Success Stories Tapering off Paxil

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Hi All,

I just wanted to ask and I know this is kind of a personal question but has anyone who has been on the antidepressant Paxil (Paroxetine) been able to get off it successfully? I am getting very desperate to get off. Somes sites I've seen said it takes months to years to properly taper off. I am on a low dose of 25 mg but the withdrawal effects are really difficult for me. I've tried to stupidly stop cold turkey several times and have gotten severe bloating, electric zaps, heart palpitations and chest pain. I've tried to taper off under the care of my primary care Doctor but haven't been successful. There are methods out there like hyperbolic tapering that looks promising but finding a Doctor that's onboard with it and understands the method is difficult to find.

There is a Taper Clinic out in California that looks promising but is very expensive. It's ran by Dr. Josef Witt-Doering. I am still researching to see what other places may be out there. I am just curious though if anybody has ever been able to get off it successfully. My biggest mistake was taking my former Psychiatrist's advice to get back on it after being off it on another antidepressant knowing that if I wanted to taper off, it would be next to impossible. It's one of the most difficult antidepressants to come off next to some SNRI's like Effexor. It's helpful though to hear stories where people have came off it. It gives me some hope.

I did the thing where I tried most of the SSRIs for a while. I did have some zaps, confusion, and insomnia coming off of one of them, but I can't remember which. It wasn't that bad, and I'm a big baby about side effects. Btw, I hated SSRIs in general.

I just got off of Wellbutrin after about a year at 150mg. It took about 3-4 weeks to taper off. I don't think I noticed much except maybe some increased depression or dissociation...hell if I know. I laid down feeling and doing nothing more than usual. Nothing else, really. I'm free-handing mood now. Can't be a cowboy in the Wild West taking mood pills, partner. <spits into a can while giving you the side eye>

Thank you for sharing I really would like to be off them. I've never known what it's like to be completely off since I was 13. I worry about the long-term cognitive effects. I'm glad you were able to get through them ok. I am thinking I might need to get onto another antidepressant that's easier to get off and taper off that. The disassociation side effects can be disconcerting. I hate it whenever I get it. You feel like you are not in reality. I hope I can one day be free but don't know if I can make it through withdrawal. I love your last line

You're welcome!

The dissociation is part of the withdrawals?? That makes sense because they come in waves. Woahhh. Good to know. I'll try to override them instead of accepting them as real info to consider that I might be missing something and then start getting suspicious.

Being on antidepressants for that long then coming off of them can be scary because of the unknown. I can see why you're worried about it. I didn't know there were SSRIs that are easier to come off of, but I think I remember reading that Paxil is the strongest acting on serotonin of the SSRIs, followed by Zoloft.

Have you talked to your prescribing doctor about it? Maybe they have some ideas that can help reduce the withdrawals.

Thank you!