Need help/ support- paxil withdrawal

[TalkToMeNow]

I hope this is the right place... I'm not exactly post-partum... my dd is 21 months and I'm pregnant with #2. Which is the reason I am coming off paxil. I halved my dose last week and began going to every other day yesterday, all on the advice of my dr. I feel horrible. I am shaky, dizzy, numb and tingly, have diarreah, feel like puking, feel like I'm going to pass out, etc, not to mention the mental crap to go along with this. I am not being a good mom right now. And I've read this may go on for weeks! Anyone have some advice, experience? I feel like I'm coming off heroin or something, not an antidepressant!! I literally was shaking this morning as I was gnawing into my bubble pack thingy trying to get the pill out. And I totally yelled at my daughter for interrupting me! Plus, I was hysterical most of the day. What kind of mother am I? I swore I would never be like this with her.

I'm sorry for my long, rambling post. I just don't know what to do. On top of this, I have morning sickness and my parents are hassling me about not being able to graduate this fall because I'm pregnant again (as though I am 18 or something! as though it were any of their business! Is there something wrong with being a "lifelong" student and taking my time? Not like I'm going to work anyway... I'm a sahm. )

Ack. I am not normally this incoherent. And I am SO worried that this withdrawal is going to hurt my baby. I don't know what I would do if I lost the baby because my body is going through all this. Why didn't the dr tell me about this before I started taking the meds?!

Thanks for listening. I just need some help right now.
Amanda

[Carmel]

I don't know the specifics about coming off of Paxil... but I wonder if you could get some more help from a therapist or a naturopath- someone who could help you with the whole symptom picture.

If I knew how to insert that little 'huggs' icon- I would.

I guess I would also say- maybe try some pregnancy tea and some nettles and some motherwort tincture. I really like motherwort for mellowing. I don't know about herb/medication interaction- maybe someone else here does?

Also, maybe this isn't part of it for you so if it doesn't apply forgive me... But, I just want to honor you for being honest and admitting you are in a hard place. Depression is hard, really hard.

I hope you start feeling better soon.

[Marsupialmom]

He IMO is weaning you off wrong! I had a horrible time weaning off until my OB/GYN told me to cut pills and make it a longer time. This was 3 years ago so I cannot remember which I cut and how much. I did it in steps of two weeks. I remember I had to cut higher dosage to get lower. You are not the only one to experience this.

http://neuro-www.mgh.harvard.edu/neu...Mynightmare.ht

[Elphaba]

OK, number 1, you don't HAVE to quit Paxil during pregnancy. Depending on how depressed you are, your baby in utero and your existing baby might be worse off if you quit.

Number 2, weaning off Paxil is a SLOOOOOOOW process. What does were you on? I was only on 10mg, so I just quit. I had 3 horrible Bell Jar days, and then it was over. But if your dose was a normal dose, like 50 or 100 mg, you have to cut back by like 10 mg at a time and let yourself plateau for a few WEEKS (3-4) and work your way down like that.

What you're describing means you've weaned at a pace that is not right for your body. Back up and increase your dosage and work your way back down very, very slowly.

[TalkToMeNow]

I'm on 25 mg, but its the controlled release pills... I don't know what that is in normal pills. I took 12.5 mg for a week and was fine. Its just that first day skipping that got me. Maybe I should wait till I feel better and then go half a 12.5? I was just doing what my dr told me... I didn't come up with this plan on my own or anything.

As for quitting, I have read some studies recently saying that babies whose mothers took paxil while they were pregnant go through withdrawal when they are born, with symptoms ranging from poor lath on and labored breathing to seizures.
http://www.healthyplace.com/Communit...ticles/004.asp
That scares me. Plus, I don't feel that there is enough long term research about the effects.

That said, I was very depressed. But this is the first time in my life I have been medicated and I have been doing wonderfully. I'm hoping that I have had the opportunity to change the way I think and this will help me after I go off paxil completely. Plus, I'm changing my diet, trying herbs, taking omega 3s, using visualization, etc... I really hope I can do this. If not, I'll probably get back on some meds.

I know this is ridiculous, but I still can't help feeling like I have to stop taking pills because its not fair to give them to my baby just because I am too weak to cope with things on my own.

Thank you all for responding. I really need some support right now.

[Elphaba]

I know. It's a tough place to be in.
This is only anecdotal of course, but FWIW, I took Paxil through my pregnancy and quit when my dd was 18 months old. She's 29 months old now, and we are still nursing and have never had even one issue. She's never had any health problems at all.

I tried to quit taking Paxil before I got pregnant, and it was horrible. I was not ready to be off meds.

You're right -- there are no long-term studies and you can't know what will happen. You're just going to have to weigh the possible risks to your baby with the known risks of your depression and how that affects you, your marriage, and your relationship with your child.

I think trying the half a 12.5mg pill for a week or two is a good plan. See how that feels and if you're OK, great. If you're getting sick and having a relapse of your depression, then maybe you should rethink the weaning or back track for a bit.

Keep checking in here for support! Whether you keep taking it or successfully quit, you'll be propped up!

[Marsupialmom]

If you wean slowly your baby will have more time to wean inutero.

Also, if you are aware that their could be problems after birth it will be much easier to deal with. Many things could cause these problems, is this study take in account the drugs mom had during labor? It also talks about the third trimester. So you do have time to wean slower.

If it is doing this to your body think what this faster weaning is doing to your child.

[BoxOfRainMama]

I understand you having reservations about staying on the medication while you are pregnant, but if you need it, you need it. I am taking a class C medication because unfortunately it is the only one that works for me. my OBGYN asked me to please try paxil or Prozac because they are much more safe for pregnancy, but I have tried those and know they don’t work. The way my psychiatrist broke it down for me is.... It is more risk for my depression to be untreated during the pregnancy then the medication is to the baby. It makes me nervous knowing my baby’s body is possibly pumping this drug through its system, but the sad truth is, I would be in an awful state with out them... and be a danger to myself, my baby and my other 2 children. If coming off the paxil is not working, I really hope you concider staying on, youre state is very important to your family.

[Jish]

I apologize for being away for a while. I just had my third child on the 12th and have been busy.

Amanda, how is the weaning going?

[TalkToMeNow]

I gave up for a little while... I'm waiting till I feel better from the pregnancy, then I will talk to my Dr about switching to another med. I don't think I have the nerve to stop taking it again! Its hard to willingly do something you know is going to be awful, you know? Or maybe I'm just a wimp... But I've heard starting a new med like Prozac will help with getting off paxil... and Prozac is supposed to be really safe. Plus, I should probably be on something...

I'm sure I'm not the only one with the ongoing debate of "which is worse": potential side effects to baby from meds; side effects to family and baby from being depressed, bipolar, etc; or side effects from alternative treatments to above disorders.

[loon13]

I'm in my 3rd month of weaning off Paxil.

I was on 20 mg a day for a year, and (with doc's okay) I've been decreasing the dose in 2.5 mg increments each week.

The first 3 weeks were hardest b/c on the third day I would have a off-on headache all day and nausea now and then. I'd aso get the "zaps" every once in awhile---those jittery feelings. But that seemed to be the worst. By the end of the each week, I would feel fine, so I would decrease the dosage the next day.

After that, it went very well. Now I'm up to 2.5 mg every 4th day.
I know I could probably stop taking it altogether now but I'm just nervous.

I don't know if I'm justone of the few who don't have bad withdrawal or if going slowly helped minimize the side effects. It was/is tough, though.

Good luck to you.

Loon

[SpiralChrissy]

Hi there. Please be careful going off Paxil. It's one of the hardest drugs to come off of. It may be helpful to switch to something like Prozac at least while you work off the Paxil. I've read studies on Paxil and some people actually go thru severe withdrawls and some even become suicidal. I wish they'd tell people that before they give out the med!! Anyway, Prozac has been researched more than any other med during pregnancy and it appears relatively safe. And maybe you'd be fine with just a low dose. Please take care and keep talking with your MD.
I'm pulling for you!
Chrissy

[TalkToMeNow]

Hi. Thanks for responding. I decided to talk to my dr and switch to Prozac while continuing to take Paxil, and then come off Paxil gradually. Also, I am waiting until my morning sickness goes away to try this. I hope it works better. Only problem is now, I am too scared to skip or cut down on my dosage anymore! After two tries and how miserable I was, I'm terrified of doing it again. I really hope the Prozac helps.

[isleta]

Ok I am a lurker! But, just wanted to say I wish I had this forum when I was pregnant! You are so supportive. MM-I was on prozac and it helped a great deal. It's hard, but you do have to weigh in the fact that your health matters to you and your baby.
I hope it works out.

[DarkHorseMama]

Here is a link for you about SSRI Discontinuation Syndrome. There may be some useful information in there. I've had it bookmarked for a couple of years now, but haven't needed it yet.

http://bipolar.about.com/cs/antidep/..._ssridisc1.htm

I have been on Zoloft throughout two pregnancies and subsequent breastfeeding. Currently, I am tandem nursing my toddler and newborn. Hugs, hon.

[GoodWillHunter]

Just to add, I've been on Effexor for the last three of my pregnancies... My kiddos are fine at this time... But the risks of going off Effexor were more than I was willing to take. Hang in there, mama! I'm rooting for you...