Has anyone here weaned off Paxil CR?

[thechrysalis]

I changed my title since I only got 4 hits.

I take Paxil CR and after doing some research, am not going to split pills so I'm wondering how I should go about weaning myself off, if that is what I decide to do. I know I need to do it slowly but if I can't split pills, then I'm not sure how to do it. Should I go to every other day?

Any advice?

[thechrysalis]

changed the title

[Elphaba]

Have you talked to your doctor? I really wouldn't try to wean Paxil without someone's help/supervision. People can go a little nuts when quitting that stuff. I speak from experience, I spent 3 days in the Bell Jar when I quit last year.
Maybe your doctor could lower your dosage a bit at a time, or switch you to a drug that is easier to wean from.

[Foobar]

I am not sure. I weaned myself off of celexa last year and I tried to cut down the everyday dosage followed by going once every other day. I should have called my doc and asked the best way to wean. For whatever stupid reason, I never did. I really should have....

Try calling your doc. I had some nasty dizziness from the weaning that should have been avoided.....

[RachelGS]

You need the supervision of a doctor. SSRIs can take a good while to discontinue. Watch out for side effects like dizziness and feelings of numbness, which will tell you that you're weaning too fast. The best thing to do is to lower your everyday dosage as much as possible (have your doctor prescribe a lower dose, then a lower one still, and ask for feedback about splitting pills). Once you get to a very low dose daily, you can go to every other day, then every third day. I know some docs push a weaning schedule of just a week or two, but in my experience as a therapist, most people really don't do well with that. It can take up to three months to fully wean from an SSRI without pretty uncomfortable side effects.

[TalkToMeNow]

Hi. I am weaning off Paxil right now. It was going horribly when I did like my doctor advised: half my dose (down to the lowest level) for a week, then skip a day and go every other day for a week. I didn't get past the first skipped day. I couldn't handle the side effects, which didn't go away for three days even though I took the pills. Evidently, this is very common. I wish it would have appeared in some of the information about the med or the doctor would have warned me. Anyway, I hope I'm not scaring you! Here is what IS working:

I started taking 10 mg of Prozac a day in addition to the 12.5 of Paxil cr. I've been doing this for two weeks. I began halving my Paxil two days ago and have no side effects, which is a huge deal for me. (I tried stopping once before the previously mentioned time, and gave up.) I know you aren't supposed to halve them, but I can't see any other option. They don't make a smaller pill and I'm afraid of skipping a whole dose. This is as far as I've gotten, but it looks promising. I will probably do this for a week, and then maybe quarter the dose for a few days and then skip, etc. I have read Prozac helps with coming off Paxil, and it appears to do so. Good luck, and I hope this helps!

[jacksmama]

I second the motion of having a dr. supervise your weaning. I took Paxil for 3 years. I'm not sure why you wouldn't want to cut the pills in half to wean? My normal dose was 20 mg. My dr told me to take 10 mg for 2 weeks, then 5 mg for 2 weeks and then stop. I did that but I couldn't stop the 5 mg. I took them for an additional 2 weeks. I still had dizziness and other mild side effects for several months afterward. I used to feel like I was in an elevator that was going up really fast.

[becca011906]

I was on paxil CR before i started TTC. I had only been on it for 4 months then cut back to everyother day and then stoped when my Rx ran out. I didn't have my dr supervising b/c i just never made a call. Now that i'm 6 months pregnant i had to go back on it and will be trying to switch to zolof or somthing eles soon since it's not adviced to take paxil while in the 3rd trimester and zoloft is also safer for nursing. Make the call to the dr and get your dose lowered and then see who you should cut back your self!! good luck

[TalkToMeNow]

As to not cutting pills in half: Paxil and Paxil cr are two different things... the controlled release pills control how much of the drug is in your system, causing a more steady ammount to remain there at all times. The outer coating is what controls the release. (At least this is my understanding.) So if you cut the pills, you screw with the whole controlled release thingy. Very scientific explination, eh?

PS- Just posting this because someone asked!

[thechrysalis]

Well, I made an appt with my dr for Wed morning to talk about weaning off the Paxil. thanks for all the replies, I really appreciate it!

I will keep you guys updated on how it goes. I'm getting nervous about it now though. Ugh...

[thechrysalis]

I had my appt yesterday and my dr gave me an Rx for 12.5mg. She said to take them everyday for 2 wks, then every other day for 2wks. She said if I start to feel flu like symptoms with no fever, then I am weaning too fast. Tonight is my second 12.5mg and I feel fine. In fact, I felt pretty good today so hopefully this is slow enough weaning for me.

Thanks again for the replies