hols mid August time.
August 23, 2012 at 7:20 pm
Hi Paul you still thinking about withdrawing from Seroxat mate??
July 2, 2012 at 4:04 pm
Please someone help me I’ve been on this drug15years and never sucsefuly come off I have once cut down to 2.5 for some months then attempted to take my own life as I couldn’t help the physical symptoms. I just don’t know if I will ever get of it. My sleep is so erratic some days I can sleep day and night. It’s been a living nightmear.
July 3, 2012 at 10:06 am
Hi Michele sorry to hear about your struggle with Seroxat as you can see i have been there to and i am currently off it determined to stay that way.Not to say it hasnt helped me when i was on it but i feel it has just masked my problems for the last 13 years.Im sorry you had thoughts off taking your life when coming off this seems to be quite common in withdrawal which i didnt realise till i gave up and had a few of these thoughts which i haver never had before withdrawing from this drug.Alot of people have had these thoughts some up to a year after withdrawing and alot of people have had to remind themselves its not them its coming off the drug causing these thoughts.
What did you originialy take Seroxat for Michele? feel free to chat Karl!
Just like to add alot off people having these thoughts for the first time when withdrawing were mostly originaly prescribed Seroxat for anxiety/panic disorders that had never felt suicidal so these thoughts were new to them.Where as some people who might have been originaly prescribed Seroxat for depression might have already had these kind of thoughts. Im not a medical profesional so if in doubt talk to your gp i only have my own views on the subject.
July 14, 2012 at 10:36 pm
2nd day of no throwing up, no muzzy head, god I feel alive. Appetite really good, going out every day not done that in long time sleeping well 29 days and counting no tears, no tantrums. Dr’s on Wednesday to see how it’s going lucky can go if I feel need to.
Actually looking forward everyday, here’s hoping things still great this time next week
Kar I will look for you again
July 5, 2012 at 2:14 pm
Hi Louise
Thank you so much for your email. I’m so sorry to hear about all the difficult things you have had to cope with on top of withdrawing from Seroxat but I take my hat off to you – you are one tough cookie and you are doing an amazing thing. I am sure many people will take encouragement from your email too. You will get there and eventually the rewards will be so fantastic and life will become even better. Personally I found the GP’s useless – their knowledge of withdrawal in my experience was pathetic and their ignorance just angered me, so I ended up telling them what I needed to do and in the end didn’t bother with them at all apart from getting my prescriptions when needed. I got so bored with being told to stay on the drug and that ‘my original symptoms’ were returning or ‘I think you should take Prozac to help come off Seroxat’ etc etc ……….I wonder if any of my GP’s received Madonna tickets or were taken on luxury weekends courtesy of GSK! All in aid of GSK promoting their SSRI drugs! It does make you wonder – I’m not sure if you have been following the recent court case in America but it makes for very interesting reading ! None of it surprising of course and only the tip of the iceburg.
Anyhoo, keep up the amazing strength you have gained and you should feel empowered that you have come this far. I think you are extremely sensible to be taking it so slowly. You are an incredible woman – all that you have been through and against all the odds you are still determined to succeed. It’s fantastic. Best of luck with everything and thank you again for your kind words.
July 5, 2012 at 8:24 pm
Hello Louise.
I did it, I am free of seroxat, it has been prescribed to me for anxiety.
I was on it for ten years and experienced all that you mentioned. Emotionless, that is how I became.
Regarding anxiety, if it can help you, I came accross that website and book, excellent, who actually explained what is anxiety and how to deal with it. I am a different person after reading this book and the help I got from the website.
Here is the website address, I hope it helps.
http://www.anxietynomore.co.uk/the_book.html
Don’t give, you can do it.
Take care
Isabelle
July 6, 2012 at 6:23 pm
how did you stop Isabelle ? did you wean off it? im off four months nearly five have good and bad days.
July 6, 2012 at 8:21 pm
Hi Isabelle
Thanks very much. I will check the webiste out and I have made some really good progress dealing with anxiety too, it can be done. I think it’s important to teach ourselves not to be scared of anxiety and panic on our own without the meds. Glad you made it through! I’ll take hope and comfort from all the success stories out there.
Louise x
July 31, 2012 at 10:54 pm
My story, so far …
I started suffering Anxiety Attacks (subsequently called a number of things by health professionals who felt guessing at a diagnosis better than truly performing one) from about the age of 18. I saw psychologists, hypnotherapists and psychiatrists (one of whom deemed me sane because I was offended at him suggesting I had sexual thoughts about my Mother and walked out of his Harley Street consulting rooms) to little avail. Principally in these early years, I just coped with it. At 25 I got married and due to a number of reasons, mainly my relationship with my wife hitting rock bottom, I was put on 10 mg of Paroxetene by my GP. This of course helped not one iota with my relationship which regardless of my issues was doomed to fail and was put to death by my own hand (I filed for divorce) some seven years (no itch I promise) later.
Since then I have been on dosages ranging from 10mg (which even the manufacturers state is purely for depression) to my most recent dosage of 60mg. I am now 44 so have been under the Paroxetene/Seroxat umbrella for the majority of my adult life. In truth the side-effects of the drug have always been minimal and very easy to cope with especially as one particular side effect (being the sexual disfunction) made me a better lover than I had ever been capable of while undrugged.
This begs the question, why therfore was/am I so keen to come off this medecine? Principally it is because I no longer have any idea who or what I am. The drug has made my ego and id something foreign to me and clouded my mind to such an extent that I no longer know if I am a strong minded or willed person or one who hides behind the anxiety attacks.
I realised that I had gone a week forgetting to take the drug for most of the time and made a subconscious decision to not take any more. This became a conscious decision as I realised how far I had come. My Doctor (who I don’t blame) has always suggested that I come off it extremely gradually and though my story speaks otherwise, I would recommend that to everyone.
I am currently on day 10 of cold turkey and despite some very minor withdrawal symptoms (like being in floods of tears as I write this) I am absolutely thrilled with the difference so far. It is clearly very early days and I am prepared for more withdrawal symptoms to occur in the future and am not totally ruling out some form of return to the drug prior to a gradual and methodical withdrawal regimen. But for now, all is good. I get the occasional sweats, feel extremely tired, and from time to time am on the edge of tears for no apparent reason. But these are manageable.
I am writing this in this forum for many reasons, none greater than as a sincere thank you to everyone who has shared their story. I believe (I reserve the right to completely withdraw this dependant on future news) that we are each extremely different in mental and chemical make-up and for a drug such as this to be applied to so many different symptoms from Social Anxiety and ADHD to premature ejaculation is not verging on the criminal but is downright diabolical. If anything good can come from this drug it is a change in the way drugs are cleared for use. The fact that people don’t die from this drug during clinical trials is simply not enough. The drug must be tested for each application and any withdrawal issues and recommended regimen MUST be trialled also.
For me, the side-effects were not debilitating but I have no doubt that the withdrawal symptoms I am dealing with now are down to my body coming to terms with no longer having to over supply chemicals it would naturally supply at smaller levels in the absence of this drug. I am sure the drug is out of my system but the body as controlled by the mind is taking time to come to terms with the absence of a harmful chemical factory.
I sincerely hope this is of some hope for people and I will keep you up to date of my progress. If one person is comforted by my situation then I feel I have done more than Seroxat ever did for me.
August 7, 2012 at 5:59 pm
Hi Chriss your story sounds similiar to mine i was on Seroxat for thirteen years gave up about six months ago and it has been hard work.Took 4 and a half months of work at the start i felt that ill, back at work now.Thing is i am still suffering with terrible anxiety worse than it was when i was first put on Seroxat by my doctor.Im hoping this gets better because i dont want to go back to Seroxat if i can help it.Seroxat did help me alot with anxiety enabled me to function etc but i didnt realise how hard it was to stop.If you ever need a chat here for you good luck withdrawing mate.
ps do you still find the drug is affective for you after all these years because alot of people stop because they say it no longer works after a while it always worked for me. Makes me think some people will be on this drug for life??
August 7, 2012 at 7:33 pm
Thanks for your reply Karl. It’s effectiveness certainly diminished substantiallyover the years which is why I ended up on 60mg as each time I felt the anxiety coming back I upped the dosage. A major part of my decision to quit was that I could see myself continuing to increase the dosage and my gut feeling was that I was on a spiral to which there was no happy ending. I am now midway through my third week cold turkey and couldn’t be happier with the results so far. I really only have one withdrawal symptom remaining and that is the emotional brink on which I seem to be teetering. I keep expecting to suddenly get hit by another withdrawal symptom but fingers crossed it hasn’t happened yet. I have never felt clearer mentally and am even more determined to crush this whole ordeal once and for good. I am also reading the book “At last a life” as mentioned in a previous message. The book seems to have a very relevant insight into MY situation.
If this website tells us anything, Seroxat is a drug that has been thrown at every mental issue since it’s inception and due to this there are so many different routes to withdrawal that everyone suffers in different amounts. I too thank my luck that so far it has been, much as I would like to consider my self strong and brave, very easy for me to come off it. However, I keep reminding myself that like you it did help me function and that I will still probably have the feelings of anxiety that I had before so I MUST prepare for THAT battle too and arm myself with as much relevant information and a strong but flexible plan to get to what we all have as a goal being complete recovery. That is my aim and perhaps keeping a target higher than just getting off the drug is helping me focus on the positive. In truth I don’t know and certainly do not decry anyone else’s situation.
We are all chemical factories that in one way or the other malfunctioned. We chose (through medical advice) to correct this by creating a further chemical factory in our system to mask the previous malfunction. Meanwhile our own internal factory has been outputting at higher levels just to try and maintain expected results. Now I have removed the “masking factory” I should expect my internal factory to slowly return to normal. But normal is still a malfunctioning factory and so I must now also look to fixing the original fault. This is where “At last a life” comes in I hope. Teaching me what to do and how to send the engineers in to fix the original problem.
Again I am only speaking from my personal situation and observations and my own handle on what I think is happening. I stand here ready to be proved right or wrong. In hindsight, and relating specifically to what you said above, in my opinion please don’t ever go back on Seroxat. It is no more than a mask and at best a temporary solution to the high feelings of anxiety you are experiencing. If you haven’t read the book I keep mentioning, please do as it is shockingly blunt and true about the writers experiences and his solution (which he has investigated in detail) seems to make so much sense. His answer is a revelation and when you read it I hope you get the “eureka” moment that I did.
All the best and keep strong, to everyone out there, especially Karl. 🙂
August 7, 2012 at 10:02 pm
Hey guys
Thought i’d put my opinion forward here. The thing is with anxiety Karl is it feeds itself. Once you begin going down that path of anxiety it has a tendency to spin out of control. It begins with waking up in the morning and thinking “god I hope I have a better day today” and living on the edge waiting for it to strike us down which it inevitably does. I was put on Seroxat for the same issues as you, anxiety, panic attacks or depression. Once I started I could not stop, I was living in constant fear of myself and what my mind could do. Seroxat was the cure. Even taking this I have had moments of anxiety and pathological worrying and obsession with things that may or may not happen. So I decided I will come off it, I started over 2 years ago. February 2010. Made it to 10mg from 30mg, my dad died, the anxiety returned I went up to 30mg again. Worked my way down to 20mg by October, anxiety returned pushed it back up again. By December 2010 I had enough and made a promise to myself I would push ahead. Now (August 2012) I’m on 5mg and I’m doing really good.
It hasn’t been easy by no means. I’ve had a lot of things go on in my personal life, and the most stressful year of my life and in actual fact this has HELPED. In a way in my mind I could never feel any worse or go through any worse than what has happened to myself and my family and I got through it. So my attitude is – bring it on, I will deal with it. The panic, the anxiety I still get of course, this is me, I have to accept this is me and to learn to deal with it. Banishing the fear of it was my first step, and for now (touch wood) this has worked. I am accepting slowly that I will always have this issue but it won’t kill me and I can cope with it. When I feel it creeping in I tell myself it’s ok. I have found in the past that these techniques to calm myself down make it stop only succeeded in making it last longer.
Back to Seroxat cos this is what this forum is about. I know I haven’t got off it yet and I’m prepared for harder struggles ahead, by the end of this year I’m off it for good that is my promise to myself. I’m not rushing it though. Dropping even half a mg is hard work (liquid form), the physical symptoms are quite debilitating with sickness, visual disturbances, dizziness and pains, the mental symptoms tend to be tearfulness, a feeling of hopelessness, depression and anxiety. I’ve found these last a month before settling and I give myself a few months break before I do it again.
I don’t do facebook for things like this but you’re welcome to my email address. Keep going with it and read that book like Chris said, sometimes hearing others stories just makes you feel ok about being and feeling like you do 🙂
August 7, 2012 at 10:11 pm
Thanks Chriss if your in the uk you can find me on facebook karl friend location london here for you anytime mate i cold turkeyed from 10 mg and felt realy rough so you stopping cold turkey from 60mg your braver than me lol. I agree with everything you said i spoke to one guy on here who has been taking it for 22 years 20mg and still finds it affective everyones different i suppose.I am going to try my best to stay off it just hope anxiety gets to bad and i have trouble holding my job down going to try my best.
I dont think it stopped working for me last year i was only on 10mg and i was getting panic attacks towards the end if i had put it up to twenty the panic attacks probably would have stopped like they usualy did when i upped it to 20mg but i decided to stop after being on it 13 years.I always stayed on the lowest dose possible 10mg, 20mg being the most because the side affects use to be to bad if i took more than 20mg.I wish i had cut down gradualy if im honest i shouldnt have just stopped from 10mg to late now 6 months on the 15 of August.Good luck mate here for you if you need me Karl ;0)
August 8, 2012 at 7:23 pm
Left you another message mate if you scroll down the page your see it ;0)
August 8, 2012 at 7:44 pm
Hey Karl
You mentioned in an earlier message if there was a chat room available … Well my “trade” is IT and if people in here think it would be beneficial I will happily setup a site with a chat room and links to any sites people have found beneficial. Let me know what ya think and if anyone else feels this would be useful, a quick “get er done” will persuade me 😉
August 2, 2012 at 7:17 pm
I went cold turkey in the end (I am not recommending this) I went through hell after being on 40mg for 12 years. Slow weaning was not working and in the end seroxat was stopped and prozac was added to replace it (if you suffer with anxiety this is also a bad method) I did go through hell, this was back on 3rd march 2012 when seroxat was stopped completely, then mid april after being admitted to a psychiatric hospital in London for 2 weeks due to my overwhelming urge to throw myself out of the window and 2 failed overdoses I was put in there for my own safety. And rightly so. I have never been suicidal in my life, was put on seroxat for mild anxiety which it never helped, but was a slave to the drug due to withdrawal symptoms which would start within hours of missing a dose. Not everyone suffers withdrawal, if they do it is not always to the severe extent of what I suffered so don’t get in your head that coming off seroxat you are going to end up with horendous problems because there is a chance you wont. I didn’t realise how numb and devoid I had become for 10 + years on this drug. It’s only since all SSRI drugs were stopped in hospital back in April 2012 for me that I have learned just how much I had stopped feeling. It is a process. We have this drug changing the chemicals in the brain for so many years and then you suddenly take that away. Your brain now has to re learn to feel things again and it can be terrifying. Even simple things for me, everyday things that I was never afraid of before seroxat scare me now like wide open spaces, sitting in silence, going to certain places. My brain is trying to adapt now. I didn’t come off seroxat at the best of times, 4 weeks in I had to travel into London to see my nan on life support, this threw me over the edge and then she died which just added to things, brought back horrible memories from childhood, so some of what I have been dealing with might not be seroxat withdrawal. So here I am almost 4 months SSRI free. It’s been one hell of a ride. But I am still here, and doing better. I get the odd bad day and my brain is still trying to deal with emotions that have been numbed for so many years. I feel free though to some extent. My health is better (I had M.E/C.F.S which got worse everytime the doctors increased my dose of seroxat) Alot of that has gone/reduced. I am wanting to do things now. I sat in bed 6 days a week, I didn’t feel sad, I didn’t feel happy. Now I want a life, I have hoped and dreams.
4 weeks now approx since the electric shocks in my head and body have gone so that’s good. Means seroxat is out of my body I assume. My doctor says it can take a very long time, the longer you are on it, the longer you will have withdrawal. This is 4 months for me now. I am on meds, I am on mirtazapine which is a non SSRI anti depressant, I am on valium and antipsychotics also. But they saved my life. So did my friends, family and my local mental health team. If you are gonna stop seroxat you need people around you, you need watching over because a small percentage of us, like me are not in your right mind when that chemical is removed. I do have friends that have come off it without any problems. My own mother come off it after 16 years with no problems. So what you read on here, don’t assume it’s going to happen to you. We are all different. But for your own safety just air on the side of caution until you know you are ok.
So this is me, 32 years old, 12 years on seroxat, 4 months off. I now have a loving boyfriend who I met after I come off seroxat. He has helped me through some of this too. I am on a journey now to claim back the years I lost on seroxat.
August 7, 2012 at 6:17 pm
Hi Stardust your mum came off it after 16 years with no problems wish i had her luck lol ? suppose some people are luckier than others !!
August 8, 2012 at 7:32 pm
Hi Louise know how you feel mate lost both my parents one in 2001 and one in 2006 i was only 27 everything you said i can relate with hang in there and here for you if you need to chat currently stopped for 6 months after taking for 13 years at 20mg last year 10mg good and bad days at present find working hard how do you cope at work? its a nightmare when you suffer with terrible anxiety :0)
August 11, 2012 at 11:15 am
Hi Chriss hows your withdrawal going mate? did you seriously go cold turkey from 60mg? im still having good and bad days :0)
August 11, 2012 at 4:16 pm
Hi Chriss hows your withdrawal going? did you realy stop from 60mg? im having good days and bad days still mate ;0)
August 12, 2012 at 8:27 am
Hi karl 🙂 Yes cold turkey from 60mg tablet form. I have definitely been very lucky as the only withdrawal symptom I get is being on the edge of tears at the merest hint of anything vaguely emotional but even this is tangibly reducing day by day. Tomorrow is 3 weeks cold turkey after 12 years on up to 60mg. I am visibly clearer mentally, happier, lighter in mood, more positive about the future and actually very motivated about a life free of both Seroxat and anxiety. If there is smoke entity out there looking out for me then they have come to the fore lately.
I don’t know if you read my previous message about your good idea of a chat room? If you still feel it would be beneficial to sufferers let me know and I will sort it out.
Meanwhile, keep going and trust that the day will come when the heavy weight of Seroxat on your shoulders is gone for good. 🙂
August 23, 2012 at 7:18 pm
Hi Chriss hows your withdrawal going mate?
August 23, 2012 at 9:44 pm
Going great thanks. Only downer is the tearfulness which I thought would have started reducing by now but as it’s the only remnant I can’t complain 🙂 Olympics didn’t help as anything vaguely emotional set me off but small price to pay! 😉 Hope all is good with you. How are you coping with work at the moment? Thankfully I work for myself so can be very flexible with how I am coping. Chin up mate 🙂
March 2, 2013 at 11:36 am
Thanks to alll who have posted here. Thank you Zara and Karl and Louise.
i have taken 20ml of paxil each day for the last 16 years. Three months ago I began to taper off. I am now six days clean. I am in the hellish nightmare (lots of nightmares) of withdrawal. Worse than some but not as bad as many. But I am tired of living dumbed down. I sick of hiding from myself and from life.
I am very grateful for thsi website. It just might make the diffence for me.
And Chris,.about that chat room – a mighty YES!
Best wishes to all. Alex
August 16, 2012 at 7:32 pm
Hi Chriss hows it going with the withdrawal? I am still having good days and bad days six months of Seroxat.You said in your previous post you have been taking it 12 years but on your original post you said you went on it when you were 25 and your now 44 so i thought you had been taking it 19 years mate?
I have still found it hard but more like my original anxiety issues coming back than withdrawal but they feel alot worse than when i first went on Seroxat so im hoping its being exagerated by withdrawal because i dont want to be like this for good.Also i have had terrible insomnia which i had never experienced before or untill coming of this drug hows your sleep been?
Wish you all the best feel free to chat on here or catch me on facebook if your on there? Hope your starting to come through the worst of it look forward to talking to you bye for now Karl 🙂
August 18, 2012 at 9:42 am
hi chri/karl, i was on seroxat about 16 years ago. I had an operation that left me very low and my doctor prescribe me this drug, but really it should have been hrt he prescrbed to me. I came off it cold turkey and it was years before if felt better. Last April i was given citalopram (its supposed to be the sister of seroxat, its still a ssri) i was on it 3 months and again (silly me) stopped cold turkey, one year and one month on i am still suffering, mainly with the feeling of goosebumps in my head and then travelling throughout my body and i have been left with tinnitus in my left ear only, i have had lots of symptoms and been through hell, i know its a waiting game, but sometimes fear will the symptoms ever go completely. I think every one is different and it depends how the drug effects your brain chemistry and the time your brain takes to recover. Its a great help finding people like yourself who are in similar situations. I would like to talk to you on facebook/email pat.dodd@blueyonder.co.uk
August 18, 2012 at 5:06 pm
Couldnt find you on facebook Pat if you want to look me up on there its karl friend theres a picture of me and my dog location london think we al need to help each other getting off these pills 😉
August 23, 2012 at 7:25 pm
Certainly am. I have reduced from 20mg to 10mg as of 6 days ago. No noticeable difference so far. I bottled going straight cold turkey but will do so after 30/60 days on 10mg.
I read all strings and hope everybody including yourself gets through in the end. I only hope my withdrawal may be one of the rare few side effect types.
We shall see.
August 25, 2012 at 10:15 am
Hi Paul good for you mate if you go to your doctors they do Seroxat in 10mg tablets now so you could do 30 days on 10mg and 30 days on 5mg half a 10mg tablet rather than just stopping from 10mg in 60 days.It might make it easy for you than just stopping from 10mg.
I must admit Seroxat realy helped me with my anxiety when i was on it and when i first spoke to you and you told me you were on it 22 years it gave me hope that if i ever had to go back on it it would work again. Never had a problem on it just coming off ive found very hard.
Keep it up feel free to chat im also on facebook Karl Friend location london.
September 1, 2012 at 10:37 am
Did you get my message mate how you doing??
September 1, 2012 at 4:38 pm
Doing fine so far, just a little bit of motion dizziness occasionally and deja vue episodes. Thanks for letting me know about the 10ml tabs. I have made an appointment with the Docs to get some.
I appreciate you concern Karl and will be posting on here as soon as any symptoms are experienced.
October 7, 2012 at 7:17 pm
How you getting on Paul? im still struggling 7 months on good and bad days at present mate.
October 7, 2012 at 9:51 pm
I am still awaiting any reaction at all. days ago I reduced to 5mg but at present I feel the same as I did at 20mg. I cant understand it and keep waiting to experience all of the symptoms others on here live through. Maybe as I was on seroxat for so many years it wasn’t doing anything for me all that time, so coming off it hasn’t affected me at all.
October 14, 2012 at 6:47 pm
Keep it up Paul let me know how you get on hit me worst after about three weeks when i stopped but some people are luckier than others hopefully your find it easier than i have mate.
November 7, 2012 at 12:18 pm
Hi Paul how are you getting on have you stopped them completely yet or are you still on 5mg mate?
November 11, 2012 at 12:30 pm
How are you getting on Paul with your withdrawal mate?
November 16, 2012 at 11:04 am
How you getting on Paul have you stopped completely mate yet?
November 22, 2012 at 8:47 pm
You okay Paul havent heard from you mate?
November 26, 2012 at 8:21 pm
you okay Paul havent heard from you let us know how your getting on if you get my message ;0)
November 27, 2012 at 11:07 am
Sorry for time in replying due to my hectic schedule. I have today been to see Docs asking what I should do after being on 5mg for 2 months now. His reply was you have done everything correctly so can stop all together now which is what I am going to do as of tomorrow. I must admit to being apprehensive after all those years of being on the stuff but he who dares wins so watch this space.
December 12, 2012 at 7:18 pm
Right here I go. What a cocky sod I was. Having slowly reduced my mg down to 5mg from 20mg without any side effects I thought it was going to be a breeze, well I was wrong. Having stopped completely on the 26th November all was well until 5 days ago when I started to feel strange. First it was the stress but I soon overcome that, but then come the lack of concentration. I feel myself staring at the computer screen for ages without actually doing anything as I simply cant concentrate mentally. The most annoying thing though are the constant throbs, pulses, shudders, muscle spasms in or around my head. This feeling is hard to explain other than its a bit like the feeling you get when you say that somebody has walked over your grave).These spasms are really pissing me off. Apart from that though I don’t feel anxious or depressed at all just bloody frustrated. I just hope that these particular feelings stop soon.
Previously I stated the length of time I had been on Seroxat was 20 years plus. However having looked into this further I now realise that I actually started the stuff in 1999, prior to that though I had been taking Prozac for 9 years.
August 23, 2012 at 7:37 pm
All I can say is stick with it. I’m now over 5 weeks cold turkey and though some of the .. don’t want to call them withdrawal symptoms as surely after 5 weeks the chemical MUST have fully withdrawn … residual feelings are still with me (tearfulness) I am feeling SO good in comparison to how I was on the drug. I haven’t yet (fingers crossed) suffered an anxiety attack (which I took them for in the first place) but actually feel more prepared to deal with them when and should they arise.
Please keep trying. You might feel in the dark at the moment but that’s because you’ve entered a tunnel … but the feeling of coming out into the light at the other end is SO worth it 🙂
August 25, 2012 at 10:18 am
Hi Chris did write you a message above hope your doing okay have you had any insomnia mate because thats still what im getting bad?
August 27, 2012 at 5:49 pm
Yes I did Karl. Thankfully haven’t been suffering with insomnia as have had that before and it sucks. Only advice I can offer is based on this book I am reading … Don’t worry about it. Your body will force sleep when it needs it. Thinking about it will only make it worse … Seems the general ethos of “don’t sweat the small stuff” really is the way forward! Chris
August 29, 2012 at 11:09 am
You seem to be doing well Chris never heard of anyone going cold turkey from 60mg before you must be strong.How many years in all were you taking Seroxat mate?
September 1, 2012 at 12:39 pm
Thanks karl. I’ve been trying to work it out … started on 10mg about 15 years ago and steadily increased to 60mg. I was on 60mg for about 9 months befroe going cold turkey. I really can’t explain why I have found it so easy to go cold turkey. Don’t get me wrong I would LOVE to think it was because I was strong willed but it’s really not that. Part of it is that I think when you are totally ready to come off it … it becomes much easier and every aspect of coming off it seems right. The only annoying withdrawal symptom (tearfulness) is now starting to dissipate as I get accustomed to it and find myself able to control it.
The hardest thing for anyone coming off Seroxat is the feeling that it kept you sane while you were on it. Pnly in hindsight do I see how false a crutch this was to me. It blindfolded me to so many things that I needed to see. Now I can see them, I am no longer scared by them.
If I was a Doctor and someone came to me with the problems I had, my response would be very different with the knowledge and hindsight that I now have. I would explain that Seroxat could provide a “respite” from the feelings but never a cure. It should be used for no more than 3 months as a temporary break to allow the mind a chance to get a handle on things. In my opinion there is only one way to get over my feelings of anxiety and that it to trivialise and demote them in importance. If you can understand that they are not “physically important” but a symptom of an over-stressed mind and treat them as an indication that you need to stop worrying about stuff to the extent you were … to keep calmer about things over which you have little control and to trust that YOU can cope with whatever comes … then your mind will relax about it and won’t produce these feelings of anxiety and panic anymore.
Since coming off Seroxat my mind has been crystal clear and able to deal with occasions which “shouldn’t have” but did cause me anxiety by simply saying “don’t worry about it”. We’re all problem solvers by nature and I certainly sought problems where there were none, which couldn’t have helped my situation. Now I seem on the road to saying “Just do it … what happens will happen and it won’t kill you however your mind reacts” … and your mind will learn that these erroneous responses are not worth while and will stop doing it. Imagine an errant child crying or shouting for attention … ignored it will stop doing it, attended it will do it more.
I’ve just realised how much I’ve waffled on! I’ve written what’s going through my head and please take it as that and no more. We’re all different and that is where I am on my journey to full recovery. I am sure you too will get there and if you see in what I’ve written some comparisons in your journey then hopefully you will gain some confidence that you are getting somewhere.
As always I wish you the best and say “keep your chin up and don’t sweat the small stuff” 🙂
September 4, 2012 at 3:33 pm
Hi
I have been withdrawing from seroxat since July and have gone from 20mg to 13mg. I reached 13mg about 7 months ago and have stayed at that level. However I still feel as if I am having withdrawal symptoms. My heath has been really bad since I started coming off the tablets – so much so that I am close to getting a warning from work. Has anyone else had bad heath during withdrawal? I am also feeling really anxious. I have been on seroxat for 10 years.
Any thoughts much appreciated. I am now thinking that this is not worh it and I should go back up to the full amount.
Anna
September 5, 2012 at 8:03 pm
Hi Anna my names Karl i am nearly 7 months of Seroxat i was on it for over 13 years and it has been very hard. I gave up cold turkey from 10mg which i had been taking for over a year before i stopped i wish i had stopped gradualy but its to late now.I had to take over 4 months of work at the start because it was so bad the withdrawal bed ridden for nearly two months.I gave up smoking 20 a day and that was a breeze compared with this,.Im back at work but still struggling with terrrible anxiety every day and it is a struggle im just hoping it gets better because i dont want to have to go back on Seroxat as tempting as it is because the whole time on it i did feel alot better,The only reason i decided to stop is because i have learnt that you cant stay on these pills forever because they eventualy stop working and then you have to stop.If i could take one 20mg tablet for the rest of my life i would but the thing is i was lied to you cant your body eventualy builds tolerance and they stop working.Also originaly i was prescribed these by my gp and was told they were not addictive this is a lie and also i experienced suicidal thoughts coming off these tablets which i had never had before or while on them which you could say was a bit frightening when you have never had thoughts like that and always thought you would never think like that.I would never have touched these pills if i knew what i did now and dont feel nowhere near to recovery yet but hoping i will feel better soon.
All i can say Anna if you decide to quit do it gradualy not like i done it also get support of family friends etc and be prepared to maybe have to feel worse before you feel better. Here if you need me take care Karl.
September 4, 2012 at 4:01 pm
Dear Anna, I can guarantee that we ALL feel for you and your predicament. Firstly, may I say a hearty congratulations for reducing your dosage so far. Even if you do decide to go back to 20mg you should feel proud that you have had the strength of mind and will to have made this step. One thing I would ask is have you told work what you are doing and going through? Most employers are extremely sympathetic to such things and “mental health issues” no longer have the stygma attached that they once did.
Regarding your health, I would go to see your GP and explain absolutely everything. Some GP’s can be dismissive but you must be as strong with them as you can be and explain that you need to KNOW for sure that you are suffering side-effects/withdrawal symptoms and not actual health problems. Remember that your mind (subconscious) is acting like a spoilt child having it’s toys taken away and is doing everything it can to retain the control it once had. But it does eventually give up and join forces with you (your conscious mind and desires) and at that point you know you have crested the hill.
I (as testified in MANY earlier posts) have been extremely lucky in coming off Seroxat but would like to just say a few things to hopefully steel your resolve and build up your courage … Seroxat is (in my opinion) a drug only good for providing a short break from the symptoms of Anxiety … you’ve had that break … believe it or not but once clear of the drug you will be amazed by how much stronger you are mentally. Read “A life at last” (available on Amazon – I have no connection with it other than a fan of the principles) for something that will show you not only that others have experienced the same but also a path to TOTAL recovery.
Finally, feeling anxious is totally natural and in fact it would be weird if you didn’t feel anxious. Remember that anxiety is actually a natural feeling and that you are ALLOWED to have it. It WILL pass and anxiety in itself causes no physical harm. Allow yourself to be anxious and to know it is natural … let it pass and pat yourself on the back for dealing with it.
Whatever you decide to do, you have friends here who will understand and support you. Good luck.
Chris
September 5, 2012 at 8:23 pm
How you getting on Chris you had many symptoms cold turkeying 60mg of Seroxat??
April 10, 2013 at 5:42 pm
Been so lucky … withdrawal symptoms were very minor. I still get emotional at the drop of a hat but can cope with that. BTW In reference to earlier emails, I have setup a website http://www.paxoff.com with a very simple chat room if anybody wants to try it out. The chat room works (no password is actually required, just enter any old username) but the rest of the site is WIP.
September 6, 2012 at 7:29 am
hi karl, your message to anna is so so true, i too went off citalopram cold turkey 15 months later i know i am getting better but still have symptoms, mainly buzzing in my head and heavy headaches (not painful, just as though your head is heavy, and feeling very tired). It just takes time for your brain to adjust.
Pat
September 30, 2012 at 4:15 pm
Hi Pat sorry for the late reply havent been online lately well done for what you have achieved coming off citalopram i wish you all the best :0)
October 30, 2012 at 2:26 pm
I can’t find you mate. I was thinking of setting up a Support Group or something on Facebook. How are you managing? what dose are you on and how long for etc
November 27, 2012 at 11:17 am
High John whats your name location for facebook ill look you up on there mate im currrently 9 months off cold turkey and still struggling to be honest cant belive how hard it is getting of this drug i was on it 13 years last year 10mg ;0)
November 27, 2012 at 11:39 am
Hello I am John King in Sheffied I dropped to 20 mg nearly 8 weeks ago from 25 mg this last week has been the worst I did cold turkey once from 30 mg to zero and it almost killed me. Everyone is different but for me I never really got back on track doing cold turkey. My friend come off alltogether and shes fine but she did things and come off over a period of 2 months and it seemed to work for her. add me if you cant find me let me know there is a photo of me looking at the camera I have black hair.
December 13, 2012 at 6:45 pm
Couldnt find you John K how you doing now.How many years have you been on seroxat if you dont mind me asking??
November 16, 2012 at 6:50 pm
Hi all sorry to intrude, I want to share my experience..I know this site promotes coming off Paxil / aero at slowly but I felt I had no choice and I cold turkeyed after being on it for 4-5 years at 20mg. I was just a few days pregnant, i just knew i had conceived womens intuition, paxil is a very risky drug to b on wen pregnant for babies heart, so I was so motivated I jus said no matter wat u will not take another. I had 1.5 weeks of the strangest symptoms, like if I turned my head and stopped it wud feel it was still turning… Sweats, sea sick, very intense nightmares and jerks in sleep for a few days… But the worst was defiantly the vertigo. Once all that passed I don’t beleive I had physical symtoms anymore at all. Emotionally I got thru that 1.5 weeks by being elated I hav a baby growing in me,new life , new start so that motivated me entirely.. And I focused on it completley and protecting her inside.
Here I with my baby 8 mnths old, and I’m still off them 🙂 its been tough as i had a whole host of problems occur including an awful labour and relationship problems alsorts all came one by one, and depression crept back in so bad, recently i realised that I was in fact battling with it again..
My magic tool- for me personally I hav always been able to meditate at the drop of a hat with a candle on for 5 or 10 mins I find this the best medicine out there to stabilise me and make me re balance again, i return from it in the same room same situation a completly calmer happier younger more happier version of myself suddenley able to cope, i was struggling to do it enuf with the baby but wen i did it saved me frim goin mad a few times and now I’m stronger because I worked thru it using my own tools, that take me to my centre where all the answers are and strength and my belief in God returned which wen in trouble I turn to him and imagine I am putting everything onto him for a bit. U kno it was hard as I had so much doubt but I told myself for this moment God exists entirely, and after I felt his presence, around me, hard to explain but my head was my own again and i felt a warmth in myself and cud see it in the same people i cudnt be around earlier, I no longer want medicine fullstop personally as it makes me cloudy and forget ful as for the Paxil it made me a person half drunk and loud extrovert and a bit careless! Gave me nightmares every night, yes I felt super confident but I still had down days and wud react strangley to them sometimes… Well there u go.. That’s me
*God is a light switch u can sit in the dark or sit in the same room with light on. Find him, push the switch with no doubt that it will turn on, don’t wait for it, believe and know it is already there, Don’t complicate it, or feel the need to intellectually understand it, it is beyond ourcapacity, be a child for a moment who niaveley believes in the man in the sky….and just believe in that one moment and watch what happens*
In ur centre, God lives. Like an onion peel the layers away one by one.. and reach ur centre however u can
November 17, 2012 at 10:22 am
I’m glad you managed to get off it, Seeq.
As you say, I would always advise slow and steady – but you had no option.
Good luck.
November 23, 2012 at 9:42 pm
Thanks admin, finally someone acknowledged me on here, it’s funny u mention the word God and people get repelled yet I am a success story in that I have stayed off and no matter wat or how bad it gets will not go back on them…its a decision iv made firmly.. so iv found other ways to survive testing days that make far more sense to me personally and work.. I am only trying to show people there r other options and we are all energy so we must consider where to get free natural energy from…other than drugs. Xxxx peace ! 🙂 yes I still hav hard days ..
August 8, 2015 at 1:08 am
Well done there hard work I hope life is still good for you and your family x
December 13, 2012 at 6:42 pm
Hi Paul Shuttlewood im still about been of nearly 11 months and to say i feel like i have gone through hell is an understatement still here for you mate so stay in touch and let me know how your getting on. I am still currently experiencing chronic insomnia and severe anxiiety which makes working life very hard hang in there mate i have had the odd good days here and there and going to try and ride it out.
December 13, 2012 at 7:29 pm
Hi All. I am off seroxat nearly 3 years now. I went from 20 mg to nothing in 7 months after taking it for ten years. . I guess it was too fast and after I reached zero I got very bad for about 3 months, with all the withdrawal symptoms mentioned here before. My main problem was high anxiety that’s why I was prescirbed seroxat at the first place.
I then discovered Paul David’s book ” At last a life” and it was a life saver. I read it and visited regularly his blog and it helped me so much. http://www.anxietynomore.co.uk/
I leave a normal life now, without drugs, no more anxiety. And I am in the process of loosing all the weight I have put on when I was taking that terrible drug.
So please, don’t give up, If I did it, everybody can. Just be very careful, patient, take plenty of exercise outdoors if you can and tell the people you trust and love what you are going through, it will help. You don’t have to go through this on your own.
You can do it.
Happy Hollidays to everybody.
January 22, 2013 at 9:24 pm
Hi Basielle how long did your withdrawal last if you dont mind me asking im off for 11 months still have insomnia anxiety etc did you manage to work while you were withdrawing mate? cheers Karl.
December 13, 2012 at 8:54 pm
I am sorry to hear about your suffering Karl but cant believe it has anything to do with coming off seroxat after all this time. I am not a Doctor but it would seem that you are still suffering from the underlying problem. Your symptoms sure as hell sound like what I was going through way before I was on any medicines.
January 22, 2013 at 9:11 pm
Hi Leesman belive it or not i have read storys off people suffering several years with bad anxiety sleep problems etc after being on this drug a long time.Even the Author off this site who set it up to help people get off this drug said it took him years to feel more like himself after stopping Seroxat.I belive my continued symptoms are a mixture off withdrawal and my original condition.Its easy to tell whats withdrawal when you have never suffered with it before, i never have suffered insomnia let alone chronic insomnia untill i stopped this drug which is when it started.Also the anxiety i have experienced is alot worse than what i originaly had which was panic attacks havent had one since i stopped instead just near enough constant anxiety.
How you finding it after stopping mate ???
December 13, 2012 at 10:37 pm
When you have been on Seroxat for many years it takes a very long time to get over it. Learning to live with your real every day emotions, is for the first year a real struggle as you have been drugged up to the nines for SO LONG! It is not over night! It took me over a year to be able to sleep properly again. Karl I think you are doing a grand job – stick with it. It is a long road and it takes a lot of adjusting to learn to live without the drug especially when you have been through so much emotional and physical turmoil with withdrawal. These are all stages that you have to go through. I know people who have taken a good few years to adjust after quitting SSRI’s. You’ll get there. One day you’ll wake up and it just won’t be so bad anymore. Most people suffer with a little anxiety, it’s just your first year of having to learn to deal with that natural emotion again. 11 months is simply fantastic. This time next year you will be in a different place and will have learnt to cope with every thing life throws at you. Keep up the amazing work. If you have an ‘underlying problem’ Karl, get counselling, talk through it, exercise through it, don’t what ever you do blank it out with chemical drugs again. Just think in a months time you will have been Seroxat free for an entire year…..AMAZING.
January 22, 2013 at 9:20 pm
Thanks Zara going to do my best i know it could take another year to feel alot better after being on it for so long and not tapering which i didnt no about at the time or would have.tapered. Apreciate all the encouragement and support you have given me how are you feeling now would you say your back to the person you were before Seroxat ? Karl
December 21, 2012 at 2:29 pm
hello everybody
i started seroxat 3 weeks ago 15mg and by doctors advice i raised to 30mg just yesterday.i also take xanax .i read all the stories and i m very concerned. the 5th day of my seroxat (without xanax) i was rushed to er with the real feeling of burning all of my body.the psychiatrist said is just from anxiety not from the drug and sent me off. now i really consider to stop.please my friends any advice would mean the world.i dont trust the doctor at all and i feel stupid that i started the pill. it was prescribed to me for panic attacks.please help.
January 17, 2013 at 2:42 pm
its been more than six month and Im already on skiping it as long as I can,only problem is head shiviering I cant handel so I have to take a pill so Im just trying to over come it if I find somthing better I will post it here.by the way Family ,Friends , Socializing with hypnosis apps and exercise and reading buit your stamina.so good luck.
January 22, 2013 at 10:06 pm
Hiah, it’s been a long road but I can honestly say that I am mentally strong and really happy. I can’t remember enjoying life so much. You can get to this point also – I know you can. The only thing that upsets me now is that I lost years of my life to that darn drug, but I have to concentrate on how good life is now. I was a size 28 on seroxat and I’m now a size 10!!! Everything about my life has changed. I’m active, fit, healthy and happy and u will be too. Keep strong.
April 10, 2013 at 11:35 am
So I am on day 4 of going ‘cold turkey’ from seroxat, i have managed ok up until today i have managed to kee my irritation under wraps and focus on the positive aspects of my life after this drug. Today I feel awful my body feels empty i cant feel my fingers or toes , i feel like i am outside of my body, my hearing is like i am underwater and i am picking up on sounds like the clock ticking which makes me wanna smash it!! I feel strangled by the house , i feel like its all too much. I dont wanna go to the doc as i dont want more drugs, i need to take the edge off this any ideas? thanks
April 10, 2013 at 12:56 pm
update ..only ab few hours later and its getting worse, feel so so hot and cant stop crying feel like i want to rip the house apart and smash it all up, no not a good idea i know. Feel bad , really really irritated, no one here just me, so dont know why i am so irritable, managed to focus on something for a while which made me better but then as it wasnt going right i lost my temper and now feell like this, maybe i will end up at the docs this afternoon
April 10, 2013 at 5:39 pm
Hi Emma, as someone who has gone through what you are feeling I can offer two snippets of advice … firstly, breath slow and deep. They say to put a hand on your stomach and one on your chest and breath so only the hand on your stomach moves. This means you are breathing deep. This process helps alleviate most of the feelings you are currently having as it provides a natural way to release the adrenalin that is currently pumping through your body.
Secondly, keep going! Yes the first few days and even months can be so hard but when you get through them, the feeling of freedom and achievement are so huge it makes it totally worthwhile.
Chin up girl 🙂
April 10, 2013 at 5:55 pm
hello, thanks for replying, i caved and phoned the dr and was basically told that it is my depression and anxiety that is making me feel like that and maybe i am not ready to come off them, i told her I am withdrawing and i am sick of how they make me feel, but doctors know best she wasn;t having it, it was lllness not drugs!! she told me to take them straight away and then go back when i have got back to ‘normal!’ (taking tabs?? yes right) and then we will reduce them, i said yes but there is no way in hell that stuff is passing these lips again!! I am taking some herbal kava kava which has taken edge off and the breathing thing works so thanks, i just have to remember not to panic!! Thank goodness for this site!
April 10, 2013 at 6:10 pm
Hi Emma
Your Doctor sounds like a lazy, class A fuckwit.
However, perhaps the way forward for you is to go back on Seroxat to your old dose (20mg?) then stabilise for however long it takes, then start to reduce using the liquid Seroxat and no more than a 10% reduction at a time…
If you suffer withdrawal problems (and it seems you do), cold turkey is NEVER a good idea.
Good luck – we’re all with you.
xx
May 5, 2013 at 10:20 am
My gf has come of paroxitine after after being on it for 10 years. I have lived with her for 4 years. I didnt even know about it until she came home one day about 3 months ago in mini mental breakdown due to not being on it anymore. She says the GP has refused to give her any anymore and they have advised counselling which she refuses to do. One day she is happy to see me and everything is normal. Our relationship is really suffering. The next day she hates me and is begging for space. Like complete personality flip. She won’t talk to me for a day or 2 and has continuous mood swings. I cant handle it anymore, I want to help but she wont talk about it with me. Everytime I bring it up she tries her hardest to change the subject. Our entire life plan has changed, we wanted to buy a house together before and had actual plans. Now all she says is she needs to figure out who she is and needs space. Its like shes a completely different person. I dont know how to handle the situation …all I know is I am not handleing it well.
May 6, 2013 at 9:43 am
Her GP is clearly an idiot! As stated in this site’s disclaimer, nobody should stop taking any of these kind of drugs without a long and structured withdrawal plan. However, from the sounds of it, this is now not an option so you and her are left with managing the pieces. It is very difficult to explain what she is going through. You talk of her mood swings and need for space. I can understand that AND how difficult it must be for you to deal with that. Just remember that what is going on inside her head is not a fair or true reflection of how she feels about you. Her head is probably in constant panic and the natural temptation for her is to close off which means shutting out everything, which includes you. That is not the best thing for her. If you feel strong enough, stick with her. Be the calming influence she needs. Don’t belittle what she feels, thinks or is going through, just be there for her. You’ve made a great step in telling this site your situation.
Tell her you will be here for her during this short-term (maximum year or so) issue because you know you want her long term. Research and help her with breathing techniques to calm her down. Look into solutions such as the book that is helping me so much at the moment (“The Chimp Paradox” by Dr Steve Peters) which provides a path to mental understanding and methods of improving our internal bad decision making mechanism.
And CHANGE DOCTORS! Whatever you decide to do be it stick with her or run away, you’ll get no judgement from here. You are both in situations only you can judge. I really wish you both the best of luck and if you have any further questions, everyone here is and has proven to be, very helpful and supportive.
May 7, 2013 at 7:37 am
Well, I stopped seroxat last November and never suffered many side effects at first. I had the usual electric shocks but they weren’t too bad and soon passed. However 7 months on and I feel shit. Canty be bothered to go to work, cant be bothered to do anything really. Wake up 1st thing and think to myself “Here we go again another day to get through”. Life shouldnt be like this! Obviously very irritable to all around me and the slightest thing is driving me crazy. (My wife is untidy) normally I can handle this but not now!! Have a docs appointment in 20mins time as am seriously thinging about returning to seroxat. As my previous posts stated it worked for me well, I just hated being dependant upon a drug, but diabetics are dependant on drugs so why not anxiety/depression sufferers.
I wanted to kick the drug but life off of it is so bad I am finding it hard to convince myself as to the reason why? I would have hoped after 6 months I would be starting to feel better but am now getting worse daily.
June 10, 2013 at 12:28 pm
Hi Paul havent spoken to you for a while im sure your the same guy who took seroxat for 13 years like me.Im off Seroxat now for nearly sixteen months and still struggling but get a few good days here and there like you i feel very tempted to go back on them but know one day if i do ill be faced with the same dilema stopping again.Like you i found the drug helped me as far as anxiety was concerned but the way i felt coming off was disgusting and wouldnt have ever took them if i had known they were addictive terrible to get off etc. Alot off my physical symptoms have got alot better which to be honest were worse after id been off seven months and have died down after 14 months.Still getting some physical affects nothing like they were before they were terrifying Gurning jaw,chronic iinsomnia,Akathesia,sensitve nervous system to any stimulants caffine etc also cant have a beer now because it makes it all worse the next day,terrible headaches,electric zaps when trying to go a bed at night i honestly thought i was having a brain hemarrage terrifying is an understatement they took a year to go didnt have them every night though thank god.The list goes on you get the picture like i said physical stuff alot better now but have been left with the most severe anxiety which makes me feel like im going insane all the time.Its been so bad i had to leave my job and living off savings at the moment luckily the company was going under so i got redundancy anyway ,but couldnt have worked like this.Dont know what the future holds pray literaly i get better in the next 6 months year or so have come to terms i cant put a time limit on it but not going to give up we were lied to im afraid people should be being helped get off this drug and being compensated its a joke being giving this drug when i was 21 told it wasnt addictive.safe etc.Have got angry many times but know doctors dont belive you are in denial etc and it dont aid your recovery.Here if you need me Paul or anyone else take care people ;0)
June 10, 2013 at 1:21 pm
I gave in and am now back on 20 mg per day. Being off the drug meant I couldn’t function as a person at all and what was worse was the severe depression. Good on you for persevering but I just don’t want to live like that. Hopefully with time you will make a full recovery. If you do please tell me as that will give me hope to try again. Strangely I never suffered from many physical side effects when quitting. I just became depressed and irritable which rather than getting better with time was getting worse. So I made the decision to restart. Only time will tell whether it was the right thing to do.
June 10, 2013 at 1:12 pm
I so agree with you, had to go back on it and now afraid to come off. Susan
June 11, 2013 at 10:33 am
Hi Paul/Susan thanks for replying your messages also give me hope because some people say after being off the drug (Seroxat) for a long time it dosent work again second time round. At least if i get desperate now i know going back on could give me some relief because im stil realy struggling and feel awfull most days.How long did you stop for Susan were you on it for a long time ? Do you feel better now Paul going back on how long did it take to feel better starting again?
If i go back on next time im going to try the tapering option over a year or two feel like ive been through hell stopping this stuff makes you feel alot more mentaly ill coming off than you were before you took it i think there must be thousands of people in the Uk who are hooked on this drug and i think the medical profession know but are keeping quiet because it would cost millions and millions to compensate everyone who was given this defective drug and being told it was non addictive safe etc. cheers Doc lol
June 11, 2013 at 1:07 pm
I felt a lot better after 2 weeks. Having been back on now for 5 weeks I am still nowhere near where I was before I came off it. Im thinking I may increase to 30mg to give myself a kick start.
June 13, 2013 at 8:57 pm
Did you feel worse for a few days when you started again Paul after being off 6 months ? let me know how your getting on mate ;0)
June 11, 2013 at 10:54 am
Karl/Paul/Susan and everyone else on here. After taking this drug for a long time off and on probably over 12 years, the last time for 5 years in total I finally stopped completely at Christmas last year (2012). I tapered it off over 2 years, some may say this is an exceptionally long time but it helped me gain confidence in my own management of my underlying anxiety disorder. I have been fine since then. I still suffer from anxiety, I don’t blame the medication for this, I have struggled with it since being 18 and I’m now 38. It can be done as long as you take it slowly. Personally I didn’t listen to the advice of my GP who would have insisted I do it quicker but stuck with what I felt was right for me. I used the liquid version which allows much slower tapering off. I seemed to hit it harder after 10mg and started really slowing it down by 1/2 ml of the liquid form around about this time. I am now trying to recognise triggers for my anxiety and to manage it better as it happens. I have good days and bad days of course but more good than bad. If anyone wants advice on stopping this medication please feel free to get in touch.
June 11, 2013 at 11:27 am
I tried to come off paroxetine, having been on 20mg for 10 years, and had a total breakdown – much worse than the depression I was originally put on it for. Ended up having to take six months off work and am now on 60mg of paroxetine. I think I will be on the drug for the rest of my life now as I cannot cope with going through attempting withdrawal again. My GP says that there don’t seem to be any big risks of staying on the drug.
Does anyone out there on paroxetine get mouth spasms/twitches and problems getting their words out sometimes? It happens quite often to me and I am not sure if it a side effect of paroxetine or something else.
Anna
July 30, 2013 at 2:47 pm
Hi Anna I get the words thing, They get jumbled, I know what im aiming to say but getting it out is a whole other task!
xxx
June 11, 2013 at 11:35 am
Personally Anna, I don’t get such symptoms but I wouldn’t put it past being Paroxetene related. I have been exceedingly lucky in coming off cold turkey after 12 years with only one mild side-affect remaining (tears at anything vaguely emotional) but as everyone has said, each individual body deals with this drug differently. Keep your chin up and stick in there 🙂
Chris
June 11, 2013 at 4:47 pm
I was on it for twenty years then tried to stop quickly resulting in horrendous withdrawals. Couldn’t go out for weeks as incapable of talking to anyone. Dry vomiting was the worst and bangs in my head. Went back on after three weeks of misery and now scared to try again.
Susan
June 11, 2013 at 6:44 pm
That sounds exactly right Louise, well done that’s what I’ll try next time.
June 13, 2013 at 9:01 pm
Hi Susan ive felt terrible for 15 months because i cold turkeyed didnt know any different was on 10mg and doctor said to me you can just stop at that dose id like to seee him try lol.Im 35 went on seroxat when i was 21 for anxiety/panic attacks what age did you start taking it was it for anxiety like me mate ? ;0)
June 14, 2013 at 3:38 pm
I did feel worse Karl.On the 1st day of taking I had a bad case of the squirts, I then spent two weeks asleep on the sofa. After two weeks I have the odd upset stomach, say once every 3 days but nothing like the first day. I certainly don’t feel ill just have to be very careful I don’t have any accidents LOL. I’m glad I went back on because now I am almost back to what I feel is my normal self. I see so much written on here and other sites that seroxat is a terrible drug etc but in my case it has been an absolute saviour for me, it really has. Maybe it only works for a few but luckily I seem to be one of the few.
June 14, 2013 at 6:14 pm
Karl I was 50 and am now almost 70 came off suddenly and had terrible withdrawals, I’ll never do that again. Back on citalopram now and feeling O.K but don’t like to think I have to be on something forever. I suppose I should be grateful that I feel O.K. again. Messes up women’s sex life though I don’t know about men. Makes orgasm bloody difficult. No-ones mentioned that yet.
June 18, 2013 at 12:39 pm
Hi Susan was it Seroxat you was taking for 20 years before Citalopram did you cut the Seroxat down before you took the Citalopram mate ;0)
June 18, 2013 at 12:46 pm
Cheers Paul i wondered how it made you feel going back on after being off it for seven months maybe you could try again in a year or so.Did you find your anxiety worse when you come off? and did it increase when you went back on it? because when i went back on it years ago when i tried to stop once before my anxiety was worse for a few days till it got in my system then i was okay again.Like you Paul it worked very well for me i was on it for bad anxiety/panic attacks etc mate and it did help me cope function etc without anxiety 24/7.Stay in touch Paul ;0)
June 18, 2013 at 4:41 pm
Hi Carl, yes it was seroxat I came off suddenly and tried for 3 weeks but felt terrible and scared my family with my depression and sickness. After three weeks my doctor put me on Citalopram which she said is easier to come off but I don’t intend to try for a while as I’m in a new relationship and very happy at the moment.
My doctor is nice but it would be good to find one who has been through seroxat her/himself. I don’t believe they have any idea what it’s like.
All the best Susan
June 18, 2013 at 10:19 pm
Hi Susan thanks for the reply so your not taking Seroxat now ? did you go on Citalopram 3 weeks after coming off Seroxat after 20 years? If you did glad the change over worked i know lots off people who have taken Citalopram and stopped it quite easily once they felt well think its alot safer than Seroxat ;0)
June 19, 2013 at 8:07 am
Thanks Karl, yes the change to Citalopram is working well. 3 week gap before stopping seroxat and taking citalopram. Will try to come off that one day but not just yet. Hope you are right. Good Luck.
July 30, 2013 at 2:43 pm
Hi, after 8 years on Seroxat (30 mg per day) I have made the decision to start withdrawing. My doctor would keep me on it forever and I have started to get unwell with sympoms that a locum GP was certain were down to the length of time I had been taking the drug. So Iv dropped down to 25 mg, im aiming to go to 20 mg in two weeks and then level out on that for a month, then 15, then 10, then 5, then 0….. iv missed doses a few times and im dreading feeling like that again. But i know itl be worth it to be drug free for the first time in my adult life. x
July 31, 2013 at 6:45 pm
Good luck! I am reducing slowly from 20mg a day which I was on for about 6 years, I am reducing slower than the 4 weekly dose change but hopefully will get through it!
August 1, 2013 at 6:41 pm
well its been three days on 25mg…. havent stopped sweating and I have really painful pins and needles in my hands but other than that its actually been a lot more bearable than I thought it would be. hope your doing okay xx
August 19, 2013 at 11:17 am
I am on 5mg now and think I will stay on this for a good while before reducing again. I am taking the liquid suspension and find it does make me feel a bit nauseous. I have also noticed I am more anxious and have a general low mood but I am just about managing by trying to keep well in other ways, ie going to keep fit.
August 28, 2013 at 9:09 pm
Day 12 of my withdrawal I’m on 30 then 20 every other day it hit me today , feeling sick , bad tummy , the loud noise thing Agitation generally feeling g crap but I will march on and be positive as I an be
August 29, 2013 at 8:28 pm
I have switched from the liquid to the tablets as the liquid suspension made my tummy feel nauseous. I am now half a 10mg tablet everyday and no more nausea feeling! Think I will stay on this 5mg for two months until maybe reducing again.
October 29, 2013 at 9:38 pm
Have been taking Paroxetine for nearly 3 years now. Originally 40mg. Feb 2012 I cut to 20mg but ended up signed off work and had to go back to 40mg. Managed to reduce to 20mg over a period of 4 months alternating \ reducing doses. Now am trying to get off the final 20 mg using the liquid, reducing 0.5ml (1mg) a week. All was going well , only real symptoms were the dreams, until I hit 6ml 10 days or so ago. It’s been hell. Mood swings, crying, dizziness, headaches, nausea, exhaustion, inability to concentrate. Doctor has advised to increase back to 6.5ml, stabilise, then start reducing by 0.25ml each time. I’m trying to come off of this horrible drug in order to try for another baby, but it feels like I’m trapped and will be stuck on it forever. What if there’s a point 0.25ml reductions stop working, how long will this ever take? And with all this hell now, I’m as afraid of who I’ll be without it as I am stuck on it.
November 1, 2013 at 7:17 am
Your Doctor sounds like he (or she) knows what he’s doing… just take it slow and take as long as you need to stabilise before you try the next reduction. You’ll manage it OK – it’ll just take time!
Good luck
February 12, 2014 at 6:44 pm
Have hit another barrier as I feared. Same % drop has hit me, this time going from 3ml to 2.75ml. But this is so much worse this time. Am more depressed than I have ever felt, feel like I’m hollow and have lost all motivation. And have bad headaches so much of the time I’m living on IbuProfen and Paracetomol, anything I can.
February 12, 2014 at 8:13 pm
Just stay calm – you’re going the right way and making progress. It’s not depression, it’s seroxat withdrawal and it will pass. Take as much time as you need to stabilise at this level… it can be difficult at this level but you will do it.
I took a long time when I got here – don’t hurry, don’t put pressure on yourself. You will win. I know it!
All the best.
November 11, 2013 at 12:09 pm
I have been taking Seroxat (20mg) for a few months now for post-natal depression. I was originally prescribed fluoxetine, but was switched to Seroxat after a month at my review when the doctor informed me I shouldn’t have been given Fluoxetine as I am still breast-feeding. I ran out of tablets and missed my appointment, so have missed two tablets. A doctor is going to call me to prescribe over the phone, but I am shocked at how bad I feel! I am stuck in work, I feel dizzy, sick, I have tummy pains, I am feeling wired, confused, manic. I think I should ask to come off the tablets but I am still waiting for my CBT to come through. It feels crazy to need a tablet to feel ‘normal’ but when you miss it feel like this! I honestly don’t know where to start.
May 22, 2014 at 8:10 am
My GP’s surgery made a mistake and discontinued my Seroxat prescription after I’d ordered it online. By the time the pharmacist had worked out what had happened it was the weekend and I’d run out. It took my GP’s surgery until Tuesday to give me a new prescription and I’d missed 4 days by then. I had to speak to three different reception staff and did my best to tell them how urgent it was (in between bursting into tears!) but they didn’t have a clue about Seroxat withdrawal. I’ve written a letter of complaint to the Practice Manager suggesting they sort their online prescription system out and train their reception staff about Seroxat. Although I’m back taking the tablets it will take me weeks to be back to normal and I’ve had to cancel everything I had to do this week. I’m so angry – no-one has apologised.
June 30, 2014 at 1:19 pm
I went with out paxil for 3 days then four days I have been on it for 7 years I was turning into a NUT case// rage// leg cramps /// hard to speak // dreams /// panic attacks /// I have PPH So I already have panic attacks from that .. I need to get off this crazy drug ..
July 7, 2014 at 8:52 am
I do know how you feel. I was taking seroxat for 20 years, I missed three days and thought I will try and stay off. A big mistake I had the most horrendous withdrawals including panic, banging in my head and continuous dry vomiting til my ribs ached. I ended up in a walk in centre where the doctor said I could have killed myself. I asked Doctor to change to another SSRI and am now taking citilipran. With the help of liquid citiipran and slow reduction I am down to 10 mls and no ill effects so far. Will stay on this for a few months and then try and reduce further. Good luck to any one else trying to come off the awful seroxat.
September 26, 2014 at 12:48 pm
Hi can someone tell me how long it takes for the withdrawl symptoms to go!! I have been on paxil for nearly 6 months (30mg), dropped to (20mg) about 2 months ago and then to (10mg), I gradually cut down about 3 weeks ago, with 2 days ago been the last dose! I have felt shocking for over a week, head zaps and hear like a buzzing, my heart jumps every 2 mins! sweats, shivers, headaches, toilet troubles and nausea..always tired and don’t feel with it at all!!….will these horrendous feelings go completely?? unbearable 😦
January 26, 2015 at 9:31 pm
I am in the 5th week of weaning off Paxil. The thing that scared me the most was the brain zaps/zings. Wow. Those were constant for 4 weeks. Scary. I am feeling much better now. Glad I got off those monster pills. I had only been on them 4.5 months.
January 26, 2015 at 9:42 pm
I can’t believe Docs still prescribe Paxil. Good luck Suzanne.
April 12, 2015 at 6:12 pm
I was taking Paxil between 2010-2011 (THE WORST TIME OF MY LIFE) I tried to commit suicide on many occasions, sometimes I was at home and then suddenly I found myself in a different place, not knowing how did I get there, sometimes I found myself in a stream of water shouting SOMEONE HELP! I was losing my mind, physically and mentally, I have began to experience, sleepless nights, I was fainting often, once I have been found on a rail tracks, luckily the driver saw me before running over me! Sometimes I was just waking up in the hospital not knowing what happened. I got in trouble with neighbors, couldn’t control myself, I felt like I didn’t feel anything, like I was existing but not living.
The worst that I have experienced while taking Paxil, I lost my wife! My dearest sweetest wife! after a year being on drugs, she couldn’t stand it anymore, and decided to divorce me! Then the hell broke lose! I had suicide attempts before, but after the divorce the thought of dying was the only thought I had on my mind! I LOST EVERYTHING! I had to be under surveillance 24hrs 7 days a week, my family kept an eye on me, cause all I wanted to do was to die, so I tried grabbing knives and cut my throat, tried to consume sleeping pills (bunch of them), tried to jump from the bridge, all this while still taking PAXIL.
Another extremely bad time was when I decided to stop taking this POISON! I was decreasing the amount of intakes, until I got to the point that I was taking a tiny bit of the tablet I would say 1/12 of the tablet, couldn’t go lower anymore, so decided to stop taking at all… 1 day had passed and I have began to feel extremely ILL, to the point I felt like my body was on fire, I was sweating in my bed like pig, I was mumbling something caused by extreme and intense pain. Literally it felt like someone was burning me, I never felt in sooo much pain like I did back then! I was screaming I want to die, because the pain was unbearable it took 1 WEEK and a half, for the side effects to subside, thought it was not over!
I suffer from Myoclonus thought it’s not as frequent as it was before, but still I do have some random muscle moves. For a long time even now still once a while I have this feeling like I am suddenly falling down, even though I am standing firmly on my feet! These you can get used to, and I did, however there is something that I cannot get used to and cannot forget! MY WIFE! We never had any arguments, we were crazy in love with each other, we couldn’t spend a day away from each other! For me it was perfect marriage! I was waiting patiently to find this one special girl, as people say 1 in a million, for me she was 1 in a trillion! Since the day I met her, I haven’t found anyone as sweet as her! I met many nice women, but the memory is still there, few days ago I had a dream, when I met my ex-wife though she was a married women, I woke up and began crying! Asking myself what I did in my life to lose all I dreamed of???
I was raised christian, but since my wife asked me to divorced I began hating GOD, I don’t even know if he existed in a first place, but all I was taught as a child, now I despise! Many sleepless nights, months spent on crying! I still cry once a while when I have these dreams, or when I suddenly see my ex-wife pictures, some that I misplaced and forgot to remove! MY LIFE BECAME HELL WHEN TAKING PAXIL!!!! I was looking for any lawyers to help me sue GlaxoSmithKline but all of them turn back on me, probably due to the fact it was just me, I wish I could find other people who went through hell because of that medicine, and then we could sue them together, it would be a bigger chance! To be compensated for what they have done to our life and the damage their POSION made. I know nobody can make my ex-wife to fall in love with me again! But at least the money I could receive as a compensation could help to start a new life, I could take some long break travel around the world maybe, try to get rid of the memories, or I could buy a small house somewhere and have quiet peaceful life…
The hell I went through was enormous, and I do not wish my worst enemy to go through the same! As for today I am free from the drug, but still experiencing side effects, since I stop taking PAXIL, I still cannot feel happiness that I felt before, I do sometimes play games, I do sometimes go out with friends, but I cannot feel that enjoyment I could before, I cannot feel at peace as I did before, the medicine must have changed my brain in some way, that I am unable to feel happy…
June 12, 2021 at 5:30 pm
I really feel for you .im in the same situation alone my partner told me he had fallen out of love with me as i wasnt the same person anymore i cannot express my feelings .afraid to speak out or enjoy life anymore
I
August 8, 2015 at 1:05 am
Please be aware of these side effects, I’ve just expire envied a lot of them as the weeks progressed….PLEASE speak to your doctor, do it proberly…. These side effects are aweful… Get help your never alone… So never sit in silence.
August 8, 2015 at 1:26 am
I just experienced the most terrible gee weeks by not taking these pills….the feelings you feel are bad…I can’t EMPHASISE enough please let dr and professionals help…I’ve been on these pills for years stopped with help from dr….but then I took not well again… This time a thought… Och don’t need them….your fine…..trust me your not. Please talk to your gp thanks
September 17, 2015 at 6:30 pm
[…] stonewalling. The researchers had the difficulties, not GSK, and those harmed by Seroxat have had more difficulties that Bernadette could ever imagine. Furthermore, what Bernadette fails to mention is- this study was re-interpreted by the researchers […]
October 13, 2015 at 8:49 pm
[…] I’m just one individual damaged by one GSK medication (and their failure to warn me of side effects) but there there are countless consumers of GSK products damaged and harmed on a global […]
November 11, 2015 at 1:30 pm
Having been on Deroxat or similar drugs probably longer than most people ( over 20 years) – I am68- and having tried 3 times unsuccessfully to rid myself of this HORRENDOUS drug – I finally turned to a very experienced acupuncturist at the recommendation of a friend in Romania.
The doctor concerned ( a medically qualified practitioner) is 76 years of age and has practiced acupuncture for about 45 years – and is dedicated to helping people with all sorts of problems that need a new approach.
He took me on with confidence 2 weeks ago, and told me that it will take 2 months of treatment with 1 or more hours each day of acupuncture 6 days a week – but that he is confident he can get me off the drug and back to a normal existance, which may need 2 weeks of treatment again after 6-9 months.
I had reduced down from 80 mgs !!!!! yes 80mgs over 5 years -and was ” stuck” at 20mgs. I tried 3 times to reduce to zero-but below 10mgs the withdrawl effects crept in and I had to go back to10 mgs to have an “existance” that was tolerable.
The Romanian doctor “took me on” at a point where I was trying yet again to get down from 10mgs to 5 and then taper off. That was 12 days ago and 10 treatments to date ( tuesday 10th November 2015).
He told me to expect some reaction from a rapid reduction – but that he COULD successfully treat me both for the withdrawal effects and any recurring depression ( which was why I started on the drugs in the first place) – after my partner tried to stab me and forced me to abandon my home and young children, and then a series of crisis on my personal life over a period of 15 years.
The acupuncturist told me TO quickly taper off and STOP THE 5MGS!! so that he could treat me free of drugs – But to be prepared for a reaction that he could also treat. And NOT to be alone. My son-in-law who is a consultant Psychiatrist in uk also said that at 5 mgs I shold stop if I had alternative treatmrnt to rely on .
So I stopped the Deroxat treatment completely!!!!! ( 5 days ago)
The reaction was VERY VIOLENT! Here is the mail I sent to my daughter a Consultant in the NHS:-
****************
have decided to stop the last 5 mgs and just plough through the next few days/weeks as best I can to try and finally get off this drug. I talked to the doctor here and he told me to keep going but not to be alone at any time until the situation improves. My treatment today has helped a little.
Last evening and night were the most terrifying and horrifying 15 HOURS experience in my entire lifetime – absolute panic as to how I would get through the night till morning. This drug should NEVER be prescribed or sold. It is suposed to do good but I can understand people committing suicide as a result of withdrawl effects. Had I been on a cliff I would certainly have jumped off at 5 am this morning. My body was burning hot on the skin, but I was shivering and trembling uncontrolably and felt freezing cold inside. My head was spinning uncontrolably so I could not walk across the room, I had throbbing in my ears, and my skull felt as if it was being crushed in a huge vice. My hands were shaking so I could not even put a cup of tea to my lips without spilling it!
I am hoping that perhaps that last night was the lowest points, of withdrawl, and that the slight improvement I feel after 2 hours of treatment today is the upward path. My session of acupuncture today relieved ENORMOUSLY the symptoms. Yes I still have water sloshing in my head, a very heavy headach that does not respond to 1000mgs of paracetamol. I feel “crap” inside and not anywhere near myself. BUT – the fact is that I am convinced that the treatment will now reduce and cure the withdrawl effects and SO IS THE DOCTOR.
ONLY TIME WILL TELL.
However bad I feel with depression in the years ahead I will NEVER take any medication again. I am quite strong mentally despite my life, but last night pushed me WAY over the limit of my ability to resist. Just a good job it was in a room and not on a cliff! !
I am considering getting together a “class action” law suit against the manufacturers by soliciting other people over internet. It seems to me that the horrifying effects of even controlled withdrawl cannot be justified. This drug is a danger to certain people and HAS to be withdrawn from the market. I cannot understand HOW it is still possible to prescribe it.
*****************
Perhaps this approach will help other sufferers to try another way of coping with this “killer drug”.
I will write again in a few weeks when I have some idea of my progress. In the meantime I would be interested to know if other “sufferers” have thought about starting a ” class action” legal process – if that is posdible with the diverse manufacturers/suppliers of this awful substance.
I survived last night but that was pure circimstances. OTHERS MAY NOT!!
CHARLES
November 24, 2015 at 10:14 pm
Hi Charles I gave up over 3 and a half years ago and still suffering every day still get brain zaps here and there and have terrible physical and mental symptoms I never had in my life it is hell most off the time but I refuse to ever take any ssri medication again I currently take nothing and have lost all trust in doctors. I do not feel the same person after this drug it has ruined me making me 1000 times worse than I ever was before taking it. Google Bob fiddaman and fortitude law for info about litigation going ahead in uk against GSK for the people they have harmed with there defective drug. Another good website is risk databased medicines run by Dr David Healy an expert on ssris
November 26, 2015 at 10:46 am
Hi. There a totally agree Charles I would never ever take seroxat again I’m 37 and stopped the way I’m meant to and the zaps are still in Ma head sometime through my body….I wished I never touched them but where only ones that worked. Thanks for comments left as it helps me knowing other people are feeling this as mad n sad as that sounds Thankyou
May 21, 2016 at 12:36 pm
Paroxetin Electrical Withdrawal Zapps THIS HELPS!!!
The following has been inspired by the research by Dr P. Haggard (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960982215002249) and has worked wonders for me and I really wish for it to work just as well for you!
Next time when an electrical withdrawal zapp starts to zipp through your body, cross your fingers as fast as you can (like when you do for luck). It should stop the zapp in its tracks.
Please let me know whether it worked for you!
July 8, 2016 at 1:41 am
How long were you taking Paxel.
Our sister has been on it 3 weeks and is no longer on it, but she is experiencing most of the symptoms you mention.
We pray these symptoms will not be permanent.
Than you for sharing tjis information.
Wishing you good health.
July 11, 2016 at 1:24 pm
I was on them for a long time but kept stopping them, not a lot of people on here agreed with me, but I know how exactly your sisters feeling, please tell her from me these took at least 3/4 weeks for the side affects to leave me..I still think about how I felt when I was on them, if your sister not feeling better soon please speak to your doctor, Good health and best wishes.
August 26, 2016 at 7:40 am
How long did the brain shocks last for everyone else?
August 26, 2016 at 7:42 am
How long will the brain zaps last?
August 31, 2016 at 6:27 am
They last about 2 weeks, they get less and less! Horrible and I empathise with you, but they do go altogether thankfully!
August 31, 2016 at 6:57 am
I would love to be able to say they lasted only 2 weeks but I had an horrific time coming off this drug and I had to lower my dose using the liquid version extremely slowly. It took me a good 18months to get off it and I suffered with horrendous side effects through this time and for some months afterwards. The good news is that it does go…eventually. You are not going crazy and in my case my original symptoms were not returning – as my gp loved to say! They were constantly trying to get me to take other drugs during my withdrawal from Seroxat. It is sad that I lost a good few years to this drug but it is an amazing feeling once you have beaten it and you have your own mind back. You can do it, I promise you but it will be hard. Exercise, eat well and don’t put yourself in stressful situations. Take a really good multivitamin too and omega 3,6 and 9. I wish you the very best and hope that your journey coming off seroxat is a faster process than mine. I had been on it for many years. Sending strength and positivity.
August 31, 2016 at 7:16 am
I had brain zapps for about a week.
THIS HELPED ME ENORMOUSLY
Crossing your fingers (as you do for luck) stops the zapps. It stops them in their tracks. Cross your fingers as soon as the zapp starts. It worked wonders for me.
Please let me know if it worked for you!
All the best,
M
September 4, 2016 at 4:12 pm
I’ve never recovered and have had brain zaps off and on for over four years worry I’ll never get better apart from the insomnia lifting after two years off I feel left maimed. Every day is hell I actually pray every night I will get better I have lost hope haven’t taken any pills since will never trust doctors ever again.
January 8, 2017 at 7:55 pm
Wow, thanks to all of you who shared. I had viral meningitis back in April of 2014, serious stuff but thank God it was not bacterial! 5 months after onset I saw a neurologist due to the damage done by the mennigitus, vision cognitive and no energy. As a mid 50’s male I was type A 60-70 hour worker with boundless energy and drive. The neurologist suggested Paxil as a tool to help with drive and energy. Sure wish I would have done some research ! Took 20mg for a while then took myself down to 10. Cold turkey just over 2 weeks.
Almost 3 years later I’m done. I was a zombie. Great erections but no way to finish. Well I’m feeling again. An electric eel in my head, ain’t that special, headaches insomnia and I am a bit irritable. (Little humor) I’m committed to my course and reading about the people who are dealing with this has been a great motivator.
January 18, 2017 at 1:04 pm
I have been off now by 8 months fro. Paxil . it was doctors advice to stop in 15 days .. Idiots call them doctor and first thing they do is stopping the questions from patients by convincing patients to stop go over net .. and then trust them .
This trust has ate me .. from brilliance to nothing now. Anger in voice all the time , so being mum is the only option.
This is hell India where doctors are treated God.
August 28, 2017 at 5:19 pm
Thats very much helping, thank you so much i have been on ssri seroxate cr since last four years n last time met my doc was around two years ago every time i see him i use to say him i want leave this meds but he insiat you should take it till i say n then i stop going to him and tried many time myself to stop taking it but withdrawl effects are horrible i have tried too many times but always failed and started again n again tommorow i will go to another doc for consultation.
October 20, 2017 at 10:52 am
I still cannot digest how these drugs are still legal!! Everyone should be forced to watch Generation Rx and Letters from Generation Rx.
September 20, 2018 at 7:14 pm
I have a question!
I’ve been on Paxil for about 4 years and then recognized that this drug is not really helping me. I was beginning to feel bad again so i decided to talk to my doctor and he said lets try something else.So he said come of the drug in two weeks ( I was on 20mg) and then switch to escitalopram. Well and there the problems began! So I “tapered” off in only two weeks and switched to escitalopram. I was feeling absolutley horrible! way worse than before taking any paroxetin at all. I took the Escitalopram for 3 month ( feeling really bad the whole time) and decided to come back to paroxetine. But nothing changed. I was still feeling really really bad ( Massive anxiety, depression, sick stomach, panick attacks, tinnitus, severe headache,…,…) Then the doctor said come off paroxetine again and start taking Agomelatine (Valdoxan) so I did. “tapering” off it in only two weeks again (yes, studpid) so now the valdoxan is doing nothing at all and I feel like shit. Thinking about swithing to fluoxetine to hopefully stabelize and then when stabelized, properly tapering off long time. Anyone did something like that or any advice?
PS: sorry for the maybe not so perfect english! cheers
September 21, 2018 at 8:19 am
Dear Jens
First you need to think do you really need the medications or not. If it necessary to go to medications be assure that no medicine would bring you back to your original state. Read about the medications before you take them. Seroxat is good medications when you adjust the dose correctly but coming out of it is so difficult. Don’t keep changing your medications this would make your life so miserable. If you are not using any medications take my advice don’t use it again try exercising and use natural supplements instead try this for sometimes and see how it works. Sometimes what you feel is either withdrawal symptoms or side effects of the medications you are using
Wishing you a good luck
September 24, 2020 at 2:52 pm
Please keep in touch and let me know how u go on
I’ve been on these paroxetine seroxat since 1984 after I lost my son .didnt know what they were giving me but told it was a short term drug now in 2020 and carnt get off them .tryed several times e even sertraline but eventually had to go back on the paroxetine .
I have no hope of coming off them now ..
I get very angry my moods are terrible. Family dont understand I’m now in my late 70s and alone now .so I get scared .
Keep fighting it hope you succeed .bless u
June 12, 2021 at 5:03 pm
I have been on seroxat now or 42 years plus
Since ilost my young son.
I know i shall be on these now for the rest of my life . the effects its had on my life .as been nothing short of a living hell.
I have no life .im depressed anxious with no confidence.
Ive tryed so hard to leave them off .cutting down slowly ..until i carnt take anymore .and find myself going back on the full dose .
Ive had suicidal thoughs.and long periods of nervous breakdowns .
I was told twas a short term drug .6 months at the most .due them causing long term problems ..it was overlooked
And eventully it was put on repeated
Precription .never reveiwed even
now..just repeated medication
These have certainly taken my life away
And i hope oneday the company whos
Responsible .for these drugs will be bought to justice .
Im now 79 years of age.
Yours sincerely joanna
June 14, 2021 at 4:20 pm
So sorry to hear your story Jo.