Paxil / Paroxetine

[ky?]

I began taking this last year in september at my doctor's request. He told me it was safe, and when I asked about withdrawal symptoms he told me they were mild (and I believed him).

However, the more I read about Paxil (Paroxetine), the more I start to believe that this drug is going to end up doing more harm than good for me...

I do not wish to go through withdrawals again ... when I went coldturkey from GBL, that was the worst few weeks of my entire life -- I had 3 panic attacks and couldn't sleep for about 4 days. I ended up calling my mother because I thought I was dieing and needed an ambulance

So, what is the best course of action? as I said, I've only been taking it for 5 months, but I want to cut out this crap before it becomes an issue. I will be going back to my doctor next week to discuss this with him, but he will probably just tell me that paxil is 100% safe like he did before...

Are there any better alternatives to Paxil for coping with social anxiety & depression?

 

[AfterGlow]

Mirtazapine worked well for me. There are no withdrawals like you get from SSRIs. But your appetite goes way up and it is sedating. I don't think ANY psychoactive is without some negative side affects.

Have you considered psychotherapy? No matter what drug you take, you wont want to stay on it forever. You'll have to learn how to cope. If you can do that without drugs, you're better off. If you need drugs, make sure you use them to make it easier to learn how to deal with anxiety and not to avoid it.

 

[Cane2theLeft]

If you gradually taper, withdrawals can be mitigated substantially... if its helping you, physical dependence shouldn't be a problem unless you have to worry about getting abruptly cut off and this rarely happens with non-recreational medications.

There are lots of different ways to manage social anxiety and depression pharmacologically and otherwise.

I think this is better suited for healthy living so we'll try it over there but if it doesn't fit here, perhaps TDS?



--->HL

 

[PriestTheyCalledHim]

Talk to your doctor about tapering the dose and going off of it. A friend of mine was on Paxil and when he wanted to stop taking it he did this and it worked for him.

Whatever you do, do not go off of it cold turkey. I have friends who found that Paxil did help them when they were depressed, suicidal, or having daily panic attacks but some of them wanted to stop taking it and thought they could do it cold turkey and were able to get off of it by tapering down and they did not get the brain zaps and dizziness and nausea that happened when they just stopped cold turkey.

Therapy, especially cognitive behavioral therapy can help people who have issues with anxiety/panic and social anxiety. Some people find it helpful but some don't. Meditation, exercise, eating right, and talking yourself down or just going with anxiety/panic can work for some.

Forcing yourself to go out of your way to talk to people or do things socially that you do not want to do at all can work with social anxiety but everyone's different. I know people who have it who took acting classes or public speaking classes and this helped them.

 

[Regenesis2]

There's a website with a forum devoted to this called paxilprogress.org or .com I think.
^so Overdone did you go back on it or are you off? did your symptoms get better?