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Tips for tapering off Paxil (paroxetine)


Altostrata

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For information, called GSK France today, they said they don't have any official information about a discontinuation of the oral suspension here, nor anything about if and when the product would be back in stock.

December 2020 : got prescribed 20 mg paroxetine (paxil) for an anxiety disorder

Tried tapering in July 2021 by taking 20 mg every other day and failed.

 

Started tapering with the 10% method in January 2022 and switched to an oral suspension. 20 mg = 10 ml

Turned out to be a bit hard. Continuing with 5% drops approx.

 

25 January 2022 : 9 ml / 24 February 2022 : 8,1 ml / 06 April 2022 : 7,3 ml / 2 June 2022 : 7 ml / 11 July 2022 : 6,5 ml / 09 August 2022 : 6,3 ml / 26 August 2022 : 6 ml / 18 Septembre 2022 : 5,8 ml / 17 December 2022 : 5,7 ml / 04 January 2023 : 5,6 / 17 January 2023 : 5,5

 

Xanax from december 2020 to January 2021 / Omeprazol on and off for GERD since december 2020 : 20 mg / Birth control pill since february 2021.

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  • 2 months later...
On 11/10/2020 at 12:39 AM, ChessieCat said:

  

  Rachelina posted this elsewhere:

 

Diluting concentrated Paxil liquid:

 

 

 

Thats a great post. They've told me too that paxil liquid solution for some just doesnt work and actually isn't tested for tapering. This might be the reason.@Rachelinacan you tell me how exactly it is that you dilute the liquid? 

  • 45 years old male
  • job in spatial planning
  • into sports, animals and nature
  • Started using 20 mg Paroxetine (Paxil) in 2004 for stressrelated anxiety/depression
  • Attempted several times to stop, starting a few years after 2004
  • Found out in 2015 about paxil withdrawal symptoms and the 5-10% taper guideline
  • Started using liquid paxil in 2015/2016
  • 2018 --> 11.2 mg of paxil
  • 2019-2023 developed severe food- and other sensitivities (anti imflammatory, anti oxidant, food colourings, oils, herbs, chemicals etc.)
  • 12/2023 Poop-out/tolerance, introducing brassmonkey slide method 0.1mg/week
  • 26/1/2024 10 mg (journey halfway).
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  • 8 months later...

Hey fellow Paxil users. 
What is the half life of this drug and went dies everyone feel
the effect of a drop. I'm trying to figure out a pattern for me and I haven't been able to see a pattern yet. 

  • 1995 started Paxil 20mg slowly increasing to 50mg 2014 I decided to tapper myself not knowing how too and crashed , DR added 50mg of Seroquel

  • Through the years made many mistakes tapering

  • Started Tapering Both drugs at the same time 7.5% per month Paxil 9% Seroquel doing daily micro-taper 

  • Guided by Mark Horowitz

  • 31/3/24 Paxil 10.31mg

  • 31/3/24 Seroquel 9.9mg

 

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  • 2 months later...

Does anyone know if the paxil pills are consistent in amount of paxil contained? For example, because the pills can vary in weight slightly (1 10mg of my paxil pills may vary in total pill weight from 116mg to 123mg), can I crush them and then taper from an average so that every time I am taking tapering by exactly the same amount?

Otherwise if I taper by 1% which is only a few mg of total pill weight, there may be days when I'm trying to taper off a pill that weights 116mg and I'm actually not tapering the amount I need to since that starting weight is lower than the average. 

Went on/off various SSRIs and ability/latuda for several years (no issues)

Feb 2021 - 40mg paxil

Feb 2022: Tapered to 30mg paxil w/ 20mg prozac 

Mar 2022: Tapered to 20 mg paxil w/ 20mg prozac

Last week of Mar 2022: Tapered to 10mg paxil w/ 20mg prozac

Apr 10, 2022: Last day of paxil; still taking 20mg prozac

Apr 22-Jun 4 - Bump to 40mg prozac with 50mg trazadadone

Jun 27: Paxil reinstatement of 20mg with 50mg trazadone (no prozac)

Jul 11: Bumped to 30mg paxil with 50mg trazadone

Jul 28: Bumped to 40mg paxil with 50mg trazadone

Aug 27: 40mg paxil with 50 mg trazadone 

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8 hours ago, chevalier said:

Does anyone know if the paxil pills are consistent in amount of paxil contained? For example, because the pills can vary in weight slightly (1 10mg of my paxil pills may vary in total pill weight from 116mg to 123mg), can I crush them and then taper from an average so that every time I am taking tapering by exactly the same amount?

Otherwise if I taper by 1% which is only a few mg of total pill weight, there may be days when I'm trying to taper off a pill that weights 116mg and I'm actually not tapering the amount I need to since that starting weight is lower than the average. 

@chevalier Hi, I'm new to the forum, longtime Paxil user. It is a very interesting point you're raising about the containts of each pill.

Recently I started feeling signs of taper, but without changing my dose that has had me stable the last 7 years or so.

(Lowered mood overall, intense anxiety, panic anxiety, muscle spasms, tremor, pain and stiffness lower back and 'kidney-area'...)

 

Contacted the manufacturer here in EU. They maintain they have strict control.

 

I do not KNOW what caused my loss of effect, but what I felt was excactly the same as when I tried a taper 10 years ago.

The point with varying weight/containts of each pill is crucial (I have read about many who done taper, splitting pills with razorblades and what not)

I assume you have a sensitive scale as you are down to 1000's of a gram (I know how 'disliked' grams/kilograms are 'over there' *wink wink*)

No patient should ever be forced to be his own pharmacist down to the milligram.

Diagnosed Panic Attacks around 1998.

Cipramil initially.

Seroxat/Paxil 40mg/day from 1999 - - -> 2014

(1 short test of Effexor around 2008, unsuccessful taper around 2014)

2015 - - - > 2022: 25mg/day Seroxat/Paxil

2023: upped dose to 30mg/day Seroxat/Paxil to cope.

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  • 4 months later...

Anyone had problems going onto Extine (Paroxetine manufacturer change) such as headaches/head pain? Thanks

1998(approx.) 20mg Paroxetine, 1998 -2015  various unsuccessful tapers, 2015 app 6 month taper to 0, 2015 approx 6 months later reinstated  original brand after debilitating neurological delayed WD symptoms. Made worse after surgery.2023 Famotidine, Cetirizine, New Generic, muscle relaxer.  March/April19th June, 2023 - 23rd July, 2023: Paroxetine Dosage reduced from 20mg to 15mg (on 15mg for 35 days), no significant symptoms.

24th July, 2023 - 26th July, 2023: Paroxetine Dosage reduced from 15mg to 12.5mg (on 12.5mg for 3 days), no significant symptoms.

27th July, 2023 - 3rd September, 2023: Paroxetine Dosage reduced from 12.5mg to 10mg (on 10mg for 39 days), no significant symptoms.

4th September, 2023 - 15th September, 2023: Paroxetine Dosage reduced from 10mg to 5mg i.e. 10mg every other day (on 5mg for 12 days), although not noted, must have experienced some symptoms, as I  decided to return to previous 10mg dosage on the 16th September.

16th September, 2023 - 25th November, 2023: Dosage increased from 5mg to 10mg i.e. 10mg every day (on 10mg for 71 days), symptoms start dates: Late September sweating, shaking and right side upper back pain., 5th October 23: Upper back pain worsening,21st Oct 23: Night time symptoms: insomnia, nausea, sweats, headaches, some anxiety (predominantly in the mornings)27th Oct 23 admitted to hospital with 1st hypertensive crisis with severe frontal headache  (now suspected of withdrawal ) BP 225/115.   Admitted twice more with high BP . Doctors at a loss for cause.  Given anti nausea, anti anxiety and sleeping tabs in hospital. . 1st Nov 23: , heart palpitations, some anxiety.. 7th Nov 23: Anxiety was now becoming more frequent (not severe)26th November, 2023 Dosage increased from 10mg to 20mg possibly first time taking 20 mg of Extine, new manufacturer.  3rd Dec 23 - 18th Dec, 23: Started taking 7.5mg - 15mg of Oxazepam when anxiety became unbearable only took 8 in total now stopped. Symptoms now more severe have head pain rather than headache. .Electrical shocks through body overnight accompanied by head pain. Sheer terror,. Sore eyes. 23rd Dec 23: All symptoms remain the same i.e. severe except for the last 2 days where my anxiety levels have not been as severe/ extreme and somewhat manageable (later in the day).22 Jan 24 Have some windows now but still suffering from all day head pain, upper back pain, waking up inner restlessness and terror , nausea, intermittent feelings of fear and wake up 12.30 am every morning  and sometimes up to 3 times a night with weird tingling down arms and back, pounding heart head pain and nausea.  2nd March 24, head pain/eye pain everyday and all day and & night wake ups.. Mild Akathisia early morning,, upper back pain, sweats. Anxiety much better.  21st April 24, drop 2.25% drop to 19.5 mg to test help with head /eye nerve pain and new symptom tinnitus.

 

 

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